Samsung Has Announced That It Is Ending The Production Of The Galaxy Note7.

The decision comes immediately after the company issued a press release asking users to power down all original and replaced Note7 units, and for retailers and career partners to stop sales and exchanges of the smartphone.

“We remain committed to working diligently with appropriate regulatory authorities to take all necessary steps to resolve the situation.” said Samsung in a statement yesterday.

The decision to end the Note7 production is the final step in a rather tumultuous journey. After being announced back in August and being met with generally positive reviews, the Note7 first came under fire — quite literally — after reports of units exploding surfaced on the internet. After 35 cases had been reported, Samsung issued an official recall of the device, which sent everyone in a tizzy and airlines and ******* authorities calling for an official ban on usage of the device in several countries.

Samsung did what it could, replacing not just the affected but every Note7 it sold and issuing a new device with an updated battery pack and a green battery indicator so the customers and authorities alike could tell them apart. It even restricted the older devices from charging beyond 60% so people who hadn’t replaced theirs yet wouldn’t overcharge them.

But after the replacement units also started catching fire, most notably one on a Southwest Airlines flight 994 from Louisville to Baltimore, which had to be evacuated when a passenger’s replacement Note7 caught fire, Samsung eventually asked everyone to power them down. And finally did what was inevitable and, some might argue, what should have been done from the beginning, pulled the plug entirely on the Note7.

We are waiting to hear from Samsung on how it plans to proceed with existing Note7 devices that are out there and also how it deals with customers who have pending orders.

SOURCE

Obiano Endorses Pete Edochie's "Anambra Film Project"

Obiano Endorses Pete Edochie's "Anambra Film Project".

Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state has pledged the State government's support for the planned "Anambra film project" by Idejimba Productions.

He made the pledge when the production team led by veteran film maker, producer and director Sir Obi Okoli who paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday, 13th October 2016 at the government lodge, Amawbia.

Also in the entourage were Chief Pete Edochie, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, Rita Edochie, Clemson Nonyelu and others. Chief Obiano praised the project team for conceiving the project as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) which is not solely dependent on government funding.

He said the state considers the project very important hence the presence of key government officials at the meeting. He praised their various contributions to the growth of the film industry in Nigeria, otherwise known as Nollywood saying that their pioneering efforts have made them worthy Anambra sons, daughters and ambassadors.

While speaking about the project, Sir Obi Okoli said that Idejimba Films was motivated to embark on the project having observed the various achievements of the Obiano administration in various sectors including Agriculture, Trade and Commerce, Oil and Gas, Industrialisation and Logistics.

He said that the production will be completed within two months and will feature leading Nollywood actors.
In their remarks, Igwe Laz Ekwueme and Chief Pete Edochie variously praised the governor for his vision and for the development his administration has brought to Anambra state despite the economic challenges facing Nigeria.

Anambra state Government officials present at the meeting included Prof. Joe Asike, the Chief of Staff, Ogbuefi Tony Nnachetta, Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, Dr. Mrs. Uju Nwogu, Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Stella Onuorah, Commissioner for Tourism and Diaspora, Mr. Joe-Billy Ekwunife, Managing Director of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Mr. Uche Nworah, Managing Director/CEO, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), Mr Chinedu Obidigwe, Special Adviser on Political Matters and Mr Bob-Manuel Udokwu, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Creative Media and Entertainment.

-culled from ABSTV.

SOURCE

Fayose impounds cow for illegal grazing.

Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti.

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has impounded one of the cows that were grazing along Ado-Afao Road.

The governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, posted on his Facebook page that the governor on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti led armed security men and some youths to impound the cow.

He said as soon as the two herdsmen monitoring the cows sighted the governor, they ran into the bush, while some of the youths chased the cows and got one of them.

He said, “Governor Fayose was going to Ikole Ekiti when he came across herdsmen along Afao Ekiti Road in Ado Ekiti.

“The governor demonstrated the seriousness of the Ekiti State Anti-Grazing Law by personally seeing to it that one of the cows was ‘arrested’ by youths after the herdsmen ran into the bush upon sighting the governor’s security men. The remaining cows ran into the bush too.”

Olayinka disclosed that the Ekiti grazing enforcement marshalls would start work in a few days.

Fayose had on August 29 signed a law to regulate the grazing of cattle and other animals in Ekiti.

The law provides that grazing activities must be from 7am to 6pm on a daily basis.

According to the Ekiti State House of Assembly, any herdsman caught with firearms and any weapon will be charged with terrorism.

The law also provides that any farm produce destroyed by the activities of the herdsman shall be estimated by an agricultural officers and the estimate should be borne by any arrested herdsman.

Under the law, anyone found violating the bill, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to six months in prison without an option of fine.


PUNCH

Nigeria's President Buhari Warned By First Lady - BBC

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's wife has warned him that she may not back him at the next election unless he shakes up his government.

In a BBC interview, Aisha Buhari said the president "does not know" most of the top officials he has appointed.

She suggested the government had been hijacked, saying a "few people" were behind presidential appointments.

Mr Buhari was elected last year with a promise to tackle corruption and nepotism in government.

His wife's decision to go public with her concerns will shock many people, but it shows the level of discontent with the president's leadership, says the BBC's Naziru Mikailu in the capital, Abuja.

The president famously remarked at his inauguration that he "belongs to nobody and belongs to everybody".

In the interview with Naziru Mikailu, Mrs Buhari said: "The president does not know 45 out of 50, for example, of the people he appointed and I don't know them either, despite being his wife of 27 years."

She said people who did not share the vision of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were now appointed to top posts because of the influence a "few people" wield.

"Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position."

Asked to name those who had hijacked the government, she refused, saying: "You will know them if you watch television."

On whether the president was in charge, she said: "That is left for the people to decide."

Mrs Buhari said her husband had not told her whether he would contest the 2019 election.

"He is yet to tell me but I have decided as his wife, that if things continue like this up to 2019, I will not go out and campaign again and ask any woman to vote like I did before. I will never do it again."

Asked what she regarded as the government's major achievement, she said it was to improve security in the north-east where militant Islamist group Boko Haram has waged an insurgency since 2009.

"No-one is complaining about being attacked in their own homes. Thankfully everyone can walk around freely, go to places of worship, etc. Even kids in Maiduguri have returned to schools," Mrs Buhari said, referring to the city which was once the headquarters of the militant group.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37642282

Recession: School shuts down, others record low turnout.

Folashade Adebayo

For two decades, Telesis School, situated in the Alakuko area of Lagos, thrived as an academic centre, striving to provide sound education for many families resident in the community and its environs. But, as schools resumed across the country recently for a new academic session, the gates of the institution has remained shut to the teaching staff and pupils.

A former official in the Finance Department of the school told our correspondent, on condition of anonymity, on Thursday that the closure was due to the present economic recession in the country.

He said, “The school was established in 1996 and it has survived many challenges. Before the economic situation in the country got this bad, it had a good standard and we could not afford go below it. Then parents began to owe the management a lot of money and they started withdrawing their children from the school in large numbers.

“When we asked why they were taking the kids to other schools that fell below the standard of our school, some of them told us that they had lost their jobs, while others had changed jobs. We used to have between 300 and 400 pupils. When the population suddenly came down to about 50, the proprietress then told us she had to close down the school rather than owe the staff salaries.”

But investigation shows that the TS is only one of several schools in Alakuko, affected by the present economic situation. When our correspondent visited the premises last week, the main building, which housed classrooms, was empty. There was no indication that academic activities took place in the building a few months ago.

A former member of the teaching staff of the school also told our correspondent that a series of events led to the closure.

“A lot of factors have contributed to the closure of the school. Apart from the fact that parents were owing money,  we were being owed salaries before the school eventually packed up,” she said.

