COZA RAPE ALLEGATION SCANDAL: TWO PERSONS ARRESTED AS HOODED SECURITY OPERATIVES STORM COZA

Two yet to be identified men have been taken into custody by security agents after they turned up at a planned protest outside the Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Abuja.

The church has come under nationwide interest since one of its members came out Friday to accuse Biodun Fatoyinbo, its lead preacher, of rape.

Busola Dakolo, the wife of the musician Timi, said she was raped by Mr Fatoyinbo at age 16 in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Mr Fatoyinbo has denied the allegations and threatened a lawsuit.

A large segment of Nigerians on social media dismissed the preacher’s explanation and stood in solidarity with Mrs Dakolo, now a mother of three.

The rape allegation led to a call for a protest at the COZA headquarters in Abuja.

Two of the male protesters were driven away in a black Mercedes Benz C200 saloon belonging to an unidentified security agency shortly before 8:00 a.m, according to witnesses.

Our correspondents has not been able to identify the agency responsible for the arrest. But two witnesses outside the church told disclosed that they were angry that security agencies had started clamping down on citizens even though the protest was yet to begin.

The protest was planned for 8:30 a.m. by social media organisers. The church started seeing  increase in security measure over the weekend.

As protesters began to arrive, more security personnel were also deployed at the church’s headquarters in Abuja’s Guzape neighbourhood.

At least 30 police officers were seen around the church. About 20 Civil Defence men were also seen scattered between the church’s junction on Murtala Muhammed Way and the church’s premises, a distance of about 1.2 kilometres.

Hooded men from the State Security Service (SSS) were also everywhere outside the church, a presence some of the protesters said was aimed at intimidating them.

Security personel seen standing at COZA premises

About a dozen soldiers also arrived at the church at about 8:40 a.m.

At the church’s entrance, security agents have joined church security officials to conduct a thorough search of visitors and members of the congregation who wanted to go inside the auditorium ahead of service commencement at 9:00 a.m.

Both men and women were asked to leave all their belongings outside. Only mobile phones and the Holy Bible were allowed inside, our correspondents observed.

Members of the congregation who decried the stringent measure as unnecessarily problematic.

“I have been attending this church since 2013 when we were still using the Thisday Dome in Jabi,” a female member said. “This is too much today.”

She, however, said the measure might be necessary to prevent Mr Fatoyinbo’s detractors from having their way.

“People have been trying to blackmail our pastor for a long time,” she told our corres.

But two protesters interviewed by newsmen ahead of the protest said they were here to demand accountability from Mr Fatoyinbo, who has faced at least two separate allegations of misconduct since 2013.

An NSCDC bus seen parked at the COZA premises

N30,000 NOT A LIVING WAGE — FEMI FALANA

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has said that the N30, 000 new National Minimum Wage approved for workers is not a living wage. Falana, a human rights activist, disclosed this while delivering his speech during the Trade Union Congress Conference in Abuja yesterday.

He said what section 16 of the constitution provides for is “A living minimum wage, the N30,000 new national minimum wage you will all agree with me is not a living minimum wage.” However, he commended the present administration for taking it up to increase that minimum wage from N18,000 to N30, 000. 

He said in order for the government to ensure that the new minimum wage is paid by state governments, they must sit down with labour to ensure that “the wealth of our country is not desecrated.” “All our governors now fly chattered air.

You can’t pay minimum wage if you have to chatter air. Therefore, I’m calling on the federal government to collaborate with the labour congress,” Falana added.

Meanwhile, the organized labour vowed to fight governors who fail to pay the new National Minimum Wage recently signed into law. The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, disclosed this at the Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Trade Union Congress in Abuja yesterday. He said governors who are unwilling to pay the new Minimum Wage should be ready for a stand-off with the NLC.

The organized labour commended the Jigawa State governor who expressed readiness to pay the minimum wage, while states such as Oyo said they can’t pay.

WOMAN STABS HER HUSBAND TO DEATH IN ANAMBRA (PHOTOS)

Makoduchukwu Ndubuisi

A 20-year-old woman, Makoduchukwu Ndubisi on Saturday reportedly stabbed her husband to death in Nsugbe, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The deceased, John Bosko Ngu, was allegedly stabbed on his chest by the wife with a sharp knife over a feud yet to be ascertained.

Late John Bosko Ngu

Confirming the incident, Police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed said the corpse of deceased had been deposited at a morgue.

He added that investigation had commenced.

