By Glory Abuh-Adejoh

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Friday ordered the Kogi Government to pay a civil servant, Ameh Onoja, whose salary was stopped in March 2014.

Onoja had approached the court to seek redress when he was told that his salary was stopped because he had attained the compulsory retirement age.

Justice David Isele in his judgment, held that evidence before the court showed that the claimant had not reached the mandatory retirement age of 60.

Isele also said neither has the claimant spent 35 years in service as required by civil service rule before retirement.

The court went further to order the restoration of the claimants monthly salary of N153,298 from March, 2014 till date within one month.

Daniel Onuh, the claimants counsel told the court that his client was born on Oct. 1, 1960.

Onuh also said the claimant joined the civil service in 1983 as a class teacher with the Benue government and in 1995 transferred his service to Kogi.

Onuh said his client is still serving as the Vice Principal (Academics) of Ogugu Community Secondary School, in Olamaboro Local Govt. Area of Kogi State.

He said since no disciplinary action has been instituted against the claimant for any misconduct, and he has not received any dismissal letter, he is entitled to his salary from when it was stopped till date.

Also joined in the suit are the Kogi Civil Service and Ministry of Justice.

Source: NAN

By Blessing Ibegbu

A housewife, Mrs Sandra Ekpa, on Friday begged an Upper Area Court in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, to dissolve her three-year-old marriage because her husband allegedly practices juju and also denies her sex.

Ekpa told the court that her pastor husband, Gideon Adejoh, had ruined their marriage and killed the love she had for him.

She said that she married Adejoh on April 18, 2015 according to native laws and custom of the Igala people in Kogi.

She said that the union was blessed with a child.

Shortly after our marriage, my husband began to do awful things in the house like practicing juju and seeking extra-powers.

In addition, my husband stopped having sex with me ever since I gave birth to my baby, who is a year and six months old now.

I have made all efforts to see that he changed for good but all proved abortive, rather he kept telling me to pack and go if I cannot stay.

The divorce-seeking woman told court that there was no longer love in the marriage and as such I cannot continue again because I have lost the love and affection I had for him.

She pleaded for immediate dissolution of the marriage and for the court to grant her custody of the only child from the union.

Ekpa also asked the court to compel the respondent to pay her N30, 000 monthly for the childs upkeep.

However, Adejoh denied the allegations, pleading with court to give him time to enable him and his wife to discuss and appraise the issues.

The Presiding Judge, Mr Ibrahim Shekarau, adjourned the case until May 3 to allow the parties settle out of court.

Source: NAN

A Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court on Friday sentenced 30-year-old man Musa Jimoh to five strokes of the cane for stealing a standing fan.

The Judge, Mohammed Marafa, however, warned Jimoh, who was charged with one count of theft, to be of good behaviour and to desist from committing crime.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Babajide Olanipekun, had told the court that Jimoh dishonestly stole a Binatone standing fan from Peace Mass Transit Company, Mpape, Abuja, on April 8.

Olanipekun said that Jimoh took the fan to Byazhin Kubwa, Abuja, in an attempt to sell it but was caught and arrested on April 10 and the fan recovered from him.

He said that the offence contravened Section 286 of the Penal Code.

Jimoh pleaded for leniency, saying that he stole the fan in order to use the proceeds to travel for his late mothers burial.

Source: NAN

The President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki has visited the female Sergeant-at-Arms, Mrs. Sandra Davou who was assaulted during the invasion of the Senate on Wednesday.

The Senate was invaded on Wednesday by hoodlums suspected to have been led by the suspended Senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, and the mace which is the symbol of authority of the senate was snatched and stolen from the complex.

Mrs Davou who bravely stood her ground to protect the sanctity of the senate and its staff of authority, was assaulted by the hoodlums who also attempted to kidnap a senator before making their way out of the complex.

The President of the Senate who was in Washington DC at the time to attend some of meetings by the World Bank and IMF, just returned and went to the home of the brave staffer to pay her a visit.

Saraki was accompanied on the Visit by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu.

See Pictures from the visit below:

While in Washington, Saraki condemned the attack while commending his colleagues in the Senate and others in the House of Representatives for standing up in solidarity to defend democracy in Nigeria.

He also called on the security agencies to ensure that the culprits are brought to Book.

