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HURIWA calls for dismissal of police commission chair, Musiliu Smith

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Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) on Saturday, urged the President Muhammadu Buhari, to dismiss the chairman of the Police Service Commission, IGP Musiliu Smith (rtd) over recurring ineptitude under his administration.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statementt to Newssphere, backed the call for Smith’s sacking made by the Joint Union Congress of Police Service Commission.

The staff blamed Smith for the #EndSARS nationwide protests in October 2020, saying the wanton destruction of police formations and killing of scores of policemen were totally avoidable if the PSC leadership was proactive in addressing challenges of policing in the country.

The PSC is a civilian oversight body of the Nigerian Police Force.

The Chairman of PSC Joint Union Congress, Augustine Adoyi, said staff of the Commission would launch a massive protest if their demands including ensuring merit–based promotion in the Nigeria Police Force were not met.

The body embarked on indefinite strike last week over a working condition dispute among other issues.

Reacting, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is unfortunate that the Police Service Commission under IGP Musiliu Smith (rtd) has become a unit in the office of the IGP which is contrary to the statute setting it up as a civilian oversight body of the Nigeria Police Force.

“It is embarrassing that instead of concerning itself with germane issues in consonance with its mandate, the PSC under Smith has engaged in needless battles like the distraction called the tussle over the recruitment of constables which it has been dragging with the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba.

“Also, under IGP Smith, the NPF has continued to operate with arrant impunity. For instance, last December, policemen invaded an Anglican church in Imo State where they abducted Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu. A month before then, policemen invaded the Abuja residence of Supreme Court Justice, Mary Odili, before the police said the invaders were fake personnel. Many of these cases keep recurring yet PSC under Smith has been aloof and unconcerned. Scores of serving operatives have been caught openly robbing citizens with many citizens arbitrarily detained and robbed through blackmail and extortions rackets within the ranks of the Nigerian police Force but the statutory body imbued with the duty of enforcing disciplinary measures to deter criminality by the men and officers of the NPF known as the Police Service Commission under Musiliu Smith has looked so weakened and ethically challenged to focus on carrying out their duties to the nation due to crass incompetence on the part of the Chairman of the PSC. Many innocent Nigerians are detained illegally through criminal collisions of corrupt minded police operatives but even when such infractions are brought to the attention for the institutional interventions of the PSC, victims of such grandscale police indiscipline are not able to get redress due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and outright dereliction of duty by the Police Service Commission. No nation survives without a guaranteed independent Ombudsman to check the excesses of men in uniform and especially the Police. Till date the police still carry out extralegal executions of citizens but the PSC is not organised in such a way to check this unconstitutional practice of the police.”

“HURIWA posits that IGP Smith honorably resigns or be sacked by the President if he is too tired to focus on the mandate of the commission to guarantee standard welfare for police in the country which will go a long way to boost their morale in the fight against criminality, especially as the country approaches an election year.”

 

Over 50,000 telecom infrastructure destruction reported in 5 Years

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Over 50,000 cases of major destruction to telecom infrastructure and facilities have been reported across the country in the past five years, raising alarm over the implication of these incidents to the quality of telecommunications services in Nigeria.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, who disclosed this at the 2022 edition of Youth  Civil Society and Stakeholders Summit (YCSSS), which took place midweek at the Army Resource Centre, Abuja, expressed worry over how these incidents have continued to affect the Quality of Experience, (QoE), of consumers, and called for concerted efforts by the members of the public, and security agencies, to stem this tide.

Danbatta, who spoke through the Head, Corporate Communications Unit of the Commission, Mrs. Nnena Ukoha, said the negative impacts of incessant vandalism of telecom equipment, evidenced in fibre cuts, theft of telecom facilities like generators at sites, vandalism of base stations, among other vices, have become a major burden on the service providers, while telecom consumers have continued to suffer unwarranted disruptions of their hard-earned services.

“The impact of vandalism of infrastructure is felt by all in the quality of services rendered as it results in increasing drop calls, data and Internet connectivity disruptions, aborted and undelivered short messaging services (SMS), as well as countless failed calls”, he said.

The NCC‘s Chief Executive Officer said that, considering the well-known fact that the ability to connect and communicate is fundamental to human existence, improvement in businesses processes, government services, education, as well as social and family networking through seamless connections, every community should get involved in protecting the critical infrastructure that makes these services possible.

“Therefore, as a community, you are expected to report cases of vandalism of telecoms infrastructure to the nearest law enforcement agencies such as the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and also share adequate information received from NCC with your family, friends, and neighbours.

