Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila has revealed identity of a security detail attached to his convoy who shot an Abuja vendor, Ifeanyi Okereke dead on Thursday at the Federal Secretariat in Abuja.

The Speaker identified the security detail as Abdullahi Hassan.

He said, “I have handed over Abdullahi M. Hassan to the Department of State Services for investigation and appropriate administrative and judicial action. In the interim, he has been suspended from the convoy.

“I have expressed my personal condolence to his family and have arranged to meet with the parents of Mr Okereke, who are already on their way to Abuja.

“I have committed to them that I will support his wife and the immediate family he left behind.

“I ask all Nigerians to join me in praying for the repose of his soul.”

Developing Story

…Deceased planned to name his baby on Saturday

Members of the Abuja Newspaper Vendors Association and the Abuja Newspaper Distributors Association (ANDA), on Friday, demonstrated against the killing of one of their members in Abuja.

The deceased, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Okeke, alias Elechi, was said to have died after he was hit on the head by bullets allegedly fired by one of the security details in the convoy of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, in Abuja on Thursday.

Elechi was said to have died at the National Hospital Abuja where he was taken to for medical attention after the shooting incident.

The newspaper vendors and distributors protested peacefully at the Area 1 Roundabout calling for justice for their slain member.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters read: “#Vendors lives matter, Vendors are also human beings, Elechi’s death must not be in vain and Justice 4 Elechi,” among others.

The Chairman, Abuja Newspaper Vendors Association, Comrade Etim Iwara, told the Nation Correspondent during the protest that Elechi was planning a naming ceremony for his new born baby before he met his untimely death.

Iwara said: “Another thing that was so sad was that he called me in the early hours of Friday to inform me about his wife who just put to bed and told me that the naming ceremony will be taking place on Saturday and we received that news with great joy and we planned to be with him and his family without knowing that this sad event was coming.”

He lamented that Elechi was killed where he was fighting for his daily bread and called for justice for the deceased and adequate compensation for his family.

Iwara added: “He was doing his usual service to the nation which is information dissemination. He was not having a weapon with him. He was not attacking anybody.

“They were appreciating the VIPs and also showing them their wares and in response the Speaker was there to appreciate them just for an unsuspected security officer to kill him for no reason.

“So we are demanding for justice. We are calling on the Federal Government to bring the police officer who unjustly took the life of Elechi, a newspaper vendor, in broad day light, to book.

“We are also calling for compensation for the family of the deceased vendor. We are calling for a stop to brutality by police officers against Nigerian citizens.

“Of course, Elechi was killed where he was fighting for his daily bread. He was hustling to put food on the table. He was not a miscreant in the street. He was a registered member of our association.

“So we are here to protest to ensure that all available entitlements or needs that will cause his memory to last in our hearts should be attended to by the Federal Government.

“We have to interface with the Federal Government to ensure that it is not just say and not do. The leadership of the Abuja Newspaper Vendors Association with other critical stakeholders in the media profession will work together to ensure that apart from justice, all that is needed to be accorded to the family is done with immediate effect.”

Speaking on how the incident happened, Iwara said: “I was called at about 3pm Thursday and given the sad news about the shooting of my member, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Okeke, aka Elechi, who sells newspapers at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

“He had with him newspapers of Thisday, Leadership, Nation, Punch, Daily Trust and other newspapers. When they approached the convoy of the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

“The Speaker attended to them in their usual manner of rapport and he gave them what he had. The vendors are used to these VIPs. While they sell newspapers to them they also do gestures like hailing them, just for an errant police or DSS officer, who alighted from one of the Hilux vans in the convoy of the Speaker, to shot him at very close range on the head.

“Immediately, he was evacuated to the National Hospital where he was placed on oxygen. We were all together on this issue, calling the attention of the government and calling for calm from our members not to take the law into their hands and they heeded to that prayer.

“And then we were also praying that God should keep him alive but not long ago, we received the shocking news of his demise at the National Hospital and his corpse has been deposited in the morgue. As I talk to you he is no more.”

On his part, the President, Abuja Newspaper Distributors Association, Benji Obute, said he was alerted about the incident through a phone call by one of his members.

Obute said: “At about 3.45pm yesterday (Thursday) a call came to me that one of our newspaper vendors was shot at the Federal Secretariat.

