Category Nigeria News

The House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee was given the opportunity to screen the Service Chiefs on Wednesday. Behind closed doors is expected to be the exercise.

The Hon. House Committee on Defence, the committee’s chairman, is in charge of the committee. Benson, Bajimi

Following the Senate’s confirmation, the service chiefs make an appearance before the House Committee.

Also read: Senate confirms nomination of service chiefs

The Senate confirmed Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as the chief of naval staff, Air Vice Marsha Kelvin Aneke as the chief of air staff, Major General Wahidi Shaibu as the chief of army staff, and Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede as the chief of defense staff.

Senators questioned the nominees on their plans to improve national security and reform the armed forces during a two-hour closed-door session that followed.

General Olufemi Oluyede was replaced as the Chief of Defence Staff by President Bola Tinubu last week, making changes to the structure of the service chiefs.

Following President Bola Tinubu’s earlier pardon earlier this month, the Federal Government declares it is committed to promoting justice and upholding human dignity.

Major General Mamman Vatsa (retd), Major General Mamman Vatsa (retd), and other 173 people were among the 173 people who were granted presidential pardon by Tinubu on October 9.

The Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, which recommended the clemency be granted to 175 people, is led by Lateef Fagbmi, the Federation’s attorney general.

Around 50 convicted traffickers of illegal substances, including cocaine, heroin, cannabis, tramadol, and Indian hemp, were included in the list. Many of the prisoners’ grievous crimes have only been imprisoned for a year.

Read more about Tinubu’s pardon, delists illegal drug users, and others.

Following the Council of State’s approval on October 9, the list sparked outrage in the general public.

However, Fagbemi stated in a statement on Wednesday that “the President received concerns about the recommended list and initiated a due process review in response.”

The President has finished and approved this exercise. The prerogative of mercy was exercised in order to ensure that only those who met specified legal and procedural requirements could use it.

I appoint the people to be patient and engaged throughout the process, and I can assure Nigerians that the government will continue to support a justice system that upholds human dignity while upholding social order and national security.

See the following statement in its entirety:

PRESS ELEASE

The execution of the release instruments comes to an end with the presidential prerogative of mercy exercise.

The President’s issuance of instruments granting pardons, clemencies, and reduced sentences is the official conclusion of the Presidential Prerogative of Mercy exercise, which is being attended by the Office of the Federation’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The President received concerns about the recommended list after consulting with the Council of State, and subsequently conducted a due process review. The President has finished and given his approval for this exercise. The prerogative of mercy was exercised in order to ensure that only those who met specified legal and procedural requirements could use it.

Few earlier recommended people were found to have failed to meet the necessary requirements during this final review, and they were consequently removed. In some other instances, sentences were reviewed and reduced to reflect fairness, justice, and the exercise’s spirit.

This exercise demonstrates the President’s desire for justice to be balanced with compassion and the conviction that justice must reform and redeem in addition to punish and reform. The review was conducted with a sincere commitment to the law, which reinforced the administration’s wider commitment to humane correctional practices and justice reform in accordance with international standards.

The President has ordered the relocation of the Presidential Advisory Committee’s Prerogative of Mercy Secretariat from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties to the Federal Ministry of Justice in order to ensure that future exercises meet public expectations and best practices.

The President has also mandated that the Federation’s Attorney-General publish appropriate guidelines for the exercise of the prerogative of mercy, including mandatory consultation with relevant prosecuting bodies.

Only those who successfully fulfill the legal and procedural requirements will profit from the issuance of releases’ instruments in the future.

I apologise to the people of Nigeria for their patience and constructive engagement throughout the process, and for continuing to support the government’s commitment to upholding human dignity while upholding social order and national security.

Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN),

Justice Minister and Federation Attorney General.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) members staged a walkout during a session with the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Examination Bodies, which sparked a little drama at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Due to the absence of the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Mufutau Bello, the director, was contacted to represent him.

Bello’s argument that the documents he intended to present contained sensitive information sparked a row in the meeting room.

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The Committee, however, objected, insisting that its proceedings were open and that it had the right to choose how its sessions were conducted under the constitution.

The JAMB representative took a dramatic turn, revealing his resentment, ordered his team to leave, and left the session, causing stunned lawmakers to follow.

The Committee ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to arrest the JAMB officials, but they had already left the building.

The Committee has now given the Registrar until Tuesday of next week to show up in person with his management team and present all requested documents.

Ola Olukoyede, the executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has given a fraud victim named Daniel Babatunde Attiogbe three properties, two exotic cars, and the sum of N1.1 million that the Ibadan Zonal Directorate’s Advance Fee Fraud Section has recovered as proceeds of crime from a fake spiritualist and advance fee fraudster, Fatai Olalere Alli.

