Imo Police Command Arrests Four Priests, Shuts Down Cathedral Over DPO’s Shooting

The Imo state police command have arrested one Rev. Fr. John Ogoekwe of the CKC, Uvuru, Aboh Mbaise and three other priests and also shut down the Catholic cathedral in Ahiara, Mbaise, Imo State, following a violent protest allegedly led by the arrested priests.


The protest which took place last Saturday July 2nd, saw a Divisional Police Officer (DPO), of Ahiazu division, Danjuma Ragga Ben shot on the leg and hand. The priest and some of his members were protesting over who should be made the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of the area.

Peace had eluded the diocese for about three years now since Pope Francis appointed Bishop Peter Opkaleke from Anambra state as the bishop of the diocese. The priests in the area and their members had protested Okpaleke's appointment, insisting that a priest from their state should be appointed into such leadership position.  To resolve the impasse, a Vicar General, Rev. Fr. Clement Ebi, was appointed to function in the diocese as a bishop until the matter is full resolved.

Trouble started on Saturday July 2nd when the Vicar General decided to host the Catholic Women Organization of the diocese at St. Roses Catholic Church, Ezinihitte. This apparently did not go down well with some of the youths who came out in their numbers and barricaded the streets and Cathedral, setting fire and carrying leaves and placards. During the protest, the DPO was shot in the leg and hand.

A statement by the spokesperson of the state police command, Andrew Enwerem, said twelve people have so far been arrested in connection with the protest.
 “Twelve suspects, including four Rev. Fathers, were eventually arrested and are been interrogated. All those involved in the shooting of the DPO will be fished out and prosecuted. The Commissioner of police has therefore, ordered the Cathedral to remain under lock and key to avoid further violence.”

Obasanjo Calls For Single Currency For West Africa

                                                                    Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, said the introduction of single currency by West African states would promote economic integration and progress within the region.

Obasanjo said this while playing host to the President, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Commission, Marcel de Souza, at his Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta.

The former president said it was high time the organisation started using single currency, adding that it will help boost the economy of all members of ECOWAS.

“We have decided that our unit of currency will be ‘Eco’, let us now start using Eco, let Eco become our unit of currency. Single currency unit for ECOWAS states will bring about more development and growth among the states,” he said.

The former president also said that a deeper economic integration among members of the ECOWAS would gradually stem the tide of youths’ unemployment in the region.

He stressed that economic integration of West African countries would guarantee development of the sub-region.

He contended that ECOWAS’s founding fathers never envisaged that internal conflicts would so much engage the sub-region’s attention.

“ECOWAS was established 41 years ago, the expectation of all of us was very high, I think we will not be fair to ourselves if we do not say to ourselves we have not moved as fast as we expected. We must tell ourselves the truth that there has not been enough political will on our part to move the sub-regional organisation as fast and as far as we should have done,” he said.

He advocated a reform that would enable member countries to move beyond movement of goods and services.

Obasanjo warned that the entire African continent would be sitting on a keg of gun powder as long as its leaders refused to pay adequate attention to youth unemployment.

“I have maintained that all of us in West Africa, and indeed in Africa, are sitting on a keg of gun powder for as long as we do not pay adequate attention to youth unemployment.

A situation where more than 50 per cent of our youths are unemployed is extremely dangerous.

We now have a situation in part of West Africa where people are dying of starvation. Is it that we are not producing enough food? Or if we are producing, are they not evenly distributed?

It is shameful because that has led us to be begging international communities for supply of food to West Africa. It is not right,” he said.

The former president, however, declared that he would always make himself available for the ECOWAS services.

“I will continue to make myself available in the service of ECOWAS, wherever you think my services will be needed, call upon me and am ready. What is important is that these communities of 320 million people will be lifted up, these communities should be marching along and we should get rid of internal conflicts,” he said.

Earlier, de-Souza said he was in Abeokuta to introduce himself to Obasanjo, as the newly appointed President of the Commission and to also get his advice and orientation on matters concerning ECOWAS sub-region.

He emphasised that he was inclined to visit Obasanjo because the former Nigerian leader had always showed commitment to ECOWAS, adding that he came purposely to seek guidance.

“Obasanjo is a special ECOWAS envoy to Guinea-Bissau, we have come to also find out if Obasanjo has come out with any solution to the crisis in Guinea-Bissau,” he said.

Supreme Court Releases Names of 21 New SANS

Director-general of the Nigerian Law School, Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko and 21 other lawyers were yesterday announced as new Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, by the Supreme Court.

The conferment of the prestigious rank on the 22 lawyers yesterday brings a total number of SANs to 451.

Meanwhile, activist lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo who was shortlisted along with 55 others, again missed out of the list of successful applicants.


