Category: News

A Nigerian, identified as Richard Onyekachi Idi, was arraigned in a magistrate court after being arrested by Sierra Leonean authorities following the discovery of 38 pallets of cocaine at Freetown International Airport.

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced Mrs Kekere-Ekun’s confirmation during plenary after she was cleared by voice votes.

The new CJN was screened and cleared by the senators at the Committee of the Whole.

The confirmation was pursuant to section 231 (1) of the constitution.

After announcing the confirmation, Mr Akpabio assured that Nigeria will get adequate justice under the leadership of Mrs Kekere-Ekun as the CJN.

The senate president thereafter congratulated the news CJN and urged her to uphold the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary.

During Tuesday’s plenary, Mr Akpabio read the request of President Bola Tinubu for the confirmation of Mrs Kekere-Ekun as CJN following the retirement of her predecessor, Olukayode Ariwoola. Premium Times

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service.

This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the minister, Babatunde Alao, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Alao stated that Mr Tunji-Ojo condemned the alleged reprehensible behaviour, emphasising that any form of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, and corruption would be met with zero tolerance and severe consequences within the paramilitary services under the ministry’s purview.

“The ministry will not tolerate any compromise on its core values of integrity, transparency, and accountability. We will leave no stone unturned in rooting out corruption and ensuring that those found culpable face the full wrath of the law,” Mr Tunji-Ojo said.

Meanwhile, the minister has constituted a special investigative team headed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalene Ajani, to probe the allegations and submit a comprehensive report.

Mr Tunji-Ojo reassured Nigerians that the investigation would be rigorous, transparent, and impartial, noting that appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken against indicted officers.(NAN)

Ebonyi State Government has sealed four mining companies in Afikpo and Ishielu local government areas of the state for failing to adhere strictly to the Community Development Agreement (CDA).

The Senate on Wednesday commenced the screening of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun for appointment as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

….moves to set-aside order for his arrest

…Secures diaspora interests, strategic partnerships

New Enugu City, one of the flagship projects of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to reposition Enugu State as the premier destination for business, investment, tourism and for living, has received a major boost, as Nigerian diaspora community in the Guangdong Province of China have profusely keyed into the project, according to a government issued statement.

This was even as Governor Mbah assured that critical services in the first phase of the City would be ready in 12 to 18 months, explaining that the China Communications and Construction Company, CCCC, had since commenced intensive work at the site in October 2023.

They spoke during a roadshow organised in Guangzhou city to market the project, with Nigerians, Ndigbo and Enugu indigenes in the province trouping out en masse to participate and also welcomed the governor with fanfare and cultural music.

The Consul-General of the Nigerian Mission in Guangzhou, Ambassador George Onwuekwe; President of Nigerian community in Guangzhou, Adebutu Olanrewaju; and the President of the Enugu State Association, Guangzhou, Hyacinth Ezeka, commended Mbah for his big dream and investment drive.

Ezeka said, “We are delighted for such development in Enugu State. If the governor continues this way, Enugu State will be the best in South-East and Nigeria. What he is pushing for is the dream we have had for Enugu for a very long time now. He has big dreams and he will achieve them with our support. I am advising every Igbo person to invest in Enugu. Coming to Enugu to invest is like ‘Aku ruo ulo’.”

While urging the Nigerian diaspora community to invest in Enugu, Olarenwaju noted that although Guangzhou boosts of many successful Nigerian business, Mbah was the first Nigerian governor and government official to come into that region of China to engage with them.

Speaking with newsmen, Mbah expressed happiness over the high interest in the smart city and assured that the government was working with CCCC to build an iconic smart city that would compete with the best anywhere in the world.

“We understand the value of achieving great economic growth, but we also know that it should also happen in a very conducive residential area and that was essentially what gave birth to the New Enugu City.

“So, we have come to market to them the New Enugu City, which is a smart city, and our engagement with diasporans in the Guangdong Province has been a tremendous success because what we have seen here is a huge expression of interest. The people have continually expressed interest to invest and to also come and take up a place at the New Enugu City.

“The new Enugu City is unique. And I think it is the single largest development that is currently going on in the country in terms of real estate. It has the Happy Island that essentially features a wide array of services such as residential area, cutting edge medical centre, and a sports arena. We have the Innovative Park with the innovation industrial park. We also have the ICT for the Innovation Park. We have the Vitality Bay, which is essentially going to house the cooperate headquarters of bluechip companies and also some government offices.

“All the utilities that you need to live there, such as power, water, gas, high-speed internet, are all going to be provided. So, essentially, the City is fully serviced and it is going to be a plug and play for those coming to live there.

“Importantly, we are partnering with CCCC, one of the world’s best. We are also working with a lot of consultating firms from the United kingdom. So, in the next 12 to 18 months, these services would have all been ready. We should start seeing buildings rise up in the next 12 months.”

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of CCCC Nigeria, Feng Yu, has expressed delight at its partnership with the Mbah Administration to actualise the New Enugu City.

“The project has already started. The development is phase-by-phase. We have confidence to bring our technology and to bring development to Enugu State and Igbo people. We believe that with your cooperation we can contribute to change that area,” he said.

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the death of five officers following a ghastly motor accident along the Zaria-Kano road in the early hours of Tuesday (today).

The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, asked Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja to recuse herself from his trial.

Kanu spoke from the dock at the resumed proceeding in the seven-count terrorism charge the FG preferred against him.

While his lawyer, Mr. Alloy Ejimakor was trying to persuade the court to suspend the trial on the basis that his client was denied the opportunity to prepare his defence, Kanu, sprang up from his seat and ordered him to sit down.

