News & Announcements

Nigeria will continue to prioritize aviation safety and security as essential components to expanding the industry, according to President Muhammadu Buhari.This was said by President Buhari on Monday in Abuja at the 14th ICAO Air Services Negotiation meeting.

Additionally, Buhari claimed that Nigeria’s participation in the open sky agreements had brought in significant investments for the aviation industry.

“Nigeria continues to champion the cause of aviation safety, security and facilitation throughout the Continent with our on-going support on the comprehensive regional implementation plan for Aviation Security and the Human Resources Development Fund, HRDF, plans” he said.

Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the chief of staff for President Buhari, was in attendance.

Additionally, he claimed that Nigeria’s focus on leveraging public-private partnerships is also having an impact.

“Nigeria has adopted a Civil Aviation Policy cantered on liberalization and Public Private Partnership, PPP, initiatives. This has resulted in significant growth of the industry, including huge investments in the Nation Airports which has increased our airports capacities and growth of the domestic airline industry” he said. 

Sen. Hadi Sirika, the minister of aviation, who also spoke at the occasion, reaffirmed that the aviation industry in Nigeria continues to be one of the fastest-growing and has an impact on employment creation.

The ICAO activities offer a special opportunity to share experiences, according to Capt. Musa Nuhu, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, in his introductory remarks.

“Since the establishment of this unique global negotiation event by ICAO in 2008, ICAN events have provided participating States with a central congregating point to conduct bilateral, regional or multilateral air services negotiations that result in Air Services Agreements between member States.”

A global platform for networking possibilities for policymakers, regulators, service providers, and other industry stakeholders, according to Nuhu.

In a move that opponents deemed to be a significant setback for rights in the most populous Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia’s parliament on Tuesday adopted legislation that would make having sex outside of marriage illegal.

Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, the deputy speaker of the house, slammed the gavel to indicate the text’s approval and yelled “legal” after the new criminal code was adopted by all nine parties in a comprehensive reform of the legal code.

For decades, there has been discussion about updating Indonesia’s outdated penal code, which dates back to the Dutch colonial era.

Rights organizations had protested against the amendments, warning of a crackdown on civil liberties and political freedoms as well as a move towards fundamentalism in Indonesia, a country with a majority of Muslims and a constitution that upholds secularism.

“We have tried our best to accommodate the important issues and different opinions which were debated,” Yasonna Laoly, Minister of Law and Human Rights, told parliament.

“However, it is time for us to make a historical decision on the penal code amendment and to leave the colonial criminal code we inherited behind.”

The new criminal code will go into effect in three years, according to a clause in the legislation that the president still needs to sign.

The recently enacted code’s most contentious clauses make extramarital sex and unmarried couples’ cohabitation illegal.

According to the text seen by AFP, sex outside of marriage will result in a potential punishment of one year in prison and illegal cohabitation will have a maximum sentence of six months.

Additionally, there are worries that these laws, which forbid same-sex unions in Indonesia, could have a significant negative effect on the LGBTQ community there.

Before the voting, Albert Aries, a spokesman for the team responsible for disseminating the criminal code reform, defended the changes and asserted that they would protect marriage institutions.

He claimed that the amendment was only applicable to extramarital sex that was reported by a spouse, parent, or child.

Though authorities insisted that foreign visitors to Bali wouldn’t be impacted, business organizations in Indonesia have criticized the article on extramarital sex as being harmful to tourism.

Sung Yong Kim, the US ambassador to Indonesia, expressed his concern about “morality clauses” in the criminal code that could have a “bad” effect on enterprises at a business conference on Tuesday before the vote.

A shouting match broke out between the deputy house speaker and a PKS (Prosperous Justice Party) lawmaker prior to the vote.

“Don’t be a dictator”, shouted Iskan Qolba Lubis, the lawmaker from the Islamist party, after he was prevented from speaking.