Although the Vice-President, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Chief Yomi Otubela, told our correspondent that the recession had indeed forced many schools to close down.

“Unofficial reports have claimed that schools are closing down. Some proprietors are even putting up their schools for sale, so that they can go into other businesses. The recession has forced many parents, who used to pay their children’s fees before resumption, to plead to schools proprietors for understanding, so that they can pay in December. It has happened in my school, too,’’ he said.

As the recession bites harder, more schools appear to be crumbling under the impact. Others are struggling to survive the hard times. Burdened by non-payment of salaries and rising inflation, many parents have opted to withdraw their children from high-paying private schools to medium-priced private schools or public schools.

Also, while some schools have offered discounts to parents so as to retain their pupils, others have reviewed their payment plans in order to reduce the burden borne by parents.

However, educationists who spoke with our correspondent described the situation as a “mixed bag of experiences”.  In some of the schools monitored by our correspondent, officials claimed that there was no significant drop in attendance. But, in a few others, the proprietors lamented poor turnout and enrolment rate for the new session.

A teacher in Masterpiece Schools, Lagos, Mr. Bode Aguda, said that seven pupils had yet to resume in his class. However, he added that the class gained some new members who were withdrawn from neighbouring schools.

”I am still expecting the seven pupils, but we also gained a few newcomers. Some of them came from schools that have shut down. The rest were withdrawn by their parents from more expensive schools in the area. The impact of the recession is real, but we are also getting new pupils,” he said.

The situation was not different at the Mind Builders School in Ikeja, Lagos. While admitting that some parents asked for concessions, the Chairman of the school,  Mr. Bosun Falore, said that the turnout on resumption day did affirm that many parents would ensure that their children got quality education.

 “The attendance was okay. Most of the pupils that were absent had not returned from their holiday trips. The effect of the recession was not as drastic as we expected. My conclusion is that quality education is paramount to most parents. A parent would prefer to sacrifice food than to sacrifice quality education. There has been no substantial drop in attendance.

“It needs to be mentioned that some returning parents requested to pay their children’s fees in installments. We decided to give discounts to parents who have more than two children in the school. We have also ensured that our tuition fees remain the same for our older customers,” he said.

Although some pupils have not resumed in her school, the Chief Operating Officer, Supreme Education Foundation, Lagos, Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, is confident that they will join their colleagues soon. The educationist, who spoke with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Wednesday, said, “We are still at the same level that we were before the holidays. Some pupils are not back, but they should be in school soon. We know it is harder for the parents, but it looks like we are still in the same level as we were.”

At Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, the Vice Principal, Mr. Muraino Olusesi, said that the turnout on resumption day did not call for concern.

 “We have since resumed for the new academic session. Only a few pupils have not returned to school and we are in touch with them. We have told those parents who could not pay their children’s fees at a go that we can structure a payment plan to benefit both parties,” he said.


PUNCH

Wike Under Fire For Obstructing Judge’s Arrest

By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT—Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has come under attack as a coalition of civil society organisations in the state, yesterday, condemned his alleged interference in the arrest of the undisclosed judge of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

The groups, Alliance for Transparency and Good Governance, ATGG, Vanguard for Justice, Equity and Strategy, VJES, and Rivers Pathfinders, said the show of strength culminating in the attack of Department of State Services, DSS, operatives by Governor Wike was an act of political rascality.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the coordinator of ATGG, Erasmus Nwankpa, expressed dismay that the governor of a state would brazenly obstruct the constitutional powers of the DSS, to arrest an accused person.

Reacting to the allegation, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, described the comments by the three groups as a sad irony.

Tam-George wandered why a group would contest the position of the governor, adding that the civil society groups were members of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He said: “The protesting groups are APC members in disguise. It is a sad irony. How could any group protest against Governor Wike’s principled insistence on the supremacy of the law?

“Throughout this debate, every reasonable individual or organisation, including the NBA, the African Bar Association, senior advocates of Nigeria, all agree that the only sustainable way to fight corruption is through institutional reforms, and respect for due process.
“You can’t fight corruption with a cowboy mentality, using midnight melodrama and lawlessness.”

Also, coordinator of VJES, Jerome Green, who regretted the attitude of Wike in trying to stop the arrest of a judge of a Federal High Court in the state, said: “I still could not believe that Wike who is a lawyer and should know the law relating to who has the power to arrest, actually went out by 1a.m., as reported, just to protect a judge from being arrested.

“What then will be the interest of Governor Wike to secure and frustrate the lawful duty of the state security service,” Jarome queried.

Also, Mr. Abiye Sokari-George of Rivers Pathfinders, described what happened in the state as a show of gangsterism, stressing that Wike has reduced governance and the office of the Governor of the state.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/10/wike-fire-allegedly-obstructing-judges-arrest/

Reps Seek To Clip President's Power To Sack Judges.

The House of Representatives on Thursday moved to whittle down the power of the President to sack judiciary officers in the country.

A bill to amend the 1999 Constitution to allow the National Judicial Council to be fully involved in the removal of a judge from office passed the second reading at the House.

If passed, the bill sought to give the NJC more powers to decide the fate of judges beyond recommending their removal to the President.

The long title of the bill, which was sponsored by a former Deputy Minority Whip of the House, Mr. Garba Dhatti, reads, ‘Bill for an Act pursuant to Section 9(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to alter Section 292 (1) (A) and (i) (ii) to include the National Judicial Council in the procedure for the removal of heads of courts established by the Constitution under Section 6 (5)’.

Dhatti explained that the aim of the bill was to shield judicial officers from possible abuse of power by the executive.

He spoke further, “It is to ensure that judicial officers, serving as heads of courts, are not victimised through removal by executive fiat, acting in concert with the legislature without any established or verifiable evidence.

“It is to subject judiciary personnel, serving as heads of courts established under Section 6 (5) of the Constitution, to removal only upon the advice of the National Judicial Council so as to ensure consistency in the process.

“On many occasions, judiciary personnel have been removed from office on trumped-up allegations without recourse to a body charged with the constitutional responsibility to investigate and recommend appropriate disciplinary actions.

“Since the provisions in the constitution did not give the National Judicial Council any role in the removal of heads of courts, it has left them at the mercy and whims of the executive.”

The bill appeared for debate just days after it had ordered an investigation into recent arrests of judges and the invasion of their homes by operatives of the Department of State Services.

However, its passage will depend on the report of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review.

In the meantime, lawmakers passed it for the second reading in a majority voice vote.

The session, which was presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, also passed a separate resolution, asking the Federal Government to comply with the Federal Character Principles in making appointments and recruitment into public offices.

Moving a motion on the issue, the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Kingsley Chinda, observed that there had been non-compliance with Section 14 (1) of the 1999 Constitution in the appointments made by the government.

The House endorsed the motion.

http://www.punchng.com/reps-seek-clip-presidents-power-sack-judges/

FG Targets N19bn Savings From Travels, Sitting Allowances- Adeosun.

As part of measures to tackle the challenges of recession, the Federal Government is implementing cost cutting measures that would save about N19bn in expenses previously made on travels and sitting allowances.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, disclosed this while speaking at a Cost Management Workshop for Permanent Secretaries and CEOs of Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Abuja on Thursday.

Adeosun said CEOs of public organisations would be held responsible for wastage in the system as they were supposed to implement measures in their organisations aimed at cutting the cost of governance.

According to the minister, the Federal Government has already set in motion the process for saving N19bn from travel expenses, printing, and other unnecessary expenses as well as negotiating with airlines for bulk discounts.

She said, “The Efficiency Unit was established in 2015 as one of the reform programmes of the present administration to ensure effective management of the nation’s financial resources in order to achieve a more appropriate balance between capital and recurrent expenditure, value for money and eliminate wastage in government.

