20,000 Graduates To Start Paid FG-UNDP Fellowship In January – Osinbajo Reveals

 

He stated this on Friday at the 2021 Presidential Policy Dialogue of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has said that twenty thousand graduates will commence paid fellowship in January 2022 through the United Nations Development Programme and Federal Government partnership.

He stated this on Friday at the 2021 Presidential Policy Dialogue of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to him, the partnership is under the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, which is aimed at opening up opportunities to address unemployment by providing 20,000 young Nigerian graduates annually with year-long job placement opportunities in both the public and private sectors across the country.

In a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, on Saturday, the VP also stated the Federal Government’s interventions in reducing the country’s youth unemployment gap through job initiatives.

“These include the N-Power scheme (where up to 1.5 million young Nigerians were recruited over two cohorts), and the Jubilee Fellows Programme – in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, the European Union, and other partners – a one-year work placement scheme for 20,000 young Nigerians set to kick-off in January 2022,” the statement read in part.

It was titled, ‘New National Development Plan Depends On Strong Public-Private Partnership – Osinbajo’.

The VP was quoted as saying, “While this was a scratch on the surface as well over two million young people enter into the workforce every year, there is no doubt that the Nigeria private sector has to thrive in order to create the number and kinds of jobs that we need but it is also important for the Nigerian youth to acquire the skills and knowledge of the workplace.”

Osinbajo also disclosed that the collaboration of both government and the private sector “must promote productivity and value addition and move away from the despair of managing limited resources to producing and creating more in a competitive and sustainable manner.”

He said through the new National Development Plan, the Federal Government is placing particular focus on job creation, value addition, and promoting a business-friendly environment.

Explaining how the collaboration would be implemented, the VP stated that the Plan “envisages an investment commitment of N348trillion over the plan period of which it is expected that Government at all levels will come up with about N49.7trillion or about 14%, while the private sector is expected to invest N298 trillion or about 86%.”

Finally Court seals fate of billionaire kidnapper, Evans

Billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike known as Evans the kidnapper has been sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court on Thursday.

At the sentencing by an Igbosere High Court in Lagos, Evans who was charged with kidnapping had pleaded not guilty.

He was also charged for attempt to kidnap the chairman of the Young Shall Grow Motors, Mr Vincent Obianodo.

Other charges against him are bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms.

Evans was docked with three other defendants — Joseph Emeka, Chiemeka Arinze, and Udeme Upong

He was apprehended by the Inspector General of police’s Intelligence Response Team led by Abba Kyari.

In 2013, Evans was declared wanted after he allegedly masterminded the attempted kidnap of Mr Vincent Obianudo, a businessman who owns the popular ‘Young Shall Grow Motors’.

The suspect was said to have carried out kidnapping operations for more than five years before he met his waterloo

Chidinma Sold Late Ataga's Laptop to me for N495,000 - Man Tells Court

Chidinma

The witness told the court that it was after he bought the laptop that he saw her (defendant) on social media regarding a murder case.
Chidinma Ojukwu the alleged killer of Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga sold the dead man's laptop for N495, 000 after allegedly killing him.

The businessman who bought the laptop, Mr. Ifeoluwa Oluwo made the confession before the Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, on Thursday.


He said Chidinma sold the deceased’s laptop to him.


He said that he bought the laptop from the first defendant for N495,000, on June 18, two days after the body of Ataga’s body was found at the short service apartment in Lekki.

The witness told the court that it was after he bought the laptop that he saw her (defendant) on social media regarding a murder case.

He said as soon as he saw that it was the customer he bought the laptop from, he ensured that all her documents were kept handy.

Oluwo stated this in the ongoing trial of Chidinma Ojukwua a 300-level Mass Communication student of the University of Lagos and two others over Ataga’s murder.

Ojukwu is standing trial alongside her sister, Chioma Egbuchu, and one Adedapo Quadri.

