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Official: Nigerian government to establish central database for forfeited assets
The Federal Government’s inter-ministerial committee on assets disposal said Tuesday that it would create a central database of assets for finally forfeited assets. The chairman of the committee, Dayo Apata, said this during a courtesy visit of the committee to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja. Mr Apata, who is the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, said: “the committee will create a central database of assets that had been forfeited to the Federal Government to ensure the Federal Government gets value for all the forfeited assets”. “Introducing uniform process of assets disposal, and avoiding wastages, so that the Federal Government can have the full benefit of what has been forfeited,” a statem...
President Buhari writes Senate, seeks confirmation of service chiefs
President Muhammadu Buhari has written formally to the Senate for the confirmation of the appointment of the newly appointed Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and service chiefs. He has also sought the consent of the upper legislative chamber for the appointment of the former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Olonisakin (rtd) and erstwhile service chiefs as non-career Ambassadors. The two separate confirmation request letters were read on Tuesday at the resumption of Senate plenary after the Christmas break by the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan. The first letter dated January 27, 2021 read in part: “In compliance with the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act. Cap A20 Laws the Federation of Nigeria 2004, I hereby forward for confirmation by the Senate, the app...
PTF: Nigeria has over 100 molecular laboratories
Nigeria can now boast of over 100 molecular laboratories for the testing of COVID-19 in the country, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF), Boss Mustapha, has said. This is just as the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, flayed the non challant attitude of people in his home state, Kwara, to the pandemic. The SGF who spoke Tuesday at the commissioning of State House Clinic Special Care Centre (COVID-19 Isolation Centre) stated that the number of molecular laboratories grew from two last year to more than 100 as at today and are spread across the 36 states of the federation. His words: ‘‘From just two molecular laboratories for the testing of COVID-19 in Nigeria, we now have over 100 molecular laboratories, public and private, across the 36 States of the Feder...
Borno governor sacks health commissioner
Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has relieved the Commissioner of Health, Dr Salihu Kwaya-Bura, of his position. The sack is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Relations and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau. Gusau said the removal was part of measures to reposition the ministry. ”The governor has directed his Chief of Staff, Isa Marte, a Professor of pharmacology and fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science with specialty in cancer research, to oversee the affairs of the ministry pending the appointment of a substantive commissioner. “Zulum expresses gratitude to Kwayabura for his immense contributions to the development of Borno public health sector in nearly two years of the current administration and the years he had served under the previous administration,...
Southeast governors insist on ban of open grazing
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Chairman Southe East Governors Forum says the zone insists on the ban of open grazing of cattle in the zone. Umahi announced this during an APC stakeholder meeting at the Christian Ecumenical Centre Abakaliki. The Governor who said the South East Governors’ Forum had also banned the movement of cows by foot into the zone enjoined leaders to exhibit patriotism in their conduct to guarantee the unity of the Country. “We are living in a dangerous time, without patriotism to our nation Nigeria, it is very difficult to have a peaceful time” He called on leaders and stakeholders of the zone to speak up and desist from playing politics with the Security of the zone and nation. “Governors of South East have been calling on our leaders to speak out on the Secur...
Timi Frank: Sack, appointment of service chiefs late
Silverbird Television Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Tuesday, attributed the rising spate of insecurity in the country to the retention, for far too long, of Service Chiefs who were no longer delivering as expected by President Muhammadu Buhari. Frank who was reacting to what he described as the earlier reluctance and eventual sack of the Service Chiefs, as well as appointment of new ones in a statement in Abuja, lamented that despite a whooping one term and a quarter of Buhari’s administration (about six years), that the administration “has not achieved any decisive victory against Boko Haram, murderous herdsmen, bandits and kidnappers.” “It became apparent early in the life of this regime that the set of Security ...
President Buhari hailed for sacking service chiefs
An environmental activist, Chief Sheriff Mulade, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for relieving service chiefs of their positions and appointing their replacements, saying the development showed that the president has a listening ear given the growing agitation from Nigerians for a change of guard in the nation’s security architecture. This was as he called for the urgent restructuring of the country following what he referred to as “the mismanagement of the nation’s resources, as well as the endless marginalization of the South-South region of the country.” The peace advocate, while reacting to the president’s action, at a media conference in Abuja, expressed optimism that the action would bring improvement in security management in the country. Mulade, who is the National Coordin...
APC welcomes appointment of new service chiefs
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that the new service chiefs will consolidate on the remarkable achievements of their predecessors in keeping the country safe and peaceful. President Muhammadu Buhari had Tuesday sacked the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar. He replaced them with Major-General Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral A.Z Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Air-Vice Marshal I.O Amao, Chief of Air Staff. The National Secretary of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, in a sta...
Delta governor congratulates new CDS Leo Irabor
Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has congratulated Major-General Leo Irabor on his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olisa Ifeajika in Asaba, Okowa said that the sacrifices of the new Defence chief towards peace and progress of the nation, especially his acknowledged gallantry at assignments, were outstanding. He thanked Buhari for appointing an illustrious son of Delta into the exalted position of Chief of Defence Staff, and said that it is an elevated responsibility given to a deserving officer. According to him, Irabor, who hails from Agbor in Delta, has the requisite experience for his new job having served as Theatre Commander “Operation Lafiya Doyle”, Force Commander of the...
Miyetti Allah calls for Sunday Igboho’s arrest
The Miyetti Allah has called for the arrest of Chief Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho for the alleged assault on the Seriki Fulani of Oyo state, Alhaji Saliu Abdulkadir. Oyo state Chairman of Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Ibrahim Jiji, said this while speaking with journalists in Ibadan on Saturday. Jiji said many Fulani in the state were now living in fear while some of them had fled their homes to avoid an attack. He urged Yoruba and Fulani residents to allow peace to reign in Oyo state. He said, “We are all Nigerians. We appreciate and love the governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for saying the truth. We need to join hand together to ensure we have a peaceful society. Our people are not happy and many of them are living in fear. Some had fled their homes. “We want justice f...
Sunday Igboho: Why Ibarapa residents rejected Fulani herders
Yoruba freedom fighter, Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Igboho, who issued a seven-day eviction notice to Fulani herders that had been terrorising residents of Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State has said the threat of arrest can never be used to intimidate him. He said this in a viral video that was just released. Narrating what happened in Igangan in a video, he said all the suspected Fulani herders that were handed over to the police were released after a DPO got a directive from above (Abuja)”. “God will not allow the destruction of Yorubaland. These herders, after holding their kidnap victims, would be asking the females among them to undress and rape them. Anyone they kidnapped, the least ransom they collect is N10m.” “Imagine the case of that Dr Aborode that they killed recent...
PGF chief: Femi Fani-Kayode’s botched defection an attempt to manipulate APC leadership
Director-General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF, Salihu Moh. Lukman has said the recent attempt to accept Chief Femi Fani-Kayode into the fold of the All Progressives Congress APC was a clear attempt by some partisans to manipulate the leadership of the ruling party into doing the wrong thing. There were reports earlier in the week that Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP was set to join the APC following a meeting with the Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee CECPC, Gov. Mai Mala Buni, and Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello who chairs the Mobilization Committee of the party. In a statement titled, “APC and the Question of Values”, Lukman praised the insistence by many APC members and leaders that Mr. Fani-Kayode ...