IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

....DONATES ONE MILLION NAIRA TO HIM

By FCC JONES ONWUASOANYA, ABUJA.

The Distinguished Senator representing Anambra North District in the National Assembly, Princess Stella Odua has opened what is expected to be a floodgate of appreciation and goodwill to Citizen Ejiro Otarigho, the heroic tanker driver, who risked his own life in order to avert what would have been a major disaster in the Big Heart State.

The former Minister of Aviation reached out to me following an update I made on the incident and said she was touched by the young man's sense of selflessness and patriotism. "You know I cried in joy after watching that video. The fact that innocent caring human beings are still around is so overwhelming. Spontaneously he decided to be his brothers keeper. Unsolicited. That is humanity personified."

Speaking further, she said that; "Citizen Ejiro's heroics show that we still have many good Nigerians among us, and his exceptional kindness should be encouraged and emulated. The natural impulse for most people would have been to survive first, but as precarious as the situation was, Ejiro still gave a thought to many innocent people on that road and their properties. He is indeed whom a national hero should be." 

The Princess of Akili-Ozizor Ancient kingdom of Ogbaru LGA of Anambra State also announced the donation of the sum of One Million Naira to Citizen Ejiro, which she said is her own token of appreciation for his heroics and a way of motivating more of such attitudes by Nigerians.

The United Kingdom has said it will provide One Million Pounds (£1million) worth of support to enhance the operations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in 2022 and additional provision over a period of three years.

This was disclosed by the Director, Home Office International Operations, Nick Fowler when he led a team comprising Julie Hartfree, Africa Regional Director and Kris Hawksfield, West Africa Regional Manager, both of Home Office International Operations on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) on Thursday 9th June.

In his welcome remarks, Marwa expressed appreciation to the visiting UK team and the British government for past support to NDLEA. He said with the expansion of the operations, commands structure and staff strength of the Agency, he would need more support and collaboration from the UK government.

While stating that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has been very supportive of the work of the Agency in critical areas, Marwa asked for strengthened intelligence sharing collaboration, provision of essential operational logistics and training among others from the UK government.

Responding, Nick Fowler commended Marwa for the huge success NDLEA has become under his leadership. He said the Agency has been able to play a significant role by intercepting loads of illicit drugs going to the UK. He assured that his office is now well positioned to share intelligence with NDLEA.

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, the state capital, has sentenced three persons to death for killing Olufunke Olakuri, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

While four persons were accused of the crime, the trial judge, Justice William Olamide on Friday, discharged and acquitted one of them.

Olufunke Olakuri, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, was shot dead on July 12 2019 while traveling between Kajola and Ore, along Ondo/Ore Highway.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asserted that the alleged silence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday’s gruesome terrorist attack and killing of innocent worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State confirms APC’s complicity and implicit support for terrorism in our country.

The PDP through its spokesman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba also stated on Monday that it is appalled by the lame and disconnected press statement by the Buhari Presidency which did not demonstrate any presidential empathy, concern, assurances and commitment expected of a Commander-in-Chief, who should be a Comforter-in-Chief in the face of such horrific terrorist attack on the country.

According to the PDP, the feeble and insensitive statement by the presidency is a further confirmation of the tacit sympathy for terrorism by the APC administration. “This is because in saner climes the President would personally address the nation on the gruesome murder of many citizens under his care. President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal silence is deafening and points to allegations in the public space that terrorists are enjoying tacit accommodation from the highest level of the APC administration.

“It is indeed unpardonable that as terrorists were murdering our citizens in Owo, President Buhari was busy in the comfort, luxury and safety of the Presidential Villa, having dinner with APC leaders and conducting political meetings aimed at perpetuating APC’s fraudulent, insensitive, inhumane and vicious government on hapless Nigerians.

“Such actions by the APC and President Buhari, who has woefully failed in his promise to lead the fight against terrorism from the front, continue to embolden terrorists to carry out more terrible attacks on our citizens.

Six Judiciary correspondents were on Tuesday, detained for over two hours on the order of Justice Chizoba Orji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Maitama. Justice Orji, insisted that journalists must get permission before they could cover her court. 

Consequently, she ordered her police orderly to seize a phone belonging to Ms. Wumi Obabori of the Africa Independent Television, AIT, and delete all the pictures and videos in it. Other reporters the judge subsequently walked out of the courtroom, were Mr. Godwin Tsa of the Sun Newspaper, Ikechukwu Nnochiri of Vanguard Newspaper, Austin Okezie of Raypower Fm, Kunle Olasanmi of Leadership Newspaper and a veteran journalist, Mr. Charles Ozoemena. Trouble started shortly after the judge stood down a matter and entered her chambers to prepare a ruling.

Immediately the court proceeding was suspended, the reporter from AIT attempted to record videos for her story, when a female Registrar of the court pounced on her, insisting that journalists have no right to cover the court. Frantic effort by the reporter to explain to the Registrar that journalists could take "cut-aways" (visuals) and pictures once the court is not in session, yielded no result, as the court official immediately summoned a police officer attached to the judge to arrest the reporter.

The policeman, Mr Gusar Dauda, who claimed that he had the authority of the judge, swiftly locked the main gate to the courtroom, pulled his gun and ordered all the journalists to surrender their phones. Despite the intervention of lawyers and litigants, the police officer and court officials stood their ground that no journalist would leave the courtroom without complying with the order. After a scuffle that lasted over one hour, Justice Orji re-entered the courtroom and summoned the AIT reporter to step forward. "Why were you taking pictures and videos in my court? Who gave you the permission to do that?", she fumed.

"My lord, I am an accredited judiciary reporter. It is a normal practice for us to take pictures and videos when the court is not sitting, even up to the Supreme Court", Wumi of AIT responded. "You don't have such right! If there is such permission, it must be in writing. Who gave you the permission? Show me the authorization?", Justice Orji added. At that juncture, other journalists in the courtroom stood up and took turns to identify themselves. 

"I don't want to hear from any of you. Now, where is the device you used to take the pictures and videos?", Justice Orji queried the AIT reporter. She, thereafter, ordered her orderly to delete all the pictures and videos in the phone, after which she told the court official to unlock the gate and walk all the journalists out of the courtroom.

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have unveiled Guidelines that would improve insurance capacity in the oil and gas sector. The insurance guidelines affect submission of Insurance Programme by Operators, Project Promoters, Alliance Partners, and Nigerian Indigenous Companies in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

Speaking at the official signing and presentation of the NCDMB/NAICOM insurance Guidelines, in Bayelsa State, the Commissioner for Insurance, NAICOM, Mr. Thomas Olorundare said the initiative was informed by Federal Government’s drive towards enhancing local content and the need to develop Nigerian industries. The joint insurance guidelines is expected to enable the Board monitor utilization of insurance capacity within Nigeria.

The NAICOM boss further explained that the "joint Guidelines which is issued with the objectives of enforcing and strengthening compliance with the provisions of the referenced sections of the NOGICD Act and relevant provisions of the Insurance Act with respect to companies carrying on insurance business in the Nigerian oil and gas industry is to also enable the Board monitor utilization of in-country insurance capacity". 

He urged all operators, project promoters, alliance partners and Nigerian indigenous companies engaged in any form of business, operations or contract in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to continue to comply with the guidelines as demanded by relevant laws. Olorundare assured of the Commission's commitment to creating an "enabling environment that will consistently enhance increased capacity of the Insurance Institutions both financially and technically". 

For his part, the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote said the Insurance Guidelines would address loopholes that have been identified by the Board in implementing the provisions of the NOGICD Act, particularly sections 49 and 50. "As we are aware, the combined provisions of sections 49 and 50 require all operators engaged in any form of activity or project in the Oil and Gas industry to ‘’insure all insurable risks related to its oil and gas business…with an insurance company, through an insurance broker registered in Nigeria.’’