Meanwhile, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege who was alleged to have orchestrated the attack and was arrested by the police on the day of the attack, has been released.

The Senator also got an injunction from the court preventing the Police, DSS and the Attorney General from arresting him or ordering his arrest.

Source: NAN

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will be the guest of US President Donald Trump on 30 April in Washington, the White House announced on Sunday.

According to the statement, Trump will discuss issues such as promoting economic growth and fighting terrorism with Buhari.

The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigerias economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity, the statement said.

Nigeria has been combating the terrorist organization Boko Haram since 2009.

The State Department under Trump approved the sale of 12 high-technology attack planes and equipment worth $600 million to Nigeria last year after the Obama administration halted the sale because of accusations that Nigerias air force was bombing civilians.

The scheduled meeting will be the second between the two leaders. Last year September, the two leaders met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, during a luncheon Trump held for a select group of African leaders.

President Buhari who came to power in 2015, announced last week Monday, that he plans to seek reelection in 2019.

The Nigerian leader who left Abuja for the U.K. On Monday, will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit which begins in London on 18 April and ends on 20 April.

Source: NAN

The Federal Government has reacted to the barrage of attacks by some of the named treasury looters and has gone further to name 23 others, most of them members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

In a press statement, Minister of Information and Culture, ALhaji Lai Mohammed said the list of alleged looters which Government released on Friday was based on verifiable facts, including the amount involved, the date the amount in question was collected and from where it was taken.(Read

Mohammed, also said those complaining that the list was too short apparently did not understand that it was strategically released as a teaser.

At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or
just to shoot down anything coming from the government, he said, adding that the Federal Government has a large number of alleged
looters on its list.

Alhaji Mohammed slammed the PDP for daring to challenge the Federal Government over an issue that the party knows is its weakness: Looting
of public treasury.

What was the PDP expecting when it challenged the FG to name the looters of the public treasury under the partys watch? Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke?
Did they think it is April Fool? he queried.

The Minister said the PDPs reaction to the looters list has shown that its recent apology is an election-induced act, contrived to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians to vote for the party in the 2019 general election, even when it has not come clean on its looting spree during its time in office.

The hysterical and panicky reaction from the PDP has shown that the party is not at all sincere about its choreographed apology. Were it not the case, the party would have followed in the footsteps of one of its leaders, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who simply owned up to his role in the partys rigging in the past elections and said he had turned a new
leaf.

It is said that a true confession is done in humility with an attitude of repentance. It is clear that the PDP does not know this,
hence its resort to hubris instead of humility and genuine penitence, he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said the Federal Government will neither be intimidated nor blackmailed into silence, adding that it will also not
rest until all those who looted the public treasury have been brought to justice.

SECOND BATCH OF ALLEGED LOOTERS AND THE AMOUNT ALLEGEDLY EMBEZZLED

1. Former NSA Sambo Dasuki: Based on EFCC investigations and findings
   alone (this is beside the ongoing $2.1billion military equipment
   scandal), a total of N126 billion, over $1.5 billion and 5.5 million
   British Pounds was embezzled through his office. A good number of
   these monies were simply shared to persons and companies without any
   formal contract awards.

2. Former Petroleum Resources Minister Dieziani Alison-Madukwe: In
   just one of the cases the EFCC is investigating involving her, about
   N23 billion is alleged to have been embezzled. She is also involved in
   the Strategic Alliance Contracts of the NNPC, where the firms of Jide
   Omokore and Kola Aluko got oil blocks but never paid government taxes
   and royalty. About $3 billion was involved. The Federal Government is
   charging Omokore and Aluko and will use all legal instruments local
   and international to ensure justice.

3. Rtd. Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah: N13.9 billion. N4.8 billion
   recovered by EFCC in cash and property

4. Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika: N4.5 billion. N29m recovered by the EFCC so far.

5. Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff: N8 billion, and EFCC recovered almost N4 billion in cash and property already.

6. Inde Dikko: former CG Customs: N40 billion, and N1.1 billion in cash recovered in cash and choice properties.

7. Air Marshal Adesola Amosun: N21.4 billion. N2.8 billion recovered in cash. 28 properties and 3 vehicles also recovered.

