Month: January 2024

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of new Executive Directors in for the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

 

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale on Thursday, explained that the two agencies are under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

 

The new Executive Directors for NPA are, Ms. Vivian C. Richard Edet, Executive Director, Finance & Administration, Engr. Olalekan Badmus, Executive Director, Marine & Operations and Engr. Ibrahim Abba Umar, Executive Director, Engineering & Technical Services (NPA)

 

The new Executive Directors for NIMASA, are Mr. Jibril Abba, Executive Director, Maritime Labour & Cabotage Services, Mr. Chudi Offodile, Executive Director, Finance & Administration and

Engr. Fatai Taye Adeyemi, Executive Director, Operations.

 

According to the statement, “The President approves these appointments with the firm belief, after studying their impressive profiles, that the new appointees will expeditiously and efficiently execute on their collective mandate to create the conditions required to significantly raise the contribution of the Marine & Blue Economy sector to the nation’s GDP while evolving the Nigerian economy into a labour-intensive and inclusive one that creates new opportunity for all Nigerians in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda, under the able guidance of the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, H.E. Adegboyega Oyetola.”

Popular Yoruba filmmaker and actor, Chief Adedeji Aderemi, popularly known as Olofa Ina is dead.

 

The 73-year-old actor, in his lifetime, was well known in the contemporary Yoruba theatre industry.

 

The news of his death was announced by fellow actor, Saidi Balogun, via his Instagram handle (@SaidiBalogun), on Thursday night.

 

He posted Olofa Ina’s picture with a caption “Goodnight legend Chief Deji Akinremi (Olofa Ina) RIP.

 

Meanwhile, the cause of his death as of the time of filing this report cannot be ascertained.

 

In June 2021, during the sexual assault case involving his colleague, Olanrewaju James alias Baba Ijesha, he had said the saga cannot lead to a division among theatre practitioners.

 

“It can’t cause a division.

 

The issue here is that the youngsters of today didn’t participate in associations, they met fortune on the ground.

 

“Those of us who suffered before we could earn a living in the business of theatre won’t want a division in our midst,” he said

.

 

 

By Flowerbudnews

Enugu: The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has decorated no fewer than
104 newly-promoted personnel in its Enugu State Command.

The newly-decorated personnel included: two Deputy Controllers of Corrections (DCC); three Assistant Controllers of Corrections (ACC) and other senior officers down to the rank of Inspectors.

Speaking before the decoration on Thursday in Enugu, the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Mr Nicholas Obiako, urged the newly-decorated to justify their promotion by rededicated themselves to excellent and diligent service.

Obiako appreciated the Minister of Interior, Dr Tunji Ojo and the Controller General of Corrections (C-G-C), Haliru Nababa, for the promotion of such a large number within NCoS Enugu State Command.

“Promotion comes from God Almighty. I call on anybody that missed his or her promotion to exercise little patience and by the grace of God within the next one year by this time, you will be smiling with your new ranks.

“For those newly-promoted and newly-decorated, it is a call to higher responsibility, hard work and commitment to the Service.

“Your elevation is not for you to oppress the junior ones or for you to insult your superiors. So, humble yourself before God and man.

“Congratulations and I wish you people the best and more promotions in the near future,” Obiako, who is also the Commander of NCoS Enugu State Command, said.

Responding, Mr Michael Okoh, newly-decorated Deputy Controller of Corrections (DCC), lauded the minister of interior, C-G-C and the state controller of corrections for finding them worthy for the promotion and subsequent decoration.

Okoh, who spoke on behalf of other decorated officers, pledged that they would redouble their efforts in all duties assigned to them.

“We are fully aware of the higher responsibilities that goes with this elevation and we are assuring the NCoS authorities that we will justify this elevation by putting in more hard work and commitment to the Service.

“I also thank our family members, friends and well wishers that grace this event; while leaving behind their busy schedules this festive season,” he said.(Flowerbudnews)

 

Abuja;  A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, gave Kano State government seven-day ultimatum to show cause why the ex-parte orders sought by the 44 local government areas (LGAs) of the state should not be granted.

