A player with Crown Football Club, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Usman Yusuf, died after slumping during a friendly match in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The PUNCH gathered that Yusuf played the first half in a friendly for Gateway United FC, where he was on trial, against Sliema Wanderers.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Sunday afternoon at Muda Lawal Stadium, Asero, Abeokuta.
The deceased reportedly slumped during the match, but he was resuscitated after the medics attended to him.
He was later taken to the State Hospital, Ijaye where he reportedly passed on.
The Media officer of the Gateway FC, Moses Ojewumi, confirmed the incident on Monday in Abeokuta.
He said, “Usman Yusuf who came on trial played the first half in a friendly for Gateway United FC against Sliema Wanderers on Sunday afternoon, during half-time he showed bad signs and Gateway United team doctor attended to him.
“It was later in the night, a call came in from camp that he had suffered a relapse, swiftly he was taken to State Hospital, Ijaiye where he gave up the ghost.”
He quoted the Acting General Manager of Gateway United, Niyi Soleye, as expressing shock over the incident, describing it as unfortunate.
Soleye said, “Quite unfortunate, our medical team attended to him on the pitch at half-time and he was stable only for us to get a call that he had suffered a relapse, and we made arrangements and promptly conveyed him to the state hospital, Ijaiye only to hear that he passed on. Still in shock.
“He was an ebullient player with huge potentials. May the Almighty give the Crown FC the strength to bear the loss.”
Ojewumi also quoted the Gateway United Coach Akeem Busari as saying the late player “didn’t show any signs of illness when he came for trials and didn’t die at the camp as it was erroneously reported in some quarters.”
A Federal High Court, Abuja, will today begin hearing in the certificate forgery suit instituted against Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The APC is praying to the court to quash his nomination by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the September governorship poll.
The suit was filed shortly after Obaseki emerged as PDP candidate, before defeating Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the APC.
The former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Akin Olujimi alongside four Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) are legal representatives of the APC.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed had fixed today after a request by Olujimi, leading counsel for APC and a chieftain, Edobor Williams.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was joined in the suit marked FHC/B/CS/74/2020.
The plaintiffs prayed the court for an order disqualifying Obaseki on the grounds that he supplied false information on oath to INEC, an act said to be contrary to Section 31(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010.
Ken Mozia (SAN) and Rasaq Isenalumhe had announced appearance for Obaseki and PDP respectively. INEC is expected to announce its representation.
In June, the University of Ibadan (UI) confirmed that Obaseki was a product of the institution.
The Registrar, Olubunmi Faluyi, in a statement, said he gained admission in 1976 and studied Classics.
UI added that Obaseki graduated in 1979 with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division
Lll.....Investors to take over Geregu, Omotosho, Calabar plants
....Lagos, Abuja, Jos, PH stadia to be concessioned
The Federal Government has revealed that it was making arrangement to sell Geregu, Omotosho and Calabar power plants for N434 billion in 2021. The government also hinted of its plan to concession National Art Theatre, Tafawa Balewa Square and all the River Basin Development Authorities at N836
million. Similarly, the federal authorities said that it would concession the National Stadium, Lagos; Moshoo
Abiola Stadium, Abuja; Jos International Stadium and Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt at N100 million each.
These proposals were contained in a document presented by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), to the Senate during a budget defence session in Abuja. According to the breakdown, Geregu power plant, which it was learnt was constructed at the cost of $10 billion, would be sold for N140.7 billion, Omotosho Power Plant will go for N151.4 billion and Calabar Power Plant to be sold for N143.4 billion.
The document further revealed that the proceeds of the three power plants would be paid into Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC). Also, while the National Art Theatre will be concessioned for N200 million, Tafawa Balewa Square will be concessioned for N436 million and all the River Basin Development Authorities will go for N200 million.
However, the BPE is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Privatization and Commercialization to elucidate on the details and its revenue projection in 2021, which consists of sales of power plants and concession of government-owned properties.
The committee, which is chaired by Senator Theodore Orji, has also demanded an investigation into the sale of some of the Federal Government’s shares in the Afam and Geregu Power Plants to ensure that the country is not short-changed in the transaction.
The committee has also asked the Director General of BPE, Alex Okoh, to provide members with copies of the agreements, reports and approvals from the National Council on Privatization over the transactions of the Afam and Geregu power plants for review.
Orji said: “We also found that in Geregu Power Plant, the core investor already owned 51% shares and that the transaction emanated from a request by the investor for additional 29% of FGN residual 49% shares.
“There was no competition and only BPE and their appointed transaction advisers know how the value was determined and sold for N13 billion. “Afam Power Plant, it was mentioned that there are actually two different Power Plants i.e. Afam Power Plant and Afam Fast Power (a brand new plant) built by Seimens yet to be commissioned. Reports have it that it cost about $1 million to build a megawatt of power plant a megawatt of power plant.” Geregu Generation Company Limited is located in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.
The Geregu Power Plant has a unique configuration of three gas turbines (Siemens V94.2 Gas Turbines) with capacity of 506.1 MW (ISO) and 434MW (Net). Omotosho Generation Company Limited is located in Okitipupa, Ondo State. The plant has a configuration of four gas turbines (GE Frame 9E Gas Turbines) with 512.8 MW (ISO) and 451MW (Net) capacity.
The Calabar Generation Company Limited, located in Calabar, Cross River State is five gas turbines (GE Frame 9E Gas Turbines) with 634.5MW (ISO) and 562MW (Net) capacity.
Many Boko Haram fighters were also killed in the battles, an official said.
The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operation Fire Ball have overrun some Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and arrested their Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) makers in the North East.
The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Benard Onyeuko, a brigadier-general, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said that the troops operating under Operation Lafiya Dole have continued aggressive clearance operations to identify terrorists’ enclaves.
Mr Onyeuko said the troops on November 11 embarked on an aggressive fighting patrol to clear Boko Haram elements in their hideout in Ladantar Village in Borno following a credible intelligence.
He said the troops subsequently engaged the terrorists with an overwhelming firepower forcing the terrorists to withdraw in disarray.
He said the troops also gave hot pursuit and inflicted heavy casualties on the fleeing terrorists, killing two and captured one of their IEDs expert.
According to him, equipment captured includes one box of service tools and one gas cylinder suspected to be for making IED.
Mr Onyeuko disclosed that troops of Army Super Camp 19 Bitta successfully repelled the Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to infiltrate the heavily fortified camp.
He said that the troops forced the terrorists to withdraw in disarray due to superior firepower.
He added that the troops of 26 Task Force Brigade Garrison deployed in Gwoza on November 8 observed terrorists advancing to their location in four gun trucks and unconfirmed number of foot soldiers.
According to him, the gallant troops engaged the marauding criminals with heavy firepower neutralising one suicide bomber while others fled in confusion.
Troops of 192 Battalion deployed in Gwoza also foiled an attempted attack on their location the same day.
“After the brief encounter, the criminals escaped with gunshot wounds as traces of blood of dragged casualties were seen during exploitation.
“However, the valiant troops captured the following; one AK 47 Rifle, one AK 47 Rifle Cover, four rounds of Light Machine Gun, 15 rounds of fabricated 7.62mm and one AK 47 Rifle magazine
“Others include: two Rocket Propelled Grenade bombs and 66 rounds of PKT, two rounds of Brownie Machine Gun, 7.62mm links and one Dane Gun.
“The troops of Operation Fire Ball are hereby commended for their resilience, gallantry and professionalism exhibited since the beginning of the Operation.
“They are equally encouraged not to rest on their oars but build on the successes recorded so far.
“The entire populace of the North East region are hereby assured of the Nigerian military high command determination to finally rout the remnants of BHT/ISWAP criminals from their enclaves in this zone,” he said.
The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise is set to summon the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col Hameed Ali (retd.), over the move by the NCS to concession its duty collection function to a foreign firm, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
The vice chairman of the committee, Senator Francis Fadahunsi, who disclosed this to our correspondent on Friday, said the NCS boss was expected to bring all documents relating to the agreement he signed with the foreign firm.
The senator said, “Our committee will write the CG, NCS to demand for the documents with which the agreement was signed. He is expected to bring all the documents relating to the agreement. All of us in the committee did not support the concessioning idea.
“If the CG, NCS refuses to bring the documents, we will write the Minister of Finance who is the chairman of the board, and a centre point of the deal to bring them. We want to see the agreement. We held a meeting on the issue during the week.
“As soon as we go through the documents and we find out that it is almost the same thing which other administrations had done in the past which is just to find jobs for the ‘boys’, or a special interest for some people to steal our money, we will kick against it.
“There is no amount of money we want to generate in the Customs that the personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service, if properly trained and monitored, cannot generate.
“What is the essence of the seven per cent cost of collection? It is to collect maximum revenue. What the Comptroller General of the NCS should do is to recruit more personnel instead of looking for foreigners to come and spend a false N3.4bn, claiming that they will spend the amount on ICT.
“Meanwhile, the NCS had already awarded a contract of almost N384m early this year on the same scanner that the foreign firm said it would invest money on.”
