N50b debt: AMCON lied - Jimoh Ibrahim

The Group Chairman of NICON Investment Limited, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim has reacted to reports that a Federal High Court has granted the Assets Management Company of Nigeria, AMCON an interim order to take over his assets over his N50b indebtedness to the company.

In a statement he issued on Tuesday, Ibrahim said that AMCON lied to the court to secure the order.

‘’My attention has been directed to lies being spread around by an institution called AMCON over an interim order of injunction she had lied to collect before an innocent Federal High Court in Lagos.

‘’AMCON is aware that we kept a deposit of Eighty-Six billion Naira or 172 million pounds with Union Bank and AMCON is aware that application to collect the money from Union Bank is pending before an Ikeja High Court. All of these facts, it has not disclosed to an innocent Federal High Court.

‘’AMCON deceived Nigerians to believe that they got judgement against me when there was nothing like that. An interim order of any court lasts for 14 days. AMCON is executing the interim order even when the Judge has not signed the execution writ.

‘’We have since filed an application to discharge the interim order. I'm not in the category of people that AMCON or anybody can intimidate. It is laughable and a wild ambition to say anyone in Nigeria can seize my property! What a day dream!!

‘’We shall abide with the law and any interim order of court even when they are made in error as we are not far away from justice.’’

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Alleged forgery: Saraki, others get Court summons by substituted means

The court summon inviting the  Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others over alleged forgery of Senate Standing Orders was served by substituted means on Tuesday.

The High Court summon with suit number CV/219/16 was pasted on the notice board in the White House of the National Assembly complex.

Apart from Saraki and Ekweremadu, others summoned as defendants are the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa and the Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Benedict Efeturi.

Read the court summon below.

“By oral application dated 21st June, 2016 moved by D.E. Kaswe, Principal State Counsel Federal Ministry of Justice in this case praying the court for:

“An order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the complainant/applicant to serve criminal summon on the defendants by substituted means to wit by pasting it at the Notice Board of the National Assembly Three Arms Zone, Abuja."

The News Agency of Nigeria  reports that the notice was removed soon after it was pasted.

NAN

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FG sacks striking doctors

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole has ordered the sacking and replacement of resident doctors who have been on strike.

The doctors who were attached to government hospitals had embarked on industrial action on Monday, an act which the minister described as abandoning their duty posts.

This directive was contained in a circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Amina Shamaki.

“It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant.

“This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.

“In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the Doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.

“Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Program in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country.

“Please, ensure immediate compliance.”

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Idris takes over as IGP Arase retires

President Mohammadu Buhari has appointed Assistant Inspector General, AIG Ibrahim Idris as the new Inspector General of Police to replace Solomon Arase who retired on Tuesday.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said in a statement on Tuesday that the new IGP would remain in acting capacity until confirmed by the Police Service Commission, PSC.

Giving a brief profile of the new Police chief, the statement said:

"The Acting Inspector-General, who hails from Kutigi, Lavun in Niger State, was born on 15th of January 1959.

"Idris enlisted into the Nigerian Police Force in 1984, after graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria with a Bachelors degree in Agriculture. He also holds a degree in Law from the University of Maiduguri."

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IGP Arase marks 60th birthday

The Inspector General of Police, Dr Solomon Arase turned 60 on Tuesday.

To mark the occasion, the management team, senior police officers and the rank and file of the Nigeria Police Force delightfully felicitated with  Arase and wished him success, happiness, joy and prosperity.

Arase may have retired from the Police Force today having attained the mandatory age of 60, as earlier in the day, he had handed over to Ibrahim Idris who has become the Acting Inspector General of Police.

Both men had held a brief meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

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Army explains cut off of fertilizer supply to Borno, Adamawa, Yobe

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has disclosed that the Army shut off the supply of fertilizers to the Northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in order to checkmate the production of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs by terrorist group, Boko Haram.

Buratai made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday while addressing the House Committee on Army during an investigative hearing on the prohibition of use of jerry cans for the purchase of petrol in Yobe and motorcycles in Adamawa state.

He however, urged the House to formally write for a reconsideration of the ban on petrol and fertilizers.

"Since they have been degraded, we won't allow our economic lives to be affected. We will look into the issue of allowing farmers to buy petroleum for their use. Even the issue of fertilizer, we control its supply. The issue can be handled," he said.

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7 health officials in EFCC net for stealing HIV fund

Seven officials of the Federal Ministry of Health are now in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over their alleged role in the stealing of $4m intended for fighting HIV/AIDS in Nigeria.

The money was said to have been given to Nigeria by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Global Fund is an international financing organisation that raises and disburses resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

An EFCC source said that the suspects who are from the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, which was in charge of managing the funds were arrested on the orders of the presidency.

“The Presidency directed the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, to investigate the matter. We have made arrests and we are currently compiling our report. We will send it to the Presidency and then charge the suspects to court.

“President Muhammadu Buhari was not happy that the money that was meant to be used in saving lives was stolen. We take this seriously just like the arms scam.”

Global Funds has discontinued further donations to Nigeria since it discovered irregularities in the disbursement of funds earlier given to the country.

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