NUPENG suspends planned strike

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its planned strike,  weeks after issuing an ultimatum to the federal government over issues including non-payment of workers’ salaries and title benefits. 

 

Williams Akporeha, NUPENG president, and Afolabi Olawale, general secretary of the union confirmed the suspension in a statement released on Thursday December 2. 

According to the union, the decision was taken following a commitment obtained from the federal government. 

The statement read; 

 

“NNPC’s management has once again proven to the union and the nation that it can be trusted in matters of ensuring decency of employment and peaceful industrial relations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The union said an agreement was reached on some of the issues that instigated the planned strike. 

“Some of the resolutions from these engagements include commencement of the processes to clear all backlogs of arrears of salaries and allowances owed contract workers of Oil Mining Licence 42 before the end of December.

“The agreement and firm commitment to pay N2.13 million to each of the former employees of the big six contractors whose terminal benefits were short-paid in 2012 following the closure of the contract.”

Starboy Sabi Lie - Fans Drag Wizkid For Failing To Drop New Song With Burna Boy As Promised

Burna Boy and Wizkid

Wizkid, who invited his counterpart Burna Boy to his concert last night, promised the crowd that they were going to drop a new song.

Grammy award winner, Wizkid has been called out by his fans.

Fans had anticipated a new song with Burna Boy which he promised them sometime ago.

But, uptill now, nothing has been seen.

Disappointed fans vented on social media after seeing no song.

On Instagram, a user identified with the handle @JoshP called out the star singer for making fake promises.

"Starboy Sabi Lie"- Fans Drag Wizkid For Failing To Drop New Song With Burna Boy Last Night As Promised

Many reactions trailed, as Netizens who anticipated the new song further expressed disappointments.

@ Crucifi said, “That Tonight fit be next year.”

Recall that Wizkid also brought out Burna Boy yesterday night and made another promise to drop a song. Many don't believe he will keep to his promise.

20-year-old lady who sued mother's doctor for allowing her to be born wins case in court, to get millions

 

A showjumping star who sued her mother's doctor for allowing her to be born has won the right to millions in damages in a landmark High Court ruling today, Dec. 1.

Evie Toombes, 20, was born with spina bifida and sometimes spends 24 hours-a-day connected up to tubes. Despite that, she has forged a career in showjumping, competing against both disabled and able-bodied riders.

She has also gone on to meet with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

 

Last month, in a "wrongful conception" damages claim, Evie, from Skegness, Lincolnshire, sued Dr Philip Mitchell over his failure to advise her mother Caroline Toombes, 50, to take vital supplements before getting pregnant.

She claimed that if the doctor had told her mother that she needed to take folic acid supplements to minimise the risk of spina bifida affecting her baby, she would have put off getting pregnant until she had done so, and as a result Evie would never have been born at all.

 

In a landmark ruling in London today, Dec. 1, Judge Rosalind Coe QC backed Evie's case and awarded her the right to a huge compensation payout.

Her lawyers earlier said the amount Evie is claiming has not yet been calculated, but confirmed that it would be "big" since it would cover the cost of her extensive care needs for life, Dailymail reports

The judge ruled that had Evie's mother had been "provided with the correct recommended advice, she would have delayed attempts to conceive."

She added: "In the circumstances, there would have been a later conception, which would have resulted in a normal healthy child.

The ground-breaking ruling means that a healthcare professional can now be found liable for negligent pre-conception advice which results in the birth of a child with a serious health condition. 

‘I would rather die than join Real Madrid’ – Gerard Pique

Long serving Barcelona defender, Gerard Pique, has insisted that he would rather die than join Real Madrid

Pique has enjoyed success and won trophies at Barcelona with players such as seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Luis Suarez and Neymar.

The former Manchester United star has won eight LaLiga, seven Copa del Rey trophies, three Champions League trophies as well as a Euros and World Cup with Spain

According to Pique, it is impossible for him to join Real Madrid.

He stated this ahead of Barcelona’s LaLiga clash with Real Betis on Saturday, December 4.

When asked what it would take to get him to sign for Real Madrid, Pique told Spanish television show El Homiguero, “It’s absolutely impossible.

“There’s nothing. I would rather die than go to Madrid,” he added with a smile.

Apapa Customs Command generates N89bn in November

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, on Wednesday disclosed that the command had collected a record-breaking total of N89,097,888,609.00 as revenue for November.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf, made this known in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Abubakar Usman, in Lagos.

