File photo: Former Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has joined the global community to canvass more attention to the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) still trapped in various camps as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry in the North East and North West parts of the country.
Saraki on Friday in a statement issued in Abuja by his Media Office to commemorate the International Day for the Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism noted that government, non-governmental organisations, Nigerians in general, development partners and the international community should not relent in continuing to provide relief materials for the victims of violence in IDP camps as a way of reducing the trauma they are going through.
He reckoned that providing succour for victims of violence in their temporary abode at the IDP camps should be the first step in the reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation (3 Rs) plan to finally make the victims of violence get a final closure to their sad experience and restore normalcy in their lives.
“We must pay more attention to providing more facilities for the convenience and benefit of the IDPs that will make their temporary stay in those camps less stressful and more comfortable. Today, as the global community pays tributes to the victims of violence, our attention should be focused on making their lives better.
“It is obvious that the attention being given by privileged individuals, governments, international donors, development agencies and non-governmental organisations seem to be waning. We need to all redirect attention to the welfare of the IDPs and refuse to be distracted by the real security crisis that those camps represent, among other issues”, he stated.
The former Senate President stresses that adequate security should be provided in areas where the hitherto displaced people have taken the bold steps to return home.
He said that attention should also be given to how to ensure that the people in the IDP camps eventually return home to their communities and start living normal lives.
Ex-Lawmaker Saraki further reiterated that there is need for immediate commencement of reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation of the communities affected by insurgency alongside efforts to restore peace, which inspired the quick passage of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Act by the Eighth National Assembly.
He then advised the leadership of the NEDC to make the positive impact of the commission felt immediately by commencing quick restoration of the displaced people back to their communities in peace and devoid of any present or future trauma or harassment.
“At this point, it is important to join the global community in remembering and paying tribute to the victims of violent attacks by terrorists, bandits and other non-state actors. It is important to remember all Nigerians who have lost their lives to these wanton acts of violence and pay tribute to their memories. Not only to preserve the memory of their times on earth but also to serve as a marker to the Nigerian State on the need to do all that is necessary to put a stop to these acts of terrorism and ensure a return to peace and normalcy.
“My prayers go to the soldiers, aid workers, residents and others who have over the years become victims of insurgency, violence and inter-tribal crises across the country. May Allah bless the affected families, communities and our country. May God continue to protect all those who are still involved in quelling all forms of violence in our country and may He restore peace and heal our land”, Saraki stated.
A collage photo of Nigerian Bar Association President (NBA), Olumide Akpata and Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reacted to the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association to withdraw its invitation to the governor to speak at the association’s Annual General Conference billed to hold between August 26 and 29.
NBA had Thursday withdrawn its invitation to the governor via its Twitter handle.
The association wrote: “The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai, by the 2020 Annual General Meeting Conference Planning Committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the governor.”
Many lawyers and activists have criticised the choice of El-Rufai as a guest speaker at the conference with many withdrawing their participation over the governor’s invite.
The governor was accused of having poor human rights records.
But, in a swift reaction, El-Rufai accused the professional organisation of endorsing a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue.
The governor defended his administration and vowed that appropriate legal action would be taken against defamatory statements in the petition.
“When lawyer friends requested Malam Nasir El-Rufai to accept the invitation of the NBA to participate in a panel discussion on national identity, he accepted as part of his commitment to having a national conversation and the evolution of a national consensus.
“NBA platform or not, these worthy conversations must continue. He will continue to make his voice heard on the things our country needs to do for its progress.
“While the decision about who speaks at its event is clearly the NBA’s, Malam El-Rufai wishes to make clear that he did not seek the platform and is not agitated that he has one less speaking engagement.
“However, the circumstances of the last few days warrant some comments. That a professional organisation has elected to endorse a one-sided narrative on a profound national issue is something that its members may wish to reflect upon. For an association, whose bread and butter is about justice to make a ruling based on the stridency of people who lampoon judicial processes against certain individuals without hearing the other side is odd. It bears noting that in its response to pressure, the NBA leadership has signaled an unfortunate embrace of injustice, unfairness, absence of fair hearing and total disregard for the rule of law.