Bambang Wuryanto, head of the commission that oversaw deliberations on the text, acknowledged “this is a product by humans and hence it will never be perfect”.

But he invited critics to “file a judicial review to the constitutional court” instead of demonstrating.

Rights groups slammed the legislation as morality policing.

“We are going backward… repressive laws should have been abolished but the bill shows that the arguments of scholars abroad are true, that our democracy is indisputably in decline,” Amnesty International Indonesia director Usman Hamid told AFP.

On Monday, about a hundred people demonstrated against the bill, some of whom dropped flower petals on the yellow banner that read, “reject the passing of the criminal code revision.”

On Tuesday, there was supposed to be another protest in front of the parliament building to oppose the new law.

A social media critic and 500-level student of Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Aminu Mohammed, has apologised for criticising the First Lady, Aisha Buhari after he was released from detention. 

The Department of State Services, otherwise called the State Security Services, had detained Mohammed over a social media post deemed defamatory against the First Lady.

This sparked reactions from different quarters including the National Association of Nigerian Students, and many human rights groups threatening protests against the arrest and detention of the undergraduate.

Meanwhile, on June 8, 2022, Mohammed was said to have accused Aisha Buhari of feeding fat from Nigeria’s treasury.
He chastised the First Lady in Hausa, stating in a tweet, “Su mama anchi kudin talkawa ankoshi”, translated as “The mother has got fatter by eating masses’ money.”

Muhammed’s friends said he made the post because he was frustrated about the prolonged strike by universities that lasted for more than eight months across the country.

Following his action, the final-year student was arraigned and remanded before he was released on Friday night after Mrs Buhari withdrew the case against him.

Expressing his joy after the release, Mohammed took to his Twitter handle to say his apology, he wrote, “I would like to use this medium to express my sincere apologies to those I’ve hurt especially our mother, Aisha Buhari. 

“It was never my intention to hurt your feelings and Insha Allah, I will change for the better. However, I’m also grateful for your forgiveness, thank u mama,” he added.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has said the redesign of the naira may be illegal if President Muhammadu Buhari did not seek approval of the national assembly for the funds used for the initiative.

On November 23, Buhari unveiled the new currency notes at the state house, Abuja.

The redesigned naira notes are expected to be in circulation on December 15.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, had on October 26 announced the plan to redesign the naira to control the money supply and aid security agencies in tackling illicit financial flows.

Falana, in a statement on Sunday, said the president’s endorsement of the CBN’s naira redesign policy is not legally sufficient.

He said the president should have presented a “money bill” to the national assembly to seek approval for the funds used for the project.

Falana said the expense is not captured in the 2022 budget, adding that the president must comply with the provision of section 59 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

“However, the official endorsement is not sufficient as the president is mandatorily required to present a money bill to the national assembly for the withdrawal of the billions of naira from public funds earmarked for the printing of the new naira notes.

“Specifically, section 59 of the constitution requires “an appropriation bill or supplementary bill including any other bill for the payment, issue or withdrawal from the Consolidated Revenue Fund or any other public fund of the Federation of any money charged thereon or any alteration in the amount of such payment, issue or withdrawal.

“Since the fund for the printing of the new naira notes is not captured in the 2022 appropriation bill, the president is advised to prepare and present a supplementary bill to the national assembly to authorise the withdrawal of public fund from any account of the federation for printing the new naira notes.

“Otherwise, the printing of the new naira without appropriation by the national assembly may be declared illegal and unconstitutional if it is challenged in a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement reads.

Balaraba Shehu and her boyfriend, Amadu Sale, were arrested by police in Jigawa State for burying their newborn baby alive.

According to the command’s spokesperson, DSP Lawan Shiisu, who confirmed the development, Balaraba conspired with Amadu to commit the crime after delivering the baby out of wedlock.

Shiisu said the baby’s body was exhumed from a grave the mother dug near a toilet within their residence.

