A Federal High Court sitting in Maiduguri Borno State has sentenced the Proprietress of Dala Standard Secondary School Josephine Udeh for squandering the West African Examination Council (WAEC) registration fees of 284 students of the school.

“Josephine Udeh being the director of Dala Standard Secondary School, Maiduguri, sometime between 2017 and 2018 at Maiduguri, Borno State within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did dishonestly misappropriate the sum of N5,059,000 (Five Million and Fifty-nine Thousand Naira) only being monies meant for 2017/2018 WAEC registration fees for 284 students of the said Dala Standard Secondary School, Maiduguri and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code Law cap 102 Laws of Borno State of Nigeria and punishable under Section 309 of the same Law,” Justice Aisha Kumaliya said in court on Wednesday.


Udeh had initially pleaded not guilty upon her arraignment on Wednesday, April 24, but during the course of the trial, the prosecution presented 10 witnesses and 10 exhibits which pushed her to enter into a plea bargain agreement with the EFCC.

At the resume of the trial on Wednesday, She pleaded guilty to the amended charge in line with the plea bargain agreement she opted for. Following her guilty plea, the prosecution counsel prayed the court to convict her as charged.

The defence counsel, B.G Sanda prayed for leniency and urged the court to temper justice with mercy as the defendant has already repaid the misappropriated sum.

Justice Kumaliya pronounced her guilty as charged with a fine of N150, 000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) and to spend one year in prison custody in default of the payment of the fine.

https://www.akelicious.net/school-owner-jailed-for-squandering-students-waec-fees/

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket Field office, Akwa Ibom State said filling stations in the state, which violated seal order must pay a fine of N1 million to the Federal Government Treasury Single Account (TSA).

It added that about 32 filling stations were sanctioned for various offences between July 23 to 26 in the state

The Operations Controller of DPR, Mr Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Eket Local Government Area on Wednesday, said the filling stations were sanctioned for various offences such as under-dispensing, violation of DPR seal, non renewal of DPR licenses, and poor sanitary status.

Kingsley-Sundaye noted that Em-sset and Safetech Nigeria Limited had violated DPR seal order, saying that Safetech was first built without relevant approvals and the station was sealed for operating illegally.

His words, “In Akwa Ibom state, last week, some filling stations were put on seal order for committing one offence or the other.

“those filling stations that violated seal order would pay a fine of N1million to Federal Government Treasury Single Account.”

He said that the department had written to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) to checkmate those filling stations that violate seal order.

Kingsley-Sundaye said that if those filling stations are operating their normal businesses, NSCDC would arrest and prosecute them according to Nigerian law.

He warned pump attendants to desist from sharp practices that would shortchange members of the public.


https://www.akelicious.net/defaulted-filling-stations-in-akwa-ibom-to-pay-fine-of-n1-million-into-tsa/

The Committee set up by Zamfara Government to find solutions to armed banditry in the state, says it has secured the release of a Korean doctor abducted seven months ago by bandits.

Chairman of the committee and former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar (rtd), who made this known at a news conference in Gusau on Wednesday, did not however disclose the name of the Korean doctor.

He said a Nigerian who was also abducted when he went to deliver the ransom placed on the Korean doctor by the kidnappers , was also released.

The Nigeria News Agency reports that the Korean doctor was picked from General Hospital, Tsafe in January.

Abubakar said “after the expatriate was abducted, the bandits asked for ransom and when the person took the ransom to them, they also held him in the bush.

“During our negotiations, we were able to rescue both the Korean doctor and the Nigerian who took the ransom,” he stated.

The former IGP whose committee was combing the bushes of the state and negotiating with bandits for release of all abductees, said a representative from the IGP’s office, DSP Hardo was also on the team.

He said, so far, a total of 250 abductees had been rescued from different bandits camps and the number was increasing in response to the peace accord put in place by the state governor, Alhaji Bello Matawalle.

He acommended leaders of the various repentant bandits camps and their members for supporting the peace process which had resulted into the current peace being enjoyed in the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/abducted-korean-doctor-regains-freedom-in-zamfara/

Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has condemned the alleged assault of a Nigerian, Tayo Faniran, by the South African Police on Thursday.

In a statement in Abuja on Friday, the Chairman of NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described the alleged attack as frightening and uncalled for.

“Their almost physical attack on him is most unprofessional, ” Dabiri-Erewa added in the statement issued by the Head of Media of the commission, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

“Faniran is, however, not in police net and the commission will reach him for a one-on-one interaction,’’ she said.

Dabiri-Erewa noted that some South African policemen were currently on trial for alleged maltreatment of some Nigerians in South Africa.

She said the call for caution and restraint in such matters would continue.



The alleged harassment of Faniran, a Big brother Africa Star, was seen on an Instagram Live video as South African policemen stopped him for a routine search.

He was allegedly assaulted following his insistence on riding to the police station in his own car and refusal to turn off the Instagram Live recording from his cellular phone.

https://akelicious.net/dabiri-erewa-condemns-attack-on-ex-bba-star-faniran-by-south-african-police/

The police have arrested 53 kidnap and robbery suspects, through a tip-off from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), while 22 have been charged to Court in Abia state.

According to the Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, during a press conference held at Police Headquarters in Umuahia, revealed that the introduction of operation Puff Adder launched in the state command is yielding the desired results.

He added that a total of eighty ammunition, firearms and other stolen items have been recovered from the suspects.

The police boss stressed that three suspected kidnappers and their armourer were also arrested.

“The arrest of three notorious kidnappers and recovery of firearms following a tip-off generated from the IGP IRT team. The team arrested three suspected notorious kidnappers, alongside their armourer, a 65-year-old man who hails from Abia state.

“All the suspects confessed to several kidnapping incidents around Aba. The police are not resting; we are hunting for other gang members.

“A total of 80 ammunitions, firearms and other stolen items have been recovered by the Abia State Police Command, and 53 suspects involved arrested while 22 have been charged to Court.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/kidnapping-robbery-police-arrest-53.html

The Unity House Foundation (UHF), a good governance advocacy group, says the open letter recently written by former president Olusegun Obasanjo to President Muhammadu Buhari was not in good taste.

Mr Kingsley Wali, UHF’s Convener, offered the group’s position on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.

Wali, who noted that the former president had free access to Buhari to express his views, wondered why Obasanjo opted for an open letter.

“As the former President of this country, he has a free access to the President of this country. He should have explored that.

“If it becomes obvious that the President does not want to see him, then he can go public.

“Until then, he should have explored all opportunities of having a conversation with the President and the administration at the highest level of consultation.

“It is motivated by other things to the best of my knowledge. All we need to understand is that he is not speaking for Nigerians, he is speaking for himself,’’ he said.

Wali, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also faulted the Obasanjo on his statement in respect of Boko Haram.

He said contrary to Obasanjo’s claims, insurgency in the North-East and parts of North-West have been substantially tackled and reduced to the fringes of Lake Chad.

“Almost everywhere in the North, they are talking about Boko Haram. They stretch their business up to Kano, Kaduna, Abuja and Kogi. People in Abuja lived in the mortal fear of Boko Haram attack.

“Of course, you still remember the UN building, you remember the Nyanya bombing and all of those. Did those things happen under Gen. Buhari? The answer is `no’.

