Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Friday 18th September 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 18/09/20
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Nigeria Not Broke, Mismanagement Of Public Funds, Incompetence Responsible For Anti-people Policies —Falana
Femi Falana, SAN.
The Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond has said that the claim by the Nigerian Government that the nation’s revenue had declined was false, fraught with inadequacies and figures that fail to reflect the country’s economic realities.
Femi Falana, Chairman of the group, in a statement on Thursday said gross mismanagement, incompetence and corruption was the reason for policies such as the electricity tariff increase and fuel hike that makes life burdensome for citizens.
He said, “Since the Federal Government has announced plans to switch from PMS to Compressed Natural Gas, the increase in petrol should be cancelled without delay. After all, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Timpere Sylva, has assured the nation that CNG would be sold between N95 and N97 per litre.”
Femi Falana, SAN.
Minister of Finance and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, had cited revenue shortfall as reasons behind the government’s recent fuel and electricity tariff hike.
ASCAB, however, listed certain factors that puncture the government’s claim.
“In the first half of this year, oil income distributed by the Federal Allocation Committee (FAAC) was actually 13% above that for last year and the level for the first quarter had been the highest for several years. However, other income, taxes etc, may have fallen due to the lockdowns and other disruptions from COVID-19. NEITI reported that in the first five months of this year, total government revenue was only 62% of the level agreed in the budget, but the revenue budgets are always over-optimistic.
“Oil income for future months will probably be higher than expected in the budget. Oil provides about half the Federal Government’s income.
“VAT in July was higher than June indicating that other government revenue is also increasing after the problems with COVID-19.
“There is no good reason for us to pay more, especially as most other governments are spending huge amounts to protect their populations from the economic fallout from COVID-19. The Central Bank of Nigeria recently claimed to have made available to Nigerians the huge sum of N338 billion to cushion the harsh economic conditions in the country. But since the fund has been transferred to the pampered members of the ruling class, the CBN has refused to accede to popular request to publish the names of the beneficiaries of the huge fund,” the group said.
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BREAKING: Imo Governor, Uzodinma, Signs New Law Empowering Him To Arrest, Detain Residents Perpetually
Hope UzodinmaHope Uzodinma
Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, has signed into law the Imo State Administration Of Criminal bill No 2 of 2020 (ISACJL, 2020), which empowers him to arrest and detain any resident of the state for as long as he wishes.
According to documents seen by SaharaReporters, any person detained on the orders of Uzodinma can only be released when he grants a license to the said individual.
It also abolished all forms of preliminary inquiry or preliminary investigation into a criminal charge by a magistrate or any court in the state and replaced them with preparation of proof of evidence.
Hope Uzodinma
“Chapter 38 (section 484 to 485) deals with detention during governor’s pleasure.
“Section 484 of the ISACJL, 2020 provides that where any person is ordered to be detained during the governor’s pleasure, he shall notwithstanding anything in the ISACJL, 2020 or contained in any other written law liable to be detained in such place and under such conditions as the governor may direct and whilst so detained shall be in proper custody.
“Section 485(1) of ISACJL, 2020 enacts that a person detained during the governor’s pleasure may at any time be discharged by the governor on license which said license may be in such form and in such conditions as the governor may direct under section 485(2).
“Finally, in section 485(3) of the ISACJL, 2020 a license may at any time be revoked or varied by the governor and where license has been revoked, the person to whom the person the license relates shall proceed to such place as the governor may direct and if he fails to do so, may be arrested without warrant and taken to such place.”
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Speaking with SaharaReporters, a policy analyst, Akwarandu Izuchukwu, said, “The law for me is draconian and sets a bad precedence. It also contradicts the constitution of the Federal Republic.
“There is suspicion also that the law is targeted at vocal opposition voices and activists in the state who have been tormented in several ways since the inception of Uzodinma administration.
“That very S.484 was smuggled into that law. It wasn’t in the original draft. Ouster clause provisions are not only anarchronistic but undemocratic. The government should send it back to the House of Assembly for amendment of that provision.”
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Wake Babalakin Resigns As UNILAG Pro-Chancellor
Wale Babalakin
The University of Lagos Pro-Chancellor, Wale Babalakin (SAN), has resigned from his position at the institution.
His resignation came few hours after the Special Visitation Panel set up by the Federal Government to look into the affairs of the university submitted its report to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in Abuja.
Babalakin in his resignation letter addressed to the Education Minister and copied to President Muhammadu Buhari said there were too many vested interests in the UNILAG leadership issue.
