Nelson Ugwuagbo

A recent review of the public payments portal, Govspend, has revealed a shocking expenditure by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Justice, where a total of N403 million was spent on renovating toilets in a single day under the leadership of Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.

On June 27, 2024, the Ministry paid N158 million for renovations at its headquarters.

On the same day, an additional N245 million was allocated to Optional Concepts Limited for further toilet renovations, bringing the total to N403 million.

The revelation comes amid growing scrutiny of the fiscal discipline of the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu.

Recent reports revealed that the State House spent N9.2 billion on motor vehicles between March and May 2024. Specifically, N1.904 billion was recorded in March, while N7.3 billion was spent in May.

Additionally, SaharaReporters revealed that the Tinubu administration spent N366 million on tyres within three days, further raising concerns about seemingly frivolous expenses.

Earlier, the government was reported to have spent N1.5 billion on foreign exchange for travels and rehabilitation of presidential buildings.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Bauchi Zone, has raised concerns over the alarming exodus of 30 trained PhD holders from Sa’adu Zungur University (SAZU), formerly known as Bauchi State University.

This brain drain is attributed to the university’s deteriorating working conditions and inadequate welfare provisions.

According to ASUU Bauchi Zone’s Zonal Coordinator, Namo Timothy, the university’s lack of an employee exit policy has forced many top scholars to seek better opportunities elsewhere.

Furthermore, SAZU does not have pension or death benefit schemes in place, unlike the structured public service regulation in the country.

“The absence of these benefits makes our members feel insecure about their future,” Timothy emphasized.

He also criticized the university’s administration for failing to pay over N650 million in accumulated entitlements, including earned academic allowances and honorariums for internal examiners.

Despite generating substantial revenue from postgraduate programs, the university has not compensated staff for their contributions, Timothy added.

Other pressing issues include steep increases in student fees and a lack of commitment to staff training and development.

The union accused the university administration of neglecting staff welfare, despite recent fee hikes exceeding 100% for regular undergraduate programs.

This neglect has created an unfavorable work environment, driving talented academics away from the institution.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will swear in 87 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria on Monday at the main courtroom of the Court.

This is part of programmes lined up to usher in the 2024/2025 legal year of the supreme Court.

A statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Festus Akande on Fridat said that the CJN will deliver a state-of-the Judiciary address, with a view to highlighting the performance of the Supreme Court in particular, and the Nigerian Judiciary in general, in the 2023/2024 legal year.

In the same vein, other leading stakeholders in the Justice Sector will present speeches bordering on the state of the justice sector of the country. 

These include: Hon. Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chairman of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (BOSAN), and President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), amongst others.

The Supreme Court commenced its annual vacation on 22nd July, 2024.

Though the court started sitting on 23rd September, 2024, the new legal year ceremony is now being formally held in accordance with its tradition.

All the programmes outlined to mark the formal commencement of the new legal year will start at 10:00 am in the main courtroom of the Supreme Court, the statement added.

The Senate has advanced the South West Development Bill to its third reading, following a comprehensive report by Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties.

The proposed commission will address infrastructural deficits and ecological issues in the South West region, utilizing funds from the federation account, donations from development partners, and other sources, upon presidential assent.

Once established, the commission’s key responsibilities will include:

Managing federal funds allocated for capital projects in the South West, Overseeing construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of roads, housing, and other

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally presented a certificate of return to Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), confirming his victory in the Edo State Governorship election.

The ceremony took place at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.

INEC declared Okpebholo winner of the Saturday, September 21 election after polling 291,667 votes to beat his closest contender, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) came a distant third in the race with 22,763 votes. Fourteen other candidates contested the seat but got less than the three frontline candidates.

The APC candidate cleared over 10 of the 18 local government areas, leaving the PDP candidate with marginal victory in the other local councils. The APC gained control in two of the three battleground senatorial districts in the state.

10 persons have been confirmed dead following a cholera outbreak in Ndibokote village of Ezza Inyimagu in the Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

Among the dead person is a nursing mother, who left behind a nine-month-old baby.

The Ebonyi State Health Commissioner Moses Ekuma confirmed this in a statement by the ministry’s spokesman Lucy Anyim.

Apart from the deceased, about 20 persons affected by the outbreak are responding to treatment as efforts have been made to put the disease under control from spreading around the community.

Ekuma noted that the state Governor Francis Nwifuru has approved the procurement of medical commodities to curtail the outbreak.

