TheNewsGuru

Tag: Aides

  • DSS returns to court, seeks reversal of bail granted Igboho’s aides

    DSS returns to court, seeks reversal of bail granted Igboho’s aides

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has returned to a Federal High Court in Abuja with a request to reverse the bail it granted 12 detained associates of Yoruba nation advocate, Sunday Igboho.

    In an application filed on Monday by its lawyer, Idowu Awo, the DSS is limiting its request to four of the 12.

    They are Amudat Babatunde (aka Lady K), Abideen Shittu, Jamiu Oyetunji, and Bamidele Sunday.

    The DSS wants the court to allow it hold on to the four, whose bail application it had opposed, “pending their arraignment during court vacation.”

    Justice Obiora Egwuatu had, in a ruling on August 4, granted bail to eight of them, whose bail application was not challenged by the DSS, at N5million each.

    The judge then granted bail at N10million each, for the other four, whose application was challenged by the DSS.

    They are Babatunde, Tajudeen, Shittu and Oyetunji, who Awo claimed needed to be further investigated in relation to allegation of arms stockpile by Igboho.

    Those who got N5m bail are; Abdulateef Onaolapo, Tajudeen Erinoye, Diekola Jubril, Ayobami Donald, Uthman Adelabu, Oluwafemi Kunle, Raji Kazeem and Bamidele Sunday.

    The judge ordered each of the detainees to produce two sureties, one of whom must be an employee of the Federal Government from Grade Level 12 above.

    According to the judge, the sureties must be resident in Abuja, must have landed property must and must swear to an affidavit of means, in addition to providing evidence of three years tax payment.

    The judge also ordered that the title documents of the said property must be verified by the court’s Registrar and the DSS.

    Justice Egwuatu added that the four, granted N10m bail, are to report to the DSS on the first Monday of every month for the next three months.

    The judge said they should remain in the custody of the DSS until they are able to meet the bail conditions.

    It could not be confirmed on Monday if the 12 have been able to perfect the bail granted them.

    Their lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi on Friday that his clients would meet the bail conditions on Monday (yesterday).

    “We had thought that, by the judge’s pronouncement in the open court, we were required to produce only four sureties.

    “But when we sought clarification later, we were told we need to produce two sureties for each of them.

    “So, we are working to get 24 people in all. We do not intend to return to the court to ask for a variation.

    “There are many people who are willing to support and who believe in the cause they are fighting. So, we are working to ensure they are out by Monday,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Court grants Sunday Igboho’s aides bail after 32 days in DSS custody

    BREAKING: Court grants Sunday Igboho’s aides bail after 32 days in DSS custody

    After spending 32 days in the detention facility of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Abuja, a Federal High Court, Abuja, has granted bail to the 12 detained aides of Yoruba secessionist leader, Chief Sunday Igboho in line with their demand.

    The detainees were admitted to bail by Justice Obiora Egwuatu in a ruling just delivered on their bail applications, filed and argued on their behalf by lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi.

    The judge ignored the fears and apprehension expressed by DSS lawyer, Mr Idowu Awo, that some of the detainees will flee the country as their leader, Sunday Igboho, has done if granted bail.

    Justice Egwuatu said that the detainees are entitled to bail by the provisions of the Nigerian law having been held in custody beyond the time stipulated by law.

    The judge said that the law even scowled at a situation where citizens’ freedom is trampled on under unlawful circumstances.

    The defendants were granted bail on various conditions and will remain in the DSS detention until their bail conditions are perfected.

    …More details shortly

  • DSS defies court order, fails to produce Igboho’s detained aides

    DSS defies court order, fails to produce Igboho’s detained aides

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has defied a court order to produce the 12 detained aides of Yoruba-nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had last week ordered the DSS to produce in court on July 29, the 12 aides who have been in their custody since July 2, 2021.

    Their case was expected to proceed regardless of the annual court vacation slated to begin on July 26.

    But since the DSS failed to bring the aides before the court on Thursday, the case has stalled yet again, with Justice Egwatu now issueing another order, asking the DSS to produce the 12 aides in court on Monday, August 2.

    While giving the order, he stressed that when a court of competent Jurisdiction, gives an order, such must be respected and obeyed.

    However, counsel to the DSS, David Awo, explained that it wasn’t their intention to disrespect the court.

    According to him, most of the aides are no longer in their custody as they have now been taken away for verification of facts.

