Bayelsa Assembly Members Approve Monthly Life Pension For Themselves

The Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Wednesday approved monthly life pensions for all present and past members of the legislature.

The controversial bill, sponsored by the leader of the House, Peter Akpe, which was passed on the floor of the House, approved N500,000 post-service monthly pension to the speakers of the assembly, while deputy speakers will receive N200,000.

The bill specifically provided that former lawmakers, including persons of Bayelsa origin who served in the old Rivers State, would enjoy life pensions for their services in the state as applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country.

To qualify for the speakership pension of N500, 000 monthly, the official must have served for two years and above. It remains unclear whether Governor Seriake Dickson will sign the bill.Meanwhile, Bayelsans have condemned the development, calling it a regressive move and a misplaced priority to further rob the people their common wealth.

A resident, Fidel Boboye, described the move as greed in the highest places and wondered why such political office holders with the wealth and money they had amassed still awarded life pensions to themselves.

Buhari to Commission Projects in Borno, Proceed to UK on Private Visit

President Buhari on Thursday will be proceeding to the United Kingdom on a private visit, after commissioning some projects in Maiduguri the Borno state capital.

This was disclosed in a statement by the President's Special Adviser on media and publicity, 

Buhari's proposed trip to the United Kingdom  is coming a day after the President commissioned a number of projects executed by the Lagos State Government.

He further informed that at the end of the President's visit to Maiduguri, he will be proceeding to the United Kingdom on a private visit.

Air Force jets destroys Boko Haram workshop in Sambisa forest

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday said its Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation Lafiya Dole has destroyed some vehicles and neutralized some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at a suspected vehicle workshop in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.

The spokesman of the NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said the operation was conducted yesterday, 24 April 2019, after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform on a routine mission observed significant activities as well as some serviceable vehicles.

He said the vehicles were hidden under some trees at a previously abandoned BHT vehicle workshop, adding that, the ATF scrambled an Alpha Jet to attack the location.

He said overhead the target area, some of the BHT fighters were seen attempting to flee the location but were taken out by the Alpha Jet’s successful strikes, which also caused the destruction of two vehicles and other equipment at the workshop.

He said the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the Northeast.

ECOWAS develops training on corruption assessment

In its efforts to combat corruption among member States, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has said it would engage in constant training and capacity building for anti-corruption officials to appreciate, understand and cope with the changing and emerging trends of corruption and corrupt practices in the region.

Speaking at the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa’s (NACIWA) meeting on developing faculties for Training on Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) in Abuja on Thursday, the Director, Political Affairs, ECOWAS Dr Remi Ajibewa said, their experience of supporting the fight against corruption in the region has also predicated the need to direct their efforts not only on enforcement but also and more essentially on preventive measures in combatting corruption.

“Specifically, the identification of the possibilities and vulnerabilities of corrupt and unethical practices in public and private organizations is one of the effective measures to militate against corruption. In essence, preventing and fighting corruption effectively and proportionately means understanding the risks an organisation or agency may face. It is against this context that the importance of today’s meeting is situated.”

Dr Ajibewa added that ECOWAS has strategically chosen Anti-corruption institutions, the

Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)to serve as coordinating pillar of the conduct of corruption risks assessment in Member States adding that they believe that the entry point should be through the establishment of Training Faculties on CRA in these institutions to serve as capacity building Centre and avenue to foster multi-stakeholder platform for the conduct of corruption risk assessment in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Member States

EFCC arrests 32 suspected fraudsters in Ogun

The Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), from the Ibadan zonal office on Thursday, arrested 32 suspected internet fraudsters popularly called ‘Yahoo-Yahoo Boys’.

The suspects were arrested at Liberty Estate, Laderin area of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital during an early morning sting operation carried out by men of the commission.

The suspects according to the commission’s spokesperson, Tony Orilade, are already helping operatives with useful information.

“They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he added.

Due to the timing, the suspects whose ages are between 15 and 39 years, were taken by surprise when the EFCC operatives swooped on them at one of their notorious hideouts in the ancient city.

14 of the suspects claimed to be undergraduates, while 18 others said they are self-employed in various vocations.

The arrest was sequel to a petition detailing their alleged fraudulent activities, including internet fraud through which they obtain money from unsuspecting victims.

Items recovered from them include six exotic cars, laptops, mobile phones, several documents containing false pretences and fetish objects.

FEC approves N52bn for e-border solutionNews

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N52bn for e-border solution to monitor the country’s porous borders.

The approval was granted during the FEC meeting, presided over by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Interior minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau while briefing the State House reporters, said the approval was granted following a memo by his ministry.

He said the contract will cover 86 border posts and all the over 1000 illegal routes being used for smuggling and other crimes.

Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic expels 60 students for examination malpractice

The authorities of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State on Thursday said it had expelled 60 students for examination malpractice in 2017/2018 academic session.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the students were expelled in first and second semester of 2017/2018 session.

Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Mohammed Kabir-Abdullahi made the disclosure at the matriculation ceremony of 5,813 students for 2018/2019 academic session.

He explained that only 5,813 students registered out of 15,114 students that gained admission as at the closure of the registration on April 24.

Kabir-Abdullahi charged the new students to shun examination malpractice and all other forms of social vices to be able to acquire the needed knowledge and skills for the good of the society.

The Rector said that the institution which was established 30 years ago as Kaduna State Polytechnic, was later renamed after late Magajin Garin Zazzau, Malam Nuhu Bamalli.

He said since establishment, the institution had recorded steady progress under the leadership of five substantive Rectors; late Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed Shika, Malam Suleiman Lawal Kauru, Malam Suleiman Aliyu, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Shika and Prof. Dalhatu Yahaya and administrator, Prof. Shehu Dalhatu.

The Rector said the achievements recorded would not have been possible without the support and commitment of the hard working teaching and non-teaching staff of the college.

He said the institution had National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), 26 non National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), four National Certificate of Education (NCE) and Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB) programmes.

He appreciated the support in various forms from Kaduna State Government under Gov. Nasiru el-Rufai by upgrading the standards of the polytechnic.

According to him, such commitment accorded the graduates of the polytechnic the opportunity to become self-employed and not job seekers after graduation.

The Rector lauded the fatherly advice being enjoyed from the Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris and urged the monarch to sustain the tempo for the good of the institution, Zazzau Emirate and the state at large.

He also commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and NBTE for their continued support to the institution.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu-Shika urged the new students to count themselves among the luckiest to have gained admission into the Polytechnic.

Aliyu-Shika, who is also the former Rector of the Polytechnic, observed that year-in-year-out the number of students seeking admission into the institution was increasing.

He advised them to take advantage of the opportunity to be educated and molded in both character and learning.

Aliyu-Shika urged them to study the students’ handbook provided to them to be guided on the rules and regulations governing the institution.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the matriculation oath was administered by a Legal Practitioner, Murtala Mohammed. (NAN)