According to him, “On December 2, 2022, at about 2350hrs, a report at the command’s disposal revealed that one Balaraba Shehu, 30-year-old, of Tsurma village, Kiyawa LGA was suspected to have given birth and buried the newborn baby.

“On receipt of the report, a team of policemen mobilized and proceeded to the scene of the crime.

“On arrival, detectives swung into action and exhumed the newborn baby from a grave near a toilet in their residence and where the suspected mother buried it. The baby was rushed to General Hospital Dutse and certified dead by a medical doctor.

“The suspect was arrested and is now in Police custody. A preliminary investigation led to the arrest of one Amadu Sale, alias Dan Kwairo, 25-year-old, of Akar village in Kiyawa LGA.

“He (Amadu) was alleged to be responsible for the unwanted pregnancy and conspired to bury the baby after delivery.”

The police image-maker, however, said the state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Effiom, has directed that the case be transferred to the Investigative Department of the command, SCID Dutse, for discreet investigation.

“The suspects will be charged to court to face the full wrath of the law upon completion of the investigation,” Shiisu said.

The Nigerian entertainment industry has again been hit with another major loss, as popular Ibadan-based comedian, Mimic King was shot dead after a robbery incident.

According to his senior colleague, Lafup who broke the sad news on social media said Mimic King was a promising young man whose life was cut short by the menace of bike robbery in Ibadan.

“Sad news to hear that a promising young comic got shot in Ibadan after being robbed. The menace of fatal bike robberies in Ibadan is now very alarming, I would hope the authorities will find an end to this. I pray for his family the fortitude to bear such loss. RIP @mimic_king_official,” he captioned the photo of the late comedian.

Mimic King’s death is coming a few days after singer and songwriter, Slami Ifeanyi was confirmed dead.

He was reportedly shot dead on Sunday morning, November 27, by yet-to-identified gunmen.

It was gathered that the 31-year-old former Mr. Anambra Universe was driving alone in his newly acquired Lexus 330, when he was attacked and killed at Umubere, Awka area of Anambra State.

According to a source, “He was driving his new car which he bought just two weeks ago when it happened. Although, we don’t know why he was attacked but it looks like a targeted attack.“

Slami Ifeanyi’s death was also a few days after the Nigerian music industry lost gospel singer and Welu Welu crooner, Sammie Okposo.

According to reports, the music producer slumped on Friday morning and died. He was aged 51.

Okposo made headlines early in the year after he publicly apologized to his wife, Ozioma for cheating on her with another lady in the United States.

In the apology which was shared on his Instagram page, the singer lamented over the incident which he noted happened in 2021.

The singer further stated that the development has seen him step aside from ministerial work until “full restoration.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi has finally released his manifesto ahead of the 2023 election.

Obi unveiled the 72-page manifesto via his Twitter handle on Sunday.

The manifesto is titled “It’s POssible: Our Pact with Nigerians.”

In the manifesto, the former Anambra governor listed seven priorities his administration would concentrate on if elected president in 2023.

Over the past few days, Obi had come under criticism in some quarters, especially among members of the All Progressives Congress for not having a manifesto.

In October, the LP presidential candidate distanced himself from a manifesto attributed to him.

Obi had said he would personally release the LP manifesto to the public when it is ready.

In the manifesto released on Sunday, the former Anambra governor promised to move Nigeria from a consumption economy to a production-centered economy.

The LP presidential candidate said he would end banditry and insurgency if elected president.

The manifesto reads, “Restructure the polity through effective legal and institutional reforms to entrench the rule of law, aggressively fight corruption, reduce the cost of governance, and establish an honest and efficient civil service.

“Leapfrog Nigeria into the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) through the application of scientific and technological innovations to create a digital economy.

“Build expansive and world-class infrastructure for efficient powers supply, rail, road, and air transportation, and pipeline network, through integrated public-private partnerships, and entrepreneurial public sector governance.

