₦airaland Forum

Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Economic Community of West Africa States at the ongoing 57th ECOWAS Summit in Niamey, Republic of Niger.

During the summit, President Buhari called on African leaders to stop elongating their tenure in office, saying it was becoming a source of trouble.

Congratulations to my dear husband @NAkufoAddo for being elected as the new chair of ECOWAS.

Newly appointed Katsina zone 14 AIG, Rabiu Yusuf is dead

The death of a gallant and intelligence Nigeria police officer, AIG Rabiu Yusuf.

AIG Rabiu Yusuf passed away in the morning hours of Saturday.

AIG Rabiu Yusuf was amongst the officers who recently promoted to the Ranks of AIGs at force headquarters, and posted to lead the newly created Katsina Zone 14 of the police command.

Before his last promotion, AIG Rabiu was Commissioner of Police in Kano State between 2016 to 2019.

He was described by many people as easy going person that exhibited high sense of professionalism and integrity during his lifetime.

REVEALED: Crashed Helicopter Was Declared Non-airworthy Three Years Ago, Owners Tricked NCAA To Obtain Operational License

A Bell 206-B3 helicopter with registration number 5N-BQW, which crashed on Salvation Road, Opebi, Lagos State, on Friday, was declared non-airworthy three years ago, SaharaReporters can report.

The helicopter crashed with three persons onboard.

While two crew members died on the spot, the third person earlier rescued and taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, later died.

Documents seen by SaharaReporters showed that the crashed helicopter was declared non-airworthy in 2017 by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The aircraft was also used in the past by different Nigerian airline operators to dupe NCAA into issuing them Air Operators’ Certificates.

The AOC, which authorises an operator to carry out specific commercial air transport operations, is issued once the NCAA was satisfied that the operator had the required personnel, assets, and systems to ensure the safety of its employees and general public.

An operator applying for AOC is required to have an air transport license from the NCAA, which permits it to operate scheduled passenger or cargo air services in the country.

A source told SaharaReporters that some of the operators use same helicopters previously presented by others to obtain AOCs from the NCAA including the ill-fated Bell 206-3 aircraft with registration number 5N-BQW.

The crashed aircraft, the source disclosed, was used at different times by Omni-Blue Aviation Services and Quorum Aviation to obtain AOCs from the NCAA.

“The ill-fated copter was declared non-airworthy in 2017 when it was discovered that most of the equipment on board have expired.

"Then, Quorum Aviation had approached the NCAA for AOC license and it was discovered that the helicopter was faulty. NCAA also accused the management of refusing to maintain the engine of the aircraft.

“How Quorum Aviation was cleared to fly the aircraft after that was what I can’t really say.

“Imagine in 2016, Omni-Blue Aviation Services borrowed this crashed Bell 206-3 helicopter to obtain AOC from NCAA. A year after, Quorum Aviation applied for AOC with same helicopter,” he said.

Investigation into the cause of Friday's crash is currently ongoing.

Part of the building the helicopter crashed into was destroyed while some vehicles around the place were also damaged as a result of the incident.

….vows to resist moves to form splinter body

Mr. Olumide Akpata was on Friday sworn in as the 30th President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.

Akpata is the first non-Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to lead the NBA in years, having defeated two SANs in an online election the legal body conducted between July 29 and July 30.

Akpata was sworn in by the immediate past National President of the NBA, Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, at exactly 7:05PM, in a ceremony that held at the National Headquarters of the association in Abuja.

Motion for the dissolution of the Usoro-led National Executive Committee of the legal body was moved and okayed at exactly 7:13pm, just as the new NBA President, performed his first assignment by swearing in other members of his cabinet.

In his maiden address, Akpata, said he would spend the next 24 months focusing on holistic reforms in the association, as well as welfare of lawyers across the federation.

He said his emergence as new leader of the legal body was “ochestrated by the Almighty who sees the affairs of men”, saying he would ensure a truly all inclusive Bar that would be deviod of class segregation.

Recalling that he had a near death experience in the past, Akpata, thanked God for the gift of life.

“God preserved my life for a day like this”, he stated, attributing his election success to massive support he got from young lawyers.

“I must acknowledge the role of young lawyers. I am eternally grateful to all the young lawyers who reposed their confidence in me. I will work hard with my team to justify this trust”.

