Minimum Wage: Governors Say They Can’t Perform Magic

Speaking on behalf of the Governors, Abdul'aziz Yari said: “I don’t think you people voted us only to pay salaries. You are looking for good roads, electricity, education and others. So, we can’t do magic. It’s only when we have the funds that we can do all those things."

Governors under the umbrella of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have said they cannot “perform magic” as regards the implementation of new minimum wage  

Responding to queries on the new minimum wage implementation, the Governors said they were not voted into power to pay salaries alone, stating that they also had the responsibility to provide necessary social amenities for their states.

Chairman of the Forum, Governor Abdul'aziz Yari of Zamfara State, stated this after a meeting with his colleagues on Wednesday night.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is proposing a minimum wage of N65,000 for workers.

Yari said it was regrettable that states governments had been limited to only paying salaries, while other sectors such as health, electricity, education, among others, were not given the same attention.

“I don’t think you people voted us only to pay salaries. You are looking for good roads, electricity, education and others. So, we can’t do magic. It’s only when we have the funds that we can do all those things,” he said.

Yari further disclosed that the decision of the governors regarding the minimum wage is dependent on the outcome of meeting between their six-man representative and the committee headed by the Minister of Labour.

“We have a committee of six, which represented us in discussions with the committee headed by the Labour Minister; the committee is yet to give us the final report. When they give us the final report, for which they have our mandate to present our position and the position most likely is to look at the record of up to 14 years,” he said.

Access Bank Staff Steals Customers’ N13.6 Million

 29-year-old banker, Kolawole Agboola, was on Friday appeared in a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N13.6 million belonging to two customers of Access Bank Plc, Lagos Island.

The accused, who resides at 4, Johnson Ikuomola St.in Idimu, Lagos is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, fraud and theft.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Hafsat Ajibode, told the court that the accused committed the offences between October 2017 and March 2018.

Ajibode said that the accused withdrew the money from the unnamed customers’ accounts by issuing a forged investment certificate to them to conceal his fraudulent activities.

Agbola pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said one of the sureties must be a relative of the accused and the other, a civil servant.

He adjourned the case until Aug. 16 for hearing.

The offences contravened Sections 287 (7), 325 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Section 287 (7) stipulates seven years imprisonment for offenders.

Prophet ThankGod Abam Shot Dead In Port Harcourt (Photo)

General Overseer of Intercessory Prayer Ministry Prophet ThankGod Abam aka The Commander, Onowu 1 has died after been shot by Unknown Gunmen in Rivers state.

We are yet to get full Details, But According to reports the Abuja Based Pastor was shot yesterday while he was in Port Harcourt for an Event, he 
was in his Port Harcourt resident before been attacked by Gunmen..His Child Dedication was also fixed for this Sunday, before HIS Untimely death.

166 Libya returnees arrive Nigeria

A total number of 166 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Libya , has arrived Lagos aboard a Libyan Airlines with registration number 5A-DMG landed at the NAHCO Tarmac of the Muhammad Murtala International Airport MMIA, Lagos at about 10.30pm on Thursday.

After the profiling of the returnees, the 66 female adults including 3 pregnant women, 5 female children and 1 female infant along with 83 male adults, 6 male children and 5 male infants were those brought back by the International Organization for Migrants IOM, through the Assisted Voluntary Returnees Programme.

