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COVID-19: Families Of 72 Newly Appointed Senior Advocates Of Nigeria Won’t Be Admitted Into Inauguration Venue

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has said that in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols, families and well wishers of the 72 newly appointed SANs won’t be allowed into the venue of the inauguration ceremony to hold December 14.

The statement by the Director, Press and Information, Supreme Court, Dr Akande Festus, stated that the directive was to ensure strict compliance with COVID-19 regulations.

According to Akande, the inauguration of the new SANs to be presided by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Muhammad, would be part of the events marking the official commencement of the new 2020/2021 legal year of the apex court.

He stated that the CJN would also, at the event, give his report of the state of the judiciary and present the scorecard of the Supreme Court in the outgone legal year.

Akande added that the number of dignitaries and other stakeholders who would be admitted into the venue would also be limited.

He, however, stated that the court’s foyer would be available for those who would be barred from entering the venue.

He added that interested members of the public would be able to monitor the events live on various media platforms

The statement read, in part, “However, in strict adherence to the Covid-19 protocol, spouses and friends of the 72 newly appointed Senior Advocates will not be allowed into the Courtroom as was done in the past. Similarly, the number of dignitaries and other stakeholders will equally be limited as the crowd will not be allowed inside the Courtroom.

“Thee court’s foyer will be handy to accommodate those who will not be admitted into the Courtroom, as the programme will be streamed live on the giants TV screens that are placed in strategic positions within the Court premises.

“For those that will be in their respective homes and offices, they can as well watch the various programmes live on YouTube, Twitters, Instagram, Facebook, Zoom and other social media platforms, as we are ever poised to make everyone have a feel of every single event.

“The Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria will, as usual, give the state of the judiciary address and also present the score card of the Supreme Court in the outgone legal year, while keeping the nation abreast of the developments in the Nigerian judiciary.”

4,630 Appeals, 6,207 Motions Pending At Appeal Court In Lagos

No fewer than 4,630 appeals and 6,207 motions are pending at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal.

The President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) Justice Monica B. Dongban-Mensem said out of this number, only 345 appeals – eight percent – have been scheduled for a hearing.

The 345 comprise 289 commercial; 10 human rights; and 46 criminal appeals.

She pledged her determination to decongest the court, adding that it would no longer be allowed to become a dumping ground.

Dongban-Mensem spoke yesterday while opening the maiden Working Retreat and Annual Conference of the Justices of the Court of Appeal, holding between December 7-10, with the Theme: Court of Appeal: Challenges & the way forward.

The Retreat consists of special court sessions involving 23 Special Appellate Panels, which will sit in batches of six Special Panels on the designated days between 9 am and noon daily.

“Each panel will hear about 15 ripe appeals with five panels sitting at five designated Court rooms of the National Industrial Court, Ikoyi and one panel at Court 1 of the Court of Appeal here in Lagos Division, the PCA said.

Decongestion exercises, she explained, would be routine in Lagos and the court’s other divisions until the backlog is greatly reduced.

Dongban- Mensem stated that on assumption of office, she discovered that majority of these Appeals, “had either been abandoned or purposely left to linger endlessly by mischievous and flippant actors in the litigation process.

“It is also regrettable to note that a good number of these appeals were filed with the aim of stalling the judicial process. This situation must certainly not be allowed to continue. We have come out to demonstrate our abhorrence by taking the bull by the horn.”

The PCA expressed hope that the retreat would send a warning to the public that the court will no longer be a dumping ground for those who seek to hamper justice delivery in Nigeria.

“We are presently 70 in number, 20 less than the statutory requirement of 90 Justices of the Court of Appeal. It is also hoped that these special sittings will promote the collegiate spirit, which the court is renowned for. Thirdly, our actions this week will afford us all a chance to discuss various aspects of our work, health, and wellbeing.”

“It is my desire and expectation that under my stewardship, delays in the hearing of Appeals will become a thing of the past, not just in Lagos Division but also in other divisions of the Court of Appeal,” she said.

Dongban-Mensem added: “Also incorporated in these special sessions are enlightening and educative presentations from erudite and educative personalities and professionals such as Mrs. Folake Solanke, SAN, who is the first woman to attain the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria as well as being among the first indigenous publishers of a Law Report in Nigeria. We especially thank the Learned Silk, who at 88 years of age is present to make a presentation to us, despite the risks to her health arising from the COVID 19 Pandemic.”

