News

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), has requested that legal practitioners in Nigeria, who desire the attainment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), should submit applications online.

This was disclosed by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, Hajo Sarki Bello in a memoir on Monday, January 2, 2022.

Bello said this year application is online and lawyers who desire the award of the rank of SAN should submit relevant documents to the LPPC’s portal.

He added that all applicants must pay a non-refundable processing fee of one million naira and upload evidence of the payment online.

Part of the memoir reads: “By the combined provisions of Section 5(2) of the Legal Practitioners’ Act Cap 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria of Nigeria 2004 and the Regulation 10 (1) – (4) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria 2022. (“The Guidelines”) the Legal Practitioners’Privileges Committee ( “the LPPC or the Committee “) hereby makes a formal call for applications preparatory to the rank of the year 2023. Commencing with the year’s exercise applications shall only be made online and prospective applicants are directed to visit www. lppconline.com to make their application.”

The rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria is the highest rank in the Nigerian Bar. It is the equivalent of the rank of the Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom. The rank of SAN is yearly awarded to legal practitioners that have distinguished themselves in character and advocacy.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Seven private depots were closed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) for selling gasoline above the N148 per litre permitted by the federal government.

Independent petroleum marketers had complained in recent months that they were purchasing the product from private depots for more than N200 per litre, making it impossible for them to sell the commodity at the government-approved price.

The Authority’s Chief Executive, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, said the depots would be closed until a decision was made on how to proceed while speaking to journalists on New Year’s Eve in Abuja.

Among the companies, he identified were Ardova, Rainoil, TCL, Bluefin, and NEPAL.

According to Engr. Ahmed, two of the depots are in Lagos, two are in Warri, one is each in Oghara, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.

He reassured customers that the closure would not affect the availability of petrol around the nation, stating that there would be enough fuel for about 30 days.

He said that in an effort to lessen fuel shortages, the authority had many discussions with marketers on how to address supply issues that operators were having.

He also noted that certain privately operated depots were found to continue loading the commodity above the government-approved price, despite having obtained the cargo under favourable circumstances.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

Zazzau Emirate Council has debunked the rumours that a title holder of the Emirate was arrested on the ground of sodomy.

Spokeperson of the Emirate, Malam Abdullahi Aliyu Kwarbai, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the suspect is not a title holder of the Zazzau Emirate but one of the Emir’s servant.

According to him, Shehu Umar Ciroman Baraya, who was accused and arrested is one of the Emir’s servant (Bawan Sarki) and not a title holder of the Emirate as claimed.

He added that the media should always verify claims concerning the Emirate Before rushing to the press and that the misleading reports be corrected immediately.

He said: “The attention of Zazzau Emirate Council has been drawn to the News in the Media that a “TITLE HOLDER” of the Emirate has been arrested for Sodomy.

For the record, the Emirate Council would like the General Public to note that the arrested suspect (SHEHU UMAR CIROMAN BARAYA) is one of the Emir’s Servant (BAWAN SARKI) and NOT a TITLE HOLDER of the Emirate as claimed.”

By Ibrahim Mukhtar 

A Nigeria-based Chinese woman accepted the religion of Islam at the palace of the Emir of Machina in Yobe State. 

The woman who was at the palace with her fiancé explained that no one forced her to accept the religion—she wanted Islam on her own conviction. 

After she took the Kalimatu al-Shahada from His Highness, the Emir of Machina, she was asked to choose the name she wanted.

The Daily Reality learned that she chose “Fatima” based on the advice given to her by her fiancé. 

Fatima was observed to have been happy and relaxed alongside all those with her in the Emir’s palace.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

Pele, probably the greatest player in football history, passed away at the age of 82, the BBC has reported.

He set a global record by scoring 1,281 goals.

Over the course of a 21-year career, he made 1,363 appearances.

Pele was selected as Fifa’s Player of the Century in 2000. He was the only player to have won the World Cup three times, taking home the trophy in 1958, 1962, and 1970.