Wale Babalakin
He thanked Buhari for giving him the opportunity to serve as the Pro-Chancellor from May 2017.
Babalakin insisted that the membership of the panel was inappropriate.
“How can a committee of Vice Chancellors determine the culpability or otherwise of the actions of a Pro-Chancellor and a Governing Council? On the face of it, it is simply wrong! Furthermore, the Vice Chancellors on the panel were drawn from relatively smaller universities who are not likely to have a comprehensive understanding of the procedure contained in the University of Lagos Act (as amended).
“Even Vice Chancellors of state universities were included. As Chairman of the Federal Government negotiation team, I know the challenges faced with the administration of state universities. I only appeared before the panel out of my very great respect for you, sir. My training as a lawyer revealed to me very clearly, that the panel was inappropriate for the assignment.
“During my appearance, I made it very clear that I was appearing in protest and the panel, as constituted, could not determine the issues before it. The active participation of the staff of the Ministry of Education in the panel and their contributions throughout the sittings especially the hounding of witnesses who came to testify against the Vice Chancellor was enough to show very clearly that the technocrats in the ministry had a defined agenda,” he said.
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BREAKING: Colonel Yabaji Orders Renewed Hostility On Soldier Who Criticised Buratai
Lance Corporal MartinsLance Corporal Martins
Colonel Yabaji, head of the military base, 8th Division, Sokoto, has ordered all soldiers under his command to unleash terror on Lance Corporal Martins Idakpini, the soldier, who criticised Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, in a viral video.
Yabaji ordered renewed hostility on Idakpini on Thursday when he assembled soldiers within the base for a public address.
Yabaji said Idakpini was recalcitrant and authorities from above had ordered him to unleash more terror on the vmsoldier.
Lance Corporal Martins
In 2017, a Lance Corporal, Benjamin Collins, was similarly tortured by three senior officers at the Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, leading to his death.
The Nigerian Army is notorious for extrajudicial violence and disregard for legal process or the supervision of a court or tribunal in meting out punishment to alleged offenders.
An Abuja Federal High Court had mandated the Chief of Army Staff and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to grant Idakpini immediate access to his lawyer and family since July 22, 2020 after human rights lawyer, Mr Tope Akinyode, argued an ex parte motion before the court.’
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The army has repeatedly denied Idakpini access to his lawyer and family despite the court order.
Malami, who has also refused to honour the court order in respect of Idakpini’s case, was recently made a Life Bencher, making him become part of the body of benchers, which is saddled with the responsibility of regulating the legal profession and sanctioning unethical conducts.
The President Muhamamdu Buhari administration has shown disdain for court orders, rule of law, democracy and free speech.
In August 2018, President Buhari, who is a retired military general, told a gathering of lawyers that the rule of law was subject to national security.
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Imo Government Waste Scarce State Resources On BBNaija Housemate, Ozo
L-R: Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma; BBNaija Housemate, Ozo.
Despite owing pensioners in the state, the Imo State Government has concluded plans to waste millions of naira in its bid to draw support for Ozoemena “Ozo” Chukwu, one of the contestants currently competing in the Big Brother Naija Lockdown reality show.
The plan is being orchestrated by Bobby Micheal, Special Adviser, and Chinonye Agogbuo, Senior Special Assistant to Imo State governor on Entertainment.
L-R: Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma; BBNaija Housemate, Ozo.
Bobby and Agogbuo had earlier taken to their social media accounts to declare their support for the housemate, who they claimed was representing the state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the duo was at Bongo Centre, Owerri, on Tuesday to share recharge cards worth thousands of naira to those who will be voting for Ozo.
“He’s our son. We must support him. Recharge cards to vote for him to be distributed today, 10am at Bongo Centre,” Agogbuo posted on Facebook.
Video of Lady Upset About Time And Money Nigerians Waste On BBNaija
Lady Upset About Time And Money Nigerians Waste On BBNaija
WATCH VIDEO: Lady Upset About Time And Money Nigerians Waste On BBNaija
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Bandits Kill Divisional Police Officer, Inspector, Abduct Women In Sokoto
The Divisional Police Officer of Gidan Madi Police Station in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State and another officer were on Thursday killed in fresh attacks by bandits.
Two wives of a prominent businessman in the area were also abducted by the gunmen.