8. Senator Bala Mohammed, former FCT Minister: N5 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

9. Senator Stella Oduah: N9.8 billion. Interim forfeiture order on some property secured.

10. Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu: N1.6 billion from NSA.

11. Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion.

12. Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance: N1.5 billion. $829,800 recovered.

13. Senator Peter Nwaboshi: N1.5 billion

14. Aliyu Usman: Former NSA Dasukis aide: N512 million

15. Ahmad Idris: Former NSA Dasukis PA: N1.5 billion

16. Rasheed Ladoja: Former Oyo Governor: N500 million

17. Tom Ikimi: N300 million

18. Femi Fani-Kayode: N866 million

19. Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Goodluck: $1.7 million

20. Nenadi Usman: N1.5 billion

21. Benedicta Iroha: N1.7 billion

22. Aliyu Usman Jawaz: Close ally of former NSA Dasuki: N882 million

23. Godknows Igali: Over N7 billion

Source: NAN

John Yusuf, the pension thief who five years ago, was given a slap on the wrist by Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, for stealing N32.8billion police pension money, has finally gotten his deserved sanctions.

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal Abuja Division, headed by Justice Abdul Aboki, on Wednesday jailed him six years and also asked him to refund N22.9billion.

Justice Talba had sentenced him to two years in jail, with the option of paying a fine of N750,000. The judgment triggered national outrage.

The ruling by the appellate court was the climax of the appeal by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission which on April 26, 2013 approached the appellate court to set aside the judgment of the lower court.

The five grounds of the appeal, bordered on the exercise of discretion of the Judge in imposing sentence on the respondent who pleaded guilty to the three count charge, in which he admitted converting an aggregate sum of over N24 billion of Police Pension fund into his personal use.

The EFCC asked the Appeal Court to decide whether the trial judge exercised his discretion judicially and judiciously when having convicted the respondent of a three count charge of conversion of over N3billion contrary to section 309 of the Penal Code, His Lordship imposed two years imprisonment with an option of fine of N250, 000 on each of the three counts.

Yusufs lawyers on 10 June 2015 raised a preliminary objection on the competence of the appeal for which they argued that the notice of appeal was filed outside the mandatory 90 days and therefore in contravention of s. 24(2)(b) of the Court of Appeal Act, 2010 (as Amended) and therefore urged the Court to dismiss the appeal.

The Justices of the Court of Appeal, dismissed the preliminary objection on the grounds that; Having considered the computation of time volunteered by both parties, the question to be answered was whether the day the Judgment of the trial court was delivered was to be inclusive in the computation of the mandatory 90 days for which a notice of appeal was to be filed?

That the day the Judgment of the trial court was delivered being the 28January, 2013, was not to be included in the computation of the 90 days.

That since the day of the Judgment is not included, the 90 days starts running from the 29January, 2013 and the 90day will fall on a Sunday.

That by virtue of s. 15(2) of the Interpretation Act CAP 123, where the last day is a holiday, the counting shall continue until the end of the next following day which is not a holiday.

That since the 90th day was a Sunday and by virtue of s. 15 (5) of Interpretation Act, a Sunday is a holiday, the next day which the notice of appeal was filed is within time, hence the appeal is competent and is therefore allowed.

Ruling on the substantive matter, the Justice Emmanuel Agim, who delivered the unanimous judgement of the Court of Appeal held that the three counts involving the respondent (Counts 17, 18 and 19) clearly stated the amounts for which the appellant alleged that the respondent converted for his personal use.

The judges ruled that since the respondent pleaded guilty to the three counts and thereby admitted to the conversion of an aggregate sum of about N24billion to his personal use, the judgement of the lower court was light, lenient and the fine unreasonably low.

They therefore ruled that the sentence of the lower court, does not serve as deterrence to both the convict and others. Consequently, they ruled that the sentence is hereby quashed and deserves to be reviewed as follows:

*on Counts 17, the Respondent is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an addition of fine of N20billion Naira;

*on Counts 18, the Respondent is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an addition of fine of 1.4billion Naira;

*on counts 19, the Respondent is hereby sentenced to two years imprisonment with an addition of fine of 1.5billion Naira.

The prison sentence will run consecutively and the fine is to be cumulative.