“So I rushed to that place and when I got there, I met that he has been taken to the National Hospital for medical attention because at that time he had not given up the ghost. It was when I got there that I was briefed about what happened.

“Traditionally, the Federal Secretariat is the hub of Abuja. Most of the politicians and VIPs, including governors and ministers always ply that route. If you are held by that traffic light there, it will take you not less than two minutes before it will pass you.

“So the vendors there have been taking advantage of that to hail any VIP that is with his entourage and is held on that traffic. While they are selling their papers they will come close to the vehicle and hail the VIP and in most cases the VIPs usually part with some cash gifts to them.

“It has been customary like that. Sometimes what they get from such gifts usually surpass their sales proceed for the day. Now, Femi Gbajabiamila is a very close friend of our members there.

“He used to give them money severally. Yesterday was not the first. I was told that when he closed from work and was coming out from the National Assembly, he was held in that traffic light as usual.

“They (vendors) were hailing him and he dipped his hand in his pocket and gave his orderly who was sitting on the front seat of the vehicle money and the orderly wound down the door glass and gave the money to the late Ifeanyi Elechi.

“The money turned out to be N9,000.00 after it was counted. As they were still hailing him, the light turned green and the convoy proceeded. However, nobody knew what happened that led the security detail behind the speaker’s car, to shoot at Elechi at close range.

“When Elechi fell down and our members started raising the alarm, he fired another bullet into the air after which they zoomed off. Because the Speaker heard the sound of the gun shot, he stopped the convoy and asked his security details what happened but they told him that nothing happened. Probably because he thought it was a mere gun shot he entered his vehicle and the convoy left.

“However, from the information I am getting, I am told that he has been been briefed about the incident and they are on top of the matter. But on our part, we are going to express our displeasure to the DSS or the police and whoever carried out that dastardly act should be brought to book. We are not living in a banana republic.

“The issue of #EndSARS saga just ended not long ago, and this one has happened again at the heart of Abuja. We want justice to meted out to the DSS or police operative that committed this heinous crime. We are carrying out a peaceful protest here so that it will not be tagged a part of EndSARS protest.”

A vendor who witnessed the shooting, Mr Onyebuchi Emmanuel Ajaebionwu also narrated how the incident happened.

Ajeanionwu said: “What happened was that Gbsjabiamila was coming out and we knew him when he was a member of the House before he became Speaker.

“He is our friend. Anytime we see him, we normally greet and crack jokes with him. Yesterday the Speaker came out and he stopped. As we were hailing him, he told his orderly to give us money and Elechi who is now dead went and collected the N9,000.00.

“But as he was about crossing the road after collecting the money a DSS operative came down from his vehicle and shot him on the head twice. So as I was following him and shouting ‘you don kill my brother, you don kill my brother’ he brought out the pistol again and shot into the air. That is what happened.”

According to another newspaper vendor, Amarachi Chibueze, who said he was there when the incident happened, the vendors’ association has not informed the wife of the deceased about the incident because of her condition.

Chibueze said Elechi lived in Dutse while his wife lives in Suleja. “His wife just delivered a new baby. As of yesterday we just decided not to inform the wife yet. She is with her mother in Suleja,” he said.

The Nation further learnt that the late Elechi was among the five members of the vendors who were offered employment recently by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

It was learnt that he was slated to resume duties next week on Salary Grade Level 6 at the Ministry of Labour and Employment before the incident.

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that he set up the Justice Ayo Salami led Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate corrupt allegation against the suspended acting chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC out of his desire is to make Nigeria a country that has no tolerance for corruption, but one where the menace is vigorously battled.

The President spoke while receiving the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry from Justice Ayo Salami (Rtd), at State House, Abuja.

According to the President, while many countries adopt different attitude to the fight against corruption, he wanted Nigeria to be one of the countries where there is zero tolerance for graft.

”Corruption is present in all countries. Some Governments treat it with levity. Some fight it all the time. I want Nigeria to be counted among those countries that do not tolerate but fight corruption.”

In order to protect Nigeria’s political and economic systems, and the continuous existence of the Nigerian State from the serious threat of corruption, the President called on all stakeholders, and indeed every Nigerian to own the fight against corruption at their respective levels.