Foreign firm promises to invest $3.1bn, generate $176bn in 20 years
Investigations by our correspondent recently revealed that the Federal Government had perfected plans to concession the Nigeria Customs Service automation project, also known as the e-customs, to a private firm.
The concessionaires were said to have promised to invest $3.1bn and generate $176bn within the 20-year contract period, estimated at about N3tn per annum.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the Federal Executive Council had approved the controversial concession contract to Messrs E-Customs HC Project Limited.
It was said to have got the job at the cost of $3.1bn for a period of 20 years under Public Private Partnership arrangement.
However, another firm, Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine, had faulted the contract award to Messrs E-Customs HC Project Limited.
Adani’s management claimed that it had an existing agreement with the Federal Government to do the same project with nearly the same conditions and insisted that the E-Customs HC wanted to hijack the project.
The development drew the attention of the House of Representatives and it subsequently asked its Joint Committee on Finance and Customs to probe it.
The Joint Committee mandated the parties involved in the controversial contract to maintain status quo ante pending the outcome of the public hearing.
In carrying out their findings, the panels invited the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the NCS, the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission and the two contractors.
The panel in its report cited Section 42(1a) of the Procurement Act 2017, the Bureau for Public Procurement on April 11, 2017, which granted certificate of no objection to the CBN recommending Messrs Adani Mega Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine for the award of the project contract.
It was also discovered by the committee that CBN-TC on the CISS on behalf of the Federal Government engaged and signed contract with Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine on a Build Operate and Own agreement.
The document indicated that the proposed concession period would last for 20 years on pro- rata sharing of 1 per cent (CISS and NESS) on phase 1 of ($300m) investment.
The committee held that there was a contract agreement entered between the CBB-TC on CISS.
It also held that, although the new consortium presented a letter of engagement from the office of the Chief of Staff to the President and other documents showing the level of work they had done, it was unfortunate that there was no contract agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Investigations showed that Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine had instituted a court case challenging the cancellation of the agreement in December 2018 at the Federal High Court with suit No FHC/ ABJ/CS/2017, demanding $2.5bn as damages.
Based on the suit, the Solicitor General of the Federation wrote the Minister of Finance, urging her to consider the strength and weakness as well as litigation fees.
Meanwhile, the office of the Chief of Staff to the President had issued a letter engaging the consortium to carry out the same project awarded to Messrs Adani Systems Limited/Webb Fontaine seven months after they were engaged by CBN-CISS. The letter, titled, ‘Presidential Initiatives on Customs Modernisation of e-Customs Project,’ was dated September 17, 2019.
The Reps Joint Committee concluded that the Presidency was not duly informed of the existing contract agreement and litigation filed by Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine.
It also said there was no evidence before the committee that a contract was signed between the consortium and the Federal Government or CBN- CISS.
The Joint Committee in its recommendations therefore said Messrs Adani Systems Limited/ Webb Fontaine should be allowed to continue with the project so as to avoid unimaginable possible revenue loss to the country.
They also supported a Build-Operate-Transfer delivery method for the project and not Build, Operate and Own.
The report was signed by the chairmen of the House of Reps committees on Finance, Public Petitions and Customs as well as clerks of both committees on Finance and Customs.
Why we are against concession arrangement –Senate committee
But Fadahunsi, in a recent interview, had told our correspondent that the plan to concession the duty collection function would fail because it did not have the blessing of the red chamber and that it ran contrary to the provisions of the Act that established the NCS.
Fadahunsi, a retired deputy comptroller general of the NCS, had said, “As the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, we are not aware of the concession of the NCS as well as the position taken by the House of Representatives on it. The Senate leadership has not been briefed.
“There were moves in the past to take over the collection of Customs duties by private firms, promoted by people with greedy interest despite the fact that the Act that established the NCS empowers it to collect revenue for the Federal Government; that is why it is enjoying seven per cent cost of collection.
“We don’t need to concession the NCS to any private concern because there are trained customs officers that can collect duties; they have the right environment and modern technology and equipment to do the job more efficiently.
“There was an award of contract early this year for the installation of mobile scanners in Port Harcourt, Tincan and Apapa, Lagos ports. Why should we have such equipment efficient officers and still be thinking of concessioning the NCS?
“I asked the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, who is a retired controller of the NCS and he denied being part of the decision. Members of the committee who don’t know anything about the NCS operations failed to appreciate what our officers can do.
“The other time, the NCS was given a revenue target of N1.6tn and I said giving Customs target is a lazy way of generating revenue because they can collect up to N4tn in a year if they are properly motivated and monitored.
“If the revenue collection of the NCS is transferred to the contractors, they will collect their commission and the Customs will still deduct its seven per cent cost of collection. So, the country would lose.
“The President was not properly briefed that there are adequate and competent hands in Customs that could collect duties. The projection of the private firm is to generate an average of N3tn per year for 20 years whereas officers of the NCS are fully equipped to do more than that.
“The Senate will act appropriately on the proposal whenever it is brought before us. All my colleagues that have spoken with me on the issue have vowed to oppose it, so the arrangement is dead.”
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that past administrations had tried to cede the revenue collection functions of the Nigeria Customs Service to private firms without success since 1999 and foreign firms have been scheming to take over the roles of the second largest revenue generating agency in the country.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo during his tenure once threatened to scrap the NCS if he had his way.
Shortly after his statement, a foreign firm, Crown Agent, was positioned to take over the revenue collection functions of the Customs in 2001 when Dr Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala was Minister of Finance. The idea was however killed through stakeholders’ intervention.
We’re not aware of any invitation by Senate – Customs
When contacted, the spokesperson for the NCS, Joseph Attah, told one of our correspondents that he was not aware of any invitation by the lawmakers.
He stated, “I’m not aware of any summons or invitation by the Senate or about what you just asked me.”
When asked if the Customs boss would honour the invitation when told about the development, Attah insisted that he would not comment on the matter.
“I said I don’t know of any invitation whatsoever and how am I to comment on what I don’t know about; I’m not aware of what you are talking about,” Attah added.
Customs personnel could do better with adequate training, equipment – Economist
An economist, Prof Sherifdeen Tella, told one of our correspondents that the idea of concessioning collection of customs duties and other levies to a foreign firm was not the best way to go since there are personnel in the NCS who are being paid to do the job.
He said, “Even if the NCS is regarded as underperforming, it does not mean that we have to give their work out to any foreign firm. Such an idea does not augur well for this country. At 60, we are still looking outside for services that we have competent people who could provide in the country.
“We have competent Nigerians who should be able to do the job. There is nothing wrong with concessioning if it is within Nigeria and among Nigerians. We have some experts here who can do it better. Giving the job to a foreign firm is not proper except we have an international aspect of it outside the Nigerian shores and the foreign firm could handle that but if it is within the Nigerian borders, I don’t think that is right.
“Also, it is not as if we are going to disband the NCS, we will still be paying people for not rendering services. It is not right to concession customs duties to any foreign firm. I think someone wants to gain something from that.”
He said the NCS should take advantage of technology to enhance its effectiveness.
Planned concession embarrassing – CACOL, SERAP
The Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said no serious-minded government establishment would think of concessioning any of its units to a foreign organisation. He said it could pose a danger to the territorial integrity of the country and that doing such could merely fall short of concessioning the running of the country to a foreigner.
He added, “If we could concession collection of duties to a foreign establishment, then the Nigerian government should concession the administration of Nigeria to another foreign body; that is what it means.
“To say you want to concession the collection of your duty, which is your statutory responsibility, to a foreign establishment is a manifestation of unseriousness. It should never be thought of in the current Nigerian enterprise, otherwise the Nigerian government could as well concession the administration of Nigeria to a foreign establishment or a foreign country.”
Also, the Executive Chairman, Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Mr Debo Adeniran, described the move as embarrassing to the country and its people, adding that such would not be acceptable.
He added, “I feel highly embarrassed and it’s embarrassing to the image of Nigeria and to an average educated Nigerian because even the civil servants that are supposed to have been gainfully employed do not have enough job to do and we have enough technocrats that can deal with the collection of duties.
“I don’t believe there is any reason why such a task would be concessioned to a private firm on behalf of the government. If there is any technical expertise that is lacking, there should be capacity building for the customs personnel to be able to carry out their assignment effectively and efficiently.
“More embarrassing is that they are concessioning it to a foreign firm and that is not acceptable. In foreign countries, Nigerians are revered in terms of expertise and technical capacity to carry out any task in any field, so we have what it takes. I hope it’s not the belief that ‘anything foreign is better’ is what is at work here. That move is out of place.”
The Electricity Transmission System also known as National grid on Friday suffered a partial collapse, which plunged the whole of Lagos, Ibadan and environ into total darkness for about 37 minutes.
Electricity supply were, as a result of the collapse, which occured at 12:58 pm, cut to Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC); Ikeja Electric (IE) and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) until around 1:35 pm. Sources at the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), an agency in charge of the grid, confirmed the incident, adding that the grid has been restored.