In a related development, the Supreme Court on March 9 dismissed the appeal by Onyia Ifeanyi, seeking to upturn his conviction and sentence to 7 years imprisonment on November 28, 2013 by the Federal High Court Enugu presided over by Justice M.L. Shuaibu ( as he then was) for the offence of obtaining by false pretence and being in possession of documents containing false pretence.

Dissatisfied with his conviction, the appellant had lodged an appeal against it at the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed the decision of the trial court.

Still not satisfied with the decision of the appellate court, the convict proceeded to the Supreme Court. The apex court in a unanimous judment on March 9, affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal

Source: NAN

One insurgent has been killed in a successful operation to repel rampaging Boko Haram at Gamboru-Ngala in Borno.

Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Army Public Relations, in a statement said that several others fled in the operation.

Chukwu said: troops of 3 Battalion on operation LAFIYA DOLE had successfully repelled Boko Haram terrorists attack at Gamboru Ngala, Borno State.

One Boko Haram terrorist was neutralised during the encounter while other members of the group fled following a superior fire power from the troops.

Unfortunately, one soldier lost his life during the attack.

Chukwu disclosed that the troops recovered one Rocket Propelled gun, seven tube, one Anti Aircraft gun, two AK 47 rifles and two empty magazines.

The army spokesman called on the people to cooperate with troops, provide useful and timely information to security agencies. (NAN)

Source: NAN

In a bid to create awareness for the prevention, early detection and control of cancer, the Founder-President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Saraki, hosted key stakeholders to a meeting to review the cancer assessment report.

The meeting which held in Abuja brought together Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; the Vice-Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Clifford Odiar; the West Africa Regional Director, Amref, Dr. Sylla Thiam; the Country Director, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson and Johnson, Mitchelle Akande; among others.

The Rapid Assessment of the Prevention and Control of Cancer in Nigeria report, is a collaborative study undertaken by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, with support from Amref Health Africa.

Speaking at the vent, Mrs Saraki who is the wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate, told the stakeholders that she was optimistic that the review meeting will proffer solutions that can key into the National Cancer Control Plan.

I want to thank everyone who has made this event possible, and I believe that those of us present can harness our wealth of knowledge to key into the National Cancer Control Plan.

We must teach our people and engage them to stop high risk behaviours, and to be best positioned to detect cancer at the early stage, when it is most cost-effective to treat.

The biggest challenge in development is transforming global goals and national goals into grassroots actions.

I would want to quote Margaret Meade in saying we must never doubt the power of a small group of people united with a common purpose; and our purpose is to prevent cancer, detect cancer, and provide infrastructures to be able to respond to the needs of our people in relation to all types of cancer.

I would like to again thank everyone present; Amref Health Africa for your partnership and the Federal Ministry of Health for giving civil society such a role in taking the traction from what you have begun, she said.

Mrs Saraki who was recently named by Devex as a Global UHC Champion and Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) urged the stakeholders to come up with recommendations that will help address the problem of cancer in Nigeria.

Also speaking at the opening of the meeting, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said that the government was currently pushing to strengthen the training of cancer-related healthcare workers.

He said that it was the plan of government to improve infrastructure and strengthen service delivery for cancer care, including prevention and palliative care.

We welcome inter-sectoral collaborations, as well as partnerships with local and global stakeholders in order to improve awareness and information on preventive practices, as well as encouraging early diagnosis and management of all cancers, he said.

Dr. Sylla Thiam of Amref, she commended Wellbeing Foundation Africa for carrying out the study, stressing that the timing was very apt considering that the disease has taken a toll on the country.

Source: NAN

Fire on Saturday razed the two-storey building of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM), few weeks before the Local Government Election in the state.

The election in the 23 LGs and 255 wards has been scheduled for May 12.

Eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the huge fire was noticed around 11: 24 a.m. on top of the building located along Sokoto Road, GRA, Kaduna.

Ibrahim Musa told NAN the huge flames followed a thick smoke that was noticed from the top floor of the building earlier.

The cause of the fire had yet to be ascertained, even as fire fighting officials were seen putting out the fire.

The Agency had said it procured six thousand electronic machines and card readers for the May 12 LGs elections.

As at press time, Chairperson of the Commission, Mrs Saratu Dikko, who arrived at the commissions premises with other officials, declined to comment.

Source: NAN