The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), says the federal government has resumed mass trial of terrorism suspects.

In a statement on Wednesday, Michael Abu, head of strategic communication at NCTC-ONSA, said the trial would be conducted in line with the international criminal justice system.

Abu said there are at least 300 people on trial, and the five courts and chambers set up for the prompt administration of justice are presided by five judges.

He added that lawyers from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria were representing the suspects.

“In pursuance of its commitment to promoting social justice by entrenching a transparent administrative system, the federal government has resumed mass trials of persons allegedly involved in terrorism and suspects of other heinous crimes against the Nigerian state,” the statement reads.

“The ongoing trial, which is in line with the international criminal justice system, is being administered by the federal high court of Nigeria, with the complex casework group of the office of the attorney-general of the federation, in collaboration with other critical stakeholders under the coordination and supervision of the national counter-terrorism centre, office of the National Security Adviser.

“More than 300 suspects are on trial with five reputable judges manning the five courts and chambers set up for the speedy administration of justice on the ongoing trial in terrorism and other related cases in the country.

“The trial involves multiple stakeholders, CCG prosecutors, and defence counsel from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.

“Before now, over 800 case files have been reviewed, and charges are drafted for efficient prosecution to ensure that justice is appropriately served.

“Between 2017 and 2018, the trials so far resulted in 163 convictions, 882 discharges, and five acquittals.

“Non-culpable suspects are being deradicalised and engaged in profitable ventures, and efforts to reintegrate them are being sustained.

“The NCTC-ONSA is working assiduously with relevant authorities in fulfilling its mandates and boosting the efforts of the incumbent administration towards realising good governance and a just society.”

The Federal Ministry of Education has announced a 12.7% reduction in allowances for Nigerian scholars studying abroad, including those in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria, citing economic challenges.

This decision comes after reports emerged that students on government scholarships in several countries, including China and Hungary, had gone eight months without receiving their stipends, leaving them stranded. 

The students are studying under the Federal Government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship.

The BEA scholarship is for the purpose of education exchange between Nigeria and the partnering countries.

The Federal Scholarship Board is supervising the scholarship under the Federal Ministry of Education.

The government’s decision to slash the scholars’ allowances was contained in a memo signed by the Director of the Federal Scholarship Board, Ndajiwo H.A., on behalf of the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman.

“After due consultations, the Federal Scholarship Board has come up with adjustments in line with budgetary provisions in the payment of BEA scholar’s supplementation allowances for the 2024 academic year,” the memo, dated July 23, 2024, and addressed to the scholars’ association, read.

According to the memo, the monthly allowances were slashed from $500 to $220; the graduation allowance from $2500 to $2000; and the PG research allowance was slashed from $1,000 to $500, among others.

The total for the payments initially paid was $5,650 per student but will now be $4,370

“The Scholars’ Association is hereby notified that due to the prevailing economic situation, the payment mandate for the BEA scholars’ allowances will be as per the new adjustment.

“The balances for the years 2023 and 2024 owed to scholars will be paid as soon as the funds are made available,” the ministry said.

Recently, the President of the Union of Nigerian Students under the Federal Government-controlled Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship, Ayuba Anas, said the scholars had not been paid for close to eight months.

Anas said, “For the past six to eight months, scholars enrolled in various institutions abroad have endured financial strain due to the delay in receiving their stipends.

“In addition, from the last payments we received (March-August), there was a shortfall of practically two and a half months’ payment. Moreover, some students in China have not received any stipends since they arrived in April and May 2023.“

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has dismissed a report alleging it has withdrawn from the proposed national protests.

This is even as labour said that it stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people over the current economic hardship and worsening hunger in the country.

In a release on Wednesday by its president, Joe Ajero, NLC said it cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise.

Ajero maintained that it is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide whether to pull out or continue with the protest.

“A news report of the withdrawal of the Nigeria Labour Congress from the widely discussed national protest has been brought to our attention. The Nigeria Labour Congress debunks such story as patently false.

“The truth is that the Nigeria Labour Congress cannot withdraw from a protest that it did not organise. It is only the organisers of the speculated national protest that can decide to pull out or continue with the protest. The Nigeria Labour Congress has internal trade union mechanisms especially leadership decision-making processes that its industrial actions such as protests pass through before such activities are undertaken.

“Yet, the fact that the Nigeria Labour Congress is not the body organising the protest does not mean that organised labour is oblivious of the dire living conditions Nigerians have been subjected to by the harsh economic policies of government. The Nigeria Labour Congress stands in solidarity with the Nigerian people in this very trying and excruciating times.

