Nelson Ugwuagbo

The organised labour comprising members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are staging a protest at the headquarters the electricity distribution companies in Jos, Ibadan and Port Harcourt.

The protest is in compliance with organised labour leadership’s directive over the recent hike in electricity tariff. The leadership of NLC and TUC were on ground at the different venues of the protest to ensure compliance.

The union members are joining their colleagues across the country to picket offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Electricity Distribution companies across the country to demand reversal of the tariff increase.

In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, the workers blocked the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JED), along Ahmadu Bello Way.

The action by the labour unions prevented workers of the distribution company from gaining access to their offices.

The union members in Ibadan were not also left out in the protest as they blocked the office of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) in the state capital.

The NLC Chairman in Oyo state, Comrade Kayode Martins, while addressing the press at the premises of IBEDC, said enough is enough as Nigerians have had to cope with the backlash of economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

He said labour unions would no longer sit idly to watch things deteriorate further.

The unions asked that the Federal Government rescind its decision over electricity tariff hike and other policies that have not served Nigerians well.

Similarly, members of the NLC and TUC have shut down the headquarters of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Chanting solidarity songs, the Labour Union members sealed the PHED premises on Monday morning preventing staff of the Disco from accessing their offices.

Speaking to Channels Television, the NLC Chairman in Rivers State, Alex Agwanwor, said the recent hike is discriminatory and will further impoverish Nigerians.

Though the NERC had reviewed the tariff, the labour unions said they were picketing the agency’s office as well as the premises of distribution companies after a Sunday reversal deadline failed.

Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja, has found guilty and convicted Mrs Ramat Mba, a mother of five children, for forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, the late Abba Kyari.

The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Mohammad, deferred the convict’s sentencing till Thursday, 16th of May, 2024, however, directed that she should be remanded in Suleja Correctional Centre.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had arraigned Mba in June, 2022 on a 5-count charge bordering on cheating, fraud and forgery contrary to Section 13 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 200 and Sections 320 (b), 366 of the Penal Code Cap 89 laws of Northern Nigeria.

One of the counts read: “THAT you RAMAT MERCY MBA (F) sometime in October, 2019 or thereabout at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did fraudulently induce one Mr Ismail Adewole Oladipupo, an unsuspecting job seeker and collected the sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira only N700,000.00 from him which sum was paid into your private account under the guise of securing employment for him at the National Space Research and Development Agency. (NASDRA), AND you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code Cap 89 Laws of Northern Nigeria.”

In the course of the trial, ICPC’s Prosecutor, Mr Hamza Sani, Esq. led evidence before the court on how the convict, dishonestly induced her victims under the guise of securing employment for them with government agencies like Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Furthermore, the documentary evidence tendered, showed that the convict fraudulently forged a letterhead paper of the Office of the Chief of Staff to former President Muhammad Buhari, Abba Kyari and his signature.

The letter, addressed to the Chairman of ICPC, was a request for the recruitment of three individuals by the Commission. However, the late Chief of Staff, in a written correspondence that was also tendered in court as an exhibit distanced himself or his office from authorising the letter.

In his judgement, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, convicted the mother of five children on counts 1, 2, 3 and 5 which deal with cheating and forgery while she was discharged on count 4 which deals with felony.

In a recent development, the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has issued an interim injunction preventing Martin Amaewhule, the pro-Wike Speaker of the State House Assembly, and 24 other lawmakers from functioning in their legislative roles.

The injunction was requested by Victor Jumbo, the pro-Fubara Speaker, and two other Assembly members aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Justice Charles Wali, who presided over the case, issued the order on Friday under suit number PHC/1512/CS/2024. The court directed the 25 defendants to refrain from convening or conducting legislative activities at the House of Assembly Quarters or any other location until further notice.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, have touched down in Nigeria to discuss the potential of hosting the Invictus Games in the country.

Their arrival in the African nation was confirmed by their spokesperson, Charlie Gipson, after they flew in on a British Airways flight to Abuja.

Reports indicate that the royal couple will be in Nigeria for a three-day private visit, following an invitation from the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.

While in Nigeria, Harry and Meghan are scheduled to attend basketball and volleyball matches, as well as engage with local non-governmental organizations in Abuja and Lagos.

Meghan is also set to co-host an event on ‘Women in Leadership’ alongside Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The military believes that hosting the Invictus Games could aid in the recovery of Nigerian personnel who have been involved in the fight against Boko Haram since 2009.

The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Baduru, who attended the event in Germany last year, is reportedly eager to host the games in Nigeria if given the opportunity.

