Bogus !!! National assembly needs more money, says Saraki

Senate President Bukola Saraki says in spite of the widespread perception that the national assembly is being overfunded, it is actually grappling with funding constraints in exercising its statutory functions.

According to Chuks Okocha, special assistant to the senate president on print media, Saraki said this when he paid a working visit to the chairman and members of the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), at the temporary office of the commission in Utako, Abuja, on Thursday.

Responding to the request of Adamu Fika, chairman of the commission, to have a permanent office of the commission inside the national assembly complex, Saraki pledged the support of the leadership towards the project.

He, however, noted that adequate funding remained the major challenge facing the national assembly.

“One of the things that I see here is the issue of budgetary constraints,” he said.

“However, the impression around the country is often that the national assembly has too much money. But we have seen the challenges of the last few years.

“As we work through the number of bills passed, the public hearings held, and the number of ad hoc committees that have been established — we know the challenges of not being able to fund some of our activities.

“So far, I am happy to report that despite these constraints, the 8th senate has been able to surpass all previous senates in the number of bills that we have passed in two years — despite the funding gaps.

“We know that as we continue over time, people will begin to have more confidence in the national assembly.

“However, right now, the challenges that we have are the issue of perception, and the issue of funding. We need to work hard to change this.”

Saraki, who is also the chairman of the national assembly, said it had not been easy for Nigerians to appreciate the various roles of the legislature as an arm of government being the youngest of the three arms of government.

Earlier, Fika lamented that the commission still operated from a rented apartment with the attendant cost.

He enjoined the leadership of the national assembly to come to its aid by supporting it to build a befitting permanent office within the national assembly complex. - Cable Nigeria

N6m bank transfer fraud : Two friends docked in Lagos

Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Thursday arraigned two friends over alleged attempt to fraudulently transfer N6 million into their accounts.

The accused 21-year-old Prince Eromonsele and Sylvester Odiana, 34 who reside in Sango-Ota area of Ogun, are standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, forgery and fraud.

The police prosecutor, Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the accused committed the offences on Jan. 23 at the Skye Bank branch in Ota.

He said the duo forged the name and account number of a customer of the bank, Mr Yussuf Akeem, and attempted to transfer N6 million into two different accounts in other banks.

“The accused fraudulently got Akeem’s account details requesting that N3 million should be transferred from the account at Skye Bank into Odiana’s account in Zenith Bank.

“The duo also requested that the remaining N3 million should be transferred into an Access Bank account owned by one of their friends, Justina Okhaifo.

“The fraudulent transaction was detected before the cash could be transferred and the accused were arrested,’’ Osuji said.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The Magistrate, Mr A. T. Omoyele, granted them bail in the sum of N250, 000 each with two sureties each in like sum, one of who must be gainfully employed.

He adjourned the case until Feb. 14 for mention.

The offences contravened Sections 365 (1), 406 (1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Three secondary school Principals, 2 others killed in Ogbomoso-Oyo road crash

More than five people including three secondary school principals, an account clerk and a driver reportedly lost their lives Wednesday evening in a ghastly motor accident along Ogbomoso-Oyo Road.

DAILY POST learnt on Thursday that one of the deceased identified as Mr. Ogunremi, who was until the accident the Principal of Caretaker Community High School in Ogbomoso was to retire from service next week Friday.

It was learnt that about seven others were seriously injured in the accident.

A source in the area where the accident occurred informed that the injured persons are currently receiving treatment at BOWEN Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

The accident, it was gathered occurred when the occupants of the car were returning from a workshop held at Oliveth High School in Oyo.

The source said a reckless trailer driver was trying to dodge a pothole ran into their car and four people died immediately while the Accounts Clerk simply identify as Mr Ajao died in the hospital.

He added that the deceased corpses have been deposited at the hospital.

But, Deputy Route Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Oyo State Sector Command, Mr Oluwaseun Onijala while confirming the accident to DAILY POST on Thursday, said only three people died while 12 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

Onijala in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST noted that corpses of those who died in the accident have been deposited at Bowen University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

He added that the injured passengers are still receiving treatment in the hospital.

Onijala said “That information may not be accurate but the accident happened along Ogbomoso-Oyo Road yesterday.

” I will not know who gave you that information. But the available information is that three people died while 12 other people were rescued. The corpses have been deposited at Bowen. Those that were rescued have also been taken to Bowen hospital.” - Daily Post

Tinubu slumps, dies in Lagos

The immediate past Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Deji Tinubu is dead.

According to Thisday, Tinubu who is also a former board member of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, slumped and died while playing football at the retreat organised for Lagos Commissioners and Special Advisers with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode present at the event in Epe.

The family and associates in sports circle confirmed his death.

Tinubu, who was certified healthy during the screening carried out before the start of the novelty game, suddenly collapsed and died.

The game was aimed at ensuring none of the government officials had such misfortune.

He was moved from sports to commerce during the cabinet shake up carried out just recently.

Until his death Thursday, Tinubu was Gov Ambode’s special adviser on commerce.

