The Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has announced the deployment of over 900 personnel for special patrol aimed at ensuring a seamless and safe Easter celebrations period.
Mr. Anthony Uga, the Sector Commander, assured the public of FRSC readiness during the festivities.
He disclosed that the special patrol, scheduled to commence on March 29 and conclude on April 2, will see the deployment of both regular and special marshals.
According To Uga, the primary objectives of the patrol will be to manage traffic congestions, address vehicle breakdowns, and provide rapid responses to emergencies, particularly road accidents.
He noted that patrol vehicles, tow trucks, and ambulances have been strategically stationed for swift interventions.
Uga identified strategic locations where the FRSC personnel will be stationed to include major highways such as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Benin-Ore Expressway, Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Road, Abeokuta-Ibadan Expressway, Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway, and Ota-Idiroko Road amongst others.
He urged motorists to prioritise their safety, and stressed the importance of adhering strictly to traffic rules and regulations. He emphasized on the need to reduce speed, as excessive speed remains a leading cause of road accidents.
He also cautioned against reckless overtaking and driving against the flow of traffic, adding that road users should enjoy a safe and incident-free celebration.
“We are appealing to motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations and reduce their speed, as speed has been a major cause of road crashes,” he said.
EASTER: Reduce Speed To Avoid Death, FRSC Tells Motorists As 900 Personnel Deployed In Ogun is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
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B.Sc/HND degree in Accounting or related field
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Ensure accurate and timely capturing of business transactions (prompt posting) into appropriate general ledger (GL), e.g. Commissions earned, Remittance of claims, Settlement of claims…etc
Preparation of monthly Management Performance Report (MPR) and financial statements.
Co-ordinating and preparing monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual budget and designing budgetary control, forecasts and reporting variances to management
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Ensure liquidity and Cashflow Management – spot checking and maintenance of liquidity position of the organization
Preparation of regulatory returns (monthly, quarterly, bi-annual as it is required)
Support month-end and yearend account closing process relating to organization, reconciliation, petty cash management, cost review, adjustments and detailed variance analysis.
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The detainees were arrested by the military in the heat of insurgency.
The Nigerian Army is set to release more than 200 suspected who had been detained over Boko Haram terrorist activities.
The military said the suspects had been cleared of links to the Boko Haram sect.
The detainees will be handed over to the Borno State Government for proper reintegration into the society on Tuesday morning at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, the state capital.
The detainees were arrested by the military in the heat of insurgency.
”Not fewer than 200 cleared Boko Haram suspects that are being cleared of any wrongdoing by security operatives, and they will be hand over to the Borno State Government for rehabilitation and reintegration.
“The handing over ceremony is set to be this morning (Tuesday) at 10: am at Giwa Barracks,” a top source told Daily Trust.
The source said the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Zuwaira Gambo, and her Information and Internal Security counterpart, Prof Tar Umar, will be receiving the clear detainees on behalf of the state government.
Nigeria has sought the help of Interpol in its quest to re-arrest the Executive Manager of Binance for the African region, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from detention on Friday, March 22.
The Binance executive who was detained by Nigerian authorities on allegations of tax evasion and other charges reportedly escaped from a guest house in Abuja where he and another colleague were being held.
He was said to have slipped away when security personnel on duty allowed him to visit a nearby mosque for prayers.
Anjarwalla was arrested and detained alongside another Binance official, Tigran Gambaryan, on their arrival in Nigeria on February 26, resulting in a series of legal actions against them and the cryptocurrency exchange platform.
A statement on Monday issued by the Head of Strategic Communication in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Zakari Mijinyawa, called on the public and the international community to provide information that can assist law enforcement agencies in apprehending the fugitive.
“The Federal Government, like other governments around the world, has been investigating money laundering and terrorism financing transactions perpetrated on the Binance currency exchange platform,” Mijinyawa said.
“Until his escape, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who holds British and Kenyan nationalities and serves as Binance’s Africa regional manager, was being tried by Nigerian courts.
“The suspect escaped while under a 14-day remand order by a court in Nigeria, and was scheduled to appear before the court again on April 4, 2024.