The chief registrar of the Supreme Court, Ahmed Gambo Saleh who doubles as the secretary of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee, LPPC, announced the list in Abuja yesterday.

Ahmed disclosed that a total of 55 lawyers were shortlisted out of the 131 that applied.
On the list of the 22 successful candidates are three academics and two females.



The list has the names of Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko (DG of Law School); Nnamonso Eminem;
Prof. Muhammed Tabiu;
Dr. Valerie-Janette Azinge;
Olufunke Agbor;
Olusola Ojutalayo;
Richard Akintunde;
 Oyesoji Oyeleke;
James Njeze Ikeyi,
 Elisha Kurah.
Adewunmi Ogunsanya;
Olatubosun Olanipekun;
Chief Kalu Umeh;
Adewale Adesokan;
Andrew Igboekwe;
Fredson Okoli;
Olaseni Adio;
Olasheni Ibiwoye;
Abdulhakeem Mustapha;
 Mba Ukweni;
Edward Gyang Pwajok (former Attorney General of Plateau State),
Prof. Chukwu Omaka.

The chief registrar said the new SANs would be sworn-in on September 19, 2016.

Skye Bank Announces Changes On Its Board And Executive Management

The CBN has approved the reconstitution of the Board of Skye Bank PLC. By the reconstitution, Alhaji M.K Ahmad has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Board, while Mr. Tokunbo Abiru has been appointed as the new Group Managing Director and CEO. Messrs. Other members of the reconstituted Board are Bayo Sanni, Idris Yakubu, Markie Idowu and Abimbola Izu, all of whom were serving in the capacity of Executive Director of the Bank prior to now.

The reconstitution of the Board followed the voluntary resignation of the former Chairman, Dr. Tunde Ayeni and other Non - Executive Directors of the Bank, namely, Mr. Victor Odozi, Mr. BabajideAgbabiaka, Dr. Jason Fadeyi, Mr. KunleAluko, Mr. Victor Adenigbagbe, Mr. Abdul Bello and HajiyaAmunnaLawan Ali. In the same vein, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo had resigned his position as Group Managing Director / CEO, alongside Mrs. AmakaOnwughalu, Mr. DotunAdeniyi and Mrs. Ibiye Ekong who resigned their positions as DMD, and Executive Directors. All the resignations take immediate effect.

The former leadership of the Bank voluntarily resigned their positions in order to pave the way for a new team to further the new strategic direction of the Bank in the retail and commercial business space, having laid the foundations and set the necessary processes and structures. In this wise, the challenge of accelerating growth in the new strategic direction becomes more urgent and compelling, given the economic challenges in the global and domestic operating environment, and the attendant challenges.

The Bank thanked the former Board led by Dr. Tunde Ayeni, and the former Management team led by Mr. Timothy Oguntayo for their service, sacrifice and dedication to the institution.

The new Chairman of the Bank, Alhaji M.K. Ahmad in a statement earlier today, expressed optimism about the Bank, given its vast potentials and its strategic position in the economy. He stated that the Bank is well positioned to deepen the retail and commercial banking services in the economy, having put in place the critical building blocks to win in this sector.  He stated that the immediate priorities of the Board and the new Management team is to quickly begin to leverage the huge investment in the enhanced branch network, technology and alternative channels to improve stakeholder value in a sustainable manner. He assured the shareholders, customers and depositors of the Bank of his commitment to preserve their investments and deposits, while further assuring that the support and backing of the CBN and other relevant stakeholders have been obtained in this respect.


Alhaji Muhammad K. Ahmad, OON, has about 35 years distinguished experience leading and working in various public sector organizations and financial services institutions in Nigeria. He was the pioneer Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Pension Commission and also a pioneer staff of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation and rose to become Director / Head of Department and member of the Interim Management Board.  Mr. Ahmad has served on the boards of various corporate and not-for-profit organisations as well as presidential committees. He chaired the Technical Committee that produced the North East Transformation Strategy (NESTS), a medium term Regional Development Strategy, for the sustainable socio-economic transformation and reconstruction of the Region and currently supervises its implementation. Ahmad is also a member of the Presidential Committee for the North East Intervention (PCNI). Prior to his appointment, he was a Director on the Board of FBN Holdings PLC, where he brought his rich experience in the financial services industry to bear on the institution. He strongly promotes building institutions based on the highest corporate governance and ethical standards and would bring his extensive experience to bear on his role on the board of Skye Bank PLC as Chairman.

Ahmad has a Masters Diploma in Innovation and Strategy from University of Oxford and has also attended courses and programmes in various first-rate business and management schools, including Harvard Business School, IMD and INSEAD. A co-author of the book, “The Extent and Effectiveness of Bank Supervision in Nigeria”, Ahmad is married with children.

