₦airaland Forum

Noted

The Senate on Wednesday passed the Firearms Act
2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021 raising the fine for illegal
importation and sale of firearms from N1,000 to N1
million.

The Bill was passed after it considered the report of its
Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal
Matters.

Presenting the report, Chairman of the Committee,
Sen. Michael Bamidele, said “the fine was pegged at
N1,000 in the extant Act which was not punitive
enough to deter illegal importation and sale of
firearms.’’

Section 35 of the Bill was also amended to impose a
fine of N3 million or imprisonment for three years or
both on anyone who failed to surrender illegal
firearms to relevant authorities whenever so directed.

“Clause 39 of the Bill, which deals with power to seize
and destroy confiscated illegal firearms, was amended
to provide for inclusion of other law enforcement
agencies besides the Police and the military.

“This is necessary because the power to confiscate or
seize illegal firearms should be all-inclusive and not
limited to a particular arm of force or law
enforcement agency,’’ Bamidele said.

The Bill also amended Sub-clauses (4) and (5) of
Clause 39 to allow firearms that are not of military
serviceable grades but are serviceable to be deployed
for use by Civilian Joint Task Forces and registered
vigilance groups.

This has to be done with the approval and supervision
of the Office of the National Security Adviser,
however.

“This is important because these joint task forces are
also funded by the government,’’ Bamidele stressed.

He noted that the Bill had become imperative in view
of the proliferation of firearms and the security
challenges the country was faced with.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/senate-increases-fine-for-illegal-importation-from-n1000-to-n1m/

abduleez1:
SinnerVerse......

Thought these two were separated. I admire the wife tho. One of my fav

Achilles100:
JOLT is just like Atomic Blonde , na just action flick.

Good to see Kate Beckinsale back in action.

I've missed her since underworld

Six inmates at the Enugu Correctional Service on
Tuesday bagged different degree certificates from the
National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the six
inmates, all male, are currently serving their jail terms
with the exception of one who had regained his
freedom.
Performing the ceremony, the Desk Officer, NOUN
Enugu Correction Centre, Mr Kelvin Iloafonsi said the
convocation was to celebrate six students of the Enugu
Study Centre who had graduated triumphantly into
various fields of study.
“Today is a special day in the history of the centre as
it marks the 4th convocation ceremony to launch
another set of enterprising, dedicated and determined
set of graduates.
“It is another landmark towards ensuring
reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of
discharged inmates into the larger society,” he said.
Iloafonsi said that Enugu study centre would be 10
years old by July and had recorded outstanding
achievements in spite of numerous challenges.
He said that 12 inmates gained admission in 2012
adding that it was extremely difficult to convince an
inmate to enroll into academic programmes.
“We visit cell to cell pleading with them to register
with us but their response is always, ‘we will go to
school when we get our freedom.’
“We never relented in encouraging them by
intensifying on our efforts to change their mind set,”
he said.
The officer said through their efforts one Adenyi
Theophilus who studied Peace and Conflict Resolution,
came out as the overall best student in nationwide
study centre of correction services.
He said he was later discharged and acquitted and
currently doing his doctorate programme with the
University of Nigeria Nsukka.
Iloafonsi commended NOUN for providing the centre
with 100 sets of computers in 2020.

“This act of magnanimity and show of unquenchable
desire towards ensuring that our students are well
reformed and rehabilitated has paid off.
“Our students can now confidently download course
materials, solve their Tutored Marked Assignment
(TMA) and engage in writing academic research
projects with ease,” he said.
He added that since inception of the programme, none
of the students had ever returned to prison as a
recidivist.
Iloafonsi appealed to individuals, government and
private organisations to assist them as their academic
auditorium had been overstretched by the current
population of the students.
“The existing hall was an old cell converted to lecture
hall and it has capacity to accomodate only 80
students while the centre has 245 students.
“There is need to declare a state of emergency on
infrastructural inadequacies at the study centre,” he
said.
Responding, the Controller of Correctional Service,
Enugu State, Mr Godwin Onokohwomomo commended
NOUN for finding it worthy to approve a centre in
Enugu Correction Service.
Onokohwomomo said the certificate would help the
inmates when they are finally reintegrated into the
society and a condition for amnesty.
“This certificate is internationally recognised and a lot
of people are struggling to acquire it.
“Therefore, I congratulate you because you have
distinguished yourselves and will make good use of it
when you finally gain your freedom,” he said.
One of the graduating inmates, Israel Godlove, said he
was excited about the degree acquired.
“It is not easy but at the end I am able to achieve my
dream even in custody; I thank God who made
everything possible.
“I am from Ebonyi state and I have spent 16 years in
custody. My first 11 years was on awaiting trial.
“I was on a death sentence and I have spent a year
and half before Gov. Umahi commuted it to life
imprisonment.
“I know that by the special grace of God, I will be set
free because here is not my home,” he said.
Another inmate, Emeka Okeke also expressed joy over
the degree certificate, saying it was the work God.
(NAN)