It had earlier disclosed that subsequent collapse of the National Grid cannot be totally avoided in the country. In a statement entitled: “TCN Restores Supply After System Collapse,” the company explained that as National Grid is still being operated with zero spinning reserve, system instability like the partial system disturbance might not be avoidable and the reoccurrence of shut down like the one of yesterday is inevitable.
The company disclosed that though full restoration had been achieved, the grid was still recovering from an earlier partial system disturbance. The nation’s electricity grid, it would be recalled, had collapsed more than108 times after the power sector was privatised, data from the Transmission Company of Nigeria have shown. The TCN, which manages the national grid, is still fully owned and operated by the government.
While the TCN said the grid had a wheeling capacity of 8,100MW, the highest power generation ever attained in the country stands slightly above 5,375MW. The sector was privatised by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration with 11 electricity distribution companies and six generation companies handed over to core investors on November 1, 2013. Between November 1, 2013 and May 2020, the number of total grid collapse recorded was 83 while the grid partially collapsed 25 times.
A total system collapse means total blackout nationwide, while partial system collapse is a failure of a section of the grid, according to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. The grid has continued to suffer system collapse over the years amid lack of spinning reserve that is meant to forestall such occurrences. Spinning reserve is the generation capacity that is online but unloaded and that can respond within 10 minutes to compensate for generation or transmission outages.
After a week’s break, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate by soldiers on the night of October 20 will resume sitting today (Saturday).
The retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel had adjourned on November 7 when its proceedings were frustrated over inability to form quorum due to the boycott of the sitting by the two youth panel members protesting against the freezing of the bank account of #EndSARS promoters by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Army, which had been scheduled to testify before the panel then, was unable to do so.
The panel fixed today for the Nigerian Army to return to give its testimony.
The Nigerian Army has listed three Brigadier Generals and one Lieutenant Colonel, who will testify before the panel.
The top military officers, whose statements on oath have already been submitted to the panel, are the Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo; Chief of Staff, 81 Division, Nigerian Army, VI, Lagos, Brig. Gen. Nsikak Edet; Commander, 81 Division Garrison, VI, Brig. Gen. Francis Omata; Commander, 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Brig. Gen. Musa Etsu-Ndagi; and Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, VI, Lt. Col. Salisu Bello.
The military said it is bringing before the panel “expended blank ammunition, which was used to disperse the crowd by firing into the air on 20th day of October, 2020; unexpended 7.62mm ammunition ( a detailed explanation of the use of this ammunition will be given at the hearing); an expended live ammunition and also an unexpended live ammunition (a detailed explanation of these ammunition will be given at the hearing); 13 flash drives containing the recorded videos of the Army involvement in the incident and news report from the British Broadcasting Corporation on the incident and other stations.”
SARS brutality victims narrate ordeal in C’River, Ekiti
Meanwhile, victims of SARS brutality have narrated their ordeals in the hands of the personnel in some states.
They spoke during the sitting of judicial panels set up by the state governments.
Also, a victim of police brutality in Calabar narrated how the police broke into her home, arrested her and took her to Lagos in her night gown.
The victim, Scholastica Ojeka, who was a nursing mother at the time of the incident on September 4, 2014, narrated her ordeal to the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality and Restitution in Calabar on Friday.
The civil servant told the panel headed by retired Justice Michael Edem that she and her husband had paid a rent of N340,000 for an apartment to a landlord and moved in only for another man to show up and claim to be the landlord.
Ojeka, who testified under oath, narrated how she was arrested with her baby in her apartment in Calabar on September 4, 2014 by men of the Nigeria Police Force and taken to Alagbon in Lagos.
“We were detained in Lagos until my husband went to the Force headquarters in Abuja to lay a complaint and they were directed to let us go. In fact, one of them while apologising said I didn’t tell her that we had someone in Abuja,” she said.
She demanded the sum of N500m and an apology in a national daily as compensation.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice Michael Edem, adjourned sitting to Thursday, November 19.
Also, Mrs Ogunleye Ajayi, the wife of a late Sgt Musiliu Ajayi of the disbanded SARS, told the Ekiti State Judicial Panel on Human Rights Violations by Police Officers and other Persons that her husband’s death still remained a mystery.
The woman, a mother of four, told the panel that she had yet to know the cause of death of her husband, who left home for work hale and hearty on January 2, 2019 but was dead less than two hours after.
She said under cross- examination on Friday, “My husband, who left home on January 2nd, 2019 by 6.30am, never returned home alive. I received an emergency call from Police Hospital in Ado Ekiti by 8:30am only to get there and find out that her husband was dead.
“There were strange bruises on the dead body of my husband and the motorcycle he rode on was parked at the police station. No assistance has come to me from any person, group of persons or any organisation for the care of my children,” he said.
The woman, however, sought government assistance on the care, needs and education of her children which she said was now very difficult for her because her husband was the breadwinner of the family.
Her counsel, Samson Osobu, told the panel that three witnesses would testify on the case.
The panel requested for the investigation report from the police on the matter and then adjourned the case for continuation on November 24, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Osun State Deputy Governor, Mr. Benedict Alabi, has suggested how future protests by Nigerians could be organised to achieve results.
Alabi, who spoke in Iwo on the sidelines of an event organised by the leadership of the All Progressives Congress for the adoption of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for another term, said a protest without a leader would be hijacked.
A certain Lieutenant Colonel Bello, who was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, had led the soldiers to fire bullets at the scene.
At least six EndSARS protesters jumped into the river around the Lekki Tollgate in Lagos State on the evening of October 20, 2020, while the Nigerian Army deployed soldiers to fire bullets at peaceful protesters.
One of the six protesters, Caleb Ossai, told SaharaReporters that a boat operator came to their rescue and evacuated them to the Ikorodu area on the water.
He narrated that he was told a few persons, who were out of help, might have drowned.
Ossai said he was initially declared missing by his family members for close to a week before they traced him to the residence of a Good Samaritan in the Ikorodu area, where he was recuperating from the injuries he sustained during the ordeal.
The boat, which took the fleeing protesters from the Lekki Tollgate area to Ikorodu, almost capsized, according to the man who rescued Ossai, after he became unconscious during the incident.
In an interview with SaharaReporters, the 27-year-old said, "Trouble started when the soldiers arrived and started shooting, and some fell with injuries. People started running. Near the Lekki River where I was, some people also tried to escape from the bullets, and they began to push one another until some of us fell into the river. I could not swim, but I wore a white shirt. I was lucky to be visible, and the next time I woke up, I found myself in a house in the Ikorodu area.
"I could not find my phone or did not remember any contact of family members I could call. It took a week for my family members to be able to locate me. Many people jumped into that river. I am not sure everyone made it out alive. The man who hosted me in his house told me that the boat was filled and almost capsized as they journeyed to Ikorodu."
It will be recalled that the peaceful EndSARS protest in the Lekki Tollgate area turned into a blood field on the evening of October 20 and around 6.50 pm, when soldiers from the 65 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, opened fire on the protesters. The military men killed and injured several demonstrators.
A certain Lieutenant Colonel Bello, who was the Commanding Officer of the battalion, had led the soldiers to fire bullets at the scene.
While addressing the Lagos Panel of Inquiry, Bello claimed that he only fired blank ammunition into the air.
According to witnesses, while people were rushed to hospital after bleeding from serious bullet injuries, complaints about missing persons increased from friends and family members of youths who were suspected of having attended the Lekki Tollgate protest.
Ossai was one of such requests.
A day after the shootings, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had initially denied any loss of life by gunfire or that he was aware of the deployment of soldiers.
Later, he admitted that two persons were killed in the incident, while the army said in a terse statement that the state government requested for a military clampdown on the protesters to enforce its earlier-than-scheduled curfew.
According to accounts of protesters, the deceased persons included two males; Folorunsho Olabisi and Anthony Okechukwu. His relatives have found Olabisi's body at the mortuary of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, with three bullet injuries.
Only 3% of Americans believe President Trump won the 3 November election, according to a new Reuters/IPSOS poll.
In contrast, nearly 80% of Americans, including more than half of Republicans, recognize President-elect Joe Biden as the winner.
This was after most media organisations called the race for the Democrat based on his leads in critical battleground states.
Just 5% said they do not know the winner.
Biden – who needed 270 Electoral College votes to win – had 279 of those votes to 214 for Trump with results in three states not yet complete, according to Edison Research.
In the popular vote, Biden got 76.3 million, or 50.7% of the total, to 71.6 million, or 47.6%, for Trump.
The Reuters/Ipsos national opinion survey, which ran from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday, found that 79% of U.S. adults believe Biden won the White House.
Another 13% said the election has not yet been decided.
The results were somewhat split along party lines: about six in 10 Republicans and almost every Democrat said Biden won.
Edison Research, which conducts exit polling for Reuters and major media outlets, called the race for Biden on Saturday after he expanded his lead over Trump in Pennsylvania and appeared well on his way to amassing 270 electoral votes.
