N465b Supplementary To Be Passed Next Week - Senate

The Senate on Tuesday resolved to quickly process the N465b Appropriation Bill to complement the efforts of the executive arm of government in resolving the ongoing fuel crisis in the country.

To this end, the Senate has directed its Committee on Appropriation to submit its report for deliberation and passage on Tuesday next week.

The upper chamber explained that the decision to quickly pass the supplementary budget was to facilitate speedy payment of outstanding subsidy claims of N413.3bn to oil marketers.

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Senate Rejects Call To Invite Buhari

Senators on Tuesday shot down a motion seeking to make the upper chamber invite President Buhari to explain the persistent hardship being suffered by Nigerians over the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe supported by other PDP Senators had proposed that the President should be invited in his capacity as the Petroleum Minister to explain what he is doing to address the key issues in the sector.

However, the motion was overruled by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki with a warning to the senators against playing partisan politics with serious national issues.

Speaking to newsmen after the plenary, Senate spokesman, Abdullahi Sabi defended Saraki's action.

“The fact that Mr. President chose to oversee the petroleum ministry does not make him cede his authority of being the Commander-in-Chief. If we need any explanation from a minister and in this case petroleum, the Minister of State (Petroleum), is the person that will definitely come forward to make this explanation," he said.

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NYSC Insists On Ban On Hijab

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier-General, Johnson Olawumi, said on Tuesday that the ban on hijab-wearing in its orientation camps would remain in place as it was meant “for security reasons.”

Olawumi said this while addressing a group of Muslim youths under the aegis of Muslim Youths in Da’wah who had come to the national headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja to protest against the prohibition of Muslim women from wearing long hijab in orientation camps.

The National Coordinator of the group , Luqman Hassan; and the Deputy Coordinator, Kamarudeen Adefila, had explained their mission to the NYSC Director-General.

“We are here to discuss with you about the incident that happened recently in various camps across the country. We have a guiding principle which is based on the Holy Qur'an. We are all Nigerians and the principle which guides us is the constitution and the African Charter on Human rights.

“Members of the NYSC are Nigerians who have contributed to the development of this country; female corps members deserve protection by the NYSC. We don’t believe that a female corps member putting on hijab has done any wrong against the Act establishing the NYSC. So they deserve the respect of the NYSC. We have travelled far and wide and visited different camps. Why are the rights of female corps members being infringed upon. We are here to register our displeasure.

”Many Muslim organisations wanted to protest, but we said wait a while. In fact, we had to intervene to avoid the situation and if Muslims march on the streets, it will attract a lot of negative comments, but people won’t know why we are protesting.”

Responding, Olawumi expressed concern about the hijab being used by female suicide bombers to conceal their explosive devices.

“Under my leadership, the NYSC will accord respect to every corps member, irrespective of tribe and religion. The incident in Benue State was caused by the use of long hijab. The security situation in the country is tough. There is the danger of somebody using hijab for other reasons.

“There have been cases where young girls put on hijab and eventually turn to suicide bombers. Boko Haram members know how to get at whoever they want as target. That is why we frown at the wearing of long hijab. Please call on all your Muslim youths to be patient and adhere to it, just for a short period during the camp. We frown at long hijab because of the security implication,” he said.

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Military making steady progress to defeat insurgents - Buratai

“We are not there yet but we are gradually getting there. We are making steady progress."

Those were the words of Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai when he visited troops of the 72 Special Force Battalion in Makurdi, Benue State on Tuesday.

He stressed that the task of subduing the Boko Haram Islamist terrorist group must be accomplished in good time.

President Muhammadu Buhari had given the military up till the end of December to defeat the terrorist group which has killed over ten thousand persons and displaced many more in its 6 years campaign to carve out a state governed by strict Islamic laws.

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See Saraki's speech at the launch of his suggestion box

Today, the 8th Senate marks another watershed moment in our vision to take lawmaking back to the people with the symbolic launching of the Senate President’s Suggestion Box. Many may ask what we seek to achieve with this launch and wonder the correlation between the suggestion box and making laws. For the 8th Assembly, this event ticks all the boxes in terms of our vision which is to ensure that laws we make impact on our peoples’ lives.

Again, we promised the Nigerian people that this 8thSenate will be different. That we will do things differently. Some thought we were playing rhetoric but our footprints are everywhere clearly showing we mean what we are saying. We have adopted our legislative agenda, we are retooling our policy formulation process through closer engagement with key government agents, meeting with industry leaders,using courtesy call opportunities, to help us fully understand the state of things as we put together legislative interventions to help deal with the problems.

This Senate promised that we will be open to all Nigerians and engage them more robustly as we deliver laws with far reaching impact on their lives. For us this means having a strong feedback mechanism that is non-discriminatory, direct, open, uninhibited and continuous is equally as important.

With this launch today, we are saying that we are ready to hear and listen to all Nigerians of goodwill. With the Suggestion Box, which is both physical and virtual, we are saying we are interested in your opinion irrespective of your background, political orientation, social status, gender, religious or ethnic orientation. Be sure that this, your suggestions, opinions and ideas will not go unnoticed. The media is an important source of our feedback but hearing from you directly is for us much more enriching and unadulterated.

The 8th Senate is by this launch, inviting you to come share your experience with us. Whether you are an elected member, worker, tourists, government official, NGO, media or a co-citizen of this great country visiting the National Assembly, we invite you to come change Nigeria with us.

It is my hope that as we use this suggestion boxes and engage much more closely with you our constituents we are able to build a much closer relationship and a much better National Assembly.

Ladies and Gentlemen: it is my great honour to formally launch, the Senate President's Suggestion Box for the good of our people and to the glory of God.

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45,659 inmates awaiting trial in Nigerian prisons - Comptroller-General

The Controller-General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, has disclosed that there are 45,659 inmates awaiting trial in Nigerian prisons out of a total prison population of 55,033.

Dr Ekpendu made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) at the service headquarters.

He lamented that the Service lacked adequate logistics to transport inmates to courts for trial.

“The prisons formations are presently holding 55,033 out of which 1,639 are condemned convicts awaiting execution. We have 18 Black Marias, 12 non-functional trucks, 16 functional and four non-functional ambulances which are grossly inadequate to meet our transportation needs.

"The smallest prisons should have at least an operational vehicle, ambulance and escort vehicles,” he said.

Dambazau while acknowledging the challenges facing the Service, cautioned against congesting the prisons as that could harden the inmates.

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Tor Tiv Dies At 71

The paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, Alfred Torkula has died. The Tiv king known as Tor Tiv IV died at the age of 71 after 24 years on the throne.

Close sources said the Tor Tiv died on Monday morning at a hospital in Abuja.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has confirmed the death of the paramount ruler and is billed to meet the Tiv Traditional Council later in the day.

Alfred Akawe Torkula was coronated Tor Tiv IV in April 1991, following the death of King Akperan Orshi.

He was until his death, the Chairman of the Benue State Council of Chiefs.

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