https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Correctional-Centre-1024x772.jpg

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/6-inmates-bag-degree-certificates-in-enugu-correction-centre/

Saka should be able to start against Germany

BlueRayDick:
Ororo doing most

Qatar is not far away

MorataFC:
They should be nationalized to Lesotho.

Bruno should be banned from playing football ever again

BlueRayDick:
He is a great guy, but his temper is just terrible....It's obvious he can't help himself.

I was just wondering what he would've done if he was in Dzeko's shoes that one time Balottelli decided to showboat while at man city playing the ball with the back heel when he was through on goal and Dzeko almost begging for a pass. God knows Ronaldo would've beaten Mario up

Ronaldo is a sore loser

The management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State,
has ordered the indefinite suspension of both academic and non-academic activities on the campus.

A statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday
by the institution’s spokesman, Adewole Soladoye,
however, gave exemption to the ongoing
examination at the school.

The statement, which was dated June 26 and signed
by the institution’s registrar, Modupe Fawale, said
“all public activities including conferences, seminars
and workshops in the institution and its
environment remain suspended until further notice.”

“The only activity permitted to take place is the
ongoing second semester examinations,” it added.

Reasons for action

The management said in the statement that “the
decision is part of efforts to monitor the security
temperature within the Institution and its
environment,” adding that it is also “part of efforts
to curtail and monitor the continued Covid-19
precautions.”

“By this, all Deans of Faculties, Directors, Heads of
Departments, religious bodies, Students’ Union,
students’ Representative Council, all staff and
members of the public are to kindly abide by this
directive which takes effect from Sunday, 27th of
June, 2021,” it concluded.

Though the school management was vague in its
reasons for the action, the decision may not be
unconnected with the rampaging violence in Ibadan,
the Oyo State capital.

PREMIUM TIMES has consistently reported the raging
violence purportedly spearheaded by some notorious
transporters in the state, which has claimed more
than five lives.

On June 16 mayhem broke out in Iwo Road, a
popular neighbourhood in the city, leading to the
death of a young man who was later identified
simply as Rahmon.

Shop owners in the area had engaged members of
the park management system (PMS) which is led by
a popular thug in the state, Mukaila Lamidi, who is
popularly called Auxiliary.

The state governor, Seyi Makinde, had appointed Mr
Lamidi to manage the public transport parks in the
state following the ban placed on the activities of the
state’s chapter of the national union of road
transport workers (NURTW).

Following Mr Rahmon’s killing, the residents and his
relatives took his body to the government house at
Agodi and demanded to see Mr Makinde.

But a day after the incident, six persons were also
reportedly killed in a gang crisis between youth of
Inalende, Abebi and Oopo areas of the city.

Possible cult attack

Some sources at the school, who do not want to be
quoted to avoid victimisation, have also linked the
management’s decision to possible violent attacks by
cultists.

The sources said it is customary on the campus for
cultists to strike during examinations for various
reasons.

“The fact is that some students who may have been
declared wanted by rival gangs would be expected to
come to school to sit examinations and those looking
for them would show up to carry out their threats.

Another reason is that cultists don’t always want
examinations to hold because they are never
prepared and would always want to use
mercenaries,” one of the sources said.

But the school’s spokesman did not pick his calls
when our reporter tried to seek further clarifications
on the sudden decision taken by the school.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/470300-insecurity-ibadan-polytechnic-suspends-public-activities-indefinitely.html

donstan18:
They are the same, just that penalty and freekick privileges no dey.

