CATHOLIC Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has been called upon to “quickly and quietly leave the seat of Caliphate” or immediately stop his “malicious vituperations against Islam and Muslims” and tender unreserved apology to the Muslim Ummah.
The call by the Muslim Solidarity Forum, Sokoto was contained in a press statement. It came amidst allegations by the Department of State Services of a plot to incite religious violence in some states by some elements working with external forces.
The acting Chairman of MSF, Prof Isa Maishanu, while reacting to Kukah’s Christmas message, stated that Kukah, with his statements, was trying to break the age-long peaceful coexistence between the predominantly Muslim population and their Christian guests.
According to the statement, “In February 2020, he (Kukah) staged a demonstration in the heart of Sokoto over the killing of a single Christian priest, presumably, by the Boko Haram insurgents, but did not consider hundreds of Muslims, Fulani herders that were mercilessly killed by the Christian militia in Taraba state in 2018.”
The statement went further to ask the fiery clergy what he thought would happen if the peace-loving Muslims of the seat of Caliphate, responded to his incessant provocative attacks on them and their religion like what happened in Kafanchan 1987, Zango Kataf 1992, Tafawa Balewa in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 2001, Yelwa Shandam 2004, Zonkwa and Jarkasa in 2011?”
Reacting, the Chairman of CAN in Kaduna State and its National Vice Chairman (19 Northern States and Abuja), Rev. Joseph John Hayab, and Executive Director of FJPD, Kwamkur Samuel, said the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Foundation for Justice Peace Development faulted the quit notice served Bishop Kukah by the forum.
Hayab said, “We have tolerated them so that we can continue together and build a nation of respect for others’ opinion. We, therefore, see this call for an apology from Bishop Kukah by this group as a show of disrespect and a display of complex attitude to abuse our tolerance spirit and our desire for a peaceful Nigeria.
“We see this group as agents of blackmail and intimidation who want to infringe on the right and freedom of expression of citizens, which our constitution guarantees.”
In the same vein, Samuel said, “Those terrorising Nigerians daily are so strong that they are rewarded almost on daily basis with ransom even in foreign currency under the supervision of authority while those crying on pages of papers like Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, due to losses, experience and excruciating pains and love for the nation, are easily identified, intimidated and vilified by the same authority that is not able to secure the lives and property of Nigerians.
“I will advise this group of young and energetic Nigerians who are calling for the head of Kukah to join the families of victims of terrorists, kidnappers and bandits in Katsina, Maiduguri, Zamfara and other parts of Nigeria to get to the source and sponsors of killers of Nigerians.”
Big Brother Naija former housemate, Nengi, has reacted to Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri’s decision to replace her with Ebizi Blessing Eradiri as the Face of Bayelsa Girl Child.
Governor Diri removed the Big Brother Naija star and replaced her with Eradiri, the first female First Class graduate from the Faculty of Law at the Niger Delta University, NDU.
Eradiri also finished First Class from the Nigerian Law School.
The decision of the Governor to pick Nengi for the position had met strong criticism on social media as many believed that the double First Class Law Graduate, not only made Bayelsans proud but also the entire Izon nation.
And the Governor on Monday announced Eradiri as the New Face of Bayelsa Girl Child.
Eradiri and her father were at the Government House, Yenagoa, where the Governor also, among other things, gave her automatic employment to lecture at the NDU’s Faculty of Law.
Reacting to the development, Nengi tweeted, “Congratulations to Barr. Ebizi Eradiri. It’s amazing how you were able to pull that thru!
“Special thanks to my Governor for also finding her worthy for the honour. It is without doubt that we will both work together to see how we can front for a better welfare for the Girl child.”
Congratulations to Barr. Ebizi Eradiri. It's amazing how you were able to pull that thru!
Special thanks to my Governor for also finding her worthy for the honour. It is without doubt that we will both work together to see how we can front for a better welfare for the Girl child pic.twitter.com/88riQTUvK4
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is considering a move to bring former manager Avram Grant back to Stamford Bridge to work with current Blues boss Frank Lampard.
The Russian billionaire believes Grant’s experience could provide invaluable support to manager Lampard and his staff.
Chelsea have won only one of their last six Premier League matches and have dropped to ninth in the table.