The Invictus Games, founded by Prince Harry, aims to support the rehabilitation of wounded, injured, and ill servicemen and women through sports competitions similar to the Paralympics.

Nigeria made its debut at the games last year, emerging as the only African representative and winning gold and bronze medals during the event.

Watch video below;

The Federal government has assured that the Lagos-Kano rail freight operations would preserve the lifespan of the nation’s highways as well as save more Nigerians from dying in auto accidents.

Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’id Alkali, disclosed this on Thursday when he visited the site for an on-the-spot inspection of the project in Kano State.

Meanwhile, the minister gave his assurance that the freight operations will begin in June 2024.

China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), the contractor handling the project announced that the line has been linked up to Zawaciki Dala Dry Port, the commercial city of Kano.

The Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has sealed off the premises of Residency Hotel, Area 11, Deogratia School, Games Village, Kaura and four other firms for non-compliance with the tax law.

Other firms sealed are Odyssey Educational Foundation, Gwarimpa, Rural Homes Limited in Utako, Trevari and Phenomenon shops at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

The Leader of the FCT-IRS Task Force Team and the Director Legal Service, Festus Tsavsar, said the team was out to effect court order for non-compliance with tax laws particularly filing of annual tax returns and tax payment.

He said before the Service approached the court, it had served the defaulted taxpayers Demand Notices but they turned a deaf ear by ignoring the tax authority hence the service went ahead to seek court orders to seal them off.

According to him, FCT-IRS will continue to go after defaulters until they comply with tax laws by discharging their civic responsibilities.

Recall that on May 3rd, 2024, FCT-IRS obtained a court order from 2 Magistrate Courts sitting Abuja directing the tax authority to seal the defaulting firms for non-compliance.

The House of Representatives has passed a resolution to investigate the procurement process in the award of the contract of the  ₦15trn Lagos-Calabar coastal road.

The motion was moved by Honourable Austin Achado on Thursday as a matter of urgent national importance.

The House said the 2007 Procurement Cct was violated and that certain approvals by the National Assembly as required by the law were not given.

In light of the above, the House has asked the minister of works, finance, attorney general, and minister of justice, to avail the National Assembly copies of the documents for award of the contract.

The fresh development by the Reps comes following the demolition of buildings and structures on the right of way of the project.

The Minister of Works Dave Umahi recently said the Lagos-Calabar coastal road construction, will cost N4bn per kilometre.

The 700 km Lagos-Calabar coastal road will be constructed for N15trn, and a kilometre of the road will cost N4 billion. It is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states, before culminating in Cross River.

The project has been heavily criticised by many Nigerians including the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, who described it as a misplaced priority by the Federal Government.

The House of Representatives on Thursday directed the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to halt the implementation of the cybercrime levy in compliance with the provisions of the cybercrime Act.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, PDP Rivers.

Chinda said section 44 (2a) of the Cybercrime Act listed those to pay the stipulated fees as GSM and telecom companies, Internet providers, Banks and other financial institutions, insurance companies and stock exchange.

The lawmaker explained that the circular from the CBN has raised apprehension across Nigeria, stressing that it has given the impression that the levy is to be paid by Nigerians in an era when they are still battling with an increase in the price of petroleum products, among others.

The House subsequently asked the apex bank to withdraw its earlier circular on implementing the levy immediately and issue another circular in line with the provisions of the Act.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has barred all heads and officials of the 23 local government areas in the state from appearing before the Rivers Assembly, especially the Pro-Wike lawmakers.

The governor warned that any chairman who appeared before lawmakers loyal to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led by Martin Amaewhule as speaker would be sacked.

Fubara had earlier declared that in the eyes of the Law, the State does not have state lawmakers as 27 Lawmakers had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, thereby losing their mandate as enshrined in the constitution.

Fubara’s directive is contained in an online circular signed by Ebirieneuket Nteile C, Director of Information and Communications for Chairman Local Government Service Commission, dated Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

The circular reads: “I am directed to inform you/ all officers of the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State, not to honour/appear before the Members of Assembly or any purported invitation by anybody or group of persons in any guise without the permission of the Acting Chairman- Local Government Service Commission.

“Any staff who disobeys or violates this instruction will be dismissed accordingly from service. Treat as very important, please,” the circular read

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Thursday, May 9, arraign the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, Fatimah, and two other suspects in court.

The suspects are facing charges over alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud uncovered in the Aviation Ministry under Sirika.

Sirika is billed to appear in court with his three co-defendants, his daughter, Fatima; one Jalal Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, on charges of abusing their positions to launder over N2.7 billion.

The embattled former minister would be arraigned for trial for the first time, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday.

Details shortly…