“The defamatory statements in the petition is another matter entirely, and they will get the appropriate response.
“Malam Nasir El-Rufai has taken several actions on the security, institutional and technology fronts to address the legacy of violent strife in the state. He is the governor that made permanent military and police bases a reality in southern Kaduna, after close to 40 years of waiting. He is the governor that set up a Peace Commission to nudge communities to embrace their responsibility to live in peace and harmony.
“He has done this with equality of concern for all residents, not just those with access to the media and who are able to mobilise sentiment even when they are part of the problem. His investments in building a constituency for peace, anchored on the rule of law, respect for the citizenship rights of everyone and an embrace of the obligations of a common humanity will continue.
“Those who have chosen to pretend that it is only Kaduna State that is experiencing the security challenges in North-west, or that it is only one part of the state that is affected can enjoy the illusion.
“Malam El-Rufai remains focused on the tough and hard work of stopping the bleeding and the needless breaking of bones,” the governor said, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye.
Apart from El-Rufai, other speakers invited for the conference include: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad; former president Olusegun Obasanjo; former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; and former Anambra State governor and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi.
Others are: Chairman, African Advisory Council of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Tunde Bakare; a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili; and former ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Salamatu Suleiman.
British High Commission Thursday assured it would replace expired visa free for Nigerians.
The commission also stated that it has reopened its Visa Application Centres across the country, adding that the free replacements would continue until the end of 2020.
The commission, in a statement, said the decision to replace visa free was taken in view of the disruptions to business activities and travels caused by the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which it said led to an increase in the demand for a 30-day visa replacements for those wanting to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) for work, study or to join their families.
The UK government noted that any individual whose 30-day visa to the UK for work, study or visitation had expired could request for a replacement free of charge, albeit with revised validity dates.
“As a result of the disruptions to travel caused by COVID-19, we are experiencing high demand for replacement vignettes for 30-day visas to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family.
“If an individual’s 30-day visa to travel to the UK for work, study or to join family has expired, or is about to expire, they can request a replacement visa with revised validity dates free of charge until the end of this year.
“This does not apply to other types of visas. This process will be in place until the end of 2020. The replacement visa will be valid for 90 days.
“To request a replacement visa, individuals can arrange to return their passport to their Visa Application Centre in Nigeria without an appointment,” the commission said.
Suspected killer of late Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile; Nehemiah Adejoh
A suspect, Nehemiah Adejoh, who drove the car that ran over the female helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, has said he killed her by mistake, Daily Trust has reported.
Narrating his story at a Kaduna Magistrate Court on Thursday, the suspect explained that he mistakenly ran over the deceased.
Adejoh was reported to be the one behind the steering of the vehicle that knocked down Arotile on July 11 before she was pronounced dead at the Nigerian Air Force hospital in Kaduna.
Appearing before a Kaduna magistrate court on Thursday, Adejoh noted that he never intended to kill Arotile.
He also denied having any premeditated plan to kill her in his cautionary statement.
He explained that on sighting the deceased walking along the roadside at the Air Force base, he started reversing the car in order to exchange pleasantries with her, but mistakenly ran over her.
The police have charged the suspect with culpable homicide.
The Chief Magistrate, Danjuma Hassan, has ordered the suspect to be remanded in prison pending further hearing.
The judge has, however, fixed October 3 as the day for further hearing.
Ogun State government says it is working towards delivering 2000 housing units at affordable prices to the people in a very short time.
The State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun stated this Thursday when he received in audience the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Family House Fund, Mr. Femi Adewole, who paid him a visit in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The Governor listed housing as one of the pillars and enablers of his administration, noting that the process has started with the construction of 150 of the 400 housing units at Prince Court Estate in Abeokuta, just as efforts are on to replicate same in the other Senatorial Districts.
