In a bold move to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation in Jigawa State, the police have launched Operation ‘Safe Haven’, a comprehensive crackdown on sexual offenders.
As part of this operation, a 23-year-old Islamic school teacher, Yusuf Yunusa, has been arrested for allegedly sodomizing 12 of his students in Gwaram Local Government Area of the state.
According to the state Commissioner of Police, A.T. Abdullahi, “On July 11, 2024, at about 2100hrs, information was received at the Gwaram Divisional Police Headquarters that, on the same date at about 1400hrs, one Yusuf Yunusa, aged 23, of Gwaram town, a teacher of an Almajiri Islamic school, formed the habit of taking some of his pupils out to different locations and forcing them to massage his penis and suck it, in the process compels them to swallow his semen.”
The CP noted that the suspect had confessed to the commission of the crime and would soon be charged in court.
Read also: Senator Dickson kicks against Tinubu’s plans to tax banks’ foreign gains
He also highlighted the efforts of the police in tackling sexual abuse and exploitation in the state, stating that “from April to July 2024, we have arrested 25 armed robbers, six kidnappers, and 39 rapists, among others.”
The police said they also recovered various items from the suspects, including weapons, motorcycles, and stolen goods. The CP emphasized the commitment of the police to protecting residents of Jigawa State and ensuring that justice is served.
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Police arrests Islamic school teacher for allegedly sodomizing 12 students
Taxation lifeblood of any government, says Ondo gov
The Ondo State Government, in collaboration Joint Tax Board, on Wednesday, began training for some staff of revenue service departments of the six states of the South West on tax audit, investigation, compliance and enforcement.
The training was held in Akure, the state capital, and would take place for three days.
Declaring the training open, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, said the programme was a testament to the commitment of the state governments to enhance revenue generation through efficient tax administration.
He said, “Without mincing words, taxation is the lifeblood of any government, enabling us to fulfil our mandate of providing essential services and infrastructure for the welfare and development of our people. Today’s gathering is not merely a training but a testament to our commitment to enhancing revenue generation through efficient tax administration.
“This training comes at a pivotal time when the global economic landscape is evolving rapidly. As States, we must adapt and strengthen our tax audit, investigation, compliance, and enforcement capabilities to maintain fiscal stability and sustain development initiatives.”
In his remarks, the Secretary of the Joint Tax Board, Segun Adesokan, reiterated the JTB’s mandate to enforce tax compliance in Nigeria. He lauded the team’s efforts in positively shaping the tax landscape across the country.
According to him, the training aimed at enhancing the participants’ tax knowledge and equipping them with skills for effective revenue generation. He encouraged the trainees to collaborate during the sessions to maximize their learning experience.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service, Tolu Adegbie, said the gathering was a shared commitment to strengthening the tax audit, investigation, compliance, and enforcement practices, in a bid to ensure that “our revenue systems are robust, efficient, and equitable.”
“The training program is designed to foster knowledge exchange, promote best practices, and equip our tax administrators with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern tax compliance. It is through such initiatives that we can build a resilient tax administration framework that supports economic growth and social progress across the South-West states,” Adegbie stated.
Vigilante killed for stopping scavengers of contaminated frozen turkeys in Lagos
The Police Command in Lagos State says it has arrested two suspected hoodlums over the death of a vigilante member in the Epe area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.
Hundeyin said that the Epe Police Division got a report on Monday at about 4.30 p.m. that an Ibile Vigilante member, simply identified as Oluwafemi, 45, was attacked on Friday at about 2.00 p.m. by suspected hoodlums.
He said the hoodlums reportedly attacked the vigilante member at a refuse dump site, at Afero Village, Epe, while attempting to stop them from scavenging disposed contaminated frozen turkeys from the dump site.
According to the image maker, the vigilante member, who sustained injuries on parts of his body, was rushed to Epe General Hospital, where he was treated and discharged.
“However, on July 15, 2024, at about 2.30 p.m., his condition relapsed and he was taken back to the hospital.
“Doctors on duty battled to save his life, but unfortunately, he gave up the ghost. His corpse has been deposited at the mortuary.
“The two suspects have been arrested in addition to the 12 already handed over to the task force on a Saturday over scavenging contaminated turkeys.
“Investigation is ongoing,” he said.
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Nigeria records 22 cases of building collapse, 33 deaths in seven months – COREN
The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the regulatory body governing the practice of engineering has said that Nigeria recorded 22 building collapses between January to July 2024. The President of COREN, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar made this known at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja. The news conference is themed, ’’The Incessant
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Grieving mother recounts late son’s memories
A bereaved mother identified as Blessing Onovo recalls the fond memories of her late 15-year-old son, Chidera, who died after his school building collapsed last Friday, July 12, 2024, in Jos, Plateau State.