While thanking the two SANs that also vied for the NBA Presidency, Akpata, urged them to support his administration to ensure that the association remained united as one family, stressing that it was the only way the Bar could be revitalized.

The new NBA President described himself as “a bridge”, saying he emerged to build rapport between the young and old members of the Bar.

He said it was unfortunate that some persons reportedly tried to split the association by forming an alternative body.

“This is rather unfortunate for our egalitarian association. I plead with all Nigerian lawyers to bear this philosophy of unity of the Bar in mind”.

He said the NBA must always speak with one mind.

“Now is the time to come together because a divided Bar is definitely a defeated Bar”.

Akpata said though his election was free and fair and reflected the wish of Nigerian lawyers, he said his administration would however embark on a holistic electoral reform with a view to addressing some glitches that were noticed during the election.

“We need to manage to our electoral process better”, he stated, and consequently constituted a 10-man election review Committee to be headed by Ayo Akitunde SAN, with Mike Igini as the deputy Chairman.

Aside stressing the need for effective database of lawyers in the country, Akpata, said he would tackle both the issue of welfare of legal practitioners and what he termed as “erosion of ethical values” in the profession.

“Lack of institutional capacity is what our association has suffered over the years. We have to hit the ground running immediately”.

He said the NBA under his watch would fight against the encroachment of works that are the exclusive reserve of lawyers, by members of other professions, including banks.

“It is no longer business as usual”, Akpata maintained, adding that the NBA would also facilitate justice sector reforms, including the yardstick for the conferment of SAN rank on lawyers.

Meanwhile, earlier, the former President of the NBA, Usoro, SAN, dismissed report on emergence of an alternative association of lawyers, as work of distractors.

He said: “In recent times, I have heard comments that suggested that some of our people may be looking at alternative Bar.

“We are saying that there is no alternative to a united and indivisible Bar. We are stronger together. Whatever differences we have, we have to settle them in house. There is no room for anybody to break away.

“I did not take the report I saw in the media yesterday serious.

“I am convinced that it was the work of distractors. We must not allow them. We must be one united and indivisible Bar.

“That is the only way we can truly protect and promote the rule of law. We must remember that the rule of law does not have any religion, ethnic or social class.

“We must avoid having to make our judgements and comments concerning the Bar, based on ethnicity, religion or class. We must avoid bring in those things that distract the outside world. We must not bring them to the house.

“We must kick them out and remain one indivisible Nigerian Bar Association”.

Likewise, in his contribution at the event, human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, maintained that any attempt to divide the Bar would be resisted.

“I call them to drop all these issues of trying to form an Alternative Bar. Progressive forces in this country and within the Bar, most members who know where we are coming from will resist it”.

He argued that it would be similar to people seeking to create Southern Nigerian Army, Western Nigerian Port Authority, Southern Nigeria NNPC, among others.

“Where then are we heading to? That will amount to total balkanization of the country”, Ozekhome added.

Report had emerged on Thursday that some lawyers of Northern extraction had formed a new ‘Nigerian Bar Association’ with the aim of protecting their interests as encapsulated under Section 40 of the Constitution.

In a statement reportedly signed by arrowheads of the group,Nuhu Ibrahim and Abdulbasit Suleiman, they claimed that recent happenings in the legal body, including the dis-invitation of Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as a speaker in the just concluded conference of the NBA, exposed the inability of the association to manage and contain the heterogeneity of its members.

The duo said the new group would consult other senior lawyers from the northern extraction so as to co-opt them into the new umbrella body of lawyers from the region.

Nigerian Senate To Pass Social Media Bill Despite Rejection By Nigerians

The Protection from Internet Falsehood and Manipulation and Other Related Matters Bill 2019 popularly known as the social media bill, is one of the bills before the Nigerian Senate led by Ahmed Lawan.

SaharaReporters gathered that the Nigerian Senate has concluded a “signed, sealed and delivered” plot to pass the social media bill once the it resumes plenary on September 15.

According to a top source in the Senate, who pleaded anonymity, the upper legislative arm is determined to pass the heinous bill despite the immense rejection by majority of Nigerians.

