Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

Nigeria’s former chief of defence staff, Ibrahim Ogohi, has died.

 

According to his family, Ogohi died on Sunday morning in Abuja.

 

A prayer session will be held later today at the national mosque in the federal capital territory (FCT) before his burial. His family plans to travel to Okura-Lafia, his hometown in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, for the final rites.

 

Ogohi served as the chief of defence staff from 1999 to 2003, marking significant milestones in Nigerian military history. He was the first naval officer to attain a four-star rank and the first to become the chief of defence staff from the navy.

 

His military career began in 1968 when he joined the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA). He received extensive training in India, the UK, France, and the US. Ogohi’s early roles included watchkeeping duties on the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Enugu and later as a gunnery and navigation officer in Ibadan from 1972 to 1973.

 

1976, he became the laboratory officer at the naval armament depot in Kirikiri, and from 1977 to 1978, he served as an executive officer at NNS Akaso in Port Harcourt. His leadership roles continued as he became the commanding officer of NNS Eken in France in 1982 and the commanding officer of the NDA’s naval wing from 1986 to 1987.

 

Ogohi also held the position of director administrator at the NDA and later served as the chief of plans at naval headquarters. His career culminated with his role as the flag officer commanding the western naval command.

 

The nation mourns the loss of a distinguished military leader whose contributions to the Nigerian Navy and the country’s defense framework remain significant.

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso has barred the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye and kingmakers in Ogbomoso land led by Chief Sobalaje Otolorin from removing the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheik Teliat Yunus Ayilara.

 

The Daily Crucible reported on Friday that Muslim professionals had asked the Soun to immediately withdraw a query he issued the Chief Imam for travelling to Saudi Arabia for the recently concluded Hajj 2024 without getting clearance from him.

Not comfortable with the action, the Muslims in the town under the auspices of “Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum” also rose and dragged the traditional ruler and the kingmakers who are members of Soun-In-Council to court over planned removal of the Chief Imam.

 

The case with the suit number HOG/31/2024, filed before Justice K.B. Olawoyin at Oyo State High Court Ogbomoso Division, listed Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum as plaintiff, while the Soun and the Soun-In-Council were designated as the defendants.

 

The court, presided over by Justice Olawoyin, restrained the monarch and the Soun-In-Council from removing the Chief Imam.

 

It restrained the “defendants/respondents whether by themselves, their agents, privies, officers under their control, or any persons acting on the instruction of the defendants/respondents from suspending or removing the holder of office of Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land (in person of Alhaji Yunus Olusina Ayilara) or in anyway disturbing or tampering with the office of Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

 

The defendants/respondents and their agents, servants and/or privies and/or any persons acting under their control or on their instructions are also restrained in the interim from doing anything under any guise whatsoever to interfere with or impede the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land from carrying out the functions and duties of his office as Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land pending the hearing and determination of the Motion On Notice filed herein.

 

“I put on record that I have taken judicial notice of the full names of the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land as Alhaji Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara and that of the 1 defendant/respondent as His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye (Orumogege III), the Soun of Ogbomoso land.

 

“The hearing of the Motion on notice dated and filed 26/6/2024 is adjourned to 1/7/2024

 

The Federal Government has quietly begun implementing the recommendations of the Steve Oronsaye Report on the restructuring of government agencies and departments, over a decade after its submission.

 

According to Western Post, President Tinubu ordered the immediate execution of the report to reduce governance costs.

 

Recall that the president formed a committee, led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, three months ago to implement the report within 12 weeks.

 

It has now been confirmed that the committee has started the implementation process.

 

A memo signed by the SGF, directed to one of the ministers, mandated the immediate dissolution of certain firms, including the Nigerian Films and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), which will now be integrated as a department within the ministry instead of operating as a separate federal agency.

 

This directive was conveyed in a letter signed by George Akume on June 21.

 

The ministry has been instructed to complete the administrative and financial processes to wind down the NFVCB within three weeks and to report on the transition within the first month after it becomes a department of the ministry.

The memo read:

 

“Accordingly, the Ministry of Art, Culture & Creative Economy is hereby mandated to initiate all necessary administrative/ financial processes and procedures that will lead to the winding down of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board and subsequent scrapping for It to function as a Department in the Ministry within three weeks of the receipt of this communication.

 

“The scrapping feedback should be made to the undersigned within the first 30 days of being a Department under the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture & Creative Economy.”

 

The government also clarified that this restructuring will not lead to job losses among civil servants but is aimed at reducing governance costs under President Tinubu’s administration

yet-to-be-confirmed number of workers have been feared dead as a building at Nicholas Ukachukwu’s Praco Limited Estate located in Guzape, Abuja collapsed on Friday.

 

A source around the area said that a rescue operation was going on but had been hindered by heavy rainfall.

 

The source said, “Building collapse at Nicholas Ukachukwu’s Praco Ltd Estate in Plot 458 Guzape, Abuja. Workers feared dead, Ongoing rainfall hinders rescue.”

