Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Thursday 19th December 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 19/12/19
Read also
Maina, Son To Remain In Correctional Centre Until New Year
Maina in court
Maina in court
ChannelsTV
Former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, and his son, Faisal, are to remain in Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja, till January 2020, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
Justice Okon Abang, who gave the order on Wednesday, adjourned hearing on Abdulrasheed’s bail variation application till January 13, 2020; while Faisal’s trial continuation was adjourned till January 20, 2020.
Earlier on Wednesday, Justice Abang had said that though it would not be convenient for the court to take trial, bail variation arguments would be taken.
EFCC’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, however, said he was ready for trial continuation and that the next witness was in court.
On his part, Abdulrasheed’s lawyer, Mohammed Monguno, reminded the court of the pending application filed on December 6 for bail variation.
Abubakar therefore urged the court to adjourn hearing on the bail variation application because the defence had just served on him its further affidavit the same day.
“We apply that the hearing be adjourned to enable us react to their further affidavit,” he said.
Monguno, who described the motion as “simple application,” said the call for the adjournment was to delay proceeding.
“We were the ones who filed further affidavit in response to their counter affidavit.
“We urge Your Lordship not to grant their prayer because it is an attempt to delay this matter,” he said.
Deborah Apete, Counsel to Maina’s company, Common Input Investment Limited, adopted the submission of Monguno, saying “the motion is ripe for hearing.”
Abubakar, in his argument, said that Maina’s application was brought relevant to provision of ACJA and 1999 constitution.
He, however, said that there was no provision in ACJA or the constitution that precludes ones from filing further counter-affidavit in reaction to further affidavit filed by the applicant.
The judge then adjourned taking the bail variation application till January 13, 2020, while he adjourned the trial continuation till January 14, 15, 16 and 17, 2020.
Also, Justice Abang adjourned the trial continuation of Faisal till January 20 and 21, 2020.
Corruption
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
BREAKING: Barcelona, Real Madrid Play Goalless Draw In First Classico Of Season
La Liga giants – Barcelona and Real Madrid – played out a barren draw on Wednesday night in their first meeting of the 2019/2020 Spanish top flight season.
Despite impressive displays from both football clubs, none could hit the back of the net in the tensed and tactical affair in Camp Nou, home ground of Barcelona.
Though the two teams remain on 36 points after 17 matches in the season, Barcelona coached by Ernesto Valverde lead their fierce rivals – Madrid – on goals difference.
Barcelona welcomes Deportivo Alaves in their next match on Saturday in their quest to retain the Spanish La Liga title.
La Liga giants – Barcelona and Real Madrid – played out a barren draw on Wednesday night in their first meeting of the 2019/2020 Spanish top flight season.
Despite impressive displays from both football clubs, none could hit the back of the net in the tensed and tactical affair in Camp Nou, home ground of Barcelona.
Though the two teams remain on 36 points after 17 matches in the season, Barcelona coached by Ernesto Valverde lead their fierce rivals – Madrid – on goals difference.
Barcelona welcomes Deportivo Alaves in their next match on Saturday in their quest to retain the Spanish La Liga title.
Soccer
Sports
Breaking News
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Group Gives Buhari 21 Days Ultimatum To Reverse Anti-poor Economic Policies
The Save Climate and Democracy Naija Coalition has issued a 21-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reverse all anti-masses economic policies.
A statement by the group co-signed by Ayo Ademiluyi and Kunle Wiseman Ajayi called for a strategic meeting with the labour movement to discuss an all-encompassing strategy to defeat attacks on living conditions and democratic rights.
The statement reads, “We hereby issue a fresh 21-day ultimatum to the Major General Muhammadu Buhari-led regime to reverse all anti-poor economic attacks including but not limited to Value Added Tax hike commencing on January 2, 2020, which shall cease and dissipate on January 8, 2020 failing which from January 9-16, 2020 which shall embark on a week-long occupation and mass protest.
“This is in commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the January 2012 mass uprising which took place from January 9 to 16.
“We condemn the plausible argument of the Major General Muhammadu Buhari-led regime that the increase in fuel subsidy costs necessitate the increase in Value Added Tax.
“We view this argument as the reality is that fuel subsidy is inexistent. We hereby give notice that any attempt by the Major General Muhammadu Buhari-led regime to increase fuel price in 2020 will be resisted with mass action.”
Politics
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Dress Decently Or Face Sanction, NYSC Tells Corps Members
The National Youth Service Corps has urged corps members to dress decently in order to avoid sanction.
Kwara State Coordinator, Mrs Tosin Ikupolati, said this while addressing corps members at the closing of the camp for the Batch “C” Stream II Orientation Course at the NYSC Camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area of the state.