He said, “At about 8am today, police detectives attached to 33 Police Station Onitsha arrested one Makoduchukwu Ndubisi , 20, of No 16 Donking Street Nsugbe in Anambra East LGA of Anambra State.

“Suspect allegedly had a scuffle with her husband, one John Bosko Ngu ,aged 35 years of the same address and stabbed him on his chest with a sharp knife.

“Scene was visited by police detectives and victim rushed to Boromeo Hospital Onitsha for medical attention but was certified dead on arrival by a medical doctor.

“Corpse was deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy; exhibit recovered and case is under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident.”

SENATE PRESIDENT LEADS FG DELEGATION TO AFCON 2019, WITH DALUNG , 9 OTHERS AS DELEGATION MEMBERS

President Muhammadu Buhari has picked the President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, as leader of the Federal Government delegation to the ongoing 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Egypt.

Also on the delegation are the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Governors Ifeanyi Okowa and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of Delta and Lagos respectively, are equally to be part of the delegation.

There are also the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Habu Gumel, and a Representative of the Presidency; Captain Hosa Okunbo.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Olusade Adesola, and Muhammad Gambo, the ministry’s Director of Facilities, are also members of the delegation.

A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, completes the 11-man list.

Members of the delegation are expected to arrive in Egypt next week, in time for the Super Eagles’ Round of 16 encounters.

(NAN)

GOV. WIKE CANCELS APPROVAL FOR ALL PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN RIVERS STATE

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike

Rivers state governor,  Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Friday cancelled operational approval given to all private schools in the state and directed them to seek fresh approval. Governor Wike stated that the application  for operational approval  must be done by all schools within the next two weeks.

The governor spoke at a meeting with all private school proprietors in Rivers state at the Government House, Port Harcourt today. “All the schools must apply for operational approval within the next two weeks. “We will set up committees that will  recommend  the approval of schools. 

All the schools  in the state must be up to the  required standard.” The governor said his second term is committed  to improving  the right standards in the education sector for the good of  Rivers people. “The governor’s office  will review all the approval of schools.  All the existing  approvals by the Ministry of Education have been cancelled. 

For this process,  there will be no room for bribery and corruption,” he said. On the issue of revenue paid by schools,  the Rivers State Governor said that all levies  must be paid  through  approved  designated bank  accounts. He said that anyone who  demands for cash payment should be reported to security agencies via designated phone lines.

He said the Office of  the Secretary to the Rivers State Government will publish  the telephone lines  that school  proprietors should contact in case they are pressured  to pay illegal levies.

SEN. AMOSUN HITS BACK AS CRITICISM MOUNTS; SAYS GEJ APPROVED, ABIODUN SUPPLIED WEAPONS, AMMUNITION

    Gov Biodun,  Amosun,    GEJ respectively 

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the immediate past governor of Ogun state, has stated that his government legitimately purchased the 13 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), 1000 units of AK 47 rifles, two million rounds of ammunition,1000 units of bullet proof vests and 500 bullet proof helmets and other security communication gadgets.

Amosun made the disclosure in a statement released by his spokesperson, Rotimi Durojaiye, on Thursday, June 27, Daily Trust reports.

Correspondence gathered that the former governor said his administration had received approval from the Office of the National Security Adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan.

He recalled that in 2012, his administration had committed “substantial funds” for the procurement of hard and software to combat the myriad of security challenges being faced by the state.

Amosun pointed out that in April 2012, the security gadgets were publicly handed over to the then IGP, Mohammed Abubakar.

He said it was the remainder of gadgets that had been handed over to the commissioner of police on May 28, but clarified that “Not a single AK 47 rifle was handed over at the event.”

Amosun added that Governor Dapo Abiodun, his successor and present governor of Ogun state, was the main supplier of some of the security assets, including the Armoured Personnel Carriers which he reportedly handed over to the police at the expiration of his tenure.

However, Abiodun, reacting through his chief press secretary, Abiodun Kunle Somorin, wondered why his name would be mentioned by his predecessor in what he referred to as an “arms scandal”.

He said: “I read of Armoured Personnel Carriers – vehicles, not arms or ammunition. Did he default in supplying according to the terms of the contract?

“What’s the motivation for bringing the governor’s name into the arms scandal? I consider it distracting or part of the grand plot to smear Dapo Abiodun.”

Meanwhile, it was previously reported that the allegation that the former governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, illegally imported massive weapons and ammunition into the country, was dismissed by the presidency.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said preliminary investigation by IGP Mohammed Adamu showed that there was no sinister motive in Amosun’s action.

