Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 17th July 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 17/07/20
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Nigerian Army Loses Senior Officer, Lt. Col. Adedoyin, To Illness In Katsina
A senior Nigerian Army officer, Lt. Col. TC Adedoyin, is dead.
Adedoyin, who was attached to Army Operation SAHEL SANITY, died on Thursday at the Special Super Camp IV Faskari, Katsina State.
The operation is charged with weeding out unrepentant bandits in the theatre areas of Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara states.
According to a signal from the Army Headquarters seen by SaharaReporters, Adedoyin might have died of cardiac arrest as he had a history of high blood pressure.
The signal reads partly, “Lt Col TC Adedoyin (N/10943) Att to AHq step-up ops for ex Sahel Sanity in SASC-IV Faskari died at camp FD Amb.
“Snr offr took ill yesterday, diagnosed with high BP and was admitted at about 151430a Jul 20. His health became complicated this morning and passed away at about 160620a Jul 20.”
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Four Men Arraigned In Court For Allegedly Raping 15-year-old Girl In Ondo
Four men alleged to have raped a 15-year-old girl and, who also attempted to rape her mother, were on Thursday arraigned before a magistrate court sitting in Akure, Ondo State.
The accused are Ojo Damilola, Babalola Bodunde, Jimoh Fatai and Saliu Abdul.
The suspects were said to have committed the offence at the Ikare Akoko area of the state on June 28.
Police prosecutor, Oniyere Taiwo, expressed surprise that the mother of the victim pleaded on behalf of the accused persons, saying that two of the accused were not at the scene of the crime.
Counsel to the four accused persons, J. O Adewale, pleaded with the court that the accused persons should be granted bail.
The accused persons, who are facing two-count charge of conspiracy and rape, pleaded not guilty after the charge sheet was read to them.
The offence is contrary to and punishable under section 218 of the Criminal Code, Cap 7 Vol.1 Law of Ondo State of Nigeria.
The Magistrate, Mrs Adepoju J. O, ordered the remand of the accused persons in police custody.
She also added that their case files be sent to the Department of Public Prosecution for advice and adjourned the case until August 5, 2020.
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BREAKING: Bandits Attack Travellers, Kill Driver, Abduct Others In Katsina
A driver, Mika Kwaru, was on Thursday evening shot dead by bandits on Damari-Dandume Road in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
SaharaReporters gathered that the gunmen waylaid a mass transit bus driven by Kwaru and opened fire on the moving vehicle when he failed to stop.
The bandits also took away some passengers while those badly injured were left behind.
Katsina State had in recent months been grappling with security challenges posed by kidnappers, bandits and rustlers.
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Sister Of Late Female Combat Helicopter Pilot, Arotile, Demands Investigation Into Her Death
Damilola Adegboye, elder sister of Nigeria’s first female combat helicopter pilot, Tolulope Arotile, has asked the Nigerian Government to investigate her death from a purported “accident”.
Adegboye on behalf of the family said Arotile left home after receiving a call from a senior officer, who asked her to come to the Air Force Base but that she felt reluctant to go.
One hour later, the young lady was pronounced dead, her sister said.
She wondered how a car in reverse mode could kill her sister, adding that the family was not yet convinced of the circumstances that led to her death.
Adegboye in an interview with PUNCH, said, “We in the family are not convinced that Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigation, we want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.”
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E2%80%99t-pay-you-hazard-allowance-nigeria%E2%80%99s-health-minister-tells-doctors-planning UK Won’t Pay You Hazard Allowance, Nigeria’s Health Minister Tells Doctors Planning To Migrate
Nigeria Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire
Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, has warned Nigerian doctors planning to migrate to the United Kingdom that they will not be paid hazard allowance outside the country.
On Tuesday, the UK Government had announced that it was creating a new fast-track visa route for eligible health and care professionals, who want to emigrate.