Grant believes his strengths lie as a team manager rather than behind the scenes, so potentially the 65-year-old’s return to Stamford Bridge could be on a short-term basis.
Recently on social media, Grant backed Lampard, and urged Abramovich to give him time to prove his doubters wrong.
About the current situation, I can say only this. You need to be strong when things are not going well, when things are going well everyone is a genius and knows what to do,” Grant said in an Instagram post.
“But in the situation like this when things aren’t going well you need to be strong, look for solutions and show a lot about your character
“What I can say to Frank and the others at the club is be patient, and more than this do whatever is necessary to do, that’s for sure. Two things: never lose it even when things are going well, don’t lose your fighting spirit at the highest level.
“And second, don’t lose what you have here [points at head] – you need to think right and look for solutions. If you do that, then everything will be OK because the quality is there and there is a potential like there was [at Chelsea] in my time.”
In 2018, the former Portsmouth and West Ham boss had a spell as manager of Indian Super League team NorthEast United.
Prior to that, Grant managed Ghana, leading them to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, losing to Ivory Coast on penalties.
Grant guided Chelsea to the Champions League final in 2008 and Lampard scored 20 goals during 40 appearances in all competitions for the Blues during that season.
Frank Lampard says the arrival of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2003 made his career as a player but does not think his personal relationship with the club should influence the Russian’s decisions.
Former midfielder Lampard enjoyed a trophy-laden career at Stamford Bridge during the first decade of Abramovich’s reign before he returned to the club as head coach in 2019.
“I have to sit here and say that when the owner came to Chelsea all those years ago, it made my career,” Lampard said.
“Maybe I would have gone elsewhere or whatever might have happened in my personal career, but fortunately I was at a club that had an owner who was brought in and absolutely changed the face of it and changed my life.
Mo Abudu, CEO of EbonyLife Films, has kicked against the N2.5 billion allegedly demanded by Tobore Ovuorie, an investigative journalist, who accused her of copyright infringement with respect to ‘Oloture’, her 2020 movie.
Ovuorie had claimed that Abudu’s film adapted 75 percent of her 2014 undercover investigation on sex trafficking. She also alleged that it was done without her express permission.
The media mogul, however, debunked the allegations in a 10-minute video shared on her Instagram page on Tuesday.
The 56-year-old former human resources management consultant said Tobore’s lawyers sent a letter to her a month after the film was released on Netflix demanding N2.5 billion in compensation.
Abudu also said she had earlier reached out to the publishers of Premium Times, Tobore’s employers as of when the story was filed, and obtained a go-ahead to make the film while out of moral obligation promising the reporter’s NGO a five per cent cut from its theatre run.
“Tobore wrote the article titled ‘Inside Nigeria’s Ruthless Human Trafficking Mafia’, which was published on August 12 2014 by the Premium Times, her employer at the time. Premium Times Services Limited, the publisher of Premium Times, has disclosed that she can’t lay claim to the investigative report that belongs to them,” she said.
“According to the Premium Times editor-in-chief, only the media company and their partner on that project, Zam Chronicles, can lay claim to the copyright of that report based on Nigeria’s copyright law. We sought and obtained the rights from Premium Times, the owners of the story. As such, we fulfilled our legal obligations.
“And do not take kindly to suggestions stating otherwise. There are several instances where we have acquired the rights to books, stories, and places such as ‘Queen Hunter’ ‘Death of the Kings Horsemen’, and ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’. This is how our industry works. We dare not make a film without acquiring rights.
“Although I have addressed our legal obligations, there were moral issues to be dealt with in a case like this. In May 2019, 20 months before the launch of ‘Oloture’ on Netflix, we reached out to Tobore to acknowledge her journalistic achievements, to recognise and encourage her in her ongoing campaign against sex trafficking and that of her NGO.
“We granted her a private screening of the movie; gave her a special mention at the end of ‘Oloture’. And I interviewed her on ‘Moments with Mo’. In addition, we wrote to her and offered her five percent of the proceeds from our plan to cinema-run. This is to go towards her NGO, which she acknowledged. We also reached out to other NGOs.
