Dear KFBers, we bring you loads of interesting stories on our major headlines you missed today feature! Please enjoy below... Ni...
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Dear KFBers, we bring you loads of interesting stories on our major headlines you missed today feature! Please enjoy below...
Nigeria draw Cameroon 1-1 in YaoundeThe Super Eagles on Monday played a 1-1 draw with the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon at the Stade Omnispirts Ahmadu Ahidjo in Yaounde.
The Nigerians were rewarded with a goal in the 30th minute after an Odion Ighalo’s shot was cleared to Belgium-based Moses Simon who put the ball behind goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa.
The Cameroonians equalised from the spot following a reckless challenge by goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa on Djoum Arnaud.
Vincent Aboubakar slots the ball calmly into the net as Ezenwa runs the wrong way.
The Super Eagles were the better team when both sides clashed last Friday in Uyo; winning 4-0 at the Nest of Champions.
Nigeria tops Group B with 10 points ahead of second-placed Zambia which has 4 points but with a game in hand, Cameroon are third with three points while Algeria stay at the bottom with just a point and a game still unplayed.
23 Universities Adopt JAMB's 120 Cut-Off Mark
At least 23 Nigerian universities have adopted the 120 cut-off mark recently introduced by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB.The universities, mostly private, are among the 168 universities in Nigeria whose cut-off marks were released in a document Premium Times obtained from JAMB on Friday.
The universities that adopted the 120 cut-off point include:Achievers University, Adeleke University, Caleb University, Fountain University, Caritas University, Novena University, Renaissance University, Ojiagu-agbani University, Evangel University, McPherson University, South Western University, Samuel Adegboyega University, Wellspring University, Western Delta University, Wesley University, Summit University, Edwin Clark University, Hezekiah University, Kings University, Arthur Javis University, Crown Hill University, Clifford University and Coal City University.
EFCC: Ibori Fighting Hard To Stall Confiscation Of His Assets
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says James Ibori, former governor of Delta state, is “fighting tooth and nail” to stall the confiscation of his assets in the United Kingdom.In 2012, a UK court convicted Ibori of money laundering, with most of his property in the country risking confiscation. He, however, appealed the conviction.
In the latest edition of its monthly media publication, EFCC ALERT, the anti-graft agency said Ibori is on a “campaign of calumny” targeted at UK police officers in retaliation of his conviction.
The report, written by Segun Adeoye, an assistant editor of the publication, also accused him of employing media propaganda to paint himself as “a victim of persecution”.
“One of such, published on financialwatchngr.com, November 28, 2016, claimed that the UK had opened ‘fresh investigation of corrupt policemen involved’ in Ibori’s trial. The report credited to a statement by Tony Eluemunor, Ibori’s media aide, had posited that ‘the latest investigation’ was by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC),” Adeoye wrote.
“Investigations, however, indicate that there was in fact, no such ‘fresh investigation’ and the IPCC was not investigating anything new. Interaction with one of the officers involved in the investigation and prosecution of Ibori, indicates that no such notices, as claimed in the Eluemunor statement, was served on the officers.
“The report overreached its propaganda agenda, referring to the officers as being ‘on active duty while the investigation continued’, when in fact, the reverse was the case as they had long retired from the Police. Matthew Hurding-Jones, who was listed among the officers erroneously reported as being investigated, had changed his name three years before the publication of the report.”
Adeoye said allegations of bribery and corruption on part of police officers who investigated Ibori, were dismissed in July, 2014 by an appeal court.
“The court ruled that the allegation that Risc Management Limited (RML), a company of private investigators gave bribes to officers in the course of investigation, in exchange of ‘privileged information’, was ‘a very grave one’, but “such allegation has in fact already in substance being investigated and rejected,” Adeoye wrote.
“Moreover, investigation proved the allegation of payment of £20,000 as bribe to police officers to be false. It was established that £11,500 supposedly invoiced by RML was never paid. The remainder was paid to an operative of RML for travel expenses. None ever went into the pocket of any of the officers that investigated Ibori.”
The report accused the Ibori media team of “fighting dirty” to the end, citing when in May, the team claimed “legal victory” for Ibori, and portraying him as a “victim of persecution”.
Adeoye said a report by the Ibori media team said Ibori secured ‘victory’ against the UK government, and that ‘Ibori’s human rights had been violated’ by Amber Rudd, the UK Home Secretary.
“No doubt, the ‘other side of the news,” he wrote.
“In actual fact, Rudd had tried to keep Ibori in the UK so that his confiscation hearing could be dealt with. A trial judge had rejected Ibori’s claim for £4,000 in damages, and instead awarded “nominal damages” of £1 for his being kept in custody for an extra 42 hours.
“The decision to keep Ibori in immigration detention, the judge opined, was probably because of millions of pounds authorities were yet to recover from him, as against a violation of Ibori’s rights as alluded to by the report.