Prof Taiwo Osipitan SAN, who represented the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, called for the review of the qualifications of senior advocates, stating that most of the frivolious applications at the Appeal Court were being filed by lawyers in order to meet with the prerequisite to becoming a member of the inner bar.

191,000 Jostle For 9,460 Immigration, NSCDC Jobs As JAMB Conducts Recruitment Exam

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is conducting recruitment examination for about 191,000 candidates that applied for jobs in the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

Speaking with newsmen during the exercise on Monday in Abuja, the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board, Yakmut Alhassan Saleh, expressed delight over the seamless conduct of the recruitment exam by JAMB.

He said the computer-based exam, which took place at the same time in 126 centers across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was conducted by JAMB to ensure transparency and avoid rancor and confusion that trailed a similar exercise a few years ago.

Yakmut said: “We need to go through a transparent method of a recruitment exercise and it has to start from the word go. This is just one component of the exercise, after this, we go into physical and medical as well as psychometric exercise. We are into partnership with JAMB to ensure that every candidate is given a fair opportunity to prove that he has the merit and requirement that we need.”

“All over the country we have almost 190,000 candidates out of which 113,000 are Civil Defence, and for Immigration, we have 78,000 candidates across 126 centres in Nigeria. The examination is broken into three phases; we have the one for graduates and HND, NCE and OND and the third one for secondary school (leavers).”

“The batches (for the exam) are in three sessions to four sessions based on the number of candidates per centre. We have 9:00am, 11:00am and 1:00pm.”

On the number of vacancies that are expected to be filled by the applicants, the Board’s secretary said 9,460 jobs are up for grabs by successful candidates, adding that the results from the JAMB recruitment exam are released immediately after the exercise.

“The result is immediate but we are going to go into the second phase, immediately we get the results we will shortlist for physical and medical checkups before 15 December (2020) IPP and capturing will commence, and they will now go for six months training for specialisation.”

“In both organisations we are recruiting 9,460. 5,000 for civil defence and 4,460 for immigration,” Yakmut said.

While commending JAMB for the orderliness witnessed in the conduct of the exam, the Board’s secretary said the recruitment process has been free with no candidates expecting to pay any money.

Some of the candidates, who bared their minds on the conduct of the exam, lavished praises on both JAMB and the Board for the hitch-free exercise, as no issue of network problem was recorded during the examination.

#EndSARS-II Protesters Hit Osogbo Roads, Storm House Of Assembly

Protesters on Monday hit streets in Osogbo capital of Osun State demanding the release of all detained protesters and unfreezing of their accounts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The protesters converged at the Ogo-Oluwa area and marched to the Osun State House of Assembly along with the State Secretariat, Abere.

The placards read: “We are not fighting for any political party”, “#End Bad Judiciary in Nigeria”, ” #End fake judicial panel of Inquiry in Osun”, “Unfreeze all the frozen account”, ” We are Nigerian youths” among others.

The protesters, among other things, said there was hardship and insisted that there must be good governance in the country.

The last nation-wide protest against police brutality was hijacked by hoodlums, leading to looting and destruction of property worth billions of nairas.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said the Police authorities were aware of the protest and monitoring the development.

The State Commissioner for Information, Funke Egbemode, appealed to the protesters to take their grievances to the Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up on police brutality by the state governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola.

Police Charge Lawyer To Court For Alleged Forging Of Documents To Qualify Him For SANship

The Police headquarters have charged a 48-year-old lawyer, Boniface Ugwuowo, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged forging of documents.

In a 12-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2020, the police accused Ugwuowo of submitting forged documents to the Supreme Court to qualify him for the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Simon Lough, an assistant commissioner of police in the Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Headquarters, Abuja, filed the charge.

Application for the rank is highly competitive among lawyers in Nigeria in view of the privilege it confers on a bearer.

Ugwuowo, according to Lough, forged four documents marked SC/69/1998; SC/99/2004; SC/195/2011, and SC/322/2014.

The lawyer’s formal arraignment, scheduled for December 3, 2020, was put off due to the failure of the prosecution to produce him when the case was called in the court.