“This was to pledge proceeds from our cinema run as ‘Oloture was never created as a commercial film. We felt it was an important film to make and donors helped us to raise the money. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the cinema release never happened. Instead, we decided to partner with Netflix, and the film was released on October 2, 2020.
“Within a few days (after release), Tobore went on social media making accusations. She wrote to Netflix, launched an attack against Kenneth Inyang, who never saw the script until we approached him to direct. A month after, we got a letter from Tobore’s lawyers alleging copyright infringement and demanding $5 million in compensation.”
Describing Tobore’s monetary demands as “extortionist and blackmailing” in nature, Abudu stated that she might resort to going to court if need be but said she remains open to settling the issue in an “appropriate conversation”.
“At this point, our in-house lawyer suggested that we needed to engage an external legal counsel, which we did. We knew we had not infringed on her copyright because Premium Times owned it. We did not have N2.5 billion to give. In order to understand what her demands were based on, our lawyers began meeting with hers,” Abudu added.
“That process stopped because her lawyers disengaged from her. Recently, Tobore started contacting out producers via WhatsApp and sending them horrid messages. To me, Tobore’s demands have become threatening, extortionist, and blackmailing in nature. If she felt she has a legal case, it could be best to come through the proper channels.
“A few days before the film was released on Netflix, I had sent her a text message: ‘Hi dear, it’s strictly on Netflix. No cinema due to covid. I promised you a cash gift towards your foundation and I will still make it happen even though we did not have a cinema release’. However, everything changed after the growing popularity of the film on Netflix.
“Oloture is a story inspired by true events and involving the work of scriptwriters, the development of characters and locations, situations, and occurrences that were created by our writers. Certain incidents in Oloture are similar to what happened to Tobore and this is why she was given credits. But it could never be her life story as claimed.
“So many women from around trafficked to Italy have similar stories. Please let’s educate ourselves. If there is one thing I stand for, it’s about integrity, working hard, and standing up for what I believe in. We’ve not exploited Tobore or anyone else and we will not be exploited. The facts are clear. We have everything in writing.
“And we’re prepared to defend ourselves against baseless attacks and legal challenges. We will not be intimidated because of the financial success of Oloture. However, our door is always open to having a conversation that is appropriate and right. Anything else will be refuted and rebuffed and, if necessary, settled in a court of law.”
Based in Lagos, ‘Oloture is the story of a young, naïve Nigerian journalist who goes undercover to expose the shady underworld of human trafficking.
On the other hand, Ovuorie’s investigation, which was published on Premium Times, exposed the syndicates that caused the death of Ifueko, her friend, who returned from sex work in Italy in 1999 with AIDS and died later.
The allegation by a former director of Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited, Mr Tunde John Ayeni, that the company was hijacked by Captain Hosa Okunbo has been contradicted by a series of validly-executed company resolutions and other documents was obtained by our reporter which he (Ayeni) signed, transferring his shares in OMS and its other associated companies to Wells Property Limited.
Ayeni had, through his lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the matter and had also raised issues of alleged financial misappropriation by his erstwhile business partner, Captain Okunbo.
His narratives including the allegations most of which were not substantiated or backed up by documentary evidence, were contained in the nine-page petition dated December 7, 2020 and titled: “Request for investigation of stealing and criminal diversion of company fund”.
All the documents made available by the management of OMS in its defence clearly showed that Ayeni was part of the processes and meetings that culminated in his transfer of all his shares in OMS and its associated companies to Wells Property Development Company Limited.
Significantly, he and his wife, Abiola Ayeni, duly signed the special resolution of their Prime Union Investment Limited where he is Chairman Board of Directors/shareholder and with wife as Director/shareholder in respect of the sale of 30,000,000 ordinary shares in OMS to Wells Property Development Limited for a consideration of N2 billion only.
The special resolution was dated August 14, 2018. All the shareholders had subsequently executed a share purchase agreement and other necessary documentations required to completely transfer all the shares held in OMS devoid of any liability or encumbrance to Wells Property Development Company Limited.
The documents confirmed that as far back as 2018, Ayeni had ceased being a director and shareholders in OMS, having sold his entire shares in the company.
The claim by OMS management is that Ayeni who is neither a director nor a shareholder in the company cannot allege financial misappropriation in a manner as to claim he was affected by its administration as he is just a meddlesome interloper in the affairs of the company.