Plus he’s not rated that much in Portugal team.

that guy has been a shadow of himself since the beginning of this tournament. Maybe portugal took the wrong bruno

CaptainFM1:
Awon soapy marlian crew. If a man head gives you horrible effect, I'm sure a woman head will pleasurises you. NBC should just ban this straight away.

No content in the music and worst still not entertaining at all. Rubbish song!

yes yes yes am cumming baby.

Good to know

God bless nigeria. Mynd44

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday told the
Niger Delta militant group operating on the platform of the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, that his response to the demands they had made rendered any sabre-rattling rather unnecessary
President Buhari was responding to the recent threat by the militant group to resume hostility and cripple the economy if the federal government failed to address the ten points demand the Niger Delta people had made few years back.

The group had threatened to declare return of
violence with ‘Operation Humble’ and ground key oil assets to bring the nation’s economy on her kneels, alleging that after four years of cease fire, the federal government was unwilling to meet its
demands.

NDA, had in a statement on its website on Saturday
said with the nation even at the brink of
disintegration, the federal government had continued
to feed fat on Niger Delta’s oil wealth with the
region still worst neglected.

The group had declared, “We decided to suspend
our famous Operation Red Economy which bled the
Nigerian economy into recession about 4 years ago
not because we are lazy but for the love we have for
our people and out of respect for the voice of
elders of the Niger Delta who beckoned on us to
give peace a chance and avail government time to
act on our demands at the time.

“To remind this failed government that we have
exhausted the very last iota of patience, the High
Command of the Niger Delta Avengers have in a
meeting held last night made some critical
resolutions.

“First, that we have lost total confidence on all
socio-cultural groups like PANDEF, the elders of
Niger Delta and the bunch of so called ex-agitators
frolicking with the Government at our detriment.

“This operation shall be coded OPERATION
HUMBLE aimed at bringing down target oil
installations capable of humbling the economy into
permanent recession.

“This mission is also targeted at political actors
collaborating with the Nigerian government to
undermine the interest of the Niger Delta people.
“No doubt, Nigerian Government continues to pay
deaf ears to our demands and rising challenges in
the country because the pipelines that crisscross
our lands are left untouched, allowing dollars to
flow into the federal treasury on daily basis for
mismanagement.
“We shall spare no oil installation within our range
of strategic targets for destruction in the coming
days and we bet the Nigerian Government will be
humbled to return to the drawing board and chart an
all-inclusive course by the time we are done with
our action plan.

“Our strike teams across the Niger Delta are
commanded to be on red alert awaiting precise
strike plans as mapped by the high command of
the NDA.

“The high command of the NDA has promoted and
appointed one of our finest operatives, Field
Commander Tu-ere aka Queen of the Creeks to the
rank of Brigadier General.

“She is an experienced field agent who before now
was the head of the counterintelligence unit of the
NDA, using her connections with top government
and security officials to deliver on her assignment.
“She was part of our elite Strike Teams that
attacked and took down the Chevron Valve platform
on the 4th of May, 2016; the Shell Forcados 48-inch
Export line on the 3rd of June, 2016; and the Exxon
Mobil Qua Iboe 48 Crude Oil Pipeline on the 11th of
July, 2016.

“Brig. Gen. Tu-ere is the first female to ever attain
this level and it is solely out of merit, and is placed
in charge by the High Command of the NDA to
execute operation humble to the later.

“We state unequivocally that we are back with
Operation Humble to humble the economy into
permanent recession and political players from the
Niger Delta extraction to political retirement.

“Our Strike Teams 01 – 09 and all other formations
are to regroup and remain on red alert awaiting
further command. No going back till Nigeria
economy is humbled into recession, never to rise
again.”

However, President Buhari in a statement issued by
his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief
Femi Adesina in Abuja, said that he had already
responded to the demands.

The statement read:” The media was Sunday awash
with threats and demands by a group, Niger Delta
Avengers, to embark on economic sabotage through
the bombing of critical oil and gas installations
unless certain demands, including the development
of the Niger Delta, and restructuring of the
Federation, were met.

