Presidency orders VC, registrar of the Fed University of Otuoke to refund overpaid salaries

The Presidency, through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, has instructed the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Prof. Mobolaji Aluko, to refund over payment of salaries running into millions of naira.

 

The Registrar of the university, David Suowari, was also directed to refundthe sum of N130, 692.71 per month in excess of his due salary.

The over payments were said to have been discovered during the commission’s visit to the institution on May 12, 2015 to carry out an inspection of FUO’s remuneration practices vis-a-vis the extant government’s pay policy.

 

The VC and the registrar were accused of appropriating certain allowances to themselves which were not approved by the government.

These concerns were raised in a letter from the NSIWC to Aluko, signed for the Chairman of the Commission by the Director of Compensation, Chike Ogbechie.

The commission said,

“The findings of the inspection in respect of your institution (Federal University, Otuoke) were as follow:

“The Vice-Chancellor was being paid total emoluments of N1,970,476.76 monthly, whereas he should not earn more than N922,810.23 if he were paid furniture allowance en bloc earlier, or N1,043,176.79 if he were being paid furniture allowance.

“Much of the difference was attributed to certain allowances which were not approved by the government.”

In the case of the registrar, the commission said he was being paid N130,692.71 in excess of his due salary of N502,580.25.

The commission also said the university disaggregated its staff salaries against the government’s policy of pay consolidation.

The NSIWC, therefore, directed the university to stop “the wrongful practices” and comply with relevant rules and rates.

The commission added,

“We hereby direct the vice-chancellor and the registrar to refund the cumulative overpayments made to them.

“You are to report to the commission in writing, your compliance with this directive within four weeks of this letter.”

Prof. Mobolaji Aluko became the Vice-Chancellor of the university in February 2011 and he said (in a text message to our Punch correspondent) that there was neither disaggregation of salaries nor overpayment of salaries.

The vice-chancellor said,

“Rather, pension and health insurance allowances were due to three of us, Diaspora Vice-Chancellors who are on Sabbatical from our foreign universities, and co-paid monthly in naira to us for payment to those foreign universities.

“Without that concession occurring, our own local salaries would have been wiped out completely, and we could not have accepted the job.”

“However, the need for accountability is welcome, and Salaries and Wages Commission will be fully reconciled to the full facts,” the VC stated.

Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan's ex-security aide murdered

Deputy Superintendent of Police, Tamuno Jacob Igbomie, who was Principal Security Officer to the wife of the former President, Patience Jonathan, has been shot dead by unknown assailants.

Igbomie’s corpse was found in his Honda Accord car last Friday along the Airport Road, Abuja. The former PSO, who was married with two children, was believed to have been killed by assassins who shot him at close range in his car and left the engine running.

A source said the body of the DSP was found early in the morning with all his phones, wallet and other personal effects in tact in the car.

“We believe Tamuno was killed by hired assassins because they did not take away anything in his car. His phones and wallets were still with him when his body was found in the car with the engine steaming.

“He was shot in the night and his body was found early in the morning; we don’t know if he was killed over a business transaction or disagreement with someone,” the source who served with the deceased at the villa stated.

It was gathered that the deceased, who hailed from Okrika, Bayelsa State, was serving at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command before he was deployed to the Presidential Villa as Aide-De-Camp to Patience when her husband was the Vice President.

He was later appointed as the PSO to Patience when her husband became the President in 2011.

Findings indicate that the late policeman had just been redeployed back to his former position at the FCT Police Command, where he was in charge of posting of junior officers.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, confirmed the killing of the policeman, noting that investigation had started to unravel the assailants.

“Yes, a DSP attached to the villa was killed last week Friday, investigation has started to find out the people behind the murder. No arrest has been made yet,” he said over the phone on Sunday.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, had ordered an investigation into the incident.

Punch

Buhari may not name ministers until September - Report

President Buhari may not name his cabinet members until late August or early September, this is according to a source in the presidency who spoke with Punch. President Buhari is reportedly majorly concerned with cleaning the alleged rot the Jonathan administration left behind before bringing in new ministers.

 “Mr. President is reluctant to build on a rotten foundation he inherited from the Peoples Democratic Party administration. You cannot even begin to imagine the situation we have met on the ground; almost everything is in a state of decay. There is absolutely no way the new government can can hope to achieve anything long lasting without first building a new foundation.
The President plans to cut down the number of ministries and parastatals. He wants to cut down the cost of running government. He wants to make sure that all the loopholes that enable corruption to thrive are blocked. All these are procedures that require time and careful planning. You cannot do it in a rush. Remember that he has to make sure that all this is done without any job losses or mass retrenchments. All this is not a day’s or one-month job." the source said

Buhari appoints ex-military administrator as new Chief of Staff?

