No fewer than 302 residents of Akpoha community in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have benefitted from the Nigerian Army free medical outreach.
The medical outreach is part of the ongoing “Exercise Atilogwu Udo 1’’, which is locally known as Dance of Peace.
Col. Aliyu Yusuf, Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, said in a statement on Sunday in Enugu that the “comprehensive free medical programme’’ took place on Saturday in Akpoha community.
Yusuf noted that the medical exercise was part of Civil-Military-Cooperation (CIMIC) in-line with activities for Exercise Atilogwu Udo 1 meant to offer humanitarian services to the public and host community.
“The medical outreach is also in line with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, vision to cater for the welfare of the host community,’’ he said.
According to him, the Nigerian Army through the Division mobilized scores of medical and paramedic personnel to execute the successful medical outreach.
He said that the medical professionals at the venue offered health talk and counselling to the people one-on-one.
He said that they also conducted blood pressure test, sugar test, eye defect test as well as the distribution of free medicine, de-worming medicines for children and provision of eye-glasses.
“The medical outreach activities provided a usual platform to further strengthen the long-standing Civil-Military Relations between the Army and its civil populace,’’ he said.
“Exercise Atilogwu Udo 1’’ is meant to be used to carry out community services within the Division’s Area of Responsibility (AOR).
These services included: sanitation, medical outreaches, clearing of drains, road construction, educational support and other social works.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described the Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship elections as shameful, saying the polls have damaged Nigerians’ faith in democracy.
In a statement, the opposition party said: “The shameful elections conducted in Kogi and Bayelsa states have damaged the faith of Nigerians in a democratic order. Nevertheless, the PDP remains strong and united in the face of all odds. Nigeria is our nation and no individual or group can appropriate our collective sovereignty as a people at all times.
“Nigerians and the entire world watched in horror as the APC-led government trampled our democracy under foot with an utmost impunity that can only be obtainable in Hitler’s Germany and Samuel Doe’s Liberia, where the lives and rights of citizens meant nothing to suppressive power-mongers.
“Citizens agonized as APC-controlled security forces aided armed hoodlums to invade polling centres, shoot and kill innocent citizens, cart away ballot boxes, stuffed them with already thumb-printed ballot papers in favour of APC, after which results are allocated and handed over to a compromised
INEC to announce against the will of the people.
“It is distressing that under the President Buhari-led APC administration, votes no longer count; power and governance no longer derive from the people but from violence, manipulations and the barrel of the gun. Nigerians now ask; are we still in a democracy?
“With the outcome of the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections, Nigerians and the world have lost hope in our institutions of democracy and security system as presently constituted. They have completely lost hope in INEC under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, which has shown itself to be a repressive tool in the hands of dictatorial forces.
“As a party, we condole with the families of our compatriots that were killed in Kogi and Bayelsa states and prayed that God grant their souls eternal rest.“The shameful elections conducted in Kogi and Bayelsa states have damaged the faith of Nigerians in a democratic order. Nevertheless, the PDP remains strong and united in the face of all odds. Nigeria is our nation and no individual or group can appropriate our collective sovereignty as a people at all times.
“Our party will therefore continue to fully exert itself in upholding the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians despite the manipulations of the APC.“The PDP urges Nigerians to remain resilient and focused. Our party will, in due course, address Nigerians on the way forward in the overall quest to retrieve stolen mandates, rescue our nation from dictatorial forces and reinforce democratic practice in our country.”
But in a statement yesterday, the APC applauded the elections, saying; “In Kogi and Bayelsa States, we were certain of securing the majority votes for the two governorship seats and the Kogi West senatorial seat. “As expected, not being in the tradition of PDP to thrive under orderly and credible electoral process, they did their best to discredit the process. We are glad that the voting processes came to a successful end in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
“The party thanks security agencies and other officials who did their best to minimise the impact of the PDP thugs whose sole agenda was to create chaos and scare voters from coming out to vote. Of course, the PDP did not achieve their objective of winning through violence.”
Meanwhile, the elections have continued to draw criticisms over violence and intimidation by security operatives.The police confirmed three persons dead during the election in Kogi. Commissioner of Police, Akeem Busari, who made the disclosure to newsmen, said the command was still compiling its report on the poll, to ascertain the actual number of casualties. Busari also said 10 persons were arrested during the election.He said the three died in Lokoja when armed thugs invaded St. Luke Primary School, Adanakolo. He described the situation in the state as calm.
Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room said the Kogi State governorship and senatorial election was a major dent to Nigeria’s democratic process and called for its cancellation.It also called on INEC “to fully interrogate the election in Bayelsa State with view to identifying the high incidences of malpractice that took place and reflect the genuine vote of the people.”
Criticising the polls, former Kaduna State Governor and leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Balarabe Musa, said: “What do you expect from the results of the elections in the two states? The outcome is already known. There is no democracy in Nigeria.”
Also, rights group, Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, YIAGA AFRICA rejected the outcome of the governorship and senatorial elections in Kogi State. Addressing a press briefing in Abuja, Abdul Hussaini, the chairman of YIAGA’s Watching The Vote, said the people of Kogi were not given the opportunity to fully exercise their right to vote. “Therefore, the results of these elections, regardless of the outcome, cannot be said to reflect the preferences of voters in Kogi.”
Rights body, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) went further by petitioning the International Criminal Court (ICC), asking it to investigate persons behind violence in Bayelsa and Kogi States during the elections.
The petition dated November 16, 2019 was sent to Mrs. Fatou Bensouda, ICC Prosecutor.SERAP said: “The events in the Bayelsa and Kogi elections suggest criminal conduct within the jurisdiction of the ICC. If the results of the preliminary investigation suggest that further investigation is warranted, the ICC should work with Nigerian anti-corruption agencies on the matter. Election-related corruption and violence are not just minor infractions, they suggest serious crimes against Nigerians, in particular, crimes against humanity.”
International observers, Diplomatic Watch, also expressed alarm over reports of violence and intimidation in both states.The Watch consists of teams deployed from Austria, European Union Delegation, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States.
The PDP candidate in the Kogi State election rejected the poll, accusing the police of colluding with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undermine the will of the people.Describing the results released by INEC as sham and murder of democracy, Musa Wada urged all lovers of fairness to join hands with the PDP in condemning the charade.
Flanked by his running mate, Sam Aro, during a press conference in Lokoja, Wada decried the militarisation of the election, even as he accused security agents of colluding with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to intimidate voters.
He said the exercise was daylight robbery, alleging that results were doctored for the APC. INEC should not have conducted the election if it knew it would not reflect the wish of Kogi people, he said.“Imagine, Okene LGA, which used to return 40,000 votes in past elections suddenly brought out 112,000 votes while her neighbour, Okehi, also brought in 64,000; figures that would be more than the rest of the local governments in the state.
“It is the insincerity of the APC that has made the whole process a sham. It is not about Wada but of the suffering masses of the state. I am pained for the people who would continue to suffer for another four years.”
On whether he could get justice at the courts, Wada said: “It is common knowledge how all the institutions have been bastardised by the APC government. However, I have to exhaust all legal means to get redress.”
“You can see that Lokoja, the state capital, which was agog yesterday is a shadow of itself as nobody is celebrating. The results are not the true representation of what happened on the field.
“We were prepared for the election. We campaigned across all the local government areas. But how can one confront a government with all the apparatus of cohesion? Imagine security agents using helicopters to teargas voters. It happened in Ganaja. Some people were shot at from the helicopter. In fact, two persons lost their lives.”
The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mrs. Natasha Akpoti, also rejected the results of the poll, calling on INEC to cancel the election in Kogi Central Senatorial District and other parts of Lokoja, and order a rerun.In a petition to INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Akpoti claimed election did not hold in 780 polling units in Kogi Central.
“The APC-led thugs were shooting at voters, which resulted in the death of voters. The thugs, in most cases, were shielded by security agents who were supposed to provide security for the citizenry.“What happened in Kogi Central and other parts of the state is a far cry from a credible election. Ballot boxes were destroyed and burnt in Okene, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori Magongo and Okehi Local Government Areas and other parts of the state.
“SDP agents were chased away from various polling units of Kogi Central. In some polling units, SDP agents were tied with ropes by APC thugs. In Okene Local Government, our agents were not even allowed to come near the polling units, as APC thugs were seen brandishing guns and announcing to voters not to come and vote unless they were to only vote APC.”
Also, the Bello/Onoja Governorship Campaign Council yesterday called on the PDP to shelve its alleged plan to spread falsehood. It urged the opposition party to await the conclusion of the election process, which it described as “free, fair and peaceful.”