“It is, however, curious that the threat was coming
less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu
Buhari met with the leadership of the Niger Delta
and Ijaw National Congress (INC), at the
Presidential Villa, and the germane issues had been
responded to, especially call for restructuring of the
Federation, and the inauguration of a Board for the
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“For clarity and record purposes, below is the full
text of the speech by President Buhari on Friday,
June 25, 2021, which renders any sabre-rattling
rather unnecessary:

“I warmly welcome all the Elders of the Niger Delta
and particularly the National Executive of the Ijaw
National Congress, under the leadership of
Professor Benjamin Okaba. I thank you for paying
this courtesy visit not too long after your election in
April, and swearing-in last May.

“I also want to congratulate you all for your election
and to add that a lot of responsibility is placed on
your shoulders, especially coming from the fact that
the Ijaw National Congress was almost without
leadership for some time.

“As the symbol of the collective voice of the Ijaw
people, which is one of Nigeria’s main ethnic
groups, the existence of a focused and people-
oriented leadership would go a long way in
articulating the demands of the Ijaw people and
making sure these demands are made part of the
national discourse.

“I particularly note your ten point demand to the
Federal Government in your inaugural speech and
assure you that this administration is frontally
addressing them.

“I am equally concerned about the rate of
environmental degradation in the Niger Delta and as
you are aware the HydroCarbon Pollution
Remediation Project has started work with
remediation efforts in Ogoni land and I have
directed the Minister of Environment to ensure that
the projects are implemented with a high
percentage of local content and inclusion of the
surrounding communities.

“Similarly, the National Oil Spill Detection and
Response Agency, under the same ministry of
Environment is working to make sure that oil spills
are reduced and new ones prevented. As you are
also aware, all the responsible agencies of
government have been directed to ensure that they
enforce compliance by the International Oil
Companies to international best practices.

“In addressing your call for immediate restructuring,
the National Assembly whose responsibility it is to
ensure that our constitution responds to the call for
a restructured Nigeria has already concluded
regional consultations and as soon as they finalise
the process, necessary action would not be delayed
on my part.

“In the same vein, your call for the creation of two
additional states and more local government areas
for the Ijaw people is a legislative matter, which
should naturally be handled by the National
Assembly and seeking concurrence at the state
levels.

“I completely agree with your call to allocate
operational licenses for marginal fields to Ijaw
people. However, as you know, the process of
granting licenses is guided by laid down rules and
regulations, most of which even favour local content
and local contractors. I see no reason why they
should not be granted such licenses if they qualify.
“On the issue of fair and balanced appointments to
reflect federal character principles, I re-affirm that
this has always been my focus and would continue
to be because I have always seen Nigeria as a
country where everyone should be given equal
opportunities.

“A contentious issue that has been a subject of
discourse amongst the Ijaw people of recent has
been the need for the Niger Delta Development
Commission to live up to its billing by delivering
the required succour to the people of the region.

Based on the mismanagement that had previously
be-devilled the NDDC, a forensic audit was set up
and the result is expected by the end of July 2021.

“I want to assure you that as soon as the forensic
audit report is submitted and accepted, the NDDC
Board would be inaugurated. However, I would like
to implore you that the Ijaw National Congress
should play a more active role in making sure that
the mismanagement that occurred in the past is not
repeated.

“I am particularly happy to note your call for
promoting ownership of modular refineries by the
Ijaw people and I will urge you to interphase with
your sons who are involved in the processes of
establishing these refineries, especially the
Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources
to actualize this quest.

“Like you well know, completion of the East-West
Road is top on my infrastructure agenda and I will
look to its speedy conclusion. Again, the
occasional disturbance by youths in some
communities along the route to construction work
would require your close attention and guidance.

“Furthermore, we have made considerable progress
with the construction of the Bonny to Port Harcourt
Bridge.

“I am very happy with the recent affirmation of your
belief in a United Nigeria and while I thank you for
standing with me, I will also implore you to use
your leverage in making sure that we keep working
together to keep this country a united, indivisible
entity, so that we can tackle our problems together
and overcome our challenges together.

“I would like now to commend Professor Okaba for
your emphasis on supporting the fight against
insecurity by developing internal control
mechanisms as well as working with other
institutions in the country to address our current
security challenges.