“The Office of the National Security Adviser confirms that Nadeem Anjarwalla, a suspect in the ongoing criminal probe into the activities of Binance in Nigeria escaped from lawful custody on Friday, March 22, 2024.
“Upon receiving this report, this office took immediate steps, in conjunction with relevant security agencies, MDAs, as well as the international community, to apprehend the suspect.
“Security agencies are working with Interpol for an international arrest warrant on Nadeem Anjarwalla.
“Preliminary investigation shows that Mr Anjarwalla fled Nigeria using a smuggled passport. The personnel responsible for the custody of the suspect have been arrested, and a thorough investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances that led to his escape from lawful detention,” Mijinyawa said.
The multi-hectares of land donated by neighbouring Obeagu Awkunanaw and Amechi Uwani communities to the old Anambra State for the building of the main campus of then Anambra State University of Science and Technology, ASUTECH, have become a source of controversy between the donors and the state following the conversion of the land to private estate development. The ensuing discrepancy over the actual size of the land is among the contentious issues investigated by Ben Aroh in this report.
The Concept of Centenary City
The Enugu Centenary City was conceptualized by former Governor Sullivan Chime. It was an adaptation of Nigeria’s Centenary celebration in 2014 marking the amalgamation of the southern and northern Nigeria protectorates on January 1, 1914. The land where the Centenary is situated was originally meant for the building of the main campus of ASUTECH during the regime of former governor of the state, Senator Jim Nwobodo.
Emerging discrepancies
The size of the land donated has become a burning issue. A native of the community, Sunday Udeh, said, “It was 318 hectares of land. We didn’t see the university. Suddenly, it was gathered that the same land had been given to a private developer to build private estates. Not just that, the developers suddenly claimed that the measurement of the land was 1,019 hectares.”
Senator Jim Nwobodo, who is a native of Amechi, has stated his own part of the deal. He said, “Almost four decades ago, I believed that citing a university in my homestead will guarantee the advancement of my people. I tried, but alas! I could not complete the process of acquisition and development before the change of government in October of 1983. Some years later, Gov Chimaroke Nnamani fulfilled that dream by relocating the university to Agbani. It is indeed painful to realize that the land initially meant for that project is the subject of this protest.”
Women demonstrate against demolition of houses of natives
On the actual size of the land, Nwobodo said, “I attempted to acquire 318 hectares of land in Amechi and not 1,097 hectares of land. The attempted acquisition was for an overriding public interest, and not for any private estate business venture.”
Nwobodo also faulted the purported gazette of the state government on the land. According to him, “The Anambra State of Nigeria official gazette number 12, Vol II of 27th March, 1986 is ineffectual as the gazette did not have the authority of the then military Governor of Anambra State, Samson Omeruah. The Enugu State University of Science and Technology survey plan (PLAN EN(A)594) purported to have been made in 1985 is unreal, invalid and is not really made in 1985 because Enugu State was created in 1991 and Enugu State University of Science and Technology was after the creation of Enugu State in 1991.”
Obeagu community, in a release, corroborated Nwobodo’s claims. Describing the stories around the Centenary City as ‘half-truth’ and ‘outright falsehood’, the release read, “Senator Nwobodo commissioned for survey works pursuant to the acquisition of an estimated 318.560 hectares of land in certain kindred families in Amechi Uwani and Obeagu Awkunanaw. Preliminary survey was done and endorsed by the then Surveyor General, M.U.C Obi, dated March 8, 1982 with Tracing No: MISC AN-53 for 318.560 hectares.
“Sometime in 2009, a certain private company entered upon that same land in the name of a New Township Development Joint venture with government and began to destroy economic trees and habitation that lay in the path of their proposed development, and in the process attempted to forcefully take over from us a total of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral lands partly belonging to Amechi Uwani and Obeagu Awkunanaw community.
“Curiously and magically, without our knowledge, the survey plan was re-scripted to bear PLAN No: EN (A) 594 in favour of Enugu State University of Technology in 1985 and expanded to 1,097 hectares. How come that Enugu State created in 1991 could acquire a land and have a survey plan in the name of Enugu State University of Technology pre-1991. Again, since Enugu State was not created before 1991, why would the plan number supposedly approved in 1985 bear initials of ‘EN’ being a state that was yet to be created as at 1985?