According to Yusuf, the amount generated is the highest monthly collection by any command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“This feat is coming after the command generated N86 billion in the month of October following improved inter-agency synergies, enhanced trade facilitation, speedy dispute resolution and prevention of revenue loss,” he said.

Yusuf, who described the N89b collection as the beginning of improved outputs for the command, also said the tempo for rising revenue profile would be sustained.

He thanked the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) for his support, the direction in the deployment of artificial intelligence tools and improved logistics which had cumulatively added to the command’s productivity level.

“This N89,097,888,609 collection is an improvement but we are aiming higher than this.

“Our first step is to improve on our stakeholder’s compliance level, which in my assessment is commendable.

“Second is to strengthen the inter-agency synergies between customs in Apapa and other agencies of government, this is also a huge success.

” We are gradually making Apapa Port a no go area for perpetrators of illegalities because all recent attempts at smuggling prohibited items through the port were uncovered,” he said.

Yusuf noted that while they are facilitating trade, collecting revenue and promoting ease of doing business, their attention would also be focused on issues of national security too.

He added that this would continually be evident in their mode of cargo examination and intelligence sharing with sister agencies

“By the time we commence the use of scanners and other tools of artificial intelligence, trade facilitation will be at a higher speed and as the flagship command, this will reflect very positively on our revenue” he said

Nnamdi Kanu absent as court hears his application to quash charge

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, was on Thursday, absent, as the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, commenced hearing on an application he filed to quash the treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

Kanu, in the application he filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, is asking the court to acquit and discharge him of all counts in the charge.

He argued that the court lacks the requisite jurisdiction to try him on the basis of a charge he said was grossly incompetent.

The embattled IPOB leader contended that there was no proof of evidence attached to the amended charge against him.

According to him, “That no allegation was made in any of the counts of the amended charge that the alleged sundry acts of the Defendant/Applicant were physically carried out by him, within the geographical space or territorial boundaries of Nigeria.

“That the only element requisite to constitute and found liability for incitement is the actual words allegedly uttered by the Defendant/Applicant.

“That the alleged acts for which the Defendant was charged, do not constitute terrorism offences in London, United Kingdom, where they were allegedly committed,” Kanu added.

Though trial Justice Binta Nyako had on November 10, adjourned further proceedings in the case till January 19, 2022, she however brought the date forward, following an application by Kanu’s legal team.

Kanu’s defence team had in another application, urged the court to abridge the trial date.

The IPOB leader had earlier applied to be transferred from custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, to the Kuje Correctional Center.

Even though the request was refused, Justice Nyako, however, ordered the DSS to grant him access to three visitors of his choice, every Monday and Thursday of the week.

Speaking with journalist  shortly before the court commenced sitting on Thursday, a member of Kanu’s legal team, Mr Maxwell Opara, said the application to move him out of DSS custody would be revisited.

“For today, we are focusing on the application for abridgment of the trial date and for the charge to be quashed. However, if time permits, we will re-apply for his transfer to prison custody,” Opara added.

It will be recalled that FG had on October 21, re-arrainged Kanu on a seven-count amended charge.

FG, in the amended charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, alleged that Kanu had in furtherance of an act of terrorism, issued a deadly threat that anyone that flouted his sit-at-home order should write his or her will.

It alleged that as a result of Kanu’s directive, banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses, with vehicular movements grounded in the South East region of the country.

It said the action amounted to an offence contrary to and punishable under 1(2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

FG alleged that Kanu had “on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did in a broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu state and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

He was alleged to have committed treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria

He was alleged to had between 2018 and 2021, through Radio Biafra, professed to be a member of IPOB, a proscribed organization in Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

In count five of the charge, FG alleged that Kanu had on April 22, 2021, in London, the United Kingdom, on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other parts of Nigeria, did an act of terrorism “in that you incite the other members (followers) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organization in Nigeria, to look for security personnel, their family members through a Radio Biafra on 102.1FM monitored through the IPOB Community Radio, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

Attached in support of the amended charge dated October 14, included a seven-paragraphed affidavit of completion of investigation deposed to by one Loveme Odubo, a prosecutor in the Federal Ministry of Justice.

FG equally lined up five witnesses to testify in the matter, among whom are officials of the DSS and one Ronald S. who was identified as the manager of a Hotel in Lagos.