“While I thank you once more for this visit and I will
continue to count on your support as we work
towards resolving our current challenges.
“God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/buhari-to-niger-delta-avengers-my-response-to-your-demands-renders-any-sabre-rattling-unnecessary/

A leading politician in Kano and
the state coordinator of Tinubu
Peoples Network (TPN),
Muhammad Tajo Nagoda has
declared that there is no better
candidate for the 2023
presidential election than the
National Leader of the All
Progressive Congress (APC), Bola
Ahmad Tinubu.

He stated this over the weekend
while speaking exclusively to
Vanguard and calling on
governor Abdullahi Ganduje to
accept to run as his Vice
President.

Tajo described Tinubu as what
Nigerians need at the moment,
considering the current problems
bedevilling the country
especially the sectional and
tribal sentiments aggravating
into calls for division.

He stated that Tinubu has good
political antecedents judging by
the way he enhanced and set
Lagos state on the path of
perpetual development as a
mega city in Nigeria when he
served as its governor.

He further described him as a
true Nigerian who led by
example when he appointed
people into his cabinet even
from other states and was able
to promote peace and harmony
in Lagos despite it’s metropolitan
nature.

“To us at TPN here in Kano, we
believe that there is need for a
proper choice of leader for
Nigeria in 2023, a leader with
the ability to articulate and
adhere to and advocate for
peaceful democracy in a
turbulent political atmosphere.

“We need a patriotic Nigerian
with vision and commitment to
developmental goals, a leader
that has set exemplary
benchmark in task of building a
nation.

“To us here the best leader for
Nigeria in 2023 is none but
Alhaji Bola Ahmad Tinubu. We
here in the north especially have
no better candidate than him”
the Kano TPN coordinator
declared.

Defending his call on governor
Ganduje to accept to be the
running mate of Tinubu, Tajo
dismissed as misconception for
Nigerians to be considering
issues like tribe and religion, as
against good records and
capacity to deliver in politics.

Such things are not mentioned
by the constitution as
requirements before occupying
political positions.

“Those instigating religious and
tribal sentiments above
performance and the ability to
deliver as seen in both Tinubu
and Ganduje are misconceiving
the reality in choosing good
leaders.

“What should concern us more
should not be issues like religion
or tribe but commitment to the
course of the people as well as
the ability to deliver, and this is
what both Tinubu and Ganduje
have displayed when they served
as governors in the two most
populated states on the country”
he stated.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/there-is-no-better-candidate-for-2023-than-tinubu-kano-group/

Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, is to
deploy its newly procured N1.7 billion mobile air
traffic control towers to Muritala Muhammed Airport
Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport,
Abuja.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika who
made the disclosure in Lagos while commissioning the
two mobile control towers procured for NAMA, said
that the control towers will also be deployed to other
locations where the Nigerian airspace lacks
conventional control towers as contingency .

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation Part 14
demands that Air Traffic Management Agencies should
have contingency strategies and plans in the event of
malfunction of conventional control towers as flights
cannot be stopped. This is also in compliance with
ICAO Annex 11.

Speaking at the commissioning of the two control
towers, Sirika said: ”The cost of these two mobile
towers is N1.7 billion and it is geared towards
improving the safety of our operations which we take
as key activity here in our ministry. The intent and
purpose of the ministry and what we are doing is to
ensure safety and efficiency of our sector without
degrading and de-emphasizing issues of security and
comfort”.

“How very safe you depart point A and land at point B
is our primary concern and is of primary importance.

So this is an extension to that intent and purpose and
so the amount of 1.7billion has been spent to procure
these mobile towers, we would use it in Lagos and
Abuja and if need be we would take them to locations
where they do not have conventional control towers.”

” They are so equipped, so modernized, so efficient and
so very alive. It has everything that a control tower
should have, it has real-time weather, we have all of
that approach and departure procedures and
everything else and overflight that ensures smooth
flight operations and air traffic management”.

https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/FAAN-e1558353467925.jpg

While thanking the President for approving the
procurement, the minister said: “So I am glad that
NAMA has been proactive on this request and that Mr
President has been gracious and generous enough yet
again to allow us to do this procurement and spend
this amount of money in the interest of safety”.

Sirika further said that, “In addition, the Managing
Diirector of NAMA just reminded me of the fact that
during unusual times such as pandemics, this will
come in handy when you have to create physical
distancing and so on and so forth or when you have to
operate in difficult circumstance; this is the solution to
that.”

