Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
News
Gunmen attack Catholic seminary in Kaduna, abduct students
Gunmen have abducted some students of St Albert the Great Institute of Philosophy, a Catholic seminary in Kaduna state.
The seminary, which is situated at Fayit community in Kagoma chiefdom, Jama’a LGA of Kaduna, was reportedly attacked on Monday night.
Confirming the development in a statement, Emmanuel Okolo, chancellor of the Catholic diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna, said six other seminarians were injured during the attack.
“We announce with unease the kidnap of three major seminarians of the Christ the King Major Seminary. Christ the King Major Seminary, our diocesan Major Seminary, is domiciled within the St. Albert Institute. It houses mostly the formators and seminarians preparing for the Catholic priesthood,” the statement reads.
“The Seminarians receive academic formation from the St. Albert Institute. The event took place on Monday, 11th October 2021 at about 7.26pm, in the Chapel of the Seminary in Fayit, Fadan Kagoma in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“As at the time of the attack, 10 formators including the Rectors of the Seminary and the Institute, 132 seminarians, 6 non-seminarians, one female non-academic staff and one steward were on ground.
“Six seminarians sustained various degrees of injuries. A dispatch of soldiers of the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) was on ground to accompany some formators and the injured seminarians to Salem Hospital in Kafanchan. There, they were treated and discharged after being confirmed to be stable.
“From the narrative of the seminary security agents, the law enforcement personnel and the headcount conducted after Mass on the 12th October, 2021, it was confirmed that three Theology Four seminarians were abducted. These seminarians belong to the Apostles of Divine Charity and the Little Sons of the Eucharist Congregation.”
The diocese asked the public to pray for the safety of the victims, adding that it would “use every legitimate means to ensure their prompt and secure release”.
Kaduna has been under attack by gunmen — with residents and students kidnapped for ransom.
More than five schools have been attacked by gunmen in the state since the beginning of the year.
TheCable had reported that five kidnapped students of Bethel Baptist High School in Damishi area of the state were recently released by their abductors, after spending three months on captivity.
Bandits had, on July 5, invaded the school, kidnapping 121 students.
The bandits had said the students would be released in batches when they freed the first set of 28 on July 25 — after a ransom of N100 million was reportedly paid.
News
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
Members of the organised labour, on Friday, protested and shut down the headquarters of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) over alleged cut of workers’ salaries in the agency by the management of the fund.
The aggrieved protesters, led by the President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo and executive members of the Association of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFE), started their demonstrations at about 11:00am.
READ ALSO:
- Bandits attack Matawalle’s hometown in Zamfara kill one, kidnap many
- Eight illegal security guards arrested in Anambra
- Weeks after Iran’s attack, Israel discovers another massive surface-to-surface missile
Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the protesters alleged that the management led by Mrs Maureen Allagoa, the Managing Director of the Fund, had made deductions of consequential taxes from their salaries to the tune of N2.1bn which were not remitted.
Addressing the protesters, Osifo said the protest and subsequent shutdown of the Fund became imperative after efforts made by the leadership of ASSBIFE to resolve the issue amicably with the management failed.
The protesters urged President Bola Tinubu to sack the MD of the agency with immediate effect to avert “looming crises” in the Fund and called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe their claims.
Both the MD of the Fund, Mrs Allagoa and spokesman of the Fund, Mr Godson Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments at the time of filing this report.
Labour shuts NSITF head office over staff salary cut
News
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
Hamma Bello, the eighth prosecution witness in the trial of Winifred Oyo-Ita, a former Head of Service of the Federation, has narrated how N3 billion was diverted to private companies.
The witness stated this while testifying before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday about how the defendant and her subordinates diverted public funds into their private companies.
Oyo-Ita, the first defendant, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, along with her special assistants; Ugbong Effiok (seventh defendant) and Garba Umar (fourth defendant).
Others are six companies: Frontline Ace Global Services Limited, Asanaya Projects Limited, Slopes International Limited, U and U Global Services Ltd, Prince Mega Logistics Ltd, and Good Deal Investments, on 18 counts bordering on misappropriation, official corruption, money laundering, and criminal diversion of funds to the tune of over N3 billion.