Trump has yet to recognize the result of the race.
He prematurely declared victory well before the votes had been counted and has repeatedly complained without evidence that he is the victim of widespread voter fraud.
His claims have been echoed by members of Trump’s cabinet.
U.S. Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal investigations of “substantial” allegations of voting irregularities.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday said he foresees “a smooth transition to a second Trump administration.”
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was part of a broader survey that was conducted Friday to Tuesday and included responses before the presidential race was called.
It showed that 70% of Americans, including 83% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans, trust their local election officials to “do their job honestly.”
The poll also found that 72% think the loser of the election must concede defeat, and 60% think there will be a peaceful transition of power when Trump’s term ends in January.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States.
It gathered responses from 1,363 U.S. adults in all, including 469 respondents who took the poll between Saturday afternoon and Tuesday.
The poll has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 5 percentage points.
Nigerian lenders will rebuild new fewer than 44 police stations burnt across the country by hoodlums during the #End- SARS crisis that rocked the nation a few weeks ago, New Telegraph learnt yesterday.
An authoritative source said that although like most businesses, the banking industry is still reeling from the massive losses it suffered during the crisis, as many branches and hundreds of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) were vandalised and looted, the lenders have taken the decision to rebuild some of the burnt police stations as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
This newspaper also gathered that apart from the plan to rebuild torched police stations, the lenders, under the aegis of the Bankers’ Committee, will soon launch a fresh Youth Empowerment Fund as part of measures to address rising unemployment in the country.
These two laudable initiatives (rebuilding of burnt police stations and the Youth Empowerment Fund), our source said, would be officially announced by the Bankers’ Committee by the end of this month. The #EndSARS crisis broke out on October 20, when security forces in Lagos opened fire on unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate, who had been staging a sit-in for about two weeks, calling for the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious Police unit that had long been accused of extortion, torture and extra-judicial killings.
This sparked widespread social unrest that saw hoodlums torching many police stations and also wounding and killing several police officers across the country. Indeed, the damage inflicted on the law enforcement agents during the crisis was so massive that it led to the disappearance of police operatives from streets of major cities in some parts of the country for several days.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu had, on October 30, said: “Available reports show that 22 police personnel were extra-judicially killed by some rampaging protesters and scores injured during the protests. Many of the injured personnel are in life-threatening conditions at the hospitals. “Two hundred and five police stations and formations, including other critical private and public infrastructure, were also damaged by a section of the protesters. Despite these unprovoked attacks, our police officers never resorted to use of unlawful force or shooting at the protesters as alleged in the report.”
Analysts point out that even before the #EndSARS protests, the Nigeria Police had been grappling with funding and manpower challenges. The source said: “Without adequate security, no businesses and individuals alike will feel safe. So, it is imperative that steps are urgently taken to restore the morale of police officers.”
She also noted that in order to address youth unemployment, which most analysts agree helped fuel the #EndSARS crisis, the Bankers’ Committee has, in recent years, been actively collaborating with the CBN to launch Youth Empowerment programmes. She particularly cited the Agri-Business Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS) and the Creative Industry Financing Initiative (CIFI) as two programmes that are aimed at empowering the youth. New Telegraph recently reported that the CBN partnered with the Federal Government to launch the N75 billion the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (N-YIF).
The N-YIF aims to financially empower Nigerian youths to generate at least 500,000 jobs between 2020 and 2023.
The counsel representing #EndSARS protesters before the Lagos State Panel of Judicial Inquiry probing the alleged shooting of the protesters by soldiers at the Lekki tollgate, Mr Adesina Ogunlana, has said his team has evidence to counter the claim by the Nigerian Army that there was no massacre or killings of protesters at the tollgate on the night of October 20.
In response to a summons by the judicial panel, the Nigerian Army had on Friday filed its defence papers and listed three Brigadier Generals and one Lieutenant Colonel to testify before the panel.
The army submitted to the panel statements on oath deposed to by the top military officers, who insisted that only blank ammunition were filed to disperse the protesters.
The Nigerian Army said it was bringing before the panel expended and unexpended blank ammunition used by its troops as well as “13 flash drives containing the recorded videos of the soldiers’ involvement in the incident.”
But during the viewing of a CCTV footage submitted by the Lekki Concession Company on Friday before the panel, counsel for #EndSARS protesters, Ogunlana, had said, “We lost lives here, you lost money.”
When our correspondent asked him on the telephone on Tuesday if his clients have any evidence contrary to the Army’s position, Ogunlana said his team had videos and photographs.
He said, “What I can tell you is that we have records, we have photographs, we have videos and more than all these, we have blood and flesh eyewitnesses; not ghosts.
“The truth remains the truth. We have been given a copy of the LCC footage and we are working on it. If not for the stoppage of the workings of the tribunal because of the issue of freezing of account of #EndSARS protesters, including a panel member, we would have made progress.”
Though the retired Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel had on Friday adjourned till Tuesday to continue with the viewing of the 20-hour CCTV footage submitted by the LCC, operator of the Lekki tollgate, the Tuesday’s sitting did not hold due to the decision of the youth members of the panel to start boycotting the panel sitting since last Saturday.
The youth members, Oluwarinu Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, boycotted the panel sitting to protest the freezing of the bank accounts of #EndSARS promoters, including Oduala’s, by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Justice Okuwobi said without the youth members, the panel could not form a quorum to sit.
Reps to probe Lekki shooting
The Chairman of the House committee on Army, Namdas Abdulrazak, has said the House of Representatives intends to investigate the shooting by soldiers at unarmed protesters at Lekki in Lagos State.
He spoke in Gombe on Monday while on oversight visit to the state with members of his committee.
According to Abdulrazak, “we as a committee will also investigate the Lekki shooting. We won’t like a situation where the army is unduly accused; it should subjected to investigation. The good thing is that the army has chosen to investigate but because we will equally investigate.”
While calling on the Federal Government to professionalise the military, Abdulrazak said they are overstretched and are made to meddle in civil duties meant for the police.
This to show the desperation to which Trump to claim whats it not His By destroying every structure of government that gives US a check and balance on its activities.
Right now the FBI and CIA chiefs jobs are on the balance because they fail to trail trump fake votes fraud which doesn't make any iota of sense .
ABUJA- The Federal Government has began moves to bring all unions within the university system under one single entity, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission NUC, Professor Abubakar Rasheed has disclosed.
According to him, the polarization of the university system, where each of the Union comes up with their individual demands to the Federal Government was constituting bottlenecks for government to accede to their demands.
Rasheed also attributed the phenomenon to why university education in Nigeria can’t match up to their peers abroad, academically.
He made the disclosure while speaking as special guest at the 2nd Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU in Abuja, on Monday.
According to him, talks were on to convince the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress to invite all the various unions to a round table, to see reasons why they needed to come under one umbrella.
Among the unions expected to key into the new proposal includes the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, Non Academic Staff Union of Universities NASU, the National Association of Academic Technologists NAAT and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities SSANU.
He argued that there was need for the unions to enter into negotiations with the government with one accord, rather than a segmented approach.
While appealing to the conscience of the unions, the NUC Scribe said it is regrettable that most times government and individual unions lock horns negotiating for better welfare packages for the staff at the detriment of the students.
He said, “No university in the world can operate effectively insolation, it is frustrating that the University system in Nigeria have been polarized by various unions, you have NAAT, ASUU, SSANU all negotiating for different things.
” Most times, while one group is negotiating with government, others are warning up for strike unless their demands are met”.
Rasheed also disclosed that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has secured the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to dispatch visitation panels to all public universities in Nigeria.
He explained that the need arose following the ugly incidents that trailed the University of Lagos, where the Pro-Chancellor, Wale Babalakin-led Governing Council ordered the sack of the former Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe.
He said the respective panels which will soon be inaugurated are expected to tour the universities and bring back a ten year report, in two separate batches of five years each.
Also, following the resignation of Wale Babalakin as Chairman of the universities renegotiation committee, the Federal Government has reconstituted an eight man Committee to harmonise and finalise existing agreements between government and the unions.
The NUC scribe said letters of appointment will be handed to the appointees by Tuesday or Wednesday this week.
Recall that while issues of 2009 Joint renegotiated agreement and NEEDS Assessment programme is yet to be resolved in most of the public universities, the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government have been engaged in a battle of wits over the controversial Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System IPPIS, even before the lockdown necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic broke out globally.
On the other hand, SSANU, NASU have criticized the federal government for its alleged recalcitrance in implementing Earned Allowances and other special welfare packages for its teaming members.
It was billed as a major press event at Philadelphia’s Four Seasons but a briefing by US President, Donald Trump’s lawyers was mercilessly mocked when it emerged the venue was not the plush hotel but a suburban garden centre next to a sex shop.
The confusion began when Trump took to Twitter while golfing Saturday to announce an imminent “lawyers” news conference at the Four Seasons, Philadelphia.
Trump quickly clarified, however, saying the “big press conference” would be at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, a family business between a crematorium and an adult book store on the outskirts of Pennsylvania’s biggest city.