The witness said he deals in the sales of phones, laptops and accessories at Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, and has been in the business for five years,

Oluwo, who is the third prosecution witness (PW3), was led in evidence in chief by the Lagos State prosecuting counsel, Mr. Yusuf Sule.

… back in June

Chidinma, had on June 13, requested for the short service apartment where Ataga was found dead and left the apartment on June 15, before Ataga’s body was discovered on June 16.

The witness who testified before Justice Yetunde Adesanya, and identified the first defendant (Chidinma) a customer, who made a purchase of a phone on April 30 and also made a sale of her laptop on June 18, at the same office.
He told the court that they buy and sell brand new phones and fairly used phones.
Oluwo said: “On June 18, she(Chidinma) sold me a laptop for N495,000, after negotiations and market value comparison.
“In order to make a sale you have to submit some documents and fill form: your government identification card, driver’s license, international passport, voter’s card, NIN.
“You also have to fill a form which includes email, phone number, house address, full name.
“It will also contain the full value of the item, for that day, the name of the item and the serial number of the item.
“This is what we do to contact customer if there is any issues,” he said.
‘She said she had 2 laptops and needed money to pay bills’
He said that he inspected the laptop physically, but that he was unable to access it initially.
Oluwo said: “I asked her (first defendant) to unlock the laptop and she did.
“So I conducted my internal observation which included speed performance, the circle count of the battery and general functionality.

“After that I, proceeded to ask questions: do you have a receipt for this laptop?
“She stated that it was a gift from her boyfriend, and that she has two laptops and needed to sell one to pay for some bills.
“I conducted a check on a website for my market evaluation. I confirmed the value of the laptop. It was $1,000 to $1,200.
“The exchange rate of Dollars as at that time was N400 to N450.
“She wanted to sell for N600,000. We were able to negotiate for N495,000, which I initiated from my bank account to hers.”
When asked if the first defendant produced the receipt of the laptop, Oluwo further told the court that she was not able to provide the receipt as she insisted that it was a gift from her boyfriend.
The witness said: “After the sale of the laptop, we saw her face on social media, regarding a murder case.

Police probe

“Few days later, the Police from State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, invited my Manager, Olutayo Abayomi.

“A call was made to me by someone else in the office, that he has been invited to the police station. So I proceeded to the station to find out why.

“When I got to the Police Station, I discovered that it was in connection to the laptop we bought from Chidinma on June 18.

“We both made a statement detailing how we came about the laptop and how we made the purchase.

“We gave the police the documents of the former owner, which included a copy of her voters’ card, a copy of our form, all receipts which already have her information, regarding the laptop,” the witness said.

Asked if he can detect that a product is a stolen item, he said no.

“There is no way we can detect that a phone or laptop was a stolen one,” he said.

During cross-examination, the first defendant’s counsel, Mr. Onwuka Egwu, asked if he was shown any documents, receipts or proof of ownership to show that the laptop was not for the first defendant at Panti. He said no.

Justice Adesanya adjourned the case to November 29, for continuation of trial.

The three defendants were arraigned on October 12 on a nine-count charge preferred against them by Lagos State Government.

The first and second defendants were alleged to have conspired and murdered Ataga on June 15, by stabbing him several times with a knife on the neck and chest.

BREAKING: INTERPOL Elects Nigeria's Assistant Police Inspector General, Baba Umar Its Vice President For Africa

 

 

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba on Thursday said Umar was elected in the early hours of that day.

INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization, has elected Nigeria's Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG GARBA Baba Umar as the Vice President (Africa) and Executive Committee Member of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) - INTERPOL.

Umar was the Head of INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Nigeria.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba on Thursday said Umar was elected in the early hours of that day "in the 89th INTERPOL General Assembly currently holding at the Halic Congress Hall, Istanbul, Turkey".