Pledging that the fight against corruption is one that must be fought without fear or favour, President Buhari thanked members of the Commission for their dedication and commitment to the fight against corruption.

The President said further: ”The sad reality confronting us as a people is that there is corruption almost everywhere; at many levels of government, and nearly every stratum of our society. Mindful of the threat that corruption poses to us as a nation, this administration has specifically focused on the fight against corruption.

”As a government, and in furtherance of our anti-corruption programme, we have since inception engaged in many reforms in removing corruption including but not limited to the enforcement of Treasury Single Account (TSA), strict implementation of the Bank Verification Number Policy and signing unto the Open Government Partnership. A lot of efforts have gone into building and development of our anti-corruption institutions.

”We have so far kept faith with our promise and shall remain committed until Nigeria triumphs over the evil of corruption, attain a prosperous economic status and surmounts her security challenges.

”However, the stark reality of widespread corruption becomes poignant when allegations of corruption touches on the leadership of an institution set up by law to coordinate and enforce all economic and financial crimes. It is an abomination that strikes at the root, and undermines the Government’s anti-corruption programme.

”It was in response to the serious allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that I set up a Panel headed by the Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami, retired President of the Court of Appeal, via an Instrument dated 3rd July 2020 pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (Cap T21, LFN, 2004).

”We recognize that there are more grounds to cover in the war against corruption, and we are prepared to go out to possess those lands by cutting off any stream that nourishes the seed of corruption and supports its growth.

”Let it be known that in the fight against corruption, no one is too big to tackle, as no individual is bigger than the Nigerian State!”

In his remarks, Justice Salami said that the suspended Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and 113 witnesses appeared and testified before the Commission, adding that 46 petitions and memoranda were presented by individuals and organisations with complaints against the suspended Acting Chairman, EFCC or both.

Justice Salami disclosed that the Commission also embarked on a nationwide physical verification of recovered forfeited assets, comprising real estates, automobiles, vessels and non-cash assets.

He commended the President for the initiative to dispose all forfeited assets ”because of the poor condition of the assets we saw during our physical verification nationwide.”

Noting that the four chairmen of EFCC since inception were from the police, the retired Justice of the Court of Appeal also recommended that in appointing a new chairman consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and core staff of the EFCC as provided in the EFCC establishment Act of 2004.

He expressed profound gratitude to the President for giving the Commission members a wonderful opportunity to serve the nation.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe believes the President Muhammadu Buhari government has failed the country, insisting that there is no way to paper over their failures.

“The party (PDP) has its position and the position is very simple: this government has failed,” the Senator who represents Abia South said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“You don’t have any other way of trying to cover it. You can say all the rhetoric, you make all the propaganda. You can go ahead and try to pull the wool over the eyes of the people but the #EndSARS protest showed a failure of this government. It is not that is just failing now. It has been failing all along and we have been continually pointed it out.”

The Senate Minority Leader accused the government of failing to listen to advice and always seeing every counsel as an opposition that should be crushed.

He claimed the present government is mired in the past and does not have any connection with the 21st century.

“On the floor of the Senate, I have always spoken, ‘You are not getting it right,’” he explained.

“The only problem we have with this government is that advice to them is like an opposition they need to crush. They just think that in the 21st century that with all the information we have; with all the contacts that we have with the rest of the world, that people will just continue being subdued as they used to do in Stalin’s country (formerly the Soviet Union) or in North Korea and all that.”

While reiterating that the Buhari administration has failed in delivering development to the nation, he stated that “all we are waiting for is to throw out this government in the next election.”

…It’s abomination, undermines anti-corruption fight for head of agency to be involved in graft – Buhari
..recommend two years exit plan for over 900 policemen on secondment

The Justice Ayo Salami presidential panel investigating the suspended Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has recommended that appointment of a new chairman for the anti-graft agency be done outside police.

The panel also recommended two year exit plan for over 900 police personnel on secondment to EFCC to pave the way for specially trained core staff of EFCC whose promotions have been stalled for years to take over command.

They made the recommendation while submitting the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Investigation of Magu, to President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.

According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the panel noted that the four chairmen of EFCC since inception were from the police and recommended that in appointing a new chairman consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and core staff of the EFCC as provided in the EFCC establishment Act of 2004.