Besides, the EFCC had, in a letter to the Chairman and Board of Directors of OMS on June 25, 2019, confirmed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that Ayeni had sold his entire shares and resigned as Director and shareholders of the company(Documents attached).
The letter signed by EFCC’s Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar Abba, was tilted: “Re: Investigation Activities”.
It read in part: “We refer to your letters dated 20th December 2018, 15th April 2019, 22nd May, 2019 and NNPC letter dated 28th December 2018 on the above subject.
“We wish to state that in June 2017, a petition regarding infractions by the previous Board and Management of Skye Bank was forwarded from the Office of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In the course of investigation, Dr Tunde Ayeni was invited and he volunteered a statement confirming the withdrawal of 29.5 billion naira cash from the Skye Bank. He, however, promised to refund the said funds to the bank and further claimed to have some interest in Ocean Marine and its subsidiary companies.
“Based on the above, investigation was extended to the Corporate Affairs Commission where it was discovered that Dr Tunde Ayeni had on the 8th August, 2018 actually sold his 35 million ordinary shares in Ocean Marine Solutions Limited and 37.2 million ordinary shares in PPP Fluid Mechanics Limited to Wells Property Development Company Limited, a subsidiary of Ocean Marine Solutions Ltd….”
The EFCC had said that its investigation so far did not indict the Chairman of OMS and its subsidiary companies, Capt Okunbo(a copy attached).
Recall that Ayeni was once a non -Executive Chairman of defunct Skye Bank.
Other documents directly relevant and/or ancillary to the validation of the legitimate acquisition of Ayeni’s shares in OMS are published hereunder, including a letter by Mr Ned Nwoko who Ayeni’s lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) mentioned in his petition to the EFCC.
Nwoko, in the letter to the Inspector General of Police, on the funding for Paris Club litigation said he did not know Ayeni and that he related directly and on personal basis with Capt. Hosa to the exclusion of OMS(Document included).
Also our Reporter obtained a payment instructions document from office of the Chairman, Ocean Marine Solutions Limited to effect #1 billion transfer to Ayeni’s company Olutoyl estate development and services Ltd owned on 26th November, 2018 and the balance was paid over a period of 2 years installment.
The Lagos State Police Command has again directed its operatives to go after unregistered vehicles, vehicles with covered numbers plates, fake number plates and unauthorised use of siren in the state as the operstives of the Response Squad (RRS), a unit of the Lagos State Police Command, on Friday 8th January, 2021, impounded three (3) vehicles for covering their number plates and forty three (43) motorcycles for plying prohibited routes in Alausa Business District, Ikeja.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, had warned vehicle owners against these acts of illegality towards the end of year 2020 as a result of the intelligence gathered on the planned usage of these categories of vehicles and motorcycles for committing crimes in the state and beyond.
In compliance with the order, police operatives in the state have been on the prowl of violators who are fond of using unregistered vehicles, covered and fake number plates, unauthorised use of siren or revolving light etc with many of them prosecuted and fined accordingly.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, while reaffirming his zero tolerance for traffic offences and the like, ordered the Commander RRS, CSP Yinka Egbeyemi to intensify efforts in impounding any vehicles/bikes found wanting in this regard. CP Odumosu however expressed shock at the volume of vehicles violating these order in the state and motorcycles prowling Alausa Business District, which are prohibited routes for bikes.
During the sting operation organised by the command, which was commanded by CSP Yinka Egbeyemi, to kick against these offences, the command siezed the opportunity to advise Lagosians to desist from such illegality. The command also warned Governments workers, who encourage commercial motorcycle riders to flout the rules on prohibited routes to desist forthwith, pointing out that the squad had the directive of the Commissioner of Police to impound such bikes and prosecute both the riders and passengers.
The Commissioner of Police Lagos State has however ordered that the three (3) vehicles and 43 motorcycles impounded be transfered to Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental Offences without delay for prosecution.
In another development, the zeal of the command to curtail traffic robbery in Lagos State paid off as the RRS men on decoy operation along Ogudu/Alapere Expressway on Saturday 9th January, 2021, arrested two (2) suspected traffic robbers.
