Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has called on the Judiciary and the Legislature to come up with stiffer penalties on bandits, kidnappers and their informants in the state.

Governor Sani Bello stated this while presiding over the swearing-in of Justice Aisha Lami Bawa Bwari as the Chief Judge of the State at the Government House, Minna.

The Governor who noted that banditry and Kidnapping activities are carried out in conjunction with members of the communities, stressed that the informants should as well undergo the same penalties with both the bandits and the kidnappers.

“With the increased insecurity in the interlands especially in our rural areas where lives are lost on daily basis due to banditry and kidnapping, the parliament and the Judiciary should come up with stiffer penalties for those involved in these activities especially the informants.

“It has come to our notice that most of these heinous crimes are being executed in conjunction with members of the communities. So we are seriously and strongly suggesting that kidnappers, bandits and the informants should have the same punishment because without the informants the banditry activities would extremely become difficult”, he started.

He said a meeting would be scheduled with the State Assembly on what necessary steps to take, adding that the Judiciary would ensure the execution of the decisions taken.

The Governor then prayed for guidance and protection for the newly sworn-in Chief Judge so as to carry out her duties effectively and efficiently.

Speaking after the swearing-in, the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Aisha Lami said she would ensure the transformation of the judiciary by giving the right and condusive working environment among other things.

It could be recalled that late last year Justice Aisha Lami Bwari was sworn-in as the Acting Chief Judge of the State.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to deny exporters with unrepatriated export proceeds from accessing all banking services by January 31.

The apex bank issued this directive in a circular sent to banks in the country.

Affected exporters are expected to comply with this directive before the specified date. Some banks have already issued a statement directing exporters to comply with the directive.

In August 2020, CBN had instructed banks to submit the names, addresses and bank verification numbers (BVN) of exporters that have defaulted in repatriating their exports proceeds, for further action.

Bloomberg quotes Osita Nwanisobi, CBN acting director of corporate communications, as saying that the new directive applies to exports up until June 2020.

“Proceeds for oil is to be repatriated within 90 days and non-oil within 180 days,” he said.

The news agency noted that the measure is part of an effort to defend the country’s currency by targeting importers and exporters with tougher regulations.

Global decline of crude oil prices coupled with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the scarcity of foreign exchange in Nigeria.

This resulted in a significant difference between the official exchange rate and the parallel market rate.

It added that the differential of about 25 percent has induced exporters to divert forex earnings to unofficial channels.

Thenigerialawyer

•Says commission won’t share constitutional duties with any agency

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Saturday dismissed speculations that the National Identity Number (NIN) was a prerequisite for registration by prospective voters, saying there was nowhere in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where such a condition was stipulated.

The commission also said it was not willing to share its constitutional duties in the registration of voters for the forthcoming elections in the country with any government agency.

Refuting a story by a national newspaper that prospective voters must henceforth possess the National Identity Number, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education, Information and Publicity, Festus Okoye, dismissed the report outright.

According to him, “Sections 77(2) and 117(2) of the Constitution and the equivalent provisions in sections 132(5) and 178(5) gives the Commission the exclusive power and vires to carry out the registration of voters and it does not share this power with any other Commission, Agency or organ of government.

“INEC is a constitutional body and its activities are provided for, regulated and circumscribed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Its procedural approach to the performance of its constitutional duties is also regulated by the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) its Regulations, Guidelines and Manuals.

“The powers of the Commission regarding the compilation, maintenance and updating of the voters’ register are constitutional and statutory and it does not share this duty and responsibility with any other organ or agency of the government and no organ of government or agency or party can impose additional registration conditions above and outside the ones imposed by the constitution and the law.

“The Commission on its own part and in the performance of its duties cannot impose additional conditions for the registration of voters above and in excess of those already imposed by the constitution and the law. The law and the constitution make it mandatory that there cannot be registration by proxy and that registration can only be carried out in places and venues designated by the Commission and that those that possess any of the requirements in section 10 of the Act must be registered.

“No provision of the Constitution or the Electoral Act makes the possession of National Identity Number (NIN) compulsory for voters’ registration. A registrant that is not under a legal or constitutional disability and presents a birth certificate to a registration officer will be registered.

