₦airaland Forum

Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigerian Medical Association on Wednesday faulted the Quarantine Act (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2020, also known as the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill 2020.

The NGF, the NLC and the NMA at the House of Representatives public hearing on the bill in Abuja, said the proposed law would lead to confusion.

The House organised the hearing following the uproar over the proposals as well as an alleged plan by the lawmakers to block inputs by stakeholders and members of the public.

The House, a few weeks ago passed the bill for second reading. The proposed law was jointly sponsored by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila; chairmen of the House committees on Health Institutions and Health Services, Messrs Paschal Obi and Tanko Sununu, respectively.

But protests greeted the proposed law, titled, ‘A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, and Enact the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, Make Provisions Relating to Quarantine and Make Regulations for Preventing the Introduction into and Spread in Nigeria of Dangerous Infectious Diseases.’

The bill seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act of 1926 and when passed, will also repeal the Nigeria National Health Act, 2004, National Programme on Immunisation Act, Cap N71, LFN 2004; and the Environmental Health Officers (Registration, etc) 2002.

If passed into law, the minister of health will be empowered by law to declare any premises to be an isolation centre for the purpose of preventing the spread or possible outbreak of infectious diseases.

It also confers on the police, the power to arrest and quarantine violators without warrant.

Section 13 of the bill also seeks to give the NCDC Director-General the power to order the isolation of people having or suspected to have an infectious disease for a period of time subject to the discretion of the DG.


You didn’t consult us, govs tell Reps

At the public hearing, the Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, criticised several proposals in the bill, saying that they would have frustrated the response to the COVID-19 pandemic if they had been passed into law.

Fayemi said, “The NGF is concerned that the governors were not consulted in putting the bill together, neither was any role created for them, in utter disregard for their constitutional functions.”

He explained that the current Quarantine Act gave the President responsibility to provide such sanitary stations, buildings and equipment.

According to him, Section 8 of the Act gives state governors the power to exercise the responsibilities vested in the President under the Quarantine Act, where these responsibilities are not exercised by the President.

Fayemi stated, “The Act gives governors very scant operational space to manoeuvre and regrettably, the proposed bill took away even that. This bill takes away the only authority the governors have to take specific steps and measures in their domains during an outbreak of an infectious disease.

“A situation where state governors do not have any power to make regulations in their states in the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease, or to declare any part of the state an infectious area, is not only inimical to the country’s federalism but a recipe for disaster.”

The NGF chairman stated that the current situation where the COVID-19 regulations made by the President restricted movements in only two states – Lagos and Ogun –including the FCT “would have been chaotic” had the bill been the existing legislation governing infectious diseases and curbing their spread.

The forum also noted that governors, in exercise of the powers vested in them by the Quarantine Act, issued Executive Orders to ensure the control of the spread of COVID-19 in each of their states, since the regulations made by the President did not extend to the other 34 states.

Fayemi said, “Taking away this power of the state governments in the proposed new bill would cause untold hardship and suffering in states and negate the principles of federalism.”


Vesting all powers in President, a recipe for confusion – Govs

The NGF chairman said, “The bill vests all the powers in the President. The absence of de-centralisation of powers to the states is anachronistic and a recipe for confusion.

“Given the diversity of Nigeria and the country’s varying geopolitical and social dimensions, and learning from the current experiences with COVID-19, it is imperative that state governments are actively involved in helping to curb the spread of infectious diseases in each of their states. The dis-similarity in the country’s composition means that were this bill currently before the House to pass in its present form, the NCDC is ill-equipped to adequately address the peculiarities of each state.”


Fayemi faults powers given to NCDC DG

“It is always dangerous to vest uncontrollable powers in any one person. The bill empowers the NCDC to perform certain acts, which are directly in conflict with constitutional guarantees to fundamental rights,” he stated.

The governors cited the instance of Section 6 of the bill, which mandates the compulsory testing of a person on the mere suspicion of the DG, and Section 10 (3) which gives him powers to use force to enter any premises without warrant, while the test in Section 6 would be at the expense of the person, failing which he would be liable to stiff penalties.

Fayemi said governors should be given the “power to declare a place to be an infectious area and to make regulations and directives towards prevention and further spread of an infectious disease within the state, where the president is yet to do so.”


Bill violates people’s rights – Labour

The President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who recalled that the legislation had generated “a lot of interests across Nigeria”, stated that any opposition to the bill was not an opposition to the House.

While he noted that the Quarantine Act of 1926 was due for review, the NLC boss said stakeholders were only asking that the right thing be done.

Wabba said, “The first issue I want to posit is that rights are important and inseparable. Some are so fundamental that they have to attain the status of being the hallmark of constitutional democracy. So, in making laws we must also safeguard laws and rights that are already fundamental. Therefore, our presentation will be premised on some of those provisions that we think fundamentally they are going to infringe on existing rights which the governors’ forum has tried to highlight.”


…Bill’ll create draconian laws, lead to abuse – Falana-led group

Also, the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, a coalition of civil society groups led by a human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, faulted most of the proposals in the bill, saying they were in conflict with the constitution.

The ASCAB, in the memorandum presented to the House and signed by Falana, a copy of which our correspondent obtained, stated that the bill “poses danger to the human rights of the Nigerian people.”

The group partly said, “We acknowledge that all rights are important and inseparable, but some are so fundamental that they have attained the stature of being the hallmark of constitutional democracy. State actors and fellow citizens ought not to put fundamental rights in jeopardy but must duly observe, uphold and respect them. Concerning fundamental rights, all actors must maintain utmost self restraint.

“We observe that the powers conferred on the DG of the NCDC are so pervasive as to touch on every aspect of the life of a citizen, and that no objective standards have been created for preventing arbitrariness in the claimed exercise of these powers; further that there is generally no room allowed for judicial scrutiny which makes the bill in our view a recipe for tyranny.”

According to him, “in the hands of a power-drunk autocrat, the bill, if passed into law as it is, would pose a clear and present danger to the realisation of an ordered society.

He stated, “Our first position is to ask that the bill as a whole be jettisoned and proceed to make specific proposals in view of existing pieces of legislation.”

Falana said, “With due respect to the leadership of the House, the bill is superfluous, potentially illegal and unconstitutional.” He referred the parliament to the provisions of the NCDC Act 2018.

He stated, “However, having carefully perused the provisions of the bill, we can confidently say that we consider it a potentially dangerous piece of legislation that we recommend should be completely rejected.”

ASCAB also criticised the bill’s definition of infectious diseases as including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, cholera, leprosy, malaria, measles, polio, typhoid, tuberculosis, yellow fever, gonorrhoea and syphilis, while in another part it listed plague, yellow fever (again) and coronavirus disease as “dangerous infectious diseases.”

Falana said, “ASCAB rejects the wholesale categorisation of common ailment such as malaria as an infectious disease, for which any person may be arrested, detained and isolated. We question the propriety of the listing of all the named diseases as infectious diseases.


Some comments on bill ill-informed, outright malicious – Gbajabiamila

But Gbajabiamila, while declaring the event open, said many comments on the bill were “ill-informed and outright malicious.

“There are those in our society who benefit from promoting the falsehood that every government action is cynical, and every policy proposal must be the product of malignant influence.”

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, in her presentation, said some sections of the bill should be amended.


Laws must recognise Nigeria’s federal structure – NMA

Also, the Secretary-General of the NMA, Dr Phillips Ekpe, asked, “The following questions ought to be asked: ‘Why the bill? Why the urgency to pass it into law? Why the public outcry? What are the remedies to assuage the outcry?

He stated, “Such laws ought to recognise the federal structure of the nation, and should not lead to a conflict between the national and sub-national governments in executing their statutory functions.”

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, on Wednesday called for conversion of the National Assembly to a part-time legislature during the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic to save cost.

Ndume who spoke to reporters during an interview in Abuja, however denied calling on the Federal Government to cut the salaries of civil servants in the country.

He said that the report which credited the claim to him quoted him out of context.

He insisted that Public Servants across the three arms of government “not working full-time” during the present pandemic should no longer be paid 100 per cent of their salaries.

“The statement credited to me was not a complete statement and I was quoted out of context,” Ndume said.

He added: “When they asked me questions about the revised budget, I said we should fasten our belts during this pandemic due to the fall in the prices of crude oil which is the mainstay of our economy.

“I said the Federal Government should critically look into cutting down of the cost of governance.

“I called for the reduction of overhead cost, salaries of senior public servants and the recurrent expenditure. That is what I said and I still stand by it.”

He noted that taking into cognizance the fact that the salaries of the lower level civil servants are too small, he couldn’t have called for their further reduction.

“As a matter of fact, Nigerian Civil Servants deserve palliatives from all tiers of government, even with their salaries.