Justice Okon Abang, who was unhappy with the prosecution’s absence even when there was evidence that it was aware of the date, rescheduled the arraignment for February 23, 2021.

In relation to SC/69/1998, between P.C Mike Eze Vs Spring Bank PLC, he was said to have replaced the name of the actual lawyer – Chief Theodore A. Ezeobi (SAN) with his name at “page seven of the judgment of M.S. Muntaka-Coomssie ; page four of the judgment of J.A. Fabiyi ; page five of the judgment of Bode Rhodes-Vivour and page 21 of the judgment of Mahmud Mohammed , the front page and page three of the Supreme Court brief of argument.

According to 99/2004, the lawyer replaced the name of F.C.A Okoli, who appeared for the respondent in the case between Vab Petroleum Inc vs Mr. Mike Momah with his name “at page 23 of the judgment of Mary Peter-Odili; page two of the judgment of Olukayode Ariwoola and page two of the judgment of J.A. Fabiyi.

In SC/322/2014 between Chukwuemeka Agugua vs The State, he was alleged to have replaced the name of Ebenezer Obeya, who appeared for the appellant with his name “at page 29 of the judgment; the front page and page five of the Supreme Court brief of argument.

The lawyer was said to have also replaced the name of Audu Sani Esq, who appeared for the 2nd appellant in SC/195/201) between Sunday Offor and Anor vs The State, “at page 32 of the judgment; front page and page four of (he Supreme Court brief of argument.

Ugwuowo is said to have, by his acts, committed offences contrary to Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 LFN 2004.

Immediate past Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen had raised the alarm in 2018 that some desperate lawyers had developed the habit of submitting forged documents in their efforts to qualify for nomination for the rank of SAN.

A “WILL” Without Good Financial Provision For Family Can Be Cancelled

Daily Law Tips (Tip 710) by Onyekachi Umah, Esq., LL.M, ACIArb(UK)

Introduction:
Dead men don’t talk, but their intentions before death can be seen and heard from their graves through their “WILLs”. A “WILL” is a document containing the clear wishes of a dead person (including how to dispose his/her property), made freely by the dead person, with a clear mind before death, in the presence of witnesses. A “Will” comes into action after the death of the maker (testator) and cannot be changed at that point. Living persons often respect dead people and more often, courts will respect the wishes of the dead. Who wants to fight the dead? I will show you who, how and why, shortly.

There are few states in Nigeria where a spouse (husband/wife) and or any child of a dead person that left a “WILL” can approach a court to cancel the “WILL” on the ground that the “WILL” did not make reasonable financial provisions for the spouse or child of the dead person. With this, a person can make a “WILL” but cannot provide little finance or attempt to disinherit (remove) his/her spouse or any child from his “WILL”. It is common to find some person dish out lasting punishments to their loved ones, by excluding them from their “WILLs”.

This work focuses on the limitations placed on a testator (a dead person that made a WILL) stopping the testator from excluding certain persons from his/her “WILL”. It will answer the question; “Is there freedom for a dead person to share his property as he/she likes through his “WILL”?”. It will consider the “You Must Finish Your Work Principle”.

“You Must Finish Your Work Principle”:
There is common joke in Nigeria, that people never finish working in Nigeria even after death, since Nigerians (and many Africans) often call on their ancestors to fight for them, through prayers and incantation. Does this also have a place in law and jurisprudence (philosophy of law) in Nigeria? You will find out shortly.

“Giving” is love and man gives in life and in death. When a living person gives anything, it is a gift but when a dead person gives it is a testament. It is simple logic, that a person can only give what he owns; and this seems to be the only logical limitation on a living person when it comes to giving. On the side, for a dead person, is there freedom for a dead person to share his property as he/she likes? This question will be answered under the major principle of “You Must Finish Your Work”.