He said some factors like wrong location, lack of access roads, unavailability of electricity and potable water, had led to failure of housing schemes in the past, saying that housing estates built by his administration, would provide comfort for the dwellers.
The Governor said the State decided to operate under the Economic Sustainable Programme to enable it benefit from the value chains, adding that his administration was ready to provide enabling environment to genuine investors who are ready to invest in the State.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Adewole said his visit was to discuss ways of deepening relationship between his company and the State in the area of providing affordable housing to the people, help the State actualise its vision on housing, explore opportunities of working with government in creating jobs as well as to update government on its 1020 project at New Makun, Sagamu.
Nigeria’s power industry has achieved yet another improved all-time national peak of 5,420.30MW, which was effectively transmitted through the national grid at a frequency of 50.10Hz at 9:15pm on August 18.
This was disclosed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ndidi Mbah.
TCN, in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, said this was the highest ever recorded in the nation’s power sector to-date, surpassing the previous peak of 5,377.80MW recorded on August 1 by 42.50MW.
She added that the gradual, but steady improvement in electricity delivery in the nation’s power sector was attributable to the keen interest of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The general manager said the government has been piloting programmes and projects geared towards growing the power sector as well as the collective efforts of all power sector players in the value chain.
Mbah noted that TCN was committed to working assiduously to further stabilise, rehabilitate and expand the grid and urged Nigerians to lend their support by safeguarding electricity installations nationwide.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has offered explanation on the Wednesday fire outbreak, describing the incident as “a minor,” involving a tiny part of one of the administrative buildings within the premises of the palace, which occurred at about 1:15pm, leaving no harm to the oldest palace in Yoruba land.
“The minor inferno, which lasted for about 20 minutes was immediately put out by collective efforts of people in the palace led by the Ooni’s Chief Security, Kolawole Emmanuel, later joined by men of the fire services from Osun State Government, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.
Ooni Adimula of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi
“Aside from the fact that there was no causality whatsoever, the fire was just a minor occurrence which was nothing to be compared to the misleading huge pictures being painted in the media, particularly the social media.
“While it is suspected to have emanated from an electric spark, measures are currently in place to reveal the cause of the inferno.
“We wish to thank men of Osun State Fire Service, Obafemi Awolowo University Fire Service and OAUTH Fire Service for their swift response, while efforts of well meaning Nigerians who reached out to the palace for objective analysis are equally appreciated.
“Once again, the ancient Palace of Ife remains as rich as before in culture, traditions and tourism,” said Oba Ogunwusi, in a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare.
File Photo: Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari in Bamako, Mali, July 24, 2020.
For the first time since Malian Soldiers staged a mutiny and executed a coup to topple the almost seven year administration of Ibrahim Keita on Tuesday, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has called on the unconstitutional ‘authority’ in the landlocked Sahel nation to restore constitutional order forthwith.
President Buhari Thursday afternoon described the events in Mali as a setback for regional diplomacy, according to a statement posted on his verified Twitter page.
“The events in Mali are great setbacks for regional diplomacy, with grave consequences for the peace and security of West Africa. It is time for the unconstitutional ‘authority’ in Mali to act responsibly and ensure restoration of constitutional order, peace and stability”, the President said.
President Buhari, who was among a delegation of leaders in the West African bloc that visited Bamako, the Malian capital on July 24 with the hope of a successful intervention to broker peace between Keita’s government and opposition movement expressed fear that if sanity isn’t restored in Mali, the peace of the region may be at risk. International allies such as France, the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU) have also expressed this sentiment.
President Muhammadu Buhari paid a one-day visit to Mali on July 23, 2020.
“Nigeria strongly supports the efforts of ECOWAS Chairman, President Mahamadou Issoufou, for wider regional and continental consultations with ECOWAS, the AU and the UN, and the adoption of strong measures to bring speedy resolution to the situation.
“A politically stable Mali is paramount and crucial to the stability of the sub-region. We must all join efforts, ECOWAS, the AU, the UN and other stakeholders, and work together until sanity returns to Mali with the restoration of Civil Administration, the President said.