” You know we have been approving money and
procuring things for air traffic management the last
time we did about 13bn on other aspects so we are
working but some of these things are things
passengers don’t see but are very important for our
operations and very important for safety of our
passengers.

“ All of the monies and energies expended in things
that passengers don’t see because they are not
terminal buildings and are remotely positioned but this
is what keeps us going and keeps us all safe,” the
Aviation Minister added.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/nama-to-deploy-1-7-bn-naira-mobile-air-control-towers-to-lagos-abuja-airports/

A nutritionist, Simbiat Oladoja, has said that eating
some African food such as Ofada rice, oha soup, and
unripe plantain could aid weight loss.

Oladoja told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in
Abuja, that fruits and food that were in season were
cheap and helped one to lose weight.

She said the scope of eating fruits and vegetables in
season was a strategy as most fruits and vegetables
and even food in season were cheap.

According to her, healthy eating involves eating what
nourishes your body, which includes fruits and
vegetables.

“Complex carbohydrates like oats, beans, lean proteins
such as fish, chicken, healthy fats and oils from
avocado, and olive oil are good.

‘‘Buying locally available food will be cheaper as well,
unlike buying foreign fruits and foods, which are
usually expensive.

“There has been a lot of misconception about healthy
eating and people tend not to understand the nutrition
logic of healthy eating.

“Healthy eating is not about strict restrictive eating or
starving yourself to achieve any weight goal.”

Instead of spending a lot of money to get drugs and
taking expensive measures in order to lose weight.”

There are African foods that can aid weight loss, these
are, Spinach, brown rice also known as Ofada rice,
sweet potatoes , water leaf, walnuts, Beans, Avocado,
Oats, unripe plantain .

‘‘Local vegetable soups like bitter leaf soup, Oha soup,
efo riro , citrus fruits like lemons, oranges are low in
calories but contain plenty of fiber, which aids weight
loss.”

“Herbal leaves and spices like moringa, ginger, garlic,
onions, scent leaves, all aid weight-loss as well,” she
said.

She added that the healthiest way to lose weight was
to visit a registered dietitian/nutritionist, to get
professional advice and a personalised plan that would
suit you.

Oladapo said that the nutrition logic to weight-loss
does not mean you go hungry, you just need to
maintain certain number of calories, adding that the
number of calories your body losses leads to weight
loss.
(NAN)

https://cdn.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Ofada-rice-1024x691.jpg

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/06/ofada-rice-unripe-plantain-oha-soup-other-african-food-that-aid-weight-loss/

The Lagos State Head of Service,
Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Tuesday told
the Judicial Panel of Inquiries on Police
Brutality that injuries recorded in the
aftermath of the Lekki shooting were
predominantly fractures, machete
wounds, and minor cuts.

In his testimony, he gave oral, visual,
and documentary pieces of evidence in
respect to the Lekki shooting incident.

“These are some of the pictures of the
hospitals that we visited,” he said,
pointing at a projector showing visuals
of when the governor visited injured
#EndSARS protesters at the hospitals.

“In this Reddington hospital, these
individuals were injured in that axis,
some of them alluded to being injured
in a stampede of running, falling over
each other.

“Predominantly, there were about 13
people injured in Reddington Hospital,
Admiralty Way. The General Hospital
also had 12 patients. The doctors in
charge said there was one of those
patients that were being moved to
LASUTH, who had more severe injuries
from machetes’ wounds.

“At the time we were there, most of the
injuries were all in the nature of cuts,
bruises from machetes’ wounds, and
stampede. Nobody at the hospitals said
they were shot at.”

Earlier, the lawyer representing the
#EndSARS protesters, Adeshina
Ogunlana, argued that it is the
responsibility of the state governor,
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to come forward
and testify.

But the panel chairperson, Doris
Okuwobi, a retired judge, said the
governor is not “compellable” because
he has been conferred immunity by the
Constitution under section 308.

In his testimony, Mr Muri-Okunola
noted that there has been controversy
about the actual number of alleged
deaths at the Lekki Toll incident. He
added that since October 22, 2020, many
of the people reported to have been
killed, including Nollywood actress,
Eniola Badmus, refuted their rumoured
deaths.

He listed the names of those rumoured
to have been killed to include Stephen
Becky, Iraby of Oto-Auch and Joshua
Ogbodo.