Chidera attended Saint Academy located in the Busa Buji community, Jos North Local Government Area of the state, with his younger sister, Chisom.
In an interview with the BBC, as reported on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the grieving mother recalled how her son, Chidera was caring for her and his siblings.
She said, “He saved up his lunch money to buy biscuits to share with his siblings and he was always the one who noticed my moods and would ask, ‘Mummy are you fine?’”
Chidera had found a passion in drawing, but unfortunately, the young boy who left home for school early Friday with his younger sister never returned.
His father, Chike, was “relieved” after Chidera’s sister was pulled out from under the rubble but at the same time, he wondered the whereabouts of his first child.
“I saw my daughter Chisom being dragged out. I was relieved, but I kept shouting ‘Where is Chidera, my son?’
“It took about an hour before an excavator came,” Chike lamented.
The boy’s body was later found in his classroom on the first floor, the BBC reports.
The school’s two-storey building collapsed at about 8:30 am, claiming 22 persons while about 154 were trapped under the rubble before they were evacuated to various hospitals.
The unfortunate incident happened while students and teachers were in their respective classes.
According to the investigative panel set up by the Federal Government, the physical observation of the building looked distressed as weak materials were used for the building.
Another parent, Victor Dennis, 43, lost his son, Emmanuel, to the incident. The boy’s lifeless body was found at a local morgue the next day, Saturday, July 13.
“My boy was a good boy. He didn’t deserve to die. They killed my son. He didn’t do anything wrong. He just went to school to learn,” Dennis stated.
The report noted that while Emmanuel was being buried, his mother remained “inconsolable” as she grieved her son’s death at home, adding that several people were involved in the rescue operation, and some others voluntarily donated blood across hospitals where the survivors were admitted.
In an interview by one of our correspondents, some of the survivors, while on their hospital beds, recounted that the building suddenly collapsed while they were having classes, stating that the loud noise that accompanied the collapse felt like the world had come to an end.
An SS1 student noted that a teacher shunned an observation raised by one of the students, saying, “I am an SS1 student. Our teacher was teaching us in the class, and he was writing on the board when the building suddenly collapsed on our heads. The noise was so loud, and it was as if the world was about to end. Everywhere was dark, and I did not know where I was as the debris covered me. I found it hard to breathe at all because the decking just covered me.
“Before the building collapsed, I heard one of the students telling a teacher that the building was shaking but he asked the student to shut up and enter the class. Shortly after sitting down, the building caved in.”
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had ordered the closure of the collapsed school and the arrest of artisanal miners operating around residential areas in the state.
The state government also declared a three-day mourning period following the sad incident.
Also, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa called for an immediate investigation into the building collapse, noting that anyone found culpable must be brought to justice.
Candidates highlight plans, strategies for law profession
Presidential candidates of the Nigerian Bar Association in its forthcoming elections have outlined their plans, visions and strategies aimed at enhancing the status of in-house counsel and lawyers in general while securing the association’s future.
They spoke on Wednesday via a communique from a virtual meeting organised by Kaizen Academy Ltd to enable in-house counsel to know the candidates better toward the forthcoming NBA elections scheduled for 20th July 20.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NBA is an association of over 140,000 lawyers in the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Partner at Law Crest LLP, Mr Tobenna Erojikwe, said that his manifesto hinged on driving the essence, ideology and personality of Nigerian lawyers.
Erojikwe said that, if elected, his two-year tenure would focus on protecting the integrity of the law profession and ensuring lawyers’ adherence to the rule of law.
He also pledged to remove restrictions for in-house counsel desiring to contest for NBA offices.
“Secondly, we will robustly go to the governance and administrative structures of the NBA, which I think are very dysfunctional, and revisit the outdated LPA.
“The NBA is an organisation that, if well-packaged and has the right reputation, can drive things,” he said.
He also pledged to enhance the empowerment of lawyers and widen their scopes of operation to shore up their contributions to Nigeria’s gross domestic product.
Erojikwe said that in-house counsel would have a place on the table, with every major structural organ of the NBA having an in-house counsel appointed to it.
“I speak as somebody who has worked both in the private and public sectors in England and Nigeria.
“I know that what most in-house counsel require from the NBA is a voice and access,” he said.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Senior Partner at Law Forte, Mazi Afam Osigwe, said it was important to engage more with in-house counsel to know their expectations and give them more sense of belonging.
Osigwe said that, if elected, his tenure would critically address the working conditions of the judiciary, work toward expanding the base and increasing the number of judges while advocating increased funding for the judiciary.