How 13-year-old Boy Was Sold And Re-sold For N340,000

Daniel, his mother Ngozi Nweze, Wilson and Elo­chukwu were victims of circumstance. After the death of their father in 1999, life became unbearable for them since their mother could not afford to provide the necessities of life for herself and the children.
Faced with this excruciating situation, Daniel the eldest son of the family, as a way of alleviat­ing their suffering, agreed to go to Owerri in Imo state, with his mother and his two other siblings – Elochukwu and Wilson.
The trip was bankrolled by one Amaechi Ukwa, ostensibly to assist the family but with ulterior mo­tives. It was gathered that, on their way, Amaechi Ukwa, unknown to them, had actually arranged the sale of Daniel to one Mr Solo from Mbaise who resold Daniel to one Madam Pepe at N340,000.
Trouble started when the sec­ond-hand owners of Daniel organ­ised a party and renamed Daniel ‘Jahbuike’. But Daniel refused to answer the name and told them that he would not answer any name other than Daniel.
Daniel, however, escaped from the house the night after the pur­ported renaming ceremony. After the incident, the buyer called Mr Amaechi to brief him about the boy’s escape and demand the return of the money paid on him. During the ensuing argument be­tween the two, Daniel overheard the conversation and escaped from the house. It was in the course of the escape that a police patrol team arrested him.
Daniel, however, took the police to his “master’s” place and the suspects were arrested only to be released after one week. Amaechi was said to have escaped from Imo state to Cotonou in Benin Republic. It was gathered that Amaechi had called his people in Umuezeokah in Ezza North local government area of Ebonyi state to send his wife back to her family and that he would not come back home anymore.

Daniel returned home through the effort of the Ebonyi state min­istry of women affairs on Friday July 27, 2018 since after his sale in June 2015.

Speaking to Orient Weekend, Daniel said: “My mother took me from Ebonyi to Imo state. She gave my siblings and me to one woman and, since that day, we have not seen her again. The woman took us to another man and said I had become the man’s child. One day, he called me ‘Jah Bu Ike’ and I told him that was not my name; that I remained Daniel Nweze.

“I was not schooling before I left for Imo. It was in Imo state that I started schooling. The man was taking good care of me. He had girl children and I was the only male child. I didn’t know that I was sold to him.
“I am in school and I am in primary four. The name of my school is Great Time Nursery and Primary school located in Oji, Okigwe”.

Daniel’s uncle who reported the matter to Family Law Centre before taking it to the ministry of women affairs, Ven. Silas Nweze said the boy, his two siblings and mother were taken away from the village on 15th June, 2015 and that, since then, he had been restless as he had not heard from them except once when Amaechi Ukwa who took them to Imo with­out his consent. Ukwa, he said, once called to tell him he would not return to the village through­out his lifetime.

“It was on July 2018 that I got a message that policemen from Imo state came to our family with Daniel. I rushed to Imo state to find out what happened. When I went to Imo, I saw Daniel in police custody. On inquiry, I was told that somebody sold him. The police told me that a man from a compound close to our house took Daniel, two brothers and their mother on one Eke day to Imo state and then disposed them.

“He sold Daniel to one Solo from Mbaise, Imo state who took Daniel and resold to one Madam Pepe at the rate of N340, 000. I reported the matter to a family law centre in 2016. Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, who is in charge of Welfare and I ran to the state commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Rebecca Og­buewu. Since then, we have never heard about the mother of Daniel.

Ekiti guber: Drivers withdraw services over alleged threat to life by APC

Ahead of this Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti state, drivers’ unions in the state have withdrawn from the roads, citing alleged victimisation by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The state Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Clement Adekola, told journalists on Monday night that their members would not work on Tuesday to avoid bloodshed.

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected in Ado-Ekiti Tuesday (today) to attend the mega rally of the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

We initially thought of parking our vehicles in our houses but we are not safe. So, we decided to run to Government House for protection.”

Adekola said the Commissioner of Police, Bello Ahmed, and the state Director of Department of State Services, DSS, Mrs Promise Iheanacho, did not respond to their petitions, hence they ran to the governor.

The chairman of Pickup and lorry drivers’ Association of Nigeria, Atowoju Adekunle, said no intimidation or harassment would change their minds from voting for the PDP candidate.

“We may have to withdraw our services until our security is guaranteed. APC should not boil this state,” he said.

Police rescue Mikel Obi’s father from kidnappers

Pa Michael Obi, father of Super Eagles captain, Mikel Obi, who was kidnapped last week, has been rescued,

The Enugu State Police Command said its operatives in the 9th Mile Division rescued Pa Obi and his driver, simply identified as Ishaya John at about 2:30pm on Monday in Egede Udi forest, along old Egede Affa road in the state.

It was gathered that Pa Obi and his driver were abducted along  Makurdi- Enugu road last week on his way from Jos in his grey-colored Toyota Prado SUV with the registration number, MUS 604CG and whisked away to unknown destination.
However, the command said the kidnapped victims were rescued unhurt, hale and hearty.

