Biafra: Release Nnamdi Kanu now – Utomi, Soludo

Nnamdi Kanu

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, and President of the Lagos Business School, Professor Pat Utomi, on Tuesday, demanded the immediate release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The Professors made this known at a media briefing in Abuja under the aegis of the Nzuko Umunna, a group of Igbo professionals.

Similarly, they condemned the alleged killing of IPOB members in the south-east and urged states where the alleged killings took place to set up a panel of inquiry in their various states.

Recall that the pro-Biafra leader was arrested on October 14, 2015, in Lagos and has been held in prison since then, despite various court orders that ruled for his release.

The call for his release followed a series of protests, including that of members of the IPOB in Southeast Nigeria during the inauguration of the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

However, in January 2016 ruling, Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had declined to release the detainee on bail.

The court also denied bail to two other pro-Biafra agitators, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, who are facing trial with Kanu.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had also called for his release, based on the court rulings which granted him bail on three occasions.

The National Chairman of APGA, Mr Victor Oye, asked the government to obey the rule of law in the prosecution of the case.

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We never planned on banning danfo driver in lagos - Commissioner

Lagos State Ministry of Transport has announced that it has no plan to ban yellow buses known as “Danfo” from plying the state’s roads.

It said it was only planing to upgrade them to international standard.

The acting Commissioner for Transport, Mr Lanrewaju Elegushi, made this disclosure on Tuesday during a stakeholder’s forum to deliberate on how to improve the transport system in the state.

He said that the plan of the government was to upgrade the transportation system in the state to international standard.

“What we are planning is to restructure the transportation system in the state to meet international standard.

“That is why we organised this forum to seek the contributions of the people involved at the new Bus Terminal at Tafawa Balewa Square.

“We are changing the face of the transport system in Lagos state with fully air condition buses, charging port, CCTV and other infrastructure for the benefit of commuters,” he said.

He added that the government had also embarked on building of standard bus terminus in various locations across the state, to standardise the transport system.

In his remarks, Mr Kunle Azeez, the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Idumota branch, commended the government for building befitting bus terminal for members of the union.

“We appreciate the government for carrying us along in its development plan.

“I am sure that our members will not let the government down in its plan to make the state a Mega City,” he added.

DAILY POST reports that governor Akinwunmi Ambode had few weeks ago announced that the government plans to restructure the operations of ‘danfo’ buses for a an efficient, well-structured and world-class mass transport system

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NCPC takes prayers for Buhari to Mount Zion, Jerusalem

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Rev Tor Uja, says the commission will pray for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari on Mount Zion, Jerusalem.

The Commission’s Head of Media, Mr Celestine Ogugua, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said that a Prayer Convocation for Nigeria would hold on March 5, 2017, during the 2016 Pilgrimage Completion Exercise.

Uja said that the focus of the Prayer Convocation was to pray for the President, the Acting President and Nigeria as a whole.

He said, “We will lead and mobilise the Church to pray for the recovery of Mr President and for the Acting President to hold forth in dignity and strength.

“We will also pray for Nigeria and Nigerians for the holistic recovery of our nation.”

The NCPC boss also announced that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, would be the Special Guest of Honour at the prayer session.

He said that the commission would push forward its idea of constructing a Heritage Conference Centre for the orientation of all intending pilgrims before airlift.

Uja explained that the second objective of the Heritage Conference centre is to work with Israeli Agricultural experts to build a farm centre to train farmers in addition to constructing a secondary school that would bring up young people with good Christian values.

According to him, the current economic recession is an opportunity to build and reconstruct the nation.

He blamed the recession on the failure of people to institute a proper structure to sustain the nation’s resources.

He said that NCPC would contribute spiritually and socially toward the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country.

He said, “We owe this nation our service; remove sectional barriers and stand for what is right in our nation and in our service to God.’’

Ujah, while inaugurating a Committee on Land and Training, urged the committee members to work hard and make the necessary sacrifices to produce the desired results.

In his response, the NCPC Head of Administration, Mr Danjuma Elabi, who spoke on behalf of the members, thanked the Executive Secretary for the opportunity given to them to serve.

He pledged that the committee would work hard to ensure that its objectives were achieved.

(NAN

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Rivers govt committed to ending illegal fees in public schools

The Chairman, Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Mr. Fyneface Aka, says the state government is determined to end illegal fees and levies in public schools.

Aka who made this known on Tuesday said that the state government would sanction any head teacher found guilty of collecting illegal fees and levies from pupils and students.

“Any head teacher that is investigated and found guilty of collecting illegal fees from pupils in any government owned schools in the state will face the full weight of the law,” he said.

Aka said that the measure had become necessary to ensure that illegal fees were wiped out of state-owned schools.

According to him, only the state government has powers to authorise fees in schools in the state.

He described government’s decision as a welcomed development, adding that it would promote discipline among administrators of public schools.

He said the continued extortion by some head teachers was because attention was not paid to ending corruption in the school system.

“If adequate attention is given to the challenges of extortion in public schools such issues will have been completely wiped out of the system.

“It’s so sad that while the state government is struggling to fund education with its limited resources, some head teachers are making money for themselves through illegal levies from our children.

“Thank God, that it’s no longer business as usual because whoever indulges in such act will be dismissed from service,” he said.

The UBEB chairman also disclosed that the state government had commenced school monitoring programme.

He said that the monitoring programme would enable the government know the number of absent teachers and issue appropriate punishment.

He enjoined teachers in the state to contribute to national development as they carry out their tasks

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