The Lagos State Government has announced the release of the full reports of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and other matters.
A statement on Sunday issued by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), said the state government has released the online version of the reports.
He stated that the public can access the two reports titled: “Report of Lekki Incident Investigation on 20th October 2021” and “Consolidated Report on General Police Brutality” online.
The commissioner asked Nigerians to download the certified true copy (CTC) of the documents on the website of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice – https://lagosstatemoj.org/official-documents/
Onigbanj advised the public to send their comments and inquiries to the Office of the Hon. Attorney-General & Commissioner for Justice through info@lagosstatemoj.org.
Naija News recalls that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State had received the reports on police brutality cases and the Lekki shooting investigation from the Justice Doris Okuwobi-led panel on November 15, 2021.
According to the leaked report of the Lekki Incident Investigation, the panel disclosed that not less than eleven people were killed at the Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020.
The report added that at least 48 protesters were either shot dead, injured with bullet wounds or assaulted by soldiers.
Following the submission of the two reports, Governor Sanwo-Olu immediately set up a committee to review the report and come up with a White Paper report.
The White Paper released by the committee on November 30th disagreed with the judicial panel of inquiry and rejected its earlier submission that nine persons were killed at the Lekki Toll Gate when soldiers opened fire on protesters last year.
The Lagos State government in the White Paper, described the claim of killings by the panel as “assumptions and speculations”.
While the panel made 32 recommendations, the Lagos Government according to the White Paper only accepted 11. One was totally rejected and six others accepted with modifications.
A former minister of interior, General Adulrahman Dambazau has been arrested by the Department of State Security, DSS over ‘Economic Sabotage’.
Dambazzau, who is currently the Kano State Chairman of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) was picked up by the operatives over the unilateral closure of seven petroleum filling stations without following due process.
All efforts to make Gen. Dambazau open the filling stations fell in deaf ears as the move was an ‘illegal assignment’ which was beyond the powers of his office.
Citing section 48 of the Nigerian Constitution which clearly states that, any government ministry, department or agency exercising any power or function or taking any action which may have direct impact on midstream or downstream petroleum operations shall consult with the authority.
This according to the section is prior to issuing any regulations, guidelines, enforcement order or directives, which a security source emphasized that Dambazzau disregarded.
Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are reaching out to the party’s caucuses in the National Assembly in their latest bid to forge a compromise with the leadership of the legislative arm on the controversial direct primary clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, The Nation gathered, has already met with some principal officers of the National Assembly in Abuja on the matter.
The Kebbi State governor and the legislators ,sources said, discussed the need to ensure that the APC is not divided by the disagreement on the bill ahead of the 2023 elections.
The bill is currently awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari who is said to be still consulting widely to determine whether to sign the bill or not.
The Nation also gathered that some of the APC governors also met with Senate President Ahmed Lawan to discuss how the grey areas in the bill could be addressed with a view to ensuring that the APC as a party presents a common position on the matter .
An aide to one of the governors said the governors’ initiative may have been informed by the body language of President Buhari on the matter.
“The President is more disposed to signing the bill,” said the source.
He added: “He is more comfortable with the arguments for direct primary. We even gathered that he may have suggested to the governors to reach out to the lawmakers and forge a common front with them on the matter in the interest of the party.
“During the week, upon his return home, my boss had a meeting with members of our state’s caucus in the National Assembly and the discussions were not as heated as the previous ones.
“Both sides are now thinking of the interest of the party and seem to be agreeing that a common position is better and still possible.
“Unless the governors and the lawmakers agree on this issue, whether the President signs the bill or declines assent, APC will be troubled by his decision.”
Bagudu had last month led other APC governors to reject the direct primary clause in the electoral bill, which mandates political parties to adopt the direct primary system.
The Kebbi State governor, after a meeting with eight other governors on the platform of the party in Abuja, briefed the media on their decision.
In attendance were governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, David Umahi of Ebonyi, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Simon Lalong of Plateau, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano and Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa.