    Speaking further, he noted that the DSS has no intention to keep them indefinitely so they would be released once investigations are completed.

    Meanwhile, counsel to the 12 aides, Pelumi Olajenbasi, has asked the court to sanction the DSS for what he believes to be a deliberate act of disrespect.

    In addition, Olajenbasi asked that the court orders the DSS to release the aides on bail and grant him access to them.

    Justice Egwatu, thereafter, made an order directing the DSS to make way for the Counsel to see them between today and the next adjourned date (Monday).

    The suspects had earlier sued the DSS before the Federal High Court Abuja, on grounds that their fundamental human rights had been infringed.

  • PDP receives Ayade’s ex-aides who refused decamping to APC

    PDP receives Ayade’s ex-aides who refused decamping to APC

    The National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday received some former appointees of Gov Ben Ayade of Cross River state who refused to decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Governor Ayade had on May 20 officially decamped to the APC alongside some of his aides.
    Speaking at the occasion, the National Chairman of PDP, Mr Uche Secondus, described the PDP as the party to take Nigeria to greater heights.
    He assured party members of level playing ground for all.
    Speaking, Mr Goodwin Etta, former Commissioner for Water Resources said he could not follow Ayade to the APC because “there was no reason for that.”
    “I am tired of food on the table, and that is why I chose to remain with my people,” Etta said.
    Mr Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra described Cross River as ‘100 per cent PDP state’.
    Obi, who was the Vice Presidential Candidate of PDP in the 2019 general elections, said Cross River was Nigeria’s destination under Governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke.
    “But today all Cross River stood for have gone. Before, you can sleep with your eyes closed but today you can no longer sleep with your eyes closed,” he said.
    The former governor, Donald Duke used the opportunity to officially announce his formal return to the PDP.
    “I am back, ” he said.
    The Chairman of PDP governor’s forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto said the party was ready to take over the Federal Government in 2023.
    “When we take over the government in 2023, we will start the restructuring of the country,” he said.
    The chairman also formally inaugurated the new Secretariat Annex of the State chapter and inaugurated the new interim State Executive of the the party.
  • Buhari appoints Aides for First Lady

    Buhari appoints Aides for First Lady

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr Rukayyatu Gurin as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Women Affairs in the Office of the First Lady.

    Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

    Gurin is a Doctorate degree holder in Curriculum Instruction from the University of Maiduguri.

    She was at various times a Lecturer at the University of Maiduguri; a Deputy Director at the National Universities Commission (NUC); and a Director at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.

    Gurin was a Senior Lecturer at Baze University in Abuja before her appointment.

    According to the statement, Gurin replaces Hajo Sani who was recently appointed as Nigeria’s Delegate to the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) in France.

    Adesina also announced that the president also approved the appointment of Dr Mohammed Kamal Abdurrahman as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health and Development Partners in the Office of the First Lady.

    Abdurrahman holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from University of Maiduguri.

    He worked at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Yola Specialist Hospital, Sithobela Health Centre in Swaziland, and at the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) before his appointment as the Personal Physician to the First Lady in 2015 and reappointed in 2019.

    “Abdurrahman will combine his new role with his position as the Personal Physician to the First Lady,’’ Adesina added.

  • Fayemi suspends payment of minimum wage, slashes political aides’ salaries

    Fayemi suspends payment of minimum wage, slashes political aides’ salaries

    The Ekiti State Government has suspended implementation of the minimum wage for its senior civil servants following dwindling revenues accruing to the state.

    The action followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government and organised labour on Friday in Ado Ekiti.

    Tiv/ Fulani crisis: Police deploy more men
    Under the agreement, the state government partially suspended for three months, the consequential adjustment for workers on grade levels 07 to 12.

    However, workers on grade levels 01 and 06 were not affected in the economic adjustment measure as they would continue to earn their N30,000 minimum wage.

    It was gathered that those who represented the government at the signing of the MoU were the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Labour Matters, Oluyemi Esan.

    The Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Service Matters, Mr Bayo Opeyemi, also witnessed the signing.

    Those who signed on behalf of labour were the Chairmen, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Ekiti State chapter, Kolapo Olatunde; his counterparts in the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the state chapter, Sola Adigun and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Kayode Fatomiluyi, as well as their secretaries.

    The TUC chairman, who read the agreement, said that the suspension of the consequential adjustment for certain categories of workers would take effect from May to July.

    Adigun said it was also agreed that the salaries of political appointees and accounting officers be slashed by 25 per cent for a period of three months in the first instance.

    He said that the agreement also included the reduction of grant for the running of government establishments.

    According to him, the monthly meeting of the ‘Economic Review Committee’ will convene five days after the meeting of the Federal Account Allocation Committee.

    He said that this was to keep the workers abreast of the state’s financial position.

    “It was also agreed that 10 per cent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state, being the state responsibility to Joint Account Allocation Committee, is to be released to the local governments henceforth.

    “In the pact, government reassured that it would not downsise or retrench any worker as a result of the present economic crunch hitting the state,’’ Adigun said.

    The head of service recalled that Gov. Kayode Fayemi had, at a recent “State of the State Finance’’ programme, presented the financial report of the state.

    Babafemi said that it was evident from the report that the two sides – government and labour, must shift grounds as a response to the economic realities

  • BREAKING: Governor Umahi sacks over 1000 board members, aides

    BREAKING: Governor Umahi sacks over 1000 board members, aides

    The Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has dissolved all boards and commissions in the state with immediate effect.

    The governor announced this during his 2021 anniversary day address to the people of the state.

    Also sacked are management Committee members, liaison officers and local government advisory committee at all the 64 local government areas and 171 wards in the state.

    Also affected by the sack are all the Executive Assistants, Technical Assistants and Senior Technical Assistants to the governor.

    Put together, those sacked are over 1000.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the sack comes barely 24 hours after the governor sacked 83 members of the state executive council.

    He however noted that some statutory boards are not affected by the dissolution.

    They include Judiciary Service Commission, House of Assembly Service Commission, Civil Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission and Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC).

    The governor said the sack became necessary because some of the appointees have sympathy for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He also stated that the sack is to enable those who want to contest the local government elections next year and the All Progressive Congress(APC) congress to take part in the elections.

  • Just in: Imo police arraign 14 aides of Okorocha for breaching state’s security

    Just in: Imo police arraign 14 aides of Okorocha for breaching state’s security

    Fourteen aides of the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, were on Monday arraigned before her lordship, B. U Adikaibe of Magistrate Court 4, Owerri.

    Some of the aides are Eberendu Chimechefulem, Ebere Nwoke, Basil MBA, Ebuka Samuel, Darlington Ibekewe, Obasi Goodluck, Nwaiwu Ndubuisi, Ekpendu Peace, Steve Anisnuobi, Ebere Nwokeobi.

    They were being arraigned on a seven-count bordering on disturbance to the security of the state and destruction of government seal at Royal Spring Palm Estate, Owerri, on Sunday.

    While Eddy Onyema is the leading counsel for the defendants, E.S Ibechem is the prosecutor.

    After hearing bail applications for and against the defendants, the magistrate went on 15 minutes break to enable her to rule on the bail applications.

  • Nine Ortom’s aides test positive for COVID-19

    Nine Ortom’s aides test positive for COVID-19

    The Benue Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, on Wednesday revealed that nine aides of Gov. Samuel Ortom had tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    Abounu, who made the disclosure in Makurdi during a press conference, said despite the number of aides that tested positive for the virus, all government activities were going on smoothly.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ortom had through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Terver Akase, announced that his latest COVID-19 test result had returned positive.

    Abounu, the State Chairman of Action Committee on COVID-19, said the committee had already carried out contact tracing of those who came in contact with all those infected by the virus.

    He said though nine aides tested positive for COVID-19, the pandemic had not affected the day-to-day running of government in the state.

  • End of an era: Trump’s aides begin packing up at White House

    End of an era: Trump’s aides begin packing up at White House

    Aides of President Donald Trump have begun clearing their desks at the White House ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

    Already, 20,000 National Guard troops have descended upon Washington to protect the capital from pro-Trump protests expected in the coming days.

    Some Trump’s aides were seen removing a bust of President Abraham Lincoln from the West Wing.

    Assistant to the president Peter Navarro was also seen carrying a framed photograph out of the White House on Wednesday, despite his insistence that Trump had won the election.

    “The Democratic Party did violence to this country by attacking a president who I believe was legally elected on November 3,” Navarro said in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo.

    While Trump himself has yet to acknowledge that Biden won the election, on Wednesday he called on his supporters to refrain from violence.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice have issued alerts about armed protests by Trump supporters leading up to Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

    The Pentagon will not host a farewell tribute to Trump, as is customary for an outgoing commander in chief, Defense One reported Thursday.