In recent years, he has experienced kidney and prostate issues.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A young man who murdered his stepmother in Kano, Sagiru Wada, was sentenced to death by hanging by the Kano State High Court on Thursday.

The man was arrested some eight years back after killing his stepmother, Zainab Dan-Azumi, and subsequently cut her into pieces with a sword.

Justice Aisha Mahmud, who presided the judge, said the court was satisfied with all the evidence presented before the court.

She added that the court convicted Wada under Section 221 of the Kano State Penal Code, adding that the prosecution counsel had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

However, Barrister Rabi’u Abubakar, who was the defence counsel, argued that the suspect was mentally ill.

However, the court rejected his claim reiterating that the evidences presented before the court were enough to convict Wada of murder.

By Muhammad Sabiu

President Muhammadu Buhari said that he aimed to prevent governors and ministers from naming projects after him, but the Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, defied him.

On Thursday, during a visit to Kogi State, Buhari made this remark during a live broadcast on Arise TV.

New township road networks were opened in Idah, Okene, and all three senatorial districts by Buhari, along with the Reference Hospital in Okene and the Confluence University of Science and Technology at Osara.

Other projects in Lokoja include the Civic Center and Muhammadu Buhari Square, as well as the Ganaja Flyover, Model Science Secondary School, and school.

Buhari was quoted as saying, “I thank the Governor and the people of Kogi state for naming it (Muhammadu Buhari Square and Civic Centre) after me. Here, I have to digress; I attempted to stop governors and ministers from naming projects after me, but the Governor disobeyed me here.”

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Virginity testing is forbidden, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, a consultant family physician at the teaching hospital of Lagos State University, said in Ilorin on Wednesday.

He revealed to the News Agency of Nigeria that the WHO had ruled the practice to be unlawful while he was attending a session for primary healthcare professionals.

Aside from the WHO announcement, he said, the practice was antiquated.

The most common reasons for conducting the virginity test are requests from parents or suitors to see whether the girl is eligible for marriage or to determine her suitability for a job.

According to the WHO, a virginity test is a gynaecological exam done with the intent of determining if a woman or girl has had vaginal contact.

He added that the practice was frequently agonizing, embarrassing, and distressing, adding that the idea of a virginity test was false because a woman’s lack of a hymen did not necessarily indicate that she was promiscuous.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i, expressed concern over the way some politicians were using religion and ethnicity to create division in their campaigns.

The governor also stressed on the need to punish policians using religion in their political campaigns.

He spoke at the commissioning ceremony of the head office of the Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development held in Kaduna.

He stated that the 2023 election would be a golden opportunity for Nigerians to take region out of politics.

He said the 2023 elections presented a unique opportunity for Nigerians to take religion out of politics.

El-Rufa’i was qouted to have said, “People are united in their poverty, in their need for education, in decent healthcare and to put food on their table, that is what we should focus on but some people are holding meetings to promote religious and ethnic division.

That is the last thing Nigeria needs at a time when the whole world is facing challenges of ultra-nationalism and global supply chain disruption.”

He then asked for forgiveness, saying, “We try to do what is right but only God is right, my apologies to anyone that I have offended, we have five months to go and I will like to leave and sleep in peace.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

A Fulani leader, Alh. Aliyu Abdullahi, in Maganda village near Kagarko town in Kaduna state, was abducted by unknown gunmen on Monday.

It was reported that the leader, also known as Ardon Maganda, was going back home on his motorcycle after attending a meeting with other village chiefs on security issues bedevilling their communities.

The Daily Reality reported how handits raided three communities and abducted 37 villagers in Kaduna communities just recently.

A source from Janjala community, simply identified as Ishaq, said, “This morning (Tuesday), someone from Maganda who was coming to Janjala saw Ardo’s motorcycle abandoned by the roadside and suspected that he has been kidnapped.”

He added that the victim earlier visited the families of some of his konsmen to sympathise with them over the recent attacks by bandits which led to the abduction of some of his family members.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official report from the police in the area.