The Young Professionals Alliance has commended the FCT Police Command for its Transparency in handling the welfare of its personnel especially especially those carrying out the lock down assignment.

In a press release on Sunday, May 17th, 2020 and signed by the Young Professionals Alliance National Coordinator, Adewole Kehinde, he commended the Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma for always  visiting the Police Personnel at their duty post during the lock down.

“We must commend CP Ciroma as well as the Command PPRO, Manzah for always responding swiftly to the needs of its personnel especially when it comes to their welfare and any complaint against any Police personnel, Adewole said.

“We also commend the Area Commanders and DPOs for ensuring that people’s Human Rights are not abused during the enforcement of the lock down in the FCT; this is a sign of discipline instilled in them under CP Ciroma.

The group called on the FCT Police Command to make the welfare of its personnel their priority to avoid compromise as Nigeria Police, especially the Nyanya Division remained one of the best Divisions so far in FCT.

The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared to the three tiers of government, a total sum of N606.196 billion for the month of April 2020.

This amount includes revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT), Exchange Gain, Solid Mineral Revenue, Excess Bank Charges and Excess Oil Revenue.

The Federal Government received N169.831 billon, the States received N86.140 billion, Local Government councils got N66.411 billion, while the oil producing states received N32.895 billion as derivation (13% Mineral Revenue).

Cost of collection, FIRS Refund, Allocation to North East Development Commission and Transfer to Excess Oil Revenue was put at N15.134 billion.

Hassan Dodo, Director of Information at the Federal Ministry of Finance said “the Gross Revenue available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) for April 2020 was N94.495 billion as against the N120.268 billion distributed in the preceding month of March 2020, resulting in a decrease of N25.772 billion.

The VAT distribution for April shows that the Federal Government got N13.182 billion, the States received N43.941 billion, Local Government Councils got N30.758 billon.

(THE NATION)

…..Eight New cases emerge

Niger State has recorded its first COVID-19 death. This however occurred among the eight new cases confirmed by the NCDC.

The State Commissioner for Health and Hospital Services. Dr Muhammad Makusidi disclosed in Minna.

The Commissioner explained that out of the 22 results received from the NCDC, Eight are positive while 14 are negative.

Dr Makusidi revealed that from the eight positive cases confirmed, seven are Almajiri returnees from Zaria, Kaduna State while the deceased is a taxi driver plying Suleja- Abuja route.

He explained that the deceased who is 40 years of age was diabetic, adding that he died shortly on arrival at the Suleja- General Hospital.

The Commissioner said a postmortem sample was taken for test and it returned positive, stressing that contact tracing will commence with immediate effect.

So far, Niger State has a total of 22 confirmed cases as at 16th of May 2020 with one motality.

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has again called for justice and equity in the affairs of Nigeria.

Governor Diri made the call on Saturday at the Heroes Park in Yenagoa during a brief event in remembrance of the foremost Ijaw freedom fighter, late Major Isaac Adaka Boro.

At the event to mark the 2020 Boro Day, the governor described the late Ijaw icon as a symbol of the struggle for the emancipation and development of Ijaw land and the Niger Delta region.

Senator Diri, who recalled the ideals and principles the late Boro stood for, said the issues and concerns he raised still faced the nation today, insisting that Nigeria must be a country of justice and equity.

“While we wish for a good and properly run country, we as Ijaw people want a Nigeria of justice and equity where we get what is due the people. Certainly not a country where our oil is expropriated to other places and we do not get the maximum benefits,” Diri stated.

He also called for unity among Ijaws whether in Nigeria or in the Diaspora, noting that the strength of a people represents the unity of the land.

“I call on all Ijaws to come together. Today reminds us of the need to be united. Our strength is in our unity.

“Agitation must move into the intellectual arena and that is the only way we can develop. Ijaw nation must move forward, progress and prosper.

“The only panacea is that we must be united. We must not hate ourselves.”

