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HURIWA Attacks NHRC Boss, Ojukwu For Allegedly Begging For Adverts From Foreign Companies

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Thursday, lambasted the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, NHRC, Tony Ojukwu for allegedly going cap-in-hand to foreign operated businesses in Nigeria to beg for sponsorship.

HURIWA said the alleged move by Ojukwu was inappropriate and clearly violates the provisions of the enabling act setting up the rights commission as would be cited below.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko asked the management of NHRC to rescind its beggarly tendencies and properly discharge her mandates.

The rights group noted that the commission’s mandates did not envisage that the management could go to the ridiculous extent of becoming a corporate beggar to even companies set up by foreigners in Nigeria, which are amongst the largest abusers of the employment rights of Nigerians with many of them using Nigerian workers as modern day slaves.

According to HURIWA: “It beggars belief and is indeed an unprecedented act of betrayal and compromise that the public funded national rights commission that should act as an independent investigator of all human rights-related infractions including the pervasive human rights violations against Nigerians working in foreign owned and operated companies in Nigeria is seen openly or clandestinely in an unholy communion with these same entities that the commission ought to provide oversight functions.

“It is the height of ethical depravity and the greatest show of shame that the head of this government funded agency that became financially and operationally independent in 2010 with wide ranging amendments to its enabling Act costing the taxpayers’ hundreds of millions of Naira to be seen begging companies to fund a movie. So what will happen if these companies are accused by their staff members especially Nigerians of gross human rights violations given that in recent times there have been well documented empirical evidence of grave human rights abuses of Nigerians by owners of foreign administered businesses in Nigeria?

“There is no doubt that the commission is the only government institution statutorily mandated to promote, protect and enforce human rights in Nigeria, we cannot do it alone.

“Our determination to keep advancing the course of human rights has brought us here today to partner your esteemed organisation to support the commission in its quest to take the knowledge of human rights to the doorsteps of every household in Nigeria.”

HURIWA recalled that the NHRC (Amendment) Act, 2010 has conferred on the Commission additional independence and strengthened the Commission’s power with respect to promotion and protection of human rights, investigation of alleged violation of human rights and enforcement of decisions. The Amendment Act has also widened the scope of the Commission’s Mandate to include vetting of legislations at all levels to ensure their compliance with human rights norms.

FG Begins Petrol-To-Gas Conversion Of Official Vehicles

The federal government has commenced the conversion of official vehicles belonging to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in designated centres in Abuja.

It said part of the move was to provide Nigerians with autogas to cushion the effects of rising petrol costs in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to adopt gas as an alternative fuel for the country.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, stated this yesterday during a visit to an autogas dispensing station and conversion inspection exercise, at the NNPC autogas dispensing facility in Jahi and Autolady Garage in Abuja, where some government official vehicles were being converted.

Sylva said the conversion underscored the seriousness of the new government initiative.
The minister expressed his satisfaction with the conversion process thus far and charged conversion centres to make vehicle and user-safety a priority during the process.

He added that his vehicles and others in the president’s fleet would soon be converted as well.
In his remarks during the inspection visit, the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Abdulkadir Saidu, stated that the government will ensure that autogas will soon be made available all over the country.

“Nigerians can rest assured of the government’s undying commitment to providing a cheaper and cleaner alternative to petrol, as prices have been on an upward climb in recent months following the deregulation of the downstream sector.

“Aside from the fact that autogas is cheaper, we are also concerned about making the conversion of cars affordable so that Nigerians can indeed reap the advantage of this new policy,” he said.
The PPPRA boss, after the inspection, also said that some filling stations across the country were already keying into the plan by adding autogas dispensers to their stations.

He urged Nigerians to embrace gas-powered vehicles as they are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than any other fuel available on the market today.
He also noted that the majority of vehicles built in the last two decades were well suited to conversion for dual fuel applications and, therefore, safe for all Nigerians who are willing to convert their vehicles.

FG Bans Trading Under Lagos Marine Beach Bridge

The federal government yesterday banned commercial activities under the Marine Beach Bridge, as rehabilitation works are completed for the bridge to reopen to traffic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, while inspecting the bridge directed ministry officials to adopt measures against street trading that sparked up the fire that destroyed the bridge several years ago leading to its degeneration.

