Sahara Reporters Latest News Sunday 27th October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Sunday 27th October 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 27/10/19

Las Las, School Na Scam By Promise Eze

‘School na scam!’ This disheartening cry puffs into the cyber space and could be heard inside the four walls of a dilapidated university classroom from the lips of a disgruntled young generation. Their pulsating anger worries. “Of what use is it in investing time and resources in a system that has proven to be inefficient, corrupt and almost useless?” they quiz with a gloomy face discoloured and contoured by grief.
The reason for their agony is not far-fetched.
Enamoured by the prospect of what a tertiary institution offers, they had walked happily into its compound but before one could chant Jack Robinson, sexual perverts feigning to be lecturers prepositioned s** to female students in exchange for good grades. Yes! Lecturers who are entrusted to teach furiously sought for means to peep through the underwear of their students. How horrible. More disturbing is the fact that those who resisted this affront received some terrible lashing. Using the strength of silence, these varsity monsters humiliated, harassed, blackmailed these students until a considerable number of them had to drop out. These were learners who had trusted their future into the hands of lecturers cheated out of their destinies. Isn’t it fraudulent to take advantage of someone because of his or her vulnerability or status? This answers the question why this young generation of learners could have the effrontery to call Nigeria’s school system an abode of scammers.
Granted, Nigeria’s education system have been dragged into a stinky cesspool by the very ones entrusted to man it. Lately I perused through a report that exposed how university lecturers cozen thousands of naira out of the pockets of their students all in the name of selling ‘vital’ handouts and ‘supervising’ projects. This ossifies my position that our universities and polytechnics are only a sheer veneer of a walking corpse. What legal ground does a lecturer have in forcefully collecting huge amount of money from students? Varsity teachers tantalised by greed are seeking to be business tycoons overnight such that they have stooped so low to help students plagiarise projects for a token. This is the trend in most institutions. Students no longer do projects and research as long as they slip some ‘change’ into the bank accounts of their lecturers. Often times it is the lecturers who threaten these students to engage in such malpractice. An attempt by any fellow to deter in this fraudulent scheme would lead one to hole an F.
Las las, school na scam! This cliché isn’t just some jocular remark but clear picture describing the rottenness of our education system. It is very proper that the phrase should be resounded because stroking the mammalian glands of silence on this matter would lead to a regrettable future. Isn’t it worrisome that getting admitted into a university is no longer by merit but by who you know or how much you can pay as bribe? Now there’s a clandestine backdoor forum where individuals desperately seeking for admission could visit to liaise with some corrupt university officials. That forum where admission is guaranteed as soon as fat brown envelopes changes hand from the giver to the receiver. Legally qualified students now have to be shoved aside for some special students to walk in. Isn’t this fraud? No wonder for the geometric increase of quack graduates.
Welcome to Nigeria’s education system where degrees are auctioned. The kind of degree you want depends on the amount you are able to cough out. This explains the dearth of manpower in the various fields expected to drive up the goals of this nation. Universities churn out thousands of graduates annually into a gaping-mouthed society but how many ever turn out to be productive? We hear of doctors killing patients by ‘mistake’. We hear of surgeons leaving medical tools inside the bodies of patients after a surgery, leading to avoidable deaths. A saying goes this way: what you sow is what you reap. This applies to this awful scenario. Since death is what have been sown into the lives of those graduates, there is no doubt that the society will reap the same thing. Our school system has failed in ensuring that only qualified individuals are poured into the society due to corruption that has entangled its webs around it.
School nascam because Nigeria’s school system is not living up to expectations. Nigerian youth — the ones yearning for a change — having considered the predicaments surrounding their learning institutions, couldn’t fight better than to cry foul and we must keep crying foul until a positive solution is tendered to bring the anomaly to an end.
Education is the bedrock of any nation. Where this is besmeared with corrupt practices and managed by conmen, Nigeria would forever remain inside the gulag of darkness. It is time for a revolution in our academic sector.
Promise Eze writes @ ezep645@gmail.com