“What is significant is that there is no life that is not important; every life is important,’’ he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/advocacy-group-faults-obasanjos-open.html

The organisers of the Second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2020) expect it to surpass the achievements of the inaugural trade fair held in Cairo in 2018 by attracting 10,000 participants and generating intra-African trade and investment deals worth more than $40 billion, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has said.

Oramah was speaking recently, at the formal launch of IATF2020, during the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Business Forum 2019 held on the sidelines of the 12th Extraordinary Summit of African Union (AU) Heads of State in Niamey. He told guests that the trade fair, scheduled for Kigali, from 1 to 7 September 2020, would attract more than 1,100 exhibitors from over 55 countries.

“Working with our esteemed partners, we will exceed the achievements of 2018,” he said, describing IATF2018 as a resounding success, not in the colourful displays exhibited, but in the showcasing of diversity of tradable goods by about 1,100 exhibitors from 45 countries and in the execution of deals worth about $32 billion.


That trade fair resulted in a Nigerian technology company winning a $100-million contract to provide technology-based solutions to the South Sudanese government; an Egyptian company winning contracts in many African countries to supply and install energy generation and distribution equipment worth close to $1 billion; Egyptian and Tunisian companies signing a $50-million partnership deal to create a joint venture for assembling home appliances; and the signing of a $3-billion energy generation project between an Egyptian company and an African government, the largest-ever intra-African project executed exclusively by African entities, including financial institutions, he noted.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/afreximbank-targets-40bn-deals.html

UEFA has received 19.3 million ticket requests for Euro 2020 matches in the first phase of ticket sales, the European governing body said on Monday.

UEFA said that 1.9 million requests alone were placed for the July 12, 2020, final at London’s Wembley Stadium, 22 times the stadium capacity.

Tickets for the London semi-finals and group matches in Munich and Amsterdam were also in high demand.

The 19.3 million requests by far exceed the 11 million from the same phase at Euro 2016 in France.

UEFA said that requests came from 213 countries.

In all, three million tickets are up for sale for next year’s tournament with 24 teams and 51 games in 12 countries.


UEFA will distribute 1.5 million tickets by lot before the end of the month from the first phase which ended on July 12.

In the next phase in December after the group draw fans can request tickets via the participating national federations.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/euro-2020-19m-tickets-requested-in.html

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said the country is yet to attain self-sufficiency in rice production. He was speaking at the 4th National Discourse organized in Lagos by The Companion, an association of Muslim Men in Business and the Professions themed ‘Food Security: Unleashing Nigeria’s Natural Potential for self Sufficiency’.

“We used to import $5 million of rice every day. Although local rice is enhancing the economy, it is still more expensive than imported rice,” he said. Professor Osinbajo said that countries normally place subsidy on their rice to make it less expensive.

His words: “We are still at the point where we can do so much better. Once we are able to mill our rice, then we can compete with imported rice in terms of pricing.”Immediate past governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, described Nigeria as a very poor nation that needed to stand up against corruption and improve on food security.


At the National Discourse, he stated that high concentration and investment on crude oil was melting the economy without meeting the demands of Nigerians and world markets. Reacting to the country’s downward slope in agricultural development, president of Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE) and pioneer vice-chancellor of the University of Uyo, Professor Fola Lasisi, expressed displeasure over the country’s inability to achieve food security.

Osinbajo also said that a modern nation where there is peace and progress could only be built on righteousness, which could only be achieved when the citizens were ready to pay the price. He made the point as a special guest at the 50th-anniversary Lecture, Award, and Dinner of Shepherdhill Baptist Church, Obanikoro, Lagos.

The vice president noted that one of the reasons systemic corruption had been prevalent in Nigeria was because Nigerians were not ready to fight it. He disclosed that often, relatives of criminals, including religious leaders, had been in the habit of soliciting for them to be released, instead of allowing them to face the consequence of their misdeeds to serve as a deterrent.

Pastor of the Church, Rev. Israel Kristilere, said: “We believe that the Church needs to do more than what she has been doing in building the nation, not just being pessimistic, but optimistic and move into action. “We will continue to stand for the truth which exalts the nation, and the Church should be able to assist the government in carrying out its duties through godly advice.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/nigeria-yet-to-attain-self-sufficiency.html

A former Abia State Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has revealed that many senators are disappointed with their salaries after they got far below what they expected before getting into the Senate.

Kalu, who is the Chief Whip of the Senate, stated this on Saturday in Abuja when he addressed journalists, promising to give details of what senators earn soon.

He said: “Let me address the issue of jumbo pay. I have received my salary for June and it is far below what you people are writing.

“If a minister is travelling to Lagos, would he use his legs? What you call fat salary are monies used to run the constituency because they don’t give us additional funds.

“It is the money we use when we travel to Abia, Lagos, Badagry or Kaduna. Next meeting, I will unveil to you.

“You will now see that you are maligning and criticising the National Assembly for nothing.

“Most of my colleagues said they did not know it was going to be like this and I said we came to serve our country as senators.

“When they were outside, they were also saying that all the money was carried by the National Assembly which is not true.

“The money they have given them is not going to be enough. I have seen them crying already.

“They came to me to complain because I have seen the good and the ugly.

“I think that the media is not fair to the National Assembly. I call on you people to change your minds because there is no jumbo pay; honestly, I have not seen one.

“If I see jumbo pay that does not represent my conscience, I will speak.

“When I was governor, the state was buying my food; the state paid everything, but as a senator, nobody does that.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/many-senators-are-disappointed-with.html

The Nigerian Police yesterday said there is no time limit for reporting cases of rape and other sexual assaults to the security and other appropriate agencies in the country. They insisted that irrespective of how long it takes a rape victim to report the case, the Police and the state owe him or her a responsibility to diligently investigate the complaint and bring offenders to book.

Speaking in an exclusive interview yesterday with The Guardian in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba (a Deputy Commissioner of Police), however, added that although it doesn’t matter how long it takes before the reports are made, the sooner a victim calls the Police, the easier it is for it to collect the evidence needed to prove the charge.

He said: “But I will say without equivocation that when rape cases or other forms of abuses are reported timorously, the proximity in time between when the offence is committed and when they are reported helps the Police in managing investigation better, because the memories are fresher in the mind of the victim, the crime scene is less contaminated, it is easier to pick up traces and pieces of evidence from the crime scene and forensic investigations are easier and better handled.


“My recommendation is that victims of rape cases and other forms of sexual assault should endeavour to report their cases on time, but they must also know that there are no time bars to the investigation of rape cases.

“The offence is not statute-barred and they can decide to report their case any time they chose and the Police is duty-bound to investigate them.”

Mba explained that the Police have adopted a multifaceted approach in tackling the challenges associated with rape and other sexual offences, adding: “One of the things we have done is to create a specialised investigative and response units in almost all the Police stations and particularly at the State Criminal Investigative Department (CID) and Force CID levels. We have specialised sections called the Police Gender Units.

“We also have the Juvenile and Women Centres (JWC), which was specifically created, powered, trained and charged with the responsibility of responding to offences that touch on women and children, and rape is one of them. Rape is the focus of not just the gender unit, but also the juvenile and women centres.

