EFCC ARRESTS MICHAEL JACKSON WITH CHARMS IN LAGOS

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested one Michael Jackson for alleged involvement in internet fraud.

Sources disclosed that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday, January 25, 2022, following intelligence reports received by men of the EFCC, on alleged illegal activities of some persons involved in computer-related fraud.

The suspect who allegedlly poses as Ella, a transgender woman, was said to have defrauded unsuspecting victims of millions of Naira.

Items recovered from him included one Toyota 4-runner jeep, one Honda Accord car, laptop computers and a mobile devices.

He claimed to be a Disc Jockey (DJ) and was in possession of fetish items “for grace and success” as at the time of his arrest.

Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren said the suspect would be arraigned in court upon conclusion of Investigation.

COURT STOPS FG FROM MAKING DIRECT DEDUCTIONS TO FUND POLICE

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has stopped the Federal Government from further making deductions from the federation account to fund the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) or other institutions not listed in the Nigerian constitution.

Delivering judgement, the Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Ahmed Mohammed, declared as “illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional,” the direct allocations made so far by the Federal Government from the federation account to fund the NPTF.

According to him, the NPTF is not a creation of the Nigerian constitution, but that of the National Assembly through the enactment of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act which came into force in 2019.

The Court held that Section 161 and Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution were breached by the Federal Government in making direct allocations to the NPTF from the Federation Account.

Justice Ahmed also held that Section 162 of the 1999 is unambiguous to the effect that only the Federal, States and Local Governments shall be allocated fund directly from the Federation Account.

It was the view of the Court that section 4 of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act 2019 relied upon by the Federal Government to justify the unlawful deductions from the Federation Account is inconsistent with section 162 of the 1999 Constitution which recognises only the Federal, States and Local Governments.

The Court declared as illegal, unlawfull and unconstitutional, the levies imposed on companies operating in Nigeria by the Federal Government to be paid directly into the NPTF instead of the Federation Account.

Rivers State had in suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/511/2020, filed on its behalf by Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), challenged the decision of the Federal Government allocating funds directly from the Federation Account to fund some of its agencies, thereby depriving the State of substantial revenue from the Federation Account.

MIYETTI ALLAH DENIES BACKING TINUBU FOR 2023 PRESIDENCY

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) says it has not endorse former Lagos State Governor, Ahmed Bola Tinubu for President.

MACBAN National Secretary, Baba Ngelzarma, who made the position known, Wednesday, disclosed that the view of individual concerning whoever succueeds President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, should not be generalized.

“The attention of MACBAN headquarters has been drawn to stories in the media claiming that we have endorsed the presidential aspiration of Sen. Ahmed Tinubu.

“We want to make it clear that the association has not endorsed any candidate. Those who endorsed Tinubu are doing so as individuals.

“MACBAN should not in any way be dragged into the politics of endorsement at this stage.”

MACBAN National Publicity Secretary, however, added that the group respects the ambition of all aspirants and was yet to endorse any of them for the 2023 presidential bid.

POLICE ARRESTS HOTELIER’S WIFE FOR KILLING HUSBAND OVER INFIDELITY

The Lagos State Police command has confirmed the arrest of a woman, identified as Motunrayo, who allegedly killing her husband, Alaba Bakare (AKA BAMA), owner of the popular Bama Hotel and Suites. Ebule-Egba area of the state.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Ade Ajisebutu, who confirmed the arrest of the deceased wife and three others, disclosed that the corpse has been deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital’s morgue for autopsy.

The PPRO said the case, which happened at Abule-Egba area of Lagos State, has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, for diligent investigation on the orders of the State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi.

Sources disclosed that the woman got wind of alleged infidelity by her husband who impregnated a lady shortly after their family holiday from Dubai, hence, she drugged the father of three, and used a hot iron on the vital part of her husband’s body.

NIGERIA BEGINS COVID-19 CHILDHOOD VACCINATION

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has integrated childhood vaccination at COVID-19 vaccination sites for children from 0-23 months.

This is to ensure that preventable childhood diseases are not neglected in the face of the response against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at the National COVID-19 vaccines weekly briefing on Tuesday, in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this formed part of the first meeting for the 2022 to give an update on the progress made in the country’s COVID-19 vaccination process by the agency.

According to him, the integration of childhood immunisation is part of the Federal Government plan to involve childhood immunisation in its ongoing COVID-19 campaign train.