Salami said that Magu, and 113 witnesses appeared and testified before the Commission, adding that 46 petitions and memoranda were presented by individuals and organisations with complaints against the suspended Acting Chairman, EFCC or both.

The retired Justice disclosed that the Commission also embarked on a nationwide physical verification of recovered forfeited assets, comprising real estates, automobiles, vessels and non-cash assets.

He said the panel inspected all forfeited property across the country and observed that many are fast deteriorating .

He commended the President for the initiative to dispose all forfeited assets “because of the poor condition of the assets we saw during our physical verification nationwide.”

Salami said: “Your Excellency, permit me to say that four successive chairmen of the EFCC from inception, have been drawn from the police, therefore, in appointing a new chairman of EFCC, consideration should be given to candidates from other law enforcement or security agencies and qualified core staff of EFCC as provided in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act 2004). It is also important to point out that at the moment, 970 policemen (114 drivers, 641 mobile policemen and 215 operations), are on secondment in the EFCC, therefore an exit plan for the disengagement of the police and other personnel within two years from now should be considered. This will address the issue of no promotion of core staff for over nine years.

“Your Excellency, our thinking here is that whoever you are appointing other than a core EFCC staff, should be in transitional capacity of two years during which period, arrangement would be made for appointment of any of the core staff who has been commended by National Crime Agency, UK and other international law enforcement for their professionalism.”

President Buhari described as an abomination for head of an agency to be named in corruption case, vowing that the fight against corruption is one that must be fought without fear or favour.

According to him, his desire is to make Nigeria a country that has no tolerance for corruption, but one where the menace is vigorously battled.

He said: “Corruption is present in all countries. Some Governments treat it with levity. Some fight it all the time. I want Nigeria to be counted among those countries that do not tolerate but fight corruption.”

In order to protect Nigeria’s political and economic systems, and the continuous existence of the Nigerian State from the serious threat of corruption, the President called on all stakeholders, and indeed every Nigerian to own the fight against corruption at their respective levels.

The President said further: “The sad reality confronting us as a people is that there is corruption almost everywhere; at many levels of government, and nearly every stratum of our society. Mindful of the threat that corruption poses to us as a nation, this administration has specifically focused on the fight against corruption.

“As a government, and in furtherance of our anti-corruption programme, we have since inception engaged in many reforms in removing corruption including but not limited to the enforcement of Treasury Single Account (TSA), strict implementation of the Bank Verification Number Policy and signing unto the Open Government Partnership. A lot of efforts have gone into building and development of our anti-corruption institutions.

“We have so far kept faith with our promise and shall remain committed until Nigeria triumphs over the evil of corruption, attain a prosperous economic status and surmounts her security challenges.

“However, the stark reality of widespread corruption becomes poignant when allegations of corruption touches on the leadership of an institution set up by law to coordinate and enforce all economic and financial crimes. It is an abomination that strikes at the root, and undermines the Government’s anti-corruption programme.

“It was in response to the serious allegations against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that I set up a Panel headed by the Honourable Justice Isa Ayo Salami, retired President of the Court of Appeal, via an Instrument dated 3rd July 2020 pursuant to the Tribunals of Inquiry Act (Cap T21, LFN, 2004).

“We recognize that there are more grounds to cover in the war against corruption, and we are prepared to go out to possess those lands by cutting off any stream that nourishes the seed of corruption and supports its growth.

“Let it be known that in the fight against corruption, no one is too big to tackle, as no individual is bigger than the Nigerian State!”

Nigeria has slid into her worst economic recession in over three decades, and this authoritative.

Gross domestic product (GDP) numbers released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Saturday, November 21, indicated that the nation recorded a contraction of 3.62 percent in the third quarter of 2020.

This is the second consecutive quarterly GDP decline since the recession of 2016. (Two consecutive GDP decline is any economy indicates recession)

The cumulative GDP for the first nine months of 2020, therefore, stood at -2.48 percent.

The last time Nigeria recorded such cumulative GDP was in 1987, when GDP declined by 10.8 percent.

According to World Bank and NBS figures reportedly monitored by TheCable, this is the second recession under President Muhamadu Buhari’s democratic reign and his fourth as head of state.