“The referenced Gazette No. 12 dated 27th March 1986, purportedly signed by Charles Chika Chime, Commissioner for Works, Lands and Transport, Anambra State, on behalf of Navy Captain Allison Amaechina Madueke and supposedly conveying the revocation of the Customary Right of Occupancy of both communities (Amechi and ours) had a major discrepancy.
“Navy Captain Madueke was not the governor of Anambra State in March of 1986. Samson Omeruah was governor from August 1985 till sometime in December 1987. Navy Captain Madueke could therefore not have issued a directive to publish a gazette and/or yellow paper in a state not under his administration.”
The community said the climax of the episode was the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the 1,097 hectares to a private developer, Private Estate International West Africa Ltd (PEIWA). The community however added that the C-of-O was later revoked in November 2019 by the state, through the then Commissioner for Lands, Surveyor Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam.
It added, “Upon the revocation, PEIWA sued the Enugu State Government in Suit No: E/1081/2019. As is our prerogative, representatives of both concerned kindred families of Amechi Uwani and Obeagu Awkunanaw filed separate joinders to the suit.”
The community stated that the case lasted about three years without determining the application of both communities to be joined in the suit. Then the next shocker was “when we became aware of a certain consent judgement entered into between PEIWA and the Enugu State Government on the 9th February, 2023”, prompting the concerned communities to file various suits challenging the consent judgement before the Enugu State High Court. Despite the pendency of these suits, the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) still went ahead on the 19/01/2024 to carry out the widely condemned demolition of houses, the community alleged.
PEIWA Speaks
Chamberlain Mbachu is the Construction/Project Manager of the Enugu Centenary City project. He said, “The gazette is explicit on the size and location of the land. It is an event of between 1985 and 1986. The gazette also has the coordinates of the boundary beacons as far back as 1986. The size mentioned is 1,097, and the survey plan no EN (A) 594. This plan number is the same that is sited in our C-of-O. There is no evidence anywhere that showed 318 hectares was the size of the acquisition.”
Entrance to Enugu Centenary City
He mentioned the owners of PEIWA to include one Mr Kingsley Eze, an ICT consultant. He said Eze initiated the Enugu Centenary City project in conjunction with a South African company. He said deliberation on the city was first held during a meeting of the Enugu State Government Executive Council in 2009. The state government, he said, mobilised some delegates to South Africa to see the prototype of the proposed city.
On the choice of the location, Mbachu said it was settled that the land initially marked out for UNITECH/ASUTECH/ESUT, “which had been fallow would be perfect.” It was also resolved that compensation be paid the landowners.
Following the resolution, PEIWA articulated approaches to realise its objectives. One of such was the sharing of compensatory plots to the landowners. He said the journey became tough when the communities involved complained that they were not carried along to enable them to make inputs. It was gathered that one of the communities, Amechi Uwani, declined being part of the deal unless the negotiation began afresh.
Mbachu said in collaboration with the state government under then Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, PEIWA released 130 hectares of land as compensation to the landowners after the owners rejected the initial 57 hectares offered them. Ugwuanyi reportedly appointed the state surveyor general, Mr Isiwu, to redesign the areas to factor in the released 130 hectares.
Mbachu said instead of releasing the 130 hectares to the affected communities, the Ugwuanyi administration gave them to three other private developers. Quoting him, “Not even a square foot or metre of land was released to the communities. Instead the government assigned all the 130 hectares to three other private estate developers. The government of Enugu State from 2017 – February 2023 had severely impeded our progress on the development of the Centenary.”
He said the state government also poached one Surveyor Victor Nnam, an employee of PEIWA, and made him commissioner for lands; an action Mbachu said was a ploy by the state to obtain enough information of the Centenary City.
With the development, he said PEIWA commenced private MoUs with landowners with the negotiation centring on return of some hectares and cash rewards to landowners, an initiative described in some quarters as ‘divide-and-rule’.
