Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) says it has made significant progress in efforts to address outstanding pension liabilities under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

 

Towards this end, the commission is collaborating with key stakeholders to clear all accrued pension rights and implement solutions to resolve issues of inadequate funding and delays in fund releases.

 

Ms. Omolola Oloworaran, Acting Director-General of PenCom, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos during the Workshop on the Online Enrolment Application for Pension Desk Officers of Federal Government Treasury-Funded Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), for September/October 2024.

 

Oloworaran said that while delays in the release of funds have hindered timely payment of retirees’ accrued rights, efforts are underway to rectify the situation.

Our correspondent gathered that since March 2023, the federal government has not disbursed pension rights to retirees from its MDAs.

 

The ongoing workshop marks the start of preparations for the 2024 Online Enrolment Exercise, which will begin on October 7, 2024, pointing out that the exercise aims to collect accurate data on prospective retirees to facilitate budgetary provisions by the federal government.

 

The workshop also serves as a training platform for Pension Desk Officers (PDOs) to familiarize themselves with the new Enrolment Application, designed to streamline the registration, verification, and enrolment processes,she added.

 

She said PenCom has automated this process since 2021, introducing a comprehensive application with modules for different stakeholders.

 

Oloworaran emphasized the importance of these workshops for enhancing the skills of PDOs and addressing any challenges encountered in previous enrolment cycles.

 

She assured that PenCom is aware of occasional technical issues, assuring that it is working on developing a new Enrolment Application to improve user experience.

 

The Acting Director-General expressed confidence that these initiatives would contribute to better service delivery in the pension sector and assured ongoing collaboration with PDOs for a successful enrolment exercise and thanked participants and wished them a productive workshop.

At least 35 people have died in a road accident that occurred near Samunaka in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

 

The victims, who were Muslims travelling to celebrate Maulud, were said to be on board a J5 bus that collided head-on with an articulated vehicle.

 

One of the organizers of the Maulud celebration, Malam Abdullahi, said the accident has disrupted their plans.

 

“We had around 70 people, including women and children, in our entourage. I personally counted the victims. It was a heartbreaking scene,” he said.

 

According to him, the injured, numbering over 35, have been taken to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in nearby Plateau State for medical treatment.

 

Additionally, another vehicle in their convoy was involved in a separate accident with a motorcycle, resulting in fatalities and various injuries.

 

The authorities have yet to release an official statement on the incident.

 

The accident has cast a shadow over the Maulud celebrations in Kaduna State, leaving the community in mourning.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) says it doesn’t make sense for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to sell petrol lifted from the Dangote Refinery higher than imported ones.

 

This was disclosed by the IPMAN National Welfare Officer, John Kekeocha on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief breakfast programme on Monday.

 

He said, “If NNPC can sell Dangote products higher than the imported products then it doesn’t make sense. What is the celebration we are having all these while then?”

 

The NNPCL began loading the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery on Sunday, saying it got petrol at N898 per litre from the private refinery.

 

Before lifting petrol from the Dangote Refinery on Sunday, NNPCL retail outlets in Lagos sell petrol for around N855 but said a litre of Dangote petrol now sell for N950 per litre in Lagos and N1,019 in Borno.

 

However, Dangote Refinery denied selling petrol to the NNPCL at N898. A spokesman for the refinery Anthony Chiejina in a statement late Sunday described the claim by the NNPCL as “misleading and mischievous”.

 

It should also be noted that we sold the products to NNPCL in dollars with a lot of savings against what they are currently importing. With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature,” Chiejina said.

NNPCL insisted that it got petrol from Dangote Refinery at N898 per litre and challenged the latter to release the price it sold petrol. The NNPCL further released a breakdown of pricing it sell Dangote petrol at its filling stations across the country.

 

Last December, Dangote commenced operations at his $20bn facility sited in Lagos with 350,000 barrels a day

 

Vincent Ujumadu

 

Gunmen launched a deadly attack on the Umunze Police Station in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday, killing two policemen on duty.

The incident occurred just two weeks after hoodlums bombed the Divisional Police Station in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area.

 

Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers used improvised explosives and opened fire, setting a section of the station ablaze. The two slain officers were attempting to resist the attackers when they were gunned down.

 

Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident and stated that the bodies of the deceased officers had been recovered and taken to the mortuary.

 

“A joint security force has been deployed to track down the perpetrators,” Ikenga said. “Five unexploded improvised explosives were recovered from the scene.”

 

Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, visited the scene for a spot assessment and reassessment of security deployment. He appealed to the public to come forward with any information that could aid the investigation, promising utmost confidentiality.

 

This incident marks the second major attack on a police facility in Anambra State within a fortnight, raising concerns about escalating violence and insecurity in the region.

 

Reacting to the attack, House of Representatives member Princess Chinwe Nnabuife described it as “senseless” and expressed condolences to the families of the slain officers.

 

“My office is working tirelessly with relevant federal government security agencies to address the security challenges facing Umunze and Orumba,” Nnabuife said. “We are committed to ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice and measures are put in place to prevent future incidents.”

 

Nnabuife urged the community to remain calm and vigilant, and to cooperate with security agencies in their efforts to restore peace and order.

 

 

President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has arrived in Maiduguri to condole with the government and people of the state over the Alau Dam flood disaster.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Tinubu arrived around 3.15 pm.