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Tech key to curbing corruption, illicit financial flows – ICPC Chairman

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..As winners emerge In ICPC/NITDA/Ford Foundation’s Illicit Financial Flows Hackathon

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, SAN, has identified the deployment of technology as crucial to the fight against corruption and Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs).

This was contained in a statement make available to Newssphere on Friday by ICPC Spokeperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua.

Prof. Owasanoye made this known at the presentation of demo hacking solutions by seven innovators at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja. The Illicit Financial Flows Hackathon is an initiative of the ICPC and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) with support of the Ford Foundation, West Africa.

The demo hacking solutions are aimed at curbing corruption and IFFs in government budget and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) procurement processes in Nigeria.

In his welcome remarks, the ICPC Chairman stated that the role of technology would not be underrated in the fulfillment of the Commission’s mandate of investigation and prosecution of breaches of the law.

He said, “Technology is crucial to eliciting, analysing and preserving evidence for prosecution. In the past three years, the Commission has invested in technology to enhance its forensic capability and trained staff in digital documents analysis, handwriting analysis, polygraphic technology, and sundry skills.

“In the past fifteen years, the Government has generally invested in technology to fight corruption, especially by prevention. The role of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Open Treasury Portal (OTP), establishment of Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the private sector initiated Bank Verification Number (BVN) has contributed in no small way to reducing corruption.”

He emphasised the need for collaboration by law enforcement agencies in the deployment of more technology to help in reducing the opportunity for money laundering.

“Appropriate technology deployment would have given law enforcement agencies, administrators and regulators of the process adequate leverage to know what school-feeding funds were being used for. Technology penetration in Nigeria today makes this very possible. Such platforms would help nip anomalies in the bud and save the government huge sums of money as well as prevent abuse, corruption and money laundering,” he added.

At the IFF Hackathon, Prof. Owasanoye explained that it provided an opportunity for the young people to use their creativity and entrepreneurial skills in leveraging on emerging technologies to combat corruption and other unethical practices that impact negatively on the socio- economic fortunes of the nation.

He assured that the anti-corruption agency, the NITDA and the Ford Foundation would further work on the demo hacking solutions presented by the young innovators.

“The demo hacking solutions will be interrogated further, fine-tuned and a demo will be developed and followed by a test run,” he noted.

The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, advocated clear policies by the government in the fight against corruption.

The Minister, who was represented by a Deputy Director, Mr. Kashim Ibrahim, said recovered funds from the proceeds of corruption would be used by the government to address critical needs.

In his remarks at the Hackathon, the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Kashimu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the innovative ideas would assist in the realization of the objectives of the digital transformation agenda of the government.

“The initiative relates to three of the pillars of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) of the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy.

“The relevant pillars are Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Promote Indigenous Content, Emerging Technologies and Digital Transformation on the part of the NDEPS while on the part of SRAP are Digital Services Development and Promotion, Indigenous Content Development and Adaptation and Digital Society and Emerging Technologies,” said Abdullahi who was represented by Mr. Oladeji Olayemi.

The Regional Director, Ford Foundation (West Africa Office), Dr. Chichi Aniagolu Okoye, expressed the Foundation’s excitement with the Hackathon idea because of its importance to the fight against Corruption in the country.

She commended the ICPC for initiating the project and added that the Commission had rebuilt her confidence in the government’s ability.

She congratulated the participants for their innovative ideas.

The highlight of the programme was the presentation of the demo hacking solutions as a digital answer to diminishing corruption in school feeding programmes by seven innovators.

The young innovators were tasked to come up with clearly defined ideas and prototype solutions to checkmate IFFs with emphasis on leveraging emerging technologies.

Three winners emerged after the demo and received various sums of cash prizes.

The winners are: Second runner up, Expose Solution; First runner up, IFFMER, and the Winner, E-procure.

Prof. Owasanoye and Dr. Aniagolu presented cash prizes of N500,000, N1 million and N1.5 million to the representatives of Expose Solution, IFFMER and E-procure, respectively.

Mrs. Azuka Ogugua
Spokesperson, ICPC

Deborah didn’t die in vain but as Martyr- Bishop Kukah

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..Says Buhari’s govt has done little on tackling insecurity

…Voting on religious basis is worst fraud

Catholic Bishop Mathew Kukah said on Friday that Deborah Samuel did not die in vain but as Martyr just like Leah Sharibu and other young ones who have given their lives for Jesus Christ.