The Command’s Spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement issued on Monday and obtained by DAILY POST, said Pa Obi and the driver had since reunited with their respective families.

He said, “The abductors started calling to demand a ransom of 10 million naira before the operatives acting on intelligence information swooped on them where a gun duel ensued, which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims inside the forest and they were promptly rescued.

The state police command is appealing to members of the public particularly hospital owners and operators to watch out for any one with injury or wound believed to be that of bullet for prompt necessary action just as a full scale investigations have commenced into the incident.”

One UN peacekeeper killed, seven wounded in C. Africa ambush

A UN peacekeeper from Tanzania was killed and seven others wounded when their patrol was ambushed by gunmen in the Central African Republic, UN officials said Monday.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said gunmen believed to be from the Siriri militia attacked the UN patrol on Sunday in the village of Dilapoko in southwest Mambere-Kadei prefecture.

One of the wounded peacekeepers is in critical condition at a Bangui hospital while three others were seriously wounded, he added.

Three other peacekeepers from the MINUSCA mission are being treated in the local town of Berberati.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the attack, which brings to four the number of peacekeepers killed in the Central African Republic this year.

MINUSCA has 12,000 troops and police deployed in the impoverished country, which has been struggling since it exploded into bloodshed after the 2013 overthrow of longtime leader Francois Bozize.

CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera governs with the support of the large UN peacekeeping operation, yet can only claim to control a fraction of the country.

How to check if National ID card is ready for pick up?

It is possible that your national identity card is ready, but you do not know it. According to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), if you registered for the national ID card a long time ago, then you can check if it is ready online.
National ID card format How to check if my national identity card is ready There is now an online platform where you can check status of identity card using the following simple steps:

Visit NIMC center: https://touch.nimc.gov.ng/

Then click the proceed button Now, fill in your first name, last name and your Naitional Identification Number and hit the ‘check now button’.

Recently, a NIMC representative described the advantages of the new national identity card.

Apart from many other things, it may also be used as an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card anywhere in the world where there is MasterCard logo.

Briefing journalists today in Abuja, NIMC's Director of Technical Services, Mr Emmanuel Ogungbe disclosed the Commission have already signed an agreement with MasterCard.

He explained that, besides being just a Nigerian national ID card, it is also a cash card, so the holder can withdraw money in any place.

Moreover, especially within the West African sub-region, it soon would become possible to travel with this card only, passport-free.

I will continue to use my resources to shape a better Nigeria - Dangote

- Alhaji Aliko Dangote said he hopes to continue to shape Nigeria for the better

- The richest man in Africa said he wants to be known as the biggest philanthropist

- 13,000 vulnerable and less privileged women received grants from his foundation Africa’s richest man and Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that he would like to be known as the biggest philanthropist on the continent.

Dangote stated this on Wednesday in Lafia while disbursing N130 million micro grant to 13,000 vulnerable and less privileged women in Nasarawa State. “I do not only want to be known as Africa’s richest man but the biggest philanthropist in Africa.

I will continue to use my resources and my voice to help shape a better Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” he said. Dangote said he started the foundation in 1993 to improve the lives of the less fortunate and make a positive difference in the growth of Nigeria.

He said the four major goals of the foundation were health and nutrition, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief. He explained that the grant scheme was one of the components of the economic empowerment programme of the foundation.

Dangote said it was aimed at providing disadvantaged and vulnerable women in the country with a one-off unconditional N10, 000 cash transfer to boost their household income generation.

” This we believe will help their vulnerability and meet their livelihood needs,” he added . He explained that the programme, which was launched a few years ago, was targeted at a minimum of 1,000 women in each of the 774 local government areas across the country.

“It is estimated that we would spend about N10 billion with some states with a large population getting a little bit more.

“We at Aliko Dangote foundation are happy to continue providing support to the most vulnerable and deserving members of the society across the country,” he said. It will be recalled that Dangote said that Nigeria will soon become the largest exporter of fertiliser in Africa.