“In this phase of COVID-19 mass vaccination, the campaign would be integrated with childhood immunisation and other primary health care services.

“What this simply means is that alongside the COVID-19 vaccines, childhood vaccines will also be available at COVID-19 vaccination centres.

“Consequently, parents or guardians with children aged zero to 23 months are urged to take them along to the vaccination sites,” he said.

While calling on Nigerians to utilise the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign across the country, Shuaib said the holiday season came with a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The NPHCDA boss said that several unvaccinated individuals were migrating from the cities to the rural areas and back to the cities.

“Globally, we saw the emergence of new variants such as IHU variant in France which is said to have 46 mutations, Deltacron in Cyprus and the Omicron variant still being highly infectious with a BA.2 subvariant rapidly spreading.

“More of our citizens were coming down with the infection. Luckily for our vaccinated population, those who came down with the COVID-19 infection had mild symptoms which they managed at home due to the immunity the vaccination provided them.

“If they were not vaccinated, we cannot predict how these cases would have turned out. Vaccination prevents you from severe disease, hospitalisation and death,” he said. (NAN)

COURT RESTRAINS APC FROM CONDUCTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WARD CONGRESSES

A State High Court in Awka on Wednesday issued an interlocutory injunction, restraining the All Progressives Congress (APC) from conducting ward and local government congresses in the state.

Justice Ike Ogu made the order following application by APC chairmen in 18 local government areas and other chieftains of the party, pending the determination of a matter in suit number A/33/22 before it.

The APC led by the 2021 governorship candidate of the party in the state, Andy Uba, had earlier announced that ward congresses would commence in the state from January 26 before the local government congresses in the 21 local government areas.

The position of the applicants in the suit is that their tenure was still subsisting. They noted that the party could not hold another congress till they exhaust their years in office.

Meanwhile, Chukwuma Agufugo, the secretary of the party in the state, told journalists in Awka on Wednesday that the party was not aware of any congress going on in the state.

Mr Agufugo said the executives of the party and some chieftains went to court to challenge the moves by some people to conduct “illegal congress”.

He said with the order, dulyissued by a court in the state, “it would be a nullity for anyone or group to go ahead and do anything funny”.

Reacting, Chukwunoso Chinwuba, the publicity secretary of APC-led by Mr Uba said the party conducted ward congresses in the 326 wards January 26.

“We are not aware of any court order barring APC from conducting ward congress in Anambra today.

“The exercise was seamless and monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” he said. (NAN)

BUHARI PRESIDES OVER FEC: AMENDMENT OF PIA TOPS AGENDA

The Federal Executive Council is currently meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari presiding, to consider proposed amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act PIA.

Businessday gathered from sources close to the Cabinet office that the amendment is being worked out, as a precursor to sending it to the National Assembly for enactment into law.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva has also been mandated to forward relevant instruments for the implementation of the conversion of cars from fuel to gas.

“ The President has already mandated the Minister of State Timipre Sylva and the NNPC team to work out necessary modalities for the implementation of the conversion policy which will be implemented before subsidy can be removed”, the source said.

The Minister had while briefing State House Journalists on Tuesday revealed that the conversion policy will start in March, this year.

The federal government is however still shopping for its share of 50% contributions for the project to take off.

Sani Shehu, a Mining sector operator has however advised the government to ensure that fuel is available for Nigerians, irrespective of whatever is necessary to be done.

“ We are not so much concerned about the politics of the fuel subsidy, what an average Nigerian wants is for the fuel to be available.

“We want the status quo to remain”.

Sani who noted that Nigerians are already facing the several challenges, especially with insecurity and poverty, added “ It will be catastrophic for the ordinary Nigerian if fuel subsidy leads to further increases in goods and services they consume”

“ We are not finding things easy even in the mining sector that tphas been boxed in by insecurity” he stated.

GUNMEN KIDNAPS HEADMASTER, FOUR OTHERS

The Police Command in Yobe State on Wednesday confirmed the abduction of Babagana Kachalla, an Assistant Headmaster, Central Primary School, Buni Yadi, and four others by gunmen in Madiya Village Gujba Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s Spokesman, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the incident in a statement in Damaturu.

Abdulkarim listed other abductees to include Abubakar Barma, Haruna Barma, Modu Bukar and Hajiya Gana.