Others are “Anthony Chechukwu
alleged to have been shot by soldiers at
the Lekki tollgate has been confirmed
to have died in a motorcycle accident
and Lucia Adu who was claimed to
have died at the Lekki Toll Gate was
confirmed to have been killed in an
accident involving a stationary truck on
20th October 2020.”

Chronology

Mr Muri-Okunola, who gave a
chronological order of events from 8
October to 20 October 2021, said the
“protesters congregated in two major
hotspots” in the state, Alausa
Government House and the Lekki Toll
Gate.

On October 9, 2020, the state’s Deputy
Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, alongside
other officials, spoke to the protesters
who converged on the Lagos
Government House in Alausa, on their
rights to demonstrate peacefully and
shared foods and drinks with the
protesters, he said.

He noted that on 13 October, Mr
Sanwo-Olu again visited the protesters
and went “straight to the airport” to
present their five-point demands to
President Muhammadu Buhari and the
then Inspector-General of Police,
Muhammed Adamu and a ” statement
was released by the spokesman of the
President, Femi Adesina that the
Nigerian Government had agreed to the
five-point demand of the EndSARS
protesters.”

He said some days later, some “guerilla
protesters” hijacked the “noble”
demonstration which prompted Mr
Sanwo-Olu to announce a curfew.

“Violence escalated throughout the city
of Lagos, with hoodlums infiltrating
and… the peaceful protest of this
decentralized movement of #Endsars,”
he said.

“Across the city, young men were
manning makeshift checkpoints and
barricading major roads and stopping
cars on routes across the city. They
were not carrying the placards and
signs that had characterised earlier
peaceful protests. The lives of both
protesters and the rest of the citizens
alike were put in danger.

“Around 10.00 a.m. on the 20 of
October 2020, the only police station
was set on fire by suspected hoodlums
who had hijacked the EndSARS protest
in a reprisal attack fuelled by the
alleged shooting of one of them by a
policeman, hoodlums who had carted
away ammunition looted from various
police stations around the city
unleashed mayhem around the city
while destroying properties, mugging
innocent citizens and threatening the
lives of everyone that they came in
contact with.”

The Head of Service said Mr Sanwo-olu
confirmed two deaths, one of which was said to have
died as a result of blunt force trauma at Reddington hospital.

‘Shots were fired’

During cross-examination, Mr Muri-
Okunola confirmed that he heard that
military men from Bonny Camp were at
the Lekki toll gate and based on video
evidence they were armed and “shots
were fired.”

However, he said the police and the
army general in the state said that their
officers were not deployed to the Lekki
tollgate on 20 October 2020.

There are still controversies over the
role of the army in the shooting at the
toll gate. After armed soldiers opened
fire at the protesters, the army, while
appearing before the panel in
November last year, said their men only
fired live ammunitions and that no one
was killed. The position contradicted its
earlier claim that soldiers had nothing
to do with the shooting at the toll gate.

The army has since stopped appearing
before the panel.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/469386-lagos-endsars-panel-majority-of-lekki-toll-gate-victims-had-fractures-machete-wounds-minor-injuries-official.html

congrats

The Senate has confirmed Faruk Yahaya as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff.

The confirmation was sequel to the adoption of a
report presented by Aliyu Wamakko, Chairman of
the Senate Committee on Defence.

In his presentation, Mr Wamakko said Mr Yahaya
met all the requirements expected of him and that
there was no petition against his nomination.

He also said the nominee was cleared by the State
Security Services (SSS).

“He was questioned on ethics, Nigeria’s war on
terror and banditry. The committee was satisfied
with the robust interaction with the nominee.

“The nomination is in line with section 217 of the
constitution. The committee did not receive any
petition and he was cleared by the State Security
Services.

“The nominee presented his credentials. The
committee is satisfied with his general performance.
The committee recommends that general Faruk
Yahaya be confirmed as the chief of staff,” he said.

In his contribution, Ali Ndume, the Chairman of the
Committee on Army, asked the Senate to speedily
confirm Mr Yahaya so he could carry out his
functions without any hindrance.

“I want the Senate to expeditiously confirm him so
he can be decorated to do some of the things he is
not able to do because he is in acting capacity,” he
said.