Tinubu, who was received on arrival by Gov. Babagana Zulum, is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar-Garbai El-Kaneni, from where he is expected to proceed to one of the camps to address displaced persons.

 

NAN reports that the Monday flood which submerged almost half of Maiduguri city led to loss of lives and properties.

 

So far the Borno Government has opened 36 camps to cater for thousands of displaced persons.

 

Details later….

The Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has announced the commencement of the next phase of ITs 2023/2024 recruitment into the Federal…

The Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has announced the commencement of the next phase of ITs 2023/2024 recruitment into the Federal Fire Service (FFS).

 

The Secretary to the Board, Ja’afaru Ahmed, disclosed this in a statement made available to the media on Saturday.

The Civil Defence Correctional Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) wishes to inform the general public that the next phase of the Federal Fire Service (FFS) Recruitment Exercise will commence on the 15th of September, 2024 as shortlisted candidates will be sent invitation letters detailing where they are to appear for physical screening, certificate verification as well as aptitude test through the phone numbers and email addresses they provided during the process of registration.

 

“The Board wishes to state that every process of this exercise does not attract any form of payment,” the statement said.

 

The Board had earlier promised to conclude the recruitment process before the end of September 2024

The federal government has declared Monday, 16th September, 2024 as Public Holiday to mark the celebration of the Eid-ul-Mawlid, the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

 

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Muslim Ummah both at home and in the Diaspora on this occasion.

 

In a statement signed Friday in Abuja, by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Tunji-Ojo urged the Muslim Ummah and, by extension, Nigerians, to imbibe the spirit of patience, sacrifice, and resilience.

While congratulating the Muslim Ummah on the occasion, the Minister implored them to use the opportunity of the period to pray for enduring peace and a more prosperous egalitarian nation.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered that a traditional ruler in Osun, Taofeeq Osunmakinde, and four others should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre over alleged illegal gold mining.

Justice Emeka Nwite, who gave the order after the defendants were arraigned by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), directed them to be remanded pending the perfection of their bail conditions

Oba Osunmakinde were arraigned alongside Sheu Mustapha, Sabiru Hashim, Danbaba Ibrahim and Ade Olap Global Resources Limited.

 

The defendants, who were alleged to have committed the offence in Lege Community, Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, were preferred with two counts.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Oba Osunmakinde is the Obawore of Ifetuntun in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun.

 

The AGF accused the five defendants of conspiring with others at large on Aug. 25 to engage in the illegal mining of gold at the Ogunlepo mining site in Lege community, Odigbo local government area of Ondo State.

 

The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 2004 and punishable under Section 1(8) of the same Act.

 

The monarch and co-defendants were also alleged to have undertaken gold mining on Aug. 25 without lawful authority contrary to Section 1(8) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and punishable under the same Act.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

 

Counsel to the AGF, Toluwalope Ojo, then asked for a trial date.

 

Although lawyer Ojo did not object to the bail of the accused persons, he, however, requested the court to compel them to deposit their international passports with the court.

 

Lawyer to the defendants, Vincent Ododo, who moved consolidated bail applications for his clients, prayed the judge to admit them to bail on various grounds.

 

Part of the grounds he cited was that the 1st defendant was a well-known traditional ruler and that the charges against them did not carry capital punishment while also assuring that the defendants would not fail to appear in court for trial.

 

Justice Nwite, in a short ruling, admitted them to bail in the sum of N20 million each with one surety in the like sum.

 

The judge ordered that the sureties must be resident in Abuja with ownership of landed property and must produce a three-year tax clearance certificate.

 

He also ordered that the defendants must deposit their international passports along with three copies of each of their recent passport photographs with the deputy chief registrar of the court.

 

The Judge ordered that they be taken to the correctional facility pending their bail perfection.The matter was adjourned until Sept. 26 for tria

 

 

 

 

 

Miss Adenike Adeleke, popularly known as “Nikos Living,” a renowned YouTuber, blogger, and daughter of Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, recently, made a special appearance at the ongoing Orientation Course for the 2024 Batch B Stream II Corps Members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ede, Osun State.

Nikos Living, daughter of Osun State Governor Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, was warmly received by the State Coordinator M

Lr. Agbor Ndoma Obim and camp officials.

 

Mr. Obim expressed his deep appreciation to Governor Adeleke for fulfilling several infrastructural promises made to Brigadier General YD Ahmed on behalf of the NYSC in Osun State. However, he also took the opportunity to remind Miss Adenike of some outstanding promises, appealing for her assistance in conveying these to the Governor.

 

Miss Adenike, shared her inspirational journey with the Corps Members, detailing her personal struggles and the hard work and consistency that led to the success of her blog. She encouraged the Corps Members to stay resilient, reminding them that “it’s always darkest before the dawn.”

 

Her humility and ability to relate to the challenges faced by the Corps Members deeply resonated with the audience. Nikos also highlighted her family’s legacy of service and dedication to the community. As a gesture of goodwill, she pledged a donation of five cows and 40 bags of rice for the camp’s carnival, a contribution that was met with enthusiastic applause.

 

Her presence and support left a lasting impression on the Corps Members, inspiring them to remain steadfast in their service. Miss Adenike’s generosity and her authentic connection with others earned her widespread admiration and respect from all in attendance.

 

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