This is as the clergyman who clocked 70years on 31st August, 2022 revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has done little to secure the lives of Nigerians.

Kukah made this known in an interview with AriseTV on Friday.

Recall that in May 14th Deborah, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was killed and her remains burnt by Muslim students of the school on Thursday for alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

In retrospective look at the barbaric incident, Kukah faulted the system of democracy practiced in Nigeria, mixed with theocracy and feudalism.

He advocated that Justice must be served to the killers of Deborah in Sokoto.

Meanwhile, speaking on the forthcoming 2023 elections, he said President Muhammadu Buhari government has put in little to tackle insecurity and Nigerians shouldn’t vote base on religion.

He disclosed that the base for this coming election is the frustration and anger on the minds of many voters, while urging Nigerians to vote the right Candidate.

“Some of the things young people have accomplished in the first 20years, many of us weren’t able to achieve. You will be amazed with what young people are doing.

“One good thing we have learned in the Eight years of Buhari is that voting any candidate on religious basis is the worst fraud”, he said.

Liverpool confirm signing Midfielder, Arthur on loan from Juvetus to boost team

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Liverpool FC have confirmed the signing of midfielder Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus, with the Brazilian joining the club in a deadline day deal to boost team.

The need for a new midfield arrival was compounded when Jordan Henderson sustained a hamstring injury in the win over Newcastle on Wednesday.

Liverpool have been in the market for a new signing and the arrival of Arthur has now been confirmed, with the midfielder joining on a season-long loan deal.

The club acted quickly in the face of the captain’s injury, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Thiago still sidelined, while Curtis Jones just returned to the squad.
Arthur‘s arrival marks only the third loan signing under Jurgen Klopp, with the Brazilian acting as a needed stop-gap in the middle of the park.

The player, who will wear the No.29 shirt, is the Reds’ first summer deadline day deal since 2017.
There is no obligation to buy the player, but Juventus have stated that there is an option to make the deal permanent for €37.5 million next summer.

Manchester United 1-0 win against Leicester give the Red Devils three straight EPL victories

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With Manchester United deserving 1-0 win against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Thursday, the Red Devils has now secured three straight victories.

At King Power Stadium, United opened the score in style, courtesy of a Jadon Sancho goal, who did well to round the Foxes goalkeeper before slotting the ball into an empty net.

United were exemplary in the opening 45 minutes, excelling in their retention of the ball, winning possession back, passing between the lines and creation of chances.

The team fought hard in the second half against a resolute Leicester side, eventually clinching all three points with a lone goal.

How Buhari appointed wife’s brother as MD of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company

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…HURIWA says President may have breached Nigeria Constitution

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ahmed Halilu as the managing director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC Plc, Daily Nigerian gathered.

Mr Halilu, an elder brother to the First Lady Aisha Buhari, has headed the company in acting capacity, following the resignation of Abbas Masanawa on May 16.

Newssphere gathered that the president approved the appointment after the recommendation of the governor of Central Bank Godwin Emefiele, who serves as the NSPMC board chairman.

Mr Halilu has over 23 years of experience in the Banking industry having worked with African International Bank Limited, AIB and Zenith Bank Plc.

He was a participant of Senior Executive Course 39, 2017 of the National Institute for Policy & Strategic Studies Kuru, Jos leading to award of Member of the National Institute, mni.
Mr Halilu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture B. (Agric), Masters in Business Administration as well as Masters in International Affairs & Diplomacy all from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
He is also a member of Nigerian Institute of Management, NIM.

Commenting on the development,
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria(HURIWA) said the President may have breached Nigeria Constitution.

HURIWA in the statement disclosed to Newssphere by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko said “In as much as it is not in doubt whether the gentleman in the person of Alhaji Ahmed Halilu is competent or qualified to so hold such an esteemed and professionally inclined position given his illustrious academic and working backgrounds, but what is in issue is the ethics of the action of the President and its legality bearing in mind the fuller import of the constitutionally protected Oath of office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also the question of whether President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision was impeded by his private affiliations to the person of Ahmed Halilu who is reportedly related to him by marriage as the biological big brother of his only known Wife and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria just as HURIWA said the appointment may border on nepotism.

“HURIWA maintained that the appointment violates the Federal character principles of the Federal Republic of Nigeria enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 as amended.