She said, “NYSC is a pride to any Nigerian youth serving in the scheme, they should not be ashamed of the NYSC uniforms, it is part of their identity.”
She warned that any corps member found to be indecently dressed during the service year would be sanctioned.
Ikupolati urged the corps members to always be of good behaviour during their service year.
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
BREAKING: Buhari Speaks On Input Of N263.95bn By Lawmakers In 2020 Budget
President Muhammadu Buhari has finally broken his silence on the insertion of N263.95bn into the 2020 budget by the National Assembly.
Speaking a day after signing of the budget, Buhari said the increase has been examined, adding that a letter would be sent to the lawmakers for a virement.
He said, “The 2020 budget passed by the National Assembly provides for an increase of N263.95bn over the executive’s proposal.
“We have examined the adjustments and may revert to the National Assembly with a request for a virement or other relevant amendments.”
Politics
Breaking News
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
C4%8Dinovi%C4%87-speaking-anti-corruption UAE Government Prevents Serbian Journalist, Stevan Doj?inovi?, From Speaking At Anti-corruption Summit
Award-winning Serbian journalist, Stevan Doj?inovi?, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Crime and Corruption Reporting Network KRIK, has been barred from speaking at the UN Convention against Corruption.
Doj?inovi? was detained at Abu Dhabi International Airport early Wednesday morning by the United Arab Emirates Government before being put on a return flight to Serbia.
“Doj?inovi? being prevented from speaking at the CoSP undermines the credibility of the conference, which is supposed to advance the global anti-corruption agenda and the implementation of the convention,” said David Banisar, Chair of the UNCAC Coalition.
Doj?inovi? was scheduled to speak on the panel “New Approaches in Addressing Cross-Border Corruption, Money Laundering and Organised Crime”, hosted by Transparency International, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime.
He had an official invitation letter from UONDC and was registered to attend the conference as a member of the UNCAC Coalition’s delegation.
Gillian Dell, Head of Conventions at Transparency International, said five organisations were not allowed to attend due to objections from unknown states.
Numerous civil society activists from Arab countries were not provided with visas in time to attend the conference, and a statement from civil society organisations from Arab countries on the restricted civic space in the region was not accepted by the conference due to countries being referenced.
International
Journalism
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%99assembly-reward-being-rubber-stamp-legislature-fredrick-nwabufo Buhari, Is N37bn Largesse To N’Assembly Reward For Being Rubber-stamp Legislature? By Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
Fredrick Nwabufo
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, is one person, who has felt the sting of the avarice of the National Assembly. At different points, he described the institution in blackened terms. Though the former President may hold a provincial grudge against the legislature for “obvious reasons” – the botched third-term agenda – the institution is just as he has daubed it.
On November 26, 2014, at the book launch of the late Justice Mustapha Akanbi in Abuja, Obasanjo evoked pejoratives on the National Assembly. He said it was an “assembly of thieves and looters”.
He airbrushed the iniquities of the legislature with a mural of disgust thus: “Apart from shrouding the remunerations of the National Assembly in opaqueness and without transparency, they indulge in extorting money from departments, contractors and ministries in two ways.
“They do so during visits to their projects and programmes and in the process of budget approval when they build up budgets for ministries and departments, who agree to give it back to them in contracts that they do not execute. They do similar things during their inquiries.”
The Senate President at the time ‘Ebora Owu’ spat fire was David Mark. The budget of the National Assembly – a single-line item — was N104bn under Mark. In fact, when Mark became Senate President and invariably the head of the legislature in 2007, the budget of the assembly ballooned from N66.4bn to N104bn in 2008. And by 2014, it peaked at over N150bn.
On August 18, 2017, at the public presentation of a book written by Prof Mark Nwagwu in Ibadan, Oyo State, Obasanjo caught the “bud” again. This time he described the National Assembly as a “bunch of armed robbers.
“It is even worse for the National Assembly. They will abuse me again but I will never stop talking about them. They are a bunch of unarmed robbers.
“They are one of the highest paid in the world where we have 75 per cent of our people living in abject poverty. They will abuse me tomorrow and if they don’t, maybe they are sleeping. The behaviour and character of the National Assembly should be condemned and roundly condemned.”
Bukola Saraki was the Senate President in 2017 when Obasanjo “verbally assaulted” the National Assembly. The annual budget of the legislature was about N115bn at the time and was a single-line item as well until a few months after the 2019 election when a breakdown was published.
From 2007, the budget of the National Assembly was kept in wraps like Pandora’s Box. No transparency, no accountability.