“A registrant that produces a baptismal certificate or a national passport, National Identity Card or Drivers License will be registered. A registrant that provides any other document that proves his or her identity, age and nationality will be registered.

“The Commission will not make any of these documents compulsory, because the Constitution and the Law have not made any of them compulsory. Presently, the Commission has the largest database of Nigerians with 84, 004,084 registered voters,” he said.

Okoye explained further that the commission was working at expanding voter access to polling units preparatory to the acquisition and rolling out of INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED), which will enable the Commission revalidate the voters roll and carry out an effective and efficient voter’s registration exercise that meets the requirements of the National Digital Identity Ecosystem.

He stated that Section 77(2) of the Constitution provides that every citizen of Nigeria, who has attained the age of eighteen years (18) residing in Nigeria at the time of the registration of voters for purposes of election to a legislative house shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for that election.

“The equivalent provision in section 132(5) provides that every person, who is registered to vote at an election of a member of a legislative house shall be entitled to vote at an election to the office of President.”

His words: “The combined provisions circumscribe the threshold for voter’s registration to three key components. 1. A registrant must be a citizen of Nigeria, 2. The person must have attained the age of eighteen years and 3. The person must be residing in Nigeria at the time of the registration of voters.

“Part 1 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution and section 9 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that INEC shall arrange the conduct of the registration of persons qualified to vote and prepare, maintain and revise the register of voters for the purpose of any election under the Constitution.

“On procedural matters and logistics, section 10 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) provides that each applicant for registration under the continuous registration system shall appear in person at the registration venue with any of the following documents: (a) Birth or baptismal certificate, (b) National passport, identity card and (c) Any other document that will prove the identity, age and nationality of the applicant.

“Furthermore, section 14 of the Act obligates a registration officer, in the performance of his duties to demand from any applicant the information necessary to enable him ascertain whether the applicant is qualified to be registered as a voter.”

He assured Nigerians desirous of being registered that, “The Commission is working hard to ensure that the revalidation of the voters’ roll is, seamless, effective and efficient and that the continuous registration of voters captures all Nigerians that have attained the age of eighteen (18) since the last registration of voters. We encourage Nigerians to be law-abiding and carry out their civic responsibilities and obligations.”( thenigerialawyer)

Boko Haram insurgents appear to have extended their operations outside the North East geo-political zone to the North Central as Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State cried out loud yesterday that the insurgents are currently terrorising the people of the state.

He, however, said a joint military operation recently carried out at the group’s camps resulted in the killing of several Boko Haram insurgents and arrest of 900 others.

Sule, in an interview with journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, explained that though the terrorists had been dislodged from Toto Local Government Area of the state where they had camped, they have now regrouped at the Nasarawa/Benue border from where they are now launching attacks on residents.

He stated that the purpose of his visit to the President was to discuss the insecurity situation in the state among other issues, including the possible federal government take-over of Jitata Road, which serves as an alternative route from the state to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to him, the Nasarawa terrorists belong to the Darussalam group that had been dislodged from Niger State.

He added that upon a joint security operation, a lot of them were killed while 900 were arrested while those arrested confirmed their membership of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Asked how he was able to identify the terrorists as Boko Haram members, Sule said: “First and foremost, it was easy for us to know who these people are. If you remember, they used to gather at a place called Utu in Toto Local Government Area (LGA).

“When I came here the last time, I appealed to Mr. President. Then, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Police, the Air Force, and the Army had a joint operation and they were able to dislodge them.

“When they dislodged them, a lot of them were killed. Some of them ran away and left members of their families. We took hostage about 900 members of their families in Lafia, including children and wives.

“The Special Forces which we have in Doma, Nasarawa State, took the hostages. A lot of interrogations were done and most of them confirmed that they were indeed Boko Haram. In fact, they gave us the name of the person who used to be like the second-in-command to Shekau.

“So, during the interrogation, they confirmed themselves that they were indeed Boko Haram. Some of them said they were remnants of Darussalam group that were dislodged from Niger. They came, merged, and became Boko Haram. That is how we got our confirmation that they were indeed Boko Haram. They said it themselves.”