Healthcare professionals including Nigerians will be eligible to apply at very low rates and short processing time from as early as August.
Ehanire made the comment during the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Thursday.
He said, “I think we are one of the few countries giving hazard allowance. This UK where they are going, there is no hazard allowance, they don’t give doctors hazard allowance but you just get your salary, that is all because I have spoken to the doctors there.
Nigeria Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire
VON
“They say it is part of your job and that is what you are trained for. They don’t pay you anything but here apart from your salary we try to add something to it with the hope that you will stay. We also appeal to state governments to prioritize the employment of doctors some of whom have not been employed.”
The minister said he was also informed that doctors were migrating from the UK, hence it was not only a Nigerian challenge.
He added, “Even in the UK, they are losing doctors to other countries so they think there is a movement but I think we have to look at our own situation the best way we can.
“With regards to the 58 doctors, we were all surprised to hear that they were at the airport and it was irregular in that many of them did not have visas. I don’t know what evidence you have whether they have left the country but no one should leave the country without a visa.
“Those who were trained through scholarship or whose training was subsidized and have jobs here actually have a moral responsibility to give back because even now we have large numbers of Nigerian doctors in the UK, the US and Europe who apply to come here every year and serve even though they weren’t trained here or at the state’s expense.
“It is just a moral obligation. They are called the Diaspora Health Professionals Initiative. Some spend their own money, come with their own equipment even though they owe the country nothing.”
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E2%80%99s Court To Hear Motion Seeking Dismissal Of Case Against El-Zakzaky Over Nigerian Government’s Failure To Produce Evidence July 30
Ibraheem-El-Zakzaky
The High Court of Justice in Kaduna State will hear the motion put forward by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, asking for the dismissal of the case against him by the Nigerian Government over its failure to produce evidence on July 30.
El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, have been detained by the Nigerian Government since 2015 after hundreds of his followers were killed by the Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Femi Falana (SAN), had asked the court to quash the charges preferred against El-Zakzaky by the Nigerian Government for not “disclosing an offence known to law contrary to Section 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 constitution as amended”.
In the hearing notice seen by SaharaReporters on Thursday, the court asked both parties to bring evidence supporting “his own case or contradicting that of the opponent”.
Ibraheem-El-Zakzaky
The Pulse Nigeria
The initial motion by El-Zakzaky’s lawyers reads, “An order of this honourable court quashing count one of the charge in its entirety for not disclosing an offence known to law contrary to Sections 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 constitution as amended, or in the alternative, an order of this honourable court quashing count one of the charges in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and/ or devoid of proof of evidence, evincing a prima facie case or a disclosure of the offences and/ or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/ or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count two of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence or disclosure of the offences and/ or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses (and/ or the statements of the defendants) as well as the documents attached to the charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count three of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence or disclosure of the offences and/or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/ or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count four of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence or disclosure of the offence charged and/or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count five of the charge in its entirety being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence or disclosure of the offences charged and/or for failure to link the defendants to the offence(s) purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and the statements and/ or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count six of the charge in its entirety for not disclosing an offence known to law contrary to sections 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 constitution as amended, or in the alternative, an order of this honourable court quashing count six of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and/ or devoid of proof of evidence, evincing a prima facie case or a disclosure of the offences and/or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/ or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count seven of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence or disclosure of the offences and/or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/ or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.
“An order of this honourable court quashing count eight of the charge in its entirety for being an abuse of court process and devoid of proof of evidence disclosing a prima facie case or a disclosure of the offences and/ or for failure to link the defendants to the offences purportedly charged from the statements of the witnesses and/or the statements of the defendants as well as the documents attached to the purported charge.”
Falana also asked the court to free his client, who has suffered numerous health challenges as a result of his incarceration.