“From recommendations made to the appropriate offices, three circulars have been issued to curtail expenditure on travel, sitting allowances and printing of various items. The full year potential savings based on the actual expenditure incurred for 2012 – 2014 are N13bn and N1bn for travel and sitting allowances respectively.”

Adeosun added, “We have secured air travel discounts of seven per cent to 50 per cent from 19 local, regional and international airlines. This is expected to save the government over N5bn per annum in air travel. Draft agreements with the airlines are being reviewed after which implementation of the discounts will become effective.

“The government has set out a clear strategy for resetting our economy. We have identified that under-investment in capital has restricted our growth and left us dependent on oil rather than exploiting other areas with potential. Those economies that have continued growing even in the downturn have been those with the most diverse revenue base.”

http://www.punchng.com/recession-fg-targets-n19bn-savings-travels-sitting-allowances/

People are causing divisions within APC – Aisha Buhari.

John Alechenu, Abuja.

Mrs. Aisha Buhari

The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, on Tuesday accused some unnamed people of creating divisions among members of the All Progressives Congress.

Mrs. Buhari levelled the allegations in an interview she granted the Hausa Service of the BBC which was aired in part on Tuesday.

The President’s wife, who was responding to a question by her interviewer, said, “This worries us a lot now. Because they believe they are the ones who suffered, but are no where today. Those who didn’t do anything who don’t even have voters’ card are the ones in position, doing everything.”

In another part of the interview she said,  “What I am afraid for them is the rebellion of 15 million people,”  she was perhaps talking about the number of voters who made her husband’s ascension to power possible.

In response to a question on whether the President knew those causing the problems for his government, Aisha Buhari said, “Whether he knows or he doesn’t know, those who voted for him know. There is nothing I will tell him. He can see. Among all the people he selected, if he is asked among 50 people, he doesn’t know 45. I don’t know them despite staying with him for 25 years.”

Mrs. Buhari who also revealed that her husband had not told her his plans for 2019, saying “He has not told me but I have decided.”

 The BBC promised to air the full interview on Friday and Saturday where her full views would become public.


PUNCH

Tribunal Grants Ize-iyamu And PDP Order To Inspect Election Materials.

Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin City has granted an order for the People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu to inspect all the electoral materials used by the Independence National Electoral Commission for the conduct of the September 28 Edo State governorship election.
Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressive Congress was declared winner of the election after he polled over 319, 483 votes to defeat Pastor Ize-Iyamu who polled 253,173 votes.
The order by the tribunal followed an ex-parte motion filed by Counsel to the PDP and Pastor Ize-Iyamu, Barr. Kingsley Obamogie
Barr. Obamogie said the motion was in compliance with section 151 of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended which he relied on to pray the court to grant them the order to inspect the INEC materials.
Chairman of the tribunal, Hon. Justice .A. Badamasi granted the order after listening the argument of Obamogie.
Other members of the tribunal are Justices E.A. Ade Sodun, and Hon. Khadi Adamu Usman who are to serve as members.
Obamogie said, “In compliance with the section 151 of the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended, we have approached and pray the court to grant us the permission to inspect all the Electoral, materials used by INEC in the just concluded Edo State Governorship Election”.
An official of the tribunal would only be inaugurated only when petitions have been filed by aggrieved parties and their candidates that participated in the governorship election.
He noted that aggrieved parties have 21 days within which to file petitions.
However, there was a heavy presence of security personnel within and outside the tribunal premises.
Their presence was to forestall any unforeseen circumstance within the court.

http://thenationonlineng.net/tribunal-grants-ize-iyamu-order-inspect-election-materials/

Customs comb Lagos markets for smuggled rice.

Anna Okon

Nigerian Customs Boss Col. Hameed Ali

Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service have stormed some markets in Lagos in search of smuggled rice.

Their efforts led to the seizure of about six trailer load of rice from shops at the Iddo Railway Terminus.

Some of the rice dealers, who spoke to our correspondent, complained that they bought the rice from people who brought them into the markets and had no way of knowing whether it was smuggled or not.

The owner of a shop where the NCS men reportedly seized 5,000 bags of rice was said to have collapsed and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

“The value of rice seized from her shop is over N60m and she took a loan from the bank for the business,” one of the dealers, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent.

The source said, “They swooped on the markets in the afternoon, brandishing guns. They locked up the shops and went away, only to come back in the middle of the night, around 2am to break into the shops and cart away all the bags of rice they found there. They came back to cart away more rice.

“Women are the ones selling in the markets, the Customs are supposed to be at the borders to prevent smuggled rice from coming into the country, but they allowed the rice to come in, only to come harassing traders with guns. We are pleading with them to return the rice to the traders.”

When consulted, the spokesperson for the NCS, Mr. Wale Adeniyi, said the organisation was empowered by law to impound any product suspected to be smuggled wherever such product could be found.

He said, “The rice was smuggled. We got information that the consignment was taken to a particular place and we went there.

“It is a message to smugglers that it is not just enough to bring goods across the border into the country; the goods can be seized even when they are in the country.”

Adeniyi advised Nigerians to desist from act of smuggling and go through the legitimate route to bring in their goods.

The NCS has maintained its ban on the importation of rice through the land borders.

The country consumes six million metric tonnes of rice annually. Local production accounts for less than 40 per cent, leaving a wide gap, which is filled by importation and smuggling.

According to the Federal Government, prices of rice which have risen to between N20,000 and N22,000 per 50kg bag from about N7,000 in 2015, are expected to come down in November.

The NCS has also set 2017 as a target to stop the importation of rice.

PUNCH

Defamation: Odili Sues Peterside, Claims N6bn Damages.

Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt

THE former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, has dragged the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, to court for an alleged defamation of character.

Odili, who is claiming the sum of N6bn as damages in the suit, had stated that Peterside, who is the current Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, had defamed him through a newspaper publication (not The PUNCH) in February 2016.

The defendant was alleged to have said in a press conference that the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, during a victory thanksgiving service, alleged that Odili helped him (Wike) to secure the judgement that gave him (Wike) victory.

But Odili had described the statement credited to Peterside as false and malicious, maintaining that Wike never said that he (Odili) helped him to secure election victory at the Supreme Court.

However, when the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Odili was asked to enter the witness box to adopt his witness statement.

Though the defendant and his counsel were absent in court, the Lead Counsel for the plaintiff, Kanu Agabi (SAN), told the trial judge, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, that Peterside was properly served.

Iyayi-Lamikanra, however, adjourned till October 27, 2016, for further hearing of the case.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after court proceedings, Agabi said, “We sued for libel and we called our first witness. We have adjourned for cross-examination till the 27th of October, 2016.

“We felt defamed by their (defendant) publication and we are here to vindicate ourselves.

“You could see that the defendants were not in court, but they have been served; they have been properly served. The court would not have proceeded otherwise.”

http://punchng.com/defamation-odili-sues-peterside-claims-n6bn-damages/

Douglas Road Owerri After PDP Cleared The Nasty Dumpsite.

Douglas road Owerri is clean again!

You recall Imo state Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Samuel Onwuemeodo had said the state government deliberately abandoned the mountain of smelly refuse along the ever busy Douglas Road, Owerri, to get back at the indigenes who have been fighting the administration.

Well, PDP Member Owerri Federal Constituency, Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi, along with the Imo State PDP Exco said no and took it upon themselves to clear the dumpsite. Check out the new photos.
The people of Owerri and its environs can now breath fresh air.

http://www.lailasblog.com/2016/10/wow-check-out-douglas-road-owerri-after.html

Soldiers Surround Shi’a Gathering In Kaduna.

Nigerian troops have surrounded a gathering of Shi’a Muslims in Kaduna, with worshippers trapped inside, days after the state government proscribed the group.