“Sit down! I say you should sit down!” Kanu bellowed from the dock.

Continuing, he said: “My lord, I have no confidence in this court anymore and I ask you to recuse yourself because you did not abide by the decision of the Supreme Court.

“I can understand it if the DSS refuses to obey a court order, but for this court to refuse to obey an order of the Supreme Court is regrettable.

“I am asking you to recuse yourself from this case,” Kanu stated.

At this juncture, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, urged the court to ignore Kanu’s position, insisting that the Supreme Court directed that he should be tried on the pending seven-count charge.

“The Justices ordered this court to proceed with the hearing of the charge against the defendant. My lord, you should not recuse yourself on the basis of this mere observation which does not have anything to do with the Supreme Court. It is an incompetent observation. We urge this court to proceed with the hearing,” FG’s lawyer submitted.

Not done, Kanu, rose again from the dock, waving a copy of what he described as the subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court.

He read a portion where the apex court held that actions of the trial court in the matter “rendered the impartiality of the judge suspect.”

“But my lord, you know that I love you. It is just that this court is allowing the defence to railroad me into a trial that is at variance with every provision of the Constitution,” Kanu added.

After she had expressed her dissatisfaction with the development, Justice Nyako said she was not willing to continue with the case.

“I hereby recuse myself and remit the case file back to the Chief Judge,” she held.

The court had earlier okayed FG’s request to shield the identities of witnesses billed to testify in the matter.

It will be recalled that Kanu was first arrested in Lagos on October 14, 2015, upon his return to the country from the United Kingdom, UK.

Justice Nyako had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.

Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.

However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.

Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.

Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of DSS, where he remained till date.

On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charges that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.

Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.

Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.

While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge. Vanguard

The Federal Executive Council has approved the construction of judges’ quarters in the Katampe area of Abuja. The council also approved bills to amend Nigeria’s tax laws.

…affirm A’Ibom as Nigeria’s Model State

Akwa Ibom State has been described as a model State in Nigeria by its Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to institutionalizing peace and unifying the various interests in the state, to ensure optimum benefit for the citizenry.

These sentiments were expressed by the Governor at a special interdenominational thanksgiving service, with theme “Peace Within Thy Walls and Prosperity Within Thy Palaces,” to mark the 37th anniversary of the State’s creation and Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary, at the International Worship Centre, Uyo,

Governor Umo Eno, while expressing delight in seeing Akwa Ibom leaders of various shades sit together to celebrate the State and worship God Almighty who, he said, has been the keeper of all, thanked God for the peace in the State and paid tributes to former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, for heeding the call of Akwa Ibom’s founding fathers to create the State 37 years ago, urging the present generation to prioritize their identity as a people of a common ancestry by being above divisive interests.

The Governor asserted that unity remains the way to go for Akwa Ibom, reiterating his determination to continuously pursue the peace and unity of the State, to the advantage of the people of the State.

He assured continuous inclusive governance, work across party lines and to collaborate with the government at the centre and with past leaders of the State to enhance the potential of his administration in getting the needed development to the people.

“For me, I came in peace, I came as a servant of the people and my greatest prayers is that God who brought me at this time as a Pastor, not just a Pastor who is so called, but as a pastor who knows that I am the called of the Lord, will do and continue to do the work that he has sent me to do.

“The truth is we share the same heritage, we share common humanity, we share common sense of service to the people, and we share a common heart. We have to stand by each other. That is the joy and the real spirit of the Akwa Ibomites. That is the work that our founding fathers did 37 years ago.

“I would like to thank God for the privilege he has given us and the heart he has given all our leaders, and seated here today is Akwa Ibom of Nigeria.

“The joy that we have today is that we can have all our leaders come together under one roof to worship one God who has created Akwa Ibom State. We are here as Akwa Ibomites first, and we are bound by the love of our people to thank God that this state belongs to all of us. That’s my joy today and I believe that God who has began this work will complete it,” he added.

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, represented by his wife, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, conveyed the felicitations of the President, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to the government and people of Akwa Ibom State on the 37th anniversary, praying for continuous peace, unity and prosperity of the State.

He commended the love and brotherhood that exist among the traditional rulers in the State, the State House of Assembly for the legislation to amend the Traditional Rulers Council Law, and most especially, Governor Eno for charting a path of peace for the State.

Former Governor of the State, Architect Victor Attah, also speaking, expressed delight in how fast and far the Akwa Ibom State has grown from creation, and commended Governor Eno for his deliberate efforts at uniting the State, as he felicitated the people on the 37th anniversary of State creation.

The Minister of States for Petroleum Resources, Gas, Obong Emem Ekperikpe Ekpo equally expressed his sincere gratitude for the peace and unity that have been instituted in Akwa Ibom State, describing Governor Umo Eno as the best thing that has happened to the State.

The State Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Bishop Christian Nyong in his address, congratulated Governor Eno, and the generality of Akwa Ibom people over the numerous blessings on the state thus far, in terms of good leadership, peace and the several, and multidimensional developments.

In a sermon, culled from Psalm 122:1-9, Rev Godwin Amaowoh of the Assemblies of God Church, described peace as a prerequisite for prosperity and development, admonishing Akwa Ibom people to be grateful for the peace and the indices of good governance in the State which, he said, has made the land attractive to many.

Amaowoh charged the people to eschew selfish ambitions, arrogant utterances and all forms of ungodly dispositions and rather seek to promote the peace of the state, to attract more prosperity and abundant blessings to the State.

Highpoint of the event was the reception and celebration of 39 Akwa Ibom children who returned from the maiden edition of the State Government sponsored education trip for Akwa Ibom public schools students in the rural areas (ARISE Edutrip) to the United Kingdom.