metro
Court forces Fubara to present 2025 Rivers budget to Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly
Court forces Fubara to present 2025 Rivers budget to Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara will present the state’s 2025 budget to the State House of Assembly, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
The governor announced this, adding that the state government would continue to work with the Assembly to improve the lives of Rivers residents.
He highlighted the positive relationship between the executive and legislative branches, as evidenced by the screening of nominees and the timely passage of executive bills.
Fubara made this statement at the commissioning of two ultra-modern community town halls and the launch of a tertiary scholarship and empowerment programme by the Speaker at Akiama and Aganya communities in the Bonny Local Government Area on Saturday.
A statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, gave these details.
Represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Edison Ehie, Fubara said, “The government and the people of Rivers State heartily congratulate you and thank you for being a good ambassador of the Ibani Kingdom.
“We assure you that as the executive arm, while the legislative arm remains independent, we will continue to collaborate to ensure prosperity for our people.
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“I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your support to the Rivers State government, as seen in your cooperation.
“The Speaker has facilitated the screening of caretaker committee chairmen, expedited executive requests, and will soon play a vital role in enacting the 2025 budget.”
Fubara said the Speaker’s focus on constituency projects reflected his role as an elected representative, in contrast to the inaction of 25 former lawmakers whom he referred to as “Abuja-based politicians.”
He added, “Constitution projects are a testament to elected representatives’ commitment to their people. Meanwhile, the 25 former Assembly members who dismissed themselves—have they initiated any projects? Do we see them inspecting or commissioning anything? These are Abuja-based politicians.”
Fubarau commended the Speaker for constructing town halls, offering financial empowerment to 100 Bonny indigenous people, and awarding tertiary scholarships to 30 Bonny children.
The Speaker thanked the people of Bonny for their support for the 10th Assembly and reaffirmed his faith in the governor.
He emphasised that the Assembly would remain focused despite resistance from “enemies of the state” and the 25 former members.
Oko-Jumbo stated that the 2025 budget would be presented to the 10th Assembly shortly and that the Bonny Local Government would be included in planned development projects.
He said, “We will continue working tirelessly to ensure Bonny Kingdom’s development. Many needs remain, but as the Speaker, I assure you that the 2025 budget, which will soon be presented by His Excellency, will include Bonny Local Government.
Court forces Fubara to present 2025 Rivers budget to Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly
metro
Immigration: Minister launches centre to monitor all int’l airports
Immigration: Minister launches centre to monitor all int’l airports
The Federal Government has launched the Regular Migration Control Centre at the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) headquarters in Sauka, Abuja, to monitor all international airports in Nigeria in real-time.
The Interior Minister, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed that the centre began 24-hour operations on Monday, following an induction program held about two weeks ago, during an appearance on the Politics Today programme on Channels Television on Tuesday.
“The command center is 100% complete. As a matter of fact, we did the induction program about two weeks ago. Just yesterday we started the 24-hour operation of the command and control centre in the Nigerian Immigration Service Headquarters in Sauka, Abuja. It covers all the international airports in the country,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
The minister explained that the centre is equipped with the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), which enables the pre-profiling of passengers before they arrive in Nigeria.
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He noted that the system is integrated with global databases, including INTERPOL and national criminal records, allowing authorities to track passengers’ travel history, including routes taken and countries visited in recent weeks or months.
The Interior Minister further noted that integration with land and sea borders is underway to expand the centre’s coverage. Once completed, the Regular Migration Control Centre will monitor Nigeria’s major entry points comprehensively.
- He revealed that the Federal Government has installed a **0.5MW solar farm** to ensure uninterrupted operations at the centre and its associated facilities, including the data and visa approval centres, all located within the NIS headquarters.
- This off-grid power solution guarantees seamless 24-hour functionality, eliminating the risk of downtime from power outages.
- Tunji-Ojo emphasized that the launch of the Regular Migration Control Centre is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s border security framework.
By monitoring international airports and expanding to other entry points, the system enhances the ability to deter illegal migration, streamline passenger processing, and strengthen the nation’s overall security apparatus.