“I maintain that since most of us who are Public Servants across the three arms of government are not working full time for now, our salaries should no longer be paid 100 per cent.

“Overhead should also not be 100 per cent again. All those travel allowances should stop because we are no longer traveling.

“We are operating from online now, the provision for stationery should be stopped. By that so many expenditure would have been removed.”

He said that in view of the prevailing economic circumstances in the country that, he is the firm opinion that the National Assembly could be made to operate on a “part-time basis to save cost during the period of this pandemic.”

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, we can make the National Assembly a part time arrangement for now since we conduct our sitting once or twice in a week these days.

“If we make it part time, that means our salaries must be reduced.

“The reality is that we can’t continue in a situation like this where 70 per cent of the country’s budget is going to personnel and recurrent expenditure as if everything is okay.

“This is a time when we are borrowing to fund the budget. I didn’t say salaries of civil servants who are struggling to survive, should be slashed.

“Under this critical circumstances where 70 per cent of the budget goes to recurrent expenditure and overhead, then the government should really sit down and critically look at it.

“The government should identify public officers that can work part time and reduce their salaries.

“For example, even we in the National Assembly, for the period of this pandemic, I strongly advocate that the work of the legislature and other people should be made par time and therefore, pay them on part time basis to reduce the cost.

“There are jobs that are not critical, that could be converted to part-time basis to reduce cost. We cannot make the jobs of medical personnel part-time.

“There are other essential service workers like the Police and the Army which cannot be on part time.

“However, other jobs should be converted to part-time. A director who is sitting at home working via virtual means does not deserve a full salary.

“The current situation is not sustainable. I even believe in a Parliamentary System of Government.

“When Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said Nigeria should revert to the parliamentary system of government, I said I support it because the Presidential system of government is not for poor countries like Nigeria.

“Today, if Nigerians demand a reversion to the parliamentary system of government, I will support it.

“The running cost of the government must be reduced by a certain percentage that is significant so as to create jobs for the unemployed.”

A youth corps member (name withheld), on primary assignment in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, was gang raped by two persons, one Ofonime Essien and Frank Okon, when she went to charge her phone in their house.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command said it has arrested the suspects.

The Command also said that it arrested three suspects for different cases of defiling minors, including a 55 year old man who raped his stepdaughter.

In a press release signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP N-Nudam Fredrick on Tuesday in Uyo, and made available to newsmen, he said the 55 year-old man, one Udo Ekong Esau forcefully slept with his 15 year-old step daughter (name withheld).

He stated that Esau, an indigene of Odot 1 village in Nsit Atai local government area was said to have chased his step daughter out of the house when he discovered that she was pregnant.

The Police further said that a 38 year-old cultist, one Ekemini Asuquo confessed that he lured a 14 year-old girl with N1,500 to a hotel where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

Asuquo reportedly later snatched the money from his victim and threatened to kill her if she report the incident to the Police.

He stated that all the suspects have confessed to the crime and will be immediately arraigned in court.

He warned perpetrators of the act to desist forthwith or face arrest and prosecution by the police.

The Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has said that the scheme is putting strategies to enable a safe and efficient conduct of its operations ahead of further lifting of restrictions on socio-economic activities in the country.

In a statement signed by Director, Press and Public Relations department of the scheme, Mrs Adenike Adeyemi, said the DG disclosed this when he visited the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu in Abuja.

Ibrahim noted that the scheme suspended the 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course just one week into the exercise as a proactive measure to avert the spread of COVID-19 to any of the Orientation Camps.

He said due to the possibility of further or complete lifting of lockdown, the strategies mapped out by the NYSC Management had taken care of various scenarios, and would be presented to the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 through the NCDC for guidance.

He informed that the suspended 2020 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course would be completed, when the Scheme received the green light from the PTF.

He told his host about the various COVID-19 interventions made by Corps Members all over the country, including sensitization; production and distribution of face masks, liquid soaps, hand sanitizers, automated disinfection chambers; as well as automated and foot-operated liquid soap, hand sanitizer and water dispenser.

In his response, the NCDC Director-General, Dr. Ihekweazu, commended NYSC for its support to the fight against the coronavirus through Corps Member’s activities especially the fabrication of hand washing machines and production of disinfectants amongst other interventions. He said the proposals presented by the Director-General would be studied and recommendations made to the appropriate authorities.

Bisi Oladele,



Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has explained that the need to follow bureaucratic processes has been delaying the decision to drag key leaders in the administration of former governor Abiola Ajimobi before the state anti-corruption agency.

The governor disclosed this through his Chief Press Secretary Taiwo Adisa while featuring on Southwest Political Circuit, a political interview programme on Ibadan-based Fresh F. M. 105.9 at the weekend. He featured along with the Special Adviser on politics and Strategy Babatunde Oduyoye.

The governor established the Oyo State Economic and Financial Crimes Commission within his first six months in office to send signals to government officials about his seriousness to run a corruption-free government. But the agency is yet to get members of the board to manage it.

In the first three months of his tenure, Makinde constantly accused his predecessor and his aides of committing infractions while in office.

When asked why Ajimobi and his aides have not been prosecuted in spite of claims of misdemeanor, Adisa explained that government procedures are long and compulsory, adding that jumping any stage of the process can jeopardize an entire policy or project, no matter how lofty. He said Makinde’s administration has a list of the infractions committed by members of the past administration as well as documents to prove them but that the process of establishing the agency, appointing people of impeccable character and ensuring that it is properly set to succeed is long and must be followed. He assured that they would be brought to justice at the right time.

Adisa also denied that Makinde’s administration was deliberately defaming Ajimobi because of his laudable achievements in infrastructural development, stressing that the new government was only performing the duty of updating the public about the state of governance in the state.

While answering questions on the issues that have been troubling the coalition that produced Makinde’s victory in the last election, Oduyoye said there was nothing to worry about because the diverse interests within the coalition were being addressed everyday successfully. About Sen. Olufemi Lanlehin, Hon. Mulikat Akande-Adeola and others, Oduyoye said talks were going on with them with signs of positive results.

He emphasized that position sharing is one of the problems but that many more positions would be filled in due course by those thinking that they have been abandoned.

According to him, Makinde always acknowledges that the coalition was the magic that produced his victory, therefore, he will never shove aside their massive contributions to his electoral victory and the value they can bring to his administration.

He said: “There were tendencies within the PDP itself and the ADC. One of the first things we wanted to do on assumption of office was to reconcile them. How do you ensure fairness to all? Nobody can achieve that within one year. Only 100 or so out of about 500 positions have been filled. More people will be given opportunity to serve in the coming weeks when boards of parastatals will be constituted and other positions filled.

By Lanre Adewole
Two weeks to the much-anticipated primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, national party chieftains are worried the ruling party in the state may end up gifting the governorship election to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as major power interests deepen their strife over who should be the standard-bearer.

Already, the national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, has given solid backing to the national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on direct mode for the conduct of the party primary slated for June 22.

The embattled governor, Godwin Obaseki, is believed to be at a disadvantage going into a direct primary that would be conducted by the national leadership headed by his erstwhile godfather and now bitterest foe, Oshiomhole.

A top party source, however, told Sunday Tribune at the weekend that it would be too early to write the governor off in a direct primary, considering the reported resolve of his colleagues elected on the platform of the party to see to it that one of their own is not humiliated.

The APC Governors Forum has been at the forefront of getting the national leadership to provide the embattled governor, as well as his counterpart-governor in Ondo, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, with a fighting chance, through indirect primary. But Oshiomhole has been adamant.

What could pass for a battle line is now said to have been drawn between Oshiomhole and the self-styled progressive governors.

A source who is close to both the party chairman and some of the APC governors disclosed that the chairman had foreclosed the fact that he would need the support of the majority of the governors. According to the source, Oshiomhole believed that since he would not need the support of most of the governors again, there was no reason to consider their request this time.

That disclosure foreclosed the possibility of the former Edo governor and new APC strongman, seeking a second term in office at the expiration of his running tenure in 2022.

The silence from Aso Rock is, however, said to be a major worry for those seeking Obaseki’s scalp and despite not publicly endorsing any of the aspirants contesting on APC’s platform for the Edo ticket, there is a concern in Oshiomhole’s camp that the president may force their hands at the last minute, due to the influence of some powerful interests in the North, particularly a powerful businessman who is seen as Aso Rock’s darling and a known ally of Obaseki. Even those close to the party’s top echelons confided in Sunday Tribune that Tinubu warned some of those thick in the plot to stop Obaseki to be wary of the Presidential Villa. “Don’t trust those people” the APC national chieftain was said to have intoned of Aso Rock.

Tinubu’s position is also seen as throwing a direct challenge at the APC governors who would be major actors in deciding who gets the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 poll.

The source agreed that the Edo imbroglio is further souring the relationship between the national leader and the governors.