Opinion

AddThis

Original Author

Promise Eze

Disable advertisements

A Masquerade Gets Dressed Up To Confront Agba Jalingo In Court By Elias Ozikpu

Exactly 20 years after Nigeria supposedly got rid of men in camouflage, the country’s democracy is experiencing a nosedive in ways that words alone cannot adequately capture. Ironically, members of the judiciary appear to be aiding the attack against Nigeria’s democracy.
An example is the recent ruling in Agba Jalingo’s case in Calabar, Cross River, where the presiding judge, Justice Simon Akpah Amobeda, granted an application filed by the police asking to conceal the identity of its witness. This ruling calls for serious concern and questions the criminal justice system in Nigeria. In delivering his ruling, the judge held that the police’s witness will testify behind curtains in a cubicle. He said the defendant and his counsel will not be privy to the name, alias or any other details of the witness. “His Lordship” did not stop there, he further ruled that the public and the press will not be allowed into the courtroom whilst the witness is testifying against Agba Jalingo.
Section 36(3)(4) of the Nigerian constitution provides as follows:
(3) “The proceeding of a court or the proceedings of any tribunal relating to the matters mentioned in subsection (1) of this section (including the announcement of the decisions of the court or tribunal) shall be held IN PUBLIC.”
(4) “Whenever any person is charged with a criminal offence, he shall, unless the charge is withdrawn, be entitled to a fair hearing IN PUBLICwithin a reasonable time by a court or tribunal.”
Never before have I heard of a trial where an accused defends himself against allegations made by a masquerade. Justice Simon Amobeda’s ruling is unacceptable! It betrays the tenets of justice and threatens Jalingo’s right to a fair and impartial trial.
In ACN VS LAMIDO (2012) the Supreme Court held that:
“The test whether a party in a case was given fair hearing is the impression of a reasonable person who was present at the trial or who was aware of the proceedings. From his observation, he would have no difficulty concluding if justice has been done in the case.”
Going by the doctrine of precedent, Justice Amobeda is duty-bound to follow and apply the decision of the Supreme Court by allowing members of the public to be present at Agba Jalingo’s trial in order to tell whether or not Jalingo had a fair and just trial.
More disturbing is the fact that Justice Amobeda previously dismissed a bail application filed by Agba Jalingo and subsequently sent him to prison where he has now spent more than one month. His primary crime being that he carried out his journalistic duties by daring to ask the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, to account for a missing N500m meant for a microfinance bank in Calabar.
The judge’s decision to now welcome masked witnesses to testify against Jalingo and to bar the public and the press from witnessing the proceeding, is unjust, lacks transparency and therefore unacceptable in a 21st century democracy. The judge has the right to recuse himself from this case if he cannot ensure that the scale of justice is balanced throughout the proceeding.

Opinion

AddThis

Original Author

Elias Ozikpu

Disable advertisements

Don’t Allow Democracy To Die In Edo State By Comrade Akerele

Following the resurgence of thuggery and hooliganism in Edo State in recent times after three years of concerted efforts by the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki to stamp this anti-development vice out of the state and create employment opportunities for young people in a productive manner, I am forced to cry out as a democracy activist/advocate who joined forces along with others across Nigeria as a 17-year-old in 1993 after the annulment of June 12 election to say democracy is under threat in Edo State.
I will not keep quiet and allow those who never took risk either openly or secretly to fight the military to appropriate democracy to themselves, their pockets and their cronies. Fighting alongside the present Deputy Governor of Edo State, Comrade Philip Shaibu, Comrade Equity Ohonbanmu, Dr Osagie Obayuwanna, Ephraim Ubaini, Festus Ukejie, Sylvester Odion Akhaine, Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti, Friday Ughoriakhi and others too numerous to mention, I never imagined that one day after 20 years of successfully wrestling Nigeria from the stranglehold of the military some miscreants hiding under thuggery and hooliganism will attempt to hijack democracy from the people.
This is a warning to those who believe they have the machinery of violence with them aided by some people who think they presently occupy high offices to shield criminals from the long arm of the law that the military did not exit politics to pave way for another form of dictatorship under the guise of democratic dictatorship, this is a final warning to these set of people that those who genuinely fought for democracy are still alive, hale and healthy and capable of defending democracy all over again till all pseudo anti-people reengages are defeated.
The scenario that is building up in Edo State if not tamed is capable of derailing Nigeria’s democracy where an elected governor who has been adjudged as civil, well trained, educated and working hard to make Edo State an industrial hub, eliminate youth unemployment, eliminate multiple taxation, streamline land ownership to encourage private investment, promote citizen engagement and popular participation of the people in governance, making Edo safe for all, building institutions and providing conducive atmosphere for civil servants and building a state where merit, excellence and social values are held high, will be attempted to be intimidated by those who claim they brought him to office.
This is against the spirit of June 12 that we celebrate every year. The will of one man must not be manipulated to mean the will of the people. I stand by the principles of farewell to poverty, I stand by the principle of no to dictatorship in all guise.
We have opened several channel of communication with those who are genuinely aggrieved both within and outside of the party to come for dialogue and peaceful settlement of the issues if really they exist, but some of them who do not mean well for the people of the state have remained recalcitrant and bent on causing disharmony due to selfish interest. If they really fought for this democracy the way some of us did between 1993 and 1999, they would have looked at the bigger picture and sheathe their sword(s).
I will end this piece with a quotation from Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things fall apart’ that those whose palm kernel where cracked by the benevolent chi (spirit) remain humble.
Quietness and peaceful demeanour does not mean cowardice. Silence does not mean foolishness. There is blood in the human system yet we sweat out water. A goat pushed to the wall will react and for the first time the pursuer will realise that the goat has teeth. A word is enough for the wise.