According to Sahara Reporters, Pres. Buhari today appointed ex-military administrator of Kaduna state, Hamidu Ali as his new Chief of Staff. Some of us had hoped it would be Fashola.

Update: the report may be false...

NFF fires Super Falcon coach Etim Okon, appoints Danjuma in acting capacity

The Nigeria football Federation ( NFF ) has fired Super Falcons head coach Edwin Okon. According to reports, he was fired following the Super Falcons poor performance at the just concluded FIFA Women's World cup in Canada after the team failed to make it out of the group stage. The team's assistant coach, Christopher Danjuma has been appointed acting coach.

"I haven't resigned as FIFA president" - Sepp Blatter

Weeks after he said he will be stepping down as FIFA President, Sepp Blatter today June 26th told Swiss newspaper, Blick, that he has not resigned as President of the world football body.

"I have not resigned. Rather, I have made my mandate available at an extraordinary congress."he said

In early June, Blatter had said that he will be stepping down as FIFA president "I decided to stand again for election because I thought it was the best option. The election is closed but the challenges have not come to an end. Fifa needs a profound restructuring. Although the members of Fifa have re-elected me president, this mandate does not seem to be supported by everybody in the world of football. This is why I will call an extraordinary congress and step down." he'd said on June 2ndA

Buhari dissolves board of NNPC

President Buhari has dissolved the board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The directive to dissolve the board was conveyed in a letter signed by the Head of Civil Service, Danladi Kifasi dated today June 26th.

PHOTONEWS-Army gives cheques to families of fallen soldiers

The Nigerian Army yesterday presented cheques to families of some of their officers who died in the line of duty. More photos after the cut...

 

LOBATAN: Same sex marriage declared legal in all 50 states of America

The US Supreme Court today June 26th ruled that same-sex marriages must be recognized in all 50 states of the United States of America. Texas will probably appeal.

From The Washington Post

The Supreme Court on Friday delivered a historic victory for gay rights, ruling 5 to 4 that the Constitution requires that same-sex couples be allowed to marry no matter where they live and that states may no longer reserve the right only for heterosexual couples.

People jubilating after the ruling

The court’s action marks the culmination of an unprecedented upheaval in public opinion and the nation’s jurisprudence. Advocates called it the most pressing civil rights issue of modern times, while critics said the courts had sent the country into uncharted territory by changing the traditional definition of marriage.

“Under the Constitution, same-sex couples seek in marriage the same legal treatment as opposite-sex couples, and it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

He was joined in the ruling by the court’s liberal justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

All four of the court’s most conservative members — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. — dissented and each wrote a separate opinion, saying the court had usurped a power that belongs to the people.

Graphic pic: See what an aunt did to her 9yr old nephew for eating at a party

The woman pictured left named Ronke Olayinka has been arrested for inflicting terrible injuries on her 9 year old nephew named Abdullahi Taoreed (left). According to New Telegraph, the woman inflicted blade cuts on the boy for eating at a party on June 7th. The boy's parents are dead.

On the day of the incident Abdullahi said he went to the house opposite theirs at Pipeline Street in Oke-Odo area of Lagos to serve food and also to eat since there was no food in their house.

This got his aunt, who he calls mummy, angry

"Yes, it was my mummy who inflicted blade cuts on my hands because I went to a party opposite our house to eat. There was no food at home. I was hungry, so I assisted the people holding the party to carry chairs. I knew that if I assisted them, they would give me food. They gave me food. My sister went to report to my mummy. We went for evening prayer. After the prayer, my mummy called me and started cutting my hands with a blade. She went out to buy the blade. The cut was deep. She poured pepper into the wounds. She then gave me a hot pot of beans to carry to the kitchen with the bloodied hands. One of our neighbors, a woman, saw me and took the pot from me. She went and told everyone in the compound. People saw my hands and started crying. It’s not every time my mummy gives me food. She uses a piece of wood to beat me, but uses canes on her kids.”he told New Telegraph

Neighbors who saw him with the injury alerted the police at the Oko-Oba police station who immediately arrested the aunt. When interrogated, she said Abdullahi was a stubborn child who never listens to her

“I’m a struggling widow. I have three kids. One is 15, the second is 12 and the third is 10. I’m a trader. I leave home in the morning and come back at night. Whenever I return, neighbours usually complain about Abdullahi; how he usually goes to different places to eat. Sometimes, he would go with his friends to a place called Agbele-Kale to swim. He’s just stubborn and doesn’t listen! He’s my brother’s son. I’ve been taking care of him since he was a baby. He behaves like someone without home training. He usually goes to parties to eat. He was behaving like someone who doesn’t have parents or like someone who has no home training. When I returned on Saturday, neighbours said I should warn him. On Sunday, he went out again. Food was ready, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was angry. I used the blade on his two hands. I never knew it would be that bad!”