It was learnt that the party membership registers demanded by INEC for the conduct of the primary elections in Edo and Ondo states are now being hurriedly put together and the compositions and contents could become another source of partisan litigation in days ahead.



The party, under the chairmanship of John Odigie-Oyegun, had attempted a computerised membership registration, but the exercise was caught in allegations and counter-allegations of fraud and deliberate exemption.

Sunday Tribune however learnt that the hurdle would be surmounted and the Edo register would get to the election umpire in good time, though it could not be established which of the two factions in the state would be favoured as the authentic party representatives.

Beyond the national politics of the governorship poll, the state local politics is reportedly giving the Oshiomhole’s camp, early jitters.

The camp is said to be shifting away from Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu due to his increasingly poor perception even among his Bini people, who are said to be more disposed to returning the governor, also a Bini.

The Bini, with the highest voting population in the state, are said to be united against Oshiomhole and the party chairman is reportedly aware of the groundswell of opposition against him, compelling his forced support for only the aspirants from the largest ethnic grouping.

But his earlier choice of Ize-Iyamu as a replacement for Obaseki appears to have run into a hitch with his choice said to have been greatly damaged by him when they were in opposing parties.

In 2016, when Ize-Iyamu was the candidate of the PDP, running against Obaseki, then Oshiomhole’s anointed, the APC chairman’s damaging allegations against Ize-Iyamu as the Secretary to the State Government in the administration of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion, were everywhere. Even the videos of them are now all over the social media

Those unflattering words are now being used against both Oshiomhole and his newly-found political heartthrob, Ize-Iyamu.

The reported decision of the Oshiomhole camp to look elsewhere for a battle-axe aspirant against Obaseki is also said to be meeting another brick wall.

Oshiomhole’s deputy when he was governor, Pius Odubu, is reportedly adamant, claimimg he can’t be overlooked again for another aspirant following the reported withdrawal of class-support for Ize-Iyamu.

Odubu was by-passed for Obaseki in 2016 and his appointment to the juicy NDDC was shortlived, due to intra-party clash among the heavyweights from the South-South zone.

PDP’s primary election is slated for the day after the ruling party’s and there are also calculations a last-minute intrigue could play out despite denials of planned defections.

Despite the 24-hour difference which appears to make last-minute jump impossible, a similar scenario had played out in Benue State in 2015 when the incumbent governor, Samuel Ortom, was denied the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party and had to move to APC within a day where he emerged the candidate.

Ortom went on to win the election but later returned to PDP, on whose platform he returned to the Government House in 2019.



…PDP yet to submit membership registers

As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) concludes its screening of candidates for the Edo and Ondo states’ governorship primaries, attention has shifted to the party’s preparedness to mobilise its members for the race in both states.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already informed parties which would want to use the direct primaries to elect their standard-bearers to submit their registers to the commission.

Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmud Yaqub, who made the request said: “I wish to appeal to political parties that opt for direct primaries to avail us the registers of their members to be used for the election from ward to local government area and state levels for effective discharge of our monitoring responsibilities under the law.”

Although the PDP did not state that it is opting for direct primaries in either of the states, it is not clear if the party has submitted its membership registers to the commission as requested.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke to Sunday Tribune over the matter said he would need an update from the party’s national organising secretary.

“I will find out from national organising secretary of the party today,” he said.

However, further calls made to him to get the outcome of the enquiry were not successful.

The Federal Government has shortlisted 41 directors for the final round of examination towards becoming permanent secretaries in the civil service.

The 41 directors emerged from the 91 candidates who sat an Information Communication Technology proficiency test on Thursday in Abuja.

This means 50 senior government officials who sat examination did not succeed.

Our correspondent on Saturday obtained a copy of the memo announcing the 41 successful candidates.

The memo dated June 6, 2020 was signed by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, I. A. Mairiga, on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan.

Mairiga noted that the 41 successful candidates would now take part in the final examination which is an oral interview slated for Monday.

The memo marked “HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/VOL. VI/42 read, “Following the conduct of the ICT proficiency test for the appointment of permanent secretaries in the federal civil service on June 4, 2020, I am directed to invite the following 41 shortlisted candidates to the oral interview/interactive session.

“Accordingly, the candidates are to report for the interview on Monday, June 8, 2020 at the Olusegun Obasanjo Hall, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase II, Abuja by 8am prompt.”

Only 16 out of the 41 final candidates are expected to become permanent secretaries.

Yemi-Esan had in an earlier circular issued in March indicated that examinations would be conducted to appoint 16 new permanent secretaries.

She had said 14 of the new permanent secretaries are meant to replace existing ones that are billed to retire this year, while the remaining two are meant to fill existing vacancies.

According to the March 23 circular, the 14 states with permanent secretaries that will retire this year are Kebbi, Kwara, Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Jigawa.


The two states with existing vacancies are Zamfara and Kogi.

Yemi-Esan had reiterated that only officers in the mainstream of the federal civil service who attained the substantive rank of director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before January 1, 2018 and who have updated their records on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System verification portal are eligible to sit for the examinations.

She added that to be eligible, such officials must hail from Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Cross River, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States and should not be retiring from service earlier than on December 31, 2021.

She wrote, “Accordingly, the following officers shall not be accredited: directors that did not update their online records on the IPPIS verification portal (from April 5, 2017 up until it closed on May 23, 2018).

“Those that shall not be accredited also include serving directors retiring earlier than or on December 31, 2021; serving directors promoted in the last one year (2019); and directors undergoing disciplinary procedure.”

The last time permanent secretaries were appointed was in December 2019 when the Federal Government approved the appointment of nine new permanent secretaries.

Those appointed then were Musa Hassan from Borno State; Ahmed Aliyu from Niger State; Olushola Idowu from Ogun State; Andrew Adejoh representing the North–Central zone; Umar Tijjani representing the North–East zone; Nasir Gwarzo from the North–West zone; Nebeolisa Anako representing the South–East zone; Fashedemi Peter representing the South–West zone; and Evelyn Ngige from the South–South zone of Nigeria.

The nine permanent secretaries were picked from the 48 directors who participated in the final stage of the selection process.

The 48 senior officials had earlier emerged successful among the 87 candidates who sat for the second set of examination for applicants.

Ondo Deputy Governor, Hon Ajayi Agboola, may resign next week, The Nation has learnt.

Sources said the resignation was to enable him defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) where he is expected to contest for the governorship.

Relationship between Hon Agboola and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has since collapsed over issues of trust and betrayal.

It was gathered some APC lawmakers in Ondo House of Assembly would also resign their membership of the APC and join the PDP.

Candidate of the PDP in the 2016 governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, hinted on the defection of Agboola last week when he picked his nomination form.

Jegede stated the coming of Agboola to the PDP “demonstrated that the APC has collapsed and Agboola needs to look for a good house.”

According to Jegede: “If APC was and is good, Agboola Ajayi would not leave APC. If PDP is bad, he would not say he is coming to PDP.

“The party constitution is very clear. He would go to his ward and register. He will go to the National Working Committee and seek for waiver. When he finishes that, he would come here and pay administrative charges.

“When he is done with that ,he would pay for nomination form if he wants to contest. When he is done with that, he would now go and campaign and explain to people what he is bringing afresh to the PDP and electoral delegate would decide who will fly the flag of the party.”

Agboola’s spokesman, Babatope Okeowo, said his boss does not need to resign as Deputy to contest the governorship election.

Okeowo said it was not true that his boss would resign this week.

He said his boss could contest whether in the PDP or the APC without resigning from office.

“No where in the constitution that says the Deputy Governor should resign if he wants to contest as governor. Whoever is alluding that should go and read the constitution.”

Ondo Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Donald Ojogo, in an interview last week said Akeredolu was not interested in impeaching or removing the Deputy Governor.

He said: “Mr. Governor believes that whoever wants to leave his government can leave at any time. He will not raise a finger to push anybody out.

“If the governor is having enough majority, a comfortable majority that is more than two-third in the House of Assembly and he has no problem dealing with them, then why must he go-ahead that they must impeach someone?

“In the history of Nigeria, I can say that the Office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, I’m not talking about the personality but the office of the Deputy Governor became more powerful and more influential from 2017 till date under Akeredolu. Since Akeredolu came on board, the office of the Deputy Governor became more powerful than it was.

“And if actually, they have parted ways, it will be unfortunate and only betrayal of trust and confidence, could have been the reason.”

Nigeria has tracked down and grounded the luxury private jet purchased by its former oil minister, Dan Etete, with some of the alleged proceeds of the notorious $1.3 billion Malabu OPL245 oil deal.

Asset recovery lawyers acting for the Nigerian government swooped last week after the Bombardier 6000 jet, tail number M-MYNA, touched down at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport in Canada on Friday evening (29 May).

It had just flown from Dubai via Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland.

