News

We previously spent N500m to prosecute cases annually – Bauchi Attorney General

Published

2 months ago

July 5, 2024

The Bauchi State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Hassan El-Yakub, has revealed that the state government spent an average of N500 million annually to prosecute criminal cases before he came on board.

Speaking at the state ministerial briefing on Friday, the attorney general mentioned that 557 cases comprising armed robbery, culpable homicide, rape, kidnapping and other minor offences were recorded between January 2023 and June 2024.

Speaking on the cost implications of the prosecutions before he assumed office, El-Yakub revealed: “All high-profile cases were given out to external solicitors, mostly Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, and an average fee of N500 million was spent yearly in settling their fees. This trend has now been reversed. We now handle all such cases in-house, thereby saving the state this huge amount.

“We have also successfully defended most of the garnishee proceedings and cases that have hitherto held the state to ransom and we have made it a policy in the ministry not to allow, under any circumstances, such cases to reoccur in the future.

“We have, from just three cases, between 2023 to date, saved the state the sum of N1,858,412,289.”

He added that the ministry, being a service-rendering ministry, was able to generate the sum of N236,618,298 from drafting agreements and other legal instruments from 2023 to date.

“Upon assumption of duty, I identified some of the challenges bedevilling the ministry, which are responsible for the low rate of productivity and the negative perception of the ministry, which mainly include the following: lack of sufficient manpower, and lack of basic working materials,” he said.

Speaking on the challenges faced by the ministry so far, the Commissioner disclosed that Governor Mohammed Bala has approved the hiring of 20 state counsels—10 in 2023 and an additional 10 in 2024—which has significantly addressed the manpower issue in the ministry.

According to him, the governor has also reconstituted the Advisory Council on Preoperative of Mercy in accordance with Section 3 (1) and (2) of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy (Establishment) Law, Bauchi State Law No. 10 of 2001, Cap. 114, via a letter dated December 6, 2023, with reference No. GO/GS/S/CMT/24/T.I.

El-Yakub further stated that the governor had also approved and directed the release of N308,690,880 for the settlement of judgement debts inherited from the previous administration, to be paid in instalments.

News

We’ll be forced to export 97% of our petrol – Dangote Refinery warns

Published

20 hours ago

September 12, 2024

ARS NEWS

Dangote Refinery has announced that it will need to export 95-97 percent of its Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) due to low interest from Nigerian marketers. The refinery, which processes 650,000 barrels per day, revealed that only 3 to 5 percent of petrol marketers are purchasing its fuel.

Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, shared these details during an X Space session hosted by Nairametrics on Wednesday. He highlighted the challenges facing both the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Edwin explained, “I’m selling 2 to 3 percent to small traders who are willing to buy, while the remaining 95 to 97 percent has to be exported,” referring to the local sales of the refinery’s products.

This situation arises as the NNPCL’s deadline for adjusting the Dangote Refinery’s fuel distribution approaches without a clear plan in sight. It is worth noting that while Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, has announced the refinery’s initial petrol rollout, its distribution to marketers is contingent upon NNPCL’s decisions.

News

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup: Round of 16 fixtures confirmed [Full list]

Published

4 days ago

September 9, 2024

ARS NEWS

The final sixteen teams for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia have been determined following the conclusion of the group stage.

In recent matches, Ghana triumphed over New Zealand with a score of 3-1, and Japan secured a 2-0 victory against Austria.

As a result, Japan has advanced to the Round of 16, joining the other 15 teams in this knockout stage.

The Round of 16 matches are scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

The full lineup for the Round of 16 is as follows:

Spain vs Canada
Brazil vs Cameroon
Colombia vs South Korea
Mexico vs USA
North Korea vs Austria
Germany vs Argentina
Netherlands vs France
Japan vs Nigeria

News

Nigerian Army debunks reported mass resignation of soldiers

Published

4 days ago

September 9, 2024

ARS NEWS

The Nigerian Army has refuted claims of widespread resignations among its soldiers due to issues like corruption and low morale.

In a statement, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations, dismissed these reports as unfounded.

A news outlet had alleged that numerous Nigerian soldiers were resigning because of corruption and low morale. However, the statement condemned these allegations as misleading and a deliberate attempt to create discontent and undermine the Nigerian Army’s reputation and the dedication of its personnel.

Major General Nwachukwu clarified that, similar to other military organizations worldwide, service in the Nigerian Army is voluntary rather than mandatory. This means that personnel have the freedom to resign following established procedures.

He explained that the resignation process allows personnel to prepare and manage their entitlements, including pensions and gratuities, as outlined in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers/Soldiers).

Contrary to the report’s implications, the statement emphasized that Nigerian Army personnel are highly motivated, and their welfare is a priority under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja.