BAYELSA STATE GOVERNOR CALLS FOR UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF IYC PRESIDENT , PETER IGBIFA

The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has described the alleged abduction of the President of the Ijaw Youths Council IYC, Peter Igbifa as a direct affront on the Ijaw ethnic nationality.

Governor Diri, speaking at the weekly Executive Council meeting this Wednesday allayed fears that such dastardly act could worsen existing security challenges, just as he called for his immediate release.

The alleged kidnap of the president of the apex Ijaw youth body, Peter Igbifa rent the airwaves on Tuesday afternoon.

The IYC president was said to have been whisked away by unknown gunmen along the Port Harcourt International Airport on his way to Abuja.

Governor Douye Diri appealed for his unconditional release to ensure that the Peaceful disposition of the Niger Delta Region was not put in jeopardy.

The Governor called for peace, emphasizing that dialogue remained the best way of resolving conflicts.

This development is coming on the heels of the one month ultimatum to the Federal Government by the IYC over delays in constituting a substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC , which terminated on Tuesday this week.

Source: AIT NEWS

SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN KADUNA AGREE TO SPLIT INTO TWO NEW STATES

In a development that caught many unawares, the Christians, Non-Hausa/Fulani from the Southern part of Kaduna state and its rival Northern Muslim Hausa/Fulani dominated part of Northern Kaduna, have agreed for the split of Kaduna State into two new states.

Speaking during the presentation and defence of their memos at the Senate ad-hoc Committee and the House of Reps Special Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution at the Hassan Katsina House on Wednesday who has been engaged in infamous inter-ethnic and religious clashes for decades, said creating new states from the present Kaduna State will go a long way at solving the bloody violence that seemed to defy solution.

The President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Hon. Jonathan Asake, who defended the memo of Southern Kaduna people said: “The wish of Southern Kaduna is to have a brand new constitution, not an amended one,” he said.

“But in the absence of that, we are here to make our inputs as a people who have suffered suppression and oppression for a long time,” he said.

“Southern Kaduna is made up of 67 ethnic nationalities spread in 13 of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna state. It has a landmass of 26,000kmsq with an estimated population of 5.1 million. We are endowed with an educated population and with abundant natural resources,” he said.

“Our land size is greater than that of Kano state which has a landmass of 20,000kmsq. Yet Kano is a state of its own with 44 LGAs. Our population is greater than 21 other states of the federation,” he went on. “We are demanding for the amendment of the provision of section 8 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which makes it almost an impossible task for the creation of a new state,” he insisted.

“We have been demanding for a state of our own for over thirty years and Gurara state was among the 18 states proposed in the 2014 Confab report,” he said.

“We are demanding for the creation of the Gurara state after the amendment. This will help in solving the incessant conflicts between our people and the other divide,” he said.

SOKAPU also asked for the removal of the Land Use Act from the Constitution and its amendment as a law, so that communities and families can have larger control of the ancestral lands.

“We stand by all the 2014 confab report which had captured most of our demands.

In the same vein, the Northern part of Kaduna State, under the aegis of Kaduna Development Elders Initiatives submitted a memo signed by the Senators Representing Kaduna North Senatorial Zone, Sen. Sulieman Abdu Kwari; the Senator Representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Senator Uba Sani; all the House of Reps members from the Northern Part of Kaduna; all members of Kaduna state house of Assembly from the northern part of Kaduna their Chairmen of LGAs and Councillors.

Defending the memo of the group, Abdulkadir Ahmed said, “we are canvassing for the creation of New Kaduna state from the present Kaduna state and we want the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria amended to make this possible."

“Kaduna South has been complaining of marginalisation ever since, even though Chiefdoms have been given to them and they occupy 60% of the workforce of Kaduna state,” he added.

“Let the state be split and if they are asking for Gurara state, let them have it,” he said.

“This will solve all the crises we have been having in this state,” he added.

“On our part, we are asking for the creation of ‘New Kaduna State’, which will include Kaduna North and Kaduna Central Senatorial zones,” he said.

“But there should be a referendum for each section of the state to decide on where it wants to belong,” he added.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, who declared the meeting open, also asked for true Federalism, State Police and Financial Autonomy to Local Government Councils.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kabiru Gaiya from Kano State, in his opening remarks assured all that each of the memos will be well looked into and submitted to the National Assembly for further actions.

Many groups and individuals also submitted memos as the sitting continues till Friday.