The suspects are Dada Owolabi,m, 52 and Kolawole Olawoye, m, 25. The suspects were arrested at diffrent incidences at about 10pm. The suspects are assisting the police to apprehend other fleeing members of their gangs.
The police chief in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, has oredered that the suspects be transferred to State CID Panti, Yaba, for proper investigation.
Arising from the dangers, the risks and the rising cases of fatalities occasioned by road traffic crashes recorded at night, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has advised fleet operators, other commercial drivers and patronisers of night trips, including private vehicle owners to desist henceforth from it, emphasising that night trip which is often characterised by poor visibility, fatigue, sleeping on wheels, excessive speed among others is not only unsafe, but utterly dangerous.
According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, Oyeyemi gave the warning while reacting to some reports of fatal crashes recorded at night at the beginning of the year, which led to the death of several road users and left others with different degrees of injuries.
The Corps Marshal while speaking extensively on why night trips should be avoided, lamented that on January 5, 2021 alone, an avoidable fatal crash occurred in Kabba, Kogi State where 2 vehicles were caught up in a head-on collision as a result of a combination of some factors revealed to be fatigue and sleeping on the steering.
The crash involved the driver of a white Toyota Hiace bus ( MSA 942 XA) that contravened COVID-19 protocols on physical distancing by overloading the bus with 18 passengers instead of the prescribed 8 passengers and a green Iveco trailer ( AKA 788 XC) carrying 07 passengers. Out of the 25 passengers on board the two vehicles, 08 were killed while 17 sustained various injuries.
Similarly, while maintaining that crashes that occur at night are more fatal than the ones that happen in the day time, Oyeyemi also lamented that just on January 9, 2021 2 vehicles; a white Sienna (KUG 538 BJ) and a Sharon bus without a number plate were involved in a fatal crash on Akwanga-Keffi road leaving the entire 17 passengers on board burnt beyond recognition.
Speaking further, the Corps Marshal disclosed that intelligence report reveals that most fleet operators and other vehicle owners, including private vehicle owners who are addicted to night journeys, do so for selfish economic gains, unnecessary overloading of vehicles with both passengers and goods and to avoid arrest and enforcement on physical distancing by FRSC patrol teams.
He warned that in as much as the Corps does not have the statutory powers to ban night trips, it has become very critical and a matter of urgency for patronisers of night trips to retrace their steps and plan their journeys in the day time because often times, when crash occurs away from FRSC rescue points, its difficult to access help from motorists at night.
In the same vein, while listing out the dangers associated with night travels, like poor visibility, fatigue, sleeping on wheels, dangerous driving, overloading, speeding among others, Oyeyemi also warned passengers whose journeys could wait for the next day to resist any temptation that could lead them into patronising fleet operators at night.
The Corps Marshal warned that these deaths are not only avoidable and preventable but totally unacceptable hence the need for all to take caution.
” On our part, the Corps will continue double its efforts by constantly engaging the motoring public nationwide, through aggressive awareness and sensitisation campaign, until the desired result is achieved” he added.
In the rekindled spirit of professionalism and enhanced productivity, the Nigerian Army has just released the postings and appointments of some affected senior officers.
The posting which was approved by the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen TY Buratai is a routine/normal exercise intended to reinvigorate the system for greater performance and effectiveness.
The posting saw the redeployment of Major General FO Agugo from Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals Corps Apapa Lagos to Defence Headquareters Department of Communications as Chief of Defence Communications, Major General M Mohammed from Nigerian Army Resource Center Abuja to Pronto Tech Nigeria Limited and appointed Managing Director, Maj Gen AR Owolabi from Defence Headquarters Abuja (Department of Communications) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals Corps as Commander, Major General A Bande is to remain as General Officer Commanding 8 Division Sokoto, Major General E Akerejola from Army Headquarters Department of Logistics to Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport, Benin as Commandant, Major General UM Mohammed to remain in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff as Special Adviser Nigerian Army University Biu and Vice Chairman Nigerian Army Property Limited, Abuja, Major General CV Eze from Office of the Chief of Army Staff ( Nigerian Army Special Projects) to Army Headquarters, Department of Army Logistics and appointed Director Engineering Services, Major General OF Azinta from Defence Space Agency, Abuja to Defence Headquarters as Director Psychological Warfare, Major General AM Dauda from National Defence College, Abuja to Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Director Policy, Major General AL Dusu from Army Headquarters, Department of Policy and Plans to Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Kachia appointed Commandant and Major General H Ahmed from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police to remain as Provost Marshal (Army).
