Reps Summon Foreign Affairs Minister, Perm Sec Over Breach Of Appropriation Act – Newstrends
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Reps Summon Foreign Affairs Minister, Perm Sec Over Breach Of Appropriation Act

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Geoffrey Onyeama

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and permanent secretary in the Ministry to appear on Monday over alleged failure to comply with section 11 of the 2022 Appropriation Act.

The lower chamber expressed outrage over the deplorable condition of Nigerian embassies/high commissions and the hassle the country’s ambassadors were facing in the discharge of their duties.

The House at plenary yesterday expressed worries that many Nigerian embassies were in a dilapidated state and had become a laughing stock largely due to the refusal of the ministry to allow ambassadors/high commissioners access the capital components of their budgets to carry out needed facelifts.

The lawmakers spoke at plenary while contributing to a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep Kasimu Bello Maigari.

They called on the federal government to compel the ministry to implement the provision of the 2022 Appropriation Act (S.11) which empowers Nigeria embassies and high commissions across the world to spend capital components of their budgets without recourse to the headquarters of the ministry.

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Maigari said Nigerian foreign missions and service officers had been at the receiving end of the negative effects of the actions and inactions of the ministry “which have sometimes resulted in hiring taxis for diplomats on official duties and in the forceful ejection of ambassadors/high commissioners and other foreign service officers from rented apartments with their personal effects and other property thrown into the streets of capital cities of the world even when such embassies/high commissions have budgeted capital funds lying unutilised in various bank accounts.”

The chairman House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Buba Yakubu, said the situation was so bad that Nigerian ambassadors could not invite their fellow ambassadors to their residences or the Nigerian houses all over the world.

“This is the issue all over; we were at the embassy in Washington DC; the cooling system was not working and we found Nigerians who had come with children to seek for consular services removing their clothes because of heat, it was a hot period and they started shouting at us that what kind of country is this.

“When we went to Cameroon where the former chief of defence staff is serving, in his residence, a fence that is not up to 50 meters fell but officers (of foreign affairs ministry) have to be sent from Abuja; pay their tickets and they will go to see it, come back to report to the Ministry before approval will be given for that fence to be rebuilt.”

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said he had a personal experience in many embassies which he described as a ‘crying shame”.

“It’s a crying shame that the National Assembly is trying to make things better for those we send out to represent us and some people are resisting,” he said.

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

A Federal High Court in Borno State has ordered the release of at least 313 suspected terrorists detained by the military.

The court ordered their release due to a lack of evidence to charge the suspects after the investigation.

Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, the Director of Defence Media Operations, announced this during the operational briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

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He said, “The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of investigation and other ancillary matters.

“Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

BREAKING: Court orders military to release 313 suspected terrorists

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Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

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Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

One David Ojonugwa has been remanded for allegedly stealing his boss’ N54,142,000 in Lagos State.

An Ebute-Metta Magistrates’ Court ordered the remand of the 25-year-old defendant on Wednesday.

Ojonugwa was arraigned by the police on three counts bordering on conspiracy, unlawful interference with property, and stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him by the police.

Consequently, magistrate Adedayo Tella remanded Ojonugwa at the Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till April 24, 2024 for the review of facts and sentencing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Francisca Job, informed the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences sometime in January 2024 at Lorange Water Factory, located at No 3, Olajubu Street, Ilupeju area of Lagos State.

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According to Job, Ojonugwa unlawfully disconnected, removed, tampered, and meddled with one 10KVA generator valued at N250,000, a 12 HP submersible pump machine valued at N200,000, an electric motor for a water line, N1.8m, and bottled water machine, N1m.

Others are one injection machine module at N12m, injection machine module, N14m, one set of four cavity module bottles (150CL) at N9m, one set of four cavity module bottles (75CL), valued at N8m, one set of four cavity module bottles (25CL), valued at N5m, one electric for motor shrink wrapper (75KW) valued at N110,000, two floating switches for the bottled water line valued at N20,000, 200 stainless bolts and nuts for installation valued at N92,000, six stainless rods for the installation of the water line valued at N200,000 and 1,000 pieces of medium-sized catfishes valued at N40,000, items that were stolen by the defendant.

She said that the total value of the items stolen was N54,142,000, properties of one Mrs Teju Adeleke.

According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 411, 340, and 287 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.

Lagos court sends 25-year-old man to prison for stealing employer’s N54.1m

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Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

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Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

Fayoade told newsmen on Wednesday while parading the suspect and 59 others in Lagos, that the suspect also stole another policeman’s rifle in Abeokuta and was declared wanted with his gang members by the Ogun Police Command.

He said that the suspect, simply identified as Seun and his gang had been terrorising Ogun and Lagos States respectively, claiming to be an engineer repairing computers and phones before he ventured into armed robbery.

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the parade, the suspect claimed he was doing well in his business until he met a friend called Bado, who introduced him to the robbery operation.

He said their first operation was at Abeokuta, where they went to rob in a two-storey building, adding that he scaled the fence of the building to have access into the compound.

“I was the one who scaled the fence and opened the gate for others to come in. Immediately we entered the building, a policeman guarding the building ran into the toilet.

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“We picked up his rifle and left the place. It was one of us called Michael, who took the rifle to his house.

“Since I joined robbery, I have not killed before now. In our second operation in Lagos, we only collected phones and money.

“We have robbed in Oshodi, Ikorodu and Ifo area of Ogun. We also collected the vehicle from the owner at Abeokuta.

“The motor was driven away by Bado who is our leader. I was introduced to Bado by one Amechi.

“I have once worked with a politician at Mowe, but because he abandoned me and I have nothing to do again, that was why I decided to join robbery. I regret my actions,” he said.

The suspect further claimed that he had only collected ₦210,000 from the proceeds of the three robbery operations he participated in before his arrest.

He appealed to the government to have mercy on him, assuring that if given the opportunity again, he would never return to armed robbery.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police said the suspect would be charged in court after the conclusion of the investigation.

Have mercy on me, armed robbery suspect who killed police officer begs govt

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