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N700bn recovered through whistleblowers – Finance minister

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The Federal Government had recovered over N700bn from corrupt individuals since the commencement of the whistle-blower policy in 2016, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said on Tuesday in Abuja.

She spoke during an interview with journalists at the National Conference on Whistle Blower Policy in Nigeria.

She said some of these recoveries were made during the cleaning of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System; stoppage of non-compliance with the Treasury Single Account and violations of the procurement Act 2007 among others.

The minister said at inception of the policy, there was widespread enthusiasm as Nigerians volunteered numerous actionable information.

Such information or tips, she noted, were referred for further investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission; Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Department of State Services.
However, she lamented that after sometime, interest in the implementation of the policy nosedived.

To address these issues, she said a committee with representatives from anti-graft and security agencies, chaired by a representative of the Federal Ministry of Justice, was set up to draft a Whistle Blower Bill.

The committee was set up taking into account all the complaints received from the public and the observations of the various stakeholders.

Also speaking at the event, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the Whistle Blower Policy was developed as a tool to expose corruption and corrupt actors in government.

“The Whistle Blower Policy presents a unique opportunity for men and women of conscience who are appalled by the level of corruption in the society and are looking for safe avenues to expose the perpetrators of such corrupt activities to do so in a way that their identities are protected and their positions in their places of work are secured,” he said.

The Vice President urged the developers of the new Whistle Blower Bill to expand the scope of wrongful acts that might be reported by whistleblowers.

He said, “As a violation of law, gross mismanagement, waste of public resources, or acts inimical to public health or safety should be included in the scope of activities that whistleblowers can report to the authorities.

“The law should also provide for comprehensive protection of whistleblowers, including against reprisals from their employers and those whose activities they expose.

“These may include witness protection type provisions should the whistleblower have to appear in court.”

The VP said the ability of government to deliver on promises in the areas of human capital development, provision of quality infrastructure and the general economic progress of the country depended significantly on the protection of the scarce resources from being looted and its application for the benefit of Nigerian citizens.

He also said the policy should operate widely in states and local governments as they were closer to the people and oversee about half of the nation’s revenues.

Osinbajo said government’s goal was to harness the huge potential of the people to deliver on their moral obligation to report cases of corruption within their immediate environments.

The new whistleblower policy, he insisted, would energise the people to guard their resources through increased exposure of financial and related crimes.

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Husband-wife’s mid-air fight forces Bangkok bound Lufthansa flight to land in Delhi

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Husband-wife’s mid-air fight forces Bangkok bound Lufthansa flight to land in Delhi

On Wednesday, a marital dispute between a husband and wife reportedly compelled a flight to make an unscheduled landing at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.

According to reports, the altercation between the couple resulted in the diversion of a Munich-Bangkok Lufthansa flight to Delhi, with subsequent disembarkation.

Fight between couples is quite common but on Wednesday an argument between a husband and wife reportedly forced a flight to land in Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI).

As per reports, the fight between the couple led to the diversion of a Munich-Bangkok Lufthansa flight to Delhi on Wednesday following which they were deboarded.

Lufthansa flight LH772 touched down at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport at 10:26 am after the pilots communicated with the Air Traffic Control (ATC) about a “situation and possible unruly passenger.”

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The decision to divert the flight was made following reports from the cabin crew indicating disruptive behavior on board, specifically citing a dispute between the husband and wife, according to a source quoted by newswire agency ANI.

While the cause of the altercation remains unknown, the aviation security at Delhi airport confirmed that the flight had to be redirected due to the conflict between the German man and his Thai wife.

The couple’s disagreement prompted the Lufthansa flight to seek permission to land at IGI, which was granted.

An official disclosed that the wife initially complained about her husband’s behavior to the pilot, claiming she felt “threatened” and sought intervention.

Currently, the situation is evolving, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) security personnel, flight crew, and other staff are engaging with the couple in the terminal area following their disembarkation from the flight.

It is anticipated that the flight will resume its journey after addressing the issues with the involved passengers.

Husband-wife’s mid-air fight forces Bangkok bound Lufthansa flight to land in Delhi

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Islamic group cites Quaranic, Bible verses, tells Tinubu not to sign agreement on homos3xuality

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Islamic group cites Quaranic, Bible verses, tells Tinubu not to sign agreement on homos3xuality

A Nigerian Islamic group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has urged President Bola Tinubu to shun the “LGBT accord which will legalise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in Nigeria”.