On the fate of Boko Haram members arrested in the state, the governor explained: “When we took the hostages, actually, we had to disperse them. A lot of them were families of different people in the country that were kidnapped. In most cases, when they kidnap women, they marry them off. We had a lot of kidnapped women that were married off. We released them back to their various States and families.

“We got people from about 17 States. A few of them were from Niger Republic. We handed over those from Niger Republic to DSS. We handed over those from States to their various governments through DSS offices in their domains.”

Commenting on his meeting with Buhari, the governor said: “I have come to see the leader of our party, the leader of the nation, and our father, Mr President, to brief him about some of the activities happening in my State, especially first in the area of security that we continue to have challenges with a team of Boko Haram who had settled at the border with the FCT. And we thank the security forces that they have been able to dislodge them.

“But now, they have gone back and gathered at our border with Benue. And they are causing a lot of havoc. Therefore, it was an opportunity as Mr President wanted to know and I briefed him. I strongly believe that just like decision was taken last time to take care of this issue, another decision will be taken.”

Sule said he was also at the State House to appreciate the President for acting on the request of the Nasarawa State for more assistance on roads.

He said: “We used to have one way in one way out. It is the same way you go through Mararaba, Karu, Nyanya, all the way to Keffi. But with the support of the Ecological Funds and the approval of Mr President, we now have another route that comes from Uke, Karshi, coming back to Abuja. A lot of people are passing through that area.

“But what will solve the problem once and for all is if we have additional route from Gitata, Panda, Guruku, and Mpape. That one will solve two of our problems. One, it will go ahead to reduce the traffic jam along these two routes that we have at the moment. And it will also open up the area for development.

“In fact, you can call that another Maitama because it is very close to Maitama. So, we came specifically to appeal to Mr President to take over that road. The state government is doing its best to see how we can maintain the road. The road ends up at Guruku and comes back straight to Mararaba again. If the federal government takes over, it will go all the way to Mpape (in FCT).

“The government actually discussed it once at exco meeting and took a decision. I came to see if we can expedite action towards the commencement of that work so that we can create another road.”

The governor said he also used the opportunity of the visit to inform the President about the steps his administration was taken in Nasarawa State and sought additional support that will help the state tackle COVID-19 pandemic.

His words: “This time around, the second wave of the pandemic is really taking lives and we are worried about it. But we are doing the best we can do to see if we can contain it be taking several steps that we relaxed in the past.” (thenigerialawyer)

Six years after their first meeting, Dustin Poirier exacted revenge his against Conor McGregor

In the UFC 257 main event, Poirier survived an early storm from McGregor and then showcased his own power and striking prowess by dismantling the former two-division champion with leg kicks before and then unleashing a devastating series of punches that eventually stopped the fight.

The official end time came at 2:32 in the second round.

It was arguably the most important win of Poirier’s career outside of claiming an interim lightweight title as he not only vanquished a loss from his past but he took out the biggest superstar in all of combat sports.

“I’m happy but I’m not surprised,” Poirier said following the second-round stoppage. “I put in the work. Conor took this result professionally. We’re 1-1, maybe we have to do it again. I’m happy with the place that I am.

In a battle of strikers it was Poirier who actually went for a takedown in the opening round but McGregor was quick to work back to his feet as the fight became a battle of position against the cage. McGregor was relentless with his offensive output while throwing knees to the body and shoulder strikes to the head.

After resetting in the center of the octagon, McGregor began establishing his punches at distance but Poirier kept him honest while tagging the Irish superstar with leg kicks as well as a blistering right hand over the top.

As the fight bled into the second round, Poirier’s work to hurt McGregor with the calf kicks really started to pay dividends as McGregor started to noticeably favor his leg while still trying to throw fast combinations with his hands. While McGregor was able to clip Poirier a few times, there wasn’t as much pop behind his punches and Poirier knew it.

That’s when the Lafayette, La. native started to launch shots at McGregor without much fear of reprisal. He trapped McGregor against the cage with a stiff combination of punches before finally blasting McGregor with a short right hook that put him down to the mat.

Poirier followed up with another devastating right hand followed by a nasty left that put McGregor down and out as referee Herb Dean rushed into stop the fight.