The new MD/CEO Mr AdetokunboMukhailAbiru, is an alumnus of Harvard Business School (Advanced Management Program) and Lagos Business School (Executive Management Program). He holds a B.Sc (Economics) from Lagos State University and is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an Honorary Executive Member of The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

Tokunbo has had a distinguished career in banking spanning about 26 years, of which his early ten (10) years were spent in the formative years of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.  Thereafter, he spent about Fourteen (14) years with the premier and most valuable banking brand in Nigeria, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, where he functioned as Executive Director, Corporate Banking between 2013 and 2016.

Equally during his banking career, he was at various times between 2013-16 a Non – Executive Director in the following companies: Airtel Mobile Networks Limited; FBN Capital Limited (now FBN Merchant Bank Limited); and FBN Bank Sierra Leone Limited.

Tokunbo was the Honorable Commissioner of Finance for Lagos State Government (2011-2013), the economic capital of Nigeria, during the dynamic and transformational leadership of Governor Babatunde R. Fashola (SAN).

Man Arrested For Constantly Raping His 15-Year-Old Daughter

The Lagos State Police command has arrested a man, Timothy Idowu for allegedly raping his 15-year-old daughter several times in the Aradagun, Badagry area of the state.

According to PUNCH Metro, Idowu, who was arrested on June 23 was committing the crime while his wife was bedridden.

The matter got to the police after the victim fled their home to put up with a family friend in the Ikotun area of the state.

In her statement to the police, she said: “I am 15 years old. I am in Senior Secondary Class 2. My father deflowered me several months ago, and he had been raping me since then. Whenever he did it, he would clean up the mess and warn me not to tell anybody.”

A social worker, identified as Ibrahim who reported the matter to police said:

The victim fled to a relative, who is her aunt in the Ikotun area. The aunt thereafter contacted our organisation. The case got to my attention last week. I reported the case at the police station in Badagry immediately and the man was arrested.

The victim said she could not bear it anymore as her father had raped her several times in the year. She said anytime the family slept at night, the father would sneak into her room and rape her. He would thereafter warn her not to tell anyone. She claimed the father started from the beginning of the year.

Another neighbour, speaking to PUNCH Metro said that the victim reported to her while fleeing the house.  “The girl came to me on the day she was fleeing home and said her father had been raping her. I thought she was mentally unstable, until the man was arrested some days ago,” she said.

According to the report, a police source said that Idowu allegedly rape the victim’s elder sister.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos who confirmed the news said “investigation is ongoing”.

Ooni Of Ife To Be Honoured At The Nollywood And African Film Critics Awards...

His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II (Ooni of Ife), Governor Benedict Ayade,  Richard Mofe Damijo, Spike Lee, Dionne Warwick, Dr. Alexander Cummings, and Floyd Mayweather Jr, are among personalities to be honoured by The Nollywood and African Film Critics’ Awards (NAFCA).


Founder and the CEO of NAFCA, Victor O. Olatoye, said that over 100 films have been received from filmmakers across Africa and the Diaspora.

“We are very proud of our filmmakers for the significant improvements we continue to see as we review these films. NAFCA 2016 is going to be our biggest award to date since we moved the award to Hollywood in 2014 and we are partnering with Hollywood producers including over 400 members of the press to spread the word.


“We also have some dignitaries who will be honoured at NAFCA 2016 His Imperial Majesty Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II(Ooni of Ife) , President Ali Bongo and Governor Benedict Ayade of Cross River State. Nollywood will also be represented and so far over 100 A-listers from the African film industry have requested invitations and hundreds from Hollywood,” he said.



Dry, Boxing Day, Tribe, Mud, Return of the Don and Oxford Garden run away with this year’s nominations as the show holds on Saturday, Sept 17, at the Legendary Orpheum Theater, Los Angeles, California USA.

culled -thenationonline reportage.

NSCIA Declares Wednesday Eid-el-Fitri Day In Nigeria

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has declared Wednesday, July 6, as Eid-el-Fitr day in Nigeria.

The President-General of the organisation, and Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, who made the announcement, said the new moon of Shawwal had not been sighted anywhere in Nigeria.

He therefore enjoined muslims in the country to fast on Tuesday and observe the eid prayers on Wednesday.

The NSCIA had on Sunday asked every Muslim in the country to look for the new moon between Sunday and Monday for the Eid el-Fitri.

The Secretary-General of the council, Is-haq Oloyede in a statement on Sunday, said the council, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, enjoined all Muslims to look for the moon.

Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and a few other countries had earlier announced Wednesday as Eid-el-Fitri day in their various countries.
Eid-el-Fitri celebrations are used to mark the end of the month-long Ramadan fast.

Culled - Premium Times