“Apparently, Ibori, seems a wounded lion fighting tooth and nail to stall confiscation of his assets in the UK, even as he awaits the hearing of the appeal, which is understood comes up in November.”
The Kogi State Government has confirmed a new case of lassa fever in the state. The carrier was discovered at the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
The head of clinical services at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Dr Jones Taiwo who confirmed the incident explained that a sample test was carried out on the patient who came from Owo in Ondo State and it showed positive of lassa fever.
According to Dr Taiwo, the patient was transferred to Irrua specialist hospital in Edo State for further tests to ascertain if the disease was actually lassa fever, but unfortunately, the patient was confirmed to be carrying the disease.
The government is now working towards tracing all those who might have had contact with the patient, to curtail the spread of the disease.
Resident doctors across Nigeria have commenced a nationwide indefinite strike. The doctors resolved to proceed on the strike after a meeting of its national leadership that ended in the early hours of this morning.
In a brief statement, the President of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, Onyebueze John, said, “Rising from our NEC meeting, which started by 7pm yesterday and ended 3am today. NARD has resolved to reject the promissory offer from Government, and proceed on total and indefinite strike action until all items in her demand list for strike action are resolved by Government.”
Lagos Policemen Collect N50K For Bail, Seize Phone Over N20K Balance
Policemen attached to the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cultism Squad of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Lagos State Police Command, have been accused of collecting N50,000 before granting bail to one Blessing Taiwo, who was arrested for alleged theft.Although the suspect was released on Saturday after the money was paid, the police allegedly seized her mobile phone pending when a balance of N20,000 would be paid on Tuesday.
Punch Metro learnt that the suspect’s sister, Florence Taiwo, who always took food to her in the cell, was allegedly molested by the policemen who touched breasts and dipped hands into her private parts before allowing her to take the food into the cell.
Punch correspondent gathered that Blessing, a mother of two, had been arrested on Monday after her boss, Mrs. Abiola Osagie, accused her of stealing $50,000 while the latter was away on a trip.
After spending three days in the cell and the intervention of the Office of the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer and an Assistant Commissioner of Police, the suspect was released on bail.
However, a demand of N2m was allegedly made, which was negotiated to N70,000.
“After we paid them N50,000, the police didn’t release her (Blessing) phone. They said we should bring the remaining on Tuesday when her phone would be released,” a family member told Punch correspondent.
On how the matter started, Blessing said she had been working as the office administrator and assistant to Osagie for the past eight years in an international investment and equity firm, AfricInvest.
Blessing said, “The office cleaner was sacked more than a year ago and since then, a new cleaner had not been employed. I have been the one cleaning the office; washing the toilet and doing other menial duties.
“During the quarterly appraisal, I raised issues about the general cleaning of the office and suggested we get somebody to do it. After she travelled, I asked her driver to do the job for a fee of N10,000. I decided to give the job to him to save cost.
“However, on the last day of the cleaning, I observed the man messed up the chemical for the cleaning of the floor and I got a man to assist with the clean up.
“She returned from her trip on Thursday, and by Friday, she came to the office. I gave her feedback about the cleaning. I told her I invited four people from outside to do the job. I didn’t tell her that her driver did the job because if she knew, she would have asked why I paid him any money.”
Blessing said she, however, received a call by 8.30pm on Monday, as Osagie asked her to get to work early on Tuesday over an issue.
“When I got there, she said I should get a ladder and climb to a particular cabinet. I thought she wanted me to bring down some files.
“However, I found a black bag and she asked me to bring it down. She said she left $50,000 in the bag, among other currencies, and I told her that nobody took anything from the place because I was careful,” she added.
Policemen from the Ikoyi division were said to have been invited to the firm, who interrogated the suspect.
Blessing, 43, said she informed the police that the driver and another man were involved in the cleaning and she supervised them.
The driver, however, reportedly told the police that the bag in question had been taken home by Osagie on Monday.
He allegedly said he noticed that the bag was heavy, adding that he did not know the content.
A security man on the premises, who was also interviewed, allegedly told operatives that Osagie was seen returning to the office alone late on the same night with the bag.
Punch Metro learnt that operatives searched the home of Blessing and checked her bank account balance without finding any money.
The Divisional Police Officer allegedly said there was no evidence linking Blessing with the incident, but the complainant allegedly insisted that she was culpable.
The matter was subsequently transferred to the SCIID, Yaba, from where it was referred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cultism Squad headed by CSP Akinade Adejobi.
The suspect’s sister, Folake, said, “The police at Ikoyi told her that they didn’t find any evidence of stealing. But she (Osagie) insisted that my sister took the money.
“The case was transferred to the SCIID, Yaba, on Wednesday, from where it was referred to Hogan Bassey Crescent. My sister was detained that night and we were asked to return the following day.
