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The Senate on Tuesday moved to impose life sentence for the offence of kidnapping, wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement for ransom, particularly where death results from the act. It also sought to ensure that recipients of any proceeds from kidnapping are imprisoned for up to 30 years. This followed a Bill sponsored by Senator Ibikunle Amosun (APC-Osun). The Bill which scaled second reading on the floor of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly also proposed to give the Inspector General of Police wider powers to enable adequate policing of the crime of kidnapping. In his lead debate, Amosun said…

The authorities at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) have described as “false and inaccurate” the allegation of poor management of the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Mailafia, by the staffers of the facility. The hospital’s management exclusively confirmed to Premium Times on Monday evening that Mr Mailafia died of coronavirus disease “due to comorbidities.” This revelation was reluctantly made by the hospital’s management, which had insisted that the confidentiality of its patients is sacrosanct. According to the hospital’s chief medical director, Bissallah Ekele, a professor, Mr Mailafia had been managed at two…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described as a loss, the decision by Agom Jarigbe for leaving the House for the Senate. According to Gbajabiamila, the 9th House is the most vibrant in the history of Nigeria. Jarigbe, who represented Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency in Cross River State, had moved to the Senate, after a bye-election followed by legal battles, to replace Rose Okoh, who died while representing Cross River North Senatorial District. At the opening of plenary on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila read a letter of resignation from Jarigbe. Jarigbe wrote, “I wish to formally notify you of…

President Muhammadu Buhari has nominated four persons into the board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The President’s nomination was contained in a letter read on the floor of the Senate by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday. The nominees, according to the letter, are George Abang as secretary of the board while Kola Adeshina, Mohammed Yahaya and Lukman Mohammed, were appointed as board members. According to Mr Buhari, the nominations were in accordance with the Act establishing the EFCC. The President, therefore, urged the Senate to confirm the nominees in the “usual expeditious manner”.

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the Senate, seeking an amendment to the recently signed Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. In the letter, President Buhari wants an amendment to the new Act to allow for the removal of the Ministers of Petroleum and Finance from the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, saying that they can continue to perform their functions without necessarily being members of the board. In the letter read on Tuesday during plenary by the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, President Buhari is also seeking for the amendment to allow the Non-Executive Members to…

The High Court of Abia State on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the case involving the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, till October 7, 2021. The vacation judge, Justice K. C. J. Okereke, took the decision as the Federal Government of Nigeria and five other respondents in the case have yet to file their response to the suit brought before the court by court, challenging the alleged infringement on his fundamental human rights. In the suit, no HIH/FR14/2021, the respondents include the Federal Government of Nigeria (1st), Attorney General of the Federation (2nd), Chief…

Rochas Okorocha has stressed the need to reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria by having one senator per state. That is 36 instead of 109 senators. “Now, when you talk about cutting down the cost of governance, Nigeria is better off with one senator per state and three federal House members per state. This number of people can solve Nigeria’s constitutional problems,” said Okorocha at a media parley with the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists on Monday. “We are too many, and what is it that three senators can do in a state that one senator…

“The question here is, how possible will it be to navigate a navy warship through the waters of Lagos to the desert Naval Base in Kano which you want to build? Or is there a waterway to take one from Lagos to Kano? Or do you want to create an artificial ocean?" An elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari explaining why the federal government should stop the proposed naval base project in Kano. Clark, a former Minister of Information, in the letter titled; ‘Establishment of a naval base in Kano in the heart of the…

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has signed the bill prohibiting open cattle grazing in Lagos into law. He signed the bill into law on Monday. Details later.

As part of activities marking the 175th anniversary of Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, the church has honoured its members who have contributed immensely in the growth of the kingdom of Christ. One of such individuals is the Director ABN TV, Mr. Ifeanyi Okali who was recognized with the award of 'Worthy Ambassador'. The event took place on Sunday at the Church's South Central Synod 175 years Anniversary at St Peter's Parish Umuahia, Abia State. Okali, a media entrepreneur has been at forefront in advancing developmental journalism across the country. He has also amplified the concerns of the weak and downtrodden…