Presently, there is no nationally approved (federal) law on “WILL” rather states in Nigeria have their own unique laws on “WILL”. Most of the laws on “WILL” in states in Nigeria, where from laws on “WILL” of the regions in Nigeria. Hence, states in a particular region tend to have same/similar laws on “WILL”. Regions in this context are; Northern, Eastern, Western and Mid-Western regions of Nigeria. Ahead of regional laws on “WILL”, “During the colonial era, the Wills Act 1837 of England which empowered a testator to dispose of his properties – real and personal – as he pleased, applied as an Act of general application throughout Nigeria.”, quoting Justice MOHAMMED BELLO ,J.S.C of the Supreme Court in the case of IDEHEN & ORS v. IDEHEN & ORS.
Lagos State, a state in the Western region of Nigeria has a unique provision in their law on “WILL”. Lagos State is a trailblazer in many fronts and leads Nigeria and states in Nigeria on pragmatic innovative legislation. By its “Wills Law of Lagos State Cap W2 Laws of Lagos State 2004”, a dead person’s “WILL” can be challenged and modified in a court of law for not making reasonable financial provision for a spouse or any child of the dead person. So, the sacredness of a “WILL” in Lagos State can be compromise, where any of any wife/wives/husband or child of the maker of the “WILL” validly argues in court that the “WILL” did not make reasonable financial provision for him/her or them.

The proximity of Oyo State to Lagos State, has left Oyo State happy, as Oyo State learns a lot from Lagos State. Oyo State is also in the Western region of Nigeria and has a law on “WILL” that is similar to that of Lagos State. However, the law on “WILL” in Oyo State has gone further to expand the list of persons that can approach a court to argue that a “WILL” left behind by a dead person did not make reasonable financial provision for them. In Oyo State, the following persons that can challenge a “WILL” for lack of reasonable financial provision, are: wife or husband of the dead person, a child of the dead person, a parent, brother or sister of the dead person, so far as such persons were being taken care of by the dead person just before the death of the dead person.

The logic behind this limitation on “WILL” is to ensure that persons who depend on a dead person for care, before the death of the dead person are not left stranded and out of the property of their benefactor because of death. This ensures continuity of care and saves the society from some form of financial collapse. On the lighter side, it ensures that death does not terminate any care, so that even a dead person still continues his/her work of care, through any property he/she left behind. So, with this, a dead person cannot run away from his/her responsibilities rather he/she must finish his/her work; “You Must Finish Your Work Principle”.

Conclusion & Recommendation:
The essence of “WILL” is to manage and dispose the property of a dead person according to the wishes of the dead person. After all, if not for death, the dead person could have disposed his/her property according to his/her wish. The only most logical limitation/restriction to any disposal is that a person should only dispose what he or she does not own. One should not give what one doesn’t not own, whether living or dead.

However, some laws on “WILL” in states in Nigeria have placed other sorts of limitations on the powers and rights of a dead person to dispose his/her property through a “WILL”. In Lagos State and Oyo State, the valid “WILL” of a dead person can be modified by a court of law, simply because a wife/husband or child of the dead person validly argues that the “WILL” did not make reasonable provision for him/her. And, Oyo State has even expanded the list of persons that can make such argument, to include any wife or husband of the dead person, a child of the dead person, a parent, brother or sister of the dead person, where such persons were being taken care of by the dead person, just before the death of the dead person. Reasonable Financial Provision has been argued to mean adequate financial provisions according to the wealth of the dead person and the normal standard of living of his family members. This helps to avoid over night rich persons but to maintain an already existing life style.

By all lenses, the above discussed limitation is a clear violation of the rights of a living person that made a “WILL” by the time such person dies. Unfortunately, dead men don’t talk and have no rights. The limitation abuses the sacredness of “WILL” as the golden wishes of a dead person, that must be respected by all persons. It also makes it impossible for people to issue long lasting punishments through “WILL” to their family members, since such family members can apply for the “WILL” to be modified and for a reasonable financial provision to be made for the, contrary to the intentions of the “WILL”. Above all that has been aid, a law is a law, until the law is amended by the legislatures. Good and bad laws are the products of legislatures and those who seek change of bad laws, must embrace amendment and must approach the legislatures.