PHOTONEWS: Bandits Kill Divisional Police Officer And Deputy Superintendent Of @PoliceNG In Tangaza Local Government Area In Sokoto State | Sahara Reporters pic.twitter.com/R4JdAqktGC— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) September 17, 2020
A resident of the area told SaharaReporters that the bandits, who struck around 1:00am, went away with the guns of the slain officers.
He said a large number of their animals and food items were also carted away during the raid.
He said the bandits stormed the communities on motorcycles after which they began shooting sporadically.
According to security sources, the gunmen first stormed the station, killed the DPO and one inspector of police before abducting the housewives at their residence.
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PHOTONEWS: Bandits Kill Divisional Police Officer And Deputy Superintendent Of Police In Tangaza Local Government Area In Sokoto State
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PHOTONEWS: Bandits Kill Divisional Police Officer And Deputy Superintendent Of Police In Tangaza Local Government Area In Sokoto State
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EXCLUSIVE: Top INEC Officials, Security Agents On US Visa Ban List, Governor Akeredolu Placed On Watch List
Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
Top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security operatives are among notable Nigerians slammed with a visa ban by the United States Government, SaharaRepoters has learnt.
Families of some Nigerian politicians are among those affected by the latest US sanction, which will also see to the deportation of their children and spouses already domiciled in America soon.
Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is on the watchlist of the US Government and could be slammed with a visa ban as well before or after the October 10 governorship poll in the state.
SaharaReporters recall that the US Government had on Monday said it imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians involved in undermining democracy during the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa states elections and in the run-up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo states elections.
Those affected by the latest visa ban have received notification by email and or text messages, it was learnt.
SaharaReporters reliably gathered that a former governor of Edo State and ex-National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, and Kogi governor, Yahaya Bello, are also among those affected by the sanction.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna on the other hand had his own visa ban extended after being banned from entering the US since 2010 over a graft case.
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E2%80%99s-fourth-marriage-explodes-over-domestic-violence Femi Fani-Kayode’s Fourth Marriage Explodes Over Domestic Violence
A former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, Femi Fani-Kayode, and his ex-beauty queen wife, Precious Chikwendu, have separated.
Though a family member told PREMIUM TIMES that the marriage broke down irretrievably due to a health challenge, which Precious had been trying to manage since they became a couple, SaharaReporters reliably gathered that the woman left the marriage over domestic violence.
Fani-Kayode, who had had a hat-trick of marriages before meeting Precious with whom he has four sons, including a set of two-year-old triplets, accused her of infidelity.
Sources told SaharaReporters that the former minister started physically abusing Precious from the first year of their marriage — the same fate that befell her three predecessors.
The violence, it was gathered, increased as the years went by.
FFK as the ex-minister is often reffered to, was said to have ordered Precious to abort her last pregnancy, claiming it did not belong to him.
The sources said Precious ignored him but got savage beating, including on her belly for the recalcitrance.
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A source said Fani-Kayode always hit the woman violently in presence of their homehelps and sometimes threatened her with a gun by sticking the weapon in her mouth to warn her against squealing.
He sometimes instructed his bodyguard to hit the ex-beauty queen.
Fani-Kayode’s first wife, Saratu Attah, whom he married when he was 22, was also regularly pummeled by him.
Sources said the woman, daughter of the late Adamu Attah, was viciously beaten for requesting a swimming pool in their home on Marine Road in Apapa, Lagos. FFK’s next marriage was to Yemisi Odesanya, daughter of a judge.
She is now known as Yemisi Wada after remarrying.
In newspaper interviews, the woman told stories of Fani-Kayode’s viciousness and lack of care for their daughters, the reason for which he was excluded from the marriage of one of them, Temitope, in 2014.
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Despite the disconnect between him and the children, FFK never fails to advertise his “love” for them on Facebook on their birthdays.
Under to hide his ‘spot’ like the Leopard, FFK soon displayed his ugly part when in August he attacked Eyo Charles, a journalist with Daily Trust, for asking him a question during a press conference in Calabar, Cross River State.
Apart from describing Charles as “stupid”, FFK used other derogatory words on the journalist, drawing criticisms from far and near.
The former minister eventually bowed to public pressure and apologised for his conduct.
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Ex-Nigerian Minister, Fani-Kayode, Verbally Assaults Journalist Over Question At Press Conference
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Fani-Kayode Sent Security Aides To Further Threaten Me After Verbal Assault During Conference –Daily Trust Journalist
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Confronting Human Extinction And Post-human Approaches To COVID-19 Pandemic In Africa By Leo Igwe
Leo Igwe
A pandemic that has threatened to extinct humanity provides an ample opportunity to envision possible futures and explore post-human permutations. This is because, amidst the gloom and despair, fears, and anxieties over human survival, it is compelling that humans reimagine and re-conceive the human. Speculations about the future must engage and move beyond human vulnerabilities and imperfectabilities holding out some hope and optimism about the future and humanity.
