Emefiele who has been in the custody of Security agencies for over 149 days, was ordered by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, to be released unconditionally or be brought to hear his application for bail.
Dressed in a yellow Kaftan and a cap and flanked by operatives of the EFCC, the former CBN Governor arrived at the courtroom at about 12:30 pm.
Justice Adeniyi had on Monday, reaffirmed his order that the detained former CBN Governor be brought to court today November 8, for the purpose of admitting him to bail.
In an ex-parte motion he filed before the court, Emefiele sought an order to compel the EFCC to release him from custody, pending the determination of his fundamental right enforcement suit.
Alternatively, he prayed the court to grant him bail and equally award N5 million against the respondents for breaching his fundamental rights.
Cited as respondents in the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as the anti-graft agency itself.
Emefiele’s travails started on June 9 when President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office as the head of the apex bank.
He was subsequently arrested at his Lagos residence by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Since then, Emefiele faced a two-count charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition before the Federal High Court in Lagos, as well as a 20-count corruption charge that the Federal Government entered against him and two others before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama.
The leadership of the two union reached the resolution after an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The two major labour unions said nationwide mobilisation of members and allies have begun immediately.
The action by the Organised Labour followed the brutalisation of NLC National President, Joe Ajaero, last week in Imo State.
There had been widespread outrage by the Organised Labour accusing the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, Mohammed Barde, of complicity in the recent attack on Ajaero, in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
The Organised Labour last Friday handed the Federal Government a five-day ultimatum to replace the police commissioner, while also blaming Governor Hope Uzodimma who is seeking re-election of the attack on Ajaero though the governor had since said he had no hand in the attack on the labour leader.
The Organised Labour also demanded the arrest and prosecution of some of the governor’s aide and threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if their demands were not carried out.
Already, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday, redeployed Barde for “neutrality sake” ahead of the November 11, 2023 governorship election in Imo State.
See communique issued after the NEC meeting:
COMMUNIQUE AT THE END OF THE JOINT NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF THE NIGERIA LABOUR CONGRESS (NLC) & TRADE UNION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (TUC) HELD ON TUESDAY, THE 7TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2023
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) joint National Executive Council (NEC) convened to conduct a comprehensive review of the progress made in executing its directive to initiate an industrial action in Imo state. This decision was prompted by a series of infractions and encroachments on the rights of workers within the state.
During the meeting, the council deliberated on the distressing incident involving the abduction and assault of the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero. Additionally, the council addressed the appalling acts of violence and bloodshed inflicted upon him and fellow workers, who had assembled at the NLC Imo State Secretariat in compliance with the directive on Imo state. These acts were perpetrated by the Imo state Government, acting under the guidance of the Governor and in collaboration with the Nigeria Police.
The Joint NEC-in-session unanimously condemned in very strong terms the brutal and beastly actions of Hope Uzodimma, his goons and the Nigeria Police.
To this end, the joint NLC/TUC NEC-in-session observed that whereas: 1. the decision to embark on an industrial action in Imo state was purely in keeping with its earlier resolution; the Imo state Government under Hope Uzodimma heartlessly continues in its abuse of the rights and privileges of workers in the state viz;
Refusal to Implement Previous Agreements: The Government has repeatedly reneged on agreements, most notably the accord reached on January 9th, 2021, between the Government and Organised Labour.
Outstanding Salary Arrears: Shockingly, some workers have been subjected to a staggering 20 months of unpaid salaries under the unfounded label of ‘ghost workers’.
Unjust Declaration of Workers as Ghost Workers: Approximately 11,000 hardworking individuals have been unjustly branded as ghost workers, their salaries diverted even while they diligently carried out their duties.
Vandalisation of NLC State Secretariat: The wanton destruction of the NLC State Secretariat is a blatant attack on the rights of workers and a violation of the sanctity of their representative body.
Implementation of Discriminatory Pay: The introduction of discriminatory pay practices and the imposition of apartheid-like policies in determining monthly payments is an affront to fair labor practices.
Unsettled Gratuity Arrears: The Government has failed to address the 8-year backlog of gratuity owed to retirees, showing a grave disregard for the rights of those who have dedicated their careers in service.