In her book, ‘Fighting corruption is dangerous: The story behind the headlines’, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Minister of Finance, revealed the intrigues, blackmail and backhand deals that denote budget passage by the National Assembly.
She said the National Assembly exceptionally added N17bn to its budget of N150bn before it agreed to pass the 2015 appropriation bill.
On Tuesday, a report by Premium Times asked President Muhammadu Buhari to beware that the 2020 budget passed by the national assembly contains N264bn fraudulent projects.
The National Assembly under the leadership of Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila is yet to publish details of its budget of N128bn for 2020. We are back to the days of “sour yore”.
One thing is clear; the National Assembly is an institution, which orbits around pecuniary concupiscence and gluttony. “Always hungry and always eating”.
Besides the N128bn budget of the legislature, the President approved an extra N37bn for the “renovation” of the National Assembly complex.
It is really puzzling. Is the extra N37bn a backhand package to the National Assembly for being a good lapdog of the executive? Is it a token for compulsively being a rubber-stamp legislature? Or is it as Okonjo-Iweala described in her book?
On Tuesday, Gbajabiamila asked a question to which he is the answer. “Are we rubber-stamp legislators?” Mr Speaker should look in the mirror.
As a matter of fact, this National Assembly, which is in bed with the executive as a consort, is a great threat to our democracy.
Fredrick Nwabufo is a writer and journalist. @FredrickNwabufo
Opinion
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
Fredrick Nwabufo
Disable advertisements
:
NDLEA Boss Advocates Use Of Constituency Funds For Rehab Creation
The Adamawa State commander of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohammed Idris, has advocated the deployment of constituency project funds to develop drug rehabilitation centres.
Idris on Wednesday in Yola, the state capital, called on lawmakers in the country to redirect their constituency development allocation in support of riding the nation of illicit drugs.
He said drug rehabilitation centres were critical to winning the war against illicit substances in the country.
The NDLEA boss noted that drug abuse was on the rise in Adamawa State, hence the need for critical stakeholders to collaborate with the agency.
He said, “Since constituency projects reflects community needs and there are a lot of people abusing drugs, lawmakers should think along this line of action.
“Lawmakers can help in that aspect, they should do some of these constituency projects on drug demand reduction.”
Idris said the call became necessary following rising cases of criminality caused by drug addiction and the absence of functional drug rehabilitation facilities.
Drugs
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
BREAKING: Gunmen Kidnap RCCG Pastor In Adamawa
Pastor Kayode Shogbesan of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Yola, Adamawa State, has been kidnapped.
The pastor, who doubles as a professor of Fishery at Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, was abducted on Tuesday night, according to a family source.
He was kidnapped around the university vicinity on the outskirt of Yola, the state capital.
Spokesperson for the police in Adamawa, DSP Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters.
He said, “The pastor was kidnapped after he closed from office between 8-9pm and was returning home.”
Kidnapping for ransom has now become a regular feature in Adamawa State in recent times especially with Tuesday’s abduction of five persons in Ganye town a pointer to that fact.
CRIME
Breaking News
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
E2%80%93police UPDATE: Missing Boy Not Exhumed From Ondo Church –Police
The police in Ondo State has said that no corpse was exhumed from Sotitobire Church in Akure, the capital, on Wednesday.
An angry mob had stormed the church after information spread that a one year-old boy, Eniola Gold Kolawole, who went missing in the church on November 10, was found buried on the altar of the church.
The police brutalised journalists covering the invasion of the church by the angry residents and also seized their gadgets.
In a statement on Wednesday, spokesperson for the police in the state, Femi Joseph, said nobody was exhumed from the church premises as claimed.
He said, “The Ondo State Police Command wishes to inform the general public that they should disregard rumours making the rounds that the body of a recently declared missing boy in the state had been exhumed from Sotitobire Church in Akure.
“It is most unfortunate that this misleading information spearheaded by a popular television station has ignited a spontaneous reaction from the people, leading to wanton destruction of properties and injury to many.
“The church building was also set ablaze by irate youths. Some of our officers dispatched to the scene to contain the situation were pelted with stones with many of them sustaining injuries.
“This rejoinder became necessary to disabuse the minds of many Nigerians who might have fallen for this wicked lie and propaganda.
“The public should also not be hoodwinked by reports that the command had abandoned the investigation of the incident as the case file is already on the way to the DPP for legal advice.”
SaharaReporters had reported that operatives of the Department of State Services last week arrested the General Overseer of the church, Babatunde Alfa.
It was gathered that some influential politicians and traditional rulers in the state had continued to lobby for the release of the pastor still in DSS custody.
CRIME
Police
News
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Read also
You can also check
