Today’s summary of Nigerian Newspapers

1.Rivers Govt Warns Organised Labour Against Disobeying Court Order

The Rivers State Government has accused the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of colluding with its national leadership to force industrial action on workers in the state.

Briefing journalists in Port Harcourt on Saturday, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Professor  Zacchaeus Adangor said the NLC is abandoning a subsisting court case reserved for judgement on September 29, 2020, to embark on its threatened current strike.

Prof Adangor explained that on March 16, the Organised Labour issued a seven-day notice for an indefinite strike but it failed as scheduled for midnight, March 23.

According to the Commissioner, a suit was instituted by the Rivers State Government at the Port Harcourt Division of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria seeking interpretation to the enabling laws relating to the strike.

He further stated that the originating summons was heard and instead of the NLC to await the judgment that was reserved for September 29, they are calling for another strike.

“The Rivers State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria failed or neglected to fulfil the condition precedent for the declaration of the strike action as prescribed in Section 4,6 and 18(1)(a) of the Trade Dispute Act,  Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,  2004.

“Surprisingly,  while suit No. NICN/PH/41/2020 is still pending and the Interim Order of Injunction issued therein still subsisting, the defendants acting in collusion and concert with the national leadership of the Organised Labour (NLC and TUC) issued another threat of a fresh strike in Rivers state based on the same reasons,” he said.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice noted that in the face of overt and unmitigated illegality by Organised Labour, the Rivers State Government approached the Court because it believes in the rule of law. 

According to him, the government obtained an interim injunction from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria sitting in Lagos to stop the labour strike while also seeking an interpretation of provisions of the Trade Dispute Act and Trade Union Act.

Professor Adangor said with the subsisting matter in court and the order of interim injunction, the organised labour in the state would be committing contempt of court if it embarks on industrial action.

“The trial court after hearing extensive legal argument from the Attorney General of Rivers state granted an order of Interim Injunction restraining all the Defendants on record.

“Whether by themselves or through their servants, agents,  privies,  officers or otherwise howsoever called from embarking on strike action in Rivers State on 5th, 6th, or 7th September 2020 or any other date whether earlier or later,  pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for Interlocutory Injunction,” he said.

Speaking further, Adangor noted that all the defendants had been duly served with the Order of Interim Injunction and they cannot claim otherwise, adding that the affidavits of service had been filed in the registry of the court after substituted means of service was used.

2.Over 300 Suspected Drug Dealers Arrested In Katsina – NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested over 300 suspected drug dealers with more than 460 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa, tramadol, and other drug substances in Katsina State.

According to the NDLEA Commandant in Katsina, Sule Momoudu, the suspects were arrested since January to date by officers of the agency in various parts of the state.

He made the disclosure Friday when he paid an advocacy visit to the state government to appreciate its support to the agency and solicit for more.

While stating that the agency was ready to rid Katsina of drug traffickers, Momoudu asked the state government to increase its support and recognition of NDLEA as a law enforcement agency as it had no representative in all the COVID-19 meetings held.

He believes security is development and Nigeria cannot thrive in the atmosphere of insecurity, stressing the need to ensure drug education is taught in primary and secondary schools to basically prepare students to understand the dangers of drug abuse.

“There is the need to establish Drug Control Committee and enhance the capacity of drug-free clubs and increase drug abuse awareness campaign by sponsoring inter-school quiz competitions,” the NDLEA commandant said.

NDLEA Commandant in Katsina, Sule Momoudu, visits the state Deputy Governor, Mannir Yakubu, on September 4, 2020.

In his response, the State Deputy Governor, Mannir Yakubu, who received Momoudu pledged the government’s commitment to supporting and assisting the agency to tackle the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in Katsina.

Yakubu was concerned about the involvement of some youths and women in drug abuse in the state.

He observed that the challenges of banditry, kidnapping, and cattle rustling in Katsina were connected to drug abuse, hence the need for all stakeholders to put all hands on deck to tackle the problems.

“Our doors are widely open to supporting NDLEA to conduct its activities effectively in the state.