My authorities, are:
1. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
2. Sections 1, 2, 26 and 27 of the Wills Law of Lagos State, 1990 Cap W2 Laws of Lagos State 2004
3. Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Wills Edict of Oyo State 1990
4. The Jugement of the Supreme Court (on the history of Wills Act in Nigeria) in the case of IDEHEN & ORS v. IDEHEN & ORS. (1991) LPELR-1416(SC)
5. Onyekachi Umah, “How To Recover Property Of The Dead In Nigeria. (A Legal Guide On Probate Matters In Nigeria)” (LearnNigerianLaws.com, 10 March 2016) <https://learnnigerianlaws.com/how-to-recover-property-of-the-dead/ > accessed 5 December 2020
6. Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu, “Limits Of A Testator On Freedom Of Will Testament” (nigerianlawguru,) <http://www.nigerianlawguru.com/articles/family%20law/LIMITS%20OF%20A%20TESTATOR%20ON%20FREEDOM%20OF%20WILL%20TESTAMENT.pdf > accessed 5 December 2020.
7. Onyekachi Umah, “Requirements Of A Valid/Genuine Will” (LearnNigerianLaws.com, 13 July 2020) <https://learnnigerianlaws.com/requirements-of-a-valid-genuine-will-daily-law-tips-tip-608-by-onyekachi-umah-esq-ll-m-aciarbuk/ > accessed 5 December 2020.
8. Onyekachi Umah, “Can An Inheritance Under A “Will” Be Rejected?” (LearnNigerianLaws.com, 6 May 2020)<https://learnnigerianlaws.com/can-an-inheritance-under-a-will-be-rejected-daily-law-tips-tip-563-by-onyekachi-umah-esq-llm-aciarbuk/ > accessed 5 December 2020
9. Onyekachi Umah, “He 4 Facts Courts Must Consider In Evaluating Expert Opinions On Handwriting And Signatures On Wills” (LearnNigerianLaws.com, 2 November 2019) <https://learnnigerianlaws.com/the-4-facts-courts-must-consider-in-evaluating-expert-opinions-on-handwriting-and-signatures-on-wills-daily-law-tips-tip-449-by-onyekachi-umah-esq-llm-aciarb-uk/ > accessed 5 December 2020
10. Onyekachi Umah, “Acceptable Age For Making Of Wills In Nigeria” (LearnNigerianLaws.com, 25 April 2019) <https://learnnigerianlaws.com/acceptable-age-for-making-of-wills-in-nigeria-daily-law-tips-tip-318-by-onyekachi-umah-esq-llm-aciarb-uk/ > accessed 5 December 2020

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Lagos CJ, Justice Alogba Swears-In 17 New Magistrates [FULL LIST]

The Chief Judge of Lagos State and Chairman, Judicial Service Commission, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba, has sworn-in 17 newly appointed Magistrates, describing their appointments as a sanctimonious call to duty.

The Chief Judge, who stated this at the swearing-in ceremony held at Local Government Election Tribunal in Ikeja recently, encouraged the new Magistrates to be courageous and limit their social circles in order to successfully carry out the task given to them by God and Man.

Justice Alogba said the appointments were in recognition of their impressive track records and urged them to see the Oath of Office and Oath of Secrecy as a guide in carrying out their official responsibilities, while not losing cognisance of their reputations and the respect of their families who look up to them.

In his words, “In the course of discharging your duties, you will be approached by families, relatives and friends who will want to seek one favour or the other from you. But you have to be mindful that you are to be just in what you do, no matter whose ox is gored. So, I will advise you not to shun or disrespect them but apply the fear of God and wisdom in your dealings with them”.

“The Oath of Office and Oath of Secrecy should guide you in your doings. Always be calm, calculative and courageous in your endeavours. You have been saddled with an onerous task and the opportunity to define your legacy while the whole world looks up to you to be fair, impartial and just in adjudicating cases. Don’t let them down”, he added.

Also speaking at the event, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), enjoined the new Magistrates to strive for excellence as they take up the burdensome task given to them.

He described the appointment process as rigorous, urging the appointees not to compromise judicial values while exhibiting impeccable character and upholding the rule of law.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Judicial Service Commission, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, urged the newly sworn-in Magistrates to do all that is required to be noble agents of change by dedicating their services to uplift the image of the judiciary in Lagos State and the Nation, through discipline and maintenance of a high level of virtuousness.

“As you take Oath of Office today, I implore you to stand true to your oath as it is a testament of your fidelity to God, the law and the good people of Lagos State. Your oath is a public assertion of your honest commitment to the Almighty to continually dispense justice conscientiously and diligently, without fear or favour, affection or animosity”, Salami enthused.

The 17 appointed Magistrates are Mr. Opeyemi Olatunde Odufuye, Mr. Adebambo Jamiu Odueke, Mr. Mikaheel Abiodun Adegbaye, Mrs. Olajumoke Modupe Sadiq-Bello, Mrs. Ibijoke Oluwatomi Williams, Mrs. Omobolanle Elizabeth Adeola and Mrs. Maume Oluwabusola Whenu.