The divide-and-rule won’t work – Nnaji
A community leader in Amechi, Chief Nnaji Sunday White, said PEIWA’s approach in selective compensation amounted to nothing. In his words, “No matter what they do in creating divisions and planting hatred in our erstwhile peaceful Awkunanaw, the truth stands out. We did not give our lands to government to give a private profit-maker. We have said it, the ASUTECH or ESUT site we gave our lands for has been moved to Agbani. The land has reverted to us as it was never utilized in the first place.”
On those that allegedly accepted compensation on behalf of the concerned kindred families, Nnaji said, “They went against the advice and collected 190 plots of land from PEIWA as compensation for 8, 000 plots they agreed to cede to the private business men. They are not bothered about the future of their children.”
President General of Obeagu Community, Chief Andy Egbo, said the selective compensation approach by PEIWA would fail: “It is a pure divide-and-rule tactic at play, and it will fail. How can a private company, hiding behind people close to government, just seize our lands, percellate them and sell off for their private gains? If government is genuinely desirous of creating a modern city, let it lay out the development plan, publicise the city master plan and leave the owners of the land to proceed with the handling of the lands.”
Chief Ifeanyi Agbo Mba is the Chairman of Ndinwuba Village where a section of the community had entered into an MOU with PEIWA. He said, “The signatories from my village were used as mere tools in the hands of PEIWA and will achieve nothing.” He added that those that signed the MoU were ‘never-do-wells’, adding that four of them had already rescinded their role in the ‘shameful treachery of Ndinwuba-Obeagu’.
They’ve Dispossessed My People’s Land – Traditional Ruler
The traditional ruler of Obeagu-Awkunanaw, Igwe Mike Nnukwu, told THE WHISTLER, “We woke up one morning to see that some individuals who call themselves Private Developers International have claimed that this vast area of land had been allocated to them by the state. They said the land was given to them by former Governor Sullivan Chime. We didn’t know about it. What we know was that this land was acquired during the time of Nwobodo for the establishment of ASUTECH, which was never built.
HRH Igwe Nnukwu, traditional ruler of Obeagu
“This Private Estate is a private individual business. We have nothing to do with them. No compensation was paid to our people. There is no memorandum of understanding between our people and them. How come these people have decided to intimidate us with our money – the money they sold from our land?”
From the government’s angle
Ex-Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi did not respond to messages sent to his phone number as regards his roles in the allegations. Access to ex-Gov Chime was denied. However, the Chairman, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, Mr Uche Anya, denied any wrongdoing. He said, “We are determined to stamp out the culture of distorting Enugu municipality master plan and shall not allow any development that contravenes the law.”
The state Information Commissioner, Aka Eze Akak, did not reply to inquiries sent to him. But a director in the state Ministry of Information, on condition of anonymity, said, “Direct your questions to governors of those eras. Gov Mbah is more interested in the master-plan restoration.”
Blame the state government – lawyer
A constitutional lawyer, Barr Hyginus Okafor, blamed the controversy surrounding the Centenary City to the failure of successive administrations in the state to understand the provisions of the Land Use Act on acquisition of land for public purposes.
He said, “How can successive administrations in the state claim to cede the land to private developers when it was meant for public use? It is an act of executive lawlessness and rascality. The Court of Appeal in Odusote V. Seriki held that ‘the acquisition must be for bona fide public purposes’. For such project to qualify as public purpose or public interest, how it will benefit the public must be proven. In this case, the aim of the donation is defeated when the land is converted to private purposes, and without the consent of landowners. There is an element of insincerity on the part of the state. The way out is to engage mediators between the parties involved or outright forfeiture to the original owners. The state can also revert to its original purpose of public use. The size discrepancy should be addressed properly.”
– This report was published with support from Civic Media Lab (CML)
Enugu Gov’t Fails To Explain Encroachment On Land Meant For State Varsity is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
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The President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has debunked rumors claiming veteran actor, Zack Orji, has passed. Recall that the actor has been in the hospital after he slumped in his toilet in Abuja in December 2023.
Some social media users last night claimed the actor had passed. In a post shared on his IG page, Emeka said the actor is alive and asked people to ignore the fake news about him.
Senegal opposition presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, on Monday promised to govern with humility and transparency.
