NAPTIP To Maintain Child Abuse Registers In Schools.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons; NAPTIP is  to maintain a register of child offenders in schools across the country in order to have a stream of intelligence for profiling and detection of prevalence of the crime in certain locations.

Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Director-General of the agency disclosed this in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a one-day capacity building workshop for counselors in schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

She noted that most schools in Abuja do not have counselors, thereby making  matters of child protection, trafficking and abuse difficult to tackle in schools.

She therefore emphasized the need to sensitize and train counselors to act as advocates on trafficking and child protection matters.

Her words ;
“Steps are on to also establish anti-trafficking clubs in their respective schools for sustenance of the on-going crusade against the scourge of trafficking in persons.

“There will also be awareness by school counsellors and head teachers on the current modus operandi of traffickers which will help them to chart a new road map to achieving a human trafficking free society for the future."

Poverty and weak economy have been identified as the major factors sustaining human trafficking in Nigeria.

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Buhari, Obasanjo in closed-door meeting at Presidential Villa

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday had a closed-door meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

None of the two men spoke to the press after the meeting, neither was any statement issued

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Hurricane Buhari Blows Away Permanent Secretaries

At least 17 Permanent Secretaries were on Tuesday retired from the Federal Civil Service by President Muhammadu Buhari.

THE NATION reports that the affected permanent secretaries were told of their retirement during a closed-door meeting with the president on Tuesday.

Sources said that the exercise is aimed at strengthening the Civil Service.

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Dasuki Drags FG To Court, Seeks Security Of His Life

Immediate past National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki on Monday dragged the Federal Government before the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking the protection of his life. 

The former NSA who was represented by his counsel Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, has been kept under house arrest by armed operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, since November 3.

Dasuki is seeking an order of the court to enforce his fundamental rights to dignity and security of life.

He is also seeking a mandatory order of the court compelling the Federal Government and its agents, including the DSS, to vacate his house located at 13, John Kadija Street, Asokoro with immediate effect.

Dasuki  is praying the court for permission to keep a re-rescheduled appointment with his physician abroad, by extending the earlier leave that was granted to him on November 3.

The court had on November 3, granted Dasuki permission to travel overseas for medical treatment of his budding cancer, but he was stopped at the airport by operatives of the Department of State Services.

No date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.

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N3.1b Fraud : Former Benue Gov Gets N100m Bail

Former governor of Benue State, Mr Gabriel Suswam was on Tuesday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before the Federal High Court, Abuja on criminal charges bordering on money laundering. 

The anti graft agency had slammed the nine count charges on Suswam and his then Commissioner for Finance, Mr Omodachi Okolobia before the Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice Ahmed Mohammed.

Suswam and Okolobia are alleged to have looted the proceeds from the sales of
shares owned by the Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd amounting to N3.1b.

The offence is punishable under section 15(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012.

After the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, Justice Mohammed granted them bail in the sum of N100m each, with one surety who must not be below grade level 12 in either Federal or State Civil Service. 

The judge adjourned the matter till December 8 and 9 for further hearing.

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Buhari Sacks EFCC Boss

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday ended the nearly four years reign of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Ibrahim Lamorde.

Lamorde's sacking came amid allegations of fraud and mismanagement of funds and property recovered from convicted treasury looters by the anti graft agency.

President Buhari was said to have invited Lamorde into the Presidential Villa, Abuja where he personally told him that his time was up.

The president has already appointed Mr Ibrahim Mustapha Magu as the Acting Chairman of EFCC.

A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adeshina confirmed the development.

According to the statement,
“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Ibrahim Mustafa Magu as the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission .

“Mr. Magu, who is an Assistant Commissioner of Police, is to take over from Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde who is proceeding on terminal leave ahead of the formal expiration of his tenure in February next year.”

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CCB Arraigns Former Minister For Bribery And False Assets Declaration

The Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB on Monday arraigned a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT on a four-count charge bordering on bribery and false declaration of assets.

The former minister is accused in counts one and two of failing to declare his assets at Plot 2722 Kyamu District, Abuja and Plot 2059 Asokoro District, Abuja on assuming office as minister on 26 September 2007.

The third count alleges that Orubebe received a bribe of N50m from one Pastor Jonathan Alota on 19 September 2012 for the award of a contract to Alota's company, Chemtronics Nigeria Ltd.

Count four accuses Orubebe of collecting an additional bribe of N20m from Pastor Alota in 2013 for the award to Chemtronics Nigeria Ltd of a contract for the construction of a N1.8b skill acquisition center in Edo State.

Elder Orubebe pleaded not guilty to all four charges.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar adjourned the case to 26 November 2015 after reprimanding the prosecution for failing to produce its witnesses.

To the chagrin of the tribunal Chairman, the prosecution counsel, Mr Musa Usman had asked for adjournment on the ground that his witnesses were not in court, immediately after the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

“I am surprised that your witnesses are not here. You have ample time, you have ample opportunity to prepare your witnesses. The whole essence of the new Administration of Criminal Justice Act is to ensure that criminal cases are treated with dispatch.

“Once arraignment has taken place, the prosecution is supposed to call its witnesses. Don’t let this repeat itself,” Justice Umar warned.

The accused ex-Minister had stormed the tribunal with a musical band and a large retinue of tribal supporters singing his praises.

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