The advice was given by MURIC on Saturday, in a statement signed by the group’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement said: “Western countries under the aegis of the EU-ACP have been putting Nigeria under pressure to join countries that legalise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) relationship.

“This has always been the goal of globalization from the onset. We reject this concept. It is evil, immoral, luciferous and abominable. It is also against the order of nature. Allah created all in pairs of opposite sex. How can life continue if we turn it to same sex?

“Any agreement signed with the Satanic LGBT group will contravene Nigeria’s Anti-Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2013. This law was designed to protect morality and sanity in the Nigerian society. We endorse this law and we assert that it must remain sacrosanct.

“Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) clearly condemned homosexualism when he said, ‘Do you lustfully approach men instead of women? No, you are an ignorant people’ (Glorious Qur’an 27:56). He also said, ‘You approach the men of all creatures and you leave your wives whom your Lord created for you’ (26:166-167).

“It was for this satanic act that Allah destroyed the people of Lut in Sodom and Gomorrah. ‘When Our command came, we turned that city upside down and rained layer upon layer of clay on it’ (Glorious Qur’an 11:83).

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“Neither does the Bible endorse lesbianism and homosexuality. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 says homosexuality will prevent those who engage in it from entering the kingdom of God. Leviticus 18:22 and Leviticus 29:13 affirm that it is an abomination for a man to lie with another man as he would with a woman. Paul the apostle said homosexuality results from a rejection of God (Romans 1:26-27).

“Homosexuality is straight from the pit of hell as far as Nigerian traditional practices are concerned. Nothing like it has surfaced in our history. Our ancestors were conscious of an Almighty Creator who arranged nature with divine wisdom, pairing masculine with feminine. They never permitted any pollution or deviation.

MURIC would not be the first group in Nigeria to express fear over the recently signed partnership agreement between the European Union and Africa-Caribbean and Pacific countries (EU-ACP). Nigeria is a member of the ACP.

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) had cautioned the Federal Government against signing the agreement. The Coalition had warned that if ACP governments agreed to sign the agreement it would be a disaster as it was a pact aimed at legalising LGBT in their nations.

But in a statement by the spokesperson of the Foreign ministry, Mrs. Francisca Omayuli, the Federal Government explained that Nigeria was not present at the signing of the agreement which is also known as the Samoa Agreement. The statement said Nigerian were stakeholders still studying the agreement. “Relevant Nigerian stakeholders are studying the instrument with a view to ensuring that its provisions do not contravene Nigeria’s domestic legislation after government’s attention had been drawn to diverse pronouncements and publications on the implication of Nigeria’s signature.

“The Samoa Agreement covers six key priority areas of Human Rights, Democracy and Governance; Peace and Security; Human and Social Development; Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change; Inclusive Sustainable Economic Growth; and Development, Migration and Mobility. The Agreement supersedes and replaces the Cotonou Agreement (2000), which in turn was preceded by several other agreements aimed at bolstering relations between the OACPS and EU,” she said.

Islamic group cites Quaranic, Bible verses, tells Tinubu not to sign agreement on homos3xuality

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BREAKING: Obi emerges NANS president, defeats alleged Seyi Tinubu’s preferred candidate

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Pedro Obi

BREAKING: Obi emerges NANS president, defeats alleged Seyi Tinubu’s preferred candidate

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has elected Pedro Obi from the Delta State University as its new president.

Obi, a Phd student of Guidance and Counseling studies got 212 votes to defeat his closest rival, Lucky Emonefe who scored 83 votes.

Emonefe was said to be the preferred choice of President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi.

The election was held at the old parade ground, Abuja.

According to a report by SaharaReporters, the outgoing president, Usman Barambu suspended the former electoral committee, saying it was compromised, an action which paved way for another set of executives to conduct the election.

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The students body had zoned the position of president of NANS to Zone B (South-south).

Confirming the incident, Levi Okuru, cordinator of Zone B said, “Congratulations Comr. Pedro Chibuzo Obi on your Victory at the poll as President of NANS. We believe you have the voice for Nigerian Students. Viva Aluta.”

It was earlier reported how the Old Parade Ground, venue of the national convention of the association was on Friday, December 1, characterised by heavy shootings.

The shootings, which started on Thursday, continued on Friday at the venue of the convention, which is a few distance away from the Defense Headquarters, Abuja.

More details to follow…..

BREAKING: Obi emerges NANS president, defeats alleged Seyi Tinubu’s preferred candidate

(SAHARAREPORTERS)

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