Dangote spoke on Monday, April 30, shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with a group of US agricultural business companies.
He admitted that things have changed under the Buhari government and that the country will soon become the biggest exporter of fertiliser in the continent.

Stay at home order: Igbo Youth Movement joins IPOB

•Insists move is to honour dead heroes

Enugu – The Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, has joined forces with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in asking Ndigbo to mark the Biafran Day on  May 30, 2018, by staying indoors throughout the day.

The agitators leaving the venue chanting we want Biafa.

Founder of IYM and Deputy Secretary of Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, made this demand in a statement in Enugu, yesterday.

He said that apart from honouring the dead and heroes of the Nigerian/Biafra civil war among others, remaining indoors would also enable the Igbo to reminisce over their “journey in the country,” they have “found themselves.”

The statement read in part, “I am grateful to God that the section of the Igbo elite who for varied reasons were afraid to identify openly with the restructuring gale that has been blowing across the country for over two decades (since the Abacha days), have finally found the courage to stand up and be counted.

To God be the glory. “Credit goes to leaders like Prof Ben Nwabueze and The Patriots, who sustained the restructuring struggle for decades. We must also remain grateful to the great  Ide,  Dr Alex Ekwueme, who, actually, is the father of the six regional structures. “It does not matter that these people woke up to the truth very late; their ceremony at Awka shows that they have eventually become converted to the truth.
“We must thank God for that and pray that their conversion is real. We must also help them sustain the tempo until Nigeria is returned to the regional format that saw rapid development in the First Republic. Returning Nigeria to the 1963 constitution remains the only way out of the impasse the country has found itself in.

“I would like to use this opportunity to plead with our people to remain indoors on  May 30th. It’s the only way we honour our dead and reminisce on our journey in the country we find ourselves.

“Finally, we restate, that the only kind of restructuring that will save Nigeria is a return to the 1963 constitution, built on true fiscal federalism and regional autonomy.

“Any attempt by the oppressor to retain the 36 states as federating units and also sustain the unjust 774 local government areas while claiming that devolving some powers and duties to the states equals to restructuring, will be resisted. 
Only a return to the 1963 constitution will be acceptable,” the statement concluded.

Evans’ lawyer to judge: It’s wrong to file same charges in two different courts against my client

Alleged billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike a.k.a Evans, yesterday again asked a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere to quash all the charges filed against him by the Lagos State Government.

He said that similar charges were already pending before a Lagos high court, and requested that he should be tried by one judge. The Lagos State Government had brought a fresh five-count charge bordering on conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and attempted murder against Evans and three others. Evans was arraigned alongside Joseph Emeka, Ugochukwu Nwachukwu and Victor Aduba.

In the second charge, Evans is standing trial alongside Joseph Emeka, Linus Okpara and Victor Aduba. At the resumed hearing of the case yesterday, Counsel to the first defendant, Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje told the court that he had filed a motion on notice to quash all the charges filed against the first defendant, Evans. In the motion on notice, Ogungbeje said that  all the charges were “grossly defective, repetitive and an abuse of court processes”.

He said that the prosecution had earlier filed similar charges and amended charges bordering on kidnapping against the same first defendant pending before the same High Court of Lagos State. He relied on Section 153 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law ( ACJL ) of Lagos State, adding that nothing stopped the prosecution from bringing the charges under one judge. He said that counts three, four and five were repetitions of same offence.

“Apart from the counts being of same offence, same section of the law is being provided in these counts. “I submit that the prosecution misfired by bringing different charges and instituting the same case in different courts.
“I urge your Lordship to quash the charge because it is defective and  an abuse of court process,” Ogungbeje said. while responding to the motion, the State Director for Public Prosecutions (DPP), Ms Titilayo Shitta-Bey, said “the general rule is that every offence must be in a separate count.” Shitta-Bey stated that the first defendant was charged with attempt to murder Chief James Uduji, in count three, while in count four, he was charged with attempt to murder Mr Donald Nwonye.

JAMB to conduct Computer Based Test for candidates in ongoing police recruitment

- The recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is still ongoing

- A Computer Based Test (CBT) is to be conducted for the candidates on Friday, May 25

- The test will be conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) A Computer Based Test (CBT) by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is scheduled to be conducted by JAMB on Friday May 25, in all designated centres across the country.