He said that three treatment centres including the Iziogo Health Centre, Sudan Mission Onuenyim, and Ndibokote village have been established in the area.

Open defecation and poor hygiene have been attributed to the outbreak of the disease, as most communities get drinking water from streams, as such the people are advised to take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Kwara State High Court has sentenced five suspects involved in the 2018 Offa bank robbery incident to death.

Justice Haleemah Salman of the Kwara State High Court found the five suspects guilty of illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

Justice Salman allowed the defendants to take pleas of mercy but eventually sentenced all to the gallows.

“The five of you shall be hanged on your neck until you are dead to serve as a lesson to others,” she said in her ruling.

Daredevil robbers stormed Offa town of Kwara State in 2018 and robbed at least five commercial banks in the ancient town.

Thirty-three people, including nine policemen, were killed in the robbery, as the culprits made off with an undisclosed sum of cash.

One suspect died in police custody while the remaining defendants pleaded not guilty.

Bashir Mohammed, an activist with the Nigeria Network of Human Rights, criticized the ruling.

“The judgment is too harsh and the court should have shown leniency,” Mohammed told Anadolu, adding that the judge could have handed the defendants life in prison.

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki lamented foul play after the All Progressive Congress (APC) Won all the local government chairmanship and councillorship elections held last Saturday across Kwara state’s 16 council areas.

In the elections, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state cleared the 16 local government Areas as declared by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC).

KWSIEC Chairman Baba Okanla, declaring the results, said the APC won all 16 local government chairmanship seats and cleared all 193 councillorship positions.

In his reaction to the declaration by the state electoral body, Saraki, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), opined that it is a shame that the declared chairmen and councilors would be in office without legitimacy and the mandate of the people.

According to him, a message has been sent to the government by the people that it has not made any significant or positive impact on their lives after 64 months in power.

The former Kwara governor argued that the people mobilised themselves to the polling units for the local government polls but met the absence of electoral officials and shoddy preparations by the electoral body.

Saraki commended the people for standing firm against “deliberately concocted frustrations.”

He wrote, “Last Saturday, in a manner that went beyond partisan consideration and gave expression to the protection of community interests, people from Kwara mobilised themselves to the polling units and met the absence of electoral officials and shoddy preparations by the electoral body.

“Whatever results the electoral body eventually declared, our people have sent a clear signal to a government that has not made any significant, positive impact on their lives after 64 months in office. It is a shame that the 16 local government areas now have chairmen and councillors who would be in office without legitimacy and people’s mandate.”

The Federal Government has approved a monthly allowance increase for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to N77,000, effective July 2024. This change aligns with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

According to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission’s letter dated September 25, 2024, signed by Chairman Ekpo Nta, the new allowance aims to provide “much-needed relief” and boost Corps Members’ morale.

NYSC Director General Brigadier General YD Ahmed thanked the Federal Government for the increment, which follows his advocacy visit to the Commission.

This increase comes five years after the last adjustment in 2019, raising the monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000, with an additional N44,000 per month retroactive to July. Outstanding arrears from July are expected to be paid soon.

The enhanced allowance aims to help Corps Members cope with rising living costs and inflation, significantly improving their well-being as they contribute to national development.

Veteran stand-up comedian Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has shared how his plan to have one more son with his wife, Mary at 59 unexpectedly led to the birth of triplets.

Ali Baba explained that his wife had a strong desire for another son, especially after their children had travelled abroad, leaving the house feeling empty.

The funnyman stated this on Monday in an interview during a podcast session, Leadership Podcast with Stephen Akintayo.

He said initially, she considered adopting more children but later decided she would prefer to have her own.

This, he said led them to pursue In Vitro Fertilisation, intending to fertilise two eggs, hoping for at least one successful pregnancy.

He added that things took an unexpected turn when one of the fertilised eggs split into two, resulting in triplets instead of their original plan.

Madam had always wanted to have a son. She had two daughters and we talked about it. So, I told her I didn’t want to be having school runs, joining Wizkid and attending PTA meetings. One truth is the net becomes empty when all the children have to go abroad to study and the discussion comes up again.

“By the way, she had said wanted to adopt two or three children to take care of them. One day, she then said instead of adopting, let’s just have our own. I was like ok but the way the economy is and she replied you said the economy is bad, I said yes and she said, have you stopped paying house rent for people I said no. She asked again, “Have you stopped paying school fees and I said no.