The Kebbi governor, after the meeting, told journalists that political parties should be allowed to pick their system for primaries. He added that holding direct primaries on a large scale was against the spirit of the Executive Order signed by the President to restrict large gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that the direct primary system would be too cumbersome for the Independent National Electoral Commission to supervise.
But the National Assembly appears determined to see the bill signed into law with the direct primary clause included in it.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after a recent meeting with Buhari said the National Assembly did not have to lobby the President to sign the electoral amendment bill in its current form.
He stated that by transmitting the bill to the president, the National Assembly members already expressed their positions on issues to the President.
House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, who also met with Buhari on the issue asked the President to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill into law, saying: “We are hopeful it will become law and Nigerians will be better for it. The President is happy. He will look at all the issues we have brought to his attention.
“We talked about the Electoral Act Amendment. The official position of the House of Representatives and the Senate, we are for direct primaries. We are for empowering the people at the grassroots level. Let everybody participate in governance.”
An APC ranking Senator from the Southwest also confirmed the development to The Nation, yesterday.
His words: “The National Assembly is under the leadership of the APC. The governors we are talking about are APC governors. So, it should be expected that when we disagree on principles, we will seek to reconcile our differences.
“That is what you are seeing playing out. Don’t forget that PDP governors and lawmakers are up in arms against the same direct primary clause. So, are you expecting that we will continue to disagree for outsiders to benefit? That is not wise politically.
“Good enough, the President who is to sign or decline assent is an APC member too. Do you think he will be pleased to see what is happening? I can assure you that following some development, we are now poised to find a common ground and take credit for the much awaited amendment of the Electoral Bill together as members of the ruling party.”
Lending his voice to the controversy, an APC leader and former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, said the use of direct primary to select candidates of all political parties was appropriate.
Addressing a delegation of Senators across political party lines and geo-political zones of Nigeria who visited him in London to wish him a speedy recovery from a recent knee surgery, Chief Osoba appealed to President Buhari to sign the bill.
On the delegation were Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos West), Senator Kashim Shetima (APC, Borno Central), Senator Isah Jubril(APC, Kogi East), Senator Micheal Nnachi(PDP, Ebonyi South) and Senator Ayo Akinyelure (PDP, Ondo Central).
The rest were Senator Gershon Bassey(PDP, Cross River South), Senator Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf(APC, Taraba Central), Senator Sadiq Sulaiman Umar(APC, Kwara North), Senator Tokunbo Abiru(APC, Lagos East) Senator Bashiru Ajibola(APC, Osun Central) and Senator Hassan Mohamed Gusau(APC, Zamfara Central).
Osoba said: “I have a feeling he will sign it. The president himself is a product of direct primary. He submitted himself to direct primary in 2019 throughout the country, so heaven did not fall. After he subjected himself to direct primary throughout Nigeria in all the wards, he also subjected himself to a National Convention to ratify his election at the primary.
“And quote me, I had cause to tell him at our National Caucus during Edo election issue that ‘”Mr. President, if you can subject yourself to direct primary and national Convention, I do not see why anybody should be afraid of direct primary.’”
In his remarks Senator Adeola, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, said the members of the Senate were in London and decided to pay him a get well quick visit as his wealth of experience is needed as Nigeria forges ahead in difficult times, adding that it is gratifying to see that he was fast recovering from his surgery as evidenced in his personally coming to receive them at the door from the first floor and going back up with them to the sitting room upstairs.
Senator Shetimma who spoke on behalf of other senators stated that they came as Nigerians irrespective of their political party or regional coloration to wish him well as an elder statesman who has contributed to the nation through journalism and service in government while some of them are still growing up, stressing that the nation still needs his wealth of experience in forging ahead in these times.
The government of United Kingdom will add Nigeria to its red list following reports of covid-19 Omicron variant confirmed in about 21 travelers from the country.
The new decision was disclosed in an official press release on the UK government’s website which joins Nigeria with Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.
“Nigeria to be added to the travel red list from 4am Monday 6 December following 21 cases of Omicron reported in England which are linked to travel from this country, with 134 UK cases now reported in total,” it stated on Saturday.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, however made it clear that for now, only Nigerian UK citizens or residents will be allowed entry under strict protocols.