Justice Donatus Okorowo gave the order, in a ruling, shortly after counsel for the plaintiffs and lawyers to the defendants presented their arguments for and against the application.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Okorowo had, on Dec. 28, 2023, declined to grant the application seeking to bar Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State from disbursing or spending funds and allocations belonging to the 44 LGGs.

The judge, rather, ordered the defendants to appear before him on Jan. 3 to show cause why the restraining orders should not be granted.

He equally granted the plaintiffs’ plea for an order of substituted service on the defendants.
NAN reports that the ex-parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1733/2023, was filed by the 44 LGAs and the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Kano State Chapter on Dec. 27, 2023.

In the suit, Kano State government, the Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the state’s Accountant-General were sued as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively
They had prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants/respondents from controling, managing, further administering, disbursing and spending the funds and allocations belonging to the 44 LGAs of Kano State in the Kano State Joint Local Account, pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiffs’ substantive suit.
Upon resumed hearing on Wednesday, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Ibrahim Nasarawa, informed the court that the matter was adjourned for the defendants to show cause why the interim orders should not be granted.
Nasarawa said the defendants were served in line with the court order but they had failed to file their processes to show cause within the three days prescribed by rule of the court.
The lawyer, therefore, prayed the court to grant the orders sought in their ex-parte motion in accordance with Order 26, Rule 11 of the FHC.
But Hafeez Matanmi, who appeared for the 1st and 2nd defendants, disagreed with Nasarawa’s submission.
He told the court that he was only briefed the previous day (Tuesday) by his clients and had filed a memorandum of conditional appearance today (Wednesday).
Matanmi, who said that Nasarawa was served with the application earlier in the morning, stated that he was yet to see all the plaintiffs’ processes in the matter
He argued that he could not have put up a defence in the case without seeing the processes filed, including the motion on notice and the orders.
He said there is no way he can show cause without seeing all the processes including the motion on notice as well as the orders.
Matanmi also argued that the rules of the court cited by Nasarawa did not specify the number of days to show cause, urging the court to adjourn the matter for them to respond accordingly.
Besides, he argued that even if he had three days to show cause, his clients were still within time to respond due to the public holidays.
3rd defendant’s lawyer, Okechukwu Edeze, aligned himself with Matanmi’s submission, while informing the court about his memorandum of conditional appearance.
Edeze, who said he was briefed about the case less than 24 hours ago, sought for an adjournment in the interest of fair hearing.
“I have not seen the processes of this court. Only God knows the truth,” Edaeze said.
But Nasarawa countered them, insisting that they had been duly served.
“If they chose not to (show cause), it is to their detriment,” Nasarawa said, urging the court to discountenance their arguments.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Okorowo held that though records showed that the defendants were duly served with the processes on Dec. 29, 2023, he agreed with defence counsel that the three-day timeframe outlined for the defendants to respond was affected by public holidays.
The judge also held that the memorandum of conditional appearance by the respondents suggested they planned to challenge the suit.
He said though Order 26, Rule 11 gave a time frame which should not be less than three days for defendants to respond, he observed that by Order 26, Rule 15 of the court, the court was empowered to either discharge the order or made order absolute or modify the earlier order made.
According to him, the provision gives the court the discretion to vary or extend the order.
Justice Okorowo consequently gave the defendants seven days to show cause why the ex-parte orders should not be granted.
He adjourned the matter until Jan. 11 for hearing of the matter.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

/ Flowerbudnews

 

 

Abuja (Flowerbudnews):  Members of Islamic Movement, also known as the Shi’ites, staged a peaceful rally on Wednesday in Abuja in solidarity with late Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian military officer, killed by the United States of America on January 3, 2020.

According to them, Soleimani made a substantial contribution to the establishment of peace and security in Iran as well as in numerous other countries.

They said during his lifetime, Soleimani defeated ISIS in Iraq and Syria by mobilising the Iraqi and Syrian people and forming a national army in these two countries.