Worshippers gathered to commemorate historical events associated with the Islamic month of Muharram that are particularly significant in the Shia calendar, UK-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, said in a statement Tuesday.

“Shortly before the Kaduna Markaz mosque on Zango Road was encircled by armoured military vehicles carrying heavily armed soldiers and also an ambulance were among a convoy of 18 military vehicles seen nearby,” the group said.

It called on the Nigerian government to withdraw the soldiers and allow the worshippers to continue to exercise their constitutional right to freedom of assembly and worship.

A witness told PREMIUM TIMES that the standoff was at the residence of a senior Shi’a leader, Muhtar Sahabi, and not a Mosque. He said dozens of armed soldiers and mobile police officers surrounded the compound and were waiting for those gathered inside to leave. He said some women and children who started coming out were sent back by the soldiers.


"It appears they want to make arrests following the recent ban,” the source said.
The confrontation follows a spate of arrests over recent days of members of the Shi’a sect, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, after a state-wide ban on Friday, proscribing membership of the movement.

“As was feared, the new law appears to be being used as an attempt to prevent the movement’s supporters from attending ceremonies commemorating the month of Muharram,” IHRC said.

The military activity is reminiscent of the run-up to the massacre last December of hundreds of supporters of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria by the army and the arrest of its leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Mr. Zakzaky remains in government custody.

SOURCE

"Bill Clinton Raped Me & Hillary Clinton Threatened Me" - Trump's Supporter.

With less than two hours until the second presidential debate, Donald Trump appeared before reporters with women who have accused former President Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct in decades past.

One by one, the women defended Trump, denounced Clinton and criticized Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic opponent.

"Mr. Trump may have said some bad words," said Juanita Broaddrick. "But Bill Clinton raped me. And Hillary Clinton threatened me. I don’t think there’s any comparison."

Broaddrick has previously said Clinton raped her in 1978, an accusation was never adjudicated and did not emerge publicly until 21 years later.

The statement that Hillary "threatened" her is a reference to a conversation the two had shortly after the encounter she has said she had with Bill. At a political event, Hillary Clinton thanked Broaddrick, who had volunteered for Bill Clinton's campaign for Arkansas governor. Broaddrick has said she felt Hillary was thanking her for not exposing Bill. Clinton has said she doesn't remember the conversation.

It quickly became apparent that Trump's media event, no more than a few minutes long, was designed to help draw attention from his own flailing campaign after dozens of Republicans rescinded their support of him over a 2005 video in which he talks about taking advantage of his celebrity to grope women.

Trump has repeatedly pointed to allegations against Bill Clinton as his own history with women has been scrutinized during the campaign.
When the event ended, a reporter shouted at Trump, "Why did you say you touch women without their consent?"

He didn't respond, but Paula Jones, a former Arkansas state employee who accused Bill Clinton of sexually harassing her in 1991, replied, "Why don’t you go ask Bill Clinton that? Ask Hillary as well."

Jones' lawsuit against Clinton was settled for $850,000 without any admission of wrongdoing.

Kathleen Willey, who accused Clinton of groping her in the White House in 1993, was also with Trump.

Also next to Trump was Kathy Shelton. Hillary Clinton, in her work as a defense lawyer, represented a man charged with raping Shelton when she was 12.

"Hillary put me through something you would never put a 12-year-old through," Shelton said.

Clinton did not volunteer to take the case, which resulted in a plea bargain.

"You went through a lot," Trump replied.

"Yes, sir, I did," she said.

Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri issued a statement saying, “We’re not surprised to see Donald Trump continue his destructive race to the bottom."

Palmieri added, "As always, [Clinton is] prepared to handle whatever Donald Trump throws her way.”

SOURCE

FG To Raise N1trn For Housing Scheme – Osinbajo.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Federal Government is working with stakeholders to raise one trillion naira to provide affordable housing for Nigerians.

The vice-president spoke at the 22nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday where he chaired a Roundtable on Job Creation, Skills and Employment at the summit.

He said that the proposed project would also help to create jobs.

Osinbajo said that the job creation unit in his office had worked out a framework with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group to focus on three sectors to create employment.
He listed the three sectors as construction, agriculture and information communication technology.

Under construction, the vice-president said the Federal Government was trying to work on a social housing programme, called the Family Home Fund.

He said, “The Family Home Fund is a financial intervention into social housing in the country.

“We are trying to raise a fund which will come to about one trillion naira; we have aggregated fund from the private sector, local and international funds already.

“The whole idea is to be able to intervene in mortgage financing so that developers can build special houses to the specification of the Federal Government.

“Already eight or nine states are giving land and certificate of occupancy for social housing scheme.

“The idea is that any Nigerian who can afford N30,000 should be able to own a house.”

Osinbajo said that there would emerge job creation opportunities as technicians, engineers and skill workers would benefit from the scheme.

He said there would also be training opportunity from the scheme.

The theme of the summit is “Made-in-Nigeria’’.

The problem of housing in Nigeria has been of interest to every administration and official estimates suggest that more than 17 million houses are needed to cover the country’s 180 million citizens.

Each administration has introduced a different scheme but the impact is not felt by the people.

SOURCE

BREAKING NEWS: Lagos pupils, others regain freedom.

Olaleye Aluko

Four pupils, teacher and Vice-Principal of Lagos State Junior Model College, Igbonla, Epe area, who were kidnapped by gunmen six days ago, have regained their freedom.

Our correspondent learnt that the six victims were freed around 11pm on Tuesday.

It was gathered that apart from the family of the schoolboy who reportedly fell sick who paid a ransom of N1m on Tuesday afternoon, other families had yet to pay any ransom.

The Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command confirmed the release on its Twitter page, saying “the victims were all hale and hearty.”

A parent of one of the victims also confirmed that his boy had reunited with him.

It had been reported that the attackers, comprising five men and a woman, at about 8am on Thursday, stormed the school and abducted the pupils, identified as Isaac Adebisi, Okonkwo Emmanuel, Abu, and Jeremiah; the English Language /Civic Education teacher, Lukman Oyerinde and the Vice-Principal, A.O Oyesola, were taken away by the assailants.

PUNCH

This is what Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has turned into. Funny Memes... (PHOTOS)

Just checkout the funny memes created about the faulty Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung, the smartphone manufacturer recently canceled the further production of its Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones. Samsung is recalling over 2.5 million units already sold from date of release.

FG To Employ 200,000 Graduates In October.

By Ebitonye Akpodigha

The Federal Government has announced on Tuesday that the implementation of its Social Investment Programmes would commence before the end of this month.

This, according to a statement issued in Abuja by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, is in fulfilment of the government’s campaign promises.

Mr Akande noted that the Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, confirmed that implementation plans for the effective commencement of a number of the Social Investment programmes of the Buhari presidency has reached advanced stages as the selection of the first 200,000 unemployed graduates to get jobs is now being completed.

According to the statement, Mr Osinbajo made this known while fielding questions in an interview with a small group of radio journalists and producers at the Presidential Villa.

“We expect that before the end of the month, we will engage 200,000 out of the 500,000 unemployed graduates the Buhari administration plans to hire in the N-Power jobs programme.

“The direct government jobs are meant to keep these young people occupied, pay them some amount of money and also give them a device, which will also help them to learn several skills that they can develop as time goes on.

“We expect that before the end of this month, we should have engaged 200,000 of them and we are hoping that before the end of the year we should have engaged more,” the statement quoted Mr Osinbajo as saying.

The Vice President explained that on the Home-Grown School Feeding programme, this will kick off in several states by the end of October.

“Definitely before the end of this month, we expect that several states would have come on stream with their Home-grown School Feeding Programmes.