Visitors from Nigeria and those on its red list are not allowed while others must conduct some tests before they can enter the UK.
“In light of the most recent data we are taking further action to slow the incursion of the Omicron variant.
“From 4am Monday, only UK/Irish citizens & residents travelling from Nigeria will be allowed entry and must isolate in a managed quarantine facility.
“And – from 4am Tuesday, anyone travelling to the UK from countries not on the Red List will be required to take a pre-departure test, regardless of their vaccination status,” he stated in a tweet.
Javid also urged the citizens to get vaccinated as a first line of defence.
Recall that the omicron variant was first reported in South Africa on November 24.
Ever since, certain countries have placed travel ban on the country while the Nigerian government has said it stands in solidarity with its South African counterpart.
They accused Ilelah of engaging in illegal award of contracts to friends, family members and cronies in violation of procurement laws.
Some workers of the National Broadcasting Corporation have accused the Director-General of the agency, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, of nepotism and marginalisation.
They accused Ilelah of engaging in illegal award of contracts to friends, family members and cronies in violation of procurement laws.
Sources told SaharaReporters that since the appointment of the Director-General in June 2021, it had been a regime of indiscriminate awards of contracts to persons that either did not bid for contracts that the NBC did not advertise.
According to the workers, Ilelah has abused all known procurement regulations in the agency.
“It is a sad story at the NBC as we speak; I have never seen a DG that is so compromised in the annals of the NBC. The DG has thrown caution to the wind and has also succeeded in forming a cartel that runs the show, clearly sidelining other top management staff,” one of the workers said.
Another staff in the procurement department, who pleaded anonymity for fear of victimisation, stated that the procurement department has been busy attending to contract files of people not shortlisted or issued award letters.
“It is a new regime for us, and we are handicapped as it stands. We come to the office daily seeing strange faces claiming to be contractors from the DG’s office to supply all sorts. In some instances, the companies are not registered,” he said.
SaharaReporters further gathered that the Director-General had mandated all existing contractors register with their award letters for vetting at his office.
And those whose contract sums exceed a certain amount are made to make commitments before their payments are processed.
A close source conversant with the activities of Ilelah since he assumed leadership added that the DG has elected to tow the same path that led to the removal of his predecessor.
He stated that a clique at the commission set traps for the Director-General through the indiscriminate award of contracts.
“It is such a pity that the DG has also fallen for the gimmick of those few that have entrenched themselves as the alpha and omega of the NBC. They give wrong advice to the DG and show him how to shortchange the system through the award of contracts.
“The new DG fell completely flat for these individuals. This time around, they used the instrument of religion to penetrate the DG. And the way and manner the DG has used religion as a tool is alarming. Contractors are classified along with religious lines and other despicable acts. What the DG has failed to realize is that these same people are the ones that go about telling the world about how he is corruptly enriching himself.
“We all are aware of how the former DG was suspended and eventually sacked for corrupt practices. And in truth, if the current DG escapes this, then it would be a miracle because he has involved himself with acts that are very uncharitable in less than a year,” he added.
Leke Adeboye, son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, reacts following the launch of a dating app by the Church.
RCCG had announced the launch of their Christian online dating app where single brothers and sisters of the religious organization can connect.
In reaction to the development, Leke Adeboye took to his Instagram page to state categorically that the Church does not need a dating app.
In multiple edited posts, Leke shared photos of past relationships of church members who connected through traditional means, without an app.
“He left and then came back for what, he went to prepare a plade for. Seeds connecting with seeds. We don’t need a dating app! (We old fashion, we use prayer and hloy spirit to find each other.)” he wrote.
“We don’t need a dating app” – Leke Adeboye reacts to launch of RCCG’s Christian dating platform”We don’t need a dating app” – Leke Adeboye reacts to launch of RCCG’s Christian dating platform
Amid the case of late 12-year-old Junior Oromoni, a secondary school student identified as Michael Ogbeise has beaten his school teacher to death in the university community of Abraka, Ethiope East Council Area of Delta State.