He called for a judicial system that would completely remove the human element in the process of case filing, management and allocation.
Osigwe said that his previous position as the Head of the NBA, Lagos Branch, gave him huge experience in leadership which he would deploy if elected NBA president.
“For me, leadership is about competence, vision, right values and also about managing complex relationships which I did at the Lagos branch, and it put me in a very good position to make a good president.
The SAN and Partner at ALN Nigeria, Mr Chukwuka Ikwuazom, said there was a need to elect an NBA president, a person with proven leadership ability, who would harness resources within the association to set the legal profession on the right trajectory.
Ikwuazom emphasised the importance of addressing corruption in the legal space and restoring the integrity of the profession.
He pledged support for the legal professional regulation bill that contained a proposal for legal practitioners’ privileges committees.
He also gave support for the recognition of distinguished general counsels who achieved success in the profession.
According to him, the NBA will make a proposal to institute a system of recognition for its colleagues who do not go to court and for that reason cannot become senior advocates.
“I want to be very clear that I am not opposed to a system that recognises professional excellence but I think it should be done in a way that respects everybody, recognising that people have different skills and different areas of expertise in the profession.
“When you look at my manifesto, you see that one of the priority areas I have identified in my manifesto is that the NBA, under my leadership, will focus on justice sector reform.
“The NBA under my leadership will push for enactment of the administration of the civil justice bill to address the dysfunctionality in the court system,” Ikwuazom added.
(NAN)
Senator Dickson kicks against Tinubu’s plans to tax banks’ foreign gains
Senator Seriake Dickson, the Senator representing Bayelsa West in the 10th National Assembly has kicked against plans by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tax foreign exchange proceeds realised by commercial banks nationwide in their financial statements for the purpose of funding strategic national projects.
A bill, Financial Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was initiated at the request of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly to meet clearly defined obligations of the federal government in the 2024 fiscal year.
Debating the amendment bills on Wednesday, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele explained the intent of the proposed finance legislation, noting that it was designed “to impose a one-time windfall tax on foreign gains realized by banks in their 2024 financial statements.”
The windfall tax, according to the senate leader, will be used to fund capital infrastructure development, education, and health care access as well as public welfare initiatives to give sound and solid footing to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
READ ALSO:Tinubu mandates Presidential Council to strengthen economy
However, in his argument, Dickson, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, opposed the bill arguing that the economy is currently too depressed to allow for more taxation.
He warned that the Senate should not pass the bill in a hurry to avoid pitfalls.
He recalled the backlash from the public over a bill he said was previously passed in a hurry, noting that legislators should avoid public ridicule in the handling of legislative activities.
Dickson said: “Let’s step down the taxation on banks for wider consultation. We cannot run our government by continuously taxing people and organisations. We should be cautious because we are managing a depressed economy, even the banks are still battling with recapitalization.”
By: Babajide Okeowo
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Delta health insurance scheme enrols over two million residents
The Delta Government said it has enrolled more than two million persons in its contributory health insurance scheme.
The Director-General, Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Dr Isaac Akpoveta, disclosed this when he received members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Wednesday in Asaba.
He said that the state government, through the scheme, augments the medical bills of more than two million persons registered under the scheme across the state.
He explained that “since we started operations in January 2017 till date, we have enrolled over 35 per cent of Delta residents into the scheme.
“I can tell you also that we cover the bills of over 300 Cesarean Sections (CS) monthly at the cost of over N500,000 but it has been a silent activity of the government that people are not aware of.
“The state government has continued to ensure that children under the age of 0-5 years old receive medical care at no cost under the scheme.”
He said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is passionate and committed to ensuring that vulnerable persons are protected.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondent Chapel, Mr Ifeanyi Olannye, lauded the state government for its commitment to providing quality healthcare at a subsidised cost to residents.
He said given the current economic realities of today, a fee of N7,000 for medical services for a year is gain to the enrollee.
He further lauded the extension of the enlistment of students of state-owned tertiary institutions into the scheme.
“Your passion to save lives and ensure healthy living among citizens of the state is in line with the M.O.R.E Agenda of Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration,” he added.
NAN
South Korea court recognises rights of same-sex couples
South Korea’s Supreme Court recognised new rights for same-sex couples Thursday, saying the state must provide health insurance for a gay man’s partner in a landmark ruling that left activists weeping for joy.
“National Health Insurance should recognise spousal insurance coverage for same-sex couples,” the court ruled, with activists breaking into cheers as the verdict was read out.
The verdict, which cannot be appealed as it comes from the country’s highest court, means common-law spouses of the same sex can now register as dependents on their partners’ health insurance.