It is not known whether any passengers were on board.

A Quebec judge is understood to have granted a seizure order for the aircraft in the early hours of Saturday morning.

The seizure was confirmed to Premium Times’ London partner Finance Uncovered by Nigeria’s lawyer, Babatunde Olabode ‘Bode’ Johnson.

Mr Johnson said that the order was served on the jet’s owner, a company called Tibit Ltd, which has until Tuesday next week (9 June) to file court papers opposing the seizure.

Olabode Johnson of Johnson & Johnson is involved in Nigeria's asset recovery cases.
Tibit Ltd is an anonymously owned company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Giuseppina Russa is also named on the Montreal court order. BVI company records suggest Tibit’s sole director is Giuseppina Russa of J. Russa Consultants, a company based in Montreal.

Ms Russa, who appears to have previously been an executive assistant of sales for Bombardier, is not thought to be Tibit’s beneficial owner.

Contacted for comment, she said she was not the director of Tibit, and had asked to be removed as a director a number of years ago.

She said she had been hired as a contractor to decorate the plane’s interior, but that she had had nothing to do with Tibit’s affairs since 2013.

She said: “I vehemently deny and contest any wrongful conduct on my part”.

Former Minister Etete is alleged to have paid a total of $57m for the jet in 2011. It has a range of up to 6,000 nautical miles and a luxurious interior for 17 passengers.

The jet was part of an epic spending spree Mr Etete is said to have embarked on after allegedly receiving over $800million from the OPL 245 deal.

As Nigerian oil minister in the last weeks of the corrupt Abacha military regime in 1998, Mr Etete had effectively awarded the prospecting rights to the huge OPL 245 block to a company he secretly controlled, Malabu Oil and Gas.

After Abacha’s sudden death, Mr Etete retained the rights as a private citizen until he offloaded them to oil giants Shell and Eni in 2011, who paid a combined $1.3 billion to the Nigerian government.

Investigators allege over $800million then trickled down to Etete via several bank accounts, and that one of the first payments he made, $54m, was the main installment on this jet.

M-MYNA later took to the skies, resplendent in Nigeria’s national colours.

The entire Malabu OPL245 deal is now subject to a corruption trial in Italy, where Mr Etete is an accused, together with alleged middlemen, Eni and Shell, and several of their executives.

All parties in the Milan trial have denied the charges against them.

The Nigerian authorities have also charged Etete and several others linked to Malabu with money laundering in connection with the onward flow of funds from the OPL245 deal.

He has denied any wrongdoing and has dismissed the allegations as “political propaganda”.

Now aged 75, he is thought to divide his time between Dubai and France.

Having failed to secure his return to stand trial, Nigeria issued an arrest warrant for him earlier this year. Authorities are understood to be seeking his extradition.

It is not known whether Mr Etete still owns, or uses, the private jet. If he has sold it, it will be much harder for Nigeria to recover it.

The plane has a current market value of approximately $20m, according to dealers. It is registered with the Isle of Man’s aircraft registry.

M-MYNA’S LAST FLIGHT

According to lawyer Bode Johnson, who was appointed by the Nigerian government in 2016 to recover assets from the Malabu OPL245 deal, the jet had been grounded in Dubai for the past four years, where it had been closely monitored.

On May 27, Nigeria obtained a proprietary injunction against Tibit in the BVI, Mr Johnson said. A proprietary injunction allows a party to claim legal ownership over an asset.

Mr Johnson said: “Our investigators in Dubai then noticed that the jet, having been grounded in Dubai for so long, suddenly did some test flights and even went up to a cruising altitude for a short while. It seemed like they were testing whether they could fly somewhere.” The jet then took off from Al Maktoum International Airport, Dubai, mid-morning on Friday.

“We did not know the destination at that point.”

They tracked its movements as it headed first to Shannon Airport, near Limerick in Ireland, and then it took to the skies again after a short stopover, bound for Montreal.

Bombardier, the jet’s manufacturer, is headquartered in Montreal.

Mr Johnson added: “We now suspected that it was being flown to Canada for a major service, pending a possible sale.

“We had just a few hours to get a legal team in place on the ground there in Canada to file the injunction. It was 3am in Nigeria when I made a statement to the judge via video link.”

Mr Johnson, the principal partner of Lagos law firm Johnson & Johnson Solicitors, was appointed by the Nigerian government in 2016 to recover assets from the Malabu OPL245 deal, as part of the Buhari government’s policy to outsource the recovery work to third parties in return for a success fee.

Premium Times and Finance Uncovered revealed last month that Johnson had done a deal with an American litigation funder, Drumcliffe Partners, to help fund the recovery of OPL245 assets.

Together, they are in line to receive five (5) percent of any funds successfully recovered and returned to Nigeria.

A consortium of anti-corruption groups which has spent years investigating Malabu OPL245 said it welcomed the latest developments.

A spokesman for the group, comprising Corner House and Global Witness in the UK, HEDA Resource Centre in Nigeria and Re:Common in Italy, said: “Questions now need to be answered as to why the UAE authorities failed to sequester the jet when it was in Dubai, despite official requests from Nigeria that it be seized.”

He added: “Following recent disclosures in The Premium Times, the Nigerian public also needs reassurance that the funding arrangements entered into by the Nigerian government’s asset recovery agents are sufficient to cover the costs of the seizure proceedings and do not undermine the FRN’s interests.”

Nigeria’s chances of getting a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke extradited home to face charges may have dimmed following her alleged citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Diezani is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an alleged N23.29billion poll bribery scam.

The EFCC also wants the ex-Minister to account for N47.2 billion; $487.5million; N23,446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) in various Nigerian banks.

Top among her assets, either placed on permanent or temporary forfeiture, is the $37.5million Banana Island property.

She is also expected to account for alleged spending of $6.9 million to buy three 40-feet mobile stages for use during mass public speaking events.

But despite judgments and rulings by some Nigerian courts, the EFCC is said to be facing an uphill task to extradite the ex-Minister since her interrogation by the International Corruption Unit (ICU) of NCA on October 2, 2015.

The NCA is yet to disclose the four other suspects who were arrested and quizzed with the ex-Minister.

Investigation however revealed that her case, including extradition process, is getting complicated after laying claim to citizenship of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Diezani was issued a diplomatic passport, DP0000445 by the Dominican Government on May 21.2015 shortly before the handover to President Muhammadu Buhari by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Her citizenship was confirmed by a May 29, 2015 approval letter by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Kerry.

She was also appointed as a Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The Prime Minister’s letter to Diezani reads in part “I am pleased to confirm your appointment as Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Commonwealth of Dominica.

“Please note that this posting does not attract a remunerative package. In that respect, I am particularly encouraged by your willingness to serve.

“The appointment of a Trade and Investment Commissioner is consistent with my Government’s declared intention to have a permanent and active presence in the global business and financial sector operations. We believe that Dominica can benefit immeasurably from your illustrious record and profession success, and knowledge of investments and business operations.

“As Trade and Investment Commissioner, your scope of operation would revolve around the direct promotion and marketing of Dominica as a trade and investment domicile, as well as an emerging and unique tourist destination in the Caribbean.

“I encourage you playing an active role in the coordination of road shows and trade and investment expositions, as well as providing facilitator services to businessmen interested in investing or doing business with the Caribbean region. Dominica is ideally placed and equipped to serve as the perfect hub for such commercial activities in this region.

“Additionally, we would wish for you also to avail yourself and be of assistance to any Dominican citizen who may be keen on exploring business, trading or investment relations with the region or who may otherwise need assistance in the event of any distress.”

A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Diezani is fully taking advantage of the system in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Dominica where she is a citizen.

“We cannot successfully repatriate her without the involvement of the two countries. She has really set hurdles against her extradition. While the National Crime Agency (NCA) claimed that it is still investigating our allegations against Diezani, the Commonwealth of Dominica has not shown any interest in the return of her citizen to Nigeria.

“What we have done so far is to present a comprehensive report of our findings to the NCA.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “As it is now, Diezani has dual citizenship and the UK Government would have to consult with all the affected countries.

“The prospect of extraditing Diezani is cumbersome. There had been issues on the actual treaty upon which she can be extradited. Yet she cannot be tried in foreign jurisdiction.”

The Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu in February said: “I was in London this year, we did investigation together with the United Kingdom team, and anywhere I go I always call for the extradition of corrupt Nigerians to return back the money.

“This woman stole so much, not less than $2.5 billion. But unfortunately, she has a generation of looters who are supporting her. This is not good.

“We are in touch with the international community, she is under protective custody, otherwise, we would have arrested her and return her to Nigeria.”

https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Boyfriend-and-girlfriend.jpg

The Police Command in Ogun has arrested 25-year-old Basit Olasunkanmi for allegedly faking the kidnap of his 17-year-old girlfriend, Seun Adekunle.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday in Abeokuta.