 

Providing a background, the source recalled that “Plot 458 GUZAPE is one of the 111 plots in Abuja illegally acquired by Nicholas Ukachukwu, an Anambra businessman whose Company, Praco Limited, is accused of conniving with civil servants in the FCDA to allocate more than 100 plots of land running into thousands of hectares to his company in what is regarded as one of Abuja’s largest land heists or grab

Providing a background, the source recalled that “Plot 458 GUZAPE is one of the 111 plots in Abuja illegally acquired by Nicholas Ukachukwu, an Anambra businessman whose Company, Praco Limited, is accused of conniving with civil servants in the FCDA to allocate more than 100 plots of land running into thousands of hectares to his company in what is regarded as one of Abuja’s largest land heists or grab

 

He added, “The lands were acquired without ministerial approval in July 2023, when there was no minister to have approved the land allocation.

 

“On assumption of office and following complaints from some of the original allottees of the land, the new Minster, Wike ordered the revocation of the illegally acquired plots.

 

“Construction work was stopped and demolition was carried out on one plot at the Sunrise area that Praco had entered and started construction.

 

“Nicholas Ukachukwu had at the time accused the minister of ordering the demolition because he is Igbo man, an assertion that was quickly debunked as blackmail by a man who has an odious reputation for sleazy land deals and racketeering in Abuja.

 

“Several of the people whose lands were revoked and awarded to Nicholas Ukachukwu are currently in court.

 

“Unfortunately, Ukachukwu continues to use his financial resources to frustrate the cases in court and bribe FCDA officials who have turned a blind an eye to his illegal construction on the plots revoked by the FCT Minister.

 

“Sources indicated that the FCT Minister is frustrated by the antics and connivance of civil servants in FCT in this scandal.”

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of eight new Federal Permanent Secretaries to fill in existing and impending vacancies in some states and geo-political zones in the top administrative cadre of the Civil Service of the Federation.

 

Special Adviser to the President on Media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement issued on Friday.

 

Tinubu said the new Federal Permanent Secretaries were appointed after a diligent selection process by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The President anticipates that the new Federal Permanent Secretaries will exercise absolute dedication, diligence, and fidelity to the nation in the discharge of their functions and ensure optimum service delivery to the Nigerian people.

 

The permanent secretaries include the following:

 

(1) Dr. Emanso Umobong Okop – Akwa-Ibom

 

(2) Obi Emeka Vitalis – Anambra

 

(3) Mahmood Fatima Sugra Tabi’a – Bauchi

 

(4) Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi – Jigawa

 

(5) Olusanya Olubunmi – Ondo

 

(6) Dr. Keshinro Maryam Ismaila – Zamfara

 

(7) Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma (South-East)

 

(8) Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmw

en (South-South

 

The Federal Government has announced a ban on single-use plastics in all its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

 

This decision, disclosed by the Minister of State for Environment, Adekunle Salako, followed the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.

 

Salako highlighted that this ban is a crucial element of the government’s broader strategy for plastic waste management, which aims to address the interconnected issues of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

 

The ban

“This initiative demonstrates our commitment to addressing the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution,” Salako stated, emphasising the severity of plastic pollution in Nigeria.

 

“Plastic waste is a major issue in our country,” Salako lamented, pointing out that plastic waste clogs drains, contributes to flooding, pollutes oceans, and poses significant risks to human health and the environment.

He emphasized that the ban on single-use plastics is aligned with the 2022 national policy on plastic waste management, which promotes responsible plastic usage through the principles of refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling.

 

The Minister stressed the importance of setting an example for the Nigerian populace.

The federal ministry of environment proposed, and the federal executive council approved the ban on the use of on-the-go plastics, what we know as single-use plastics, in all ministries, agencies, and departments of the federal governments,” he explained. “This is in line with the 2022 national policy on gas-to-waste management.”

 

The decision, which received enthusiastic support from all members of the FEC, including President Tinubu, aims to mitigate the environmental impact of plastic waste.

 

“Plastic is one of the key challenges that we face when we go to our drains. And when we talk about the issue of flooding, we find out that plastic waste is heavily criminalized,” Salako noted.

 

He added, “So for us to adequately and properly use all five principles of sustainability in terms of refusing, reducing, reusing, repurposing, and recycling, the council has approved that, with some framework being put in place, there will be no longer the use of single-use plastics in all ministries, departments, and agencies of governments.”

 

What you should know

This federal initiative follows closely on the heels of the Lagos State government’s ban on single-use plastics.

The Lagos State ban, announced earlier this year, was part of the state’s environmental policies aimed at reducing plastic waste and its detrimental effects on the environment.

The Lagos State government implemented the ban on single-use plastics as a response to the alarming levels of plastic waste that have plagued the state’s drainage systems and coastal areas.

By extending the ban to a national level, the federal government aims to replicate the policy and further protect Nigeria’s environment.

According to Salako, the ban is to serve as a leading example to the Nigerian populace to know that all citizens have to be environmentally responsible and use plastic waste responsibly

Dangote Refinery has reacted to reports of fire outbreak at its refinery in Lagos.

 

• The fire broke out this afternoon at a section of the refinery located near Lekki, Lagos.

In a statement by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, the fire incident occurred at one of the refinery’s effluent treatment plants and has since been contained.

 

 

He said there was no cause for alarm as the refinery is operating normally. He also explained that there was no case of injury or body harm to any staff of the refinery

The statement in full:

 

“We have swiftly contained a minor fire incident at our effluent treatment plant (ETP), today Wednesday 26th of June.

 

There is no cause for alarm as the refinery is operating and there is no recorded injury or body harm to any of our staff on duty.”