Non-compliance with National Minimum Wage: The Government has persistently shirked its duty to properly implement the N30,000 National Minimum Wage, a critical safeguard for the economic well-being of workers.
Intimidation and Harassment of Trade Union Leaders: The Government’s witch hunt against trade union leaders through various guises constitutes an alarming assault on the right to represent and advocate for the rights of workers.
Use of Violence and Thuggery: The continued deployment of thugs and violence against workers and their leaders is an unacceptable practice that undermines the democratic rights of workers.
Misappropriation of Union Dues: The impoundment and illegal diversion of union dues, funds rightfully belonging to the unions, is a gross violation of the rights of workers to manage their collective resources.
Declaration of Pensioners as Ghosts: Approximately 10,000 pensioners have been wrongly labeled as ghost pensioners, resulting in over 22 months of unpaid pensions, tragically leading to the loss of lives. Systematic Harassment and Intimidation of Workforce: The entire workforce is constantly subjected to threats of violence and sack, creating an environment of fear and uncertainty.
Resistance to Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining: The Government’s persistent resistance to the use of the instruments of social dialogue and collective bargaining is an affront to the principles of fair labor practices.
Interference with Workers’ Democratic Processes: The violent interference and disruption of the Imo State Delegates’ Conference demonstrates a blatant attempt to impose favored candidates on the workers, undermining their democratic rights.
2. workers had gathered to peacefully protest these infractions by the Governor at the Secretariat of the NLC in Imo state as guaranteed by our extant labour laws and the Constitution;
3. the Police supported a group of Imo state Governor’s thugs led by its SA on Special Duties invaded the premises of the Imo NLC Secretariat and unleashed mayhem on the few workers who had gathered inflicting injuries and stealing and damaging personal effects including various sums;
4. the President of the NLC was subsequently subjected to brutalization, blindfolded and abducted by the Police and taken to an unknown destination where he was further subjected to further violations and humiliation;
5. the NLC and TUC have made demands on the Government which have not been met as at the time of this session;
6. the continued prevalence of the use of violence and impunity in negotiating rights and interests within the nation’s socioeconomic space against all known dictates of democracy and Social Dialogue;
Consequently, the NLC/TUC NEC-in-Session resolved as follows:
1. To order the immediate withdrawal of services and shutdown of Imo state beginning midnight today. All workers and affiliates are expected to ensure compliance from wherever they are. All flights into and out of Imo state, fuel supplies and Electricity be stopped immediately as applicable. All Public and Private Sector workers are to immediately down tools indefinitely.
2. That if our demands are still unmet, workers all over the federation shall join in withdrawing their services by Midnight Tuesday, the 14th of November, 2023
3. All State Councils of NLC & TUC and affiliates are by this resolution mandated to ensure full compliance with NEC’s decision
Ebonyi State Government has undertaken to make available 5% monthly contributions for all civil servants to enroll in the State Health Insurance Scheme.
In a statement made available to Pacesetter by Dr. Monday Uzor, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Francis Nwifuru, the governor announced this in a message to the 2023 Ebonyi State Health Insurance summit also promised that government will earmark a total sum of Two Hundred Million annually to take care of the informal sector.
According to the Governor, the gesture has become necessary to avail the people the opportunity to access quality health care irrespective of their economic status.
“We are here to foster a dialogue that transcends political lines, industries and affiliations and to identify innovative solutions and to ensure that every resident of the state has access to high quality, affordable health insurance without financial difficulty.
“As a matter of urgency, we will explore options for expanding coverage, enhancing affordablity, and simplifying the process of obtaining and using health insurance for all the residents of our dear State”.
The Governor who described the summit as a catalyst for positive change called for active involvements and collaboration of all stakeholders and Heath care providers to create a healthcare system that will meet the needs of the diverse population.
“I wish to encourage all business men and well-to-do people of our dear state to adopt health insurance as corporate social responsibility and as Constituency projects. Through this we will be able to protect our people from financial hardship that may arise from exhorbitant medical bills.”
The Chairman of the occasion and speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chief Moses Odunwa and Chairman House Committee on Health , Mrs Esther Agwu assured that the house will always support enabling laws for the success of the scheme.
The theme for this year’s summit was “Advancing Universal Health Coverage through a sustainable Health Insurance Mechanism”.
