Headlines

Afe Babalola, Founder of ABUAD, criticized the Federal Government’s palliative distribution, saying it is creating a culture of dependency and poverty among Nigerians, turning them into beggars.

This was just as he declared support for The Patriots, led by former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, which recently pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, consider the enactment of a new constitution.

The legal icon, who spoke when the Prestige Sisters League visited him at the ABUAD campus, said that those protesting against hunger are doing so genuinely because everyone knows there is hunger in the country.

He said: “Those who are complaining about hunger are doing so sincerely. They are hungry. A hungry man can go to any length to show his anger. We do not need anybody to tell us that there is hunger in the country. The protest was genuine and government should listen to them.

“The duty of government is the welfare of the people. The problem we have now is that people cannot move freely. They have abandoned the farms. People are being killed in their farms and everybody wants to stay where they are safe. It is because the government has failed in this regard that we have hunger.

“It is wrong for government to be sharing garri, beans and rice as palliatives. They are turning the people to beggars. The government that is giving the people rice and beans is leading us to poverty. The government is discouraging people from working, whereas, the duty of government is to provide the people enabling environment for people to work and feed themselves.

Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Limited, a Chinese firm, has released one of the three Nigerian aircraft, an Airbus A330, detained in France, following a court order. This move allows President Bola Tinubu to attend a scheduled meeting.

The release of the presidential jet was a goodwill gesture from the company to the President, according to a statement issued by Zhongshan on Friday.

Nigeria’s authorities had notified the company that President Tinubu had a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and needed one of the presidential jets to attend.

Zhongshan emphasized that it has consistently sought to act reasonably and fairly in its legal dispute with Nigeria, which was not of its making.

The company stated that it lifted the seizure of the aircraft immediately as a gesture of goodwill, allowing it to be used for the President’s trip.

Zhongshan remains committed to talks with the Nigerian government to reach a reasonable compromise rapidly.

Earlier, the Federal Government had initiated legal steps to address the interim attachment of the three presidential aircraft in France.

Elon Musk’s Starlink is expanding its presence in Nigeria by building ground stations in Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers states to enhance internet connectivity.

The company has acquired approximately 29,000 acres of land in these states to establish the facilities, which will be constructed in partnership with Equinix, a leading data center solutions provider.

The ground stations will be located in Okun Ajah (Lagos), Sagamu (Ogun), and Port Harcourt (Rivers), strategically positioned to improve internet access in the region.

Construction has begun in Lagos and is expected to be completed by Q4 2024, with the other locations projected to be ready in 2025.

This significant investment underscores Starlink’s commitment to strengthening its global network and improving internet access in Nigeria.

An appellate court in the United States authorised Zhongshan, a Chinese company, to proceed with its efforts to confiscate Nigeria’s assets abroad after it rejected Nigeria’s sovereign immunity argument.

The decision made August 9, 2024, came after judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in Washington found that Nigeria had violated both the fundamental and commercial rights of executives at a Chinese firm that had entered into a trade zone agreement with Nigeria.

The latest development worsens a crisis that the Nigerian government has been attempting to manage in Europe and prevent from spilling to other jurisdictions.

A French court had earlier authorised the seizure of the three presidential jets due to the ongoing dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.

The Chinese workers of Zhongshan proceeded to the US court to retrieve an outstanding arbitration award for breach of contract after initially winning their case in the United Kingdom in 2021.

They were awarded $55.6 million in compensation from Nigeria and $75,000 in moral damages, along with interest and legal and arbitration fees, court filings said. The UK court said it was satisfied with the evidence submitted by the Chinese before awarding them nearly $60 million.

However, Nigeria argued before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington that its sovereign immunity forbade the matter from being entertained in a US court.

But the federal judge denied Nigeria’s argument, saying the country is a signatory to the New York Convention that allows arbitration between persons, which may include a sovereign entity.

Nigeria subsequently filed an interlocutory appeal in the matter on April 22, 2024, and two of the three-man panel decided that the matter should proceed because Nigeria had lost its immunity grounds when it joined Ogun in violating the contractual agreement.

The court stated that Nigeria can be held liable for the breach against the Chinese since Ogun is a federating unit of Nigeria.

“Whether the arbitration exception applies in this case therefore turns on whether a treaty—specifically, the New York Convention—governs the Final Award,” the majority, Patricia Millett and Michelle Childs, said. “We hold that it does because the Final Award arose from (1) a legal relationship, (2) that is considered as commercial, and (3) is between persons.”

The judges also concluded that “Zhongshan and Nigeria shared a legal relationship because Nigeria owed Zhongshan legal duties under the Investment Treaty.”

In a shocking incident, gunmen kidnapped over 20 medical and dental students, as well as a House Officer, while they were en route to a convention in Enugu State, Southeastern Nigeria.

The students, who were traveling together from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos, were ambushed by the gunmen in the Otukpo area of Benue State around 5:30 p.m.

They were headed to the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students (FECAMDS) annual convention when the incident occurred.

The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the kidnapping and launched an investigation, with spokesperson SP Catherine Anene stating that the report was received between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Details later …

The Enugu State government has given a 90-day ultimatum to Churches and Mosque in the state to: remove all outdoor loudspeakers and implement soundproofing measures within their premises.

This move aims to minimize noise pollution and maintain a more serene environment in the state.

The decision was made during a stakeholders’ meeting on Thursday, aimed at implementing the Enugu State Anti-Noise Pollution Policy.

The meeting, organised by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, brought together Christian and Muslim leaders, government officials, and media practitioners to address noise pollution in the state.

Recall that the Enough state government had in December 2023 as part of its urban renewal policy, directed all night clubs, beer parlours and other entertainment operators to mitigate their noise pollution in the capital city, particularly in residential areas.

However, in his address during the engagement, the Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, Hon. Uche Anya, lamented that his office has received over 1000 letters of complaints from around the state capital over noise pollution from different churches.

He said that noise pollution is the biggest challenge in Enugu state capital today and we cannot continue that way.

“We have received over 1000 petitions from across the state from residential neighbours complaining about their inability to sleep at nights because of the noise pollution emanating from the churches and business operations.

“We call you here to dialogue so that this Policy will be successfully implemented. Enugu State Government will need your active collaboration, support and full understanding to enable us place Enugu State in a position to effectively contain the challenges of urbanisation.

“We must ensure we eliminate noise in the state. We cannot allow any bar with free to air. If you must operate in a residential areas you must put acoustics to ensure that noise from your business and church does not affect your neighbours.”

Ikenga Ugochinyere, the member representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, has praised Speaker Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas for withdrawing the Counter Subversion Bill and related draft legislation.

The withdrawal of the bill, which prescribed a 10-year jail term and N5 million fine for refusing to recite the national anthem and pledge, came after widespread criticism from Nigerians and extensive consultations with stakeholders.

According to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Musa Krishi, the decision reflects the Speaker’s commitment to prioritizing peace and unity in the nation.

Ugochinyere, Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream, commended the Speaker’s decision, stating that it demonstrates a legislative agenda that listens to citizens and fosters unity.

He added that the withdrawal of the bill shows the Speaker’s commitment to ensuring the House remains the People’s House, working for the people who elected them.

Ugochinyere concluded by saying that the decision sets a benchmark for the 10th House of Representatives to respond to the yearnings of citizens and prioritize their needs.