Update : Police kick as Evans files N200m suit over seized trucks

Suspected millionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (alias Evans), has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the release of his seized 25 Mack trucks.

Through his lawyer Olukoya Ogungbeje, Evans said the trucks were seized without a court order.

The lawyer said the police forcefully confiscated the trucks from Evans last June 15 without any court order.

But, the police have urged the court to dismiss the suit as the trucks were proceeds of crime and were exhibits.

Ogungbeje wants the court to award N200 million as general and exemplary damages against the police for the alleged violation of Evans’ rights under sections 36, 43, and 44 of the 1999 Constitution.

But, in a counter-affidavit, the deponent Inspector Haruna Idowu, said he was on the team that investigated Evans’ case.

He said the suspect acquired 11 trucks with proceeds of crime, adding that 10 of them were recovered by the police.

He said the trucks were listed as exhibits in the criminal charges filed against Evans at the Lagos State High Court.

“The applicant is the notorious and most dreaded armed robber and kidnapper known as Evans, who defiled police arrest for over 10 years and who had terrorised many states with his various gang members.

“The applicant has no other source of livelihood except armed robbery and kidnapping as so many arms and ammunition were recovered from the applicant during his arrest.

“The applicant had purchased various properties with proceeds of armed robbery and kidnapping.

“The applicant purchased 11 trucks with proceeds of crime. The police recovered 10 in Lagos while they were not able to tow the remaining one from Anambra State to Lagos due to the fact that the applicant’s brother-in-law, Mr. Okwuchukwu Obiechina, and his wife had tampered with the brain box of the truck in a bid to pervert the course of justice.

“The trucks recovered are proceeds of crime which are preserved and kept as exhibits to be tendered in the ongoing criminal prosecution of the application at the High Court of Lagos State,” Idowu said.

Justice Rabiu Hadizat Shagari adjourned till April 17. - The Nation

Nigerian Police Authority Seeks Voting Rights For Inmates

Authorities of Nigeria Prison Service ( NPS ), yesterday in Kano, made a passionate appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to re-structure voting system, so as to accommodate prison inmates to also exercise their civic responsibility.

The Comptroller, NPS, Kano Command, Alhaji Ahmed A. Magaji, who made the appeal said, they would like to partner with INEC to fashion out a template that will allow those detained in prison custody to also cast their votes.

The prison boss, who spoke at the state Command headquarters of the service,  during a courtesy visit by the newly assigned Resident Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Kano, Professor Riskuwa Arabu Shehu said inmates are Nigerians and should be accorded the right to determine those, who govern them.

He, however, flawed the current arrangement, which prevents those behind bars from casting their votes, adding that NPS authorities will be glad,: “If those in prison will be allowed to cast their votes.”

Magaji noted that as a security organ, it is committed to collaborating, with all stakeholders to ensure the conduct of credible, free, and fair elections.

Responding, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Kano, Professor Riskuwa Arabu Shehu, said, prison inmates cannot be allowed to vote, explaining that, the inmates registered at various centers, and their freedom is restricted.

“They cannot be released from custody to proceed to where they registered to cast their votes,” Riskuwa said.

He said INEC is considering various voting options, adding that, when the existing electoral Act is repealed and electronic voting is legalized, this, he said will pave the way for prison inmates to discharge their civic rights, including those in the diaspora.

On a final note, Riskuwa urged security agencies to collaborate with INEC, so as to secure lives and properties, prior, during and after the elections. - The Nation

Russia wants to attack Britain's energy supply and 'cause chaos' says UK defence secretary

The British defence secretary says Russia poses a threat to the UK and it does not necessarily entail plans to invade British shores.

Rather Gavin Williamson believes that the Kremlin is targeting British infrastructure and energy supply in a bid to cause "panic" and chaos.

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Williamson said Russia was spying on Britain's critical national infrastructure and had its eyes on energy lines that allowed the UK to trade gas and electricity with the continent.

"They are looking at these things because they are saying these are the ways that we can hurt Britain.

"If we lost our interconnectors, which would be something that we know that they are looking at, there would be three million homes without electricity. In a few years time there will be eight million homes that would be dependent.

"If you could imagine the domestic and industrial chaos that this would actually cause. What they would do is cause the chaos and then step back."

He said that Russia could target the UK through a cyber attack or from undersea activity.

"What they are looking at doing is trying to spot vulnerabilities, because what they want to do is they want to know how to strike it, they want to know how they can kill infrastructure and by killing that infrastructure that means hurting Britain and the British people," he told the paper.

The sentiments somewhat echo those made by the chief of the defence staff, Sir Stuart Peach who said that British undersea internet cables were vulnerable to a Russian attack.

He said that Britain must keep pace with Russia's modernised Navy which is often seen near under-sea communications cables in the Atlantic Ocean.,

Williamson is negotiating potential cuts to the British military as the government seeks to save around £20bn over the next decade. Reports in December suggested that the government would focus its funding on cyber rather than battlefield warfare. - IBT