“In some states of the federation, the Police have also been able to develop a functional and collaborative working relationship with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in those states. Our best example is Lagos State, where the state government has a dedicated unit at its teaching hospital charged with the responsibility of providing forensic support to the Police in their investigations of not just rape cases, but other sexual offences.”

Mba lamented that the Police is faced with fundamental challenges in their efforts to bring justices to rape victims and also punish and bring rape suspects and paedophiles to book, one of which is the reluctance on the part of rape victims to report rape incidence to the Police and other law enforcement agencies.


“At other times, they may make the report, but it may come very late. There is a need for us to look into some of the reasons why people are reluctant in reporting cases of rape and see how we can work together as a community and as a people to eliminate those fears.

“I think one of the reasons victims are reluctant to report cases of rape is fear of the stigmatisation that could arise from speaking out.

“The second reason, which I have also found out while relating one-on-one with some of the victims as a Police officer, is their discomfort with some of the investigative procedures.

“A lot of them are also reluctant to report for fear of embarrassment that could be associated with their report arising from media coverage. The fear of negative publicity and embarrassment associated with such publicity is also a factor.

“We have also discovered that some of the rapists leave their victims with ongoing threats of bodily harm and blackmail.”

The Force spokesman, however, explained that the Police has created special units to provide privacy to victims during the processes of investigations and assurance that their fears and concerns would be taken care of, adding: “We are also pursuing witnesses protective programmes that could help to protect the victims and their witnesses so as to give them that assurance of safety and security.”


He said most rape cases are committed by people that are known to the victims, noting: “Of all the reports we have, over 90 per cent of them are committed by acquaintances, the people that know the victims.”

Mba disclosed that the Force has been carrying out massive prosecution of rape suspects across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Similarly, the Director of Public Enlightenment, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Arinze Orakwe, told The Guardian in an exclusive interview in Abuja, yesterday, that rape victims reserve the right to disclose their experiences anytime they wish, saying there is no national template on the timeframe a rape victim should disclose her harrowing experience.

But he called for the review of the law guiding rape cases in Nigeria to swing in favour of victims, as it would stem the tide of rising cases of paedophile and rape in the country.

He explained that the burden of proof that is placed on victims is aiding rapists and assaulters to go unpunished, adding: “NAPTIP will fully support the review of the rape law. While I am not speaking on behalf of NAPTIP, I as an individual and operator support the review of the law. The law as presently crafted is a burden on victims. Indeed, the law seeks to dampen the morale of families of victims to press charges, because it is almost impossible to prove rape cases successfully in our court of law, because of the evidence that is required.”

Orakwe also noted that NAPTIP would continue to appeal to parents to know that they are the first responders by way of protecting their children, insisting: “Parents must mind whom they leave their children with because the family knows paedophiles. Children normally submit their basic security instincts to uncles, pastors, neighbours or aunties. That is why we emphasise to parents that they must mount the first roadblock, mount the first resistance against these acts.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/no-time-limit-for-reporting-rape-cases.html

In a dramatic twist wednesday, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), Chief Frank Igwebuike, has asked the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal to remove the name of the party from the petition, challenging the election of President Muhammadu Buhari.


But, in a swift reaction, the party’s presidential candidate in the February 23 election, Pastor Aminchi Habu, urged the tribunal to ignore Igwebuike, who according to him, is acting on his own.

In a fresh application brought by his counsel, Morrison Onunu, the national chairman of PDM said the desire to withdraw from the petition was in the interest of the nation, and not for any other consideration.

Habu and the PDM are seeking nullification of the poll that produced President Buhari as winner of the election on grounds that they were excluded from contesting the poll.

The petition with number CA/PEPC/004/2019 filed on March 19, 2019 is asking the tribunal to also conduct a fresh election that would include the petitioners.

However, at the resumed hearing yesterday, shortly after counsels to parties in the matter announced appearances, Onunu stood up to introduced himself as counsel to the 2nd petitioner, the PDM.

He said that he filed a motion on July 9, which he said have been served on all parties.

In the 14-paragraph affidavit, Igwebuike averred that PDM in its own wisdom, re-evaluated the probability of the petition succeeding and decided to withdraw from it.

He argued “that the withdrawal of the 2nd petitioner/applicant as a petitioner in this petition is in the best overall interest of the party and the nation, Nigeria”.

Igwebuike added that PDM as the second petitioner resolved and decided to forgo whatever cause of action that necessitated the filing of the petition, adding that it is no longer needed to agitate the present petition of its presidential candidate.

He further asserted in the affidavit of his motion that PDM did not reach any agreement, political gains or otherwise compromise with any of the defendants in the petition of its presidential candidate or any other person or party before seeking to pull out from the petition.

The applicant further stated that PDM’s withdrawal in the petition of its presidential candidate is voluntary and without any duress of influence; and that no undertaking or agreement has been entered into with any of the respondents in the petition.

However, in a counter affidavit to Igwebuike’s motion, the National Secretary of the party, Abubakar Gwada, dismissed the move to withdraw the PDM from the petition of its presidential candidate.

In the 18-paragraph counter affidavit, he deposed to, Gwada asserted that the national chairman is acting alone in his bid to pull out PDM from the petition.

He claimed that since the petition was filed about four months ago, the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee of the party had not met to take any decision relating to the withdrawal of the party from the petition.

The deponent categorically stated that Igwebuike’s decision to withdraw the PDM from the petition does not have the authority of the party, adding that the petition is a joint one filed with the consent of the party and financed solely by the presidential candidate, who is complaining of unlawful exclusion from the presidential election.

He further stated that the law firm of Aliu Lemu has been retained to prosecute the petition on behalf of the party and the presidential candidate remains the counsel on record as no decision has been taken to withdraw it from the petition.

The counter affidavit further stated that PDM is still very much interested in the petition, saying a decision for it to withdraw from the petition can only be taken by the NEC and NWC of the party.

Gwada asserted that there are no extreme circumstances for the tribunal to grant the application to remove PDM from the petition, adding that it will not be in the interest of justice to allow the withdrawal of the party’s name from the petition of the presidential candidate.

However, following the request by Onunu for time to respond to the counter affidavit of the 1st petitioner, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice Mohammed Garba, adjourned to July 18 for hearing of the application for withdrawal.

Justice Garba, who noted that the tribunal had at its last sitting adjourned to July 10 to present the report of the pre-hearing session, said that the application of the 2nd petitioner has scuttled the day’s proceedings.

It would be recalled that a factional Chairman of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) had sometime last month approached the tribunal to strike out the name of the party from the petition filed alongside the presidential candidate, Ambrose Oworu, against the election of Buhari.

The tribunal however dismissed the application for lacking merit, stressing that the party cannot withdrew from the petition it jointly filed with its presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, hearing in the petition filed by the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) and its presidential candidate Chief Ambrose albert owuru has also been slated for same July 18, 2019.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/pdm-chairman-begs-tribunal-to-remove.html

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged secular musicians who protested to the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to direct their future protests to the government.

The association made their position known in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by its National Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Mr Samuel Vondip.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some protesters, including Charly Boy, Idris Abdulkareem and Baba Fryo on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the RCCG Redemption Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The protesters called on Adeboye to speak up against what they termed the injustice in the country.

”While we appreciate the concern of the protesters over the issues they raised and the call for a better nation, we strongly believe that singling out one of our leaders and members, to say the least, is unfair.