According to a statement by Kingsley Fanwo, chairman of APC Media and Publicity Committee, the party said it had credible intelligence that “the leadership of the PDP has directed the national publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, to quickly address a press conference, to condemn an ongoing process that has been adjudged free, fair, credible and peaceful, just because they are seeing the handwriting of people’s rejection on the wall.”

The collation officer Okaneme said there were some cancellation specifically in three areas, which have 14,949 registered voters with total number of polling units is 16. He blamed cancellation of votes on snatching of ballots papers, intimidation of voters and violence.
APC – 19457
PDP – 11,059
SDP – 722
Total Valid Votes – 31,520
Rejected Votes – 800
Total Votes Cast – 32,320
Accredited voters – 34,897
Registered voters – 137,301
Collation Officer – Godwin Okaneme
Lokoja LGA
________________________________________
The collation officer accounted that some votes were cancellation because of violence, disruption and also claimed a ballots box got drown on their way to thier collation centre in the polling units .
________________________________________
APC-12,682
PDP-10,504
SDP-221
Total Valid Votes -23,842
Rejected Votes -1,426
Total Votes Cast -25,268
Ibaji LGA
________________________________________
At about 9:45 am on Monday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resumed the collation of results of the governorship election in Kogi State.
________________________________________
Dekina LGA
APC – 8,948
PDP – 16,575
SDP – 321
Bassa LGA
APC – 8,386
PDP – 9,724
SDP – 269
Ofu LGA
APC – 11,006
PDP – 12,264
SDP – 531
Akpa LGA
APC – 11,269
PDP – 28,108
SDP – 399
________________________________________
Collation of results resumes.
Yagba West
CO – Dajan Robert
Registered votes – 42, 784
Accredited voters – 17, 528
A – 01
AAC – 04
AD – 09
ADC – 50
ADP – 13
ANRP – 11
APC – 7, 868
APGA – 05
GDPN – 00
GPN – 00
HDP – 01
JMPP – 00
MAJA – 02
NCP – 08
PDP – 8, 860
PPN – 09
PPP – 04
PRP – 01
UDP – 01
UPC – 00
YDP – 03
YPP – 01
ZLP – 00
APM – 00
SDP – 211
Valid votes – 17, 063
Rejected votes – 399
Total votes cast – 17, 462
________________________________________
APGA agent Adaji Alexander said there was no election in the local government. He called for the cancellation of the election in the LG. PDP agent, who said he is from the LG, supported APGA agent’s claims.
________________________________________
The collation officer said INEC ad-hoc staff were kidnapped in Olamaboro. The election was cancelled at 10 polling units at four registration areas due to violence. 6, 877 votes were cancelled.
________________________________________
Olamaboro LGA
CO -Prof. Muhammed
Registered voters – 82, 973
Accredited voters – 27, 202
A – 07
AAC – 43
AD – 27
ADC – 43
ADP – 25
ANRP – 26
APC – 16, 876
APGA – 23
GDPN – 07
GPN – 00
HDP 02
JMPP – 04
MAJA – 18
NCP – 31
PDP – 8, 155
PPN – 55
PPP – 35
PRP – 14
UDP – 09
UPC – 08
YDP – 08
YPP – 05
ZLP – 13
APM – 05
SDP – 262
Valid votes – 25, 701
Rejected votes – 819
Total votes cast – 26, 520
________________________________________
Idah LGA
CO – Ibrahim Dauda Mohammed
Registered voters – 56, 743
Accredited voters – 19, 967
A – 03
AD -33
ADC – 28
ADP – 19
ANRP – 22
APC – 4, 602
APGA – 18
GDPN – 00
GPN -01
HDP – 00
JMPP – 01
MAJA – 02
NCP – 31
PDP – 13, 962
PPN – 52
PPP – 21
PRP – 02
UDP – 02
UPC – 02
YDP – 00
YPP – 02
ZLP – 03
APM – 02
SDP – 221
Valid votes – 19, 037
Rejected votes – 772
Total votes cast – 19, 809
________________________________________
Results from a registration area with 13, 425 voters were cancelled due to disruption of voting.