A post-human take on the coronavirus pandemic is quite pertinent especially for the African continent, a region that has been predicted would be most affected by COVID-19. Although the surge in the infection rate that many predicated has not materialized, the region is no less vulnerable to epidemics and pandemics that could threaten human existence and survival in the region. Thus any speculation about redesigning or technologically augmenting the human is both cogent and promising and laden with opportunities and possibilities worthy of a reflection.
Leo Igwe
Pandemic rattles Africa
The outbreak of COVID-19 caused so much panic and anxiety across Africa and the world. Drastic and unprecedented measures have been put in place to contain the spread of the virus- social distancing, a ban on international and domestic flights, and prohibition of public gathering in parks, churches, and schools. The pandemic has posed a serious challenge to African politics, economies, and health care sectors. According to the WHO, the first reported case of COVID-19 in Africa was on February 14 and since then 52 countries have reported cases. African countries still lag behind the rest of the world in testing and monitoring of the disease. In my country Nigeria, the number of confirmed cases has continued to rise. Very few tests have been conducted due to the limited number of testing equipment and personnel in the country. Like the Ebola virus, COVID-19 has revealed the fragile and weak health care capacities in African countries especially the technological deficit in the management of diseases. The UN Economic Commission on Africa has projected that between 300 thousand and 3 million Africans will lose their lives as a result of COVID-19.
However, it noted that this projected impact could be affected by the intervention measures from the various countries.
These grim prospects for the region are predicated on so many factors including overcrowding and poorly serviced slum dwellings in urban areas, limited access to handwashing facilities, informal workforce, undernourishment, underlying health conditions such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and extreme poverty. Besides, there is a challenge posed by snake oil sellers who take advantage of people. Lack of a cure for the disease has provided an opportunity for quacks and other con artists to peddle fake therapies for the Coronavirus, at very exorbitant prices. In Ghana and Nigeria, there have been reports of traditional healers, operators of herbal clinics, and pastors market spurious remedies and questionable cures for COVID19.
As earlier noted, COVID-19 poses a serious challenge to African countries in the area of testing for the virus. As of June 29 Nigeria, a country of over 200 million persons has carried out a little over 130 000 tests. Let us assume that Nigeria can carry out a million tests at the end of the year, how long will it take to test half of the population of the country? The same situation applies to Zambia. Zambia reported its first two cases of COVID-19 in March. In May, this country of about 17 million people has conducted only 20,000 tests. Whilst in Kenya, the number of tests was 45,000 and 537,713 tests were required to cover one percent of the population.
As Belinda Herring has noted there is a lack of necessary infrastructure to tackle COVID-19. African countries lack the equipment and trained human resources, and also the reagents that are needed to do the tests.
To carry out these tests, African countries depend on other countries to send or sell the resources to them. They rely on the WHO to make available the testing materials, training as well as tracking facilities. Even with the existing support from other countries and the WHO, African countries need a technological leap to contain the Coronavirus pandemic. Various technologies need to converge and combine in ways that could signal hope, enhance the health care capacity, and accelerate testing as well as treatment processes.
As it stands, the COVID-19 management status quo in African countries is anything but smart and capable of getting countries to defeat the pandemic. Some countries have trained human resources but there aren’t enough testing kits. They may possess testing kits but lack enough personnel to use them. Some countries have laboratories for the tests but not enough reagents or protective devices for the scientists and health workers.
Thus the effective management of covid19 is predicated on revamping the health infrastructure in African countries and making available cutting edge health technologies for testing, monitoring, and treatment of the disease. For instance, in Nigeria, the technology for testing and management of COVID-19 should be available and accessible to the country’s 200 million people, not just less than a million at currently the case. So with the current infrastructure, it is evident that African countries are incapable of meeting the targets of combating and containing COVID-19 and other life and human threatening epidemics and pandemics.
African countries need to transition into more technology-mediated societies that can harness scientific and technological innovations, emerging technologies including robotics, nanotechnology, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and artificial intelligence in combating the disease. To rattle the COVID-19 management status quo in the region, a convergence of technologies and blurring of the line between is required to scale up efficient and effective management of the pandemic.
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