According to the PPRO, Adekunle and Olasunkanmi live at 32, Agura Road, Abeokuta, and 4, Ogun Radio Road, Abeokuta respectively.

He said the duo were arrested on Friday, following a report by the girl’s mother, Mrs. Bukola Adekunle.

The spokesman said the woman had complained at the Enugada Police Division, Abeokuta, on Thursday that her daughter was missing.

“Mrs. Adekunle had made a report at the police station on Thursday that she sent her daughter to Lafenwa Market on Monday and she had yet to return.

“She stated further that she received a call from someone on Wednesday who claimed to have kidnapped her daughter and demanded N500,000 ransom for her release.

“Mrs Adekunle also added that the caller warned her not to report the case to the police if she still loved to have her daughter back,” the PPRO said.

Oyeyemi said further that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Enugada Division, SP Baba Hamzat, quickly led some detectives on an investigation to the hideout where the girl and her boyfriend were hibernating and hatching the plot.

He said that the suspects were promptly arrested and taken to the station.

“Preliminary investigations reveal that the boyfriend, a butcher, was the one who brainwashed the girl and lured her into the devilish plan because he needed money to settle some problems.

“Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, has ordered the immediate transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigations and possible prosecution,” he said.

A woman in Diobu, Port Harcourt on Thursday stirred public intervention over excessive sex demands of her husband, a trader confined to his home by Rivers State Government’s COVID-19 market closure order.

The couple had got into an open fight, attracting public attention, after the 42-year-old husband simply identified as Moses, bit her wife, Rose’s fingers she had employed in obstructing another move to her husband to satisfy his conjugal right.

Moses reportedly told bemused neighbours that his wife has been denying him sex, angered that he has not been meeting his financial obligation to his family.

Rose, who reportedly admitted the allegation, was quoted as saying, “Since the lockdown, I have not rested from my husband’s frequent sex demands on an empty stomach.

“Even if the market where he sells is under lockdown, his mates are out there hustling, doing other things to feed their families, but my husband sits at home all day and wait for me to struggle and still demands sex excessively. We have three children looking for food but he wants to eat sex, I am tired.”

BudgIT has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the payment of government funds into personal accounts.

This call was made after a study of the Open Treasury Initiative of the Federal Government.

The Buhari’s administration on December 9, 2019, launched the Open Treasury Portal.

The purpose is to increase transparency in government spending.

On Thursday, BudgIT released its report titled Open treasury “OpenTreasury.gov.ng Nigeria’s Spending Platform: Review, Gaps and Recommendations”.

It noted that the sums were paid into personal accounts, including several records with vague descriptions.

BudgIT discovered over 5000 payments without descriptions to the tune of N278 billion.

It found over 2,900 payment records totalling N51 billion paid into personal accounts with vague descriptions.

In one, N68m payment was made for “Ogunsuyi” and N15.8m for “international” as a description.

After the launch, the All Progressives Congress (APC), said it affirmed Buhari’s resolve to tackle public sector corruption and plug leakages in the public treasury.

It called it a novelty in the pursuit of open governance, transparency and anti-corruption fight under Buhari’s Presidency.

APC spokesman, Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement said, “Those who want to do business with the government should understand that henceforth, everything would be done in the open.

He noted that every Nigerian now has access to every naira the government is making, every naira it is spending and on what it is being spent.

“In the fight against public sector corruption, the OTP complements other initiatives such as the administration’s full implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) which has increased the level of accountability and transparency in the financial resources of the government; stoppage of budget padding, contrary to what we witnessed throughout the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pruning out thousands of ghost workers through the stricter implementation of Integrated Personnel Payroll System (IPPIS).

“To name a few of OTP’s requirements, all MDAs are to publish: daily reports of payments from N5m; monthly budget performance; quarterly financial statements; and annual financial statements prepared in compliance with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS).

“All the reports are to be published within stipulated deadlines on the OTP portal which will be open to and can be accessed by all”, Issa-Onilu wrote.

Yomhie:
The federal government maybe planning to resume inter state travel on June 21 when flights are set to begin operations partially.

The inter State movement was disclosed by the personal aide to the president on Media, Bashir Ahmad @BashirAhmad he tweeted “Interstate movement may resume on June 21, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu, gave the hint recently, as domestic flights expected to also resume on June 21.”

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday said it had uncovered how $3.3 billion was missing from taxes collected by the Federal Inland Revenue Services and remitted to the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2015.

The committee is probing the federation accounts from 2015 to 2018. CBN officials, led by Deputy Governor Edward Adamu, appeared before the committee to respond to queries by the Auditor-General of the Federation.

Briefing newsmen after a closed door session with CBN officials, the committee chairman, Senator Mathew Uroghide, said the FIRS record showed that $21.3bn taxes was collected in 2015. The CBN, however, recorded $18bn, a difference of $3.3bn, he added.

When asked about the differences in the amount, Uroghide said the apex bank hinged its argument on exchange rate. He added that the committee had mandated the CBN to submit documents to justify their defence.

Uroghide said from the Auditor-General of the Federation’s queries, the committee “found out that from the taxes collected outside, what we call foreign taxes, FIRS said they collected $21bn, and then CBN is saying that from their own statement, it is $18 billion.

“We now said that what was the exchange rate on your platform that time for us to be able to know whether the $3.3bn is in the account or whether CBN was surcharging FIRS, or whether FIRS was over estimating what they had. “So, we have asked them to go and bring the documents to us.”

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has suspended all paid staff members at the General Hospital in Ngala town.

Those suspended include resident medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and lab technicians.

The suspension, it was gathered, came after Zulum’s unscheduled visit to the hospital on Monday.

At 11am of Monday when the governor arrived at the hospital, it was established that the entire staff had abandoned the hospital to an international non-governmental organization, fhi360, which was managing hundreds of patients, the majority of them, IDPs and residents.

The hospital’s staff members, it was gathered, abandoned their duties despite receiving government’s salaries.

The governor was said to have shown up at the hospital in order to find out the realities of healthcare delivery to citizens. He was, however, disappointed to find out that despite high turn out of patients, none of the government health workers was at the hospital at 11am.

It was gathered that Zulum was received on arrival by a field coordinator of fhi360, the iNGO left in control of the hospital. Saddened by what he found on the ground, he ordered the suspension of all staff on the payroll of Borno Government.

“These humanitarian workers from the iNGO (fhi360) are supposed to complement the state Government staff but not to completely take over the Hospital.

“I am directing the Borno State Hospitals Management Board, if there is any staff on the payroll of this Hospital, to immediately suspend all the workers on the government payroll.

“I will be back to this hospital, hoping to see the opposite of what I saw today (Monday),” Zulum said in a release by the government. Ngala town is the headquarter of Ngala local government area in central part of Borno State.

The border town is within an international land route into Cameroon, Chad, Sudan and Central Africa. Liberated from Boko Haram’s control in 2015, Ngala is currently populated by thousands of returnees, many of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs), forced to flee their villages and farmlands in the wake of attacks by Boko Haram. A good number of residents are indigenes of the town.

Two persons were feared dead when groups of Cameroonian and Nigerian traders clashed in Deira, Dubai this week, a witness told The Guardian on Tuesday.

The two persons killed were Cameroonians, two witnesses said in separate voice notes the witness sent to our correspondent.

A video the witness sent showed a man suspected to be Nigerian bleeding profusely from his head.

The fight broke after Cameroonian traders accused Nigerians of selling beers at cheaper rates, thereby drawing more customers to their stores.

“Nigerians are selling beer at a cheaper price than they do,” one person familiar with the crisis said in one of the voice notes. “That was the cause of the serious crisis, although they said the situation is under control. People are still fighting in other places.”

The chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Abike Dabiri-Erew did not respond to the SMS sent to her phone on Tuesday evening.

Cameroon News Agency, however, reported that the fight broke after Nigerians attacked a Cameroonian trader identified as Tasso. It said both communities have been having a cold war in a place where they both sell beverages.

“Last night after beating Tasso to near death, about 10 Cameroonians stormed the streets looking for their aggressors. One person was seriously beaten as others escaped,” the Douala-based news website said in a post on its Facebook page.

“Police in Dubai have been notified but the situation remains tense.”

A Nigerian said indiscriminate arrest by the police has not helped to douse the tension.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with the head of the police. We are complaining about the situation of things, they’re doing a different thing,” he said.

An email sent to the Dubai Police on Tuesday night was not immediately replied.

Free For All Fight In Deira

Cameroonians living in Deira, Dubai in the UAE, have assaulted some Nigerians in a revenge mission after a certain Tasso, Cameroonian, was almost murdered by Nigerians.

Sources say both communities have been having cold war in a place where they both sell beverages.