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E2%80%99s-attorney-general-malami-vows-%E2%80%9Cfight%E2%80%9D-saharareporters Group Allegedly Sponsored by Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Malami, Vows To “Fight” SaharaReporters Over Expository Reports
Abubakar Malami
Another group allegedly sponsored by Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has attacked and threatened SaharaReporters over its expository reports of his corruption-fuelled lifestyle.
The group based in Kebbi held a meeting to determine how to “fight” SaharaReporters at the office of Khadimiyya located behind the School of Nursing, Birnin Kebbi, a building which belongs to Malami.
Reading from a prepared text, the leader of the group said, “This coalition consider it imperative to address the libellous attacks and campaigns of calumny against the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), by SaharaReporters aimed at tarnishing the image of the minister.
Abubakar Malami
“We have observed with great alarm over the years the malicious attacks from selected prominent personalities particularly from the North by SaharaReporters and condemn in strongest terms the continued false publications.
“We would like to make it clear that the coordinate attacks on the personality of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), by SaharaReporters will not be condoned lightly anymore.”
This is not the first time Malami would sponsor a group to attack the New York-based news organisation – on Tuesday, another group linked to the Attorney-General named Equity and Justice in Politics and Governance asked the Nigerian Government to sanction and regulate SaharaReporters.
Malami, a little known lawyer before his appointment in 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, is today ranked among the richest men in Nigeria with finances linked to corruption.
He has failed to account for the source of his wealth and has also threatened to sue SaharaReporters for the expository reports, which he said had caused him “trauma”.
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Zamfara Governor, Matawalle, Promises Bandits Two Cows For Each AK47 Rifle Surrendered
Zamfara State governor, Bello Muhammad Matawalle, has promised to give repentant bandits two cows for each AK47 rifle surrendered.
Matawalle disclosed this on Thursday when he hosted Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Director-General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi, and other heads of intelligence units of military and police.
The governor explained that cows were chosen as compensation because the bandits being Fulani needed the cows to advance their economic interests.
He said, “For every rifle submitted by a repentant bandit, there would be compensation of two cows.
“We don’t want to give them money, so they wouldn’t use the money to purchase new weapons.
“We said we will compensate them with cows, they are Fulani and they need the cows to advance their economic interest.
“We also told the repentant bandits that all “Dabas” (camps) in the forests should be disbanded. We won’t accept a situation where the bandits will disarm and then go back to the forest and be staying in these camps or Dabas.
“We asked them to either come to town and be reintegrated into the society or be given economic empowerment where they are, so that they would start a new life.
“Most of them are residing in forests under the shades of trees and inside caves. That is why we came up with RUGA policy to help them.”
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Ondo Assembly Clerk Allegedly Contracts COVID-19 As Fear Grips Lawmakers Awaiting Test Results
Ondo State House of Assembly
Bode Akinyelu, Clerk of the Ondo State House of Assembly, has allegedly contracted COVID-19, SaharaRepoters has learnt.
The situation has put other members of the Assembly awaiting results of their own COVID-19 tests in panic mode.
It was gathered that Mr Akinyelu had been ill for some days after showing symptoms of the virus.
He has been in isolation for some time and could not attend to any legislative task with the period.
Ondo State House of Assembly
A source, who confirmed the news to SaharaReporters, said, “The members of the Assembly were supposed to meet and also deliberate on pending issues but since the Clerk is down with COVID-19, nothing can be done.
“At least, the Assembly needs to confirm the names of a commissioner nominee and special adviser forwarded to them by the governor.
“The issue of the deputy governor’s impeachment plan is also there for them to treat but all these have to remain on hold as the Clerk is seriously down due to the virus and he needs to attend to his health.”
The health status of the Clerk has equally left other staff of the Assembly afraid for their own safety.
There have been concerns for some time that members of the Assembly, who followed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to the All Progressives Congress secretariat in Abuja might have contracted the virus.
Akeredolu announced testing for the virus shortly after that trip but has since declared that he was free of the disease.
SaharaReporters gathered that few of the lawmakers had been showing symptoms of the virus but refused to go on self-isolation.