“It is discrimination based on sexual orientation to exclude the couple just because they are same-sex,” the court ruled.
“It is a discriminatory act that violates human dignity and values, the right to pursue happiness, freedom of privacy, and the right to be equal before the law, and the degree of infringement is serious.”
The case was brought by a gay couple, So Seong-wook and Kim Yong-min, who live together and held a wedding ceremony in 2019.
It had no legal validity, however, as South Korea does not recognise same-sex marriage.
In 2021, So sued the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) because it terminated benefits for his partner — whom he had registered as a dependent — after discovering they were a gay couple.
In a landmark ruling last year, a Seoul High Court found in favour of the couple, mandating that the NHIS reinstate the dependent benefits.
The service, which grants spousal coverage benefits to common-law partners, appealed the decision, escalating the case to the Supreme Court.
• ‘Historic victory’ –
The Supreme Court ruling is a pivotal moment for the country’s LGBTQI community, and people holding rainbow umbrellas walked out of the court, wiping away tears of joy.
While the country does not recognise same-sex marriages, gay relationships are not criminalised. LGBTQ people tend to live largely under the radar.
Activists have long emphasised the need for legislation against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
A much-discussed anti-discrimination law has languished in the South Korean parliament for years, due to a lack of consensus among MPs.
Outside the court ahead of the verdict, anti-LGBTQI Christian organisations staged a protest, holding up banners saying “let us repent to the Lord”.
When the couple So Seong-wook and Kim Yong-min attempted to hold a press conference after the verdict, Christian activists disrupted it by speaking in tongues and shouting: “homosexuality is a sin!”.
Amnesty International said the ruling was “a historic victory for equality and human rights in South Korea”.
“The Court has taken a significant step towards dismantling systemic discrimination and ensuring inclusivity for all,” the rights group said in a statement.
“While this decision is a major milestone, the case itself is a sobering reminder of the lengthy judicial processes that same-sex couples must endure to secure basic rights that should be universally guaranteed.
“It is disheartening that in 2024, same-sex couples still face such significant barriers to equality.”
Tension in Gombe as kinsmen, others reject Maishanu, Mai Tangale paramount ruler
The Tangale community in Gombe State, is engulfed in tension following the rejection of Mallam Danladi Sanusi Maishanu as the Mai Tangale, the paramount traditional ruler.
The rejection came from various groups, including the Elders Forum, Community Development and Socio-Cultural Associations, and the Tangale Community Overseas.
The Tangale groups, in a joint press statement issued on Tuesday, claimed that Maishanu was not a true son of Tangale soil and thus cannot be their traditional ruler.
The statement, made available to newsmen and signed by Elder Tele K. Elsa (Secretary, Tangale Elders Forum), Mr. Reuben A. Bauna (Secretary, Tangale Community Development Association), Major B. S. Uba (rtd) (Secretary, Kwagam Tangle Socio-Cultural Association), and Mr. Lamela Umaru Lakorok (Secretary, Tangale Community Overseas), strongly refuted Maishanu’s legitimacy.
The statement reads, “It has become imperative at this point in time for the Tangale nation to make it known to the world that the person, Mal. Danladi Sanusi Maishanu is not a Tangale man; he does not carry Tangale blood in him.
“Therefore, he cannot be Mai Tangle, and the Tangale people will continue to reject him.”
The groups asserted that Maishanu’s biological parents were not of Tangale origin.
The Tangale representatives accused Governor Inuwa Yahaya of manipulating the selection process to impose Maishanu as the Mai Tangale, despite him not being a true Tangale man.
They alleged that Yahaya ignored critical background information and used government officials to ensure votes for Maishanu.
The statement also criticized the Governor for using Maishanu to disrupt the Tangale Community Development Association (TCDA) and installing a set of individuals as caretaker leaders of the socio-cultural body.
However, the Tangale people have continued to support the leadership of Mr. P. T. Gambo, who conducts General Assembly meetings with TCDA branches across Nigeria.
The Tangale community has called on the Gombe State Council of Chiefs, the State Security Service, and the Nigerian Police Force to stop recognizing and supporting Maishanu as the Mai Tangale.
They have demanded the removal of Maishanu from the palace, stating their preference for Dr. Musa Idris Maiyamba, whom they believe is the rightful heir to the throne based on their culture and traditions.
The groups warned that the situation had created significant tension and chaos within the Tangale community, and urged the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu, to intervene and press the Governor to respect the cultural heritage and wishes of the Tangale people.
“No one should make a mistake; Tangale people remain resolute and unshaken on this matter. We know our history; no one can rewrite it,” the statement concluded.
Tension in Gombe as kinsmen, others reject Maishanu, Mai Tangale paramount ruler