“Enhance the human capital of Nigerian youths for productivity and global competitiveness through investment in world-class scholarship and research, quality healthcare, and entrepreneurship education.

“Conduct an afro-centric diplomacy that protects the rights of Nigerian citizens abroad and advances the economic interests of Nigerians and Nigerian businesses in a changing world.”

A 60-year-old grandmother and a pregnant woman were among those arrested during interdiction operations in which 5,527.15 kilograms of methamphetamine and cannabis Sativa, as well as 132,090 tablets of tramadol and 2,000 bottles of codeine, were recovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA across five states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in the past week.

The grandma, Mrs. Ibinosun Sandra Esther was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo state in a follow-up operation following the seizure of a 5.5kg Loud variant of cannabis imported into the country from South Africa.

The consignment, which she claimed was sent to her by her daughter was concealed in two giant Speakers as part of a consolidated cargo that arrived at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on board an Airpeace Airline flight.

The agency made this known on Sunday in a statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEADirector, Media, and Advocacy.
Babafemi noted that in a related development, NDLEA operatives also on Saturday 26th November intercepted 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside custard tins packed among cosmetics and foodstuffs going to Brazil via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.

A cargo agent, Salako Omolara Fausat who brought the bag containing the illicit drug to the airport, and an intending passenger to Brazil, Anyanwu Christian who was to travel with the consignment were promptly arrested.

Another attempt by a freight agent, Adebisi Aina Hafsat to export 3,000 tablets of tramadol concealed in motor spare parts to Banjul, Gambia through the NAHCO export shed was equally thwarted by operatives who seized the consignment and arrested her on Monday 28th Nov, while a follow-up operation to Ebute-Meta area of Lagos the following day, Tuesday 29th Nov led to the arrest of the actual owner, Afam Chibuke Stanley, who is a spare parts seller.

This was followed by the seizure of 100,000 tablets of Royal brand of Tramadol 200mg with a gross weight of 68.90 kilograms imported from Karachi, Pakistan on Ethiopian Airlines at the SAHCO import shed.

In Abuja, operatives stormed the warehouse of a notorious drug lord and an ex-convict, Ibrahim Momoh, alias Ibrahim Bendel who escaped from prison custody to return to his criminal trade and recovered 81 jumbo bags of cannabis weighing 1,278kgs.

Though the fleeing drug dealer is still at large and is wanted by the Agency, his warehouse keeper, 55-year-old Ghanaian, Richard Forson Gordon was arrested.

Ibrahim Momoh was first arrested on 27th November 2014 with the same substance weighing 385.1kgs, prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to seven and a half years in prison on 22nd April 2020 but escaped from jail after three months.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 2,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup were seized in a commercial bus by operatives on Friday 2nd December along Lokoja – Abuja expressway.

In Rivers state, operatives on Saturday 3rd Dec arrested a 29-year-old pregnant woman, Kate Ibinabo with 34.4kgs cannabis Sativa in the Okrika area of the state.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), CON, OFR, has however directed that she be granted administrative bail pending when she’s delivered her baby and thereafter return for her prosecution because, at the time of her arrest, she’s in her ninth month of pregnancy.

In Ondo state, 241 bags of the psychoactive substance with a gross weight of 3,133kg were recovered from a building at Ilale Cashew, Ehinogbe, Owo, on Tuesday 29th Nov. At least, 507.9kgs of cannabis were also seized during a raid at the hideout of a fleeing drug dealer in Mushin area of Lagos on Thursday 1st Dec.

n Cross River, 53 jumbo bags of C/S weighing 567.05kgs were seized from three suspects: Bassey Boniface Eyibio, 38; Effiong Akiba Etim, 30, and Ngbong Raymond, 45 at Mpara junction, Odukpani LGA on Thursday 1st Dec while conveying the consignment in a bus marked CKK 74 AA.