Immigration: Minister launches centre to monitor all int’l airports
metro
Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m
Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m
Justice Muhammad Hamza of the Port Harcourt Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court has ordered Alcon Nigeria Limited to pay its former employee N39,707,607 for breach of contract.
In a statement on Monday, the court declared that Alcon Nigeria Limited’s non-payment of Mr. A. Ikenna’s salary from October 2021 to January 2022 constituted a breach of the employment contract.
The court further ordered Alcon Nigeria Limited to pay Mr. Ikenna N16,781,500 as pension contributions for the period from January 2017 to January 2022, N5,762,267.4 as salary for October 2021 to January 13, 2022 (less one month’s payment in lieu of notice), N11,289,600 as End of Service/Gratuity, and N5,874,240 as leave allowance for the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 periods, plus a 50kg bag of rice, among other payments.
Facts of the case
The claimant stated before the court that he was forced to resign from Alcon Nigeria Limited due to the company’s failure to pay his outstanding benefits.
The claimant’s legal team argued that their client’s obligation to comply with Alcon Nigeria Limited’s exit protocols only arises when the company has fully settled all outstanding salaries, allowances, and pension contributions owed to Mr. Ikenna prior to his resignation.
The claimant contended that, since Alcon Nigeria Limited admitted to breaching the employment contract, it could not claim that he had failed to adhere to exit protocols following his resignation.
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The claimant urged the court to grant relief for the various outstanding payments.
In response, Alcon Nigeria Limited’s legal team argued that Mr. Ikenna’s entitlements were withheld because he had not completed the exit process or returned company property.
The defense added, “Withholding these properties and assets is a clear violation of the collective agreement signed between the parties,” claiming that the claimant’s “self-help” actions in withholding Alcon Nigeria Limited’s assets hindered the company’s ability to settle his entitlements as stipulated in the collective agreement.
What the court said
In delivering judgment, Justice Muhammad Hamza held that, based on the evidence presented, the claimant was entitled to salary payments from October 2021 to January 13, 2022, minus one month’s pay in lieu of notice as specified in the company’s collective agreement.
The court further ruled that “Mr. Ikenna has proven his entitlements for unremitted pension contributions and End of Service/Gratuity from Alcon Nigeria Limited to the satisfaction of the court. The assertion that Mr. Ikenna had been employed by Alcon Nigeria Limited since 2004 requires no further proof.”
- On the matter of damages, Justice Hamza held that although Alcon Nigeria Limited breached the employment contract by not paying the claimant’s monthly salary, Mr. Ikenna was not entitled to general or exemplary damages as he had retained company property after his resignation.
- Justice Hamza subsequently ordered the firm to pay the claimant his dues while Mr. Ikenna was ordered to return all Alcon Nigeria Limited property in his possession, including a Lexus vehicle and a laptop, in good condition within seven days.
- The National Industrial Court of Nigeria, established in 1976, presides over cases related to labor disputes, civil matters, child trafficking, employment issues, entitlements, allowances, and workplace sexual harassment.
Court orders Alcon Nigeria to pay ex-workers over N39m
metro
Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing
Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing
A Kaduna High Court on Tuesday ordered that two brothers be remanded in a correctional centre for alleged culpable homicide and armed robbery.
The police charged Hamza Jibrin, 27 and Yusuf Jibrin 24, with conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
Justice Aisha Shagari ordered the remand of the defendants, after they pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Shagari adjourned the matter until Dec. 12 for hearing.
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Earlier, the Prosecutor, James Edward, said that the defendants and two others at large, while armed with matchete and other dangerous weapons along Airport Road, Kaduna, on Nov. 7, robbed and caused the death of a 26-year-old man, Rabiu Sani.
He said the defendants stole the deceased’s HP laptop, two cell phones, his wallet which contained two ATM cards and cash sum of N30,000.
Edward said that the offence is punishable under the Robbery and Firearms ( Special Provision) Act LFN, 2004.
The Defence counsel, Habiba Usman, had pleaded with the court to grant her clients bail.
Usman while moving her bail application, urged the court to gtant her client bail on literal terms, adding , that the defendants would be of good behaviour and would not jump bail.
Two brothers remanded in Kaduna for alleged armed robbery, killing
NAN
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