Premium Times
Lagos council boss passes on
The chairperson of Eti Osa local government, Rafiu Olatunji, has died on Monday night at his Sangotedo residence. He died from a long-term illness. Mr Olatunji is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos. He is the current chairperson of Eti-Osa LCDA and also won the APC primary to run for the forthcoming July 24 election. Confirming his death to newsmen, Oluseye Oladejo, the spokesperson of APC said the party received the news of his demise with shock. “The Lagos State APC commiserates with the entire leadership and membership of our party on the shocking and untimely passage of the chairman of Eti-Osa East LCDA, Rafiu Olufunmi Olatunji. “He was a committed party man who was totally committed to the development of his Local Council Development Area. “Our heart goes to his ...
EFCC to file 800 new corruption cases in court
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said it is set to file 800 new corruption cases in court. The chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said this Thursday as part of the weekly briefing by Heads of MDAs to give an update on their performance in office. He addressed State House reporters in Abuja. He said the cases to be filed will border on public corruption and cybercrime. The cases were delayed largely because of the strike by judiciary workers who shut down courts in Nigeria for over two months and only recently suspended the strike. At the event, Bawa also vowed that former Abia governor Orji Kalu “will be prosecuted all over again.” Newsmen reported how Kalu was set free by the Supreme Court on technicalities after being convicted of stealing billions of n...
Pastor kills, buries wife in Akwa Ibom
A pastor in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria’s South-south, has been detained by the police for allegedly killing his wife. The incident happened at a village called Ikot Ataku, Okon, in Eket Local Government Area. The pastor has been identified as Chris Enoch, the founder of Omega Word Global Ministries. He is from Ebonyi State, Nigeria’s South-east. The youth president of Okon Clan, Effiong Johnson told newsmen, Wednesday night, that Mr Enoch killed the wife, Patient, seven days ago and buried her corpse in the shallow grave inside their gated compound where they have been living with their five children. The eldest child is 15 years old. Mr Enoch’s church has been operating inside the same compound which is rented. The community became suspicious when the pastor’s children complained to neighbo...
June 12 protest: Police arrest Agba Jalingo
A right activist and a newspaper publisher, Agba Jalingo, has been arrested by the police in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria’s South-south. Jalingo is the publisher of Cross River Watch, an online newspaper with focus on Cross River State. He was arrested at the police headquarters, Calabar, on Friday where he went to honour an invitation by the Commissioner of Police in the State, Kayode Sikiru, Cross River Watch said in a report. The newspaper said Sikiru invited Jalingo to the police headquarters to discuss the planned nationwide June 12 protest which the latter is said to be coordinating in the state. After discussions, Jalingo was reportedly referred to another officer who informed him that the police had received a petition which accused him of being an arms dealer, the newspaper...
President Buhari seeks international support for peaceful transition in Chad
President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday called on the international community to support a peaceful transition from military to democratic government in Chad. He made this known at a summit put together to discuss recent developments in Chad after the death of President Idris Deby last April. At the summit, Mr Buhari called on: “development partners and countries particularly France, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Russia; the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union, as well as other friendly and partner nations to support the transition framework put in place by Chad’s Transition Military Council led by General Mahamat Idris Deby.” ‘‘The need to support the Chadian government to effectively carry out its planned 18-month transition is sacrosanc...
Ogun governor suspends aide arrested for ‘fraud’ in US
The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has suspended his aide, Abidemi Rufai, who was arrested in the United States for an alleged $350,000 (about N140 million) COVID-19 unemployment fraud. Kunle Somorin, Abiodun’s chief press secretary, confirmed the suspension to newsmen on Tuesday. This was also confirmed to newsmen by the chief press secretary to Abiodun, Kunle Somorin. “Our position is that the law should take its course,” Somorin said in a WhatsApp interview. “Meanwhile, the governor has ordered his immediate suspension from office to answer charges against him.” Sources within the government told newsmen that the governor took the action immediately he was briefed about Rufai’s arrest. This newspaper earlier reported that Rufai, Senior Special Assistant to Abiodun, was arrested l...
