President Muhamadu Buhari has signed the Medical Residency Training Act, 2018 thereby activating the regulation of medical residency training programme for medical practitioners and dental surgeons under the National Medical Post-Graduate College of Nigeria.

 

The programme is for scholars who possess the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or its equivalent, and have gone through the National Youth Service Scheme, NYSC programme or with exemption certificate.

 

Also signed into law by President Buhari is the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission Amendment Bill, which now provides for the payment of ten per cent of revenue, generated from the operation of hydroelectric dams in any member state to be paid to the Commission, instead of thirty as was previously obtained.

 

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang, said the amendment further fortifies the power of the Minister to issue policy directives as well as reinforce statutory powers of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to regulate the electricity industry under the principal Act.

 

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PDP MOURNS PLATEAU MASSACRE VICTIMS

Thursday, 28 June 2018 16:01

The main opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, says flags at its offices nationwide will be flown at half-mast for seven days in honour of those who lost their life in the herdsmen massacre in Plateau State.

 

National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, gave this indication in a statement confirming the party’s declaration of seven days of mourning for victims of the Plateau massacre.

 

Ologbondiyan said beyond declaring a mourning period, the PDP also wants residents of Plateau State to demand justice, defend their rights and sue the Federal Government to enforce their rights as global citizens.

 

The PDP wants the people of the Plateau to drag President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC-led Federal Government to the International Criminal Court at The Hague for acting helpless in the face of continuous mass killings.

 

The PDP’s call comes as the Plateau State Government made a ten billion naira demand on the Federal Government which it intends to use to provide support for victims of the massacre over the weekend.

 

On the other hand; the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement said the party demands the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the carnage in Plateau State.

 

Abdullahi said the APC wants the security agencies to spare no efforts in stemming the occurrence of such violence in all parts of the country

 

The APC also appealed to religious and community leaders to demonstrate true leadership even in the face of the terrible challenge by appealing to those affected not to take the laws into their hands and avoid utterances and actions that can provoke reprisal.

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COURT GRANTS BAIL TO BIAFRA AGITATORS

Tuesday, 26 June 2018 12:13

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to the co-defendants of the on the run leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

 

You will recall that Justice Binta Nyako had in February 20, 2018, ordered the separation of Kanu’s trial from that of the rest of his co-defendants, as the IPOB leader’s absence from court continued to halt progress in the case.

 

The co-defendants who now face three counts of treasonable felony include; Bright Chimezie; who is the National Coordinator of IPOB, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

 

Ruling on the fresh Bail applications filed by the defendants following their re-arraignment on March 20, 2018, Justice Nyako, said the applications succeeded on health grounds and the number of years they had spent in detention.

 

The judge also noted that one of the defendant’s, Bright Chimezie, had earlier been granted bail by the Federal High Court in Uyo in May 2017 but the Department of State Service which at the time, was holding him in custody refused to release him.

 

She said the defendants had spent an average of three years in custody when the maximum penalty for the offences they were charged with if convicted, ranged from five to seven years.

 

Justice Nyako further imposed on the four defendants’ conditions similar to the ones she attached to the bail granted Kanu in April last year.

 

One of such conditions included that they were barred from granting any press interview or participating in any form of gathering or rally.

 

She also ordered them to produce two sureties each in the sum of ten million naira.

 

The defendants are also expected to report to the Commissioners of Police in their various states of residence every two weeks.

 

The trial has been adjourned till November 14, 2018

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DASUKI VS FG COURT FIXES DATE

Tuesday, 26 June 2018 12:09

 

Judgment has been fixed for 2nd July in the five billion naira fundamental human rights violation lawsuit filed by former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, against the Federal Government.

 

Dasuki has been in detention for nearly three years since the current APC Administration assumed office despite being granted bail by different courts.

 

He is standing trial before different court for alleged illegal possession of firearms and complicity the diversion of two point one billion dollars meant for the purchase of military hardware.

 

However; retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki wants the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to declare that his continued detention since 3rd November, 2015, in spite being granted bail was in breach of his fundamental human rights.

 

He is asking the court to declare his detention illegal and to award five billion naira in his favour as general damage and compensation for gross violation of his fundamental rights.

 

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu adjourned the suit for judgment, after all the parties adopted their final briefs of argument.

 

The respondents, including the Department of State Service, the Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami raised objections against the suit.

 

The DSS, Daura and Malami want the court to dismiss Dasuki’s suit for lack of merit.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, says it has secured nine convictions and recovered three hundred and twelve million naira proceeds of fraud through the work of its office in Benin City, Edo State.

 

The Zonal Head of Operations, Mailafia Yakubu, made the revelation while giving account of the work done by the anti-graft agency in the zone over its first twelve months.

 

Yakubu also disclosed that the EFCC currently has twenty-eight cases in various courts, adding that the commission would not relent on its efforts to eradicate corruption in Nigeria.

 

Aside prosecution, Yakubu said the Commission was also keen on nipping corruption in the bud through public enlightenment and sensitization campaigns targeted at students of secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

 

Detailed of the anniversary activities of the EFCC were contained in a statement released by the Head of Media and Publicity of the agency, Wilson Uwujaren.