________________________________________
Ajaokuta LGA
CO – Adamu Madara
Registered voters – 73, 836
Accredited voters – 24, 942
A – 04
AAC – 09
AD – 06
ADC -17
ADP – 13
ANRP – 10
APC – 17, 952
APGA – 10
GDPN – 01
GPN – 03
HDP – 00
JMPP – 03
MAJA – 00
NCP – 10
PDP – 5, 565
PPN – 07
PPP – 06
PRP – 01
UDP – 03
UPC – 00
YDP – 00
YPP – 05
ZLP – 00
APM – 03
SDP – 323
Valid votes 23, 951
Rejected votes – 512
Total votes cast – 24, 463
________________________________________
The collation officer said results from two registration areas – 03 and 04 – affecting 915 voters were cancelled.
________________________________________
Mopa-Muro LGA
Registered voters – 23, 030
Accredited voters – 9, 093
A – 02
AAC – 01
AD – 06
ADC -14
ADP – 08
ANRP – 06
APC – 4, 953
APGA – 02
GDPN – 00
GPN – 00
HDP – 00
JMPP – 00
MAJA – 01
NCP – 03
PDP – 3, 581
PPN – 08
PPP – 02
PRP – 02
UDP – 03
UPC – 01
YDP – 01
YPP – 00
ZLP – 00
APM – 00
SDP – 95
Valid votes – 8, 689
Rejected votes – 314
Total votes cast 9, 003
________________________________________
PDP agent again rejected the votes, noting that PDP polling agents could not observe the election at the local government.
________________________________________
Okehi LGA
CO – Silvanus Ugo
Registered voters – 82180
Accredited voters – 41, 384
A – 02
AAC – 08
AG – 13
ADC – 67
ADP – 19
ANRP – 16
APC 36, 954
APGA – 43
GDPN 04
GPN – 01
HDP -00
JMPP – 03
MAJA -02
NCP – 09
PDP – 478
PPN – 17
PRP – 03
UDP – 52
UPC – 02
YDP – 05
YPP -02
ZLP – 00
APM – 25
SDP – 3095
Total valid votes – 40, 839
Rejected votes – 413
Total votes cast – 41, 252
________________________________________
The collation officer for Kabba/Bunu returned to give updates on the cancellation of votes in seven wards in the LG. A total of 25 PUs were affected with a total of 22,293 registered voters.
________________________________________
The collation officer said results were cancelled in three registration areas 06 (678 votes) and 09 (1002votes) due to over-voting and at registration area 010 (634) due to the discontinuation of the use of the card reader.
________________________________________
Yagba East LGA
CO – Onakpa Michael Monday
Registered voters – 41, 443
Accredited voters – 15, 081
A – 02
AAC – 04
AD – 08
ADC – 38
ADP – 14
ANRP – 03
APC – 6, 735
APGA – 07
GDPN -01
GPN – 01
HDP – 01
JMPP -01
MAJA – 01
NCP – 06
PDP – 7, 546
PPN – 12
PPP – 10
PRP – 10
UDP – 08
UPC -00
YDP – 01
YPP – 01
ZLP – 00
APM – 01
SDP – 220
Valid votes – 14631
Rejected votes – 339
Total votes cast – 14,970
The collation officer for the LG said voting was cancelled at Ukuo and Odaki due to ballot snatching and violence.
________________________________________
Koton Karfe LGA
CO – Yusuf Musa
Registered voters – 53, 590
Accredited voters – 25, 793
A – 02
AAC – 03
AD – 13
ADC – 14
ADP 15
ANRP – 07
APC – 14, 097
APGA – 17
GDPN – 01
GPN – 00
HDP – 01
JMPP – 00
MAJA – 00
NCP – 06
PDP – 9404
PPN – 12
PPP – 03
PRP -03
UDP – 04
UPC – 00
YDP – 01
YPP – 01
ZLP – 01
APM -02
SDP -657
Rejected votes – 323
Total votes cast – 24, 587
________________________________________
Kabba/Bunu LGA
CO -Emmanuel Oloye
Registered voters – 74, 789
Accredited voters – 26, 660
A – 01
AAC – 09
AD – 13
ADC – 37
ADP – 24
ANRP – 05
APC – 15, 364
APGA – 05
GDPN – 0
GPN – 01
HDP – 0
JMPP – 0
MAJA – 02
NCP – 06
PDP – 8, 084
PPN – 104
PPP – 05
PRP – 04
UDP – 12
UPC – 01
YDP – 03
YPP – 08
ZLP – 01
APM – 06
SDP – 364
Valid votes – 23, 969
Rejected votes – 422
Total votes cast – 24, 391
________________________________________
The collation officer said election in Okene was peaceful. But the agent of YPP at the collation centre said there cases of ballot box snatching and violence. The collation officer insisted his submission was based on the reports from electoral officers.