Others include, – Major General TA Gagariga from Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Kachia to Defence Space Agency, Abuja appointed as Deputy Chief of Defence Space Agency, Major General JO Iwara from Army Headquarters Department of Standard and Evaluation to Department of Army Logistics appointed Director of Logistics Planning, Major General PI Eze to remain at Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE Maiduguri and appointed Theatre Logistics Component Commander, Major General OO Oluyede to remain in Sector 2 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Damaturu as Commander, Major General BR Sinjen to remain in Army Headquarters Department of Training and Operations, Abuja as Director Operations, Major General R Abubakar to remain in Defence Headquarters as Defence Liaison Officer Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, Major General OO Soyele from Defence Hedquarters, Abuja to Nigerian Army Resource Center, Abuja as Senior Research Fellow, Major General AK Ibrahim to remain in Headquarters 7 Division/ Sector 1 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Maiduguri as General Officer Commanding/Commander Sector 1 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Major General SI Igbinomwanhia to remain in Sector 3 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Monguno as Commander and Major General IM Jallo from Headquarters 63 Brigade, Asaba to Headquarters 6 Division, Port Harcourt appointed General Officer Commanding.
Similarly, Brigadier General AIM Lapai from 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support), Onitsha to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery, Kontogora appointed Director Field Defence, Brigadier General Kawugana from Warrant Officers’ Academy, Jaji to Hedquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja Lagos appointed Commander, Brigadier General MO Jimoh from Defence Headquarters to Defence Space Agency, Abuja and appointed Deputy Director, Launch Vehicle Systems, Brigadier General MA Bolarinwa from Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport Benin to Defence Headquarters(Annex), Lagos and appointed Deputy Director Supply, Brigadier General SM Uba to remain in 401 Special Forces’ Brigade as Commander, Brigadier General WM Dangana from Army War College Nigeria, Abuja to 3 Division Garrison, Jos appointed Commander, Brigadier General AGL Haruna to remain in 7 Division Garrison, Maiduguri as Commander, Brigadier General AM Garba from Headquarters Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Maiduguri to Headquarters 23 Brigade, Yola appointed Commander, Brigade General AG Laka from Army War College Nigeria, Abuja to Nigerian Army Operations Centre, Abuja and appointed Coordinator, Brigadier General IA Ajose from Training and Doctrine Command, Minna to 4 Special Forces Command, Doma as Chief of Staff, Brigadier General DK Zirkushu from Headquarters 1 Brigade, Gusau to Headquarters 28 Task Force Brigade, Chibok and appointed Commander.
Accordingly, Brigadier General M Ibrahim from Operation SAFE CORRIDOR, Gombe to 14 Brigade Ohafia appointed Commander, Brigadier General A Idris from Army Headquarters Department of Administration Army to Headquarters 63 Brigade, Asaba appointed Commander, Brigadier General RT Utsaha from 34 Brigade Garrison, Owerri to 32 Brigade, Akure and appointed Commander, Brigadier General MA Sadiq from Headquarters Operation DELTA SAFE, Yenagoa to Headquarters 4 Brigade, Benin and appointed Commander, Brigadier General IH Daniel from 304 Artillery Regiment Maiduguri to 34 Brigade Garrison Oweri as Commander, Brigadier General EO Ojabo from Defence Headquarters, Abuja to 81 Division Garrison, Lagos and appointed Commander, Brigadier General SS Tilawan to remain in Headquarters 5 Brigade as Commander.
Others are – Colonel FD Babatunde from Headquarters 81 Division, Lagos to Headquarters Operation SAFE HAVEN Jos appointed Sector Commander, Colonel OJ Majebi from Operation SAFE HAVEN, Jos to 31 Brigade Garrison, Minna appointed Commander, Col JC Mbanefo from Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery to 301 Artillery Regiment (General Support) and appointed Commander, Colonel MA Maaji from Depot Nigerian Army Zaria to 4 Operation DELTA SAFE and appointed Commander amongst others.