BELEMA OIL PRODUCING LIMITED RECENT OPPORTUNITY – APPLY NOW!

Belema oil Producing Limited in Joint Venture with the NNPC, fully committed to the education of our Host Communities, hereby announce its annual scholarship program for 2019/2020 Academic Year. The scheme is for suitably qualified applicants from Belema oil Host Communities. Applications are invited for:

BELEMAOIL PRODUCING LIMITED JOINT VENTURE POST-PRIMARY SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMME 2019/2020

ELIGIBILITY FOR POST-PRIMARY AWARD

Applicants must be from the Belemaoil Host Communities and Operating Business Corridors

Applicants must submit Local Government Identification Letter

Applicants must have secured admission into a Public and Government recognized secondary school in the Country

Applicants must submit Reference Letter from the Principal of school along with at least JSS 1 first term result

Applicant Must Not be an employee or child/dependent of any employee of Belema oil Producing Limited

Applicant Must Not be a current beneficiary in any of Belema oil Empowerment Schemes.

BELEMAOIL BUSINESS CORRIDOR

> Kula Business Corridor (KBC):

• Kula Main

• Opu-Kula

• Boro

• Robertkin

• Boye-Ama

• Luckyland

> Oko Business Corridor (OBC):

• Belema & Others

• Offoin-ama

• Ngeje

• King Oko

> Penipeni– Idama Business Corridor (PIBC):

• Idama

• PeniPeni Ama

> Inda Business Corridor (IBC):

• Bonny

• Elem-Ifoko (Fouche & Ifoko)

> Jokka Business Corridor (JBC):

• Abuloma/Okujagu/Okuru Business Corridor (AOOBC)

• Abuloma

• Okujagu

• Okuru.

Interested and qualified candidates should download and fill the below “Application Form” Offline.

Completed forms should be e-mailed to: scholarships@belemaoil.com 

This form must be submitted with 2 recent passport photographs.

OR
Submit Application/completed forms through your “Host Community CDC/Interface” to: Nengi Elijah (08118898414); Or Mina Igonikon (08118898393).

Click here to Download Application Form (Ms Word)

Assemble and attach to this application the following documents:

Scholarship Application Form (Properly Filled with Passport Photograph at the top)

School Admission Letter

JSS 1 Result

Local Government Identification Letter

Letter of Identification (Signed by either Traditional Ruler, or Community Representative).

Click here for more Information

Belemaoil Producing Limited Joint Venture Undergraduate Scholarships Programme 2019/2020

Eligibility for Undergraduate Award

Applicants must be from one of Belemaoil Host Communities and Operating Business Corridors

Applicants must submit Local Government Identification Letter

Applicants must have secured admission into a recognized University within Nigeria with proof of the following documents (Admission Letter, Acceptance letter 1st year’s academic result, Academic reference letter from an appropriate authority not lower than the Dean of Students’ Affairs)

Applicant Must Not be an employee or child/dependent of any employee of Belema oil Producing Ltd.

Applicant Must Not be a current beneficiary in any of Belema oil Empowerment Schemes

Guarantor’s written consent of good conduct of the applicant from any of the following persons from applicant’s community/clan:

Paramount Head of Host Community

Current CDC Chairperson

Persons involved in cult/criminal gang membership or with criminal record shall not be considered for the award.

BELEMA OIL BUSINESS CORRIDOR

> Kula Business Corridor (KBC):

• Kula Main

• Opu-Kula

• Boro

• Robertkin

• Boye-Ama

• Luckyland

> Oko Business Corridor (OBC):

• Belema & others

• Offoin-ama

• Ngeje

• King Oko

> Penipeni – Idama Business Corridor (PIBC):

• Idama

• Peni Peni Ama

> Inda Business Corridor (IBC):

• Bonny

• Elem-Ifoko (Fouche & Ifoko)

> Jokka Business Corridor (JBC):

• Abuloma/Okujagu/Okuru Business Corridor (AOOBC)

• Abuloma

• Okujagu

• Okuru.

Interested and qualified candidates should: Click Here to Apply
Or
Click the link below to download and fill the “Application Form” Offline. Completed forms should be e-mailed to: scholarships@belemaoil.com 

This form must be submitted with 2 recent passport photographs.