The governor also challenged Ijaw elders and leaders to work hard to resuscitate the once vibrant Ijaw umbrella bodies, namely the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), saying they represent the strong voice of the Ijaw nation.

“I call on the leaders of Ijaw nation to do all that is possible to resuscitate INC and also bring back IYC stronger. Those bodies are our voices. We will work with all of you on this to have a great Ijaw nation,” he said.

Earlier in an address presented by Elder Timi Kaiser Ogoriba, the central zone elders of the IYC paid glowing tributes to the late Ijaw hero who led the historic 12-day revolution to declare the Niger Delta area a republic because of perceived injustice and oppression.

“Never in the history of human conflict in Izon nation has any man so single-handedly committed himself as Isaac Boro, who dared all odds and died for our freedom and emancipation. We will continue to defend his effort and achieve what he attempted to achieve,” Ogoriba said.

The elders thanked the Bayelsa State government and the current administration of Governor Diri for always putting the issues of Ijaw nation at the front burner of national discourse.

The eldest daughter of the late foremost agitator, Esther Boro, said their father was a man of courage and conviction, who wanted a better and developed Ijaw land.

She said they were proud of what their father stood for and that his memories live on.

The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, joined others to lay wreaths at the tomb of Isaac Boro.

A former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Orji has furnished the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with details of how he spent his N38.8billion security votes during his eight years in office.

Orji, who was in charge of the state between 2007 and 2015, is being investigated by the anti-graft commission for corruption.

He said he collected N38.8billion as security votes during the period and not N48billion as alleged by the EFCC.

Orji, who is currently representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said he shared much of the N38billion with members of the state House of Assembly, his security informants and traditional rulers.

He claimed to have also given part of the money to military units, the police,the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and security agencies as what he called statutory allocations.

In a tell-it-all statement to his interrogators,the former governor said he gave successive members of the State House of Assembly N5. 760billion, at N60million per month, in the eight years.

He also claimed to have paid N75million monthly to security informants in 15 of the 17 local government areas of the state within the same period.

The yet-to-be identified informants allegedly pocketed a total of N7.200 billion between 2007 and 2015.

Some of the security agencies,according to him, received N2million per month.

However, he told the interrogators that he does not have a comprehensive list of all the beneficiaries of the largesse because the Government House staff who used to disburse the cash is no more.

He gave the man’s name simply as Felix.

Orji said he did not ask for the list from Felix at the expiration of his tenure as governor.

He only issued directives to Felix on how to share the security votes.

He also said he never collected cash either from the Director of Finance or the Cashier in Government House.

The EFCC insists that Orji collected N48billion in eight years.

It has retrieved five huge bags of documents from the relevant desks in Abia State on the ex-governor’s financial transactions.

Based on Orji’s confessions, the EFCC is expected to arraign him in court soon being in what a source described as “a straightforward case.”

The Nation gathered that the former governor made the revelations during a session on oath in the presence of his lawyer, who he referred to as Edmund.

It was the first time Orji would open up after many years of trying to make him respond to allegations against him.

Orji said he received “N370million monthly as security votes in 2007 and N410million monthly from 2008 to 2015.”

He said from the “time I resumed office and left, the funds were distributed in cash. There are also statutory funds to the security agencies.”

He said the first Speaker in 2007 and the last Speaker in his second term confirmed the receipt of N60million monthly from his security votes.

He said the Majority Leader also attested to the receipt of the monthly cash.

He said, “Even though, I didn’t know how they shared the money.”

He could not explain what the monthly cash to the lawmakers was meant for.

He could also not remember the exact amount he was giving the traditional rulers monthly.

Orji admitted that all disbursements by the late Felix were based on his directives.

Usually, according to him, the funds were brought by the Director of Finance (DF)in batches.

The DF would then inform the ex-governor on how much had come and would then be kept in the accounts.

Orji would,in turn,issue directive to the late Felix on what to disburse and to whom.