Dr. Monday Uzor
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
November 7, 2023
In a display of readiness and commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for the upcoming off-cycle gubernatorial election, the combined force for ‘Operation Safe Conduct’ has been launched in Kogi with a ‘Show of Force’.
The operation was flagged off at the headquarters of 12 Brigade Nigerian Army Parade Ground Chari Maigumeri Barrack, Lokoja yesterday by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Bamidele Alabi.
The GOC said the ceremony signposted the readiness and preparations the Nigerian Army has over the years put in place in support of other stakeholders in the electoral process in Nigeria and Kogi State in particular.
He said, “It also emphasized the importance of Operation Safe Conduct in preserving the peace and security of the state during the electioneering period as well as ensuring that the people of Kogi State could exercise their rights to vote in a safe and secure environment.”
The GOC urged citizens to cooperate with the security agencies and report any suspicious activities that would undermine the peaceful conduct of the election in Kogi on Saturday.
He stressed that the launch of Operation Safe Conduct in Kogi would send a clear message that the security forces were fully prepared and committed to ensuring a violence-free and fair electoral process.
“With the combined force in place, residents and voters can look forward to exercising their civic duties in an atmosphere of safety and security.
“As the election day draws closer, the joint efforts of the security agencies in Kogi State with the full support of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja will play a pivotal role in upholding the democratic values of the nation and preserving the peace in the state.
“Citizens are therefore enjoined to come out en masse to exercise their rights and be assured that the security agencies will deal ruthlessly with anybody who wants to foment trouble or disrupt the electoral process,” Alabi said.
A Federal High Court, Abuja, headed by a justice, Nyang Ekwo, has confirmed the genuineness of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate of Enugu state Governor Peter Mbah.
The court found the corps and its director-general guilty of misrepresenting material facts and awarded N5 million against them.
In the judgment delivered on Monday, November 6, Ekwo maintained that the evidence presented in court demonstrated that the governor was called to service in 2001 but completed service in 2003.
According to the court, Mbah applied for and was reinstated for the NYSC in 2003 after requesting and obtaining permission from the organisation midway through his service to attend the Nigeria Law School.
Ekwo also pointed out that while the NYSC did not challenge the evidence that Mbah served in the law firm of one Udeh, he berated the corps for not charging the governor for forgery if it believed it didn’t issue the certificate in contention to him.
He concluded that by refusing Mbah’s NYSC certificate, the NYSC was insincere and behaved cunningly.
Mbah had filed a lawsuit against the NYSC and Ibrahim Muhammad, the Corps Certification Director, for issuing a disclaimer that refuted the issuance of the discharge certificate that had been granted to him on January 6, 2003.
On May 15, Ekwo issued a restraint prohibiting Muhammad, the NYSC, and any of their representatives from publishing anything about the certificate while the substantive matter was being heard and decided.
The order followed an ex parte motion filed by Emeka Ozoani on behalf of Mbah.
However, the NYSC, in its preliminary objection submitted on May 19 and received on May 22, requested an order dismissing the lawsuit due to lack of jurisdiction and competence.
The NYSC claimed the lawsuit was premature for the court’s jurisdiction to solidify since the plaintiff/respondent had allegedly refused to abide by the terms of Section 20 of the National Youth Service Corps Act.
On February 1, the NYSC sent a letter, signed by Muhammed, stating that the corps had not issued Mbah’s NYSC certificate.
The Director-General of NYSC, Dogara Ahmed, a brigadier-general, said the NYSC certificate submitted by Mbah to INEC to enable him to participate in the 2023 governorship election was not issued by the organisation.
Ahmed stated this on May 19 while featuring on Arise News Television magazine programme ‘The Morning Show’.
In a ThisDay newspaper report on February 7, a group claimed that it found out that Mbah forged his NYSC certificate.
The group ‘Total Support for Rule of Law and Justice Initiative and Enugu Progressive Forum’ sought Mbah’s disqualification from the governorship election.
Mbah headed to court and sued the NYSC for N20 billion after the organisation alleged he forged the certificate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the March 18 governorship election in Enugu state.
The result was challenged at the tribunal by the (LP) candidate Chijioke Edeoga and Chris Agu of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP).