Fashola said construction works on the Apapa-bound lane under construction have been completed and the section would be opened to traffic “in a few days’’.

While inspecting ongoing construction on the Apapa-bound lane on the top of the bridge, the contractors on the project explained that work was ongoing beneath the bridge while vehicles plied the top.

The minister, who commended the level of technology being applied, warned against allowing illegal activities under the bridge.

“You have to ensure no trading or illegal activities take place here again, in the first place that was what caused the fire that damaged this bridge,’’ he directed his officials.

He appealed to residents and other stakeholders in Ijora and Apapa to desist from abuse of the bridge

The over 40-year-old Marine Beach Bridge was damaged by a fire incident and repair work was first awarded for it in 2012.

It went through another round of six months repairs in 2017, before the current ongoing rehabilitation that began in phases in 2020 with the entire repairs expected to be completed in March 2021.

Magistrates lack power to freeze bank accounts – Court

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that magistrate’s courts lacked the power to issue an order freezing bank accounts.

The court also ordered banks to desist from acting on “bankers order” served on them, particularly by the police, to freeze or place a post-no-debit order accounts on personal accounts.

Justice Inyang Ekwo made the declaration in a judgment in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1635/2019 on Tuesday.

The suit was instituted by five children of the late Chief E. A. Esiso against one of their siblings, Yoma Esiso, four banks which had frozen their bank accounts, the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit.

The five siblings who were the plaintiffs who instituted the suit are Mrs Eunice Oddiri, Beauty Ogbodu, Chief Sunny Esiso, Edirin Esiso, and Mrs Emuobosa Consin.

They stated in their suit that in September 2019 one of the landed assets of their late father in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was sold and the proceeds were shared among the deceased’s children, including Yoma.

Yoma was said to have petitioned the police after which his five siblings were arrested and detained.

The plaintiffs were later released on bail but realised that their accounts had been frozen by their various banks which claimed to have received letters authorising them to so do from the office of the Inspector General of Police and the Commissioner of the Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit.

The banks said the letters from the IGP office were accompanied with a document called a Bankers Order from a magistrates’ court, ordering the freezing/post no debit on the accounts.

The plaintiffs on December 24, 2019 sued their banks – Zenith Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank and First Bank Place – along with the IGP, the IGP Monitoring Unit, and Yoma.

They contend among others in their suit that that the order to freeze/post-no-debit obtained from the magistrate’s court and placed on their accounts on the strength of a non-existent law was illegal null and void.

Only GTB filed processes in response to the suit, while the rest of the defendants did not.

But in his judgment, Justice Ekwo ruled that GTB failed to effectively controvert the case of the plaintiffs as he held that there was no existing Nigerian law or relevant foreign law empowering magistrates to make such an order for freezing of persons’ accounts.

He therefore declared that “the Bankers Order/Order freezing and/or enabling the post-no-debit” on the listed accounts of the plaintiffs “cannot be validly issued pursuant to a non-existent/repealed Bankers Order Act 1847 and any other irrelevant foreign law”.

The judge also ruled that “a Magistrate lacks the powers to make Bankers orders and/or order freezing or enabling a post no debit on bank accounts pursuant to non-existent/repealed section 7 of the Banker‘s Order Act 1847.”

The judge therefore ordered the four banks “to unfreeze the accounts of the plaintiffs and desist from further giving effect to the non-existent Bankers order served on the prompting of the 5th and 6th defendants (IGP and the IGP Monitoring Unit).” (punchng)

Priestly guidance on voting is dividing the Catholic church in America

In theory priests shouldn’t tell their flock how to vote. In practice they often do

Can a catholic vote for Joe Biden and avoid damnation? Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, a diocese covering 33 counties in east Texas, doesn’t think so. Last month he endorsed a video made by a priest in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, which urged Catholic Democrats to “repent of your support of that party…or face the fires of hell”. In a tweet, Bishop Strickland thanked the priest for his courage and urged his followers to “heed this message”.