Operatives equally arrested another suspect, Ali Mohammed along Potiskum- Damaturu road after they found 29,090 tablets of tramadol in his personal Honda car marked ABC 914 RW coming from Gombe to Damaturu, Yobe state.

While commending the officers and men of the MMIA, Rivers, Ondo, Lagos, Cross River, and Yobe Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Gen. Marwa charged them and their counterparts across other formations to continue to step up their offensives against drug cartels.

The immediate past administration in Osun State under the leadership of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has reacted to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s allegations of looting of government property, describing it as unfair, laughable and shameful.

The response followed the public release of films in which the new administration stated that some objects were missing from the Government House and the apartments of several former political appointees.

Funke Egbemode, a former commissioner for information and civic education, released a statement on behalf of the previous administration that characterized Governor Adeleke’s actions as a fruitless attempt to tarnish the reputation and model of good governance set forth by the outgoing governor

According to the statement: “We have seen the very laughable and shameless claims by the government of the day about the Government House being looted by the previous administration.

“The extent they have gone to peddle their falsehood is so preposterous that discerning minds are beginning to ask how a governor who completely renovated the Governor’s Lodge in June will stoop so low as to empty the First Aid box in the lodge.

“Accusing a man of Oyetola’s  pedigree of taking away government house cooker and emptying bottles of methylated spirit takes away a lot from the accuser.

“It is beyond laughable, really. Perhaps the OSBC should deploy those cameras that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola approved money for them to buy, to show the world the visuals of the Government House that Oyetola inherited and the tastefully renovated and elegantly furnished house it handed over to the Adeleke administration. 

“It is also important to note here that the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, was officially informed of the looting of the official residence of Deputy Governor Gboyega Alabi and other quarters within the Government House by ‘unknown men’.

“In a letter with reference number SEC 43T/352 , dated November 25, 2022,  and signed by A.T Komolafe on behalf of the Coordinating Director, Governor’s Office,  the NSCDC  was notified of the ongoing looting of government properties in different quarters following the vacation of the premises by the then Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

“So, how exactly is Mr Oyetola guilty of this looting by ‘unknown men’ after he had vacated Government House?

“Mr Komolafe, in the letter asked for armed security to stop the looting in the Okefia GRA Government House.

“The apparent confusion of this new government  keeps deepening with every new step it takes.

“If it has set up a review committee for stock-taking as claimed, why is it launching a media trial to force its pre-conceived conclusions down the public’s throat?

“A tenure is only four years, not eternity.  That is why we implore the government of the moment to quit manipulating the people and fanning unnecessary incitement against the immediate past administration.

“If it claims it knows the job, it should do the job,” the statement read in part.

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There is anxiety in the Football circle as Brazilian Legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento (best known as Pele) is said to be moved to the End of Life Care Centre.

Pelé, widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday to re-evaluate his cancer treatment and later diagnosed with a respiratory infection, according to medical reports.

Folha de S. Paulo, a Brazilian publication reported that chemotherapy had now been suspended and that Pelé was under palliative care, being treated only for symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath.

82-year-old Pele is reportedly no more responding to chemotherapy treatment, as his sickness may now be termed terminal.

The global football icon is now receiving palliative care after chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer stopped having the expected results, it has been reported.

His manager and the Albert Einstein hospital, in São Paulo, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

A medical report released on Friday said Pelé had an adequate response to antibiotic treatment and was in a stable condition “with a general improvement in health status.”

He had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has been receiving hospital treatment on a regular basis.
Pelé said in an Instagram post on Thursday that he was at the hospital for a “monthly visit” and thanked his supporters for the positive messages he had received.

Former Brazil, Santos, and New York Cosmos striker posted a picture of his face projected on a building in Qatar, where the World Cup is being held, next to a message saying: “Get well soon.”

A sign with the same message was displayed by Brazilian fans at the Lusail Stadium on Friday before the national team’s 1-0 defeat against Cameroon.