Presidency, Catholic Bishops trade blames on insecurity

The Nigerian Presidency has reacted to the allegation by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria that it is handling the security of the nation with levity.

The Bishops had said in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting in Ekiti that the situation at hand was creating panic across the nation hence demanded concerted efforts by the highest level of government to find solutions.

However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina said that blame game was not the best way to go.

He said it was the Catholic Bishops that were creating panic among Nigerians through their accusation of government levity on security matters.

In a terse statement yesterday, Adesina said: “Every rational voice is welcome in finding lasting solutions to challenges confronting the country, particularly killings by herdsmen, whether alleged or real.

“But in arriving at solutions, blame game is not the way to go. Accusing government of levity, when in fact all hands are on deck, worsens the situation, as it creates panic and fear among Nigerians, which is what the bishops incidentally also decried in their communiqué.

“Nigeria has faced many challenges, and surmounted them all, by the grace of God, this too shall pass.”

- DAILY POST

NUC, NYSC collaborate to stop ‘fake’ foreign-trained graduates from national service

The National Universities Commission (NUC), alongside the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), have come to a conclusion to stop fake foreign-trained graduates from partaking in the compulsory one-year national service.

NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, who spoke during a visit by the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, said the committee would continue to ensure the credibility of certificates issued by Nigerian universities and block fake foreign-trained graduates coming into the country.

The NUC chief said many universities produce quality graduates while some produce graduates who cannot defend their certificates.

He said the commission had not approved the degrees of some online universities operating in the country.

Rasheed added that the commission had approached the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to shut down some illegal universities operating in Nigeria, The Nations reports.

“NUC and NYSC must work together to help the country in producing quality graduates. The NUC will continue to certify the credibility of certificates obtained from Nigerian universities,” he said.

- DAILY POST 

AIDS/HIV killed Nigerian Odemu Efe in Ethiopian Prison

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on Tuesday said Mr Odemu Efe, a Nigerian serving a five-year prison sentence in an Ethiopian prison died of HIV/AIDS.

Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NIDCOM’s Head of Media made this known in a statement in Abuja.

Balogun said contrary to reports that Efe died of ill-treatment and malnourishment in prison, the death certificate issued by the Ethiopian Health Authorities showed he died of HIV/AIDS.

He further said confirmation from the Nigerian Embassy in Ethiopia revealed that Efe had been seriously ill and taken to two different hospitals in Addis Ababa before he passed on.

He also debunked a statement credited to one Miss Chika Nwachukwu, that Nigerian officials were indifferent about the welfare of Nigerian inmates in Ethiopia.

” The Nigerian High Commissioner, Adeoye Bankole, visits inmates regularly. He visited the Kaliti Prison in January 2019 and plans to visit Nigerian inmates again in August/September, ” he said.

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Executive Chairman/CEO, NIDCOM condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed God to bless the soul of the departed citizen.

Efe was serving a five-year prison sentence in an Ethiopian Penitentiary having been convicted for drug trafficking by an Ethiopian court.

He had only served over a year before his demise.

Balogun said the burial would be undertaken soon through the assistance of Ethiopian Authorities and witnessed by the consular representative of the Nigerian Embassy.

- PM NEWS

EFCC frozen bank accounts linked with Ambode

Justice Chuka Obiozor of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, ordered the freezing of N9.9bn in four bank accounts linked with an aide of former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode.

The EFCC said only N300 million remains in the accounts.

The funds are domiciled in First City Monument Bank, FCMB, account number 5617984012; Access Bank account number 0060949275 and Zenith Bank account number 1011691254, respectively.

Justice Chuka Obiozor gave the order, following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC had prayed the court to freeze the account pending the conclusion of the investigation and possible prosecution of Adewale Adesanya, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief of Staff to former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

The applicant, EFCC, in an affidavit deposed to by Kungmi Daniel, an operative of the Commission, stated that there was “a huge inflow of N9,927,714,443.29” from the state accounts into an FCMB bank account opened on September 17, 2018, during the administration of the past governor of the state, Akinwunmi Ambode, and operated by Adesanya.

It was further stated that the schedule of the FCMB account showed how Adesanya and other signatories to the account made fraudulent transfers from the accounts of the Lagos State Government and dissipated the funds housed in the said accounts.

In his submission, counsel to the EFCC, Mohammed Abbas, said: “The trend in the account is that the account always witnessed huge inflow from Lagos State Government in the above-scheduled accounts managed by the respondent (Adesanya)”.

Abbas, therefore, prayed the court to grant an order to temporarily attach and take over the accounts to enable it conclude its investigations.

“There have been concerted efforts and attempts to dissipate the contents of the accounts listed in the schedule to this application.

“Without freezing the nominated accounts and temporarily forfeiting the money to the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there is no way the fraud being perpetrated using the scheduled accounts can be stopped,” he further told the court.