America’s political polarisation is reflected in the leadership of the Catholic church, which constitutes the country’s biggest single religious voting group. But the nomination of a Catholic as the Democratic candidate has accelerated the process. Although the church says clergy should not tell the faithful how they should or should not vote—such activity also imperils churches’ exemption from certain taxes—several prominent priests have castigated Mr Biden, claiming his pro-choice position on abortion means he is no Catholic. When Mr Biden announced his running mate, Kamala Harris, Thomas Tobin, the bishop of Providence tweeted: “First time in a while that the Democratic ticket hasn’t had a Catholic on it. Sad.”

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The money attitude: Leading banker, Jim Ovia Acquires $10.5m Apartments, Guest House for His Sons

While his peers cut their first teeth in banking, Jim Ovia perfected the money attitude. He was the enthralling magnate, who teased open fortune’s peonies, and unwrapped the seal to the tight bales of bloom in banking’s competitive halls.

Money chants its ornate poetry in Ovia’s treasure chest perhaps because he took the money shot – Cha ching! – time and over again, with the stamina of a warrior, and the agility of the quintessential marksman. 

Now past the glory days of his hustle as a seasoned and foremost banker, Ovia continually looms large as a conqueror of banking and high commerce. Having established his dominance in the cutthroat world of business, where he enjoys repute as banking’s top royalty, the Zenith Bank chairman, is eager to extend the luxury of his conquests and acquisitions to his loved ones.

Just recently, he acquired three units of luxury apartments at 4, Bourdillon, an iconic residential complex in the heart of Ikoyi, Lagos.

The diminutive billionaire who does not shy from aiming high paid a total sum of $10.5m for the apartments, valued at $3.5m per unit. Ovia, it was gathered, gifted two of his sons one unit each while he may have converted the last one to a private guest house.

Located at 4, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, the apartment which provides an infinite luxurious experience to its residents, is a Twin Tower of 25 Floors with 41 Units of 3 and 4 Bedroom Flats and 5-Bedroom Duplex Flats and Duplex Penthouses with lush greenery, water-bodies, swimming pools, tennis court, gym and clubhouse with ample underground parking and breath-taking views.

Targeting Nigeria’s elites, the property offers penthouses that include roof gardens and each has a curved balcony, which creates an attractive curvilinear appearance and is large enough to be used as an external relaxing area. Its glazed balustrade allows uninterrupted 360-degree views of Lagos Island. A joint development between Kaizen Properties (a member of TGI Group, which amongst others owns CHI Ltd – the leading FMCG Company in Nigeria with brands like CHIVITA and HOLLANDIA) and El-Alan Group, a foremost construction company with over 38 years experience working in Nigeria, 4 Bourdillon sets new heights and standards of luxury in Lagos where living becomes a daily bliss of peace of mind.

Ovia is an unabashed lover of properties and he is reputed to own most of the properties in which Zenith Bank operates from. The 68-year-old Forbes-rated billionaire is also known as the Godfather of Banking in Nigeria. (thecapital)

IGP approves 7,500 youths for community policing in Zamfara

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has approved the recruitment of 7,500 youths by Zamfara Government to serve as special constabularies for community policing in their respective areas.
The state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Usman Nagogo, disclosed this while addressing the first batch of the recruited youths in Gusau on Thursday.
Nagogo said that out of the number, 3,850 youths had been screened by the police as the first batch.
“We are transporting them to Police Training Colleges in Sokoto and Kaduna states for a two-month training, after which they would return to the state in December, and after their return, we are going to send another batch for training.
“All the successful candidates had been earlier selected by important personalities from their respective communities.
“If we recall, last year, the IGP had launched community policing to involve members of the general public in securing their communities,” Nagogo said.
According to him, Zamfara is the first state across the country to launch the programme with the highest number of members.
“After their two-month training, we are hoping to see changes as regard to addressing security challenges in the state,” he explained.
He urged the recruits to be good ambassadors of Zamfara state and Nigeria in general, saying that the police would not tolerate laxity, corruption or any relationship with bandits.
Speaking on behalf of the state government, the state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Sulaiman Tunau, said the recruitment was part of the Gov. Bello Matawalle-led administration’s measure to address security challenges.
According to him, the youths, whose monthly salaries will be paid by the state government, are to be recruited across the 14 Local Government Areas of the state.
“Apart from supporting government in tackling insecurity, the measures would also help in providing employment opportunities for the teeming youths in the state,” he said.