“This will energise agriculture in the different states because it is what you plant that you feed the children with, we will be hiring caterers, cooks, etc in each state because it will be Federal Government funded from Primaries 1-3 and the state governments hopefully would be able to cater for the other classes,” Osinbajo was further quoted as saying.

http://www.businesspost.ng/2016/10/11/fg-employ-200000-graduates-october/

Mary Odili Wept And Begged Supreme Court Judges To Accept N5billion Bribe

Justice Mary Odili Wept and Begged Supreme Court Judges To Accept N5Billion Bribe On Behalf Of Gov. Wike, Report Says

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK OCT 11, 2016
SaharaReporters has obtained a full list of all the Nigerian judges facing a nationwide clampdown by the Department of State Security (DSS).

The list, which includes two of the Supreme Court Justices who have already been arrested, includes three Justices of the Court of Appeal, seven Federal High Court justices and four state High Court judges in Kano, Gombe, and Kaduna states.

The document, which formed the basis for the clampdown on the judges, contains a brief explanation as to why the cleansing of the judiciary should commence with the listed judges. "Pursuant to the current administration's drive to fight corruption at all levels, and following public revulsion at some section of the judiciary on acts bordering on dishonesty, corruption, and abuse of judicial process, a profile of some senior judicial officers alleged to be involved in corrupt practices has been compiled", the reported prepared by the DSS stated.

The document explains in graphic detail how Supreme Court justices were compromised during the election petition ruling relating to Governor Nysom Wike of Rivers state.

Although only two judges of the Supreme Court have so far been arrested by the DSS, the documents named a full panel of Supreme Court justices that sat to decide the Rivers state election case.

The document stated that the Supreme Court judgement which gave Governor Wike victory against the Court of Appeal ruling which had reversed Governor Wike election was delivered on January 27th, 2016 and the full judgement further delivered on February 12th, 2016 by a panel that was led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammad Mahmud.

Other panel members named included Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, Nwali Sylvester Ngwuta, Kumai Byang Akaahs, Kudirat Motonmori Olatokumbo kekere-kun, John Inyang Okoro and Amiru Sanusi. Justice Kekere-Ekun delivered a unanimous decision validating Wike's election.

The document reveals that the CJN constituted the panel on the very day of the judgement in an attempt to frustrate those waiting to induce members of the panel.

It also reveals that despite the strategy adopted by the Chief Justice, the panel received monetary inducement through Justice Mary Odili who, although a member of the Court, was not on the panel.

Justice Odili, according to the confidential report, became dramatic and reportedly wept before her colleagues on the panel, saying that if Wike were not returned as governor, she would prematurely become a widow as her husband, Peter Odili is a former governor of the state, and Wike’s godfather would have a heart attack.

Governor Wike has publicly acknowledged the role of the Odilis in restoring his mandate as governor. During a thanksgiving to mark his victory, he said that had the election been nullified, he would not have re-contested, claiming he was close having a heart attack as his blood pressure was rising.

The report obtained by SaharaReporters does not say how much each of the Supreme Court judges received. It does state that the same amount had been offered to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, who rejected it, saying she feared that all eyes would be on her.

Dr. Odili on Tuesday took out an N6billion lawsuit against APC candidate Dakuku for his statement concerning Wike’s praise of his role in getting him a favorable legal ruling.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/10/11/justice-mary-odili-wept-and-begged-supreme-court-judges-accept-n5billion-bribe-behalf-gov

DSS Finds Rolls Royce In Judge’s 15 Cars Fleet-the Nation.

Justices must go, says govt

Buhari meets CJN Mahmud

Detectives found a Rolls Royce in the fleet of about 15 cars of one of the seven judges under investigation by the Department of State Services (DSS), The Nation learnt yesterday.

The judge was said to have hired a notable construction firm to build his palatial home and imported furniture from Brazil, Argentina and Spain.

The judge, said a source close to the investigation, once conducted his “poor colleagues” around his mansion.

Another judge told the DSS that he did not know how N18million was paid into his account and he did not get alert to enable him complain to his bankers.

One of the judges also said the money found in his account was his accumulated medical allowances.

Another judge was found to have submitted three assets declaration forms to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The asset forms of the seven judges, who were arrested last weekend in a controversial sting operation, were being analysed by the DSS yesterday.

The Federal Government has foreclosed the return of all the seven judges to the bench.

The government believes the judges cannot be in the dock and be adjudicating at the same time.

Those arrested are: Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and Inyang Okoro – the suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Ladan Tsamiya, who was picked up in Sokoto; Justice Adeniyi Ademola (Federal High Court); the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike; Justice Kabiru Auta of Kano State High Court; and Justice Muazu Pindiga (Gombe State High Court).

Of the seven Justices, Tsamiya, Umezulike and Auta have been recommended for sanctions by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Detectives have uncovered more corrupt practices traced to some of the judges undergoing probe, the source said, pleading not to be named because he is not permitted to talk to the media.

The source said: “Operatives have discovered that one of the judges owns a mansion which was contracted to a construction firm at a huge cost. In fact, the judge imported furniture from Brazil, Argentina and Spain.

“At a stage, he conducted his ‘poor colleagues’ round the mansion in an open display of affluence. The judge has about 15 cars, including a Rolls Royce. This Rolls Royce was imported.

”During interrogation, another judge told DSS team that he did not know how and when N18million was lodged in his account because he was not getting alert from his bank. But we have evidence of withdrawals from the account.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “We have retrieved the assets declaration forms of these judges. It was shocking that one of them has three asset declaration forms with different dates of birth.”

He said instead, the government had asked the NJC to suspend them, pending the conclusion of their trial.

Those who may not be allowed back to the bench are Justice Ngwuta, Justice Okoro, Justice Ademola and Justice Pindiga.

The source said the judges could be retired.

He said however that the judges will still go through trial to enable Nigerians know that “they were actually caught in the act”.

“The position of the government is that none of these judges will be allowed back to the bench in the interest of the nation’s Judiciary. They cannot be arraigned in the dock and at the same time be adjudicating or attending to cases.

“It is left to the NJC to allow the affected judges to keep off the bench until their fate is determined. But certainly, they will face trial and the outcome will determine whether or not they will be retired or dismissed.

“We are expecting the NJC to do the needful by suspending the judges.”

It was gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief Justice Mahmud Mohammed had actually met on the arrest of seven judges.

A source said: “The CJN sought for audience and met with the President on Saturday on the arrest of the judges. I think they compared notes but no one can give you the details.

“I think the President must have briefed the CJN on the security reports at his disposal.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/dss-finds-rolls-royce-judges-15-cars-fleet/

FG Converts Badeh’s Property To Office - The Punch.

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

AN1.1bn mansion seized from the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), has been converted to an office to be used by the Federal Government, The PUNCH has learnt.

Our correspondent, who visited the property located on Plot 6 Ogun River Crescent, Maitama, a highbrow area in Abuja, learnt that the property is being used by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Intervention headed by Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence.

Our correspondent observed that the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ which was written in red ink on the fence, had been wiped off.

However, a second building (although uncompleted) seized from Badeh, which is located directly opposite the one converted by the Federal Government, still has the EFCC inscription on its fence.

Some gardeners and other domestic workers were seen clearing the grass and sweeping the compound when our correspondent visited the place.

Our reporter, who entered into the main building, noticed that the rooms had been converted into offices while desks had been set up at strategic positions.

When our correspondent approached one of the workers, he said, “The property was given to us by the government to work. I know that the EFCC seized the property some months ago but it was given to us to work.”

The EFCC is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on 10 counts of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from the Nigerian Air Force account.

A former Director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Aliyu Yishau (retd.),who is a prosecution witness against Badeh, had informed the court that while Badeh was the Chief of Air Staff, he routinely helped Badeh to divert the sum of N558.2m by converting it to its dollar equivalent.

He said he personally helped Badeh to buy the N1.1bn property which has now been converted to Federal Government’s use.