“Since we assumed office in 2015, we have been in close cooperation with the agency and we came with informed position of seriousness of drug addiction in the state,” the deputy governor told his guest.

He added, “We have been taking proactive decisions with regards to drugs as, for instance, we no longer see drug hawkers on the streets or villages, as well as drug merchants in our markets.”

Yakubu noted that the construction of a rehabilitation centre at the State Command Headquarters of the NDLEA, as well as sensitisation and mobilisation programmes of the government, were part of its support to the agency.

3.The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two suspects for defrauding a German company of €14.7m.

Channels Television learned that the suspects – Babatunde Adesanya and Akinpelu Hassan Abass, are members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network.

This was disclosed by the Force spokesman, Frank Mba, in a statement issued on Sunday.

The suspects were said to have cloned the corporate website of ILBN Holdings BV, Holland to transact with and defraud one Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn, a representative of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Mba explained that the fraud bordered on the procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

PRESS RELEASE

COVID-19 RELATED SCAM: TWO (2) ARRESTED FOR DEFRAUDING GERMAN COMPANY OF 14.7 MILLION EUROS

The Cybercrime Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL, National Central Bureau, Abuja has arrested two (2) suspects for their complicity in a major multi-million Euro scam touching on procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The suspects, Babatunde Adesanya a.k.a Teddy, 50years old Master degree holder in Cell Biology and Akinpelu Hassan Abass, 41years old, the M.D Musterpoint Investment Nig. Ltd, who are members of a sophisticated transnational criminal network, cloned the corporate website of ILBN Holdings BV, Holland to transact with and defraud one Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn, a representative of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The arrest of the suspects was sequel to a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) received by the Bureau from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice conveying a request from the German Government for investigations into a fraudulent transaction on the procurement of COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment linked to a Nigerian-based Bank Account.

Discrete investigations by INTERPOL Nigeria revealed that the suspects and their Holland-based cohorts, one Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder specialized in identity theft, cyber-stalking, cloning of corporate websites amongst other cyber mischiefs to defraud unsuspecting members of the public across the world. In this instance, the suspects fraudulently obtained from Mr Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn the sum of 1.5m Euro and another 880,000 Euro as advanced payment for the supply of COVID-19 PPEs valued at 14.7million Euros. Disturbed by the non-arrival of the PPEs, Mr Freiherr Fredrick Von Hahn eventually visited the corporate office of ILBN Holdings BV in Holland to inquire reasons for the delay in supplying the items only to find out that the company never did business with him and that the transaction was a scam. The fraudsters merely cloned the company’s website and falsely presented themselves as representatives of the company before subsequently executing the fraudulent transaction. Consequently, he reported the case of fraud to the Police in Holland and this led to the arrest of Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder in Holland and investigations extended to Nigeria.

An investigation by INTERPOL Nigeria further revealed that Babatunde Adesanya received 498,000 Euro from Eduardus Boomstra and Geradius Maulder through his Citibank London account and transferred same to an account number domiciled with a Lagos branch of a leading commercial bank in Nigeria belonging to Musterpoint Investment Nig. Ltd.

While commending the Commissioner of Police, INTERPOL, CP Garba Baba Umar and operatives of INTERPOL Nigeria, Cybercrime Unit for a job well done, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni assures members of the public and the international community of the commitment of the Force to tackling cybercrimes and other transnational crimes. He reiterates that there will be no hiding place for internet fraudsters in the country.

Meanwhile, the suspects will be arraigned before a competent court of law soon.

DCP FRANK MBA

FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

FORCE HEADQUARTERS

ABUJA

4.Crude affreightment: NIMASA revives move to change terms of trade

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says it has revived efforts to change the Terms of Trade for the affreightment of Nigerian crude oil from Free on Board (FOB) to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).

The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr Philip Kyanet, Head, Corporate Communications of the Agency in Lagos on Sunday.

Jamoh made this known when he received a delegation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), led by the newly appointed Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division, Mr Billy Okoye.

The D-G, who had recently paid a similar working visit to the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, expressed NIMASA’s appreciation to the NNPC for accommodating the Agency’s interests in transactions where the maritime regulator relied on data from the national oil company.