A handful of them had resorted to self-medication to treat themselves rather than proceed to the isolation centre in the state capital, Akure, for proper medical care.
Mr Olugbenga Omole, the House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Information, could not be reached for comments when contacted by SaharaReporters.
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Impact Of COVID-19 On Businesses In Nigeria By Abraham John Onoja
One of the key questions posed months ago revolves around the post pandemic realities; essentially, what next?
A number of projects were projected and developed for managing the envisaged reality. This was informed by the need to create and ensure that the lost economic momentum is channelled through alternative productive channels. Are these projects feasible, relevant or even sustainable? Would everyone be able to revert to their normal lives?
I will approach the subject thusly,
– Key goals
– Intended users
– Necessity of each project at the time
– Key personnel required to execute the project.
The key goal is to pinpoint and expressly state the impact of the present global pandemic on businesses, firms, corporations and the public sector. The most affected are the masses, who are unable to afford the basic needs of man. Allow me to also say that the key intended users would be the general (maybe it’s even okay to say that it’s just the rich masses). Join me as I dive into certain sectors of concern.
The nascent e-education sector requires teachers and students to meet online for the purpose of learning. An obvious outcome is that the poor masses would be disadvantaged due to the lack of funding for devices and prohibitive cost of internet access. Private and State funded institutions may have a reasonable go at it but federally funded institutions would be significantly challenged. Thus, it wouldn’t be beyond the realms of expectations for lecturers to expect the students to fund their data. Students would also have to stay connected to have access to lecture notes and online classrooms. Inevitably, education will then become very expensive and devolve into the exclusive reserve of the rich. The personnel involved in seeing this to success include the teachers, lecturers, IT personnel.
Let’s look at the e-health sector being clamoured for. The e-health is a sector that thrived at the time as machines for self-examination were employed. Need I also say here that health facilities became very expensive and were made available to the rich thereby causing the poor masses to be at the losing end. Wondering if the facilities could be made available at a subsidized rate?” Kudos to the health workers including the nurses, doctors, laboratory scientists amongst others who made the time seamless for everyone.
Another very keen sector for me is Fintech. This world of Fintech at the time definitely thrived and continued to bloom. Companies in this sector made such a remarkable increase in their revenue as it trended upward. This sector positively affected the masses as a number of the poor and the un-informed needed to make mobile transfers or receive money and this was only made available via the e-platforms. Few months back, the MD of Access Bank informed the general public of its intention to lay off 75% of its unskilled workers including tea boys/girls, securities and other non-staff which might also affect the full-time staff in the long run as their salary pay might be significantly cut down. It only takes one company to take the bold step of taking a decision and others would follow suit. This sector probably saw the need for human resources previously as needless at the time and invested more on its digital platform. The personnel here with more money were the Investment Analysts, software developers, content creators.
It is okay to have pin pointed out the above listed industries that thrived at the time but I think scores wouldn’t be given if I left out sectors like “e-commerce” and “Telecommunication” sector. E-commerce at the time was most demanded as a significant portion of the masses were trying to maintain #social-distancing while trying to survive and stay safe. Logistics companies at the time were requested for more and needed for delivery services.
Preferably companies that have already employed the use of drones (which is not fully effective though). The same applies to the telecommunication sectors as the public whether poor or rich needed to stay connected to the world as well as communicate with their relatives both far and near. The agricultural sector at the time also thrived because a number of farmers had access to government loans and machines as mechanized agriculture became more appreciated at the time to aid high production of agricultural products. Importation drastically reduced as the Federal Government refused to lift the ban on travels.
Another profession that miraculously had its way to the top was the accountant. Companies needed them more at the time. Their services were required as they oversee and were in charge of keeping records of inflows and disbursement of cash.
Conclusively, it saddens my heart as I won’t agree less than every man for himself at the time. The world became the survival of the fittest where only the strong wins.
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