He had said, “Sometime in January 2013, when I was taking the normal amount to him (Badeh) in dollars, he directed that we should pay for the house. So, he brought out the balance in dollars and made up the equivalent of N1.1bn.”

The EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had told the court that the EFCC searched the property and recovered $1m in cash.

Jacobs said although Badeh had denied ownership of the property, his belongings, including photographs, were found in it during a search by the operatives of the commission.

Our correspondent learnt that the decision to convert Badeh’s property may be connected to the Federal Government’s plan to convert seized properties to government use and save cost.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had disclosed at the opening of a meeting with the members of the National Steering Committee of the Efficiency Unit on June 10, 2016, that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government was planning to convert some of the seized properties to offices in a bid to save money spent on rent.

SOURCE

NNPC Discovers 21 Wells Full Of Prospects Of Oil In North.

NNPC is putting last touches to a comprehensive framework designed to herald the intensification of exploration activities in the Chad Basin
– According to the fresh reports, the petroleum corporation has so far drilled 23 wells, 21 of which have potential of full prospects of oil

– Nigeria engaged a British company into the exploration that is already working in the Lake Chad region to put efforts together .

Moves by the Nigerian government to build up the nations proven oil reserve through exploration of new frontiers received a fresh thrust with the news that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as 21 oil wells out of the 23 drilled so far have potential of full prospects of oil. The report from the NNPC showed that a total of 23 oil wells have already been drilled by mining oil companies that have been involved in oil exploration in the North in the past 30 years. While only 2 of them were reportedly hit a dry run, 21 other wells were said to hold prospects of oil.
The statement from the NNPC also said that the exploration of the oil in the North has, so far, gulped a shocking sum of about N27 billion and $340 million correspondingly.



The corporation is reportedly expecting to receive more money into the quest – in compliance with the recent presidential directive to resume oil exploration in the North. The statement reads in part: “Discoveries made in neighbouring countries in basins with similar structural settings are: Doba, Doseo and Bongor all in Chad amounts to over 2 Billion barrels (Bbbls); Logone Birni in Southern Chad and Northern Cameroon, over 100 Bbbls; and Termit-Agadem Basin in Niger totals over 1Bbbls. “Already the NNPC New Frontier Exploration Services Division which is leading the charge for crude oil find in the entire Inland Basins is acquiring 3,550 sq km of 3- D seismic data for processing and interpretation in addition to the already acquired 6000km of 2-D data that is currently being reprocessed.”

“The search is not limited to the Chad Basin alone but covers extensive inquest in the entire Nigerian Frontier Sedimentary Basins which includes- The Anambra, Bida, Dahomey, Gongola/Yola and the Sokota Basins alongside the Middle/Lower Benue Trough.’’

The attacks of the Niger Delta militants in the south of Nigeria reduced oil production and partially caused the country’s recession. Following this President Muhammadu Buhari two months ago directed the NNPC to escalate search for oil in the north-east. The administration started the long-term planned exploration of crude oil in the north-eastern part of Nigeria which will reduce the pressure on the Niger Delta region. In a related development the Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said the Nigerian Navy had commenced deployment of its personnel to the Lake Chad Basin Naval post to protect Nigeria’s territorial interest on the Lake bordering Nigeria and countries in the Sahel region commenced last month.

https://www.naij.com/1004228-confirmed-promising-results-buhari-nnpc-discovers-21-wells-full-oil-north.html?source=notification

Malami Sends Names Of Six Judges To DSS For Probe - CJN writes Buhari.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, has forwarded the names of more judges to the Department of State Services for investigation.

The PUNCH learnt on Tuesday that the names sent by the AGF to the security agency were those of judges whose cases of allegations of misconduct, contained in petitions earlier sent by civil society groups to the National Judicial Council, were allegedly not investigated.

It was learnt that the weekend’s arrest of some judges in different parts of the country followed complaints received by the office of the AGF and thereafter transmitted to law enforcement agencies, including the DSS.



Operatives of the DSS had between Friday and Saturday raided the houses of some judicial officers, including two justices of the Supreme Court, and arrested them on suspicion of corruption in Enugu, Gombe, Sokoto and Kano states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The DSS had, during the simultaneous operations, arrested Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro of the Supreme Court; the suspended Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ilorin Division, Justice Mohammed Tsamiya; Justice Kabiru Auta of the Kano State High Court and Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Others arrested were a former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike, and Muazu Pindiga of the Federal High Court, Gombe Division.

Besides the seven judges, the DSS said it was investigating eight other judges, bringing the total number to 15.

With the six names submitted to the DSS, the service is now investigating a total of 21 judges.

Large sums of money in local and foreign currencies were reportedly recovered from three of the arrested judges during the operations that lasted between Friday night and the early hours of Saturday.

One of our correspondents confirmed from a source in the Federal Ministry of Justice on Tuesday that the names of a fresh set of judges, marked for investigation, were sent to the SSS on Monday.

It was learnt that the letter by the minister was personally delivered at the DSS headquarters in Abuja by a senior aide.

The new names on the minister’s list, it was learnt, included two Chief Judges of High Courts, three judges of different divisions of the Federal High Court, and a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

The letter, containing the names, was accompanied by the summary of allegations levelled against the judges in the petitions earlier sent by individuals to the NJC by the Chairman of Civil Society Network Against Corruption as well as Human and Environmental Development Agenda Resource Centre between 2014 and May, 2016.

One of the petitions sent to the NJC against one of the Chief Judges, dated February 26, 2016, and signed by the Chairman of CSNAC, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, was titled ‘‘Request for investigation of contravention of the Code of Conduct by Judicial Officers.’’

Another petition by CSNAC against a Federal High Court judge was dated May 12, 2016.

Suraju also signed a petition (its date not stated) against a Federal High Court for allegedly granting a perpetual injunction, restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from investigating criminal allegations against a businessman.

Another petition, dated January 11, 2016, by CSNAC, also accused a Chief Judge of judicial misconduct, an allegation which its details were not stated.

CSNAC, also in another petition, dated April 20, 2016, sent to the NJC against a Justice of the Court of Appeal and others, who served on an election petitions appeal panel this year, accused the panel of receiving N8m from a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Yet, another petition accused the SAN of paying N500,000 into the account of a Chief Judge.

In another petition, CSNAC alleged that N7m was paid to a Chief Judge for a book presentation.

It was also alleged in another petition by CSNAC that a Federal High Court judge received N5m bribe from a SAN.

The AGF’s letter, forwarding the names to the DSS, described as unconscionable the alleged failure of the NJC to investigate the petitions.

The letter read in part, “It is unconscionable that all these petitions that border on the unremitting and impeachment of the integrity of these judicial officers have not been investigated by the National Judicial Council, the constitutional and statutory body vested with the power by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to so do.

“Undoubtedly, if this type of deliberate inattentiveness; lethargy and benign neglect and dereliction of responsibility by the NJC is allowed to persist in an administration that came to power under the mantle of change, it will surely lead to the death knell of the judicial branch of government, which centrality the maintenance of law, order, rule of law and social harmony cannot be overemphasised.

“It is unfortunate that despite the preachment of the administration on the need for the judicial officers to be above board, we still have some of them that have stubbornly refused to change from their old ways.”

When contacted on Tuesday, Suraju confirmed that he forwarded to the AGF office summaries of the petitions, which he earlier sent to the NJC but that he was not aware of the actions so taken on them by the minister.

“It is a welcome development. I actually forwarded to the AGF office the various allegations which I earlier sent to the NJC against some judges. But the AGF office has yet to contact me,” he stated.

CJN writes Buhari over allegations of corruption against judges

Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Muhammed, has formally written to President Muhammadu Buhari on the decision of the NJC on the cases of misconduct established against some judges, The PUNCH has learnt.