Jamoh was quoted as saying that: “Since 2018; NIMASA has championed moves for a change in  terms of trade with regard to transportation of Nigerian crude oil, from FOB to CIF to ensure greater benefits for the country from its oil resources.

“A technical committee involving NIMASA, NNPC and other stakeholders will be set up to develop a template for the desired change, with workable timelines,” he said.

He noted that under FOB trade terms, Nigeria had no reasonable control over the delivery of its crude oil as regards carriage, insurance and other ancillary services.

According to him, under the CIF arrangement the country will maintain ample control over the distribution of its oil, which could be leveraged to enhance the competitive advantage of indigenous operators.

5.Why I sponsored TETFund amendment bill – Sen. Adamu

Sen. Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa), says the ongoing amendments to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Act is part of efforts to reinvigorate Colleges of Agriculture (COA), to enable it contribute meaningfully to national development.

Adamu, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, stated this in an interview with the New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

He said that the amendment among other things would enable the colleges to benefit from the TETFund.

NAN reports that Fund was established as an intervention agency under the TETFund Act 2011.

It was charged with the responsibility for managing, disbursing and monitoring the education tax to public tertiary institutions in the country.

Adamu, a former governor of Nasarawa State, said that lack of proper funding for the COA had greatly hampered the objectives for its creation.

He said the TETFund Act (Amendment) Bill 2019, which had scaled first and second reading and currently before the relevant committee when passed and signed into law would restore the fortunes of the colleges.

He noted that while other higher institutions of learning were benefitting from the Fund, it was not the same with the COA.

The senator lamented that the colleges were benefitting from the TETFund at a point but for some reasons it was stopped.

“The effect of stopping COA from benefitting from the TETFund is that there is no attraction for good lecturers to stay and work in the colleges.

“Those who are benefitting from the Fund often take away the good hands from the COA to their institutions because they have the financial capability.

“As a result, the colleges are becoming less significant and less attractive for academicians.

“So, for the colleges to have the where withal to develop infrastructure for those levels of educational pursuit for agriculture, the funds have to be made available,” he said.

Adamu stressed that ensuring adequate funding would change the fortunes of the colleges and enhance its operations.

He said the measure would encourage education of people to work in the agricultural sector such as extension workers and other specialists.

“If we do not have the right education work, if we do not have the right expertise in research and other things in colleges, we will not get the best.

“We are hoping that once the fortunes of these colleges improve, the performance will also improve.

“When that happens, the students will be an improved specie and it will be to the benefit of agriculture in Nigeria generally,” he added.

Commenting on the National Agricultural Research Council Act (Amendment) Bill, also before the National Assembly, Adamu said that he sponsored the bill to ensure adequate funding for the Council.

According to him, the Agricultural Research Council, meant to be an apex research institute in the country ought to be repositioned because it was not living up to the expectations.

The lawmaker said the council with over 20 research institutes in the various aspects of agriculture was not well funded.

6.Defection looms in Abia PDP over marginalization

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders in Abia State have threatened to dump the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC, following their alleged marginalization by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

The stakeholders who claimed that they worked for the election of Governor Ikpeazu both at the wards, local government and state levels alleged that after the election, they were sidelined, while those who did not contribute anything were given political appointments.

Besides, the aggrieved PDP members claimed that when they voice out and protest in speech or writing, they were either intimidated, arrested or detained on the orders of the Governor.

One of the stakeholders who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity alleged that majority of the party members from Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state were very bitter and will do everything to ensure that APC wins 2023 elections there.

The source alleged that appointment in the area council was lopsided as key positions (Chief of Staff and commissioner position), were given to persons from the same village.

The source further said that the aggrieved PDP stakeholders have decided to join the former chieftain and governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Dr Alex Otti to the APC to ensure that PDP would not win elections in the state in 2023.

Dr Otti, who was seen as the major opposition in Abia State, dumped APGA last month and has allegedly started regrouping the opposition elements for the APC ahead of the 2023 elections.