However, the three-member tribunal led by Kudirat Murayo Akano rejected the accusations and upheld Mbah’s election in its decision.
In its ruling, the tribunal found that Mbah’s paperwork presented to INEC to contest the election did not contain the NYSC certificate.
The organised labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has declared a plan for a nationwide strike over the beating and abduction of their President, Joe Ajaero.
The strike scheduled to be held on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, was made known in a press briefing on Friday.
According to the leaders of the joint union, the Federal Government is given a six-point demand, including the immediate removal of the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, and Area Commander, among other officials, for their alleged complicity in the brutalisation and humiliation of Ajaero and other workers.
Recall that Ajaero was whisked away by the Police at a protest on non-payment of workers by the Imo State Government in the state’s capital.
Reacting to the arrest, NLC accused the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, of conspiring with the state’s Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Barde, to ‘abduct’ their President, Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday.
NLC said that the Imo State government has continued to use what it described as ‘the instrument of violence and intimidation’ against trade unions and their leadership in the state, adding that they had only asked the governor to pay the salaries owed to the state workers.
In a statement titled, ”The President of Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero has been abducted by Hope Uzodimma and the Imo State Police Commissioner’ signed by the joint Unions’ Secretaries, Emmanuel Ugboaja (NLC) and Nuhu Toro (TUC), they frowned at the detention of Ajaero stressing the need for President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.
But the state’s Police Command and the governor denied arresting Ajaero in separate statements.
During the planning stages, there were reports of proposals to lock down some crucial facilities, mainly the airport in the state.
Meanwhile, the state’s commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, claimed that the governor has no hand in Ajaero’s arrest, adding, “Those accusing the government were perennial mischief makers always crying wolf where there is none.”
Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, says the problems the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are facing in conducting credible elections would be complicated by the appointment of members of political parties as Resident Electoral Officers.
Falana, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, was commenting on the newly-appointed INEC RECs confirmed by the Senate on Wednesday and Thursday, some of whom were alleged to be members of political parties.
“Successive regimes in Nigeria, Yar’Adua’s regime, Jonathan’s regime, and Buhari’s regime have all set up electoral reform committees or panels to make recommendations that will assist the government to have credible elections.
“In the case of President Tinubu as a leader of the CAN, he set up a committee for electoral reforms to campaign for the implementation of the recommendations of the Uwais Panel and one of them is that we must have independent umpires in every material particular.
“You can’t have a card-carrying member of a political party or a loyalist of a political party to be a Resident Electoral Commissioner or a national commissioner; you complicate the problem for INEC to have credible elections,” Falana said.
Following the appointment of 10 new RECs for INEC by President Tinubu, Civil Society Organisations and some other Nigerians raised alarm about some of the appointees, who were said to have political affiliations, asking the Senate not to confirm them. However, the Senate confirmed all the nominees as RECs.
Falana, who said three of the appoints are members of the All Progressives Congress while one is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, condemned their confirmation by the Senate.
He said the PDP in Akwa Ibom State has gone to court to challenge the appointment of Mr Etekamba Umoren, who was a former Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, an APC chieftain in Akwa Ibom State as the REC for the state.
According to the SAN, the appointment of three other RECs should be challenged in court. He also added that if the courts prove that these appointments are illegal, then their Senate confirmation cannot legitimize them.
The Senate has approved the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget for the 2023 fiscal year, as proposed by President Bola Tinubu.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the approval after majority of the senators supported it through a voice vote at plenary on Thursday.
The supplementary budget was earlier considered by members of the Committee on Supply before it was announced at plenary.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola, submitted the report of the committee on the budget for consideration.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) will supply the new 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote oil refinery with up to six million barrels of crude oil in December, to be used in test runs, three industry sources with knowledge of the matter, have told Reuters. There have been some concerns in recent times, about the capacity of the crude oil producers to supply the refinery the needed feedstock. On Wednesday, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) summoned the producers to sensitise them on the need to comply with their domestic supply obligations to local refineries in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The refinery, funded by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, would transform oil trading in the Atlantic Basin and remove a lucrative outlet for fuel produced in Europe and the United States that have for years powered the cars, trucks and generators on the continent, Reuters added.