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BUHARI ENDORSES GOOD JOURNALISM

Friday, 22 June 2018 12:15

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed delegates to conference of the International Press Institute holding in Abuja, with a charge to guard against the spread of fake news.

 

President Buhari observed that the changing media landscape, the explosion of the social media and the rapidly evolving new technology have had a profound impact on media business and media practice.

 

The President said it was satisfying that the Institute has chosen an appropriate theme for the conference, which emphasizes is: “Why Good Journalism Matters: Quality Media for Strong Societies.”

He said in a world where the borderline between hate speech and free speech has become blurred, good journalism matters.

 

President Buhari said in an environment where fake news dwarfs investigative reporting, good journalism matters.

 

He said for survival in an increasingly competitive field, good journalism would help to promote good governance.

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DSS ARREST CRIMINALS

Friday, 22 June 2018 10:03

The Department of State Services has announced the arrest of scores of suspected criminals by its agents in different operations nationwide.

 

These include suspected kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers and terrorists who were arrested in joint operations involving the DSS and sister security agencies from March till date.

 

Two members of a dreaded gang of kidnappers that goes by the name "Basalube" were arrest at Karu village in Abuja, while five members of another kidnapping syndicate were arrested in Calabar, Cross River State on 27th of March.

 

 

The Calabar suspects identified as Simeon Paul, Emmanuel Anna Etim, Eric John Out, Famous Eket Oleke and Felix Bassey Eshet were allegedly caught with one AK-Forty-Seven rifle; one Mossberg Pump Action rifle and fifty-five rounds of ammunition, among other items.

 

 

DSS operatives also arrested a suspected kidnapping kingpin in Ogbomosho, Osun State over the abduction of a clergyman at Ibillo, Edo State, and recovered five Pump Action rifles and nine loaders from him.

 

 

Investigation of that incident led to the arrest of suspected gunrunners identified as UMAR Abdullahi and Hassan Ahmed, at Ishua town, in Akoko-South-East Local Government Area of Ondo State, with five Pump Action rifles recovered from them.

 

 

Bashiru Adams and Rufai Sajo were also arrested for allegedly operating a terrorist cell at Kukuntu village, within Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

 

 

Another suspect identified as Umar Dogo was also arrested at Muda Lawal Market in Bauchi town for allegedly belonging to another budding cell of so-called Islamic State in West Africa.

 

 

DSS spokesperson, Tony Opuiyo, disclosed in a statement that the suspects were discovered to have concluded plans to not only perpetuate the ideals of the terrorist movement in the area, but to also collaborate with Boko Haram in carrying out violent attacks on innocent persons.

 

 

In connection to the alleged plot, security operatives also tracked down and arrested Adamu Hassan and Abubakar Abubakar who are said to be experts on Improvised Explosive Devices.

 

 

Mohammed Saleh and Iliyasu Abubakar were also arrested in Gassol and Ardo Local Government Areas of Taraba State on suspicion of membership of the Boko Haram terrorist group and alleged involvement in cattle rustling.

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The Federal Government has set up a committee to address the funding gap that may arise as a result of the adjustments on the 2018 Budget by the National Assembly.

 

The Technical Working Group for the Nigeria Aid Transition Plan is expected to come up with strategies in anticipation of challenges from the scaling down of development partner funding to Nigeria.

 

The Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said the initiative was in line with the resolve of the administration to drive effective planning as the bedrock of its developmental strategy.

 

Speaking during the inauguration yesterday, Senator Udoma drew attention to the fact that Nigeria’s relationship with international development partners was evolving because of the graduation of the nation to a middle-income economy.

 

Based on the development, the Minister noted that Nigeria was at risk of losing access to some concessionary funding windows.

 

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The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma has raised hope on the 2018 Budget despite the concerns expressed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

Senator Udoma said some of the changes made on the 2018 budget by the National Assembly, particularly on the oil price benchmark, are achievable. ‎

 

Senator Udoma gave the assurance during a budget breakdown session in Abuja, flanked by other Ministers and Senior Government Officials.

 

The Minister said ‎crude oil would contribute forty-one percent of the total revenue for the budget implementation.

 

He said government was aiming at intensifying efforts on accelerating economic diversification and non-oil revenue generation.

 

Furthermore; the Budget and National Planning Minister ‎said government would continue to spend more on on-going infrastructure projects that have the potential for job creations and inclusive growth.

 

Our correspondent report that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and the Accountant General of the Federation, Ibrahim Idris, where among officials who attended the public presentation of the 2018 Budget.

 

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Special Assistant to President Mohammadu Buhari on Justice Reforms, Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu said talks are in advanced stage to repatriate three hundred and twenty-two million dollars looted by former Head of State, Sani Abacha.

 

Ibekaku-Nwagwu who is also the National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership, Nigeria said under an MOU with Switzerland, the money when returned, would be paid directly into the accounts of the poorest Nigerians through their various accounts for two years.

 

She told newsmen in Abuja that the process of disbursement would be done through identification numbers to be made available on the website being developed by the National Social Investment office and the World Bank.

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