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Top 10 Stories of Friday, November 3, 2017

1. ONLY 500 NIGERIANS ARE IN CHINESE PRISON – PRESIDENCY

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Thursday, November 2, revealed that there were about 500 Nigerians in Chinese prisons detained for various offences. Dabiri-Erewa made this known on the side line of an international seminar on Nigeria-China relations in Abuja.
She, however, refuted claims that there were thousands of Nigerians detained in Chinese prisons and explained that there was no prisoner transfer agreement between both countries.
“We get a lot of appeals and some prisoners say they want to move from one prison there to another, it is not going to happen.
“We have been talking to them but their law is their law. My appeal to Nigerians is to obey the laws of that country because it is getting tougher; they have sanctions and they follow through.”
2. FG CONSIDERS SELLING OIL ASSETS, TO RAISE N1 TRILLION
President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government is considering selling some of its stakes in oil joint ventures to raise about $3 billion (about N1 trillion) in order to reduce the deficit for 2018 budget.
According to reports, the planned asset sales proposal is contained in the FG’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, released by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
It said that the government’s stakes in other oil and non-oil assets would be significantly reduced.
The government rejected the suggestion due to the pressure from activists and some lawmakers. However, sources said the government is now considering the idea as the feasible option to reduce its financial burden.
3. WE WILL START GOING AFTER HUMAN TRAFFICKERS – MAGU
The chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has stated that the anti-graft agency will start going after human traffickers.
According to him, the EFCC had jurisdiction over human trafficking, which he said, was an offshoot of corruption.
“It is a very sad situation, and we must change the trend by ensuring that we join hands to fight corruption, as this is the only solution to the ills militating against our country’s development,” he said.
He said this when the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) visited him in Abuja.
4. SARAKI QUESTIONS INTEGRITY OF POLICE IG, IBRAHIM IDRIS
Nigeria’s senate president Bukola Saraki, has advised the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris to appear before a senate ad-hoc committee investigating allegations of abuse of office levied against him if he has nothing to hide.
Senator Francis Alimikhena, leader of the committee had on Wednesday threatened to invoke necessary constitutional provisions to compel the police boss to appear before his committee.
Reacting, Saraki said:
“As the chief law enforcement officer, he should know what the law is and he should know that he cannot stop the Senate from doing its job. There are several judicial pronouncements on this issue and I expect him to know these things.
“He should be advised to do the right thing and appear before the Senate.
5. BUHARI’S LETTER CAUSES DRAMA AT THE HOUSE OF REPS
Mild drama on Thursday at the floor of the House of representatives as shouts of thunderous “no, no” filled the legislative chamber when the Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara announced the intention of President Muhammadu Buhari to address a joint session of the National Assembly alongside the presentation of 2018 budget estimate. Hardly had Dogara finished reading the letter from the President than the lawmakers spontaneously went loud in their voices. It was not also possible to pinpoint why the House erupted in the seeming objection notice to the president’s intended appearance.
But when the uproar which endured for some 60 seconds fizzled out, the Speaker reminded the parliamentarians that they had no legal right to stop the president from addressing the joint session of the House and the Senate.
6. LAGOS APPROVES INAUGURATION OF THREE NEW ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The Lagos state government has approved the inauguration of three additional Alternative Dispute Resolution Centres to bring the total number to 18 in the state.
Deputy governor of Lagos state Idiat Adebule who spoke at the 2017 annual conference of chartered arbitrators themed ‘Strengthening the building blocks of arbitration in Africa.’
Adebule noted that the addition of the three new centres will help speed up resolution of civil cases and litigation in the dispensation of justice.
It was agreed at the forum that Lagos state will blaze the trail in ensuring effective justice administration through alternative dispute resolutions.
7. EFCC GOES AFTER EX-SGF, BABACHIR LAWAL’S
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is going after the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal over fraud allegations. The commission has set up crack team to probe fraud allegations, A source in the anti-graft agency exclusively disclosed this on Thursday.
The team, made up of special investigators from the EFCC, is to examine all the details relating to the N200m contract for the cutting of grass in the North East which is linked to the former SGF.
8. PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES NEW MINIMUM WAGE COMMITTEE
Nominations for the committee that would sit down to approve a new minimum wage has been cleared by President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, on Thursday.
He refused to disclose the membership of the yet-to-be inaugurated committee, but revealed that it was a tripartite panel, including representatives of the Federal and state governments, as well as the private sector.
“The old (minimum wage) law expired last year August and we are now in the process of empanelling a new national minimum wage committee.
“I have cleared the appointments with the President on Thursday and as soon as the labour people come back from the Labour Governing Board meeting in Geneva, we will take a consensus date with the governors because it is a tripartite committee involving federal, states and the private sector: NECA, MAN, NACCIMA, SMEs.
9. KIDNAPPER KINGPIN, EVANS, PRAYS FOR BAIL
Alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike , alias Evans, has filed an application seeking to be released on bail and for his case to be given an accelerated hearing but the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Titilayo Shitta- Bay, described the bail application, seeking accelerated hearing filed alongside an application seeking to quash the charges as conflicting, confusing and an abuse of court processes.
Shitta- Bay said it is a ploy to frustrate the trial.
10. LAGOS MOTORCYCLE OWNERS, RIDERS ASSOCIATION INAUGURATES TASKFORCE TEAM
The ‘Nagari Nakowa Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Lagos’ Thursday inaugurated Task Force/Monitoring Team to regulate activities of motorcycle operators across the State.
The Chairman of NAMORAL Sulaimon Adeshina disclosed that the Task Force,Monitoring Team was inaugurated to check activities of motorcycle operators who flagrantly disobeyed the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2012.
He stated that his association is ready to partner with every enforcement agencies of the State particularly the Lagos State Task Force in combating criminal activities across the State.
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