News

By Muhammad Sabiu

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has on Tuesday, 30th November 2021, ordered Kano state government to formally apologize the dethroned Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sunusi (II), in two national dailies.

The court judgement was delivered by Justice Anwuli Chikere, and had described Sanusi’s forceful banishment from the state after his dethronement as illegal, unconstitutional and in gross violation of his fundamental human rights.

However, it was gathered that the court has awarded damages against Kano state, in favour of the deposed Emir, to the tune of N10million.

Recall that Sususi was accused of disloyalty and insubordination by the Kano State Government which led to his dethronement on March 9, 2020.

Speaking before the court, Sunusi’s Lawyer, Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, stated that: “My lord, this is not a chieftaincy matter.

“The Applicant is not before this court to challenge the Respondents’ actions with regards to his removal as Emir of Kano, but the way he was bundled to Abuja and banished to a remote location.”

The Attorney General of Kano State, represented by Musa Mohammed, also challenged the jurisdiction of the court in Abuja to entertain the case.

However, he urged the court to dismiss the suit in its entirety for want of jurisdiction and competence.

The Kano State AG, through the lawyer that represented him in court, Abdulsallam Salleh, said: “We will look at the judgement critically and consult with our client (Kano state government) on whether we will appeal against it on not.”

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Kaduna State Government will commence a transition to a four-day working week in the state. The government will begin implementation of the transitional arrangements in the public service of the state from 1st December 2021.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media & Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the government said, “all public servants, other than those in schools and healthcare facilities, will work from home on Fridays. This interim working arrangement will subsist until the government is ready to move to the next stage of the transition which will culminate in the four-day week across all MDAs in the state”.

Mr. Adekeye further stated that “the state government expects the required legal and regulatory framework to be in place by January 2022. This will also enable the organised private sector to engage with the process and agree a longer transition period to a four-day working week”

By Muhammad Sabiu

No fewer than 26 insurgents of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have been eliminated in Gajiram town, Borno State, after the Nigerian military launched airstrikes on them.

Reports show that the military made the attacks after the insurgents, who came on their gun trucks, made an attempt to invade the town.

A military officer in the know of the incident, whose identity is made anonymous, reliably told journalists that 26 bodies of the insurgents were counted.

Confirming the heavy casualty inflicted on the terrorists, he said, “The aircraft arrived timely and bombarded the locations of the terrorists and burned some of them beyond recognition.

“We have so far counted 26 bodies of the terrorists, but unfortunately, we lost two gallant soldiers while tackling other fleeing enemies.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Federal Government has said that Twitter has agreed to abide by the laid down conditions for its operations in the country.

Appearing on Channels TV, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, disclosed.

Recall that On June 5, 2021, the Buhari administration had slammed an indefinite suspension on Twitter.

Keyamo was a member of a committee the government set to dialogue with the microblogging site.

He disclosed that the committee had made significant progress, adding that: “The reason why the President took that step is to recalibrate our relationship with Twitter and not to drive them away from our country. That recalibration we have started it.

“We also set up a technical committee to interface with Twitter and come up with a lot of conditions for them to fulfil for us to lift the suspension.

“It was Twitter that reached out to the Federal Government to say they want to know what and what they can do to straighten up the relationship with the Federal Government and so, we have gone far, but I may not, at this forum, let out a lot, but we gave them a lot of conditions, and they have agreed to all the conditions.”

The conditions were: “Twitter paying attention to national security and cohesion; registering its physical presence and representation in Nigeria; fair taxation; dispute resolution and Local content.”

This indicates that the ban on Twitter will be lifted soon.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, has charged officers and soldiers of the newly formed 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army to exhibit professionalism and discipline in their operations and other engagements in their area of responsibility.

A release issued to journalists by the Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed that Gen Yahaya gave the charge on Sunday, November 28, 2021, during a visit to the Headquarters 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Jalingo.

The statement described his visit as part of the operation and assessment to formations and units of the Nigerian Army across the country.

The release partly reads: “Presented with a security brief on the Brigade’s area of responsibility by the Commander 6 Brigade, Brig-Gen Hillary Mabeokwu, the COAS proceeded to address the troops, charging them to demonstrate professionalism and discipline in the discharge of their duties.

“He pledged to provide requisite logistics for the full take-off of the nascent Brigade.

“The COAS later commissioned newly constructed 6 Brigade Garrison office and Quarter Guard before proceeding to inspect the proposed permanent site of the Brigade.

“He expressed appreciation to the government and people of Taraba state for providing the Nigerian Army with a parcel of land to build the Brigade,” the statement added.

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Nigerian Correctional Service has, on Sunday, confirmed the attack of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jos, Plateau State.

The spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Controller of Corrections, Francis Enobore, confirmed the incident, saying “The Medium Security Custodial Centre in Jos, Plateau State came under attack by gunmen who reportedly stormed the facility in large number with sophisticated weapons”

He further stated that “although they gained entrance to the yard, they are however trapped within as men from sister security services were immediately mobilised to assist the armed guards to cordon the perimeter wall and the entire area”

The attack was said to have been carried out at about 5pm on Sunday, and sophisticated weapons were said to have been used by the attackers.