With the unsettled case of Junior Oromoni, the death of a school teacher surfaced on the internet after being beaten by one of his pupils. The deadly incident took place in Erhemu Secondary School located in the university community on Thursday.
The suspect said to be a SSS 3 student was reported to have descended on his teacher, Joseph for allegedly beating his younger sister, Promise Ogbeise.
According to sources, before the incident, Michael left the school premises angrily after witnessing his sister being flogged after fighting with one of her colleagues. After some while, Michael returned to confront the said teacher in the staff room, known to be in charge of Agricultural science ad Biology in the Private school.
He was said to have repeatedly punched the teacher leaving him with a bleeding nose. The teacher eventually collapsed and was rushed to a private hospital in the community, then to a government hospital where sources confirmed he was dead.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, when contacted and briefed on the incident said that the suspect is on the run.
“The story is true. The young man attacked the teacher who collapsed in the process. The girl is now under a protective custody, but his brother, who effected the killing, has bolted away.
“We have nothing to do with his parents. Our focus is to get the boy arrested,” he said.
Meanwhile, the said school has been shut down by the proprietor.
Awarding-winning Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, professionally known as Davido on Friday signed an endorsement deal with Wema Bank.
The DWM boss revealed the development in a post on his Instagram story on Friday.
This is coming weeks after officials of the bank flew to Dubai to meet Davido following the millions of Naira that was donated into his account in the bank.
Recall that Davido had appealed to his friends and fans to donate one million Naira each for him to clear his Rolls Royce from the port.
The development saw the talented singer make more than 200 million Naira in the account, but he, however, added fifty million Naira to the cash and donated it to orphanages across the country.
Davido had earlier disclosed that the bank wanted to meet with him but a meeting couldn’t be set because he was out of the country.
The singer on Friday shared a video of the moment he signed the endorsement deal with the bank and captioned it, ”Officially with @wemabank @alat_ng”
See photos below:
In a related development, Davido on Friday took a ride in his newly acquired 240m Naira 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan.
The singer took to his Instastories to share videos of him having a nice time inside the ride with his pals and entourage.
Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBN) has strengthened security around the country’s digital currency, the e-Naira, and says that the latest invention by the apex bank is hack-proof.
According to the director of corporate communication of the apex bank, Osita Nwanisobi, steps have been taken to secure the recently launched digital currency from cybercriminals.
Nwanisobi was speaking at a Central Bank event with the topic: “Promoting Financial Stability and Economic Development.
The spokesperson of the bank said the e-Naira will handle challenges in the financial institution, cross-border problems, taxation and diaspora remittance relationships.
Nwanisobi said a tougher stand has been taken against hackers who might target the e-Naira and protect the financial industry.
The new measures will make it very hard for any cybercriminal to break or penetrate customers’ accounts.
It is no longer easy for cybercriminals to be allowed to have a field day and smile home with people’s sweat, Nwanisobi said.
The e-Naira vs the physical Naira
According to Nwanisobi the e-Naira is the digital version of the physical Naira, the only difference being that, while one is physical, the other one is virtual.
According to him, there is cash payment, electronic payment and now digital payments, all aimed at reducing hardship faced by bank customers at the point of transactions with their bank or other banks, he said.
“That is why when we are talking of the e-Naira, we say it’s the same Naira with possessing power and possibilities,” Nwanisobi said.
He said the CBN has increased the number of password digits to 12 in order to secure the e-Naira.
In a separate event, the CBN had said that users can secure their e-naira through proof of ownership by keeping them in a bank account that has CBDC tokens.
It will be maintained in an account, the distributor’s account which the bank will validate including the user’s identity before creating an account.
These KYC standards are in place to prevent money laundering, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes.
In a previous report, Legit.ng had reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged all Nigerians to use the eNaria, claiming it is more secure than cryptocurrencies.
This was disclosed by CBN spokesman, Nnamdi Okwuosa at the CBN Fair, with the theme, ‘Promoting financial stability and economic development.
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