”The entire exercise, in our view, was ill-motivated. The people who staged this insulting protest against a highly revered Servant of God in the person of Pastor Adeboye are totally ignorant of the operations of CAN.

”It needs to be known to all that Adebayo had addressed the press on several occasions, saying that as a ‘man under authority’, he cannot speak on issues that CAN or PFN have spoken about,” Vondip said.

He said that any protest against Adeboye would be viewed by CAN as a systematic insult against church leaders in Nigeria.

”Why should any group of people think that it is their right to protest and demand that Pastor Adeboye must speak on the issues they listed when CAN and PFN had spoken about them?

”On about three occasions, CAN had taken many of the issues raised by the protesters to President Muhammadu Buhari

”CAN had requested the government to do more to get the people in Boko Haram captivity released.

“We specifically mentioned the remaining Chibok girls, Leah Sharibu, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the Islamic preacher who is still kept in detention against the ruling of the court,” he said.

Vondip said that CAN had also spoken to those in government, especially the Christians among them who were members of the association, to speak for the oppressed in the country.

He added that they had been urged to defend their faith rather than explaining away evils in order to protect their jobs and daily bread.

The CAN national director also added that on some occasions, the association had written the National Assembly for their intervention.

”While we understand the frustration of those who organised the protest, we are against the method they adopted by directing their anger against an innocent man.

”Adeboye will never support oppression and he has been speaking against these evils in the land through CAN and, on several occasions, in his sermons.

”We further urge those who protested to direct their future protests at those in government who should do more to free those who have been in captivity for no sins of theirs.

”They should direct their protest against the people in power to make the nation safer from the attacks of herdsmen, kidnappers, ritual killers, armed robbers, armed bandits and Boko Haram terrorists.

”We have no gun to fight our battles except to speak out as we have been doing and never at the same time give up praying to God who can do all things,” he added.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/direct-protests-to-govt-not-adeboye-can.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a committee to investigate the voting pattern of its lawmakers during the 9th National Assembly leadership election in June.

The Party’s National Chairman, Mr Uche Secondus, who inaugurated the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the committee had three weeks to submit its report.


Secondus, represented by the party’s Deputy National Secretary (South), Mr Yomi Akinwonmi, said that the 10-man committee would be chaired by Sen. Adolphus Wabara.

Other members of the committee include Prof. Wale Oladipo, as Secretary, Sen. Ben Obi, Prof. Yohana Iliya, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Austin Opara, Sen. Stella Omu, Margret Icheen, Mr Hassan Hyatt and Sen. Abdul Ningi.

Secondus said that the action of the party is a display of internal democracy, saying “this is the advantage PDP has over other political parties in Nigeria.


“This is what brought us to the level we are, respect for internal democracy.

“We resolve issues by dialogue, by discussions, by looking at the two sides of the coin. This you will never find in other political parties in Nigeria.”

The committee terms of reference, according to Secondus is to investigate and find out why some of the PDP members and Senators elect, failed to abide by the decision of the party during the NASS leadership election.


“To investigate and find out whether there is any involvement of the ruling party in the decision taken by the members involved.

“Where there are established reasons for taking the action by the members, the individual members should be identified so that the party creates mutual and political atmosphere for reasonable interaction with honourable members.

“To find out and recommend ways to checkmate such tendencies in the future and ensure that all members work together to defend the interest of the party at all times and circumstances.”

The national chairman advised the committee to look at all the strata of the party including the governors and advise the party appropriately.
“You have done it before and we believe you will do it again,” he said.

Secondus said that the party’s National Executive Committee and National Working Committee had the highest confidence in the committee.

He also expressed optimism that the committee would work for the actualisation of the terms of reference with the intent of defending and moving the party forward.

In his response, Wabara, said that the committee members accepted their nominations to do what he described as “very serious responsibility.”

“I promise on behalf of my colleagues in the committee that we will perform our duties in accordance with the terms of reference diligently.

“We will do it in such a manner that our members at the National Assembly will by the special grace of God remain intact and loyal to the party.’’

Wabara said that as men and women of proven integrity who were once leaders in the NASS, they would “unearth what happened’’ and submit their report even before the three weeks deadline.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/nass-leadership-election-pdp-takes.html

Contrary to speculations by most international organisations that Nigeria’s population is 200 million, the National Population Commission (NPC) has said the country’s population is 198 million.

NPC Director General, Dr. Ghaji Ismaila Bello, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, to mark the 2019 World Population Day entitled: ‘25 years of ICPD: Accelerating the Promise, ‘ maintained that the country needs another census to ascertain the country’s actual population.

He said: “As at today, we are about 198 million. Three months ago, UNFPA brought out a figure of 201 million and we were asked to comment on that. For us, the difference between the UNFDP figure and ours is a function of assumptions. In the absence of accurate census, you have to use model and projection in order to arrive at a figure that you are projecting. There is no major fundamental difference per se between 201 and 198 million. Granted that 3 million can be the size of most countries, but when you are talking of very huge figure the margin of zero is small.

“It is imperative that Nigeria should undertake another census in the light of the recommendation of the UN for census to be taken every ten years and bearing in mind that the last census was undertaken in 2006 and we ought to have taken another census in 2016.

But, NPC’s acting National Chairman, Yusuf Anka, noted that the country still lags behind in meeting the ‘Cairo Plan’s, which gives women greater control over their lives, promote economic equality and opportunity, and stressed that the plan should be implemented.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/therere-198m-nigerians-npc.html

Dr Patrcia Auta, an economic expert says Nigeria’s delay to sign the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has cost the country the chance to host headquarters of the AfCFTA.

Ghana was on Sunday selected as the country to host the secretariat of the AfCFTA.

The AU review committee said the West African nation was awarded the right based on regional balance formula.

Ghana beat six other countries which had submitted their bids to host the secretariat. They were: Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar and Senegal.

Auta said that it was sad that a heavyweight like Nigeria remained conspicuously on the sidelines for long at a time of increased momentum toward continental integration.

“This state of affairs contrasts sharply with Nigeria’s prior activist roles on matters African in years gone by.

“In the past, Nigeria has used its political heft, economic power, and diplomatic and intellectual pedigree to seize the mantle of leadership that changed the course of African history.

“The country lost the establishment of the headquarters to Ghana. Imagine the number of employment this would have created.

“If we had signed on time and contested, there is no way we wouldn’t have won,’’ she said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/acfta-headquarters-lost-opportunity-for.html

It was a dream come through for the CEO of Air-Peace Airline Chief Barr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema (IDEE!) the directors of the company, staff, Ndi-Ihiala LGA, Umu-Anambra State, Ndi-Igbo, Nigeria, West Africa and Africa at large as history was made in our moribund aviation sector through the vision of one man with the midas touch.



Air-Peace Airline on its first international trip billed for 5th July 2019 as was widely announced, had a humongous number of over 350 passengers to make the history as it departs Muritala Mohammed Airport Lagos around 10:pm Nigerian Time finding its way to SHARJAH-DUBAI @about 6:am Nigerian Time to the glory of God.



It is important to also report that The Boeing 777 used for the journey was gallantly steered by our indigenous first-class Pilot Mr. Egeonu a native of Atani community in Ogbaru LGA, Anambra State in company of majestic and good looking cabin crew who rendered unending heart thrilling services to the air travellers during their 8hours air cruise!