The agent of PDP rejected the result. He said there was no credible election in the local. He also said the results from the LG were computed ahead of the election and that no PDP agent was admitted to any polling unit in Okene.
APC agent said the PDP lied. He said reports by different security agencies showed there was no violence in Okene.
________________________________________
Okene LGA
CO – Olanrewaju Samuel Olayemi
Registered Voters -131, 166
Accredited voters – 114, 001
A – 05
AAC – 10
AD – 11
ADC – 28
ADP – 11
ANRP – 0
APC – 112, 764
APGA – 20
GDPN – 03
GPN – 03
HDP -02
JMPP – 01
MAJA – 07
NCP – 12
PDP – 139
YPP – 06
ZLP – 01
APM – 26
SDP – 50
Total valid votes – 113, 174
Rejected votes – 250
Total votes cast – 113, 420
________________________________________
The returning officer tendered N50, 000 offered to a polling officer in Odolu by an unknown person to influence the result.
The police officer collected the money and submitted it to the SPO, who then submitted to the electoral officer in charge. The EO passed the money to the local returning officer, Professor Evans Ashiegwu, for the local government, who tendered at the collation centre.
The result of that polling unit was cancelled because of over-voting.
Igala Mela/Odolu
APC – 8,075
PDP – 11,195
SDP – 208
________________________________________
Omala LGA
APC – 8,473
PDP – 14,403
SDP – 567
________________________________________
Ijumu LGA
APC – 11,425
PDP – 7, 587
SDP – 223
________________________________________
Ogori-Magongo LGA
APC – 3,679
PDP – 2,145
SDP – 244
________________________________________
Adavi LGA
APC – 64,657
PDP – 366
SDP – 279
Kogi State went to poll Saturday to elect the man/woman that will lead the state for the next four years. Incumbent Yahaya Bello of All Progressives Congress, Musa Wada of the People’s Democratic Party and Social Democratic PArty’s Natasha Akpoti are the leading contenders.
We bring you the official results from that election as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

As the nation’s land borders remain closed by the Federal Government to curtail illicit trade, some clearing agents have resorted to taking advantage of the high volume of cargoes passing through the seaports to shortchange government in terms of duty payable.
Essentially, the fraudulent clearing agents, who now have more cargoes to clear for their clients, shortchange the government through underpayment and false declaration of consignments with a view to reducing duty payable.
The Guardian’s investigations revealed that many importers are being found guilty of the sharp practices by their agents, causing them huge losses in investment when their consignments are eventually seized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). It was also revealed that some customs officers are conniving with the clearing agents to manipulate the duty payable on imported items.
Some importers, who spoke to The Guardian on the illegality, urged the customs to impose strict sanctions on the erring agents and officers. A case between Tonason Evergreen Limited (importer) and Arisiki Nigeria Limited (clearing agent) is reflective of the current situation.
Tonason, through its solicitor, had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged underpayment by its agent (Arisiki) who allegedly paid a duty of N500,000 on a Toyota Highlander 2013 model instead of the original duty estimated at N1,200,000, thereby cheating the government by N700,000.
The Managing Director of Tonason Evergreen Limited, Ikwuka Tochukwu Jude, in an interview with The Guardian, bemoaned the fraudulent act, stating that all efforts to get the agent tracked by the EFCC and customs had yielded no positive results.
In the petition obtained by The Guardian, Tonason stated: “Our client, upon the purchase of a Toyota Highlander 2013 model, engaged the respondent, Mr. Idemili Innocent of Arisiki Nigeria Limited to clear the vehicle by paying the required customs duty. Our client later paid N1.8 million to Innocent as duty fee which he duly acknowledged.
“Our client was travelling to Nnewi in Anambra State when he was accosted by customs officers who confirmed that the original duty payable on the vehicle was N1.2 million, instead of the paltry N500, 000 paid by the agent.