The statement said, "The year 2021 General Assembly, which have in attendance 470 Police Chiefs, Ministers and Senior Law Enforcement Officials from the 195 INTERPOL member countries, seeks to identify areas where the organization can reinforce the global security architecture and enhance collaboration against national and transnational crimes.


"AIG Garba, one of Nigeria’s finest criminal investigators and professional strategic police manager, with over thirty (30) years policing experience both at national and international levels, polled the highest number of votes in the elections. With this appointment, which will span through a period of 3yrs, AIG Garba is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear in coordinating INTERPOL operations targeted at ensuring a safer world for people and communities across the African continent.

"This is in addition to drawing international policing support and cooperation towards advancing public safety and security, protecting the cyberspace and generally addressing challenges faced by law enforcement officers and policing managers in the continent.


"The Nigeria’s delegation to the 89th INTERPOL General Assembly was led by the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, ably supported by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc. The other members of the delegation are: the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (represented by the Naval Provost Marshal)."

MORE PHOTOS:

Several injured, property destroyed as gunmen invade Kogi community

Gunmen attacked Ewune-Egume village in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, injured several people and destroying property worth millions of naira.

According to an eyewitness, the hoodlums stormed the community in trucks on Saturday, November 20 and started shooting sporadically.

Residents of the village abandoned their property and ran into the bush for safety, leaving the hoodlums to destroy some household appliances, water tanks, among others.

The armed men also drank all the beers and beverages in some restaurants and destroyed empty bottles.

It was gathered that the chief of the community, the Ochai Onu-Egume, Chief Olema Akpali, fainted on hearing gunshots and was rushed to a clinic in the area.





The community leader, Mr Matthew Audu, who spoke to PUNCH said the gunmen invaded the community in five trucks with AK 47 rifles, went away with some domestic animals, 200 Jericans of palm oil, 13 motorcycles and set ablaze other motorcycles while other valuable properties were destroyed.



Audu said that people of the community had reported several threats by this group to the Divisional Police Office Egume and their incessant invasions on Ewune farms.




He added that the attackers were suspected to be a group of saw millers working for an Ejule man in Ofu LGA, Kogi State.



He said when the alleged saw millers of Ejule were confronted over the wanton and indiscriminate felling of their Iroko and economic trees, they allegedly claimed that the government of Governor Yahaya Bello was aware of their activities in the forest.



It was also gathered that these groups of people has been invading the community at will, drinking beer in their restaurants freely, killing their domestic animals whenever they were hungry and leaving the community unchallenged.




In his reaction, the chairman of the security committee of Egume Community, Hon. Gowon Omale condemned the destruction at the Ewune-Egume community, describing it as a terrorist act.



He said efforts must be intensified to forward the matter to the Authority concerned to avoid future occurrences.



Spokesperson of the State Police Command, DSP William Ayah, who confirmed the attack, said one person was shot and presently receiving attention.



The PPRO said the police are working assiduously to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act, assured calm has since returned to the community.

63-year-old Nigerian pastor allegedly marries an 18-year-old choir member as second wife

 A 63-year-old Nigerian pastor, Apostle Peter Tom Udofia, has allegedly married an 18-year-old choir member of his church as second wife.

The clergyman, said to be the General Overseer of the Way of Salvation Church of Jesus Christ, Calabar, reportedly tied the knot with his new bride, Sister Blessing Jeremiah Esu in Ikot Akpang Ikpong, Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, on October 16, 2021.

Photos of the couple is currently making rounds on social media and it has generated criticisms from people.

See some reactions below,

@tifeade_ wrote, “And the girl’s parents allowed this to happen??
Because he’s a pastor or what??”

@lascodeaminu wrote, “I thought in Christianity it’s one man to one woman ”

@gatsegwasi wrote, “Child abuse. A girl that is supposed to be in school, a girl young enough to be your child. You married her. Is it that women have finished in this life? I blame her parents so much”

@penit_ray wrote, “This man needs to be arrested ”

See more photos below,