He said the incident, which occurred at about 8:20am on Tuesday, was reported to the divisional police station in the area by one Mala Boyema at about 10:37am.

The spokesman said that Boyema luckily escaped the abduction carried out by heavily armed insurgents when he ran into their roadblock in Madiya.

He, however, said that Hajiya Gana was later released by the insurgents. (NAN)

OBASEKI SWEARS-IN 14 NEW PERMANENT SECRETARIES: ANNOUNCES E-GOVERNANCE TAKE OFF FEB 1

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday, swore-in 14 new permanent secretaries, consisting of nine males and five females.

Performing the ceremony at the Government House, Benin City, the Governor urged them on the need to deliver efficient and quality services to Edo people.

While describing them as the chief accounting officers of their various ministries, Obaseki said being in government for a while does not mean that their activities while in government will not be looked at, even as he charged them to be very cautious of their decisions.

“Most Nigerians don’t know that even after you retire, you are still liable and culpable for your activities during your time in office. I am pleased to inform you that you will be inheriting a vastly improved system of governance; we will continue to work on our systems so that you can deliver effectively to our people.”

“We will continue to build human capacity, and train and retrain our civil and public servants. We are equipping and investing in the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy to make it second to none in this part of the world.”

The Governor also disclosed that his administration would switch over from analogue to e-governance, “effective February 1, 2022, I, the governor, would switch over to e-governance platform, which effectively means I will now approve memos and send mails to you via the e-platform.”

“We have introduced the Edo State Civil/Public Service Transformation and Enhancement Programme (EdoSTEP), through which we are pursuing a deliberate programme to identify weak points in the civil service and strengthen them.”

“That explains why we have had to bring people from outside to come in to help us strengthen the areas of weaknesses that we have seen in the civil and public service; we will continue to do so because we have seen that the civil service as it is today needs a lot of strengthening.”

“So far, we are very glad with the accomplishments that we have made today in the EdoSTEP programme. Under this programme, we have found out that the number of vacancies in the civil service is quite enormous.”

“First, we started with the hiring of 1,600 graduates into the service at the bottom level, but they don’t have the experience and skill to take us to where we want. We will now continue hiring from the top and also see how we can train the middle corps that we have in the civil service and give them the tools for effective delivery.”

“We are working extremely hard to bring back the civil and public service to those days when it was respected. To the new permanent secretaries, I will like to admonish you, you all have been appointed based on merit, not by any godfather.”

“Do not seek popularity; you are not politicians, leave that to us. Ensure you do things the way it ought to be done,” he charged.”

Those sworn-in as permanent secretaries include; Mr. Anelu Osemen, Mrs. Felicia Edwards, Mrs. Grace Aihie, Mr. Egwakhide Gilbert, Mr. Iserhienrhien Efe and Mr. Aikhuomobhogbe Uidia.

Others are Mr. Asibor Lucky, Mrs. Igbinobaro Joy, Mr. Washington Abbe, Mr. Asemota Uyi, Mr. Toritseju Onaiwu, Mrs. Ifueko Alufokhai, Mr. Osikhena Ojior and Mrs. Barbara Osobajo.

Responding on behalf of the new permanent secretaries, Mr. Anelu Osemen, pledged to contribute effectively to the progress and development of the state.

FG TO EXTEND FUEL SUBSIDY REMOVAL BY 18 MONTHS

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has announced plans by the Federal Government to extend the period for the implementation of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, by 18 months.

Mr. Sylva, who made the announcement on Tuesday, while briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, disclosed that the government has concluded plans to approach the National Assembly to amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“We are proposing an 18-month extension but what the National Assembly is going to approve is up to them,” the minister said. “We would approve an 18-month extension and then it is up to the National Assembly to look at it and pass the amendment as they see it.”

“With assent by the President on August 16, 2021, the PMS subsidy removal was therefore expected to take place effective February 16, 2022.”

“However, following extensive consultations with all key stakeholders within and outside the government, it has been agreed that the implementation period for the removal of the subsidy should be extended.”

“This extension will give all the stakeholders time to ensure that the implementation is carried out in a manner that ensures all necessary modalities are in place to cushion the effect of the PMS subsidy removal, in line with prevailing economic realities.”

“The President assures that his administration will continue to put in place all necessary measures to protect the livelihoods of all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable,” the Minister said.