Others include Mrs. Taofikat Adedayo Shotobi, Mr. Teslim Oluwatosin Fashanu, Mrs. Oluwafunmibi Oluwatosin Adeosun, Mrs, Anntoinette Oshioke Dirisu, Mrs, Folashade Arike Oshikoya, Mrs. Nafisah Oseni-Wahab, Mr. Ayodeji Funlola Akinyemi, Mr. Daramola Manzur Olumide, Mrs. Rakiat Adebukola Alejo and Mrs. Dorcas Senami Odukoya.

Thenigerialawyer

FG Starts N30,000 Grants To Drivers, Cart Pushers

The Federal Government included commercial motorcyclists, drivers, others artisans affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in its Economic Sustainability Plan to the transport sector.

They are expected to benefit from the transport support track under the government’s MSME Survival Fund.

According to a statement by Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, titled “FG commences N30, 000 grants for taxi, bus, okada, keke NAPEP, Uber, Bolt drivers and cart pushers,” the inauguration of the transport track followed “the successful take-off of the artisans’ support track on October 1.”

Akande added that while the artisans’ track is under the Survival Fund, the transport track is a different scheme also under the fund.

He said, “There will be a total of 9,009 beneficiaries per state for both artisan and transport beneficiaries.

“Of this number per state, there will be a total of 4,505 beneficiaries under the transport scheme, while the remaining 4,504 will be artisan beneficiaries.

“For the transport track, Nigerians are encouraged to apply through their registered associations to be enumerated, such as the Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers, Keke Riders’ Association, Okada Riders’ Associations and Unions, among others.

“All schemes are applied to beneficiaries on a first come first serve basis.

“State focal persons, project field officers, enumerators and others will work alongside the MSMEs Survival Fund Project Delivery Office to properly identify and ensure that members of the respective associations are paid.”

He added that the formalisation support scheme, which is about the registration of 250,000 new businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission, commenced on the October 26, adding that the scheme will run for three months.

According Akande while giving an update on the artisan track being implemented in three streams said, as of November 25, a total number of 59,000 individual artisan beneficiaries have been paid across 24 states in Stream 1 and Stream 2 states.

The states include the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, Ekiti, Kaduna, Borno, Kano, Bauchi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Edo, Ogun, Ondo, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi.

He added, “The verification process for artisans under Stream 3 states commenced on Monday, November 30. Stream 3 states comprise Akwa-Ibom, Cross-River, Zamfara, Yobe, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Imo, Oyo, Osun, Jigawa, Gombe and Benue.

“Similarly, payment to beneficiaries under the Payroll Support scheme for different categories of MSMEs, ranging from education, hospitality to other sectors, has since commenced.

“The payroll support scheme, which is designed to support vulnerable MSMEs, targets supporting 500,000 beneficiaries with payment of up to N50,000 per employee for a period of three months, starting from October. The disbursements to approved Payroll Support beneficiaries commenced on November 17, 2020.

“So far, 207,319 individual beneficiaries drawn from 35,837 businesses/MSMEs nationwide have received their first monthly payment from the Survival Fund’s Payroll Support Scheme.

“A breakdown of this figure shows that: N30,000 each was paid to 180,196 employees/Beneficiaries; while N50,000 each was paid to 26,353 employees/Beneficiaries. Out of this, 2.6 per cent of beneficiaries are with special needs, while 43 per cent are female employees/beneficiaries.”

Borno Killings: Sule Advises Buhari To Adopt Other Options To End Insurgency

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders in the country to explore other options in the effort to bring the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast to an end.

Sule made the call on Saturday in Maiduguri when he led a delegation from the state on a condolence visit to the Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, over the recent killing of 43 farmers in Zabarmani.

A statement signed by Governor Sule’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, quoted the governor as saying that it is time to start thinking differently, especially after trying several options which are yet to solve the lingering insurgency.

Sule said it is saddening that in this era, some people can engage in such barbaric acts as happened in Zabarmani where innocent lives were lost.

He said: “Today, we are here to commiserate with the government and, indeed, the entire people of Borno State for what you are going through.