The refinery is in the Lekki free trade zone near Lagos. Once it is fully up and running, it would turn oil powerhouse Nigeria into a net exporter of fuels, a long-sought goal for the member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that is currently almost totally reliant on imports. One of the sources, an NNPC official, who declined to be named, specified six cargoes, or 200,000 bpd, would be supplied in December, as part of a one-year deal, adding that volumes in future months would be supplied “based on mutual agreement and availability”.
The other sources said about 4-5 cargoes, or at least 130,000 bpd, were planned. A Dangote Group official, who did not wish to be named, said “some of the agreements have confidentiality clauses” without elaborating when asked about the NNPC supply deal. The NNPC has a 20 per cent stake in the refinery.The refinery began the commissioning process in May this year after running years behind schedule at a cost of $19 billion, above initial estimates of $12-14 billion.
Commissioning includes testing the different units that make products from petrol to diesel and making sure they respond to the control panels, the Reuters report said.The integrated refinery and petrochemical project is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, while its output is expected to be more than enough to meet Nigeria’s fuel demands and turn Africa’s largest crude producer into an exporter of refined crude.
It was learnt that the development is coming as plans are being concluded for the signing of a Sales And Purchase Agreement (SPA) between the national oil company and the refinery. The formalisation of the agreement is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.The deal will be on a purely commercial basis and without any recourse to discount, or selling at rock-bottom prices, it was learnt.Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 stipulates domestic crude oil supply obligation to refineries, including the Dangote Refinery, as well as NNPC refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna and the modular refineries scattered all over the country.
The section also provides that the supply of crude oil to the domestic market shall be on a willing buyer and willing seller basis.Recall that shortly before the inauguration of the refinery, the NNPC had announced that it would supply 300,000 barrels of crude oil to the facility.However, in September, the Executive Director of Dangote Group, Devakumar Edwin, said the national oil company would not be able to supply the refinery until November. This raised eyebrows throughout the country.
The petroleum refinery with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day is sitting on 2,635 hectares of land located in the Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.The Dangote, refinery complex is reputed to have a pipeline infrastructure arguably the largest in the world. It has 1,100 kilometres gas pipeline to handle 3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day and a 400MW power plant that can meet Ibadan Distribution Company (Disco) total power requirement. It is also said to be more than six times the size of Victoria Island.
During the week, the Gbenga Komolafe-led NUPRC stated that “it is going to be a matter of national shame if we cannot meet our domestic crude obligations to step up our refining capacity. Komolafe added that the Dangote refinery was ready and should be provided with crude.
The High Court of Justice in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered the unconditional and immediate release of the immediate-past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The court made the order after Emefiele filed a Motion Ex-parte, seeking his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Motion.
Justice O.A. Adeniyi made the order after hearing the motion filed by Emefiele.
The applicant named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, (AGF) the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, and the EFCC itself as the respondents.
The court order includes the following key provisions: Immediate and Unconditional Release: The court ordered the 3rd and 4th Respondents (the Executive Chairman and the EFCC) to unconditionally release Emefiele from detention forthwith. Alternatively, they are directed to produce him in court on the date fixed for the hearing of the substantive Motion on Notice, with the possibility of being admitted to bail by the Court.
On the hearing of the Substantive Motion, the court set the date for the hearing of the substantive motion on notice for Monday, November 6, 2023, at 1pm.
The Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved the immediate release of sixty million naira counterpart fund for the World Bank-assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) to boost productivity in the state.
This was even as the State Project Coordinator, Dr. Ifeyinwa Nnajieze, commended the governor’s determination to grow the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion, eradicate poverty, scale up agro-allied activities and engage women and youths in the livestock value chain.
Disclosing the development, Dr. Ifeyinwa expressed delight over what she described as the governor’s “innovative and deliberate policy” targeted at achieving food sufficiency, balanced diet and exports of agro-allied produce in the state.
She said the six-year project which commenced in 2022 would not only be domesticated in the state but would continue to receive attention and support from the governor in order to ensure that the vision and mission of the administration to turn the economy around, empower livestock farmers and create jobs were achieved.
“This project is just a step away from achieving our mandate. If you look at the programmes of the governor, and the way he has been unpacking them, you will understand the L-PRES is an important part of the projects that will scale up production, train farmers, encourage modern livestock farming methods, and complement other critical subsectors of the economy.