A top source in the Presidency told one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity on Tuesday that Buhari received the communication on Monday.

Although the communication came at a time of outrage on the arrests of some judges by officials of the DSS, the source said the arrests and the raids on the judges’ homes were not part of the letter.

The source added, “As a matter of fact, two issues were included in the communication. The first was the issue of the judge, who was said to have collected a N200m bribe.

“The other was a comprehensive report of the National Judicial Council on some judges that were sanctioned for misconduct.

“The issue of the raids on the homes of some judges and their arrests were not contained in the communication.”

The source suspected that since the letter was received on Monday, it could have been prepared before the weekend incident.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, met briefly with Buhari on Tuesday.

The agenda of the meeting, described as a routine one, was not made public.

Daura was also sighted joining worshippers for prayer at a mosque located beside the President’s office before leaving the Presidential Villa.

Senate knocks DSS, reviews powers of security agencies

On Tuesday, the Senate condemned the DSS for its clampdown on some judges across the country over the weekend.

It has therefore ordered a review of the laws establishing all security agencies while mandating its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, to review the aspects dealing with the powers of security agencies and put them in line with the tenets of democracy.

The committee is to submit its report in four weeks.

The Senate also called on Buhari to caution all security agencies and direct them to observe the rule of law in the discharge of their statutory duties.

The lawmakers condemned the action of the DSS, stressing that the security agency went outside the confines of its constitutional powers, which amounted to the usurpation of the powers of the NJC.

The Senate, however, rejected a recommendation that the Director-General of the DSS be summoned to explain to the Chamber what informed the action of the agency against the judicial officers.

The resolutions were made by the lawmakers, sequel to the motion of urgent public importance, brought to the floor of the Senate by Joshua Lidani (PDP, Gombe South), who raised questions on the action of the DSS, praying the Senate to intervene.

While leading the debate on the motion, Lidani said he was alarmed that such unconstitutional action could be adopted by the DSS to sanitise the Judiciary.

He said, “I am alarmed that the extra-constitutional approach to sanitise the judiciary in line with the war against corruption is bound to be counterproductive because it erodes the role of the judiciary and undermines the importance of the judiciary as well as demoralises many patriotic and upright judges who have determined to support the crusade against corruption”.

Lidani, who is a lawyer, said the DSS had no constitutional right to arrest or molest judiciary officers, arguing that the action of the agency was ultravires, unconstitutional, illegal, null and avoid.

Senator Dino Melaye (APC, Kogi West), opined that even though it was true that the judiciary was currently very corrupt with empirical evidences, and despite his total support for the ongoing fight against corruption, the DSS went outside its constitutional mandate, and must be cautioned in the interest of democracy.

He said, “It is also a celestial truth that judges have been dishing out what I call commercial rulings; it is also a fundamental truth that judges need to face the full wrath of the law, especially where the issue of corruption is concerned. This Senate, therefore, will continue to celebrate the war against corruption either in the judiciary, the legislature or the executive.

“The responsibility of the DSS is clearly defined in the National Security Agencies Act 2010, Cap 350, which states clearly that the State Security Services shall be charged with the responsibility for the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime against internal security of Nigeria. I emphasise the ‘Internal security of Nigeria’.

“The second responsibility as enshrined by the law setting up the DSS states that the protection and preservation of non-military classified matters concerning again, the internal security of Nigeria.

“The third and the last responsibility, as enshrined by law, is such other responsibilities affecting again internal security within Nigeria, as the National Assembly or the President as the case may be, may deem necessary.

“Mr. President, my respected colleagues, how does bribery and corruption become the issue of internal security? How does bribing judges or official misconduct in their official capacity become a threat to internal security? The point here is that the DSS in her fight against corruption overstepped its boundaries and abused its mandate.”

Also, Deputy Leader of the Senate, Senator Bala Na’Allah, recalled that the massive support and commitment of Nigerians to the government was because they were all unanimous in the fight against corruption, warning that the government should not do anything to betray it.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, cautioned that the anti-graft fight must conform with constitutional process.

“We must ensure that this fight against corruption is within the rule of law; any act of anti-corruption that goes against the rule of law does not help the corruption fight.

“That is why this action, as has been seen in this manner, is condemned by the Senate, and all agencies of government must ensure that they act within the rule of law,” he said.

House of Reps summons DSS

Also, the House of Representatives said on Tuesday that the DSS should appear before lawmakers to explain how it got the powers to invade the houses of some judges to arrest them.

An ad hoc committee was given the mandate to investigate the arrest of the judges, which took place on Friday and Saturday.

A motion on urgent matter of public importance, moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Mr. Kingsley Chinda, to investigate the invasion, was sustained.

The House, acting on Chinda’s motion, also recalled that the DSS had previously invaded the Ekiti State Government House and Akwa Ibom State Government House, among others in the past.

It said, “An ad hoc committee is set up to investigate all cases of invasion by the DSS since May 2015, to see how they comply with the National Security Agencies Act.”

Arguing the motion, Chinda cited Section 2 (3) of the Act, where he said the role of the DSS was principally to prevent crimes against the “internal security of Nigeria.”

He added, “The Act is not ambiguous but very specific. The function of the DSS is the prevention and detection of any crime against the internal security of Nigeria.

“The DSS’ functions do not involve investigation of corruption.

“The DSS, by its action, went against the law setting it up. This is a democracy and it is necessary for them to tell Nigerians how they derive their powers.”

The Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, quickly rounded off the debate, saying further comments by lawmakers could “prejudge” the outcome of the investigation.

“Whenever there is an allegation of breach of a law, we should not prejudge the investigation.

“Let us investigate the allegation and establish whether the DSS breached the law or not”, Dogara stated.

Earlier, an attempt by a member from Osun State, Prof. Mojeed Alabi, to halt the motion, was overruled.

Alabi had moved a counter-motion on the grounds that the House should not delve into an issue that was within the purview of another arm of government.

However, lawmakers shouted him down before Dogara also overruled him.

Some members chorused, “sit down”, “sit down”, “sit down.”

The House resolution came just 48 hours after its Committees on Federal Judiciary and Justice had criticised the DSS’ action.

The Chairman, Committee on Federal Judiciary, Mr. Aminu Shagari, had told The PUNCH that the manner the judges were arrested, humiliated the judiciary.

NJC to blame for judges’ arrest, says SERAP

In a similar development, a human rights advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has blamed the arrests of the judges on the failure of the NJC to live up to its responsibility of purging the judiciary of its rot.

The group, in an open letter on Tuesday, demanded that the NJC should immediately hand over the concerned judges to the anti-graft agencies for probe and prosecution, following their release on bail by the DSS.

In the open letter signed by its Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP noted that though the NJC was in the best position to sanction erring judges, its usual practice of merely sending culpable judges on compulsory retirement without prosecuting them had encouraged corruption in the judiciary.

The group recalled that it recently forwarded to the NJC a copy of its latest report titled, ‘‘Go home and sin no more: Corrupt judges escaping from justice in Nigeria’’, where it chronicled no fewer than 64 cases where judges were disciplined in that manner by the NJC between 2009 and 2014.

It said, “SERAP is seriously concerned that over the years the NJC has felt satisfied with applying only civil sanctions and has not deemed it fit to hand over corrupt judges to law enforcement agencies for prosecution nor recover the proceeds of corruption.

“This omission has left a destructive gap in judicial accountability in Nigeria, and resulted in other agencies of government, with no mandate, expertise and experience in the field, getting involved in the efforts to combat judicial corruption.”

Security agencies shouldn’t operate outside the law –Gowon

A former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has said the arrest of the judges can be a threat to democracy should the Federal Government allow security agencies to operate outside their mandate.