“In Nasarawa State, our concerns are constantly with the people of Borno State.”

He noted that progress will not come to a place where there is no peace, praying to God to restore peace to the people of Borno State.

The Nasarawa State governor seized the opportunity of the visit to commend his Borno State counterpart for the progress so far recorded in the state in spite of the challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.

“It is saddening each time a life was lost, but we have seen some progress. For that reason, we have not lost hope,” Sule said.

Responding, Governor Zulum expressed deep appreciation over the visit purposely to sympathise with the government and people of Borno State over the recent killing of farmers on their farmlands.

Zulum added that the visit by the governor of Nasarawa State will further strengthen the already existing relationship between the two states, stressing that the visit has also shown a degree of fraternity between Borno and Nasarawa states, which symbolise unity.

“Therefore, we shall remain committed to this noble cause of fostering relationship between the two states,” Zulum stated.

Those who accompanied Sule on the visit include the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-makura; Senator John Damboyi, Director-General, A. A Sule Campaign Organisation; the Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Bage and the Emir of Keffi, HRH Alhaji (Dr.) Shehu Usman Yamusa III.

US-China war: Chinese media says not much expected to change under Biden

DAVOS, Jan. 17, 2017 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang via Getty Images)

DAVOS, Jan. 17, 2017 — Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 17, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang via Getty Images)

By IKENNA EMEWU

Global Times Newspaper of China, a subsidiary of the China Daily media group has said that the expected new government in the USA next month might not introduce so much changes to the prevailing frosty relationship between the country and China.

The media organization said this Monday in an online international media conference the ACE was part of via Zoom.

Global Times held the conference in partnership with the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC), Beijing

During the briefing that lasted two hours, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Xie Rongbin noted that although there would be some changes to the disposition of President Donald Trump when President Joseph Biden comes to power, as another individual, but regarding the antagonistic relationship Trump set in motion, not much is expected to alter.

At the press meeting with focus on: Understanding the Real China, a Global Times Perspective, he stated that the policy of enmity elicited by Trump against China was so wholesome that nothing was left out of it.

“It was a trade war, but beyond that a science and technology war, an ideological war, a diplomatic war, a media war and image destruction war, cultural war, all targeted at China, the reason Trump clamped down on many Chinese firms including the Huawei, TikTok, Wechat and many others without a justification.

During the Trump days, he had at a point shut down a Chinese consulate office in Houston Texas on a flimsy and unproven allegation of spying on the security of the country. China had retaliated this with the closing of a US consulate office in Chengdu, Sichuan Province in South West China.

“We would not understand how or why TikTok for instance, a mere video streaming company would be a security threat to US. The last was last week when Trump terminated about nine cultural exchange programmes between China and US tagging them propaganda tools. Even Chinese media personnel in US were not spared and also lost their freedom to operate. It was a difficult time, but it made us strong and wiser.

So as a new president comes, we know he would surely have his own policies which would not be exactly the same with that of Trump, but the war is so far reaching and vast that we don’t have hopes of much difference.”

Xie said during the Trump days, China that used to feed on foreign news to broaden their horizon about the world rather started reading and consuming such information with mixed feeling and fear for their overall interests which include economic, diplomatic, cultural and others.

He said since China had amassed so much in international investments, it became somehow more vulnerable to such negative shenanigans championed by Trump against her.

The media chief executive however praised those countries of the world, including Africa that sustained their good relationship with China and promised that the media body would create better and stronger partnerships with the outer world to serve as vehicle to project China to the world exactly as it is, and not from the prism of bias only as US did under Trump.

The journalist of years of experience who starter serving in the Global Times in 1998 and had worked in several countries applauded China for a tenacious approach and war against the Covid-19 pandemic which he said the country has overcome.

He cited the instance of China successfully hosting the third China International Investment Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai between November 5 and 10, 2020 as a major point to prove to the world that China had returned to a normal place and normal life after the pandemic.

As fallout of the global pandemic crises, Xie re-echoed China’s position of assisting other countries of the world with its vaccine invention at affordable cost.

He said right now, although some parts of China don’t live at risk to the pandemic and therefore may not be under pressure to vaccinate, but all Chinese nationals that have travelled overseas for business, studies and other reasons after the vaccine was ready have all been vaccinated with the Chinese Covid-19 doses.

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