“Pursuant to proactive engagement with the issues canvassed by the protest organisers, we have called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leaders of the protest movement to dialogue on their demands. We have advised that it would be counter- productive for government to meet the widespread anger in the land with brute force.

“Once again, we implore the Federal Government and the sub-national governments to listen to the cries of the Nigerian people and do the needful. After all, it is said that the voice of the people is the voice of God,” the statement read.

…It’s Abuse Of Power – Labour Party

…Egbetokun Cannot Benefit Retroactively – HURIWA

 

The decision to amend the Nigeria Police Act 2020, which the National Assembly effectively did on Tuesday is tearing the force apart as senior officers have moved against it.

Already, there are grumbles and expressions of dissent with some going as far as warning that loyalty and hard work in the face of public hostility cannot be guaranteed.

Recall the National Assembly expeditiously passed an amendment of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020 (“Principal Ac”) on Tuesday granting the Inspector General of Police a four-year tenure regardless of his age or years of service.

The executive bill as passed into law enables the person appointed as IGP to remain in office until the end of term stipulated in the letter of appointment, in pursuance of Section 7 (6) of the Police Act of 2020.

Section 7 (6) of the Police Act of 2020 states: “The person appointed to the office of the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years.”

The executive bill, however, sought that Section 18 of the Principal Act is amended by adding a new subsection (8A) – “(8A) Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-section (8) of this section, any person appointed to the office of Inspector-General of Police shall remain in office until the end of the term stipulated in the letter of appointment in line with the provisions of Section 7(6) of this Act,” it said.

But Section 18(8) of the Police Act 2020, which makes direct reference to the civil service rule on retirement, states: “Every police officer shall, on recruitment or appointment, serve in the Nigeria Police Force for a period of 35 years or until he attains the age of 60 years, whichever is earlier.”

Egbetokun, who was the principal officer of President Bola Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos State, was appointed as IGP in June 2023, two years before he clocks 60 on September 4, 2024.

Now, having established a firm working relationship with the president, and would be the direct beneficiary of the law, senior officers who feel they have been denied a possible IG position are crying wolf warning loyalty and hard work would be tested.

The officers who are next in line to take over as IG if Egbetokun retires in September disapprove of the development.

“Even though not everyone can be an IG, it’s wrong. It will crash the morale,” a senior officer also qualified for the position told THE WHISTLER on condition of anonymity.

He said it’s alarming that “nepotism is creeping into a once admired force. It’s getting worse. How would the rank and file think when at the top nepotism and favouritism is being given utmost consideration?

“I think the only fair thing is if the occupant of that office is not the first beneficiary otherwise it will spell doom for the future of the force,” he warned.

Another senior officer said, “What can we say but to watch and see. It’s a terrible day because the manner and speed the whole thing was done leaves much to be desired.”

Also, a retired senior police officer who said he doesn’t want to invite the wrath of the powers that be opined that “in our days, even though we were underfunded, we tried not to give prominence to favouritism and nepotism. What everyone would be looking at is who is the president and who’s the IG and who is the first beneficiary of this law.

“I don’t think it’s a good thing, it doesn’t look well. Tongues would wag, people would be demoralised and that’s the last thing you need in the already troubled force,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chief Spokesman of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Yunusa Tanko said “it’s a blatant abuse of power. If you want to even do something that is meaningful for the interest of the people, the office holder should not be a beneficiary of that particular law.

“Absolutely. If you’re doing it genuinely for the interest of the country, the person who is holding the office should be seen to be following another person, not for him to benefit from it, that is a selfish interest. That means there’s a hidden agenda.

“Nigeria is not meant for one person,” Tanko said, noting that “even the president, whether he likes it or not, one day, will leave that office.

“But the fact is that when you make the institution as solid and very, very impeccable for corrupt people, it makes the country stronger.

“So therefore, this particular bill, even if it’s meant for the interest of the people, then the office holder should not be a beneficiary.”

Similarly, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria or HURIWA said in an interview with THE WHISTLER that the only sane thing the president should do is to deny the current holder of the office the benefit of the law.

Onwubiko said, “If the current IG who was appointed over almost a year ago benefits from the bill that was passed one year after coming into office, it means one day this National Assembly will perform a magic of passing a bill abrogating the death penalty and then say that all those who have been executed under the previous law that authorised death penalty should be woken up from the dead.

“It means that if they perform this magic, they can equally say one day that they have abrogated the death penalty and all those who have been executed since the 1970s, should all be woken up from the dead.

“Egbetokun cannot benefit retroactively, it would be wrong. This National Assembly continues to perform magic in the manner the lawmakers are conducting their affairs.

“The passage of this bill shows they are puppets and can do anything,” Onwubiko said.