At the peace talk meeting in Mali on July 24 were ECOWAS Special Envoy, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and leader of the opposition, Imam Mahmoud Dicko and representatives of opposition alliance, M5 and Civil Society Organisations, who all briefed the high power delegate that include President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, host President, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Presidents Machy Sall of Senegal, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Alassane Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire.
A file photo of the presidents of Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Niger in a peace talk meeting with Malian President and leaders of a protest movement clamouring for the resignation of their President.
The coup in Mali happened only hours after former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is among a special ECOWAS envoy tasked with brokering peace in the troubled Mali, on Tuesday led the ECOWAS Mission team to Mali on a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
President Muhammadu Buhari receives ex-President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House Abuja, Tuesday August 18, 2020. Photo: Femi Adesina
“We told them that no international organization, including the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), and others, would agree with their position. We continued to emphasize the need for dialogue,” Jonathan was quoted as saying while briefing President Buhari at the State House on Tuesday.
File photo: Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche Photo: twitter
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHq) says military troops had successfully thwarted an attempt by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists to scuttle the resettlement of Kukawa community in Borno on Tuesday.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, who on Thursday said the troops eliminated eight terrorists while several others escaped with gunshot wounds during the encounter.
Enenche also revealed that three soldiers were killed in the attack while two others sustained various degrees of injuries.
The DHq media coordinator added that the wounded soldiers were currently receiving treatment at the military medical station.
Recalling that Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum had flagged off the re-opening of Munguno-Cross Kauwa-Kukawa Road, followed almost immediately with the resettlement of some of the displaced people from Kukawa, Enenche said: “life was already picking up in the town.
“The attack by the terrorists was, therefore, a deliberate attempt to reverse the milestone achievements recorded regarding IDPs in the areas of peacebuilding, reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement efforts by the government.
“The situation in Kukawa is now calm with troops in full control“, the General said.
While reiterating the commitment of the military, Enenche assured that the Nigerian Armed Forces would ensure the success of its struggle to see to the rebuilding and resettlement of the displaced people.
He noted that the futile attempt by the terrorists to thwart it only spurred the gallant troops to more decisive action.
Advising the people of Kukawa to go about their normal lawful businesses without any hindrance, General Eneche said:
“They are also enjoined to always avail the troops and other security agencies with credible information about the terrorists and any suspicious persons accordingly”.
File: A collage photo of President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has condemned a section of the 30year old Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, stipulating the power of a supervising Minister to remove the Board of Trustees of Churches without recourse to the court.
The erudite lawyer joined other prominent Nigerians who have criticised the section that sought to regulate Churches and Non Government Organizations (NGOs) in his contribution, as reported by thenigerialawyer.com, to discussions facilitated by a group known as Friends of TheNews, which held on WhatsApp messaging platform.
Echotitbits gathered from the report that Falana noted that although, the law isn’t completely new, the addition thereof is nonetheless a violation of the fundamental human rights to freedom of association enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
File photo: Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).
“I have read the law. It was badly drafted. A government that set out to facilitate the ease of doing business could not have come up with a 604-page business law (CAMA 2020).”
“But it is not a completely new law. Registered NGOs were regulated in the past in line with the practice in all democratic societies. The only addition which is objectionable is the power conferred on the commission to take over and manage NGOs on allegations of misconduct. It is illegal because it is a violation of the fundamental right to freedom of association guaranteed by section 40 of the Constitution”, Falana emphasised.
On Sunday, August 16, 2020, presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo vehemently rejected the section of the CAMA law pertaining to taking over administration of Churches.
File photo: Founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide (a.k.a, Winners Chapel), David Oyedepo.
Oyedepo, during his sermon and before his hundreds of congregation questioned the rationale behind the inclusion of religious centres and charity organisations into the Company and Allied Matters Acts (CAMA) that states that:
“The commission may by order, suspend the trustees of an association or a religious body and appoint an interim manager or managers to coordinate its affairs where it reasonably believes that there has been any misconduct or mismanagement, or where the affairs of the association are being run fraudulently or where it is necessary or desirable for the purpose of public interest.”