The event — in which the outgoing president’s attorney Rudy Giuliani pressed Trump’s claims about voter fraud in the election Tuesday — featured on “Saturday Night Live,” and wags took to social media with their own wisecracks and memes.
“I could write jokes for 800 years and I’d never think of something funnier than Trump booking the Four Seasons for his big presser, and it turning out to be the Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot between a Love Machine store and a crematorium,” Emmy-nominated US comedy writer Zack Bornstein tweeted.
“The real hero today is whoever answered the phone at Four Seasons Landscaping and offered no clarification whatsoever until it was too late,” added author Geraldine DeRuiter.
Trump’s tweets also prompted the similarly named luxury hotel to distance itself from the president’s event.
“To clarify, President Trump’s press conference will NOT be held at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia,” management tweeted ahead of the press conference.
“It will be held at Four Seasons Total Landscaping — no relation with the hotel.”
The press conference got going the very moment US news networks were announcing that Trump had lost the presidential election after four days of ballot counting.
Giuliani, informed of the news by reporters, responded: “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Trump won’t concede… Networks don’t get to decide elections,” he added.
Ibadan- One of the Mrs. Florence Ajimobi Grandex Supermarket, located at Bodija area of Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital is currently being razed by fire.
INDEPENDENT, gathered that the fire inferno started from the backyard of the store and gradually spreading to the main stores.
As at the time of filing this report, the cause of the inferno could not be ascertained.
Men of the Oyo State Fire Service are on ground battling with the fire but it keeps raging, while the heavy presence of Security Operatives that are at the entrance of the store are there to maintain law and order and to also prevent hoodlums from making use of the sad incident to loot the store.
Recall that the former First Lady of the State just concluded days of seclusion as a result of her husband’s death, Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
• Northern leaders favour one term presidency for South
Associates of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the south are tinkering with the idea of pushing his candidacy in the 2023 presidential race.
Their calculation is that the presidency can return to the North in 2027 since Jonathan, if he wins in 2023, will be ineligible to contest again.
Jonathan, who remains a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lost his bid for a second term in 2015 when he was defeated by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Political allies and former aides of the Bayelsa-born politician, The Nation gathered, recently met in Abuja to discuss the possibility of his contesting the 2023 presidential election.
Sources knowledgeable about the development said some prominent chieftains of the PDP have bought into the idea on account of the zoning principle.
Although the former president himself is yet to openly signify interest in the race, some of his allies, who do not want to be named, said discussions are ongoing following growing appeal from some prominent Nigerians and groups to him.
One of the sources said: “especially with the growing concern about zoning, we are discussing all possibilities. Political leaders and other stakeholders from the North and the South are talking about it.”
Sources also said the Abuja meeting was convened by two chieftains of the Southern Nigerian Consultative Forum (SNCF) possibly after discussions with the former president and his associates.
It was gathered that the plot to draft Jonathan into the race may not be unconnected with fears that the North plans to field candidates for the next presidential election contrary to the principle of rotating the presidency between the North and the South.
Said a source: “At the meeting were known supporters of the former president within and outside the PDP; including former governors, ministers, serving and former National Assembly members, among many others. They gathered to discuss the possibility and modalities of supporting Jonathan to run for the PDP ticket in 2023.
“From the discussion, it was obvious that PDP leaders, especially from the south, are determined to field a candidate that can win the next presidential election for the zone,” a former governor from the Southwest said while confirming moves by allies of the ex-president to position him for the race.
A former principal officer of the House of Representatives from the South confirmed moves to draft Jonathan into the race and said associates of the former president, realising the need for very wide consultation on the matter, recently met with some leaders of the Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Niger Delta on the matter.
According to him, some young northern members of the PDP are also interested in the Jonathan candidacy for certain reasons.
His words: “It was after our meeting with the elder statesmen that the Abuja meeting you talked about was convened. As I speak with you now, I can say consultation is ongoing.
“Also, there is this group of young northern PDP chieftains who are concerned about how perceived inequalities in the implementation of the zoning principle since 1999 can be corrected.
“These are the people pushing that Jonathan should come and do just one term in office and allow the North take another shot so the imbalance would be corrected.”
The Nation gathered that the Abuja meeting resolved to build a wider network of supporters for the project across the country within and outside the PDP with a view to convincing the leadership of the opposition party about the viability of the Jonathan candidacy.
“The first step towards the project has been taken. The crucial issues to address have been identified. What we are now to do is bring in more people into the movement and prepare the minds of as many of our leaders as possible for the project.”
Another source, a former principal officer of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, confirmed that some allies and associates of the former President have met with him to discuss the 2023 presidential race amidst growing concern over the zoning principle. “He is constitutionally qualified to run and that much we have told him,” he said.
Continuing, the source said: “that much he knows too. On whether he has decided to run or not, I cannot say specifically. But what I can tell you is that his supporters and others who believe in him are not leaving anything to chances as 2023 come nearer.
“Like every other groups interested in politics and governance across the country, we are strategising now more than ever before. I have met many northern politicians who are ready to support a Jonathan presidential ambition should he decide to run. I can tell you he is immensely popular here in the south. So, his candidacy will not come to anybody as a surprise. It is just that for now, nobody is allowed to say anything authoritatively on it,” he said.
A police spokesperson said those arrested played roles in the arson that followed the protests in October.
The Osun State Police Command have arrested two people for being administrators of a WhatsApp group used for mobilisation for #EndSARS protest in the state.
PREMIUM TIMES findings revealed that two individuals, Babawale Popoola and Fisayo Aderemi, were arrested and detained since Thursday.
The police are claiming that the duo knew about the looting that occurred a few weeks ago as administrators of #EndSARS WhatsApp groups, hence, they are being asked to provide their members.
Sources familiar with the arrest told PREMIUM TIMES that the duo were arrested in the state capital, in Osogbo.
When contacted, the state police spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, did not deny the arrest of WhatsApp group admins.
She, however, told our correspondent that the two persons detained played roles in the arson that followed the protests in the state. Asked why they were yet to be arraigned, she simply said “they are still being investigated. After the investigation, we will know what to do.”
For weeks in October, Nigerians were on the streets protesting against police brutality across the nation. They were demanding an end to criminality by security operatives and the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian police.
During the agitations, dozens of persons were killed including protesters and police officers. Officers were also captured using tear gas and live bullets to disperse the protesters.
After the shooting of protesters in Lekki, Lagos by military personnel, hoodlums hijacked the protests. The hijack led to killing of more officers and attack on public and private properties.
The hoodlums also looted various warehouses across the country including the Osun state while in search of COVID-19 food palliatives.
To cushion the effect, the Osun government ordered curfew and asked that looters be arrested. So far, over 60 persons have been arrested and remanded in Ilesha correctional prison.
The state police command spokesperson, Mrs Opolola did not state the reason why the arrest of the two two WhatsApp administrators was not announced like previous ones. She did not also answer the question of when the duo will be arraigned.
The section 35 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution provides that the police should not detain any suspect for longer than 48 hours without a court order.
Several rights groups have also called on police against abuse of fundamental human rights.
2hrs into viewing of Lekki shooting CCTV footage, only few are watching as boredom sets in. The viewing is characterised by side talks, movement from one placed to the other and sleeping as boredom sets in. #ENDSARS
2 hrs into viewing of Lekki shooting CCTV footage, only few are watching as boredom sets in. The viewing is characterised by side talks, movement from one placed to the other and sleeping as boredom sets in. #ENDSARSpic.twitter.com/Cpp4vIiCDL
The murdered customer, who was identified as Victor Abasii, was a native of Ogu town in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state. He was 28y ears old.
Hundreds of armed cult members on Monday invaded the commercial office of the telecom giant, MTN, along the DSP Alamieyeseigha Way in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, killing a customer who was alleged to be a rival cult member.
The murdered customer, who was identified as Victor Abasii, was a native of Ogu town in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state. He was 28y ears old.
According to sources, the incident occurred at about 3 pm, and the deceased was reportedly placed on the wanted list by the members of the rival cult group known as Greenlanders over his alleged involvement in a bloody clash in Swali area of the state capital early in the year.
An eyewitness told Leadership that the deceased had almost finished with his documentation on sim card validation at the MTN office when armed rivals invaded the office and chased after him.
"He was gentle and had a dread hairstyle. Suddenly we noticed armed boys invaded the MTN office and we took to our heels. The deceased jumped out and scaled the fence. But the suspected cultists went after him and descended on him with various dangerous weapons," an eyewitness said.
It was later gathered that the deceased was a suspected member of the group known as Bobos.
Already, the killing of Victor Abasi has snowballed into a fight between the Greenlanders and Bobos in Amarata, Ekeki, Swali and other areas of the state capital.
A resident of Imgbi Road, who pleaded anonymity, claimed that armed Bobos invaded the area on Monday night in search of a rival group. "They said some cult group killed their "senior man" and they are out to retaliate".