NAN

We’ll resist National Water Resources Bill, says Bayelsa Govt

Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri

The Bayelsa State Government has described the proposed National Water Resources Bill 2020 as another draconian land use decree in disguise, saying it would join other progressive forces to resist it at all cost.

This was one of the decisions reached by the State Executive Council at its weekly meeting presided over by the State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo in Government House, Yenagoa, following the unavoidable absence of the governor.

A press release by the Deputy Governor’s Media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi, recalls that, the National Water Resources Bill 2020, which has passed its second reading on the floor of the Senate, has attracted wide condemnation across the country due to its controversial provisions aimed at seizing control of the country’s waterways.

In a joint Press Briefing led by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Ayibaina Duba, the Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General of the State, Mr. Biriyai Dambo (SAN), said Council decided to oppose the bill because it negates the rights of Bayelsans, Niger Deltans and several other people in the country to enjoy their God-given resources.

To this end, he expressed the state government’s readiness to apply all necessary legal frameworks to reject any legislation by the National Assembly that would emanate from the bill.

Mr. Dambo, while pointing out some relevant sections of the Bill, noted that Section 62 seeks to deny indigenes especially the Niger Delta people of their ancestral lands and the freedom of fishing for business.

His words “Section 62 of the Bill which states that any person who choose to undertake any of the activities in relation to water resources of this Bill, shall be licensed by the Commission”

“The essence of this is that, this Bill seeks to take away the freedom of not just the Niger Delta people but Nigerians at large, so if they start licensing the waterways activities, then you are encroaching on the freedom of the people and that is unacceptable”

“That is why Exco came to the conclusion that we reject this Bill and secondly, we shall also impress on members of the National Assembly from and outside this region to oppose this Bill with everything they have”

On his part, the State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Akpoebide Alamieyeseigha, said the recent Citizens Budget Participatory Session organized by the state government enabled Council to approve the Medium Term Expenditure Framework covering Year 2020 to 2023.

This, according to Mr. Alamieyeseigha, will set the tone for the presentation of the 2021 budget by Governor Douye Diri to the State House of Assembly in few weeks from now.

Ambassador Katagum asks WTO Heads of Delegations to endorse Okonjo-Iweala

The Nigerian Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Mariam Katagum, has called on Heads of State Delegations to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to endorse Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the strength of her antecedents, competence and statement to the General Council.The second phase of consultation for the appointment of a new WTO DIrector General was concluded on 6th October with the third and final round now underway.Dr Okonjo-Iweala is widely favoured to clinch the top job.In a statement issued in her capacity as Chairperson of the Okonjo-Uweala Campaign Team, Ambassador Katagum charged Heads of Delegations to read again, the statement of intent and agenda submitted by Dr Okonjo-Iweala, describing the former Nigerian Minister of Finance as “the best choice for the job.”She commended the series of endorsements of Dr Iweala’s candidacy from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to the European Union (EU) as “an excellent testimony of her eminent qualification for the top job”, adding that “the WTO of today needs a DG with multiple skills to revive the challenged spirit of trade liberalisation world wide.”“The WTO faces a lot of problems currently. Confronting these challenges necessarily requires building trust among the membership especially as the problems are not solely of a technical nature. Only a DG with the requisite political and negotiating skills coupled with multilateral experience can ensure deep engagement of the members in order to restore trust and build a truly efficient organisation. Dr Iweala is the right fit”, she said.Katagum, who before her appointment was the Nigerian Ambassador, Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, further noted that “Dr Iweala’s qualities and experience in managing multilateral issues, in trade facilitation and negotiation as well as  brokering deals and agreements with high political stakes, puts her in good standing.“Her suitability is a product of past and present experience garnered from her Vice Presidency at the World Bank; Finance Ministry portfolio in Nigeria; and her other current global assignments, including with the Gavi Board where she is the Chairperson.” At a time when the world is grappling with the devastating fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world economy, a person of Dr Iweala’s standing is required to steer the ship of the WTO. When all indices are taken into consideration, the WTO indeed needs an internationalist, a multilateralist, a skilled and tested negotiator – all traits the General Council can find in the Nigerian and ECOWAS nominee”, Katagum, herself a tested diplomat reiterated.Quoting from Dr Iweala’s statement to the General Council, the Nigerian Minister said “I believe she brings exactly the right combination of skills and experience (public sector, international civil society, multilateral organisations and worldwide network of contacts) needed to lead this organisation in the future.”It would be recalled that at the Heads of Delegations’ meeting on 18th September, 2020, Amb. Walker and his two co-facilitators in the selection process disclosed the five candidates who had secured the broadest and deepest support from the WTO membership and should consequently advance to the next stage of the process.Amb. Walker said the second phase of consultations would begin on 24th September and run until 6th October, stressing that during this time, members would be asked in the confidential consultations to express two preferences to the facilitators with an eye to bringing the number of candidates down from five to two.Following this process, Amb. Walker would call another Heads of Delegations’ meeting at which the results will be announced to the WTO membership.