GUNMEN KILL ONE POLICE OFFICER, SET PATROL VAN ABLAZE IN DELTA STATE

Report reaching our news desk reveals that a policeman has been killed, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries as gunmen attacked a police team on stop and search duty at Akwukwu Igbo, the administrative headquarters of Oshimili North local government area of Delta state.

While confirming the incident when contacted, the command public relations officer, DSP Bright Edafe, told ait.live that the principal suspect who led the gunmen, has been arrested and investigation is ongoing to track down the other culprits.

DSP Edafe said the unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday morning at about 9 am. He added that the gun-wielding criminals also set the police van ablaze.

VETERAN ACTOR SADIQ DABA IS DDEAD

   Sadiq Daba 

Veteran Nollywood actor, Sadiq Daba, is dead. It was gathered that the actor died on Wednesday at about 8:30 pm. According to his close friend, Joe Odumakin, the actor had been ill for a while before his demise. She said, "We have lost Sadiq. It is so painful because I spoke to him a few days ago when his wife became a permanent secretary.  

However, I called his number some hours ago but his son picked it. I told him to give the phone to his father but he told me that his father is gone. I had to ask; gone to where?

ABDUCTED ZAMFARA SCHOOLGIRLS REGAIN FREEDOM

Schoolgirls kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State last Friday have regained their freedom.

Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, who confirmed the news on Tuesday, said the girls were released with the help of repentant bandits without any ransom paid.

The Governor put the number of girls recovered at 279, although the police had earlier said 317 girls were kidnapped.

The released girls arrived at the Zamfara State Government House in Gusau early on Tuesday wearing face masks and light blue and brown chadors.

The girls’ kidnapping on Friday was the latest in a series of school abductions that has rocked the country in the past three months.

74 ABDUCTED KAGARA STUDENTS, TEACHERS, OTHERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED

Barely four hours after the abducted passengers of Niger State Transport Authority were released, the 42 school children and teachers who were abducted in Government Science College Kagara, Niger State, yesterday set free by their abductors.

Government sources told revealed last night that the students were released from another location different from where the NSTA passengers were released.

It was learnt the same unnamed mediator who facilitated passengers of the NSTA was the same person who secured the release of the students  and teachers.

It was also gathered that the students were taken out of the location they were kept at about 8pm.

The students were abducted last Wednesday alongside three teachers and 12 other people from the college, totalling 42. While information on their release as of the time of filing this report was sketchy, it was learnt that well-armed security personnel have been mobilised to escort them back to Minna.

Earlier yesterday, the remaining 32 passengers of the Niger State Transport Authority, NSTA, abducted at Yakila in Rafi local government area of the state were released by the bandits.

40 of the passengers were abducted last week Sunday, while eight were released last Wednesday, leaving 32 of the abductees in the custody of their abductors.

A terse news flash from the chief press secretary to Niger State governor, Mary Noel-Berje, indicated the passengers were released about 3 pm yesterday.

“The Niger state government has secured the release of the abducted NSTA bus passengers. Government is intensifying efforts to also secure the release of the Kagara Government Science College, GSC  students, staff and their family members,” the statement stated.

The statement did not give further details, but findings revealed that they were released in the forest in Allawa bordering Birnin Gwari in Kaduna state and Zamfara state about 3.PM yesterday.

A source in Minna said that they were on their way from the forest as the state government had earlier dispatched four buses after receiving assurance of their release from the bandits through a mediator.

SENATOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA ARRESTED FOR UNLAWFUL ENTRY

For allegedly leading unauthorized entry into a sealed property and unleashing of mayhem, former Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has been arrested by the operatives of the Police command.

Sen Okorocha had on Sunday unsealed one of the properties linked to him, the Royal Palm Estate located around Akachi towers, which consists of blocks of flats fully completed and furnished.

The State Government had sealed the property while Okorocha was alleged to have unsealed it in company of his loyalists.

Shortly after that, Special Adviser to governor Uzodimma on Special Duties, Hon Chinasa Nwaneri arrived the scene with security operatives to reseal the property and a fight ensued.

Information Commissioner, Hon Declan Emelumba, confirmed the development to newsmen via a telephone call.

He said “Yes, normalcy has been restored. Come to the Police command and see Okorocha. He has been arrested for unlawful entry and breakdown of law and order”.

Okorocha was alleged to have led loyalists to unseal a property linked to him, the Royal Palm Estate located around Akachi towers, which consists of blocks of flats fully completed and furnished.

The State Government had sealed the property while Okorocha was alleged to have unsealed it in company of his loyalists.

RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT AGREES TO IMPLEMENT FULL MINIMUM WAGE PAYMENT FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

The Government of Rivers State has stated that it has agreed with the Rivers State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), to address all pending labour concerns in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, said that an agreement on the implementation of the National Minimum Wage of N30,000.00 (Thirty Thousand Naira) which took effect on 1st January, 2020 has been executed.

The Secretary to the State Government disclosed this in a press statement after a meeting between State Government and Labour in Port Harcourt on Friday, 12th February, 2021.

According to the Secretary to the State Government, a Tripartite Committee to undertake detailed discussions of all outstanding issues has also been set up.

The SSG said, “Rivers State Government has agreed and commenced implementation of the payment of check-off dues and the payment of arrears of salaries of Health workers in the Rivers State Public Service who participated in the sympathy strike of 2017 under the auspices of JOHESU. 

“Other issues which were raised by Labour such as:  Need for payment of arrears  of minimum wage, Promotion of civil Servants from 2012, Payment of gratuity to pensioners, Payment of arrears of salaries to some civil servants who were not paid their February and March, 2016 salaries due to the aborted 2016 biometric verification exercise etc. 

According to the SSG, several other matters will be discussed in details by the tripartite committee.

“The tripartite committee is to commence sitting immediately for a period of six weeks after which a report will be submitted to the Government.

The meeting was attended by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Rufus Godwin, Esq. On the part of Labour Union were the Chairman of the State Labour Congress, Mrs Beatrice Itubo, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Pastor Jonah Austin, Chairman of the Joint Public Negotiating Council, Mr Emechita Chukwu and other labour leaders.

The tripartite committee will resume sitting next week.

FG, ORGANISED LABOUR TO DISCUSS PMS PRICE MODULATION, ELECTRICITY TARRIFF

Federal government and the organised labour are set to meet to discuss Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) price modulation and electricity tariff in the country.

The meeting, which should have held, but was postponed till February 22 2021, will examine the report by the technical committee set up on PMS pricing framework.

Minister of labour and employment Senator Chris Ngige while speaking during the recent submission of the report by the technical committee, stated that the committee was set up with a mandate to come up with a viable framework for PMS price modulation and electricity tariff.

He said the committee was mandated to examine the two policies respectively in relation to the demands of the organised labour unions.

The February 22nd meeting is a continuation of the series of meetings held in 2020 in a bid to persuade labour unions not to embark on industrial action over the increase in the price of petrol and electricity.

The minister said that the adjournment was to enable the representatives of organised labour subject the report to the analysis of their various organs.

“The Committee on Petroleum Pricing has finished its work and sent in the report. We have received and adopted the report,” he stressed.

Ngige also noted that the report of the technical committee on electricity tariff would be ready in a week’s time, and would also be reviewed alongside that of petroleum pricing on February 22, when the meeting would reconvene.

In his remark, NLC president Comrade Ayuba Wabba said that organised labour needed to do a broader consultation to come up with clear positions on what would be beneficial to both the Nigerian workers, and all Nigerians.

Wabba noted that the issues at stake touched on the life of every Nigerian.

According to Wabba, ”The whole essence of what we are arguing about is how to bring not only the price stability but also affordability.”

CBN ORDERS NIGERIAN BANKS TO CLOSE CRYPTOCURRENCY ACCOUNTS

The central bank of Nigeria, CBN,  has directed banks in the country to close all cryptocurrency-related accounts.

The Apex bank gave this directive in a statement on Friday.

The regulator prohibited all financial institutions from facilitating crypto currency payments in the country.

This directive is contained in a letter addressed to all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs)and other financial institutions (OFIs) on Friday.

This regulatory directive was confirmed by Osita Nwanisobi, CBN spokesman.

According to the letter, signed by Bello Hassan, director of banking supervision, and Musa Jimoh, director, payments system of management department, the apex bank directed all

DMBs, NBFIs and OFIs to identify persons and entities transacting in, or, operating crypto currency exchanges within their systems to close such accounts immediately.

In the letter, the CBN referenced a circular it issued in January 12,2017 ref FPR/DIR/GEN/CIR/06/010 which cautioned Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFIs)and other financial institutions (OFIs) as well as members of the public on the risk associated with transactions of crypto currency.

“Further to earlier regulatory directives on the subject, the Bank hereby wishes to remind regulated institutions that dealing in cryptocurrencies or facilitating payments for cryptocurrency is prohibited,” the statement reads.

“Please note that breaches of this directive will attract severe regulatory sanctions. This letter is with immediate effect,” the bank concluded.