Consequently, Justice Obiozor granted the prayers of the counsel to the Commission.

The Judge adjourned further proceedings till September 9.

- PM NEWS 

EFCC discovers 21 exotic cars at Yari’s residence

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reportedly uncovered 21 exotic cars during a raid at the Talata-Mafara residence of Abdulaziz Yari, former governor of Zamfara state.

EFCC had raided Yari’s residence on Sunday evening when the ex-governor was out of the country.

The anti-graft agency also searched the houses of Jafaru, Yari’s brother, and Sha’aya Mafara, his intimate friend.

TheNation reports that 21 exotic vehicles were found in the compound of the ex-governor, who until he left office in 29th May, was chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

Yari is currently being investigated for alleged questionable payment of N19 billion from the London-Paris Club refund; N35 billion spent on internally displaced persons (IDPs); ecological and stabilisation fund and how he incurred N151,190,477,572.02 liabilities on ongoing projects.

TheNation quoted a source as saying the governor is expected to honour the invitation of the anti-graft agency in order to provide answers to some questions connected to the ongoing investigation.

“The onus is on Yari to explain how he came about the exotic vehicles; whether or not he declared them in his Asset Declaration Form; and if these vehicles were in his exit Asset Form as a former governor in May,” the source said.

“Once he is able to justify the acquisition of the vehicles, the EFCC has no problem with Yari. Otherwise, he has a question to answer.”

Yari famously blamed an outbreak of meningitis in the state on “fornication”.

His bid to become senator was quashed by the supreme court which nullified his candidacy in the general election.

- THECABLE

Nigeria opens National ID enrolment centres In UK, Germany

Enrolment centres to register Nigerians abroad for the New National Identification Number are being opened in the UK and Germany.

VFS Global, along with Dantata Universal Services launched new centres in London and Leicester on 2 August for the convenience of Nigerians in the United Kingdom 

New centres will also open in Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany on 12 August.

The centres are being opened as part of the endeavour to support the initiative by the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC)to enrol Nigerian adults and children into the National Identity Database (NIDB). 

Appointments can be obtained beforehand online by visiting www.vfsglobal.com/NIMC/Nigeria for the National Identification Number enrolment and subsequently the issuance of General Multi Purpose Card (GMPC) issuance to eligible Nigerian citizens in diaspora.

A dedicated contact centre and email support service is also available for applicants to answer queries and track the application status. 

The National Identification Number is a unique set of eleven digits number issued to the Nigerian citizens in diaspora. 

  NIN is used for processing all forms of transactions that involves submitting an identity verification in Nigeria such as getting a driver’s license, voter’s card or even for opening a bank account which will offer greater convenience and transparency.

Mr. Jiten Vyas, Regional Group COO, VFS Global, said: “The launch of our new National Identification Number enrolment centres in UK and Germany to support theinitiative by the National Identity Management Commission, Nigeria highlights our efforts to offer solutions that ensure a secure and seamless experience in the Identity and Citizen Services space globally. By leveraging our capabilities of having successfully implemented such large-scale diaspora enrollment services across the world, we are confident that the new centres would greatly benefit this global initiative.”

With nearly two decades of experience, VFS Global has established itself as a world leader in offering solutions in both visa application processing and identity-based citizen services. 

Having processed over 86 million biometric enrolments since 2007, VFS Global currently serves 38 Client Governments across 138 countries with its biometric solutions.

- PM NEWS

Bayelsa spends N6bn yearly on political appointees — same as its health budget

Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa governor, says the state spends about N6 billion annually to service 1,500 political service holders. 

NAN quoted the governor as saying this on a radio programme.

An analysis of the oil-rich state’s 2019 budget by TheCable shows that the budget for the entire health sector is N6 billion.

According to Dickson, the huge “political capital” investment is responsible for the high number of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in the state.

Dickson, who has been governing Bayelsa on the mantle of the PDP since 2012,  explained that the opposition party had invested the money to sustain its loyalists appointed to serve in his administration.

He said 21 aspirants had collected and returned the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms at N21 million each.

The party’s primary election is scheduled to hold on September 2, ahead of the November 16 governorship election in the state.

“The party leadership decided to make the contest open and all-embracing and as a consensus builder, I believe that every aspiration is legitimate, it is a right that they have to test their popularity at the primaries,” Dickson said.

“The large number of aspirants is an indication that the party is a platform of choice for any politician to actualize his governorship ambition and looking at the rival party, they don’t have up to two aspirants.

“Nothing is happening there, the PDP is taking the shine and it is all happening because of the political capital we invested in building the party, if I lost my re-election in 2015, the party would have been dead by now in Bayelsa.”

In March 2019, Dickson signed N299bn for the fiscal year.

Presenting the appropriation bill in December 2018 to the state house of assembly, the governor had said that about N23 billion was earmarked for education while N6 billion was proposed for the health sector.

- THECABLE