The CEO of Air-Peace Barr. Onyema in one of the Television Program he featured days ago, did emphatically assured the travelling population home and diaspora that the company (Air-Peace Airline) is in operation with the aim to provide an unprecedented ecstasy, luxury, a good quality service delivery in the industry starting from the homes of the customers in various states to the airport at ease. He also noted that this innovation will unarguably contribute to his desire to help alleviate hunger and poverty in many nations as part of the company's contributions to humanity by providing deluge of employment opportunities for the teaming youths across the globe directly/ indirectly.



The above assurance was evident as hundreds of testimonies flew in from those that traveled with the Airline yesterday with tales of experiencing air travel in a way unheard of before.



In Dubai for example, the Country's Govt Senior Officials, Princess, Economic Leadersfrom the Arab world, International Business Moguls, The Nigerian Ambassador To Dubai were all seen in the airport at Sharjah waiting for the arrival of the Nigeria Bird as it flew through the international Air Space conspicuously aware of the enormity of the economic gains that follows this grand breaking occasion.



Your guess as to what the atmosphere was as the BIG BIRD perched the well decorated Airport runway and safely discharge its passengers is without mincing word "MAGICAL"



Yes history was indeed made!



Let me however appreciate the Nigerian Population who came out to support their own beyond ethnic cleavage. Nigerians from all works of life from Entertainment industry to Manufacturers, Captains of World Economy, Religious / Traditional Leaders, Political heavyweights name it, all patriotically made an uncommon/ bold statement, as they partook to lite up this history with their intimidating numbers as the Giant of Africa (almost 400 passengers onboard the plane) sharing in the joy of this feat, a hope that we can still get it right one way or the other as a Nation but with the right people leading to this Paradise.



My own Boss himself was not left out of this trip (mbanuuu!) the Deputy Speaker Of Anambra State House Of Assembly Agbodike Paschal Arinze onye ihie oma na adi mma (Mmirioma 1 of Ihiala LGA) as you can see him smiling joyfully to Gods grace on Our Leader The Air-Peace Boss his mentor. See the picture to spot him out.



The Buhari Govt must be appreciated too for supporting this project and providing to the best they can, necessary assistance that birthed this dreams.



Let this success story also serve as a compass for success to the administrators of our Nation who have continued to maraud around many transformation projects in the country in perpetuity without any improvement that "all it takes to change this Nation is the WILL."

It took only the WILL of just one MAN to change and instill hope in one of our economically wrecked sector which positioned Nigeria strategically amongst its sister states and prove to the world that The Potentials In Africa Is Still Untaped and would definitely Lord the world in due time.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/air-peace-airline-sets-record-in.html?m=1

The Senator Representing Delta North senatorial zone, Peter Nwaoboshi, has said that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacks jurisdiction to order an interim forfeiture of his assets.

Senator Nwaoboshi, speaking through his Kaduna-based lawyer, Mr. Muhammad Katu, argued that the court’s order of interim forfeiture of the Senator’s assets constituted an abuse of court process.

Senator Nwaoboshi had applied to the Federal High Court in Abuja to vacate an order of interim forfeiture of his alleged assets made on July 2, 2019.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Taiwo Taiwo, had in his ruling on an ex parte application filed by the Special Presidential Investigative Panel for the Recovery of Public Property against the Senator for non declaration of assets, issued an order for interim forfeiture of 11 houses and 22 bank accounts linked to the Delta-North Senator.

However, in a motion on notice filed on July 5, 2019 by his counsel, Muhammad Katu, Senator Nwaoboshi argued that the court’s order of interim forfeiture of his assets constituted an abuse of court processes.

Katu described the Senator’s trial as the handiwork of his political opponents who were bent on tarnishing his rising political profile especially in his Delta North.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/abuja-federal-high-court-lacks.html

Yahoo boy caught while trying to escape with runs girl dead body in hotel who he kill in other to use her for money ritual

More photos at
https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/yahoo-boy-caught-while-trying-to-escape.html?m=1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMaxOQUQgt0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPWyqjtUdpc

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has congratulated his Osun State counterpart, Gboyega Oyetola, over Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his (Oyetola’s) victory as the validly elected governor of the state.

Reacting to the ruling on Friday, Fayemi described it as an affirmation of the people’s will, “as expressed through their votes in the 2018 governorship election in the state”.


The Governor, who said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, also congratulated the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the people of Osun for remaining calm and optimistic all through the judicial process.

He urged Oyetola to be magnanimous in victory and extend a hand of fellowship to his opponents in the bid to move the state forward.

“It is a great day for democracy. The highest court in the country has finally settled the controversies surrounding the Osun governorship election and affirmed Governor Oyetola as the true winner of the election


“Hearty congratulations to my brother Governor, Oyetola. A bigger congratulations to the people of Osun State, who are the real winners in the context,” he said.

Fayemi said he was convinced that Oyetola would take the state to the next level of development and prosperity, given his pedigree “as an astute manager of men and resources and as a leader who has genuine passion for development”.

Similarly, the South West leaders of the APC have hailed the outcome of the case.


The party noted that the judgment showed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination of ridding the nation’s judiciary of manipulative tendencies is yielding results.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti, Chief Karounwi Oladapo, the South West Zonal Publicity Secretary of APC, said the victory would stop further distractions in Osun state and brighten the chances of the party in the zone.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/osun-guber-what-fayemi-said-as-oyetola.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has said that it has accepted the Supreme Court judgment that affirmed Gov. Gboyega Oyetola as the winner of the September 2018 governorship election in the State.

Mr Soji Adagunodo, the State PDP Chairman, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo said since the Supreme court was the apex court in the land, there was nowhere the party could appeal again.


NAN reports that the Supreme Court in a split judgment of five to two on Friday upheld the election of Oyetola.

Adagunodo said the minority judgment dealt with the constitutional issue of the matter, which according to him, was the most important while the majority judgment dealt with the technical issues.

“Since the Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, we don’t have anything to say than to accept the verdict.


“The judgment is a split judgment.

“The majority judgment dealt with technical matter and we expected the judges to have called for the file of the lower court.

“Meanwhile, the majority judgment dealt with constitutional matter which is important to our democracy.


“The court has ruled and we don’t have anything to say than to accept the verdict since there is nowhere to go again,’’ Adagunodo said.

He, however, appealed to party members to be calm and peaceful.

Meanwhile, Osun Concerned Citizens, a socio-political group, has described the judgment as a victory for democracy and justice.

Mr Yaya Ademola, the General Secretary of the group, in a statement in Osogbo said the legal battle was over.

“Now that the battle is over, Gov. Gboyega Oyetola should be magnanimous in victory and make use of the best hands, irrespective of political party affiliation.

“The vanquished should make themselves available for the bigger project of Osun development while preparing for future elections.

“People are hereby enjoined to go about their normal duties as Gov. Oyetola drives us to the next level of continuity in social and infrastructural development,’’ Ademola said.

Also speaking, Mr Kamil Oyedele, a former member of the State House of Assembly, said the Supreme Court judgment was a victory for democracy.