“They have already concluded plans to pass the bill. They are going to hide behind the COVID-19 issue and other national issues and pass the bill without delay. Their plan is to do it once they resume. It is already signed,” the source told SaharaReporters.

Recall that SaharaReporters reported that the social media bill was rejected by majority of Nigerians during the public hearing of the bill in March.

It will also be recalled that the bill had been rumored to be an “executive bill”, thus making its passage non-negotiable by the lawmakers, who have shown that they were willing to support anything from the presidency.

When asked whether the Senate’s plan had always been to pass the bill without considering public opinion, the source told SaharaReporters, “I am not sure about that, but they believe that Nigerians will accept it and move on the same way they have accepted the Broadcasting Code.”

The reviewed Broadcasting Code was recently passed into law for media organizations in Nigeria.

The reviewed code increased the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N1m among other things and has already been used in sanctioning Nigeria Info, a radio station, following a recent interview in which a guest criticized the government on one of its popular programmes.

According to its objectives, the social media bill will enable the Nigeria Police Force to “detect, control and safeguard against coordinated inauthentic behaviour and other misuses of online accounts”.

The bill proposes up to N5m or three years imprisonment or both for defaulters.

All attempts to reach Senator Muhammed Sani Musa; sponsor of the social media bill, and Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, on the issue proved abortive as both were unreachable on their official telephone lines.

Flash: There's been a helicopter crash in a private house at Opebi area of Lagos. Two people confirmed dead, 1 person badly wounded and has been taken to the hospital. The dead bodies have been deposited at the mortuary.
The Lagos State Emergency services are on ground

Eberechi Eze has signed a five-year contract with Crystal Palace F.C., becoming the club’s second arrival of the summer 2020 transfer window.

South London born Eze, 22, has risen through the ranks at Queens Park Rangers after joining them in 2016. An FA Cup debut followed in January 2017 and later that year, Eze made 22 appearances in a half-season loan to Wycombe Wanderers.

Then still a teenager, the attack-minded youngster played a key role in the Chairboys’ promotion to League One that season, scoring five goals - including a brace against Cambridge United.

On his return to QPR, Eze established himself as a regular first-team player, being awarded the No.10 shirt and a three-year contract in 2018. He leaves the Hoops with 20 goals from 112 senior games, collecting Supporters’ Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Junior Hoops Player of the Year last season as well as being shortlisted for PFA Player of the Year.

Internationally, Eze has represented England at both Under-20 and Under-21 level, and was named in the latest U21 squad earlier this week.

After putting pen to paper with Palace, Eze said: "As a football club, I feel like there are great players here and it’s a brilliant opportunity for me to come and be with these players, to link up with them and to really push on."

Crystal Palace Chairman, Steve Parish, added: "Eberechi is a player whose development we have followed closely. We are delighted he has chosen to sign for us over the other clubs that were interested and we feel that this is the right club for him to continue his development.

"With our Academy recently securing Category 1 status, this further illustrates our focus on youth as we look to consolidate and improve upon our position as a Premier League club."

The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu met with Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II on Thursday ahead of the highly anticipated Edo state gubernatorial Elections.

He was welcomed by the Oba alongside his entourage. Yakubu earlier met with the Inter Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), in Benin. He assured that the commission was ready for the elections.

“The whole purpose of this visit is to see firsthand the level of preparation. Yes, we received reports at the headquarters but we feel that it is important to come to Benin and see for ourselves what is on the ground.

“On Feb. 6, 2020, the commission released a timetable and schedule of activities for Edo and Ondo governorship elections. We gave seven and eight months notices for the Edo and Ondo elections respectively.”

“And we itemised 14 activities in the timetable and schedule of activities to be carried out on specific dates beginning with the publication of the notice of election and ending with election day proper.”

He also revealed that the commission was committed to ensuring a safe environment for the peaceful conduct of the election.

A branch of Access Bank at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos State has been gutted by fire on Wednesday.

The PUNCH gathered that a part of the bank’s building was gutted by fire after a petrol tanker exploded near it.

The Federal Fire Service confirmed the incident at 10.20 am.

Men of the Federal Fire Service are already at the scene ( ADEMOLA ADETOKUNBO, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA.) Where a Petrol tanker is currently on fire, close to an access bank branch. Please take alternative routes.

