FG sets up burial committee for the Ocholis

The Federal Government has  inaugurated a 13-man committee to oversee the preparations for the burial of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi, his wife and son.

According to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, the committee comprising ministers, Ocholi's family members and his church members has concluded the burial arrangements as directed by the President.

“As soon as we got his directive, we set up a burial committee comprising 13 people, drawn from government, the family of the deceased and his church.

“After series of meetings, the burial rites will hold from March 16 to18.

“On the March 16, there will be a service of songs at the International Conference Centre Abuja by 7:00 p.m. The corpses will leave Abuja on Thursday.

“A wake keep will be held in his hometown in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi by 6:00 p.m. same day while the internment will hold by 12:00 p.m. on Friday 18,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the condolence register at the end of the FEC meeting, after which the ministers took turns to pay tribute to their fallen colleague.

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FG grants employment, scholarship to late Ocholi's children

The Federal Government has announced the offer of employment to two of the four surviving children of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi.

The other two who are still in school were offered scholarships to enable them complete their studies.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF Mr David Babachir Lawal made the announcement at the end of Wednesday's valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council in honour of the late Minister.

“The president has directed that we should find immediate employment for the children of late Ocholi who are of working age.

“He died and left behind four children, two of them are university graduates for whom we will find immediate employments in any parastatal or ministry of their choice.

“Again, the president has directed that the other two children, still of school age, be given scholarships up to university level, after which again they would be given employment in any agency or parastatal of their choice,” he said.

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Abuja-Kaduna road at it again as four die in car crash

Three days after the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi and two members of his family were killed in an accident along the Abuja-Kaduna road, four persons have lost their lives in an yet another accident on the same road.

According to a Facebook post by the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, four persons were also injured in the accident.

FEDERAL ROAD SAFETY CORPS ( FRSC), NIGERIA ROAD TRAFFIC CRASH ALONG KADUNA-ABUJA ROUTE, 25KM FROM CHUKURI VILLAGE.

4 male adults injuries and 4 male adults fatalities were recorded in a lone crash that occurred on 09/03/16, 1300hrs along Kaduna-Abuja route, 25km from Chukuri village. The vehicle involved was a Citron 806. The victims were taken to the St. Gerard Hospital Kaduna.

2 hrs· Public Like Page· More

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Ese's abductor charged with unlawful carnal knowledge

Yunusa Dahiru, aka Yellow has been arraigned before a Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for the abduction, forced conversion to Islam and forced marriage of 13 year-old school girl, Ese Oruru.

The accused is being prosecuted on a five-count charge bordering on criminal abduction, Illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful canal knowledge of a minor.

According to the charge sheet signed by Special Police Prosecutor, Kenneth Dika, the charges against Yunusa are as follows :

“That you, Yunusa Dahiru, a male resident in Opolo-Epie area of Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, conspired with the duo of Dankano Mohammed and Mallam AlHassan between August 2015 and Febuary 2016 to commit an offence of abduction and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27(a) of the Trafficking in persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

“That you, Yunusa Dahiru, abducted Ese Oruru by means of coercion, transported and harboured her in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons prohibition Enforcement and Administration Act,2015.

“That you, Yunusa Dahiru, induced Ese Oruru by the use of deception and coercion to go with you from Yenagoa to Kano State with intent that she be forced or seduced into illicit intercourse and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 15(a) of the Trafficking in persons (prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act,2015

“That you, Yunusa Dahiru, procured Ese Oruru and subjected her into sexual exploitation in Kano State and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act,2015.

“That you, Yunusa Dahiru, had unlawful canal knowledge of Ese Oruru without her consent and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 357 of the criminal code Act and punishable under section 358 of the Criminal code ACT,Cap.C.38 LAWS OF THE Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in prison custody till the adjourned date of March 14.

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Minister's death caused by over speeding - Corps Marshal

The accident that claimed the lives of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi, his wife and son along Abuja-Kaduna road on Sunday was caused by over speeding.

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi gave the verdict on Tuesday while presenting the accident’s Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report to the Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Boboye said that investigation revealed that Ocholi and his family who were at the back seat suffered the most from the accident because they did not have their seat belts on.

He also said that the driver of the vehicle had no driver's license.

Ministers from the six geopolitical zones paid tribute to the fallen minister, while members of the cabinet resolved to visit the bereaved family immediately after the FEC meeting.

March 16 - 18, 2016 was announced by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal as the tentative date for the burial of the remains of the late Ocholi, his wife and son.

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Ugly scenes from a ghastly accident along Jos-Bauchi road

This horrific accident occurred on Sunday night near Buzaye village along Bauchi-Jos road.

A minibus loaded with commuters had burst into flames after it was crashed into by a big truck.

All the occupants of the bus were burnt to death save an elderly man who was found dead by the roadside.

Credits: Daily Post

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Prevail on Zuma to compensate xenophobia victims, NUSA tells Buhari

The Nigeria Union, South Africa, NUSA has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the occasion of the visit of President Jacob Zuba to Abuja to press for adequate compensation for Nigerians who were victims of xenophobia attacks in that country in 2015.

The President of NUSA, Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, made the call in Abuja on Monday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

NAN reports that the Federal Government had on Sunday said that the challenges being faced by Nigerians in South Africa would be addressed in the course of Zuma's 2-day visit.

Anyene expressed regret that none of the Nigerians affected by the April 2015 xenophobic violence in South has been compensated.

"Lots of Nigerians lost their means of livelihood, material possessions and for many, all their hard work.

"We have sought for compensation on behalf of these victims from the South African government through the Nigerian government so that the victims can be adequately compensated.

"Up to this point in time nothing has been heard about the compensation request on behalf of the victims,” he said.

The NUSA President lamented that the harassment and killing of Nigerians in South Africa has continued till date.

"For some years now, a lot of Nigerians in South Africa have been victims of assassination by unknown people and rogue officers of the South African Police Service.

"Most of the cases have not been solved and nobody has been arrested in majority of the cases, even as many of them were reported to the police with official case numbers.

"This is strange in a country where the police force is efficient and the rate of successful prosecution is high up to 92.2 per cent in 2014/15.

"We implore the minister to demand from the highest level of South African authorities to set up a panel to investigate our claims and address our concerns,’’ he said.

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN recalled that the xenophobic attacks followed Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini's call for foreigners to leave South Africa as they were taking job opportunities from the citizens.

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