“The governor is talking about achieving a zero percent poverty headcount through disruption of the status quo, and to us, this is not a joke. It is achievable with the right policies. Today, we are seeing the right policies across different spectrums of the economy. The value chain in production has had a far reaching effect on the standard of living of the people. The payment of the counterpart fund would enable us partner with the World Bank to fight hunger and malnutrition, and produce in large scale,” she noted.
Dr. Nnajieze further explained that the L-PRES was a World Bank/Nigeria initiative which sought to improve the performance and sustainability of livestock production, value addition by the deployment of productive infrastructure and technological interventions along the livestock value chain.
“The proposed project will support government’s new policy thrust and boost newly developed state priorities by enhancing livestock productivity, creating the right environment for the attraction of youths and the private sector players into livestock farming.
“There are huge opportunities which members of the public, particularly, investors, can consider in this sector. The state is open for business, having enabled the right and appropriate environment and derisked investment flow with the right framework and attractive incentives.
“The programme potentially guarantees capacity building among relevant administrators and also initiates an effective crisis management system for the livestock subsector,” she further added.
It would be recalled that the governor had committed two hundred and seventy four million naira as its counterpart fund payment to the state’s International Fund for Agricultural Development/Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD/VCDP) and the sum of four hundred and fifty million naira counterpart fund for the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP) both in August, all geared towards boosting food security.
Enugu Gov’t distributes relief materials to flood, fire, building collapse victims
The Enugu State Government has distributed financial palliatives and relief materials to victims of flood, fire, and building collapse in the state to alleviate their suffering.
Performing the exercise at the Government House, Enugu, on Thursday, Governor Peter Mbah, who was represented by the head of the Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mrs. Chinasa Mbah, urged the beneficiaries to make proper use of the palliatives presented to them by the government.
“This is not paying you for what you lost; the government does not pay for such losses. But what we do is to assuage the suffering you encounter as a result of the mishap that befell you.
“This is a heartfelt gesture by the Governor who feels what you are going through; but the most important thing is to be conscious of your environment. Don’t block the waterways, don’t dump your refuse in drainages, or burn bushes because we have to keep our environment safe,” she added.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of Ohani, Amechi-Idodo, Igwe Hyacinth. A. Edeani applauded Governor Mbah for showing concern for the downtrodden and those in dire need of support.
“Some people here will be relieved of hypertension; they’re happy. It is said that appreciation is an application for more. We appreciate the governor and his leadership for what he has done for our people, and we know he is focused and he is going to do more,” he said.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of N1 million cash palliative to a woman who lost her three children to a building collapse at Mgbemene Street in Enugu, while other affected victims of the building collapse were given N500,000 to relocate to better accommodations.
Other beneficiaries who received relief materials were victims of the fire outbreak at the Opi Nsukka market, Fredrick Street at Iva-Valley, flood victims at Amechi-Idodo, and Onitsha Road, Enugu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has reviewed its guidelines on arrest, bail and processing of suspects.
The review, which is premised on the need to adhere to the rule of law and international best practices in the treatment of suspects, was rolled out on Monday, October 31, 2023 across all its Commands.
In the new guideline, premium attention is focused on the rights of suspects, especially where arrest, detention and bail issues are concerned. Operational activities are to be tailored towards relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2011 and the EFCC’s Standard Operating Procedures, SOP.
Specifically, operatives of the Commission are not allowed to demand for professional certificates of sureties as a bail condition. Also, every demand for international passport of suspects would henceforth be exercised with discretion, depending on the nature of the case, personality and country of residence of the suspect.
Director, Legal and Prosecution Department of the EFCC, Commander of the EFCC, CE Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, cautioned that, “bail conditions served on suspects must be reasonable and practicable to be fulfilled by suspects and their sureties. Detention of suspects without a Remand Warrant for unreasonable length of time beyond the constitutionally allowed period must henceforth stop forthwith”.
Officers of the Commission are also warned against unwarranted violation of rights of suspects. He called for professionalism in all operational activities, stressing that “it is time to have a paradigm shift and change the narrative. Henceforth, professionalism shall be the watchword. Let’s follow the best international standards worth our identity as a flagship law enforcement agency”.