“HURIWA said the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended provides a binding Oath of office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the seventh schedule, thus: “I, ………….. do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will discharge my duties to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law, and always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will strive to preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions; that I will to the best of my ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that I will abide by the Code of Conduct contained in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; that in all circumstances, I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will; that I will not directly or indirectly communication or reveal to any person any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as President; and that I will devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria. So help me God.”

“HURIWA is therefore asking President Muhammadu Buhari to revoke this appointment which may have violated the Constitution or the National Assembly should investigate the legality or otherwise of this appointment since if this is not challenged then before May 29th 2023, we may wake up to find out that Mr.President has appointed one of his foreign educated kids such as his Son Yusuf as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria since he can appoint his brother-in-law as Head of the institution that prints and mints the national currency of Nigeria.

“HURIWA recalled that Nigeria historically and factually is a diverse country, comprising multi-ethic nationalities in the North and the South. The framers of the extant constitution recognised this diversity and enacted Federal Character Commission Act to accommodate the interests of all groups.

“The Act seeks to promote, monitor and enforce compliance with the principles of the proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government.

“HURIWA stated that the Federal Character clause in Section 14 (3) of the Constitution states as follows: “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.”

“But the Act is observed in breach under Buhari, and with an annoyingly detached temperament of ‘I dont care attitude’.

“According to public records, the Southeast and Southsouth have marginal representation in Buhari government, while the North takes majority appointments.

“The President appointment into the country’s security service over the years has been condemned widely even as this one sided and nepotistic pattern of strategic national appointments that favours the Muslim North has been escalated to an unprecedented dimension.

“HURIWA stated that evidence abound to demonstrate that top appointments into the country’s security service by President Buhari since 2015 favours officers from the northern part of the country.

“The President appointment into the leadership cadre of the Nigerian security services, between 2015 and 2020, only two of the eight security chiefs were from the South: the chief of defence staff (South West) and the chief of naval staff (South-South).

“The remaining six, including the heads of the army, police, national intelligence agency and state security service, are all Northerners.

“Also, as of April 6, 2021, a regional analysis of the heads of security agencies conducted by a media institution known as The ICIR, including paramilitary and antigraft agencies based on their state of origin shows that 12 out of 16 of them (75 percent) are from the northern part of the country, while just four (25 percent) are from the southern part of the country.

“These agencies are Defence, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Airforce, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and Nigeria Customs Service.

“Others are Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Federal Fire Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)”, the statement reads.

Birth Registration: Nigeria recorded 57% increase in 2021- MICS report

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…Lagos, FCT top with highest registration

…Jigawa, Sokoto recorded lowest with Birth Registration

Birth registration in Nigeria increases by 57% in 2021, up from 47% in 2016, this is according to 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) report.

The 2021 MICS indicates that over 40 per cent of children are still unregistered in the country.

Birth registration is the process of recording a child’s birth. It is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence, and provides legal recognition of that child’s identity.

Speaking about the survey at a media dialogue on MICS 6 in Port Harcourt, organised by the Child Rights Information Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with UNICEF on Tuesday, Chief of Monitoring for Result, UNICEF, Claes Johanson explained that despite the improvements by 10% increase in number of birth registration between 2016-2021, there is still an existing gap to be filled.

Johanson said the improvement is on track to reach 80% in the next 10 years until SDG 2030. “But if we have some acceleration that seems to be within reach, and that is one of UNICEF main priority to support National Population commission and the government to reach universal birth registration.

He said, Lagos state recorded the highest number of birth registration with 94 per cent, closely followed by the FCT with 87 per cent. States with lowest registration are Jigawa with 23.6 per cent and Sokoto with 22.5 per cent.

The survey shows that three per cent of children under the age of five had their births registered, but do not have birth certificates.It also indicates that two out of every three mothers and caregivers of children aged below five years whose births were not registered did not know how to register births.

It shows that percentage of children under age five whose births are registered ranges from as high as 89 per cent for the richest wealth quintile to as low as 33 per cent for the poorest wealth quintile.

About MICS Survey

The MICS Survey is a household survey developed by UNICEF to assist countries in filling data gaps for monitoring human development indicators in general and the situation of children and women, in particular. It has evolved over the years to respond to changing data needs, expanding from 28 indicators in the first round in 1999 to 200 in its current sixth.

The National Bureau of Statistics(NBS) implemented MICS which provides data on child mortality, health, nutrition, education, child and social protection, women’s healthcare and empowerment, water, sanitation and hygiene.

The MICS was launched on August 16 alongside the National Immunisation Coverage Survey (NICS) by Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.

Communication Specialist, UNICEF Geoffrey Njoku describes how UNICEF is working with national media across the country to take a deeper look into the released data, on what can be drilled out and what to be focused on.

He said, “How can we make the data come alive in terms of being used for policies, government and international partners.

“How can we begin to action the data that was released, how can they begin to say there are gaps here and we need to fill those gaps. Were we ar not doing well, how can we do better, what is responsible for that”, he said.

N42bn debts: NCAA threatens to withdraw certificates of defaulting airlines

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..As operators, authority trade words

…Quit operation if you can’t meet up financial obligation — Ojikutu tells Operators

Airlines Operators are owing the Nigerian Civil Aviation  Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) over N42 billion and $7.8 million on the statutory 5 per cent Ticket Sales Charge and Cargo Sales Charge (TSC/CSC), the Director-General, NCAA Capt. Musa Nuhu disclosed this to journalists.
Airlines owe Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) over N19 billion and $7.8, Federal Airports and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) about N18 billion and N5 billion respectively, amounting to a total debt of N42bn and $7.8 million.
The airlines owe FAAN landing and parking charges, while they are also hugely indebted to NAMA for terminal and navigational charges.

This is coming as airline operators, NCAA official embark on word-barter during a stakeholder meeting in Abuja.

Recall that the NCAA said it was carrying out economic and financial audits of the remaining eight domestic airlines in the country.

The airlines are Air Peace, Arik Air, Max Air, Green Africa, United Nigeria, Overland, Azman Air and Ibom Air.

The Director-General, NCAA Capt. Musa Nuhu, in a stakeholder meeting held with indigenous airlines and ground handling companies in Abuja on Tuesday, warned that if the debts owed the agencies were not paid back immediately, the aviation organisations may collapse very soon.

Nuhu also gave the operators one month ultimatum to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NCAA, which would stipulate the repayment plans of their debts to the agency.

Nuhu expressed disappointment over a letter, which emanated from the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), signed by Alhaji Abdulmunaf Yunusa, the President of AON, dated August 8, 2022 and addressed to Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation that accused the agencies, especially the NCAA of muscling out the operators through multiple charges.

Nuhu who noted that the airlines and the entire aviation industry were going through a very difficult period, especially at this time, insisted that all the charges collected by NCAA were statutory and in compliance with the Civil Aviation Act 2006.

According to him, the airlines were not responsible for the payment of TSC/CSC, but only collected such on behalf of the agencies from the passengers and wondered why the operators would accuse it of engaging in multiple levies.

Nuhu further debunked the claim that the NCAA imposed excess baggage charge on the airlines.

He further compared and juxtaposed the levies imposed on operators in Nigeria and Ghana, and reeled out the huge differences.

The NCAA boss explained that for any of the charges to be repealed, it would have to go through the National Assembly and must be assented to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He also said out of the 5 per cent TSC/CSC, the agencies still remit 25 per cent of their revenues to the Consolidated Revenue Account created by the Federal Government and advised the operators to always cross check their facts before going to the public.

He added, “NCAA relies 100 per cent on its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). The 5 per cent TSC paid by passengers is 85 per cent of NCAA revenue, while the other 15 per cent comes from airlines as payment for services provided and they are all cost recovery.

“We don’t also impose any excess baggage charge on the airlines. I wonder where the operators saw this.

“The airlines have intentionally refused to pay the debts owed us despite the fact that they have collected such from the passengers. The airlines collect money and refused to transmute such to the right authorities. AON wants us to provide services for free for them.

“What the airlines are trying to do is to defunct the NCAA. You have refused to give us our legitimate money. The fees we are charging the airlines are just cost recovery and we are actually subsidising the airlines.”

Also, Engr. Mathew Pwajok, the Acting Managing Director of NAMA, reiterated that the charges of the agency were minimal when compared to other countries around the world.

He, however, disclosed that the airlines owed them over N5 billion for services rendered to them over the years.

Also, Capt. Rabiu Yadudu of FAAN, also disclosed that the airlines owe the agency N18 billion and debunked the claim that it charges the airlines indiscriminately as claimed in its letter.

He declared that FAAN was not imposing any new burden on the airlines, stressing that its landing and parking charges for international operators were last reviewed in 1998, while for the local airlines, it was reviewed last in 2002.

He said that there was the need for the charges to be reviewed by the agency, stressing that within the period, the airlines had reviewed their air tickets on numerous occasions.