The APC Media Campaign Council for the Edo Governorship election has accused Edo State Governor Mr Godwin Obaseki of pursuing the sanctioning of the Ojuromi of Uromi, HRH Anselm Aidenojie II, when he accused him of trying to block his emergence as the next Governor of the State by allegedly backing the PDP in 2016.

The APC Media Campaign Council for the Edo Governorship election has accused Edo State Governor Mr Godwin Obaseki of pursuing the sanctioning of the Ojuromi of Uromi, HRH Anselm Aidenojie II, when he accused him of trying to block his emergence as the next Governor of the State by allegedly backing the PDP in 2016.

The APC campaign council, while condemning what it called the ‘divisive message’ of Governor Godwin Obaseki, at the Palace of the Ojuromi of Uromi, accused the PDP candidate of seeking to turn the people against each other to earn sympathy votes following his visible lack of achievements.

Governor Obaseki, in his visit to the monarch earlier in the week, charged the king and the people of Uromi to rescue Edo State from the grip of ‘destructive people’.

But in response to Governor Obaseki, the Chairman of the Edo APC Campaign Council, Mr John Mayaki,‎ said in a scathing statement:

‘Rather than regale the people of Uromi with an account of what his administration has managed to achieve in the last four years of his administration, Mr Godwin Obaseki went there with a divisive message seeking to breed bad blood in continuation of his ignoble strategy to poison the well of the campaign with hatred and intolerance.

‘Mr Godwin Obaseki has been rendered sleepless by the united stance of Edo people to put him out of his misery and end his unfortunate reign on the 19th of September, hence his desperate adoption of depraved tactics to engender confusion and chaos by dividing the people along ethnic and religious lines with targeted falsehood.

‘Obaseki’s unpalatable references to the 2016 saga involving the respected Ojuromi of Uromi, is uncalled for and disgraceful, especially as he was the one who recommended and forcefully fought for the dethronement of the monarch over alleged involvement with the PDP during the heat of the 2016 electioneering campaign.

‘As the Chairman of the Economic Team before he emerged the APC candidate in 2016, Obaseki undoubtedly had the ears of the Comrade Governor and it was he who consistently pursued the sanctioning of the Uromi monarch when he accused him (Ojuromi) of trying to block his emergence as the next Governor of the state by allegedly backing the PDP.

‘Otherwise, why did it take Governor Obaseki one year after assuming office before restoring the monarch into his position, if he was indeed sincere and not approving of his initial suspension cum deposition?

‘It is simply deceitful and fraudulent for the Governor to attempt to distance himself from a decision he recommended because he is now desperate for votes.

‘It is equally shameful that Mr Godwin Obaseki continues to drag ancient and respected traditional stools into his divisive politics. We expected a decent and sensible campaign from him and his party of tax-collectors but we are nonetheless unsurprised at the descent into the gutter because, after four years of abject failure, they have nothing noteworthy to sell to the people.’

Former Super Eagles and Anderlecht defender Chidi Nwanu has spoken on the gang-up against former Nigeria coach, Clemens Westerhof at the USA 94 world cup, and how it hindered the team’s progression at the tournament,

In an interview with Vanguard Sports, Nwanu was asked about the belief that if not for the gang-up against Westerhof, the USA ’94 team could have got to the final, he replied saying:

“I am telling you that we had all that was needed to win that World Cup because another thing was that we had officials that were only after their estacode which they had already gotten because it was too much for them. They robbed us, the players. Maybe they were more interested in going home because if you look at that match, you would feel bad we lost the way we did.”

He continued: “Why would somebody work against his team because he was not playing? Why would players gang up against the coach who felt that we needed to change hotel to have better concentration?

I was the one who stood up against them when we had a meeting with officials and I told them whoever left this place I would make sure they stoned him at the airport when we arrived. We had a lot of issues, some of the players went out, carrying women and some slept where they were not supposed to sleep. The coach wanted to change all that and they ganged up against him. Today I see some of them coming to the national team as a coach; something you destroyed?

I was so disappointed after the match against Italy because I was not ready to leave the World Cup at the time we left. It hindered a lot of things for me personally because I had a target. That was how I saw football. It was my calling and I gave everything into it.