“The goal was to be technical and to pick my shots,” Poirier said about his performance. “Not brawl at all. I have a big tendency, I had him hurt so I went a little crazy. I know Max Holloway thinks he has the best boxing but I have two wins over the kid.”

Considering he now holds a knockout win over a former champion in McGregor as well as the rest of the accolades on his resume, Poirier has seemingly separated himself from the competition in the lightweight division as he awaits word on what will happen next with the title as Khabib Nurmagomedov contemplates retirement or a return to action.

“We’ll see. I felt like this was the title fight,” Poirier said. “If Khabib’s not coming back, me and Conor are the two best guys. I think was the title fight. I’m the champion.”

As for McGregor, it was obviously not the result he wanted after a year away from the sport but he vowed to fight on with plans to stay more active for the remainder of 2021.

“It’s hard to overcome inactivity over long periods of time,” McGregor said. “The leg kicks were good. That leg was dead. Dustin’s some fighter. I have to dust it off and come back. That’s it and that’s what I will do. I need activity. You don’t get away with being inactive in this business. Well done Dustin. It’s a tough one to swallow.”

Culled from https://www.mmafighting.com/

Human Rights writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Saturday accused the Inspector General of Police, (IGP) Mohammed Adamu of partiality and double standards by ordering the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko to arrest the Yoruba Ethnic Rights Activist, Mr. Sunday Ighoho.

But, HURIWA said IGP has refused to order the immediate arrest of the leader of a faction of Miyetti Allah Association, Bello Badejo who has threatened to take over lands of communities across the country unlawfully.

HURIWA in a statement issued by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko said: “May be the IGP is lobbying for extension of tenure and can do everything to please the powers that be that have unambiguously made it known that the Fulani Ethnicity and Fulani herdsmen are sacred cows who are above the laws of the land. Otherwise, the retiring Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu should also arrest one Bello Bodejo, the national president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, who says nobody can chase herdsmen away from the forest reserves in Ondo state. As we know, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), the governor of Ondo, ordered herders to vacate the forest reserves over rising insecurity in the state.

“As governor he is exercising a lawful authority but Bello Badejo has threatened fire and brimstone but the President Muhammadu Buhari who controls the Police and all other security forces has seen nothing untoward and unlawful with the violent tendencies of Bello Badejo just because he is the kinsman of President Muhammadu Buhari who is running the administration like a pro-Fulani platform. Governor Akeredolu had said “bad elements” have turned the forest reserves into hideouts for keeping victims of kidnapping, negotiating ransom and carrying out other criminal activities.

“But in an interview with a national daily, Bodejo said the herders will not obey Akeredolu’s directive because he has no right to issue such orders, as the Fulanis have been in the area for over 250 years.He said the herders do not need anybody’s permission to use a forest for grazing so far as it provides the nutrients needed by their cattle. According to him, the Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, doesn’t have any right to give such ultimatum to our people. People, including Fulani, voted for him to be the governor; so he should be the governor of everybody in the state,” he said.Fulani have been in the forests he is talking about even before he was born; they have been there for over 250 years. After staying there for a long time and their cow dung turns the place fertile, people would begin to come there to farm and to settle and from then, they begin to make claims that our cattle were destroying their farms.”

The group said the IGP who reportedly through the mouth of Garba Shehu stated that he had ordered the arrest of the Oyo State based YORUBA activist Mr. Sunday IGBOHO for allegedly asking Fulani herdsmen to: “quit the South West of Nigeria is being clever by half by not also ordering the immediate arrest of the National leader of this troublesome wing of the Miyett Allah COWS’ owners group Bello Badejo who has for 5 years made threats against diverse Ethnic communities to take over their lands and threatening civil war in Nigeria but the Police, the DSS and all other security forces have consistently looked the other way whilst armed Fulani herdsmen continued to unleash mayhem and violence.”

HURIWA maintained that the order to arrest Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday IGBOHO whereas Bello Badejo of MIYETTI ALLAH roams about freely threatening the corporate peace of Nigeria shows that the heads of the security forces are compromised ethnic and religious warriors and bigots who are determined to drag Nigeria down the routes of Somalia of former Ethnically divided Rwanda.