OR

Submit Application/completed forms through your “Host Community CDC/Interface” to: Nengi Elijah (08118898414); Or Mina Igonikon (08118898393).
Click here to Download Application Form (Ms Word)

Assemble and attach to this application the following documents:

Scholarship Application Form (Properly Filled with Passport Photograph at the top)

University Admission Letter

JAMB Admission Letter

Transcript (where applicable) or

1st Year Result

O’ Level Result

Local Government Identification Letter

Letter of Identification (Signed by either Traditional Ruler, or Community Representative).

Click here for more Information

BELEMA OIL PRODUCING LIMITED JOINT VENTURE OVERSEAS POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAMME 2019/2020

ELIGIBILITY FOR POSTGRADUATE

Applicants must be from the Belema oil Host Communities and Operating Business Corridors
Applicants must submit Local Government Identification Letter

Applicants must have secured admission into a recognized University within Nigeria with proof of the following documents:

Postgraduate Admission Letter, Acceptance Letter, Academic reference letter from an appropriate authority not lower than the Dean of Graduate Affairs), either at the Masters or Doctorate Programme level (M.Sc/MBA/MPhi/M.Ed/M.Eng) (Ph.D), (LL.D)

Guarantor’s written consent of good conduct from any of the following persons from applicant’s community/clan:

Paramount Head of Host Community

Current CDC Chairperson.

Applicants must possess NYSC Discharge/Exemption Certificate.

BELEMAOIL BUSINESS CORRIDOR

> Kula Business Corridor (KBC): Kula

• Mainopu-Kula Boro

• Robertkin

• Boye-Ama

• Luckyland

> Oko Business Corridor (OBC):

• Belema & others

• Offoin-ama

• Ngeje

• King Oko

> Penipeni– Idama Business Corridor (PIBC):

• Idama

• Peni Peni Ama

> Inda Business Corridor (IBC):

• Bonny

• Elem-Ifoko (Fouche & Ifoko)

> Jokka Business Corridor (JBC):

• Abuloma/Okujagu/Okuru Business Corridor (AOOBC)

• Abuloma

• Okujagu

• Okuru.

Interested and qualified candidates should: Click Here to Apply

Or
Click the link below to download and fill the “Application Form” Offline. Completed forms should be e-mailed to: scholarships@belemaoil.com 

This form must be submitted with 2 recent passport photographs.

OR
Submit Application/completed forms through your “Host Community CDC/Interface” to: Nengi Elijah (08118898414); Or Mina Igonikon (08118898393).

Click here to Download Application Form (Ms Word)

Assemble and attach to this application the following documents:

° Scholarship Application Form (Properly Filled with Passport Photograph at the top)

° University Post-Graduate Admission Letter

° Previous University Certificate/Statement of Result

° Transcript (where applicable)

° O’Level Result

° Local Government Identification Letter

° Letter of Identification (Signed by either Traditional Ruler, or Community Representative (CDC Chairman).

Click here for more Information

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 28th June, 2019.

NOTE
Belemaoil does not demand any form of payment from applicants. The application is entirely free of charge

Application must be submitted through the CDC Interface Committee of each community.

Shortlisted candidates are to avail themselves for Aptitude Test on a date and venue to be communicated to them.

Deferment, Change of Institution and Course are not permitted.

JAMB NABS 19-YEAR-OLD OVER ALLEGED RESULT FALSIFICATION

 

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) on Monday evening paraded one Adah Eche, a 19-year-old admission seeker who allegedly falsified his Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result.

Prof.Is-haq Oloyede, JAMB’s Registrar, paraded the suspect before newsmen at the board’s Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja. 

Oloyede said that the suspect, who sat for the 2019 UTME scored 153, but decided to connive with an examination syndicate who allegedly increased his scores.

He said the suspect was apprehended after a delegation of Public Complaints Commission paid the board a visit following various complaints by aggrieved candidates who sat for the 2019 UTME. 

“We decided to pick three out of the complainants to address their issues and he happened to be the first person we picked and he actually wrote a letter of complaint to us knowing fully that he faked his result.

“What we did was invite him to come and pick his admission letter and he came. “Now, what such people do not know is that we have a barcode for every result which helps us verify its authenticity, but this fake one has the barcode of a supermarket and was saying invalid barcode on our own platform.

“We have checked our own platform and seen where he has checked his result three consecutive times via 55019 and was replied same with his original result which is 153, yet he insists that he did not know the one with 290 was fake,” he said.

Oloyede further explained that the suspect confessed to the crime after many evidences were discovered from his phone and another on his computer where he faked 200 score for himself first, before upgrading it to 290.