He therefore urged the government to give directives to security operatives not to go outside the laws of the land.

The former Head of State spoke with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday ahead of the 20th anniversary of the ‘‘Nigeria Prays’’, a prayer movement for the country, scheduled for October 15 at the National Christian Centre, Abuja.

Gowon said, “It is a serious thing that judges could be arrested. By law, you cannot just arrest anybody just like that. There should have been a proper way of doing it.

“Honestly, it is a serious thing and I hope that the government would give directives to the operatives not to go outside the precepts and the law because if the situation is mishandled, it can be a threat to democracy.

“But you can really do something to make sure that it does not do further harm than it has done so far.”

Nigeria is not a banana republic, declare Catholic bishops

Also, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has condemned the arrests of the judges, saying Nigeria is not a banana republic.

The President of CBCN and Catholic Archbishop of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama, who said this, stated that the rule of law must be followed, especially while dealing with cases concerning corruption.

Kaigama said, “We have been very clear with the President in our various meetings that the rule of law must be upheld and there should be no sentiments in the application of the rule of law. We are not in a system of government where people are just fished out for selfish or political interest.

“I condemn anything that has no legal backing. We are not just a banana republic; we are a serious nation populated by millions of people and we should measure up to international standard. We should be seen to follow due process. We wouldn’t like arbitrariness.

But the Executive Director, Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative, Adeolu Oyinlola, has hailed the DSS for arresting the judges.

He said, “Like Caesar’s wife, judges ought to be above even a whiff of suspicion, because a corrupt judge is worse than an armed robber, a kidnapper and an assassin rolled into one. We wholeheartedly support and endorse the raid on the homes of ‘Bureau de Change Operators’ masquerading as judiciary officers and, in fact, unreservedly encourage the DSS to hold more of the money-laundering members of the Bench to account, for a drastic problem requires a desperate solution.”

Also, a former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ebikekeme Ere, has carpeted members of the Nigerian Bar Association for protesting against the arrest of some judges by operatives of the DSS.

Ere described such a protest as “misplaced” and a “show of ignorance” against the backdrop that the judges were nabbed for alleged corrupt practices and professional misconduct.

He asked the NBA members and the critics of the DSS action against the accused judges to stop associating the constitutional action of the operatives to Buhari.

Ere, who represented the Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency at the National Assembly in 2003, said in Yenagoa on Tuesday that though the arrest of the “high profile judges” might have surprised many, including the NBA members, the arrest bordered on national security, which is the responsibility of the DSS.

PUNCH

BREAKING: Minister of justice supports arrest of judges; gives DETAILED reasons.

– Mr. Abubakar Malami said that The President Buhari administration is committed to eradicating corruption – The minister of justice backed the arrest of some judges during the weekend
– He said money recovered from corrupt people will be put into good use

Mr. Abubakar Malami who is the minister of justice and the attorney-general of the federation has shown his support for the raid and arrest of some judges by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) insisting that “no one is or should be above the law.” The raid was carried out in the early hours of Saturday, October 8 in some parts of the country leading to the arrest of Justices Inyang Okoro and Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court Abuja, Kabir Auta of the Kano High Court, Muazu Pindiga of Gombe High Court, Mohammed Tsamiya of the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, and the Chief Judge of Enugu State, I. A. Umezulike.

Although they were subsequently granted bail and relased, their arrest caused reaction from some Nigerians with the Peoples Democratic Party describing President Muhammadu Buhari as a dictator. Vanguard reports that the minister of justice spoke when he inaugurated the Expert Review Committee on implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). He said: “Was there an allegation of crime? Was there relevant provision of criminal procedure responsible for investigation? “Is there an allegation of corruption? If there is, no body, no matter how highly placed will be spared.  “The right to investigate has not been taken away from the constitution. The allegation boarders on criminality and no one is or should be above the law.

Abubakar Malami has justified the arrest of the judges by DSS “Neither the judiciary or the executive will be exempted from investigation.” Malami promised that the President Buhari administration would make sure that recovered loot is put to good use. “No doubt, the extant review focusing on Chapter II and V of UNCAC relating to preventive measures against corruption in public and private sectors and assets recovery, is both necessary and timely at this time of the annals of country when endemic can systemic corruption has created a great disconnect between our nation’s wealth and the quality of life of ordinary citizens.  “As we are all aware, Nigeria is a state-party to UNCAC which is the first global legally binding international anti-corruption instrument.

“Fortunately, the objectives of UNCAC is in absolute synergy and harmony with one of the cardinal objectives of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which is to fight corruption in all its ramified manifestations including adopting effective preventive measured against corruption, recovery of stolen assets and putting in place systems and processes to profitably manage the stolen but recovered assets.  “It is thus necessary that members if this Committee understands the important task of nation-building which is about to be committed into their hands. “Your contributions will no doubt translate into massive political goodwill and will snowball into successes in place setting as it relates to the fight against corruption. “Let me emphasise that the guiding principles of the review is non-adversarial, non-punitive and not aimed at ranking state parties”. Meanwhile, the African Bar Association expressed shock over the arrests of judges in Nigeria by the Department of State Security. AFBA president, Hannibal Uwaifo, said that the action of the DSS was a violation of the principles of the rule of law and tenets of separation of power.


NAIJ.com

APC Youths To Oyegun: You Betrayed Our Confidence

Youths of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under the aegis of Progressive Youth Leagues (PYL), have accused the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, of betraying their confidence in him.

A statement yesterday by their spokesman Adeleke Abdulhakeem accused the APC chairman of fooling Nigerians with his response to the statement by APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The statement reads: “Last Friday (October 7), the National Chairman of APC, Pa. Oyegun, responded to the allegations levelled against him by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. But, sadly after about a fortnight, Pa. Oyegun could not come up with clear, detailed and cogent statements or even accept the fact that he made a grievous mistake. He tried to refute those allegations with his well articulated ‘facts’ but in a truthful sense what he called ‘the facts’ are actually the fallacies.

“Perusing Pa. Oyegun’s response to the allegations levelled against him by Asiwaju, a lot of fabricated and specious statements were uncovered and these have successfully aroused questions that only Pa. Oyegun can entertain.

“Pa Oyegun claimed that he did not use prayer interlude to secretly excuse himself from the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting for the purpose of submitting Rotimi Akeredolu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the fact is he left the meeting after he vetoed the Appeal Committee’s recommendation. Come to think of it: the primaries took place on September 3. Why did the party wait till September 19 before holding the meeting that ended on September 22, the last day for the submission of the party’s candidate?

“Pa Oyegun even brushed aside brilliant suggestion by the National Youth Leader, Dasuki Jalo, that the party should submit an interim name to INEC, pending the time a political solution would be found to the matter. This singular suggestion by the National Youth Leader would have saved the party from the crisis it is experiencing.

“Pa Oyegun fallaciously said: ‘Voting on the issue became unnecessary and never took place in view of the NWC’s rejection of the Appeal Committee’s report.’ But the Southsouth Vice Chairman Eta Hilliard has relayed the true picture of what transpired in the Ondo primaries by saying in a report: ‘(At) that meeting, there were two reports before the NWC: that of the Appeal Committee was voted on.’

“That Pa. Oyegun claimed that there was no voting during the NWC meeting is a blatant fallacy, because the the last two NWC meetings were clearly recorded and the record shows the contributions of each and every member of the NWC present at the meetings.

“The Southwest National Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, also confirmed the statement by Hilliard that the NWC actually voted. The well orchestrated lies by Pa. Oyegun, in a bid to redeem his personality that has been defamed with a lot of anti-party actions and in actions and gross misconducts in the Ondo APC primaries, cannot hold water because we are not fools. That will fall for every cooked-up cheap fallacies.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/apc-youths-oyegun-betrayed-confidence/