BBC reports that Faye, set to be declared the next president after his main rival called him to concede defeat, thanked President Macky Sall and other candidates for respecting Senegal’s democratic tradition by recognising his victory well before official results.
“In electing me, the Senegalese people have decided on a break with a past,” Faye told journalists in his first public appearance since the election. “I promise to govern with humility and transparency.”
Months in jail alongside ally and kingmaker Ousmane Sonko ended suddenly, with the pair released the week before the presidential election.
Provisional results showed Faye with about 53.7% and Amadou Ba – from the current ruling coalition – with 36.2% based on tallies from 90% of polling stations in the first-round vote, the electoral commission said.
According to the report; Ba and Sall both congratulated Faye, who turned 44 on Monday. They hailed the outcome as a win for Senegal, whose reputation as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies took a hit when Sall postponed the vote.
“The Senegalese people have reinforced the good health of our democracy.. I wish him (Faye) success at the head of our country,” Ba said.
A peaceful transition of power in Senegal would mark a boost for democracy in West Africa, where there have been eight military coups since 2020.
Some of the juntas that seized power have cut ties with traditional regional power-brokers such as France and the U.S., turning instead to Russia for help in their fight against a jihadist insurgency spreading through countries that neighbour Senegal.
Senegal’s international bonds rose on reports that Faye was close to being declared a winner, reversing sharp falls from earlier in the day.
Many hope the vote will bring stability and an economic boost after three years of unprecedented political turbulence and several waves of deadly anti-government protests.
“I am happy to see there is a wind of change,” said an opposition supporter named Tall, who joined revellers during the night as street celebrations broke out in anticipation of Faye’s victory.
“It is wonderful because democracy has won. Many thought it would not happen,” he said, giving only his first name.
Full, official results are expected to be announced by the Dakar appeals court on Friday.
The Federal Government on Monday, approved the sum of N110 billion for running of the operation of newly restructured ‘Youth Development Fund’ and investment in agricultural Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Ibrahim, who disclosed this while interacting with State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, said council had allocated N25 billion each in the 2023 supplementary and 2024 budgets, with an additional N60 billion which will come from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The Minister explained that though the Nigerian Youth Investment Fund was established in 2020, the current administration had commissioned a technical committee to review and restructure it with the aim of institutionalising it through a legal framework, which will lead to the establishment of the Nigerian Youth Fund.
“We have secured council’s approval for the immediate release of N25 billion from the 2023 supplementary Appropriation Act and an additional N25 billion from the 2024 Appropriation Act for the Youth Development Fund appropriation in the budget,” she said.
“An immediate release of N25 billion from the 2023 supplementary Appropriation Act and an additional N25 billion from the 2024 Appropriation Act has been approved by the council for the Youth Development Fund appropriation in the budget.:
The Youth Minister added that the FEC had also granted approval for the release of N60 billion from the CBN through the agric investment of a Small Medium Enterprises scheme.
“This will significantly support young businesses, providing relief to young individuals, strengthening and scaling young businesses,” Ibrahim said.
“As an extension of the revamped Youth Investment Fund, clusters will be established focusing on commodities of comparative advantage across the six geopolitical zones.
“The first phase will cover the six geopolitical zones, with discussions already underway with certain state governments. Talks with the Katsina State government are progressing for clusters around the cotton value chain, which has the potential to boost the textile garment and fashion industry, creating employment opportunities for about 50,000 individuals through direct and indirect engagements.
“Similar efforts are being made with the Ebonyi State government to enhance rice-producing communities by empowering youths and forming clusters to increase rice production and manage waste from the process.
“In states like Niger, commitments for over 10,000 hectares of land have been secured to commence cluster formation. The benefits of clusters will leverage economies of scale, where young people will share equipment and infrastructure.
“The council has also approved the institutionalization of a 30 percent youth quota in all government appointments, with equitable representation of young women inclusive of the 30 per cent,” Ibrahim revealed.
This, she said, will address the perceived marginalization and exclusion of young individuals in decision-making processes, encouraging their active participation in civic engagements, ultimately leading to significant contributions towards the national development agenda.
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