News
Court turns down DCP Kyari bail request
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday refused to grant bail to suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling, said the application had been overtaken by events following an order of a sister court, granting the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)’s prayers to detain Kyari for another 14 days to enable it conclude its investigation on the 25kg of cocaine.
Justice Ekwo held that the sister court, which gave the order in favour of NDLEA on February 22, was a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
The judge, however, said he was inclined to hear Kyari’s fundamental enforcement rights suit with the urgency it deserves after the expiration of the 14-day court order.
He then adjourned until March 15 to hear Kyari’s application to demand for his fundamental right enforcement.
Justice Zainab Abubakar of FHC sitting in Abuja had granted the agency’s application to have Kyari and others suspects linked to the alleged drug trafficking detained for 14 more days to complete its investigation.
Kyari, through his lawyer, had, on Feb. 21, approached the court with an ex-parte motion and originating summons seeking for a bail and asking the court to enforce his fundamental human rights which he alleged had been breached by unlawful arrest and detention.
Kyari, in the main suit, urged the court to make an order directing the NDLEA to pay him N500 million for infringing on his rights.
He also asked the court to direct the agency to tender a public apology in national dailies.
Justice Ekwo fixed today for hearing the bail application and directed Kyari’s lawyer to put NDLEA on notice and serve the agency with the hearing notice. (NAN)
News
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, revealed a preliminary report by German firm GeoScan that estimates Nigeria’s solid minerals are worth $750 billion. He highlighted this during a summit organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Bruit Costaud, emphasizing the sector’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s goal of achieving a trillion-dollar economy.
Alake noted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to reforms in the mining sector to prevent Nigeria from merely being a mining pit for solid minerals. He stressed the importance of data availability to attract investors and stimulate job creation and economic growth through mineral processing plants.
“We are working with the World Bank, Excalibur and GeoScan, a German company, to get the necessary data on the sector. That is why the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Geoscan, and they did a preliminary survey of our minerals’ output and potential. They gave us a figure of $750bn worth of minerals embedded under the ground of Nigeria.”
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Collaborations with organizations like the World Bank, Excalibur, and GeoScan aim to gather essential data for the sector. The memorandum of understanding signed with GeoScan resulted in a preliminary survey revealing the substantial value of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule highlighted the importance of investing in solid minerals, particularly citing the significance of lithium, which he likened to gold. He announced the impending commissioning of Nigeria’s largest lithium processing factory, expected to process 4,000 metric tons daily and transport over a million tons of lithium annually.
Ayo Omotaya, Director General of NIPSS, reiterated the summit’s purpose of charting a path forward for the mining sector, underscoring the necessity of strategic planning and collaboration to harness Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
Nigeria’s solid minerals worth over $750bn — Minister
News
Senate begins moves to harmonise NIN, BVN, other identity platforms
Senate begins moves to harmonise NIN, BVN, other identity platforms
The Senate advocates for integrating the National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), and other digital identity platforms into a unified system. Salisu Shuiab, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT, Cyber Crimes, highlighted this during a discussion with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Shuiab emphasized that a single identity system is crucial for national security and anti-corruption efforts. He criticized the fragmented approach, citing it as wasteful and detrimental to security measures.
He said a unified digital identity system would also help the Federal government plan its various intervention programmes through equitable distribution of resources.
“I can assure Nigerians that the era where you have silos, one individual being a dimension in different places, is not only a waste, it also contributes to insecurity and indeed even corruption.
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“We are making a move to harmonise our identity database. We have engaged the relevant ministries—the Ministry of Communication Digital Economy, the Ministry of Industry, and even the CEO of the National Identity Management Commission—to ensure that a Nigerian who has registered with NIMC and has a national identity number is recognised across all platforms, whether for passport purposes, driver’s license, or the various interventions that the federal government is making.
“You cannot have a digital economy without a reliable digital identity, and digital identity starts with harmonising our database to ensure that one individual is recognised across all the systems,” Shuiab said.
He called for a partnership between FUNAAB and his office on training rural farmers in agricultural production.
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Kehinde, said he would be willing to partner with relevant agencies to ensure food security in the country.
Senate begins moves to harmonise NIN, BVN, other identity platforms
News
FG approves salary increase for civil servants
FG approves salary increase for civil servants
The Federal Government has approved a salary increase of between 25 and 35 per cent for civil servants.
This move is coming on the eve of the 2024 Workers’ Day.
This was revealed in a statement on Tuesday by the Head of Press at the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC)Emmanuel Njoku.
The increment, it stated, would take effect from January 1, 2024.
The Salary Structure includes the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).
Those in the tertiary education and health sectors had already received their increases which involved Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities.
For polytechnics and colleges of education, the statement indicated that the new salary structure involved the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).
Those in the Health Sector will also be benefiting through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS).
Also, the Federal Government has approved increase in pension of between 20 and 28 per cent for pensioners on the defined benefits scheme concerning the above-mentioned six consolidated salary structures.
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