Earlier this year, the World Bank warned in a statement that the Nigerian economy was expected to plunge into severe economic recession, the worst in almost 40 years due to the collapse of oil prices and the outbreak of the coronavirus disease.

The report released by the World Bank in June estimated that Nigeria’s economy would likely contract by 3.2% in 2020.

Theconclaveng

To boost mental health, check the alarming rate of lifestyle and stress related ailments including depression, the Chairman, Sports Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja Branch (Unity Bar) Afam O. Okeke will on Saturday lead Abuja lawyers on a hiking adventure.

Okeke explained that the essence of the hike is to give lawyers opportunity to unplug from their daily hustling and bustling, unwind and have fun. “It’s a good way to socialize, create good network and interpersonal relationship amongst lawyers,” he said.

Mr Afam O. Okeke a core bar man and a past Secretary of the branch Abuja listed some of the benefits of hiking.

“Hiking is good for physical and mental well-being. It is a great cardiovascular workout.

“It is a natural stress reliever and makes you feel good generally.”

Encouraging participants to come with their mats and games (Chess, Scrabble, Whot, Ludo, etc.), he further explained that the meeting point is Eterna Petrol Station near Finance junction at Wuye District in Abuja.

While thanking Chairman of the branch, Dr Hauwa E. Shekarau for giving the Sports Committee an opportunity to serve, Okeke assured members of the Unity Bar of more engaging and fun filled activities from the Sports Committee.

He also expressed gratitude to the committee members and their partners for their commitment and support.

The Nigerian government, through the ministry of petroleum resources, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Niger Republic for petroleum products importation.

According to a statement released by the ministry, Soraz Refinery in Zinder, Niger Republic, has an installed refining capacity of 20,000 barrels per day compared to the nation’s 5,000bpd domestic requirement.

This leaves a surplus of 15,000 barrels per day.

Mele Kyari, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), signed the MoU on behalf of Nigeria while Alio Toune, director-general of Niger Republic’s National Oil Company, Societe Nigerienne De Petrole (SONIDEP), signed on behalf of his country.

The signing was witnessed by the ministers of state for petroleum of the two countries, Timipre Sylva for Nigeria and Foumakoye Gado for Niger Republic.

“This is a major step forward. The Niger Republic has some excess products which need to be evacuated. Nigeria has the market for these products. Therefore, this is going to be a win-win relationship for both countries,” Sylva said.

“My hope is that this is going to be the beginning of deepening trade relations between Niger Republic and Nigeria.”

In his remarks, Kyari said the two countries have had long engagements in the last four to five months with a view to restoring the importation of petroleum products (excess production) from Niger into Nigeria.

“With this development, we hope to have a long-lasting and sustainable commercial framework to have a pipeline from the Soraz Refinery in Zinder (Niger) into the most proximate Nigerian city so that we can develop a depot.

“We are happy that we have reached that conclusion and our two ministers have endorsed this framework. We are also working on a detailed MoU between our two companies so that we can continue the execution process immediately.”

Nigeria currently imports refined petroleum products despite having four refineries. As a result, scarce forex is spent to ensure that there is no scarcity in the country.

Government officials have expressed hopes that the 350,000 capacity Dangote refinery being constructed will end the era of petroleum products importation in Nigeria.

Thenigerialawyer

Death has ended the life of Former Senate leader Victor Ndoma-Egba’s beautiful wife, Amaka. But not the fond memories of her existence. He lost his wife to a ghastly motor accident along the Benin – Akure Expressway, last night.

According to reports, she was going for a function in Akure when the accident occurred.

Nobody ever makes a lovely corpse but when she was alive, Amaka characterized the essence of loveliness and more. Now that she has passed on, Ndoma would fight the battle of his life never to let go, the wonderful, sweet memories bequeathed to him by her. These are harrowing times in the household of the Egbas.

  Now, Amaka is gone, leaving him a loner in the drudgery of life. Her immediate families are down and out; their souls are vexed about the incident. Even from the look of things, it may take more than a passage of time for the wound to heal. Friends, relatives and associates have been thronging his home to pay him condolence visits and offer consolatory advices.

Sadly, apart from losing the wife earlier this year, he also lost his mother-in-law, mother and his former media aide while his house was almost vandalized during the #EndSARS protest in Calabar.

Thecapital