He also said that the fake result had an imposed ‘55019’ as the sender of the result. According to him, a trail of transactions where the suspect collected money from others and sent to his counterpart for the upgrade of UTME scores was discovered on a whatsapp platform on his phone.

The Registrar said that the board’s website “www.jamb.org” had a platform where people could lodge in their complaints and the board was working on a daily basis to ensure that the issues were responded to at all cost.” (NAN)

GOV. WIKE DECLARES FREE PRIMARY, SECONDARY EDUCATION IN RIVERS STATE

In a bid to increase access to quality education, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has announced the total abolition of all forms of fees and levies in public primary and secondary schools across the state.

Wike directed state-owned primary and secondary schools to stop collecting fees and levies from students and pupils with immediate effect.

He stated that henceforth, the State Government will be sending direct allocations to all primary and secondary schools management for their operations.

The Governor spoke on Monday during a meeting with the heads of primary and secondary schools, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and State Universal Basic Education Board at the Government House Port Harcourt.

He said: “From today henceforth, no child either in primary and secondary schools should pay fees and levies in any school across the State.

“The monies you collect from these children are just used for your personal purposes. If I hear that any school head collects any fees or levies, be they examination, NECO or WAEC fees, that school head would be sanctioned.

“We shall not only dismiss the school head who collects fees or levies, we will prosecute the person involved.

“Government will work out grants that will be sent to the schools for their regular management and operations.”

Wike directed the State Ministry of Education, the Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board and the State Universal Basic Education Board to monitor all public schools across the state to ensure compliance.

The Governor stated that the administration funds the salaries, allowances, examinations and equipment of all public schools. He assured parents that his administration will remain committed to the provision of quality education, which is accessible to the less privileged.

“I have abolished all fees and levies and it will never happen again in our public primary and Secondary schools. Nobody should collect fees and levies from the children of the less privileged,” he said.

The statement signed by Simeon Nwakandu, media aide to the Governor, said the school heads celebrated the new directive of the Rivers State Governor.

UPDATE: RESIDENTS SAY MORE THAN 100 PERSONS KILLED IN PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN RIVERS

Scene of the fire

Residents of Kom Kom in Oyigbo local Government Area of Rivers State where an oil pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) exploded on Saturday say over 100 people were burnt in the fire.

Some of the bodies, they claimed, were burnt beyond recognition while scores of corpses were still in the bush where the explosion occurred.

Residents also raised an alarm over the humanitarian disaster due to the fast decomposing bodies, stench and pollution of the swamp and the environment.

A visit to the area on Sunday showed that the number of human casualties grew because many of the villagers were in the swamp scooping petrol gushing out of the ruptured NNPC pipeline. Also affected were a number of palm wine tappers and local brewers of Ethanol who were in the swamp.

A corpse on the bush

Burnt corpse

Villagers said over 100 people were trapped in the huge fire because there was a free-for-all scramble for leaking petrol by the villagers before the explosion.

A villager who gave his as Ogechi Nnamdi said: “Nobody at the scene of the explosion survived. People were rushing to the leakage site to scoop free fuel, suddenly we heard an explosion. At least, I saw about 20 dead bodies. 11 had been carried away. And more are in the swamp yet to be recovered. And it is difficult getting inside the swamp now because we are in the rainy season”.

He called for the decontermination of the area by the government to avoid the spread of diseases.

Some of the villagers were observed recovering the charred bodies from the swamp and burying them in mass graves.

Most of volunteers were not putting on medical gears to prevent infections from the fast decomposing bodies. There were no presence of emergency officials from the Oyigbo local government, state or the Federal government at the time of the visit.

Our correspondent was assaulted by the pungent smell of decomposing corpses oozing out from the environment.

Rescuers at the scene

Hon. Promise Chibuzo Nwankwo, the House Of Assembly member representing Oyigbo Local Government Area expressed his condolences to the families of victims of the disaster. He also condemned the activities of oil thieves who caused the disaster.

According to the lawmaker, “In the early hours of Saturday, 22nd June 2019, around 8:25 am there was an incident of fire outbreak in Oyigbo Local Government Area.

“The fire outbreak which occurred in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) facility somewhere around Canaan Land Hospital, Izuoma Axis of Oyigbo local government area is as a result of oil bunkering.

“Until now the number of people injured are unconfirmed, but it is confirmed that scores of person’s were recorded dead.”