“When Qasem Soleimani arrived in Baghdad, he blocked the path of the ISIS forces, forced them to retreat, and ultimately liberated Tikrit.

“At that point, the ISIS forces had reached the borders of Baghdad and were about to seize it, posing a serious threat to Iranian borders and causing crises by spreading atrocities in Iranian border provinces.

“After that, he travelled to Mosul, crossed into Syria from Iraq, and freed ISIS-occupied areas of Damascus.

“The former US President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, and he was attacked in Bagdad, Iraq,” Sheikh Sidi Munir Mainasara Sokoto said on behalf of the Islamic group

He said the attack led to the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and many others.

“After his assassination, the world condemned this atrocity.

“After the incidents, Javed Zarif said, “The US’ act of international terrorism, targeting and assassinating General Soleimani—the most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda, and others—is extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation.

“Numerous nations, including China, Russia, Syria, Iraq, and Turkey, condemned the assassination.

“Mark Kirk, a US senator, once stated during General Soleimani’s lifetime that “General Qasem Soleimani is everywhere and nowhere.

“We are out on the street today to commemorate the martyrdom of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and we will continue to honour them annually,” Sokoto said. (Flowerbudnews)

 

 

By Flowerbudnews

Enugu: The Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Mr Nicholas Obiako, says the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) focuses on sports for reformation, happiness and checking of vices among inmates.

 

Obiako said this on Wednesday at the finals of the month-long Chief Emeka Okoye Football Competition held at Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre in Enugu State.

 

He said that the sports reformation and rehabilitation marshaled out by the Controller-General of NCoS, Mr Haliru Nababa, was yielding great impact in keeping the inmates away from vices and trying to escape from the custodial centre.

According to him, the football competition is one of the recreational activities put together by the NCoS Command to see that the inmates work together and vent their anger and energy towards the positive pursuit of becoming champions.

 

“This yearly activity (football competition) makes them feel happy, make friends within a month or two months as well as make them think-less of planning evil.

 

“We also have plans to up activities and stage competitions in other sports such as table tennis, badminton, volleyball, Ludo and Chess, which will help inmates that have passion and talents for them to develop further.

“The constant engagement in these sporting activities and games will help their proficiency in them and prepare them to take up these sports as a career when they finish their service here,” he said.

 

Obiako, who is the Commander of NCoS Enugu State Command, said that football scouts, administrators and international officials are already penciling down talented football players among them to engage them once they serve their terms and are freed.

 

Speaking, Mr Sunday Oyakhire, Deputy Controller of Corrections in-charge of Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre, appreciated Controller-General of NCoS and the Controller of Corrections in the State for given sports reformation a strategic attention.

Oyakhire said that the competition was meant to enliven the spirits of the inmates and make them to be part of the ongoing festive mood, adding: “Notwithstanding being in corrections, they are also humans that want to enjoy the season”.

 

“The month-long competition is also a means to engage the inmates positively and keep everybody in the custodial centre relaxed as well as ensure that security is intact this season,” he said.

 

He, however, appealed to public-spirited individuals and philanthropists to invest in the reformation of the inmates through various sports by sponsoring sporting activities and competitions within the centre.

The competition, which kicked off on Dec. 11, 2023, had six teams which included; Controller of Corrections; Deputy Controller of Corrections; Emeka Okoye; CAPIO, NOWAS, and Freedom-at-Last Teams.

 

In the third-place match, NOWAS Team defeated CAPIO by 5 – 3 on penalty kick after 90 minutes of goalless draw by both teams.

 

In the final match, Emeka Okoye Team defeated Deputy Controller of Corrections Team 5 – 4 on penalty kick after 90 minutes of 1 – 1 draw by both teams.

The winning team, Emeka Okoye Team, went home with a giant trophy and N100,000 cash; while the runners up, Deputy Controller of Corrections Team, get a trophy and N60,000 and third place winner, NOWAS Team, grabbed N40,000.

 

There were monetary prizes for best player of the competition, best goalkeeper, highest goal scorer and best defensive player among others.( Flowerbudnews)