(Thenigerialawyer)

Afenifere, Yoruba sociopolitical group, has described the statement of the Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) on the brewing crisis in the south-west as insulting and arrogant.

On Friday, some houses inhabited by the Fulani in Igangan, Ibarapa local government area of Oyo state, were torched.

The incident took place after Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, addressed his supporters in Ibarapa on Friday after a 7-day eviction notice served on herdsmen.

On Friday, the ACF issued a statement that the reported attacks on Fulanis in south-west may trigger another civil war.

The northern group called on the federal government and south-west governors to act swiftly and stop the attacks on Fulani communities in the region.

Reacting in a statement, Emmanuel Yawe, national publicity secretary of the ACF, said such act can cause social upheaval that may destabilise the country.

But Yinka Odumakin, national publicity secretary of Afenifere, said the ACF cannot threaten the south-west with a civil war.

“While we have gone to a great length to sue for peace and have appealed to our pained people to be law-abiding even with the daily provocations of the Fulani and harassment of our people, we frown at the very arrogant and insulting ACF statement, especially their reference to the event of 1966,” Odumakin said.

“We must make it clear to them that they cannot threaten us with a war at this stage as we will not provoke war but never are we going to run for anybody on our land.

“We are miffed that a body like ACF that has never shown any remorse over the killing of our people can open their mouths anyhow now because there are consequences for the irresponsible actions of their people.

“We advise them to call their criminals to order and not expect our people to sheepishly wait to be killed by those who value cow lives more than human beings.

“We do not want a repeat of 1966 event but if there are people plotting such event again, the rain will be over their heads.” (thenigerialawyer)

*OAU reportedly says she is not a bona-fide student of OAU

The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, is yet to release the result of its post graduate student, Monica Osagie, who was sexually harassed by one of her lecturers.

Recall that a former lecturer in the University, Prof. Richard Iyiola Akindele, was dragged to court by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, for demanding sex to pass Monica Osagie. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison and Sacked by the university

However, three years after the above incidence, Monica is still seeking for justice. According to OAU, Monica’s result has not been result because she did not register “for the session” on time. OAU also claimed that since Monica did not register ‘on time’, she was not a ‘bona fide’ student of the university.

This seems to be contrary to the ICPC report that the student paid all prescribed fees for the session and OAU accepted the payment ‘before the sex for marks scandal’. The commission also confirmed that Monica attended lectures till the sex-for-mark scandal broke out.

The Nation, not TheNigeriaLawyer, reports that OAU Public Relations Officer, Mr. Biodun Olarewaju, said Oasgie did not sit for exams and has not met the requirements for graduation. He said OAU does not award certificates based on sentiment

“Do you get result for an exam you did not sit for or are you talking about certificate? Or do you get certificate when you have not completed all other requirements expected of an academic or somebody who wants to get that particular degree from a respectable university like ours?

“She knows she has not finished her programme. You don’t have to award degrees, diploma or certificate on the basis of newspaper or sentiment. She knows she has not fulfilled all the requirements expected of her to be qualified for the award of that particular degree.

“She knows; let them ask her.” Mr. Olarewaju reportedly stated

A source disclosed to The Nation that Monica was yet to graduate for “blowing the whistle on sexual harassment by Prof. Akindele.” adding that: “The VC said the university Senate has taken a decision that the girl was not a registered student of the school because she did not register on time.

“Investigation traced Monica’s records and discovered that the female student paid accruable school fees, attended lectures, registered for eight courses and passed seven except for the sex-for-mark course among others.

“The university did not refund all the fees and it also did not write Monica to decline her registration as a student.

“The VC said whatever was the outcome of ICPC, OAU Senate has taken a decision that she was not a student of the institution.”

Asked of the next step, the source said: “ICPC may send a comprehensive report to the Visitor of the university, President Muhammadu Buhari. This corruption cannot be swept under the rug. There must be justice for the female student.

“Any sexual harassment case investigated by ICPC amounts to nothing if the victim does not get a sense of justice. It means the Commission has wasted its time.

“In fact, during a recent webinar on sexual Harassment, with the collaboration of OAU and attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, posers were raised on whether or not the girl has got justice? Participants wanted to know if the female student had eventually graduated or not.” (thenigerialawyer)