It would be recalled that a rival cult group located at Tombia axis and Amarata had in the last few days engaged in bloody clashes over revenue collection, rivalry and the battle for supremacy.
The Chinese authorities have temporarily suspended entry into China by Nigerians and other nationals in Nigeria holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our correspondent learnt that the United Kingdom, Belgium, Luxembourg, Philippines and a few others were also affected by the policy.
It was gathered that the decision was informed by the evaluation of the COVID-19 situation in the concerned countries.
Announcing this in a public notice on Thursday, the Embassy of China and Consulate in Nigeria also said it will no longer issue certified health declaration form for non-Chinese nationals in the country.
It, however, said holders of diplomatic passports, courtesy or C visas would not be affected by the regulation.
The statement was titled, ‘Notice of temporary suspension of entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits.’
It read, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, China has decided to temporarily suspend entry into China by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria holding visas or residence permits still valid at the time of this announcement.
“The Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria will no longer issue a certified health declaration form for the above-mentioned personnel. Entry by holders of diplomatic service, courtesy or C visas will not be affected.
“Foreign nationals visiting China for emergency needs may apply for visas at the Chinese Embassy or Consulate. Entry by non-Chinese nationals in Nigeria with visas issued after November 3, 2020, will not be affected.”
The embassy explained that the suspension was a temporary response necessitated by the current situation of COVID-19.
It added that the measures would be assessed in accordance with the evolving situation “and any adjustment will be announced, accordingly.”
Also speaking on the development in an interview with the AFP, the spokesman,Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry, Wang Wenbin, said the entry suspension was a legitimate and valid move consistent with international customary practices.
...Committee members disagree over FERMA's Budget defence
The Managing Director of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency FERMA, Mr. Nurudeen Rafindadi on Thursday shocked members of the House of Representatives Committee on FERMA, headed by Rep. Richard Femi Bamise (APC Ekiti) that the Ministries of Finance and Works and Housing inflated their 2021 budget by over N11 billion.
A member of the committee, Yusuf Gadgi had asked the FERMA boss why their budget had a sudden increase of over N11 billion.
He said: “Earlier to this moment, we’re privileged to know your budget proposal to the ministry which before getting to National Assembly the proposal changed from twenty something billion, to thirty something billion.
” I will respectfully want you to address that aspect. Are you in charge of FERMA, how come before the proposal got to National Assembly, it was increased upwards?
“If it was increased, confirm to us now, if it was not increased confirm to us. And if it was increased, who is responsible for the increment with what you defended during your inter ministerial defence; and coming to National Assembly, and amount of over N11 billion was increased in the proposal you have earlier submitted. We want that confirmation from you.”
The FERMA boss, while answering the question said: “Our proposal of budget as it is today is submitted to the federal ministry of works. And the reason is that FERMA is an agency under the supervision of the federal ministry of works. We’re represented at the cabinet by the honourable minister of works.
“Our budget is in the envelope of the ministry so the ministry is asked to submit their budget within that envelope and it includes budgets of agencies under the ministry of which FERMA is one . So we get instructions to submit our budget through the ministry of works, we submitted to them.
“And yes it is true, we submit our budget to the ministry, what happens after is between the ministry, then ministry of Finance, budget and Natonal planning until subsequently it reaches the House of Representatives. We only know what was in our budget after submission. We’ve since gotten the budget of FERMA as submitted to National Assembly and we’ve been analyzing the differences between the two budget like you said.”
Earlier, members of the committee had disallowed the agency from presenting its 2021 budget over lack of execution of the 2020 budget
The decision of if or not to allow the presentation of the 2021 budget tore members of the committee apart resulting in a prolonged argument amongst members.
The Managing Director of the Agency, Mr. Nurudeen Rafindadi and his Management team were ordered out of the session as members deliberated amongst themselves on salient issues.
Members while arguing said the agency has been irresponsible and unresponsive to its core mandate.
Some of the members said they had called the Managing Director to alert him on the sorry state of some roads and he refused to pick their calls.
Besides, they said strange items regarding COVID-19 palliatives were seen in the FERMA budget making members to wonder what those have to do with road maintenance.
Also, the committee members said the relevant budget documents were submitted in the morning, a few hours to the sitting, depriving members of the opportunity to review the budget of the agency.
Efforts by the Chairman of the committee to prevail on the members on the excuse that time was short and the budget has to be passed in a timely fashion was rebuffed by member, causing the committee to go into a closed door session on the next line of action.
Eventually the FERMA boss and his team were called in. But the lawmakers agreed that the budget hearing be moved to next week so that a thorough consideration be done.
For demanding better conditions of service and regularisation of their appointment, the Department of State Services has sacked 140 teachers and other staff members of its Community Staff Schools, Asokoro, Abuja.
The service also shut down the institution and directed the 1,800 pupils in the nursery/primary and secondary classes to stay at home for two weeks.
One of our correspondents, who visited the school on Wednesday, was informed by a private security guard at the gate that all the pupils had been sent away pending the engagement of new teachers by the authorities.
Findings indicate that the primary school commenced pupil enrolment in 1992/93, while the secondary classes took off in 1998.
Trouble began when the teachers demanded the regularisation of their appointment and an increase in their salaries and other emoluments following increase in the school tuition.
In response, the authorities issued a letter of disengagement to the workers, including the principal and other administrative officials.
Before the face-off, the fee for the nursery and primary classes was increased from N25,000 to N35,000 for children and wards of the rank and file, while children of senior DSS officers were required to pay N45,000 up from N35,000 per term.
For children of civilians, the tuition was increased from N45,000 to N60,000.
The tuition for secondary school classes was increased from 35,000 to 45,000 for children and wards of the rank and file, while officers’ children were asked to pay N60,000 up from 40,000. Students who did not fall in either of the categories will pay N90,000 from N70,000. Other sundry charges were also said to have been increased.
However, in the letter of disengagement dated November 2, 2020, signed by the Executive Secretary, CSSA, M. Onyilo, the DSS hinged its decision to sack the school staff on poor financial situation brought about by the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s economy.
The letter titled, ‘Disengagement from the service of Community Staff Schools, Asokoro,’ reads partly, “Due to the effect of COVID-19 on the Nigerian economy vis-a-vis the crippling financial situation of the school, I am directed to convey the Director-General, State Services/Proprietor’s approval to disengage you from the services of the school with effect from 3rd November 2020.”
A worker in the school, who pleaded not to be named, accused the management of denying the staff their due benefits, adding that the workers were being paid half salary despite the hike in school fees.
He explained that the workers had in 2018 dragged the school management to the National Industrial Court to regularise the appointment of the teaching and non-teaching staff, adding that the DSS failed to obey the court judgment.
He said, “When we got tired of their stories, we went to the National Industrial Court and won but they challenged the ruling at the Appeal Court and the court upheld the judgment of the industrial court in our favour in 2018. Our demand is that they should regularise our appointment so that our jobs can be secured.”
It was gathered that the management to obey the order, and the aggrieved workers then embarked on a peaceful demonstration on the school premises. They were, however, forcefully dispersed by armed DSS operatives.
Another worker said, “During the COVID-19 (lockdown), they paid us half salaries. The school was not in session and parents were not paying but now that we have resumed, they still told us it is either we accept half salary or wait for them to gather school fees so they can pay our full salary.
“They are also saying that even if they paid us the full salary, they would not settle the balance of the half salaries and we would not be paid leave grant. They also reviewed the condition of service and still reduced our October salary despite increasing school fees.”
The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, has yet to respond to inquiries on the sacking of the workers.
Mr Adamu says those who attacked police stations had hoped to "humiliate" police personnel.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has disclosed that policemen killed during the EndSARS protests across the country would be promoted to their next rank.
Mr Adamu stated this on Wednesday in Benin City, Edo State, while addressing police officers at the state police command during his working visit to boost their morale.
The IGP also inspected the burnt police stations in the state, in company with the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; Assistant-Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, Sholla David; and CP, Babatunde Kokumo, on Wednesday.
Seven police stations were burnt in Benin City by thugs, while several security vehicles were also burnt in the process.
Mr Adamu said the police were working with the Police Service Commission (PSC) to ensure that officers who lost their lives and those injured would be promoted to the next rank.
The IGP said the families of those that lost their lives and those that were injured as a result of the #EndSARS violence, would also be compensated.
He said, “The government has not forgotten the police. A lot of reforms are taking place. A lot of things are being put in place to take care of the welfare of officers. The Police Act of 2020 has taken care of most of our welfare needs.
“There will be compensation for policemen who were injured during the #EndSARS protests. Families of policemen who lost their lives will also be compensated. Retired police officers will also enjoy the health insurance scheme.
“I am working with the Police Service Commission, all the policemen who were injured or died during the #EndSARS protests will be promoted to the next level. President Buhari, two weeks ago, also approved the adjustment of our salaries to higher grades for all officers.”
Mr Adamu said the adjustment to higher pay was to encourage them for the utmost performance.
“So, we do not need to be demoralised or leave the public space for criminals to occupy,” Mr Adamu explained.