“During the interrogation, the driver, who agreed to cleaning the office and collecting N10,000 said he assisted the woman to carry the bag into the car the night preceding when she declared the money missing. She didn’t deny it.
“The other cleaner said he didn’t spend more than 20 minutes on the premises and he assisted in mixing the chemical. When it was my sister’s turn to talk, she (Osagie) asked her to keep quiet and she should only respond to questioning.”
She said after the intervention of the Lagos police PRO and the ACP, Adejobi agreed to give the suspect bail.
Another member of the family, Florence, said she had yet to recover from the harassment she suffered at the police formation while taking food to Blessing in the cell.
She also alleged that her sister was subjected to inhuman treatment.
She said, “The stench in that station was horrible and I later realised that it came from my sister’s cell, where a mentally deranged woman was being held for alleged ritual dealings.
“I personally went through hell. Any time I was going to give her food, they would collect a bribe of N1,000 to allow me in.
“When I get in, the policemen will start touching my body, including putting hands in my private parts.
“There is a particular one that has been harassing me with calls and asking me to date him. The policemen there are not normal; they wear earrings in their tongues, ears and nostrils.”
Punch Metro obtained a petition on the case by the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria, calling on the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi, to investigate the matter.
The group said not only did Adejobi detain Blessing for three days, which violated her rights, he also collected N50,000 for bail as against the police ethos of ‘bail is free.’
It said, “In the first place, a case of stealing ought not to be taken to or investigated by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit… And the OC decided to do the complainant’s illegal biddings, which the DPO at Ikoyi professionally refused to do.
“NOPRIN is shocked at the impunity with which the OC Anti-Kidnapping assumed the role of investigator, prosecutor and executioner. He has shown obvious interest and bias in this case. The conduct of the OC manifests notoriety for corruption and abuse of police power. He is also a bad influence on other officers under him.
“Police officers who sexually abuse female detainees or women who come in contact with them should not be allowed to remain in the police force. It is an egregious abuse that should be treated with great seriousness.”
The group called for investigations into the incident and alleged acts of misconduct and infractions of the law by the OC and some officers under him.
The complainant, Osagie, said she had nothing to gain from wrongly accusing Blessing.
“The fact is that there was money in that bag and today, there is no money. It is a mystery that has to be unravelled. I have gone through a stress in a week that I haven’t gone through in my life. What is my benefit in that? That I want to get the money that I didn’t have, or expect Blessing to raise such funds?
The Lagos State police spokesperson, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the allegations had also been trending on the social media, saying the command would investigate them.
In a statement on Sunday, he said the Investigating Police Officer, Sergeant Kudeinbu Sheu, had been arrested and was being interrogated at the X-Squad.
He said, “The command wants to reassure members of the public that proper investigation will be carried out and the command will like to encourage the suspect, Blessing Taiwo, to come forward with relevant information to aid the police in the ongoing investigation.”
Patience Jonathan Dares EFCC, Recovers N2bn Hotel
Patience, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, has recovered her N2bn hotel which was sealed off by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in June, The Punch has learnt.In June, the EFCC placed the red inscriptions, ‘EFCC Under Investigation’ all over the hotel which is located near Setraco Construction Company, off the Mabushi Kado Expressway.
However, when Punch correspondent visited the five-storey building recently, the EFCC inscriptions had been covered with patches of grey paint.
When Punch correspondent knocked on the gate, three men who attended to him said they acted on the instruction of Mrs. Jonathan.
When asked if they had the right to enter the building, one of them said, “Go and ask the EFCC if they had the right to put their sign all over the building in the first place. If you want more information, go and ask madam.”
The spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said he did not know much about the seizure of the building and thus could not say if it had been returned to Patience or not.
He said, “I have spoken to the appropriate people but I was not able to get any answer on the matter.”
A source at the EFCC said it was wrong of Patience to have erased the EFCC inscription from the building.
He said, “Sometimes when we are investigating some politically exposed persons, they immediately begin to sell off their buildings in order to cover their tracks and run away with the cash so that is why we put EFCC signs on the buildings so that innocent people will not buy those buildings.
Ondo State Poly Lecturers Begin Strike
Lecturers at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo in Ondo State have commenced a strike over the refusal of the school management to pay their arrears.The lecturers, under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), are demanding the payment of arrears accruing over N1.7 billion.
The polytechnic lecturers in the school said they are owed ten months of arrears and that promises made by the authorities to resolve the matter have not been fulfilled.
They are also demanding the payment of sixteen months’ worth of Consolidated Polytechnic Salary Structure (CONPOCASS) allowance.
A source in the school said the union leaders have exhausted their strength in negotiations with the university authorities and were therefore left with no choice but to strike,
The source said the union leaders have also accused the management of the institution of being insensitive to the plight of the lecturers and staff members of the school.
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