A Cameroonian told CNA that due to competition, the Nigerian Community has been attacking those they don't want to see around the business place.

Last night after beating Tasso to near death, about 10 Cameroonians stormed the streets looking for their aggressors. One person was seriously beaten as others escaped.

Police in Dubai have been notified but the situation remains tense.

CNA

A succession crisis has enveloped the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Lagos over the appointment of an acting Director General.

The standard regulation on succession in the non-appointment of a substantive head of any Federal Government agency demands that the most senior officer takes over in acting capacity. It is a position recently confirmed in a memo by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha.

But the outgoing Director General of the NIIA, Prof. Bukar Bukarambe on retirement had opted to hand over to a Grade Level 13 officer instead of the most senior officer on Grade Level 15, a development that has thrown the institute into crisis.

Daily Sun learnt that before the ex-DG retired, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had written to the management of the institute advising it to adhere to standard regulations in the appointment of an acting DG. But Bukarambe had breached this regulation by handing over the baton of the interim manager of the NIIA to Dr. Efem Ubi who is alleged to be on Grade Level 13, instead of Prof. Fred Aja Agwu who is on level 15.

It was learnt that the decision has not gone down well with staff and other concerned stakeholders as the agency has been factionalised. Last Wednesday a member of the NIIA governing council stormed the institute and created a scene while trying to ensure Dr. Ubi took over.

Daily Sun visited NIIA headquarters, yesterday, and met with Dr. Ubi who insisted that the immediate past DG handed over to him and that until there is a counter-instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he remains the acting DG.

“As you can see, there is no problem here. Everybody is doing his or her job without any issues. If I am asked to leave this office today, I will, because I am not fighting with anybody. But, until then, I will continue to discharge my duties conscientiously,” he said.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mustapha Suleiman, said it was unfortunate that the crisis happened.

He said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, upon the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past director-general of the NIIA, did not appoint anyone in acting capacity.

Said Suleiman: “The minister didn’t appoint anybody to act. There is a standard regulation about handing over in such a situation and that was what the ministry did; he conveyed the instruction as per that standard circular issued by the SGF (Secretary to the Government of the Federation) that you are supposed to handover to the most senior person as long as he or she does not have any disciplinary case. It is a very clear regulation.

“So, it is at the implementation level that if you have issues, you are supposed to get back to the ministry. These officials of NIIA didn’t do that. As far as I know and the minister knows, nobody reported what transpired. If there are issues, we don’t expect people within the agency to take the law into their hands and decide who is to be. They are supposed to refer back to the ministry and say these are the challenges we are having and the ministry will direct as appropriate.

“The regulation has to be applied. It has to be implemented, but it is left for the agency to inform the ministry formally about the status of the agency. We have written to them officially, so it is for them to report back and say this is what they have.”

Asked who would be responsible for the feedback, Suleiman said the agency has a structure, insisting that either the Governing Council or the administrative structure in the agency needed to confirm to the ministry, its challenges.

“Usually, what they should have done was to ask for the nominal roll, see who is the most senior, ask for the files of those who we believe or they believe had disciplinary cases and then, a decision will be conveyed to them. But all these up and down; you know they have already factionalised the agency which we learnt last week and which we are going to address this week definitely.”

On the involvement of a member of the governing council of the NIIA in the crisis, Suleiman said it was not a very good situation to have people really getting involved in an official situation and personalise it.

“That is why the official channel of communication should be respected. The ministry cannot just act because somebody is doing video on the street. There is a standard procedure for doing everything in government and NIIA is an institution of government. There are rules and regulations governing the institution; there are rules and regulations governing transactions within the institutions and they are all governed by government regulations,” Suleiman said.

Scores of women from Mmahu Autonomous Community, Egbema in Ohaji Egbema council area of Imo state have shut an oil company belonging to an Indian firm, Sterling Global Oil Company for refusing to pay the burial rites for the death of three members of the community.

Two youths, Mike Imo and Abel Chioma were on Saturday March 8, 2020 crushed to death by the security van of the company driven by some military personnel escorting a tanker loaded with crude oil out of the village. A woman among them later died in the hospital.

But when Governor Hope Uzodinma visited the community on Sunday March 9th to commiserate with the community and families of the victims, the rear windshield of his official car was smashed by the youths of the community, who were protesting the death of their kinsmen.

The governor was said to have brokered agreement between the community and the company resulting to Sterling Global reportedly agreeing to pay the families of the deceased the sum of N20 million for burial rites.

But, about two months down the line, the company reneged on its promise, a development that caused the women of the community to besiege the company on Monday forcing it to stop operating in the community until the burial rites were fully paid.

According to the spokesperson of the women, Ezinne Abigail Chimaokwu, the women were not happy about the gruesome killing of three of their illustrious children by the security trucks belonging to the Sterling Global Oil Company.

She said, “These trucks with armed security men who killed our sons and daughter for sometime now, and also have refused to pay the death rites of N20M as agreed with the governor of the state who have appealed to us to accept the little token and bury the deceased.

“We can not bury the deceased persons because of the traditional demands which must be perfected to enable them commence their burial process else they won’t be lowered to the great beyond”.

Chimaokwu maintained that the women decided to shut the company and block the roads for the death rites to be paid, insisting that they would not leave the place until the right thing was done.

The women expressed disappointment over the manner the company was handling the situation, saying the entire community would fight to ensure may that the oil company no longer use the routes for trucking of crude oil.

Addressing the Women, the Army commander in charge of the area M.S. Akabi expressed surprise that the company had not paid the death rites.

Akabi, who expressed sympathy to the families of the deceased, assured the women of security if they conducted their protest without destruction of property.

A man, who posed as the Communities Liaison Officer of the Sterling Global Oil Company declined comment, saying he was not permitted to utter a word.

A 21 years old man has died following a tussle with a friend over ownership of girlfriend in Dass local government area of Bauchi state.

Vanguard gathered that the deceased identified Zeloti John was reportedly stabbed by his friend Ishaku over who was the ‘real’ boyfriend of the girl.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred last Friday at a Kanwara drinking joint in Dass local government area after a fight ensued between the two friends.

One source who identified as a relative to the late Zeloti said he will seek justice for his late kin.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of our relative. Zeloti didn’t deserve to die. Before this tragedy occurred, Zeloti was making everyone around the neighborhood very happy. We didn’t know he would die the same day. I hope he gets justice.

“As we know it, the fight was over a girl who we are yet to identify. They started quarreling, then it degenerated to fighting and now Zeloti is dead,” he said.

Vanguard learned that late Zeloti was buried yesterday by mourning friends and family.

Meanwhile, the Bauchi Police Command has confirmed the incident through the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmed Wakili who said that the case of culpable homicide was reported from the Dass Police Division and has been transferred to the appropriate unit for further investigations.

The PPRO added that the late Zeloti John was stabbed on the neck with a sharp object and was rushed to the Dass General Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

He said that the Police in Dass have arrested one suspect in connection with the case while further investigation was ongoing to know the remote and immediate cause of the incident.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the International Police have yet to arrest a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folasade, declared wanted for N13bn money laundering.

This is happening 15 months after they were placed on the global wanted list for failing to appear in court to answer for the money laundering charges preffered against them.

After declaring the couple wanted, the EFCC was said to have sought the assistance of the Interpol in apprehending the fugitives, but nothing has been heard on the matter since then.

The then acting EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, had told Saturday PUNCH in March 2019 that the commission had asked the Interpol to arrest the couple wherever they might be hiding.

He stated that the commission expected all Interpol member-countries to execute the arrest warrant issued against them.

Oke and his wife had reportedly travelled out of the country for medical treatment in January 2019, shortly before they were to be arraigned in court.

Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of a Federal High Court, Lagos had on February 7, issued an arrest warrant against the couple following an oral application by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo.

Oke and his wife are wanted in connection with the $43m, £27,800 and N23.8m cash recovered by the commission from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos in April 2017.

Under the former DG, the NIA was said to have collected $289,202,382 in cash for special operations from the account of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria in February 2015.

The agency had claimed that the funds were meant for covert intelligence operations, but the Federal Government insisted it was a case of looting.

The Federal Government subsequently set up a three-man panel headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo which indicted Oke and recommended his dismissal.

Criminal charges were subsequently filed against him and his wife in February 2019 over the cash found at the Ikoyi apartment.

One of the counts read, “That you, Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160,777,136.85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

When contacted on Friday, the Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Dele Oyewale, pleaded for time to get an update from the appropriate department.

Hours later, the spokesman said he could not reach the officer-in-charge of the case for an update.

Moses Emorinken,

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike should the government fail to resolve issues revolving around the welfare and safety of its members.

The NARD stated that the Federal Government is paying lip service to the welfare of health workers, especially when it concerns the review of hazard allowances and life insurance, which it says is active only on the pages of newspapers.