Oyedele said it was now clear that Oyetola won the election, adding that the opposition party should support the governor in moving the state forward

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/07/adekele-vs-oyetola-pdp-reacts-to.html

Northern youths under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Group (CNG), has issued a 30-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari, to implement the Ruga policy across the country, warning that the group will resort to a line of action after the ultimatum.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, CNG spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman with the full complement of the leaders of the coalitions, came hard on Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, accusing him of retracting and disassociating himself from the policy and apparently been obsessed by curious ethnic tendencies and haste to reassure his tribal lords.

The group did not also spare former President Olusegun Obasanjo, southern governors, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Femi Fani Kayode among many others for opposing the policy, just as they accused President Buhari administration of ‘twisting and wobbling deceitfully around the visibly-stewing security situation in northern Nigeria especially the herders- farmers’ conflict’.

The concluding part of the communique read after several hours deliberation, read: “While we warn all state governors that stand against the implementation of the Ruga initiative to desist and give peace a chance, we place President Buhari and the Federal government on notice that they must act to halt and completely stop this raging madness within 30 days beginning from today, Wednesday, July 3, 2019.

“The Nigerian security agencies are also placed on notice to check and bring under control the current unbridled inflammatory remarks by the southern leaders, in the same manner, they swiftly coined a tag of ‘hate speech’ around the Kaduna Declaration.

“We warn the elders, political and religious leaders of southern Nigeria to urgently halt the inciting remarks that provoke hate against the North, keeping in mind that no single person or group has the sole monopoly of unguarded remarks that instigate hatred.


“For the avoidance of doubt, we advise the federal authorities and the southern leaders to heed the 30-day notice failing which we would most definitely be left with no option than to consider resorting to our decisive line of action,” the group warned.

Highlighting the observations that helped the group arrive at the conclusion, the spokesperson of the group said: “For too long, enemies of the North both foreign and local have worked strenuously to ensure that the region remains backward, divided, weak, confused and bewildered by myriads of challenges and problems so it cannot survive long in the event of a breakup.

“This conspiracy has been perpetrated with the active connivance of some leaders from the North, accommodated by the cowardice of those that present themselves as northern political leaders today and feed on the negligence and insincerely of the federal authorities.

“Throughout the last four years, the administration of President Buhari has twisted and wobbled deceitfully around the visibly stewing security situation in northern Nigeria especially the herders and farmers conflict. The administration had proposed several conflicting and ill-designed approaches to the issue which was apparently only meant to buy time and never to be implemented.

“As evidence of an agenda that has its root and pattern in history, the latest approach similar to the ones operated by the Taraba and Benue state governments that aim to curb the movement of the herders and forestall further clashes with farmers were inadvertently interpreted in ethnic terms by southern Nigerian jingoists in high places.

“Instructively, Yemi Osinbajo, apparently obsessed by curious ethnic tendencies, and in a haste to reassure his tribal lords, quickly retracted by dissociating himself from the Ruga resettlement initiative announced by a government he is part of.

“Thus the proposal, whether by error or by design, provided the southern leaders the excuse to set their dogs of war against the Fulani communities domiciled in, or simply passing through, or grazing in the southern bushes.

“The stage for this scenario was systematically set by one-time President Obasanjo who, previously, flew the false kite of the existence of an agenda for the “Fulanisation and Islamisation” of the country which was immediately orchestrated by the cultural and political leaderships of the three zones that constitute the defunct southern region.


“Trouble-shooters like Femi Fani Kayode and his ilk typically saw it as an opportunity for the venting of their accumulated frustration and pent-up tribal and religious jealousies by inciting the southern people to arms for the ongoing carnage and mayhem against the Fulani. This was encouraged by the persistent hate-filled utterances by various shades of southern leaders and fuelled by the equally venomous sermons by their priests.

“The cleansing operation also derives inspiration and support from the damning remarks of their state governors who also emphatically denounce and reject every effort to share space with fellow Nigerian citizens of northern extraction.

“Yet neither Buhari’s presidency nor our northern leaders could have the courage to see any element of hate in the war tunes constantly sounded and danced to by these warmongering southern elites the way they were quick to coin the phrase “hate speech” against us barely two years ago,” the group quipped.

Speaking further, the group said: “Having come this far, we restate our emphatic repudiation of the vilification of one ethnic and religious group or the other for whatever reason or justification and deem the targeting of the entire Fulani race for vilification, systematic dehumanisation, profiling, alienation or any action that will render them object of attack and persecution, not only immoral and illegal, but also abhorrent to our sensibilities and ordinary decency.

“Accordingly, we remind the nation that so long as the Fulani would not be allowed to enjoy their citizens’ right of living and flourishing in any part of this country including the South, no one should also expect us to allow any southerner to enjoy the same in northern Nigeria.

“We find it odd that some northern political merchants who could not rise to condemn what is happening to their kith and kins and do not deserve to be taken seriously, were busy going round in a bid to sell the conscience of the northerner to Bola Tinubu by shamelessly waging a campaign for a fraudulent shift of power to the South-West in 2019,” the group noted.

https://www.sunnewsonline.com/northern-youths-issue-buhari-30-day-ultimatum-to-implement-ruga-across-nigeria/

The Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has announced that he has reshuffled his cabinet.

The announcement showed the swapping of office by six commissioners, who were moved from one ministry to another.


According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr C.Don Adinuba, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Michael Okonkwo, is now in charge of Housing, while Obi Nwankwo is now in Environment ministry.

Mr Afam Ogene, who was Agriculture Commissioner, is now in Youth and Creative Ministry.

Bonventure Emenali, who was Commissioner for Youths, is now in charge of Lands, while Emeka Ezenwanne, who was in Housing, is now the Commissioner for Utilities.

The statement also revealed that Hon. Nnamdi Onukwuba, who was the Commissioner for Utilities, is now in charge of Agriculture.

Akelicious gathered that the reshuffling was geared towards creating better service and improvement for the people of the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/06/gov-obiano-reshuffles-cabinet.html

The Lagos State Task-Force on Environment and Special Offences (Enforcement) said it had impounded more than 3,000 commercial motorcycles for various traffic offences in the state between January and May.

Mr Adebayo Aribidesi, the Spokesman for the Task-Force, told the News Agency Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos, South West Nigeria that the motorcycles were impounded at various restricted corridors and inner routes.

“The Task-Force has impounded over 3,000 commercial motorcycles within the state in all 475 restricted routes including the highways and bridges.

“The position of the Lagos State Traffic Law 2012, restricts commercial motorcycles from highways and bridges in Lagos State.

“Majority of them are violating the law at will, thinking the law is no more in existence,’’ he said.

According to him, anybody riding a motorcycle must put on a helmet; the motorcyclist must not carry a pregnant woman or person(s) below 12 years.

Aribidesi said that the state government had embarked on park sensitisation and enlightenment programmes for motorcyclists on the traffic law.

“The law is not punitive but corrective for better society,” he added.

According to him, the task-force operations will also discourage the law enforcement officials from riding their motorcycles at the restricted routes across the state.

“The task-force does not discriminate; the Police, Army and Nigerian Navy have been briefed and discouraged from riding at these 475 corridors.

“There is nobody above the law, once you are found guilty of violating the traffic law, your motorcycle will be impounded,” he said.

According to him, all the seized motorcycles will be crushed and totally destroyed by the state government. (NAN)

Speaking with NAN, the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS), Casso Branch in Alagbado, however, appealed to the state government to intervene and help its members to recover the motorcycles allegedly seized from the branch.