All the postings and appointments take effect from the 18 of January 2021.
While wishing all the officers well in their respective appointments, the Chief of Army Staff enjoins them to take their new responsibilities/appointments seriously and discharge all duties professionally with utmost loyalty to the Nation and the Service.
Mr. Tajudeen Ajayi, winner of the 59th FirstBank sponsored Lagos open golf championship receiving the award from Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu, Chief Risk Officer, FirstBank and representative of the Bank’s CEO at the prize presentation and award night of the 59th edition of the annual FirstBank sponsored golf tourney, recently held at the Ikoyi Club, Lagos.
Ikoyi Club based category-1 amateur golfer, Ajayi Tajudeen has emerge winner of the 59th edition of the FirstBank sponsored Lagos Open Golf Championship. Ajayi closed with 1-under par 70 for a total of 7-over the course par to win the Championship by two-shots after 56-holes.
Happy at the recently held golf tourney, Ajayi adduced his success to hard work, saying “I practiced a lot”.
“There is no short cut to success which is why I take the sport very seriously. I was well prepared for this tournament because I practiced a lot”, he said in a chat with newsmen shortly after being declared the Champion.
With his victory, Ajayi replaces Peter Eben-Spiff on the FirstBank Open winners list.
Playing 4-shots adrift going to the final round, Ajayi recorded bogey free 18-holes to steal the show ahead of overnight leader, Gabriel Ejembi who carded a closing 76 for 9-over the course par over 56-holes to beat clubmate Ejembi to the second position.
Coming in the third position was Tochukwu Emuwa at 14-over. Emuwa opened his game with 76, a second-round score of 75 and a closing 74 to duck in the third position.
Olusegun Emmanuel came fourth while Junior Champion; Osiregbeme Egbakhumeh completed the top five in the R&A and USGA sanctioned championship.
Satisfied with the outcome of the competition, Olusegun Alebiosu, the Chief Risk Officer of FirstBank, who represented the Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, reiterated the banks continuous support for the championship.
The competition was organised in full compliance with Federal Government Covid-19 protocols
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), says no fewer than 10, 522 Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) were recorded nationwide in 2020 involving 17,614 vehicles.
The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO) Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in an interview with the Newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.
Kazeem said 4, 794 persons were recorded dead and 28,449 persons got various degrees of injury within the period under review, while 29,808 had minor injuries and survived.
He said there was a decrease in the total number of people killed by road traffic crashes in 2020 when compared to 2019.
He added that In 2019, the Corps recorded 4, 878 deaths as against 4, 794 deaths in 2020 representing a decrease of 84 which was 1.75 per cent decrease.
According to him, the Corps recorded a total of 10,522 road traffic crashes involving 17,614 vehicles in the year 2020, as against 9, 957 involving 16,806 vehicles recorded in the previous year 2019.
“The total number of crashes increased in the year 2020 with a total of 565 crashes, representing 5.37 per cent increase.
“In 2020 alone, out of 63,581 people involved in RTC, a total of 4, 794 were killed, as against 4, 878 in 2019 representing 1.75 per cent decrease.
“28,449 got injured in 2020 against 32,344 in 2019 representing a decrease of 3, 895 or 13.69 per cent.
“While a total of 29,808 survived the crashes with injuries in 2020 against 32,499 in 2019 representing 6745 or 10.67 per cent decrease,” he said.
Kazeem said the major causes of these crashes as observed by the Corps was Speed-related Violations (SPV), which contributed above 62 per cent of the total crashes.
He added that dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, overloading, break failure, tyre burst, wrongful overtaking and route violation were also probable major causes of crashes.
“Bad road, road construction violation, dangerous overtaking, sleeping on steering, poor weather, use of phone while driving, sign light violation, fatigue among others caused the crashes, ” he added.
Kazeem said the Corps believed that a crash-free society was still possible only if all road users, including pedestrians ensured that all road traffic regulations were complied with accordingly.
He, however, warned that those who violated road traffic laws indiscriminately would definitely be penalised as the operatives were more than ever prepared and deployed to enforce compliance.