Reporter gathered that all successful candidates in the last physical/credentials screening stage in the on-going recruitment exercise into the force held between Monday, May 7 to Saturday, May 12 will participate in the test.

The candidates have since been notified through text messages, while those who did not receive the message are required can check for their exam centres through the under-listed websites.

i. www.policerecruitment.ng

ii. www.jamb.gov.ng

iii. www.psc.gov.ng

The candidates’ exam centres are also displayed at every state command headquarters in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police has directed the Deputy Inspector General of Police, training and development to monitor the conduct of the examination in some selected centres while the commissioners of police in state commands will monitor the conduct of the examination in centres in their commands.

A statement by the police spokesman, ACP Jimoh Moshood, urged candidates to be of good conduct and not to engage in any examination malpractice, adding that anyone caught will be arrested, investigated and prosecuted.

Buhari appoints new Police Service Commission chairman

Former Inspector-General of Police, Musiliu Smith, has been appointed as the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Smith will take over from Mike Okiro, who is also a former inspector general of police, Punch reports.

Buhari appoints new chairman of Police Service Commission Musiliu Smith appointed as new Police Service Commission chairman

Former Inspector-General of Police, Musiliu Smith, has been appointed as the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Smith will take over from Mike Okiro, who is also a former inspector general of police, Punch reports. Musiliu Smith has been appointed as the new Police Service Commission chairman

Reporter gathers that five other individuals were also appointed by the president, as members of the PSA.
The president’s letter, seeking legislative confirmation of the appointments, was read by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

Reporter previously reported that investigations revealed that Suleiman Abba, former inspector general of police, and Israel Ajao, retired deputy inspector general of police, were shortlisted for the position of chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC).

Sir Mike Okiro's tenure as chairman of PSC would statutorily expire on June 12, 2018. According to sources close to Okiro and the presidency, although Okiro was not willing to stay another five years as chairman of PSC, the presidency was not disposed to renewing his tenure.
Nigerian Police: The challenges and progress - Benue state Commissioner of Police.

Countdown (21) Eagles shape up for Congo DR

Almost all the 30 players listed by coach Gernot Rohr for the 2018 FIFA World Cup have reported in Uyo, Akwa Ibom to prepare for the warm up friendly against Congo DR on May 28 in Port Harcourt.

As at yesterday only captain John Obi Mikel, Ahmed Musa and John Ogu are still being expected to arrival at the  Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort camp in Uyo. It was gathered that Victor Moses has been granted an extension.

The Super Eagles are expected to continue with light training, which started yesterday as the prepare for the match against Congo DR who are also coming with an array of Euro-based players.
The team are expected to leave for Port Harcourt Saturday ahead of a friendly against DR Congo on Monday, May 28.

Dapchi girls return to school despite Boko Haram warning

Some of the girls abducted by Boko Haram in a school in Dapchi three months ago have returned to school despite warning by the terrorists never to return to western education.

When the terrorists raided Government Girls Science and Technical College on February 19, 111 students, alongside two other non-students, were abducted. A month later, 105 of them, alongside the two others, were released by their captors, while five were reported dead and one, Leah Sharibu, is still in captivity. One of the girls, Maryam, told Voice of America, VOA, that the terrorists photographed their faces and warned them against returning to school, but that she is dismissing their threats because she wants to learn. Despite some of the girls’ return, the school is still witnessing low turnout as only 220 students have resumed at press time. According to the school’s principal, Adama Abdulkarim, the low turnout could be a manifestation of the fears of the students or the parents of the lingering threats from Boko Haram. Last week, she urged parents to send their children to school without fear of past events. She said: “The government has already tried; the school has opened. I am calling on the parents not to be discouraged by anything that has happened. Let them bring their children; this education is very important to the children. They are the leaders of tomorrow and we cannot have leaders that are not educated.” VOA reported that parents in Dapchi have been meeting to discuss security in the town and resolved to send their daughters to school in defiance of Boko Haram’s threats