Mr Yahaya was thereafter confirmed as the army
chief after his nomination was put to a voice vote.

Mr Yahaya, a major general, was appointed on May
27 to replace Ibrahim Attahiru who died in an air
crash alongside 10 other officials of the army, on
May 21 while on an official trip to Kaduna State.

Until his appointment, the new army chief was the
Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the
counter-insurgency operation in the North-east.

https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/06/BBC.jpg
Farouk Yahaya [Photo Credit: BBC]

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/469318-senate-confirms-faruk-yahaya-as-nigerias-army-chief.html

All we want is free and fair election

Dead or Alive (2006)
It was fun

The Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) said on Monday in
Abuja that it would deploy 5,346
personnel to 2,673 registration centres
for Continuous Voter Registration (CVR)
resuming nationwide on June 28.

Its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made
the declaration at the presentation of
INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED)
and the online registration portal for
the exercise at a meeting he held with
media executives.

IVED is an Android tablet to be used in
place of the existing Data Capturing
Machine used for CVR in previous
exercises.

Mr Yakubu said before now INEC had
1,446 registration centres where it
registered 14. 2 million voters between
2017 and 2018.

“Learning from the experience of what
happened, we have now almost
doubled the number of those centres.

“Our hope is that unlike 14.2 million we
registered in the previous exercise, we
are targeting a minimum of 20 million
registrants this time. It will take the
number of registered voters to about
100 million,’’ Mr Yakubu said.

He said that the majority of the 5,346
personnel to be deployed would be
INEC officials, while ad-hoc staff would
be used where the Commission lacked
the required number of personnel.

He said the Commission was working
with ‘stakeholders’ for the security of
personnel and equipment to be
deployed.

Mr Yakubu disclosed that the design for
both the online portal and IVED were
done by INEC engineers, taking into
consideration Nigeria’s peculiarity,
including weather, for its durability.

He said registrants would be able to
know where machines for registration
are located via the portal.

He also noted that the Commission was
working on ensuring that Permanent
Voters Cards (PVCs) for internally-
displaced persons were reproduced for
them so as not to be disenfranchised,
adding that many would have lost their
cards while under siege.

Mr Yakubu also said PVCs for newly-
registered voters would be produced on
quarterly basis after the registration,
noting that the list of the registrants
would be displayed at the registration
units for claims and objections.

Presenting the online portal and IVED,
INEC’s Director of ICT, Chidi Nwafor,
said the portal was designed to serve
various needs of eligible Nigerians for
the registration.

These, according to Mr Nwafor, include
new registration, review of registration,
and review of personal details or voting
centres, PVCs replacement or collection.

“As a new voter, you can pre-register
online, or as a registered voter, you can
revalidate your voter registration,
request to update your information or
transfer your voter registration to
another polling unit,” he said.

He said that registrants could register
their details online before going to the
nearest registration centre selected by
them for photographs and fingerprints
to complete the exercise.

Mr Nwafor said the portal was designed
in a way that once an intending voter
completed the online registration, an
appointment for physical registration
would be generated by the portal for
the registrant.

He added that any registrant who could
not meet up with the appointed date
and time could reschedule the
appointment via the same portal.
He said the portal also made provision
for people to contact the Commission in the event of
challenges during online registration.

He noted that a registrant had 14 days
to complete the online pre-registration
and a year to complete the whole
process.

He advised registered voters to make
use of the portal to identify polling
units or centres nearest to them.

Mr Nwafor also assured that the
Commission was putting adequate
security in place to protect the device
and the portal against hacks or
cybercrime.

He also said that concerns about
underage voter registration would be
taken care of as those that registered
online would still visit the registration
centre before the process could be
completed.

The media executives in a communiqué
issued after the meeting suggested that
the CVR be devolved to INEC LGA
Council offices based on thorough
appraisal of security situations and
related factors.

They also recommended that the CVR
be gradually devolved to other
designated registration centres
nationwide after assessments of
security situations and other factors
relating to safety of personnel and
materials.

They tasked relevant stakeholders,
especially political parties, traditional
institutions, religious leaders and Civil
Society Organisations to mobilise all
eligible registrants to participate in the
CVR.
(NAN)
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/469227-continuous-voters-registration-inec-to-deploy-5346-personnel-to-2346-centres-nationwide.html

Good news

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