Opinion

AddThis

Original Author

Comrade Akerele

Disable advertisements

Buhari-Putin Entente: Will Russia Rush Nigeria To Ruin? By Fredrick Nwabufo

Fredrick Nwabufo

I once wrote: “There is no morality in global politics. It is eat or be eaten. The nucleus of international relations, beyond the niceties of diplomacy, is interest. Substantially, foreign relations are a trade of interests. Nothing is given for nothing. Every country seeks its own even in the extension of charity to another country.”
What is Russia’s interest in Nigeria – Africa? Well, the interest of outsiders in Africa has always been the same – to plunder the continent. It is the same as that of the conveners of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885, who arrogantly arrogated to themselves the task of shaping the future of Africa by their own greed and lust for glory.
On the surface, Russia’s interest in Nigeria is economic and political. Russia, or rather, the former Soviet Union had strong imprints on Africa – during the Cold War Era – before its subsidence in 1991. In fact, the continent was the theatre of the so-called ideological war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Most of the casualties of this proxy combat were from Africa.
For example, the clash of Soviet and US “atomic” interest in the Congo precipitated the slaughter of President Patrice Lumumba in January 1961.
As a refresher, here is how this felony is synopsised by the Atomic Heritage Foundation.
“The Soviet Union, too, saw opportunity in Lumumba, and the ground was set for a proxy war that would last five years. The main concern for both nations was not the wellbeing of the Congolese people or even financial gain. Rather, both nations were worried that the rich uranium mines in the southern areas of the Congo would come under the other’s control. While both the United States and the Soviet Union had uranium deposits of their own, the uranium located in the Congo was extremely valuable given its high quality. In fact, a majority of the uranium used in the “Little Boy” atomic bomb came from the Congolese mines.
After being denied Western aid to control rebel factions in the south of Congo, Lumumba turned to the Soviets, who provided him with weapons and military advisors. This decision worried officials in the United States, who now believed the budding nation would officially turn communist. Doing so would provide Moscow with crucial uranium deposits, while depriving the United States of their most prosperous overseas mines. In a backchannel coup, United States military advisors helped Mobutu and Belgian operatives overthrow Lumumba. Lumumba was then arrested and transported to Katanga, where he and several other of his supporters were summarily executed.”
Really, Russia’s interest in Nigeria is obviously not altruistic. The Eastern European country is staging a comeback to the epicentre of global politics, and Africa must bend its back for Russia’s ride to “reckoning”. President Putin has not masked his intentions of restoring the “Soviet-era influence and glory”. And Nigeria (Africa) is an important piece in this quest. Africa has always been a sport for the East and West.
With the growing influence of China in Africa and the receding hold of the US on the continent, Russia is spoiling for a place under the African sun.
On the economic sphere, Russia is a late-comer in trade with Africa – with just $20bn in trade with the continent in 2018 unlike China’s $200bn and the US’ $61bn in the same year. But the country is playing catch up with the recent summit with African leaders in Sochi and previous rapprochements.
But what is Nigeria’s interest?
President Buhari says his administration will “inject fresh energy into Russia-Nigeria relations”, and he calls for a “stronger partnership” with the country. As a matter of fact, this “renewed” camaraderie leaves me with mixed feelings. Nigeria is fighting a war – against insurgency – and needs weapons. And of course, Russia transacts business without scruples and conditions. We need Russia because we need the weapons. So, strengthening our ties with the country is not such a bad idea.
Also, Russia has little regard for principles, norms or rules in business and politics. It does the deal and delivers the goods. This is a political character it shares with China.
But is the growing influence of countries like China and Russia that put nugatory value on the rule of law on Nigeria not ominous? And could Nigeria be dragged into a tug between two long-time adversaries – US and Russia?
Well, I think, the US under Donald Trump may be too carefree to care about what is happening in Nigeria or Africa. After all, it is, “America first”. But I recall what an American official told me earlier in the month in a conversation on US’ apathy towards Africa. He said: “Anywhere Russia enters, America’s interest is awakened.”
However, with the growing influence of China, and now Russia on Nigeria, we should not take the execrable examples of “democratic dictatorship” from these countries. That will be our ruin.
China cares little about the internal politics of other countries, but Russia is notorious for propping dictatorships. This should worry us.
Fredrick Nwabufo, a writer and journalist, can be reached @FredrickNwabufo