He commended the men and officers of the force for the restraint despite the provocation.
“The protesters went to the police stations to attack the police officers and men because they wanted them to react with maximum force, but because you are professionals, you are resilient and you know what you are doing, you did not apply maximum force.
“You applied minimum force and they were disappointed. The police of yesteryears are not the same as the modern police that we have. Your sense of professionalism has shown that you did not give room for the bad guys to succeed.
“The violence did not stop in one state. It went to 14 different states. In all the 14 states, it was the same story. In the south-western part, especially Lagos State, and the South-South zone, Edo and Delta States, we had attacks on police stations.
“In Lagos State, it was so terrible that private property was destroyed. Vehicles for public use were destroyed. Houses of individuals and their families were destroyed. This is very unfortunate.
“The attacks on the police and police stations were to demoralise you (policemen), to humiliate you and to make you feel that you do not have support at all, in the members of the public, but it is not the case. Some state governors came out to support the actions of the police, especially the way we handled the #EndSARS protests. Some individuals also came out to support the good works of SARS in curbing violent crimes.
“Despite all #EndSARS protests and attacks on the police, we also got open support from President Muhammadu Buhari. So, you should not be demoralised. You should be resilient.”
Mr Adamu further said that officers and men of the force will continue to enjoy the Health Insurance Scheme of the government even after their retirement.
The IGP said, “We register for Health Insurance Scheme while in service but it stops when we retired. But now, this government said no, it is not encouraging and it is now part of the law that those that have retired from the force will continue to enjoy health insurance scheme.”
Mr Adamu, who explained that already about 60,000 retired officers have been captured, urged them not to entertain fear as they will continue to enjoy the health insurance scheme of the government.
Also speaking to the officers of the state police command, Mr Shaibu, assured that the state government will continue to support the police in the discharge of their duties.
“Policemen must occupy the space for the criminals to flee. We love the Nigeria Police. Governor Godwin Obaseki has approved the rebuilding and in some cases the rehabilitation of the burnt police stations in Edo State, to buy patrol vehicles and to take care of the medical bills of the policemen who were injured during the #EndSARS protests,” he said.
The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd.), has said the recent rescue operation by the United States special forces on Nigerian soil was not a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
He said the Nigerian government granted the US necessary permission to carry out the military operation.
The United States Special Military Force, over the weekend, successfully rescued an American citizen kidnapped by bandits in the northern part of Nigeria.
In an interview with journalists shortly after he defended his Ministry’s budget at the Senate on Tuesday, the minister said Nigeria gave permission to the United States “as a friendly country” almost as soon as it was contacted by the government.
He ruled out theories that the United States might have violated Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Magashi said the country was doing the best it could with what was available to the military to deploy adequate technology in its operations.
The minister, however, said that Nigeria would explore the current partnership with the United States to tackle insurgency in the country.
The Federal Government has denied generating a ‘no-fly’ list of youths and persons who participated in the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality.
The Federal Ministry of Interior made this known in a tweet on Tuesday in reaction to a media report by an online publication (not The PUNCH).
The publication alleged that the Nigerian authorities have started collating a no-fly list of Nigerians that energised the #EndSARS protest last month.
Reacting, @MinOfInteriorNG wrote, “The Ministry of Interior did not, has not and will not generate any no-fly list. Ignore fake news, please!”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Nigeria Immigration Service on Monday prevented a promoter of the #EndSARS movement, Modupe Odele, from travelling.
Although the officers did not disclose the reason for their action, it is believed that the action was taken because of her alleged role in the #EndSARS protests.
Odele, had through her Twitter handle, @Mochievous, mobilised her 219,000 followers during the protests.
She had also offered free legal aid to persons who were unjustly arrested during the demonstrations.
Confirming the development in a newsletter sent out on Monday, the lawyer said she was on her way to the Maldives to celebrate her birthday when she was accosted by immigration officers.
Odele said she was detained while her passport was seized by the officers and she was made to miss her flight.
The revelation sparked outrage on Twitter with thousands calling on the authorities to stop harassing Odele.
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, said she has written the National Security Adviser, Babagana Mungono, over the matter.
Ezekwesili tweeted, “Today, I have written to Babagana Mungono, the National Security Adviser of @MBuhari @NGRPresident to immediately retrieve Modupe Odele’s passport from the SSS and publicly apologise for trampling on her freedoms. Maybe they’ll be wise this time. We’ll wait and see.”
The World Trade Organisation’s effort to select a new director-general next week could be delayed for at least another month because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Switzerland, according to Bloomberg News.
On Sunday, Geneva’s cantonal authorities announced strict new lockdown measures amid a surge in infections and hospitalisations in the Swiss city. From November 2 until November 29, the area will prohibit public and private events of more than five people.
More European countries including France, England, Germany, Spain have also imposed different curbs amid a new COVID-19 surge in the region.
The development could further disrupt the WTO’s ability to confirm Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first African and first woman to lead the organisation in its 25-year history.
While some in-person meetings may become virtual, senior WTO officials are discussing whether to postpone their plan to make a formal decision on Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment at a general council meeting currently scheduled for November 9 at the WTO’s headquarters in Geneva.
WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell did not immediately respond to requests for comment, Bloomberg reported.
The potential delay of next week’s meeting is neither the only nor the greatest hurdle to Okonjo-Iweala’s appointment to be director-general.
On October 28, the Trump administration said it would oppose her bid because the US preferred South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee for the job. Yoo has refused to withdraw from the race and has not responded to Bloomberg’s requests for comment.
The US unilaterally opposed Okonjo-Iweala despite the fact that the WTO selection committee determined she “clearly carried the largest support by members” and “clearly enjoyed broad support from members from all levels of development and from all geographic regions.”
The US move has disrupted the leadership race because all WTO decisions are made by a consensus of its 164 members, which means a single country – in this case the US – can oppose a decision for any reason.
Meanwhile, Okonjo-Iweala, who has been the chair of Board of Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation since January 2016, said her experience with the vaccine body would be an added advantage as countries seek to produce vaccines for the coronavirus.
The former Nigerian Finance Minister also tweeted last week that she remained positive of getting into the office despite ‘hiccups’.
She wrote, “Happy for the success & continued progress of our @wto DG bid. Very humbled to be declared the candidate with the largest, broadest support among members & most likely to attract consensus.
“We move on to the next step on Nov 9, despite hiccups. We’re keeping the positivity going!”
The Federal Government also said it will continue to engage relevant stakeholders to ensure that the lofty aspiration of her candidate to lead the WTO is realised.
General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye has kicked against the proposed regulation of social media by the Federal Government.
He condemned the proposal as laughable, insensitive and an attempt to gauge the common man.
Adeboye spoke on Sunday at the RCCG headquarters November thanksgiving service with the theme “Better days ahead”.
He said the attempts to regulate the social media as done in China won’t work in Nigeria because the variables are so different.
“The best the government can do is to ensure that the news being carried through the social media is genuine but to want to replicate what is happening in China here in Nigeria is laughable and would not be possible here,” Adeboye stressed.
Adeboye spoke through the Assistant General Overseer (Admin. & Personnel) and member of the governing council, Pastor Johnson Odesola.
He said Chinese leaders do not run personal accounts outside their shores unlike leaders in other parts of the world, the world most populous nation also run a working social, welfare and educational with adequate plans for citizens.
He also pointed out everything applicable to the Chinese is applicable to every citizen unlike in Nigeria.
The respected cleric carpeted the Federal Government for poor handling of the #ENDSARS protests, stating the shooting at Lekki paved the way for hoodlums to hijack the protests.
Adeboye also reiterated the call for restructuring of Nigeria, stating he is not a party to the breaking of the nation.
According to him: “I am not in support of the opinion that the country should divide because in our togetherness we are strong.
“All we need to do is having an agreement to share everything equally and be principled. We are stronger together but we should restructure.”
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said the Federal Government had the option of shutting down the social media space during the #EndSARS protests but chose not to tread the path.
Dare, who spoke on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme Sunrise Daily, said the government did that to allow freedom of expression.
He said other countries had taken certain measures to exercise some level of restraint over the cyberspace but Nigeria has not done so.
The minister, however, said the internet and the social media have tremendous benefits but “as a country, we must start to think of how to curtail fake news. There must be some level of responsibility and some level of punishment to those that create chaos out of mischief in our country.”
He said the fact that the Nigerian youths used the social media to drive the recent #EndSARS protests against police brutality is laudable, insisting that the cyberspace must be regulated.
Dare said, “The fact that our youths used it to mobilise is commendable. But the talk about the regulation of the social media has been around for a while. We’ve seen other countries taking practical steps in that direction, this country has not done that.
“Even during the #EndSARS protests, the country had an option (but) the country never went for that final option.
“There was no time the cyberspace was shut down, people were still able to connect themselves through the various social media platforms. And that shows a government that is committed to the rights of freedom and association of every citizen of this country.”
Dare said the social media was used to circulate fake news which angered some persons to go violent.