Responding, Alhaji Kashim Bukar, the Managing Director, Skyjet Airline, wondered why the DG NCAA brought the issue to the public glare.

He said that rather than make it a public issue, NCAA should have called the operators into a closed door meeting to discuss the issue.

Also, Capt. Edward Boyo, the Managing Director, Overland Airways and a trustee of AON, apologized to the NCAA for the letter.

“I’m a trustee member of AON. On behalf of AON, I hope to apologise to you in the letter. The letter wasn’t intended to have this effect. Some parts of the letter were inappropriate. We apologise and I want to crave your indulgence to drop the issue,” he said.

Besides, Mr. Allen Onyema, the Vice President, AON, said he was seeing the letter for the first time and expressed disappointment with some of the contents in it.

He regretted that there are factions in AON, which had prevented them from speaking with one voice.
Onyema agreed that he was at the meeting with the Ministry of Finance and Aviation where the issue of skyrocketing price of Jet A1 was discussed, but insisted that no one maligned the image of NCAA or any aviation agencies at the meeting.

Meanwhile speaking with our correspondent about the development on Tuesday, an Aviation Expert and Group Captain (Rtd), John Ojikutu, said airline operators should quit if they cannot meet up with financial obligations.
He blamed the NCAA for not properly regulating the Nigeria aviation industry.
According to him, “When was the last time the NCAA conducted a financial audit on the errant airlines? Airlines are expected to submit their Financial Balance sheets to the NCAA annually so as to ensure that they are financially viable and healthy.

“Such neglects have caused the ‘death’ of some airlines. NCAA is doing the necessary and if the kitchen is getting too hot for some airlines, they should pack and go.

“There is no better way now for the government to handle the matter of airlines debts than to enforce the compliance to the Nig CARs Part 18.17.1.1 on all the operators including the government operators too.
“Any operators that cannot meet the necessary standards should be sanctioned or it takes a walk to the Rice Farm.

“Government is indebted to local and external creditors in quantum; citizens are stealing 400,000 crude oil daily ($40m daily) or $12bn stolen annually; we owe the foreign airlines over $400m.
“Government has tried more than thrice to help the airlines through various intervention funds and reductions in debts and concessions in some taxes yet their debts keep piling up.

“There are no other private enterprises in Nigeria today that enjoy the many financial concessions as the private airlines are enjoying.
“At the present estimates, the Nigeria Commercial Aviation Earnings will drop below 50% of the normal earnings this year and years to come except the BASA is reviewed and the Commercial Agreements are reverted or renewed,” he said.

 

Malami’s extradition Suit hypocrisy of highest order – HURIWA

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Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Monday, described as a grand hypocrisy, the extradition suit by the Attorney General of the Federation, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), against the detained Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement released to Newssphere on Monday said, “the AGF should know better as a law officer of the country that the case of Kyari is a fait accompli which means the suspended head of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team cannot be extradited to the United State since he is facing drug-related crimes brought against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency with the blessing of the Honourable Federal Attorney General when he as the Chief law officer of the federation could have authorised the extradition application to run its full course first. This was prearranged and predetermined long before this decision of the Federal High Court which reflected the sinister plot of the AGF to frustrate the actual extradition of the Borno born police officer to the USA”.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed an application the Federal Government filed for permission to extradite Kyari to face trial over his alleged involvement with a notorious internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
But the court, in a judgement that was delivered by Justice Inyang Ekwo, held that the extradition application FG filed through the office of the AGF as “incompetent and bereft of merit”.
Justice Ekwo held that the AGF being the Chief Law Officer of the country, ought to be aware that the Extradition Act, forbade the surrendering of a defendant that is already facing trial before a competent court in the country.
Onwubiko said, “The grand hypocrisy and shenanigan of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) in the DCP Abba Kyari’s case is now obvious.
“The action of the AGF is condemnable since he deliberately filed another matter against Kyari before seeking his extradition when as a lawyer he ought to know that it is a fait accompli since under the law you can’t extradite someone already facing a separate charge in Nigeria.
“It is important to ask the justice minister why he didn’t file the extradition suit about a year after Kyari was declared wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation until the NDLEA imbroglio. The whole drama, Nigerians know, are planned script. HURIWA insists that justice be served on the matter to deter corrupt policemen like Kyari still in the force. The suspended DCP must not be protected but duly prosecuted. It is shocking that this same Attorney General of President Buhari is often in a mad rush to extradite Southerners wanted in the USA but had to contrive a safe landing route for their man Abba Kyari”, he stated.
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