The very vocal cleric stated that the decision, which others described as an attempt to gag the church, was “borne out of jealousy of the church’s growth”.
Oyedepo went on to argue that: “The church works on the pattern delivered by God not the pattern of man. The government has no power to appoint people over churches. This is a secular nation. The church is the greatest asset of God in this country. Please be warned. Judgment is coming. The Lord says I have been still but now I will arise.
“Anybody that is in this deal is taking poison. This will never work. I am waiting for a day when anybody will appoint a trustee over this Church… You can’t gag anybody. We own this country together. It is only in Africa that people who are over 80 years still run around to become president. I know that it is the prosperity of the church that is making them jealous. But I am going to live to see an army of many winners soar greater. In this church shall emerge one of the largest concentrations of giants on earth”, Oyedepo said.
Also interesting in the submissions of people who participated in the discussions facilitated by Friends of TheNews group.
According to thenigerialaw.com, a veteran journalist and former Associate Editor at The Guardian, Lade Bonuola, who was part of the discourse “forwarded a contribution from another platform to enrich the thread”.
The thread reported to have been forwarded by Lade Bonuola below:
“If you guys know the amount of things hidden in that 604 pages of the new Companies Act, you’ll start weeping. The Corporate Affairs Commisson has just been made a monster. You see that NIPOST regulation fixing N20m as licensing fee? That is small stuff compared to what CAC will do.
The sector that will be worst hit are the churches, mosques, charity organisations, schools, NGOs etc. The CAC can now arbitrarily remove and replace the “owners” or leaders of these organisations. Also, CAC can convert/take over the monies in their bank accounts.
Every sector will be hit. In the old Act, small fees were clearly prescribed for certain things.E.g, the Act may say if you fail to do XYZ, you’ll pay N50 for each day of default.The new Act has removed all those meagre fees & gives CAC power to make regulations prescribing fees.
Online vendors who operate under a business name other than their government names, are now risking conviction in court if they don’t register their business names with CAC.
The most damning revelation from my review so far is that, a private organisation has been written into the new Companies Act and has been emboldened through the back door to:
1. generate revenue; and
2. regulate an aspect of law practice, accountancy etc.
The private org is Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners of Nigeria (BRIPAN). S. 705(C) of the new CAMA requires that to qualify as insolvency practitioner,you must be a lawyer/accountant AND a member of BRIPAN. On BRIPAN website, membership fee ranges from N90k – N250k.
BRIPAN is not a chartered institute (like ICAN, ICSAN, CIPM) or a statutory body. It is a private association formed by private citizens. Remember how Lagosians fought against Alpha Beta being written into the Lagos Land Use Charge Law (albeit unsuccessfuly)?
In similar fashion, some people have successfully slipped in BRIPAN (a private organisation) into an Act of the National Assembly and the President has signed it into law. How did our law makers not see this while deliberations on the bill were ongoing?
Another curious provision in the new CAMA is S. 851 which empowers CAC to now act as a ‘court’ or tribunal of some sort. So if CAC imposes fees on your small business, before you can go to court to challenge those fees, you must first appear before CAC panel & make your case.
The panel is made up of guess who? Registrar General of CAC, 5 officers of CAC & someone from the Ministry of Trade & Investment, which is the Ministry overseeing the CAC. In effect, the CAC is now a Prosecutor & Judge in its own case. Goodluck if you have a case against CAC.
One of the narratives touted by the govt regarding this new law is that, it’ll aid ease of doing business. While I agree that on face value,some sections of the law will aid this,I am simply drawing our attention to other sections which will become a clog & make things difficult.
Another narrative is that, with this new law, you wont need a lawyer to either incorporate a business or carry out many post incorporation activities as you can do them yourself. Truth is, many lawyers will grapple with this new law. If this is so, what are your chances as a layman?”, the thread, according to thenigerialawyer.com read.
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