Customs foils attempt to smuggle 8,228 ATM cards to Dubai in one month; what exactly is happening?

The Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) within the last one month has foiled two attempts to smuggle out 8,228 ATM cards in the last one month raising questions as to why the crime is gaining traction. And how many have slipped them through to Dubai and elsewhere.

The Kano/Jigawa Command arrested a Dubai-bound passenger in possession of 5,342 ATM cards at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

A month earlier, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced it was investigating a suspected fraudster caught concealing 2,886 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards and four SIM cards in noodles while on his way to the United Arab Emirate, Dubai.

The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr Nasir Ahmed, stated the arrest of the new culprit while handing over the suspect to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday in Kano.

The Lagos zonal head of the EFCC, AbdulRasheed Bawa, gave an insight into why the new crime is on.while receiving the Lagos airport suspect on behalf of the commission, said, “we have taken over Ishaq and I can assure you that we are going to investigate the matter thoroughly and unveil everybody involved in the syndicate.

“There are a number of possibilities. There is an element of conspiracy, foreign exchange (FOREX) malpractices and money laundering. 

“Indeed, banks and bankers are definitely involved.”

“In recent months, we have observed a trend in which unsuspecting Nigerians are lured into opening accounts to be bought at a fee.

“Most bankers are not carrying out their duties with due diligence, particularly the Know Your Customers, (KYC), procedural check,” he said.

In Kano, the Customs boss, Ahmed said the suspect was arrested while about to board a Dubai-bound Ethiopian Airlines with the ATM cards concealed in two sacks of beans by the personnel of the command at the airport.

”It can be assumed that the suspect can withdraw up to one million dollars in a day, at the detriment of the national economy.

”We handed over the suspect, his passport and other travelling documents to the EFCC for further investigations,” Ahmed said.

Also speaking, Mr Sanusi Aliyu, the Head of the EFCC Zonal Office comprising Kano, Katsina and Jigawa, commended the service for effective surveillance to check crimes and financial crime in the airports and other point of entry in the country.

Aliyu said the commission would conduct thorough investigation.

”Investigation is necessary to establish the reasons behind the acts and other persons involved in the acts.

“The Nigeria Customs Service has been a very good partner of the EFCC in the fight against economic and financial crimes in the country,” he said.

Aliyu pledged continued partnership with the service to check graft practices in the country.

Last September, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspect in the Lagos smuggling attempt, Ishaq Abubakar, was arrested by the Nigeria Customs Service at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and handed over to the EFCC Lagos zonal office for investigation and prosecution.

The commission quoted the Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, as saying the suspect came from Kano State and wanted to travel via an Emirate flight.

“The Customs Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako, who represented the Customs Area Comptroller, A. Ma’aji, said that the suspect, who claimed to have come from Kano to travel to Dubai aboard the Emirate Evacuation flight, was seen with someone who was assigned to facilitate his movement through the airport checks.

“Officers of the Customs service intercepted the suspect with 2,886 ATM cards and four SIM cards, which he carefully concealed in parks of Noodles.

“This raised the suspicion of the officers who insisted he should be physically and thoroughly checked after the scan machine had revealed he was carrying parks (sic) of noodles,” he said.

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