Opinion

AddThis

Original Author

Fredrick Nwabufo

Disable advertisements

Nigerian Government Urged To Fix Bad Roads Causing Accidents

A popular radio presenter and social commentator, Edmond Obilo, has called on the Nigerian Government and Oyo State Government to fix a large ditch along Mokola Road in Ibadan that has been causing accidents.
Obilo, who posted a video showing a car in the large ditch on Facebook, said if the roads were in good condition, a lot of accidents would be averted.
He said, “A strategy for total control of a people is wear them out with poverty, poor education and endanger their lives with weak infrastructure.
“Once this is achieved, the people become pawns in the hands of an evil leadership.
“The Nigerian political class has fully embraced this method. But when it backfires, it leads to conflagration of unimaginable proportion.”just setting up my twttr— jack ðŸŒðŸŒðŸŒŽ (@jack) March 21, 2006

Celebrity

Environment

Politics

News

AddThis

Original Author

SaharaReporters, New York

Disable advertisements

JUST IN: Students, Staff of Engravers College Regain Freedom

Students and staff of Engravers College, who were Abducted, have regained their freedom.
Confirming their freedom, Commissioner, for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan, said it comes as a refreshing relief for the people of the state.

Deji Adeyanju Files Petition Against Tinubu Over Bullion Vans Allegedly Stashed With Cash

Rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has filed a formal petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission demanding for the investigation of the appearance of bullion vans in the house of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on the eve of 2019 presidential elections.
A copy of the petition dated October 25, 2019 and obtained by SaharaReporters, was and addressed to the Chairman of the anti-graft agency.
Adeyanju said in the petition that he decided to take up the challenge after the call for a petition by the commission through its Twitter account.
He said, “The commission would recall that it was reported all over the news that bullion vans allegedly containing an undisclosed amount of cash were seen entering the home of Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, on the eve of the presidential elections.
“Tinubu himself admitted to this fact while responding to question from journalists.”
The activist noted that ?Section 7 (1) (b) of EFCC Establishment Act, 2004 empowered the commission to investigate properties of any person whose lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.
He called on the commission to accord the petition priority and as a matter of urgency and begin an investigation into the appearance of those bullion vans.