Mr Sunday Bernard, the Chairman of the branch, made the plea in an interview with NAN.

Bernard alleged that men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit besieged the branch park at Casso and forcefully took the motorcycles from their owners.

The chairman said efforts to convince the officials that the park was in an inner street and not part of the 475 restricted routes failed.

He said that most of the motorcycles were new ones bought on a hired purchase by the owners who were either laid off by their former employers or job seekers.

He urged the state government to intervene and let the riders recover their motorcycles.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/06/traffic-offence-lasg-impounds-3000.html

Mr Peter Obi, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February election, has urged the Zamfara Governor-elect, Dr Bello Matawalle to work for the people.

Obi gave the advice in a statement issued by his Media Office on Saturday in Abuja.

He advised Matawalle and other PDP candidates declared winners of the National and State Houses of Assembly elections by the ruling of the Supreme Court to see their victory as a challenge to work hard and to uplift Zamfara.

He said that God must have a reason for making Matawalle to have the mandate of the people of the embattled state at the moment.

Obi said that the fallout from Zamfara should teach politicians a lesson that God has the final say on who gets what position.

The former Governor of Anambra told those who emerged victorious in Zamfara that the current security situation in the state had thrown up a huge challenge for them.

He said that being a beneficiary of the rule of law they should do everything humanly possible while in office to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary as a critical component of democratic rule.

He also praised the Judiciary for always being there to right the wrong of politicians, saying that it was the reason the system created separation of powers.

Obi urged politicians to see the fallout from Zamfara as a reason to believe in the supremacy of God in all their struggles for political power and positions.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/work-for-zamfara-people-obi-urges-governor-elect.html

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on May 11 released this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results after an initial delay. Of the over 1.8 million candidates who sat for the examination between April 11 and 18, the results of 1,792,719 were released while those of 34,120 were withheld with 15,145 that needed further clarifications

JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that the delay was caused by malpractices and other infractions perpetrated by candidates and their collaborators at the examination centres across the country. He specifically revealed that JAMB identified large number of impersonators that specialised in writing UTME for candidates and most of the tutorial masters that also specialised in recruiting professional writers for the candidates. We condemn the rising cases of examination malpractices witnessed in the UTME and call on JAMB and other stakeholders to map out strategies to avert them in future. We also commend the new leadership of JAMB for its renewed commitment to eliminate examination malpractices.

Since the introduction of JAMB in 1978, it has carried out its main duty of conducting examination into the tertiary institutions diligently and in the process has earned a good reputation for itself. However, we are worried that recent examination malpractices may taint it, if not checked.

The upsurge in examination malpractices witnessed during the 2019 UTME may not be unconnected with the desperation of some candidates to gain admission. For example, one ‘mercenary’ candidate caught at this year’s UMTE was alleged to have registered over 60 times.

This infraction occurred despite JAMB’s efforts to make the examination foolproof with the introduction of modern technology and the Computer Based Test (CBT). It is laudable that JAMB has not relented in its determination to rein in these nefarious elements and examination cheats. As at the last count, 116 CBT centres were sanctioned and delisted from the JAMB register and would be debarred from conducting future examinations; over 200 persons were arrested and currently being prosecuted for their roles during the examination. It is also good that JAMB is introducing new measures to secure the integrity of the examination.


One of the new measures being proposed is the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) which the authorities say would ensure “control, transparency and credibility of the admission process.” The new system is also expected to expand admission chances and protect academic calendar of the various universities. We have no doubt that the proposed new initiatives would address the problems if faithfully implemented. We urge the JAMB leadership to ensure that they are quickly introduced.

Despite the challenges JAMB encountered in this year’s examination, it produced some of the best results in recent years. Candidate Ekene Franklin Ezeunala from Imo State obtained the highest score of 347 out of the 400 points. The 15-year-old boy is a student of Meiran Community Secondary School, Lagos.

The young outstanding performer applied to read Chemical Engineering at the University of Lagos, but he may be denied the opportunity on account of the school’s admission age requirement. We suggest that the authorities of the University of Lagos should waive the age requirement for brilliant candidates. They should not be denied admission because of age. They should be treated like gifted children. Ekene has represented his school and Lagos State in science competitions with distinction. Therefore, his performance is laudable. It is a Nigerian success story worth telling.

The Federal Government should offer scholarships to the best three candidates in the UTME. This is how developed countries groom their talented citizens. However, the conduct of this year’s UTME cannot be said to be hitch-free. Many candidates complained of lapses in biometric verification process, poor servers and malfunctioning calculators among others. Moreover, the long delay in the release of results was not tidy. We urge JAMB to ensure that the hiccups experienced by candidates during the 2019 UTME are addressed before the next examination season. The CBT should be an improvement on the abandoned paper and pencil examination.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/2019-utme-and-need-for-improvement.html

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Friday commissioned the new digitized central storage facility of the State Treasury Office (STO), saying it was gratifying to note that the financial outlook of the State is very positive.

The Governor also commissioned dualised Bisola Durosinmi Etti Road and new Hakeem Dickson Road in Lekki, Eti-Osa.

Speaking in Ikeja at the unveiling of the STO storage facility, a project initiated during his tenure as Accountant General of the State in 2006, Ambode, who was represented by Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinyemi Ashade said though he would be exiting office in few days time, but his commitment to bring about financial accountability and robust financial base for the State remains unwavering.

“Ladies and gentle men, the tenure of our administration is coming to an end in a few days but our commitment to maintaining the financial accountability, transparency and creating a robust financial base in the State is unwavering.

“Let me assure you that our State is safe; its finances are secure and the outlook is very positive,” Ambode said.

He said aside being in line with the civil service reform embarked upon by his administration, the ultra modern edifice, was also part of the vision to continually innovate and transform the financial processes of the State thereby evolving an improved service culture for the benefits of Lagosians.

According to him, “Today is a special day for us because we are writing a new chapter in the success story of public financial management in Lagos State. Today, we are moving from an analogue system to a digital and state-of-the-art platform for storing our critical documents.”

Giving details about the facility, Ambode said the edifice was fitted with modern equipment which will convert all physical payment vouchers and supporting documents into electronic form and subsequently stored to aid easy and seamless archiving as well as retrieval of security documents, saying that the transformation would go a long way to ensure that the State’s public financial information management system was in line with leading practices across the world.

“By transitioning from manual to electronic system of archiving and retrieving vouchers and other supporting documents, we have demonstrated a commitment to investing in information and communication technology to steer the State on its journey towards a Smart City.

“Asides the electronic storage, this complex also houses an ultra modern staff training facility with capacity to accommodate 150 persons for treasury staff in the State Civil Service. With the premium our administration places on regular capacity development, this training facility became imperative and would provide the conducive environment for in-house technical training of finance and account officers which will no doubt enhance the productivity and quality of output as we continue to build the technical capacity of our staff,” Ambode said.

Earlier, the Governor commissioned the dualised Bisola Durosinmi Etti/Hakeem Dickson Road, Lekki in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, saying that his administration only prioritized renewal and development of road infrastructure but utilised an all inclusive approach that has touched both rural and urban areas in the State.

Represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, the Governor said his administration had given the axis the attention it deserved in terms of infrastructural development considering its proximity with the Lekki Free Trade Zone.

“Our passion and focus on this corridor was anchored on the reality that this axis is the new Lagos and Lekki Phase 1 in particular is the gateway to the biggest free trade zone in the whole of West Africa”

“In deciding to upgrade Bisola Durosinmi Etti Drive and Dickson Road, we took cognizance of the need to create additional access to Lekki Phase 1 and improve the traffic along Lekki axis. This I believe will ultimately uplift and add value to the surrounding environment,” he said.

He said before the projects commenced, the roads were in bad shape as they were riddled with pot holes which impeded free flow of traffic, adding that it caused the residents a lot of stress with attendant effects on the many business outfits that operate within the area.

The Governor expressed appreciation to Lagosians for their prayers and support particularly in the discharge of their civic responsibility through payment of taxes, while urging them to extend the same hand of cooperation to his successor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Lekki Phase 1 Residents Association (LERA), Mr. Kayode Otitoju who spoke on the projects, commended the Governor saying that the road has transformed the axis and upgraded their standard of living.

He recalled that it was also during the administration of Governor Ambode that the Freedom Way and Admiralty Way were constructed, adding that the projects were executed with high standard engineering reflecting, durable interlocking stone, good drainage street lights and other modern road infrastructure.

“We all knew how the two roads were before now and can see the positive change, which would now be used to manage the corresponding increase in human activities, especially, the high volume of human and vehicular traffic, including commercial activities.

“We are grateful for all you have done for us in this community especially the location of the LRU within Lekki to respond to emergencies and the periodic cleaning of shanties by the Lagos State Government Special Task Force on Environment. The evacuation and rehabilitation of juvenile delinquents by the Ministry of Youth and Social Development cannot go unmentioned.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees; the Executives and all the residents of Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, I say thank you and farewell to you, our indefatigable Governor Akinwunmi Ambode,” Otitoju said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/gov-ambode-defends-lagos-financial.html

Director, Public Affairs Department, National Population Commission, Mr Mohamed Isah, has urged Nigerians to always obtain death certificates for their deceased ones.

Isah gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.

He explained that death certificate was another platform of updating the country’s population, saying that it is as important as birth certificate.


He said the certificate provides demographic records to the commission, which it analyses and disseminates as data for public consumption.

According to him, death certificate is important because it states the cause of death as well as age and time the death occurred.

Isah noted that it also helped in informing the populace that a particular cause of death was endemic.


“With the information gathered, we can tell Nigerians that a particular ailment has been causing deaths.

“It can also help the government plan as well as intervene in order to prevent future deaths.

“Death certificate also gives a next of kin the right to get or collect the deceased entitlements,” he said.

Isah further said that death certificate also helps in gathering information on infants and maternal mortality, epidemics and endemics as well as keep track of diseases.

The director explained that when the practice of collection of death certificate becomes a norm, it would no longer be necessary to conduct census, because the records would have been up to date at any particular material time.


“Nigerians find it difficult to collect death certificate if there is nothing to inherit from the deceased.

“But it is not about inheritance; the information gathered from cause of death is key.

“Like in Kaltungo town in Gombe State, snake bite is a major cause of death in that town and with that information, government was able to intervene,” he added.


Isah, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to always obtain a death certificate to assist the commission in its statutory role of data collation and analysis.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/why-you-should-obtain-death-certificate.html

Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, Vice-Chancellor, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), on Friday said that the 100 KVA Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) gas plant recently installed in the university would meet the institution’s energy need.

Ozumba said this in Nsukka during a special convocation of the university in which 614 postgraduates were awarded doctorate degrees while Mr Godwin Emefiele, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, was awarded honorary doctorate degree.

He said the university’s present energy need was 3 megawatts of electricity and with 12 RDF gas plant of 250 KVA, the university would enjoy 24-hour steady power supply.

“The project is to enable UNN to generate its own electricity with organic waste.

“It has been estimated that 3 megawatts is the energy need of UNN; so, with 12 250kva of RDF gas plant, the university will enjoy 24 hours electricity supply.

“This record-breaking innovation will not only transform UNN, but the country in general,” he said.

Ozumba noted that the special convocation was part of activities to end his tenure which would terminate on June 14.

He said that the CBN governor was awarded honorary doctorate degree because of his outstanding performance in the recovery of Nigeria’s economy from economic recession.

“The topic of the CBN lecture today is: “From Recession to Growth, the Story of Nigeria’s Economic Recovery.”

The vice-chancellor described Emefiele as a consummate banker and global player in the world of banking.

“Emefiele is chosen as lecturer for this topic because he is the best to tell the story of Nigeria’s economic recovery, after excruciating experience of recession,” he said.

Ozumba said that his administration had moved the university forward, adding that the institution had been listed by Google Scholar citation as the best in the country as well as one of the best in the world.

Chief Mike Olorunfemi, UNN’s Governing Council Chairman, said at the occasion that the choice of Emefiele for the honorary degree award was on merit, based on his avalanche of contributions to human development, research and knowledge, especially in banking industry.

“UNN welcomes the CBN governor home as a worthy ambassador of the university, who have contributed nationally as well as in the world economy.”

Olorunfemi commended the outgoing vice-chancellor for numerous achievements of his administration, hoping that Ozumba’s successor would consolidate and improve on his achievements.

Responding shortly after being conferred with honorary doctorate degree of Business Administration, Emefiele urged Nigerians to patronise made in Nigeria goods to create more employment as well as increase the country’s foreign exchange.

The CBN governor expressed appreciation to UNN for finding him worthy of the award.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/unn-meets-its-24-hour-electricity-need.html

Gov. Willie Obiano on Tuesday handed cash reward of N6 million to Mr Mustapha Dandaura, Commissioner of Police in Anambra, for operatives and informants who aided the arrest of two suspected killers.

A statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, said that the informants/operatives were those who gave information which led to the arrest of a suspect in alleged murder of Chief Frank Igboka, President General of Nimo community.

Mohammed explained that the informant for Igboka would receive N5 million, while another informant that led to the arrest of Ikechukwu Udensi a.k.a Ikanda, suspected for the killing of one Mr Ndubuisi Nwokolo in Onitsha, would receive N1 million.

Igboka was shot dead at Nimo on the April 16, 2019, while Udensi, who was arrested about three months ago, was declared wanted over the murder of Nwokolo since last year.

The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mustapha Dandaura, while handing over the money, noted that Obiano’s gesture was a huge moral booster to security agents in crime fighting.

The police chief thanked Obiano for fulfilling his promise and restated the Command’s readiness to sustain its onslaught against crimes and criminalities in the State.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/gov-willie-obiano-rewards-policemen.html

The World Health Organisation yesterday warned that over 24 million Nigerians may suffer from various mental illnesses, a situation worsened by the dismal number of health institutions and professionals.

The disorder is more pronounced in the insurgency-ravaged states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe with 650, 000 patients.

The frightening revelation was contained in the global agency’s 2018 report released at a workshop on health reporting during emergencies in Yola.

The document observed that with the prevalence of mental disorder among Nigerians put at 12.1 per cent, many people from the North East might suffer one form of disorder or the other.

https://www.akelicious.net/2019/05/24m-nigerians-at-risk-of-mental.html