Asked why she used a blade instead of a cane on the boy, Olayinka said:

"Anytime I want to beat him, he would run away, forcing me to chase him. But what happened that day was the work of the devil. Yes, I poured pepper on the wounds. I only wanted to make him to be a good boy.”

Abdullahi said it was not the first time his Aunt had physically assaulted him.

Photo from Speaker, Dogara's thanksgiving, attributes victory to God

The speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara had a thanksgiving service at the Living Faith Church Goshen City, Karu, Nasarawa State yesterday June 14th to appreciate God for his emergence as the new Speaker.

Hon Dogara attributed his victory at the assembly election to God and the teachings of the church which he started attending since 1988

"I have been a member of this church since 1988 even before I went to the university. The teaching I received here has defined my life. If it were not for the teachings we receive on this altar, maybe this victory may not have come. We had Goliaths in the run to the election, there were Tobias and Sambalats. We had Baalams, who were asked to curse us, but God was with us" he said

Graphic pics from armed robbery incident in Port Harcourt

Armed robbers stormed Agip junction area in Port Harcourt Rivers state yesterday June 1st. They raised some shops and killed a military officer during their operation. Graphic photo of the military officer killed 

We lack power for now to display Buhari, Osinbajo’s assets - CCB

Those who asking the new president and his deputy to publicly declare their asset will have to wait a bit longer as the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, which keeps custody of the assets declared by the two leaders, says it lacks the power to make them public for now.

Chairman of the CCB, Mr. Sam Sada, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard through his Special Assistant, Mr. Gwimi Sebastian Peter, said only the National Assembly is vested with the powers to decide the terms and conditions under which such documents could be made public.


The chairman said even though the Constitution of Nigerian made it clear that the agency should make available to the citizens the assets declared by public officials, the same law vested the National Assembly with the power to decide the terms and conditions for making such materials public.

Sada explained that the CCB was ready to comply with the terms and conditions specified by the National Assembly on the matter but would only do so once the law was amended. He said:

“While the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act give the bureau powers to receive assets declarations, verify, examine, keep in custody and enforce compliance when there is a breach, the responsibility of determining how and on what terms asset declarations will be made accessible to the public was left to the National Assembly. “Several National Assemblies have come and gone since the establishment of the CCB without addressing the matter.”

Source: Vanguard

Photos: CBN workers accused of N8billion fraud remanded in prison

Find the EFCC Press statement below ...

Six staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, implicated in an N8billion defaced and mutilated currency recycling scam, were today remanded in prison custody following their arraignment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice N. Ayo Emmanuel of a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State. The suspects: Patience Okoro Eye; Afolabi Olufemi Johnson; Ilori Adekunle Sunday; Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf, were arraigned on a five -count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

Specifically, the apex bank employees were alleged to have compromised the CBN's Briquetting exercise, meant to mop up mutilated and defaced higher denomination currencies from circulation, to combat inflation. Instead of destroying the currencies, they allegedly recycled the notes and substituted them with newspapers neatly cut to Naira sizes. When the charges were read to them, they pleaded not guilty.

Count One of the charge reads: "That you Patience Okoro Eye; Afolabi Olufemi Johnson; Ilori Adekunle Sunday; Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf on or about 5th August, 2014 in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, have by virtue of abuse of your office, being employees of Central Bank of Nigeria, contributed to the economic adversity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when you destroyed a box marked " Counted Audited Dirty" filled with Newspapers in place of a box containing N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) of N1,000 denomination and which activity led to the increase of money in circulation which the briquetting exercise of Central Bank of Nigeria was intended to control and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2) (b) and Section 10 (1) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act, Cap. R4, Laws of the Federation Nigeria, 2014".

Count Two reads: “That you Patience Okoro Eye; Afolabi Olufemi Johnson; Ilori Adekunle Sunday; Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola and Fatai Adedokun Yusuf on or about 5th August, 2014 in Ibadan within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in corrupt practices when you replaced the content of a box of N1,000 denomination in a total sum of N10, 000,000 (Ten Million Naira) marked as " Counted Audited Dirty" meant for briquetting, with Newspapers and which sum you converted to your own use and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2) (a) and Section 10 (1) of the Recovery of Public Property (Special Provision) Act, Cap. R4, Laws of the Federation Nigeria, 2014".

In view of their plea, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendants to be remanded in prison custody. He opposed their bail applications and urged counsel to the defendants to present their bail applications formally to court. However, counsel to the 1st accused person, K. A. Lawal made an oral application for bail. All other counsel followed suit. Justice Emmanuel however adjourned the matter to June 9, 2015 for hearing of the bail applications and July 6 and 7, 2015 for commencement of trial.

He ordered that all the defendants be remanded in Agodi prison custody, Ibadan. Media & Publicity 2nd June, 2015