While demanding for the reinstatement of 26 of its members who were ‘illegally’ sacked in Jos, the Association disclosed that some States government have chosen this critical and wrong time in the country to slash the salaries of health workers.

Speaking with the Nation, the President of the NARD, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, said: “The illegal disengagement of 26 resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital in the face of this pandemic without recourse to the law governing the Residency training is one of the paramount issues that we believe should not only be addressed but also an apology issued to those affected.

“Our stand is that if there is anyone that is due to be disengaged, even if it is by tomorrow the person should be disengaged. But we cannot tolerate illegal disengagement of people without recourse to the Residency Training Program.

“We demand immediate recall of the sacked resident doctors at Jos and payments of their salaries.

“Secondly, the residency training itself has not been implemented for some time now, even though there is already an Act enacted that was timed as far back as 2017. The part of the act states that there shall be funding for the program and people who are not able to finish their program in good time will be disengaged.

“The government has decided to implement part of the Act that says you should disengage them when they don’t finish their program, but has failed to implement the part that says you should fund their program. This is without prejudice to what is happening in Jos because what is happening in Jos is that the Act was totally abandoned and they illegally disengaged them.

“We demand universal implementation of the Residency Training Act in both Federal and State teaching hospital. We also enjoin the Federal Government through the National Assembly to ensure full capture of the residency training funding in the 2021 Appropriation Bill.

“What is worse is that all of this is happening when we thought that measures will be rolled out to address the COVID-19 and at least, if not improve the condition of doctors, then, the status Quo should be maintained. On the other hand, what we get is further assault.”

He further added: “The Federal Government on their own agreed to review the hazard allowance of healthcare workers in Nigeria which was widely published and publicised. Three months down the lane, nothing has been done. Our hazard allowance even as at May is still reflecting the N5,000 hazard allowance they claimed they have reviewed.

“We think there is no sincerity in the way and manner government is handling this matter. The life insurance they claimed they have also procured for doctors and other health care workers is only on the pages of newspaper. We demand immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance and payment of COVID -19 inducement allowance.

“As I speak to you, I have just been informed of the death of one of our colleague – Dr. Nas, who incidentally was my classmate in medical school. So, the point is that as people keep dying, what do we tell their families and relations? Is it that we are just watching them die, while government is doing nothing and we are not saying anything?

“What is worse is that in some states, the government have decided again to further add salt to injury. They waited until COVID-19 time to slash doctors and other health care workers’ salaries further. Like what was recently executed by the Kaduna State government that cut the salaries of health workers by twenty-five (25) percent.

“We demand payment of arrears of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to our members and its application to state tertiary health institutions. NARD condemns the illegal deductions in salaries of our members by some state government and demands immediate refund.

“We note with concern the incessant harassment of her members by security agents and assault of our members while on duty particularly in Lagos, Delta, and Abuja. We call on security agencies to stop the harassment and assaults of doctors while carrying out their legitimate activities.

“The Association is hereby issuing a 14-day ultimatum to Government after which the Association shall proceed on a National Total and Indefinite Strike action should our demands remain unmet at the end of the 14 days.”

It stressed that the 14-day ultimatum starts from the 30th of May, 2020.

Ogun, Adamawa, Oyo and Lagos states are currently topping the list of states with the highest number of presidential aides in an updated list prepared by the Presidency, Saturday PUNCH reports.

The 142 aides on the list are attached to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); his wife, Aisha; Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo; his wife, Dolapo; Chief of Staff to the President; and a few ministers.

An analysis of the list showed that Ogun, Osinbajo’s home state, topped the chart with 16, Adamawa, the home state of the President’s wife, Aisha, came second with 12, while Oyo State came third with 11 aides.

Lagos came fourth with 10 aides while Kano followed closely with nine presidential aides to occupy the fifth position.

Buhari’s home state, Katsina as well as Ondo state are tied in the sixth position with seven presidential aides each.

Edo, Ekiti and Osun states are occupying the seventh position with six presidential aides each.

Bauchi, Kebbi and Nasarawa states have the lowest number of presidential aides with one each.

States without representation on the list are: Imo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Plateau, Zamfara and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

A zonal analysis showed that the South West geo-political zone which has a total of 56 presidential aides accounts for the highest number.

The North West is second with 25 aides while the North East came third with 21.

The South has 17; North Central has 12 while South East came last with nine.

According to an updated list, there are currently eight Special Advisers to the President; 55 Senior Special Assistants; 64 Special Assistants; and 15 Personal Assistants. However, not all of them are paid from federal coffers.

By Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja


The Federal Government said it was yet to receive the ventilators promised by the U.S President, Donald Trump.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed assured Nigerians that once the government receives the promised equipment, it will be made public.

He said this Thursday while responding to a question on the issue during the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 daily briefing.

The minister had earlier spoken about the efforts of the ministry to increase sensitization of the populace on the effect of the pandemic which has devastated the entire globe.

Already close to 6 million people have been infected with over 350,000 fatalities across 251 countries including Nigeria who h has recorded 254 deaths in close 9,000 cases.

The U.S President had on 28th April, 2020 promised to send some ventilators to the country during his telephone conversation with President Muhammad Buhari

But a month down the lane, the Minister of Information and Culture said the lifesaving equipment was yet to be received by Nigeria.


He said, “To when the ventilators promised by President Trump will arrive. To the best of my knowledge, they have not arrived. When they do arrive it will be made known to the public.”

In his quick rundown of the activities of the ministry in sensitizing the populace on the best ways to contain the spread of the virus, the Minister said jingles have been produced for both the radio and television in various languages.

He said the social media was also included in aggressive campaign.

He said adverts were also placed on six national dailies covering the six geopolitical zones of the country.

He said, ” The Ministry so far produced video and radio jingles in the following areas: General information of COVID 19Use of Face Masks; Burial protocol; Testimonials by COVID-19 survivors and Mass gathering.”

He also said all the jingles in English have been translated and produced in Pidgin; Igbo; Hausa; Yoruba.

So far, he said “The Ministry has developed 25 TV jingles and 25 Radio Jingles. The jingles produced by the Ministry are currently running on 10 television Channels: TVC in between the programme ‘Your View’ between 9am and 10:30am; inside the 7pm news; AIT before the 8pm news; OnTV – Prime time Nollywood movies; Telenovella; Correct Movies; ZEEWORLD

(DSTV); Nigbati – StarTimes; Isimbido- StarTimes; Dadin Kowa – StarTimes and StarTimes Guide; Liberty TV – both Hausa and English channels.”

He also added that “The jingles are also running on 40 radio stations across the country with states like Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja having more than one radio station airing the jingles. In addition, we also have support from 40 community and campus radio stations across the country awaiting our jingles.”

Apart from all the above mentioned, he said the ministry have also provided airing for the NCDC and its partners to broadcast the jingles they produced on messaging for the physically challenged (deaf and dumb) and the use of Face Mask on all the channels.

He added, “Similarly, radio jingles on various thematic areas in the fight against COVID 19 produced by the NCDC and its partners in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Kanuri, Fulani, Nupe, Gbagyi, TIV, Ibibio, Igala are being aired on radio stations in the states where the languages are spoken.

“We also broadcast various creatives developed by the PTF on the Ramadan and the observance of the EID, lock down protocol, asymptomatic COVID patients on radio stations and the Social Media handles of the ministry.

“The revised Ease of Lock down Protocol by the PTF was published by the ministry in six national dailies across the geopolitical zones: The Sun; The Nation; People’s Daily; Tribune; Leadership and Vanguard

“Our aggressive and sustained campaign on the Social Media has gained traction. In the last five days alone, some of the videos we posted have been viewed over 1,068,614 times.”

Primero Transport Services Ltd., operator of the Lagos Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) says it has secured approval to increase its fares across all routes with effect from Friday to keep serving the people.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that the BRT operator had withdrawn its services since Monday over losses occasioned by COVID-19 new transport guidelines that mandated it to commute only 20 passengers per trip instead of 70.

Earlier on Thursday morning, Mr Fola Tinubu, the BRT Managing Director, told NAN that the management would resolve all issues with the government in the afternoon and restore services on Friday.

Updating NAN after the meeting, Tinubu said: “We are going to increase our pricing effective from tomorrow Friday May 29. We agreed on this after our talk with the Lagos State Government.

“Everywhere commuters are paying N200 for a trip, it is going to be N300 and everywhere commuters are paying N300 per trip, it is going to be N500.

“We are increasing our fares. We have secured permission of the regulator (Lagos State Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

According to him, the firm understands the plight of the people and the economic situation, but the step became imperative to keep serving the commuters diligently and to provide a world class service for them.

“We are doing this not to punish anybody or to victimise anybody but because the circumstances we found ourselves forced us to do it.

“We need to make sure the company is on a sound financial footing, and if we don’t do this, the buses will not be available in the long run and there will be no way for us to fix buses and bring new buses.

“The business must be on a solid financial footing. Without this, the company cannot survive, and if the company does not survive, it will even cost commuters more in the long run.

“We understand that this is going to put some hardship on people but if we don’t do this and the company goes under, it will even cost the people more,” Tinubu said.

He said that the number of passengers on the buses would also be increased to 42 with no passenger standing on buses as against 20 earlier approved by the government to curb spread of COVID-19.

The managing director expressed regret for the inconvenience and distress the withdrawal of services had caused the teeming commuters in Lagos since Monday.

He said that the firm would be back in full operations and would put 320 buses out to make sure people got to destinations in time and safely.

According to him, the firm will ensure that going forward, the wait time and queues at bus stations is reduced.

Recall that since the lockdown ease on May 4, commuters had been complaining about inadequate BRT buses on the road, before the service was finally shutdown on Monday.

The Lagos State Government had directed the 70-capacity buses to carry only 20 passengers to ensure social distancing in public transport as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The BRT fare increase was last approved by the Lagos State Government on March 1, 2017 during the former Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration. (NAN)

Okechukwu Nnodim and Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi


The Federal Government is to certify airlines and other operators in Nigeria before the resumption of flights once the country’s airspace and airports are re-opened for commercial operations.

It was also gathered on Wednesday that all operators in the country’s civil aviation space were required to inform the government five days ahead before resuming operations.

Nigerian airports had been under lockdown to commercial flights for about two months as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

There had been calls for the reopening of airports and recommencement of commercial flight operations.

But the Federal Government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority said it would have to certify certain requirements before commercial flights would begin again.

The General Manager, Public Relations Department, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye, told our correspondent that the authority had issued various circulars to airlines on basic requirements needed from the carriers before they resume operations.

He said, “All we are doing are contained in the various circulars issued to the industry. They are all on our website.

“However, when resumption is allowed by the Federal Government, operators will be required to notify us five days ahead, to enable us certify certain requirements as enunciated in our various circulars.”

On May 6, the Federal Government extended the suspension of both local and international flight operations in all Nigerian airports by an additional four weeks.

The government had in March this year halted the operations of commercial flights by two weeks, before it announced the additional four-week extension on May 6.

Commercial flight operations, both local and international, had stopped forthwith but the Federal Government allowed essential flights.

Such essential flights include those for medical and evacuation purposes.

The government had stated that such flights were subject to the authorisation for the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

Meanwhile, in one of the circulars with reference NCAA-AC-FSG-001/20, sighted by our correspondent, the agency said the guidelines and protocols would be implemented to ensure an organised, safe, secure and efficient normalisation of the industry operations for the post COVID-19 lockdown.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has said the Federal Ministry of Health has shortlisted for further investigations, three Nigerian drugs, which have the potential to cure COVID-19 or treat its symptoms.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this on Wednesday at the PTF press conference in Abuja, where the ministry of health warned that Nigeria’s health system could not cope with increasing COVID-19 cases.

But Mustapha said three shortlisted drugs would be subjected to further investigations by relevant health agencies.

The PUNCH had on Tuesday exclusively reported that the Federal Ministry of Health was screening 19 local firms for production of herbal drugs that could possibly treat or cure COVID-19.

The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, who confirmed the screening to The PUNCH, said the companies had been asked to submit samples of their drugs.

At the PTF press briefing on Wednesday, Mustapha disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had held a virtual meeting with some researchers and scientists who had made claims about COVID-19 cure and shortlisted three for further research.

He stated, “As a measure of the importance attached to research and development of local capacity for finding a cure to the COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health held a virtual meeting with a number of researchers and scientists with claims to cure for COVID 19 and out of the numerous claimants, three were found to deserve further investigation and have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for appropriate review.

“Similarly, efforts are being made by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to subject some locally manufactured COVID-19 equipment to verification and subsequent certification.”

The task force also backed the decision of the World Health Organisation to suspend clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

The PTF Chairman, Mustapha, therefore cautioned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and other relevant agencies to ensure that all claims to treatment by scientists and researchers were subjected to scientific certification protocols.

The WHO had on Monday suspended the hydroxychloroquine trials because of the high mortalities among patients the drug was administered on.

On Tuesday, NAFDAC Director General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency would go ahead with the trial on the grounds that it had been effective in the treatment of COVID- 19 patients, especially those at the mild stage of the virus.

The PTF also said a protocol had been developed to give community members greater involvement and ownership in identifying and supporting the case management process.

Mustapha said the details would be unfolded in the coming days.

The SGF said allowances of security agents and frontline medical workers would be paid as soon as the National Assembly approved the 2020 Budget Appropriation (Amendment) Bill.

He said, “You are aware that the National Assembly is cutting short its recess to reconvene tomorrow to consider the adjustment to the 2020 budget. You don’t begin to apply certain amount of money…you wait for approvals.

“I believe by the time the leadership of the National Assembly considers the adjustment which has become of necessity because of the economic impact of COVID-19, I can assure everybody will be paid the stipends they are entitled to.”


21 states have fewer than 100 beds each

At the press briefing, the minister of state for health said that 21 states had fewer than 100 bed spaces each for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

He added that only five states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, had at least the prescribed 300 beds.


Nigeria has 112 treatment, isolation centres

The minister also stated the country had 112 treatment and isolation centres in the 36 states and the FCT with a total of 5,324 beds.


Increasing cases could exceed govt’s capacity to cope – Health minister

The minister said, “Though not surprising, we are concerned about the increasing number of confirmed cases. This is because very high cases could seriously exceed the capacity of our health system to cope. Routine cases may also suffer as a result. Therefore, non-pharmaceutical preventive approach is still our best strategy.

“At present, we have a total of 112 treatment and isolation centres in all the 36 states and the FCT with 5,324 beds. While only five states including the FCT have at least 300 beds as prescribed for isolation and treatment, 21 states have less than 100 bed spaces.


Govt asks philanthropists to set up treatment centres

“As the number of confirmed cases increases, there is an urgent need to expand our treatment centres across the country. I therefore call on the state governors and philanthropists to take active and deliberate steps to scale up the number of beds for isolation and treatment of confirmed cases in their states.”

The health minister said the Nigerian medical researchers working with foreign partners had been able to ascertain that the strain of COVID-19 in Nigeria was the same in Wuhan, China, where the virus first broke out.

The federal government has suspended further evacuation of Nigerians stranded abroad over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, who announced this during the presidential task force on COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday, however, said the evacuation is expected to continue soon.

He said the evacuation was suspended to give room for new measures that would require citizens returning from overseas to get tested and self-isolate at home rather than in selected hotels.

“There is going to be a change in that protocol and that is going to affect the timing of any further evacuation we are going to undertake,” he said.

“Anybody that is going to be evacuated will first of all undergo a test from the countries they are leaving from, at least five days before travel and not later than nine days before.

“That will be a pre-condition for boarding the flights to Nigeria. And if they are positive, they will not be able to board the flight.

“On arrival in Nigeria, Aliko Dangote and his other partners will have in place these units where they will take samples from the passengers coming in and they will retain their passports.

“The passengers will then be able to go home and not into prescribed hotels to self-isolate. Results from those samples will then be ready within a day or two; those who are positive will then be taking in for isolation.

“The whole issue of quarantining in hotels will no longer be necessary. This can also mean more people can also come back more frequently, and it will be a lot easier than it has been up to now.

“What we have been asked to do is to cease or suspend all evacuations for now until this new structure is put into place. We are very hopeful that maybe by next week, we should be able to commence evacuation.”

He added that the federal government has also evacuated some Nigerian girls that were trafficked to Lebanon.

“We are able to evacuate 69 Nigerians, 50 trafficked Nigerian girls from Lebanon and 19 other Nigerians, and they all arrived safely and are in quarantine,” he said, while thanking Lebanese community in Nigeria who “funded the cost of flight and hotel accommodation for the trafficked girls.”

By Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

The Federal Government has suspended further evacuation of stranded Nigerians overseas.

The development, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama is to allow take-off of a new policy on evacuation of Nigerians.

Onyeama said henceforth evacuated Nigerians would not have to go straight into 14-day government monitored isolation if they test negative from their country of origin.

The Minister said the new policy will take effect from next week.

Consequently, he said further evacuation process has been suspended to give way for the take- off of the new policy.

He said with the new policy evacuees will have to be tested at most nine days before their flight take off.

He said those who test positive will not be allowed on the flight

The new policy, he said will give the government enough latitude to fly more Nigerians home.

Nigeria has evacuated 989 stranded citizens with 265 from United Arab Emirates; United Kingdom (253); United States (160); Saudi Arabia (292) and Lebanon (57)