“The protests brought home the dangers of fake news,” he noted, adding that the National Assembly will do justice to the proposed regulation of the social media to guard against the spread of fake news.
“The talk around regulation, of course, we have a National Assembly, it will have to go through the normal process. We have a constitution, we have to make sure it does not violate certain provisions of the constitution that has to do with freedom of expression.
“Where you have fake news destroying lives, the government has a responsibility to make sure that there is a level of control. It is not censorship but some level of control,” the minister stated.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the country is sitting on a keg of gunpowder if the issue of fake news is not urgently addressed, insisting on the regulation of social media in the country.
Some road users in the Federal Capital Territory FCT have appealed to traffic management personnel in the territory to return to their beats, following the growing traffic gridlock in the city due to their absence on the roads.
President, Road Users Development Network of Nigeria, Dr. John John Uket made the appeal during a one-day national dialogue on traffic management in Abuja.
Many operatives had abandoned their beats in consideration of their personal safety after hoodlums hijacked an otherwise peaceful #EndSARS protest.
Dr. Uket observed that the renewed severe traffic situation in Abuja and Lagos was “as a result of the absence of road traffic personnel from agencies such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police Force, Department of Road Traffic Services (VIO), LASTMA and others who have left the roads unattended for the fear of attacks due to the recent wave of uprisings.”
While he condoled with families of deceased security operatives, Uket assured the officials of their safety in the line of duty.
He said: “We have taken into cognizance the need to reassure you of the public support that you have always enjoyed before the protest.
“In the spirit of nationhood and patriotism, we want to kindly appeal to you to let by-gone be by-gone and forge a new page in our nation’s history.
“For all the traffic officers who are still feeling hurt, we the road users, both motorists and commuters, say sorry for the actions of the hoodlums as we hope that such hoodlums will be brought to justice soon.”
He therefore condemned the burning of public facilities by the hoodlums, particularly mass transit buses and called for investigation into the matter, even as he advised the public to rather safeguard public facilities in their own interest.
Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Administration Traffic Management Team, Comrade Ikharo Attah, revealed that his team remained on their beats during the #EndSARS protest until it was highjacked by hoodlums, a development which forced the operatives to consider their own personal safety.
Ikharo bemoaned a situation where traffic personnel were attacked by hoodlums and a section of the public were cheering them on, instead of appealing to them to stop the act, adding that “the operatives are our brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, and have families and so did not deserve to be attacked in that manner”.
“We want to be on the road and do our routine job. We don’t want to die. When people are stirred up against us, we get scared. The public should support us.”
Attah promised to report to the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, on the appeal from road users for traffic officers to return to the roads because “We all want to get to our destinations on time but not to be held up in traffic for hours.”
The acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations and 81 Division’s spokesperson, Major Osoba Olaniyi, has said the military will not disclose the number of its personnel deployed in the Lekki toll gate.
The PUNCH reports that soldiers shot peaceful #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki tollgate on the night of October 20, 2020.
Though the army initially denied involvement in the Lekki shootings, it later disclosed that its officers were invited by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to enforce a curfew imposed on the state last Tuesday.
But a lawyer, Nurudeen Yusuf, had sued the Lagos State Government and others, arguing that “death is not a penalty for violating curfew.
“And that as of the time the shooting commenced, the curfew declared had not been in force. It was supposed to commence at 9:00 pm on that day, being 20th of October, 2020.”
While Amnesty International claimed that 10 persons allegedly died, an eyewitness, DJ Switch, said about 15 protesters died. But the authorities are yet to release any official figures of casualties.
In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, he explained it would be unprofessional to release the number of personnel deployed.
Asked the number of personnel involved, Olaniyi said, “It is against operational security. We don’t give that. It is against the policy of operational security. There is no problem here. The picture some people paint, as if we are fighting with the state government, is wrong.”
He also explained that it was not the duty of the judicial panel to invite the Army to answer questions regarding the reported shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll plaza.
Olaniyi stressed that the army intervened in the Lekki tollgate incident based on a request from the Lagos State Government and that it would only appear before the panel based on same directive from the state government.
He said, “If we receive a letter from the state, we will go. Are we not under civil authorities? Are we not part of Nigerians? Have you forgotten that we did not go there (Lekki tollgate) on our own?
“It is not the duty of the members of the panel to tell us that. If the state wants the (81) Division to come, they will write and we will oblige. See, if they have written to the division, it is our duty to go. It is not for them to go through the media as if we are scared of coming.
“It is the state government that constituted that panel of inquiry. So if anybody needs to get in touch with us to come, it is still the state and not members of the panel.”
A Couple who were tortured and lost two pregnancies, yesterday narrated their ordeal with the SARS, to the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS Related Abuses and other Matters.
The couple Mr Okuchukwu Obiechina and Mrs Ndubisi Obiechina told the nine-panel that they were awarded N2million, against SARS, by the Federal High court sitting in Lagos, but that it was dismissed by the court of appeal.
Narrating their ordeal in the hands of SARS, Mrs Nububisi Obiechina, a teacher, said they were arrested on June 2, 2017, and were detained for 22 days, in SARS custody.
She said that the incident started when she received a message that she had a parcel from DHL, and later got a call and the person asked her to send him her house or school address after she had told him that she’s is a teacher.
The petitioner said that when she got home, she told her husband who is a businessman of what had happened, then the husband collected the number from her and called it but it was switched off.
She also said that her husband asked her to give the caller her school address, so on the next day the person called again this time with a different number, after two hours the person called again, she then informed the proprietress of her school, that some people where coming to the school.
Obiechina said after some time, she saw a black jeep, that came to the school and one of them wore a DHL apron and then the person kept calling her while the one on DHL apron was approaching her, adding that when she got close she saw huge men on the jeep and immediately they kidnapped her and started beating her and called her a thief.
The complainant who had no legal representative narrated that she was two months pregnant when they abducted and took her to Ikeja SARS, shrine and started beating her and said they would remove the baby that she would die there and that she should produce the father of the baby that her husband was not the father.
She said, ” At 3 pm, they brought me out I said they should allow me to call my husband so that he would know where I was, I also told them that I have a 5-year-old child in a school that I need to call someone to take the child home, they refused”.
” Later I was allowed to talk to my husband, but the phone was on the loudspeaker, it was on of the SARS men, Christian that put the phone on speaker, my husband said he had looked for everywhere, that the proprietress told him that some policemen arrested him it was Christian that told him where I was.” She said
Obechina further stated that it the three SARS people that tortured them are Philip Rilwan, Christian and Harouna Idowu.
” When my husband came to area F, Keeps field, they started beating him and put a tyre on his neck, and said that they will kill him like others that he is a thief. They hit my husband’s head with the butt of a gun and also hit his head with a stone, I was urinating on my body when all the torture was going on”,
“Around 7 pm, they took us to Federal SARS at Ikeja and then gave my husband his phone so he called our pastor and I was also allowed to call a co-teacher friend to help me take care of the child, they said the child should die there.
We spent three weeks in the cell under open roof and rain was beating us, we slept on the floor and as a pregnant woman, I didn’t eat anything, at night they would come and take me upstairs on interrogation, because of the stress and torture, I lost the two months pregnancy.”
“I got pregnant again the second time after we were released so on Sunday, while we were preparing to go to Church, they came again to arrest my husband and Philip Rieninwa, said that the order was from Abba Kyari, I pleaded with them to allow my husband dress up because he was on boxers, but they refused and took him away,”. She said
Obiechina, further said, ” When I couldn’t get through to my husband after one week, then I contacted our lawyer and he said it is getting out of hand so he got an order from the Federal High court that he should be released immediately, and he then wrote to SARS, because of the stress and trauma that I went through, I lost the second pregnancy again.”
” We were awarded the sum of N 2million, by the federal High court because of the brutality and trauma that SARS caused us, but up till now, we have not been given the compensation, we also appealed the judgement but the appeal court dismissed it, nothing has happened since then,” Obiechina said
“SARS, also took the N50,000, that my husband brought to the place, we bailed ourselves with N400,000”. She said.
Mr Okuchukeu Obiechina confirmed the testimony of his wife.
The panel is made up of the Chairman Justice Doris Okuwobi (Rtd), Mr Ebun Adegboruwa (SAN), Mr Taiwo Lakanu, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police and a founding member of SARS.
Other panelists are Mrs Oluwatoyin Odusanya, Director, Lagos State Directorate of Citizen’s Rights and Ms Patience Udoh, a representative of the civil society groups and Mr Segun Awosanya (segalink) a human rights activist.
After listening to the complainant’s narration, the Chapman of the Panel Justice Doris Okuwobi said the proceedings has to be adjourned because some members of SARS has been mentioned so there is need to send an invitation to the Commissioner of Police so that the SARS can come and give their own side of the matter.
She adjourned further hearing of the petition to Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
On Monday 26, October the panel had announced that it had 15 petitions, before it, but as at Saturday 31, October 33 petitions, has been received and four cases were called but only two were heard.
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