Former Nigerian soldier who trains ESN militants arrested in Abuja
The police have arrested a dismissed army lance corporal allegedly responsible for training and recruiting people into the Eastern Security Network (ESN), the militant arm of the outlawed pro-Biafra group, IPOB, according to a report. He was arrested a few days after a top commander of the terror group, Awurum Eze, was arrested in Aba, Abia State. The group is alleged to have been responsible for killings of security agents and destruction of public properties in the South-east and South-south zones. They have, however, denied the allegations. According to sources, the 32 years old dismissed soldier, whose name was given as Livinus Owalum-Barnabas, was arrested on Sunday, at Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT by men of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The e...
Lagos to investigate death of chef caused by ‘negligence’
The Lagos State Government has said it would investigate allegations of medical negligence levelled against Premier Specialist Medical Centre, Victoria Island, leading to the death of Peju Ugboma, a chef. Newsmen reported that at least 3,000 people had signed an online petition, as of Sunday morning, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Ministry of Health to investigate the death. According to a statement signed by Nwabeze Ugboma on behalf of the family, the deceased died days after undergoing fibroid surgery in the hospital. The state government said the Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, has directed the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMMA) to conduct a proper investigation into the death of the chef and establish the facts of the matter. “On behalf...
President Buhari approves appointment of 18 appeal court judges
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of 18 Justices of the Court of Appeal. Newsmen reported that the 18 candidates were recommended to Mr Buhari by the National Judicial Council (NJC) for appointment in March. NJC’s Director of Information, Soji Oye, had in a statement on March 19, said the council’s interview committee made the decision recommending the candidates for appointment at its 94th meeting which held on March 17 and 18, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad. The president approved the recommendations in a memo by his Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, and addressed to the CJN. A copy of the memo titled, ‘Re: Appointment of eighteen (18) Justices of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria’ was circulated online on Thursday. Our corr...
Lagos: Police arrest protesting Uber, Bolt drivers
The police in Lagos have arrested some members of the Professional E-hailing Drivers and Private Owners Association (PEDPA), the umbrella body of e-hailing ride companies including Uber and Bolt, who had embarked on an industrial action over the services rendered by the platforms. Five drivers, including the president of PEDPA, Idris Shonuga, were arrested on Tuesday. Speaking on the arrest, Kolawole Aina, the Regional Vice President PEDPA, South-west, said the drivers were picked up by the police at the National Stadium in Surulere while they were gathering for a peaceful march to Alausa. Newsmen reported that Bolt and Uber drivers commenced strike on Monday to express their displeasure over the “unfavourable pricing” of the companies and its impact on their business. Shonuga, who listed ...
NLC to declare nationwide strike over Kaduna government’s plan to sack workers
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has resolved to declare an industrial action nationwide if the Kaduna State government goes ahead with its plans to sack civil servants. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with newsmen on Monday. Last week, Governor Nasir El-Rufai announced the plan to disengage civil servants in the state, citing fiscal reasons. El-Rufai said a significant amount of the statutory federal allocations to the state is being spent on the wages of public servants. According to the governor, the decision was one of the necessary moves to salvage the state’s finances. “Therefore, the state government has no choice but to shed some weight and reduce the size of the public service. It is a painful but necessary step to take, for the sake of th...
Strike: Minister to hold fresh meeting with governors, NBA, JUSUN, others
Labour minister, Chris Ngige, has rescheduled a fresh meeting with the leaderships of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), over the lingering strike that has crippled court activities across the country for two weeks. Representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) are also expected to be at the meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja on Tuesday. Members of JUSUN had on April 6 embarked on the indefinite nationwide strike to press home their demand for judiciary’s financial autonomy. The labour minister had on Thursday announced a last-minute postponement of the meeting he was scheduled to hold with the NBA, JUSUN and other stakeholders over the lingering crisis. The abrupt postponement of the meeting infuriated the leaderships of the body ...
