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FG Reverses Ban On International Basketball

FG Reverses Ban On International Basketball

The Federal Government has rescinded its decision to suspend Nigeria’s basketball teams from all international competitions.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Youth and Sports Development Ismaila Abubakar disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Thursday.

He said the latest decision is based on a letter of appeal from the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), signed by Mister Musa Kida.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, being one that is committed to youth development and desirous of ensuring that they are availed of all opportunities in sports and other endeavours considered the appeal and in the overriding spirit of national interest, love for our youth, and in order to avoid sending basket development into a long period of suspension when NBBF have now committed to the resolution of the issues which precipitated the withdrawal in the first place has approved the return of Nigeria to international basketball immediately,” Abubakar said in a statement after the briefing.

“In securing this approval, of note is the caution that the laws of Nigeria cannot be subjugated to any other law, and every Nigerian entity must respect Nigerian laws and authority governing various sectors. Failure to do this, as with any constitutionally bound sovereign nation will attract sanctions.”

He explained that the “appeal letter also critically gave some key undertakings: to immediately set in motion the process of status review or constitutional amendments from stakeholders as collated by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development; to set up a high-powered team to reconcile all contending parties in the basketball family at home and abroad, and a commitment to work with the Ministry in the governance and development of basketball among other things.”

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the ministry to ensure the implementation of the undertakings by the NBBF and “report back to Mr. President on progress”.

Before the reversal of the ban, FIBA had replaced the D’Tigress with Mali ahead of the FIBA Women’s World Cup to be held later in the year.

Health

We will closely align with development-focused org to enhance quality healthcare – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says the federal government will continue to partner reputable organizations such as Rotary International in ongoing efforts to eradicate all forms of polio and reduce the prevalence of maternal and infant mortality in the country.

President Tinubu, who received Rotary International President, Mr. Gordon Mclnally, his wife, Heather; Rotary’s Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Sir Emeka Offor, and other notable Rotarians, on Friday, at the State House in Abuja, commended the organization for its various interventions in the country’s health sector, including a new grant of $14 million to enable the World Health Organization (WHO) provide technical assistance to the government of Nigeria on polio surveillance.

The President declared that it is a national obligation for the government to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians, support their advancement, and ensure that they are not hindered by any form of disease.

”It is a joy to have the President of Rotary International, his wife, Sir Emeka Offor, and other Rotarians in our midst. Thank you for representing a great commitment to humanity. Thank you for the job you are doing. Rotary International has a good reputation on social commitment, not only for the leading role it played in the eradication of polio in Africa, but also in addressing other diseases.

”You have saved countless mothers and children. You are also contributing to the growth of local economies by helping nations combat unforeseen diseases and deaths. You are doing a great job in the protection of the environment and other areas of humanitarian commitment,” President Tinubu said.

The President acknowledged the contributions of volunteers from Rotary Clubs in Nigeria who have been instrumental in supporting polio eradication initiatives in the country.

”Whatever is necessary for us to do, I want to assure you that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and his team will be on call and available at any time,” the President stated.

The President of Rotary International, Mr. Gordon McInally, while lauding President Tinubu’s longstanding reputation for supporting healthcare interventions for disadvantaged Nigerians throughout his public service career, offered honorary Rotary membership to the Nigerian leader in recognition of his past and present efforts to rapidly enhance Nigeria’s health sector.

Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Mclnally highlighted Nigeria’s support for global polio eradication efforts and polio-free status, having been certified as a polio-free nation in 2020, against the backdrop of only 12 polio cases recorded worldwide last year, which were concentrated on the Afghan-Pakistan border.

”The polio eradication campaign has been our flagship programme for many years. Over the years, we have been working on it, and we have seen Nigeria certified polio-free a few years ago.

”We have reduced the incidence from over 350,000 cases of polio worldwide every year to only 12 cases last year, in the Afghan-Pakistan border. So, we are on the verge of eliminating polio from the world, but we could not have achieved this without the active support of Nigeria. We thank you very much for everything that you have done.

”We must remain vigilant and continue our efforts in this field. Rotarians here in Nigeria are tirelessly working to ensure that children worldwide do not suffer from any crippling disease that can even take their lives,” he said.

Mr. McInally further pledged that the organization would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian government on programmes to reduce infant and maternal mortality.

”It is only by working together with governments that we can achieve great things,” he concluded.

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FIRS’ N2bn fraud: Witness testifies how Eteta Ita allegedly diverts fund to private account

Ijeoma Matilda, the sixth prosecution witness, PW6, in the ongoing trial of the Head of Stakeholders Unit of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, Emmanuella Eteta Ita, has testified how the defendant allegedly diverted funds meant for stakeholders’ assignments to her private school account, Surestart School Ltd.

Testifying before Justice Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, March 18, 2024, the witness revealed that Ita undertook some stakeholders’ assignments and the funds meant for the projects were traced into her account with the payment narration.

She added that the same funds were sent directly into the account of the second defendant, Surestart School Ltd.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Dele Oyewale on Monday, the witness while being cross-examined by the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, revealed that the defendant during investigations agreed to refund some monies for some reconciliations she could not account for.

According to the statement: “She said in her statement that she will pay back the money, I don’t know where she got the money from, and so far, she has refunded about N17 million, though she told us that she benefited about N5 million from the programme.

“I don’t know the standard practice of sourcing for funds before asking for reimbursement, and it is not within the scope of our investigation. All I know is that she undertook some of the stakeholders’ events, and we saw that those monies that came from FIRS went directly into the account of the second defendant, and the description was that the assignment was not done.”

The statement further quotes: “She said the vendors that were supposed to do the events have given their evidence in court and testified that the receipts didn’t come from them. She further claimed that those receipts were given to her by one Daniel, who was a staff of FIRS.

“We were told he was late and we demanded for the death certificate which was given to us. We requested for his account details and we discovered he was also a beneficiary. We wrote to FIRS, UBA, System Spec, and invited everyone involved in this matter and everything we have here are as a result of our investigations.”

Meanwhile, Justice Ogunbanjo adjourned the matter until March 20, and 21, 2024, for continuation of cross-examination.

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EFCC arraigns alleged sextortionist in Lagos

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on March 17, 2024 arraigned one Olukeye Olalekan, before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on an 18-count charge bordering on transmission of child pornography, fraudulent impersonation, and sextortion to the tune of N721,500.00 (Seven Hundred and Twenty One Thousand, Five Hundred Naira only).

Count one reads: “That you, Olukeye Adedayo Olalekan (a.k.a hrm87, charlotte 708 and harlilott_ 716) on or about the 13th February, 2.023 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court intentionally used the Instagram virtual network to create a group ” Expose Janjua Robin Nudes” to distribute child pornography and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 23(1)(C)and punishable under Section 23(1)(e) of the of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015”.

Another count reads: “That you, Olukeye Adedayo Olalekan (a.k.a hrm877 ,charlotte 708 and harlilott_716) on or about the 13th of May, 2022 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court directly retained the total sum of N721,500.00 in your account domiciled in UBA which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of your unlawful activity to wit: transmission of child pornography and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the of Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

In view of his plea, prosecuting counsel, S.I. Suleiman prayed the court for a trial date to enable the prosecution to call its witnesses and tender relevant documents to prove its case.

Defence counsel, Segun Onikoyi, however, applied that the defendant be allowed to continue on the bail earlier granted him by Justice T.G. Ringim.

The prosecution raised no objection. “We leave the decision to the discretion of the court,” Suleiman said.

Justice Ogundare thereafter adjourned till June 3, 2024 for trial and ordered the defendant to continue on the bail previously granted.

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