“Felix comes to show me how disbursement is made. After disbursement, Felix keeps the list for safety. As I was leaving the Government House, I didn’t ask him for the list,” he said.

He claimed that he did not personally collect any cash from the votes.

“At no time did I collect cash from the Director of Finance or cashier. And the funds were channeled through Felix on my directives,” he said.

The EFCC is still working on the charges against Orji.

But a reliable source said that investigation had “reached an appreciable stage for trial.”

Continuing,the source said: “ We have been on this case since March 2017. Our operatives were painstaking in cracking this case.

“We will arraign ex-governor in court any time from now because the charges are ready.

“In the face of the law, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the court. The onus is on him to prove beyond reasonable doubt that he did not commit the financial recklessness.”

The source said the use of security votes was the first leg of the ongoing probe of Senator Theodore Orji.

The former governor has been under investigation since November 22, 2018 following a petition from a group, Fight Corruption: Save Nigeria Group

In the March 17, 2017 petition, the group alleged that Orji received and diverted various sums of monies that accrued to Abia State while in office.

The breakdown of the amounts allegedly received by him are as follows:

· N383 billion revenue from federation accounts

· N55 billion Excess Crude Revenue

· N2.3 billion Sure – P

· N1.8 billion Ecological funds

· N10.5 billion loan from First Bank of Nigeria through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs.

· N4 billion Loan from Diamond Bank

· N12 billion Paris Club refund

· N2 billion Agricultural loan for farmers

· N55 billion ASOPADEC

Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, Americas (NIDOA), USA will distribute palliatives to vulnerable populations from various ethnic groups resident in Lagos next week.

According to the organization’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Yinka Tella, the exercise, which is part of NIDO Americas USA’s WECARE COVID-19 palliatives initiative, will be held on Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22, with Ajegunle, Mile 12, and Ayobo/Ipaja communities benefitting. Dr. Tella said food packages consisting of Rice, Beans, Garri, Power Oil, and Maggi, as well as reusable masks will be given to beneficiaries. The exercise is being conducted in partnership with the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT), Nigeria Chapter, and community leaders in the target areas.

NIDO Americas USA chairman, Ms. Patience Ndidi Key, said the organization was moved to assist some of those whose means of livelihood have been truncated by shelter-in-place orders and that a “Feed Nigeria Fund” will soon be launched to tackle hunger on a sustainable basis.

Ms. Key stressed the importance of strategic alliances between NIDO Americas USA and trusted organizations like OWIT to execute projects in Nigeria.

OWIT Nigeria President, Ms. Blessing Irabor, expressed delight at the initiative. ”I want to appreciate NIDO Americas USA for considering our organization a worthy local partner to execute this project. I pray God Almighty strengthens them and replenishes the sources where this money came from,” she said.

Speaking through Mr. Yakubu Suleiman, the head of Economic, Trade and Investment at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC USA, the Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, Ambassador Sylvanus Nsofor commended NIDO Americas USA for its admirable tradition of

excellence and service. Nigeria’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Samson Itegboje said the organization “has exhibited an excellent act of patriotism and genuine love for humanity towards Nigeria and its people” while the Nigerian Consul General in New York, Mr. Ben Okoyen applauded NIDO Americas USA’s act of “selflessly reaching out to the poor in our society.”

…..State Has Only One Active Case

Two patients that earlier tested positive for COVID-19 in Bayelsa State were discharged on Saturday.

The two patients, who were at the isolation centre at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) at Okolobiri, are linked to the index case that was discharged about a week ago.

A statement signed by the deputy chairman of the state’s COVID-19 taskforce and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Inodu Apoku, said the repeat tests of the remaining cases linked to the index case returned negative.

“These patients have also met all other NCDC guidelines for discharge. Consequently, they have been discharged today (Saturday).

“So there is only one active COVID-19 case in the state after discharging the index case and the other four linked cases,” Apoku stated.