READ ALSO:
- Third Mainland Bridge: Contractors set to return for resurfacing, solar power installation
- Police nab brothers over gang rape
- Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
The witness, while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Faruk Abdullahi, and H.M. Mohammed, told the court that Oyo-Ita used Slopes International Limited and Good Deal Investments Limited – fifth and sixth defendants respectively, to fraudulently award government contracts to herself through the fourth defendant, Umar.
The first entry transaction of Good Deal Investment Limited. in February 2019 showed that N42,748,201.47 was paid into its Zenith Bank account.
Umar, the witness said, incorporated the company with Oyo-Ita’s full knowledge.
“We called for the account statements of these two companies, and upon analysing them, we realised he (Umar) was paid several sums of money from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, where he is an employee.
“And upon interviewing the fourth defendant, he admitted that he was also a contractor. He also admitted to have paid the first defendant on several occasions from the proceeds of the transaction,” the witness said.
On April 27, 2019, the witness disclosed that a transfer of N20, 2027, 142 was made in the name of Ibrahim Madu to the Zenith Bank account of Asanaya Projects Limited.
The mandate card of the account bears the signature and photo of the seventh defendant, Effiok.
Investigation, according to the witness, also revealed that the seventh defendant incorporated Asanaya Projects Limited in his name with the knowledge of the first defendant and that approvals were granted and payments made to the seventh defendant either through his personal account or to the account of the company.
READ ALSO:
- Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
- Police intervene as mob attempts burning two one-chance robbers alive
- PDP, LP kick as US report says 2023 polls reflect people’s will despite irregularities
The witness said, “The seventh defendant, upon interview, confirmed he had never travelled for most of the funds he received and that the first defendant was aware of and benefitted on several occasions from the funds. The account of U and U Global Services Limited was also opened by the seventh defendant.
“In summary, from 2015 to 2018, U and U Global Limited received several payments in the form of Duty Tour Allowances and estacodes. Sometimes, payments from the federal government were made directly to the account, for instance, on March 24, 2016, he received N40, 313, 453. 58. This particular payment was from the federal government.”
Further in his testimony, the witness stated that, “Exhibit O is the Fidelity Bank account of Prince Mega Logistics Ltd. On March 27, 2018, and April 6, 2018, there were four entries, N4, 950 000; N3,946,000, N4,676,000 and N1,478,000, from Thomson Titus Okure, who used to be a colleague of the seventh defendant in the Account Department.
“There were also outward payments to Ignom, Minaro Blessing, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Olarenwaju Godman Olushola and the seventh defendant is the sole signatory of this account.”
Speaking further, he said, “I also want to add that we invited the first, second and seventh defendant at different times to our office and interviewed them. In the case of the first defendant, we printed chats from her phone and saw conversations she had with contractors, subordinates, and permanent secretaries. She also voluntarily made a statement to the EFCC.”
The matter was adjourned till April 30, 2024.
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
How ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita diverted N3bn public funds to private firms
News
Why we made emergency landing at Lagos airport – Air Peace
A statement by Stanley Olisa, the airline’s Corporate Communications Lead, explained that some minutes before landing, the Captain noticed a fire warning indicator in the cockpit.
-
Education6 days ago
Why we charge N42m fees for primary school pupils — Charterhouse Lagos
-
Auto6 days ago
We expect massive roll-outs of Nigeria-made cars by December 2024 – Minister
-
metro6 days ago
JUST IN : Borrow pit collapses, kills seven Qur’anic school pupils
-
metro4 days ago
How gunmen killed Babcock university lecturer, abducted two – Police
-
News5 days ago
We’re not part of Yoruba Nation agitation, says MKO Abiola family
-
Politics6 days ago
Ondo APC primary: Ododo, gov aspirant in open confrontation
-
Sports5 days ago
Arsenal beat Wolves to return to top spot
-
Politics4 days ago
Aregbesola, Oyetola’s camps disagree over Osun shares