Encomium
OSINBAJO ANNOUNCES 3 – YEAR TAX HOLIDAY FOR MINING INVESTORS
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said that Nigeria is working to ensure the implementation of a three-year tax holiday for new investors in the mining sector.
Osinbajo said this on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, at the opening of a three-day National Mining Conference/at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
While declaring the summit opened, Professor Osinbajo said, “Further to encourage more entrance and more investors, the Government is working to ensure implementation of a three-year tax holiday for new investors in the mining sector.”
OGUN ACCIDENT CLAIMS ONE POLICEMAN
An officer attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ogun has been confirmed dead while four of his colleagues sustained injuries in an accident at Showo village on the Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway.
Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) in Ogun, explained that the accident, which happened around 1:25 p.m. on Tuesday, involved a Honda CRV marked LSD 191 ET and a truck.
He said the car had five occupants who were made up of four male and one female SARS officers.
Mr. Akinbiyi said only the driver of the car died while all the victims had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun, confirmed that the officers were returning from Sagamu where they had gone for a court proceeding. He identified the deceased officer as Rafiu Olaoye.
DELTA LAWMAKER ALLEGES THREAT TO LIFE
The lawmaker representing Ethiope East in Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Evance Ivwurie, has raised alarm that his life is under threat owing to his campaign against armed Fulani herdsmen in his constituency.
Chief Ivwurie, in a statement yesterday, explained that some individuals from the northern part of the country were using the security agencies to muzzle him in an attempt to silence him.
According to him, the threat he is currently facing is as a result of his decision to champion and stand for the people of his constituency who are killed and maimed daily by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen. The matter is under investigation.
OSINBAJO FROWNS AT NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S DELAY OF BUDGET PASSAGE
Although the 2017 budget has been passed and signed, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has expressed dissatisfaction at events that led to its delay by the National Assembly.
Speaking at the Old Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja while flagging off the 2018 budget preparation process on Tuesday, Osinbajo stressed that the National Assembly has no right to introduce new projects or modify those contained in an appropriation bill.
His words: “I am sure that we understand not just how to do it right, but to get it done in good time.
WE KNOW NIGERIANS CAN VOTE US OUT – APC
John Odigie-Oyegun, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his party knows that Nigerians can kick it out of power.
Oyegun said this at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, where he was presented with the book ‘APC: The Making of a Change Agent’, written by Okoi Obono-Obla, special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Prosecution.
He said his party would not act like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when it was in power.
He encouraged all those who participated intimately to document their record of what they think happened, so they could proffer solutions where necessary.
EX- KOGI COMMISSIONER REMANDED IN PRISON OVER N35.5M
A Kogi High Court sitting in Okene has remanded a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Zacchaeus Atte, in prison custody over alleged financial impropriety of N35.5 million.
Atte was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) on an eight-count charge.
The Judge, Justice Josiah Majebi, who gave the order, held that the bail application for the accused was not ripe for hearing. Justice Medubi, in his ruling, observed that the motion was not ripe for hearing.
Majebi ordered that the former commissioner be remanded at the Medium Security Prisons, Okene, and adjourned the case until June 20 for hearing.
JONATHAN’S REMOVAL BIGGER THREAT THAN BIAFRA – AMAECHI
The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, yesterday claimed that the removal of Goodluck Jonathan as Nigeria’s president, was “a bigger threat than Biafra”.
Amaechi claimed not many Nigerians knew that the nation was heading towards another civil war in 2015, had the election results of that year been tampered with.
The former Governor of Rivers State made these statements at the maiden edition of the CKN News annual lecture in Lagos.
He argued the fact that, the country cannot break up because the removal of President Jonathan was a bigger threat than Biafra.
EVANS MUST BE WELL PROTECTED – FEMI FALANA
Human right lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to ensure that arrested kidnap kingpin, Chukwudi Onwuamadike also known as Evans is well protected in custody.
In a statement he signed, the activist lawyer said Evans should be adequately protected so he can face justice squarely.
Falana commended the police for a good job, towards ensuring that crime, especially kidnapping is eradicated in the country. He urged the Force to ensure the prosecution of Evans and his accomplices.
SENATOR SHEHU ADVOCATES NATIONAL PEACE COMMITTEE
Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Loans and Local debts, Senator Shehu Sani has advocated for an ad-hoc committee that would tackle agitations of various groups in Nigeria. He urged the presidency to set up a Committee with objective of encouraging debates and seeking ideas to foster peace and harmonious coexistence among the populace.
He was speaking in response to agitations for secession and hate speeches by groups and some individuals across the nation.
The lawmaker reasoned that such platform would engage the agitating groups and make their grievances known to each other and the government.
MALABU’S $1.1B SCAM: PLANS ON TO EXTRADITE ADOKE – EFCC
The Federal Government said yesterday that it is making necessary arrangements to extradite a former Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, Mohammed Adoke, to face charges for alleged fraud.
The EFCC charged Adoke and two multinational oil companies, Shell and ENI, to court for their roles in the Malabu $1.1 billion scam.
The money was paid by the oil firms into a Nigerian government account in London for OPL 245, an oil block considered one of the richest in Africa.
Adoke then authorised the transfer of the funds into private accounts of former Petroleum Minister Dan Etete, in controversial circumstances.
Over $800 million of the money was eventually transferred.
Justice John Tsoho had fixed yesterday for arraignment of Adoke and the other co-defendants, including Etete.
Ojogbane said the matter could not proceed because the EFCC had been unable to get Adoke and other defendants. The matter was adjourned until today.