The three properties are a five-bedroom duplex with a three-bedroom bungalow located in Kasumu village in Odo-ona, Elewe, Ibadan, a two-bedroom bungalow, a two-bedroom apartment building on plot 182, block D, Lapiti layout, Akanran road, Amuko, Ibadan, and a three-bedroom bungalow located at Idi Ayunre village, Oluyole local government area, Ibadan, according to a release

A Toyota Corolla Saloon with Chassis No. 2HKY18414H621545 and LND 696 CK are the other vehicles. 2T1BU40E49C142502.

In a brief reception held in the Directorate’s Conference Hall, the Ibadan Acting Zonal Director and Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE 1 Hauwa Garba Ringim, made the presentation on behalf of the Executive Chairman.

Rear Admiral Abbas’s Navy will invest more technology and drones to combat maritime crime.

Olukoyede said the recoveries are released to the victim as the court had requested while handing over the property and paperwork to Attiogbe, &nbsp.

As a federal agency, we are aware of the importance of obeying court orders, which is what we are doing right now. This demonstrates that the EFCC’s activities fall under the purview of the law. This also serves to reassure Nigerians about the Commission’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

“I want to assure you that the EFCC will continue to fight economic and financial crimes head on and make no mistake about it,” he said. “I want to assure you that any dishonest person who besmirches the country through their actions will be punished.”

Attiogbe thanked the EFCC for its unwavering support and diligence in the fight against economic and financial crimes as well as the professionalism and integrity that officers of the Commission displayed in carrying out their official duties after receiving the “Letter of Release” and the property documents.

Sincerely, I want to thank the EFCC for its unwavering support of the fight against corruption, particularly the Ibadan Zonal Office. He said, “But the EFCC revived my hope after I submitted my petition, and we are now at a position where I almost gave up.”

Following Justice Uche Agomoh’s final forfeiture order from the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, the recoveries were handed over to the victim. In a fraud case that began in 2019, Alli was found guilty of conspiring with his syndicate and dishonesting the victim of his legitimate income of more than N200 million under the pretext of performing spiritual cleansing to prevent and erase visions of the victim’s untimely death. The verdict was delivered on November 13, 2024.

Alli initially faced a thirty-three-count charge at the start of the case, but the trial eventually changed to a one-count charge.

Rear Admiral I. Abbas, the commander of the Naval Staff, has pledged to use cutting-edge technology in naval operations.

Also read: Gen Shaibu’s ruling over the Nigerian Army’s service chiefs:

Abbas made the statement while responding to questions from the Senate on Wednesday during his hearing on how drone surveillance and other technologies can help reduce maritime crimes.

“We will use drones, along with more technology, to combat maritime crime.

“Boats are currently wasting a lot of resources fueling remote areas,” the statement goes. He said, “Technology will enable us to respond more quickly and effectively.”

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, questioned the necessity of creating a coast guard.

However, the new naval chief argued that creating a new agency would result in duplicate work.

The Nigerian Navy already serves those duties, so we don’t need a separate coast guard.

“Effective efforts would be duplicated by creating another agency. He claimed that it is preferable to use those funds to boost naval operations.

Abbas described the persistent issue of oil theft as a challenge largely confined to remote, accessible areas.

“The theft may seem minor at first, but it grows significant as it gets accumulated.

The senior military officer continued, “We’re exploring drone technology to monitor and remediate these leaks.”

He also spoke out against the deradicalization of repentant criminals, agreeing with the Chief of Army Staff regarding the potential benefits but recognizing the emotional strain it places on victims’ families.

The Chief of Naval Staff-designate made a conclusion to his remarks by emphasising the need for greater coordination between the armed forces and other security organizations.

Abbas was one of the new service chiefs Bola Tinubu appointed last week.

Major General Waidi Shaibu, the commander of the Army’s (COAS), has pledged to fight the terrorist organization that is wreaking havoc in some parts of northern Japan.

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At his screening by the Senate on Wednesday, Shaibu, who was just appointed by President Bola Tinubu, made the statement.

He cited his military career and fieldwork, highlighting his significant role as a commanding officer in Borno State’s counterinsurgency operations.

He told the lawmakers, “We defeated Boko Haram insurgents in 2015, and a sizable number of terrorists gave up during my rule.”

He continued, “We used technology to improve operations, and for the past five years, I have actively participated in missions that have resulted in the destruction of many terrorist elements.”

“Security Not Cheap”

He added that the Nigerian Army would give priority to the welfare of its soldiers and enhance career advancement over the long term.

“The Army will approach Lakurawa, a new bandit organization with all seriousness.” A whole-of-society perspective is required.

Although security is not inexpensive, he said, “We will ensure effective management of available resources.”

Senators asked Shaibu to take a bow and depart (temporarily) as the screening of the film continued.

One of the new service chiefs that President Bola Tinubu has appointed is Shaibu.

Rear Admiral I. Abbas has been appointed as the new Chief of Naval Staff, while Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has been appointed as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and Air Vice Marshall S. K. Aneke has taken over as the Chief of Air Staff.