ACTIVISM

Legal

News

AddThis

Original Author

SaharaReporters, New York

Disable advertisements

Alleged Kidnapper, Evans, Asks To Enter Into Plea Bargain

Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike also known as Evans, has requested to enter into a plea bargain with the Lagos State Government.
Onwuamadike is being prosecuted for alleged kidnapping and armed robbery.
Evans made this known on Friday through his lawyer, R.B.C. Eke, at the Lagos State High court in Ikeja.
He is standing trial for his failed bid to kidnap Chief Vincent Obianodo, Chairman of Young Shall Grow Motors Ltd., one of Nigeria’s leading transport companies.
Eke announced Evans’ plea bargain plans after state counsel, Ms Olayinka Akudo, had told the court that Ubong (fourth defendant) had filed an application for plea bargain.
“We received a plea bargain application on behalf of the fourth defendant dated October 24,” Akudo said.
Responding, Eke said, “The development (the fourth defendant’s plea bargain) came from us and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions will be hearing from us.
“We have the intention to also file a plea bargain on behalf of the first defendant (Evans).”
A.B. Josiah, Defence Counsel to the 3rd defendant, told the court that Ubong’s proposed plea bargain agreement “does not concern Arinze.
“We have no problem with the court defendant’s plea bargain agreement,” Josiah said.
Arinze and Ubong had no legal representation in court.
The proceedings for Evans’ two criminal trials– the attempted kidnap of Obianodo and the kidnap of Sylvanus Ahamonu, which were scheduled to hold on Friday were stalled due to the absence of Idowu the Investigating Police Officer.
Explaining Idowu’s absence, Akudo said, “Unfortunately, we do not have our witness in court. He is outside the jurisdiction.
“My Lord, we will definitely do the needful during the next adjourned date.”
Responding, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo said, “Your witnesses have not been coming to court. This witness is the IPO and he hasn’t finished his testimony.
“There are other witnesses in this case. If the IPO is unavailable, you can call other witnesses for this trial.”
Taiwo adjourned both cases to December 9 for continuation of trial.

CRIME

Legal

Police

News

AddThis

Original Author

SaharaReporters, New York

Disable advertisements

E2%80%99s-2019-budget-will-be-short-n82482bn-revenue Nigeria’s 2019 Budget Will Be Short Of N824.82bn Revenue

Nigeria’s 2019 budget has been reduced by N824.82bn.
This is as a result of the country’s decision not to borrow externally in this year’s fiscal cycle.
The country planned that it would source N824.82bn to fund its 2019 spending plan but now appears to have shelved that intent.
The Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha, told Reuters that, “We will only raise the new domestic borrowing of N802.82bn as provided in the 2019 appropriation act.
“We won’t be in the international capital market in 2019.”
The reason for the government’s intent not to go to the international capital market may be connected to its decision to run the 2019 appropriation act for six months, as it hopes to start implementing the 2020 budget by January.
Recall that in June, the DMO said the federal government intended to access cheap funding from multilateral and bilateral lenders before considering raising any balance from commercial sources, including security issuance such as Eurobonds.
Nigeria’s last entries into the Euro bond market was in February 2018 where it secured $2.5bn and in November 2018 when it raised $2.86bn.
If the 2020 budget is signed into law in January as the presidency and the National Assembly expect, it is unclear how the rest of the 2019 budget will be executed.
Whether the government would simply terminate the N9.12trn plan and flow with the N10.33trn estimate is unsure.
What is sure however, is the inability of the government to meet its projected spending – especially in funding capital projects.
The value of funds released for capital purposes appear to be trending downward.
In the 2019 budget, the government promised to spend N2.93trn on projects.
In 2020 however, the presentation made by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said the government will spend N2.14trn on infrastructural development.
This figure is less than the N2.45trn budgeted for debt servicing. The size of the 2020 budget also increased by N1.23trn from the appropriation act of 2019.

Economy

Money

News

AddThis

Original Author

SaharaReporters, New York

Disable advertisements

AAC National Legal Adviser Drags INEC, Leonard Nzenwa To Appeal Court

Inibehe Effiong

National Legal Adviser of the African Action Congress, Inibehe Effiong, has filed an appellants’ brief concerning an attempt by a suspended former General Secretary of the party, Dr Leonard Nzenwa, to hijack the leadership of the party.
The appellants are Omoyele Sowore and Dr Malcolm Fabiyi.
The two respondents in the case are Nzenwa and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He said, “We filed the appellants’ brief in the AAC leadership appeal at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday.”
When asked when the case would be heard in court, Inibehe disclosed that Nzenwa and INEC had 45 days to respond, after which he will apply for a hearing date.

Legal

News

AddThis

Original Author

SaharaReporters, New York

Disable advertisements