“In that circumstance, our client swiftly put a call across to the respondent (Innocent) who actually admitted not paying full duty on the vehicle, consequent upon which the respondent quickly made a transfer of N70,000 to our client for onward payment to the customs officers and latter got the vehicle released.” Efforts to get the clearing agent for comments were unfruitful, as he ignored calls and messages to his telephone.
In a similar scenario, Masters Energy Commodity Trading Limited (importer) forfeited 30 containers of rice to customs three years ago owing to the sharp practices by its clearing agent. The agent made a false declaration detailing yeast instead of rice.
In a letter to the House of Representatives Committee on Customs Excise and Tariff, a copy of which was obtained by The Guardian, the company alleged that its agent made a false declaration in order to cut tariff for the 30 containers of rice.
The letter by the then Managing Director, Chukwudi Otigba, reads in part: “Sometime in May 2016, we entered into a business transaction with a Thailand company known as Asia Inter Trade Rice Export Co Ltd for the importation of 30 containers of Thai Parboiled Rice to be delivered at the TinCan Island Port, Apapa, Lagos as contained in the bill of laden.
“We contracted Destiny Impex Limited, a clearing company registered and licensed by customs as our agent to clear the 30 containers of rice in accordance with customs tariff and classifications.“All our importing documents such as bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list, National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) fumigation certificate and health certificate clearly disclosed the consignment as rice and not yeast as declared by the agent.”
Another importer, Mrs. Grace Ifeayinwa, expressed the fear that her clearing agent might have shortchanged government in the duty payment for her Toyota Highlander imported through the Apapa port.Ifeayinwa, who said she could not trust any agent due to allegations of fraud, revealed that she was trying to verify the original duty payable on the vehicle upon allegation that the clearing agent paid N700,000 instead of N1.2 million estimated by the customs.
“When I confronted him, he started avoiding me. Then I contacted another agent who also claimed that I have to pay a penalty fee of N400,000 with a processing fee of N120,000. I have made my findings and discovered that they are both fraudulent, but I am confused now, because I cannot drive the car.
“The customs should simplify the duty calculations and payment so that the importers would be able to know the exact duty payable and possibly effect payment by themselves. The existing method is encouraging fraud and it’s not good for our economy,” she said.The President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents, (NCMDCLA), Lucky Amiwero, told The Guardian that the association was doing a lot to ensure that the agents comply with the ethical practice in the job.
Amiwero said the importers should report fraudulent agents to the appropriate quarters such as the customs management, which is authorized to sanction any erring practitioner.
“Such an agent could be dragged to court which will declare him as guilty and mete out necessary punishment. If a court has not declared him guilty, it would be difficult for anyone to call him a fraudster. Besides, the NCS also has the authority to sanction any erring agent by way of withdrawing the operating certificate, and the agency has been doing that when it is convinced beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.
The Public Relations Officer, Customs Tin Can Island Command, Uche Ejesieme, told The Guardian that the agency did not tolerate fraudulent agents.“We ensure strict compliance with duty rules and sanction the erring agents after a diligent profiling has proved him to be fraudulent.
“We have sanctions that we apply to those that are circumventing the process. We have blocked a lot of licences. Once we do system profiling and discover infraction in documentation or any manner, we have a way of blocking the license. I can assure you that we follow due process before anybody can block the license. We go through all manner of processes before you can ascertain fraudulent agents. If you don’t engage in such checks and balances, they will let the system off. We have many of them that have been blocked,” he said. He alleged that some of the fraudulent agents used other people’s licences, but at the end of the day, the owner of the licence would be the one to suffer.
Ejesieme enjoined vehicle owners who feel defrauded to visit the customs zonal office to regularise their duty, saying the NCS had opened a window for such an opportunity. “The CG has opened a window in all zonal offices of customs. We have a platform there whereby anybody who wants to regulate his duty payment can stroll in and do so without stress,” he said.

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) are planning a collaboration aimed at boosting the implementation of the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS).

The NSITF Managing Director, Mr. Adebayo Somefun disclosed this when he led the management team of the Fund on a courtesy call to the acting president of the Industrial Court, Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyip.

Mr. Somefun said the collaboration between NSITF and Industrial Court would include addressing matters relating to non-compliance with the provisions of the ECA as well as appeals from any decision of the board, among other matters.

He also said the Fund had embraced the responsibility for payment of compensation to employees or their dependents qualified under the Employees Compensation Act (ECA) 2010 for any death, injury, disease or disability arising out of or in the course of employment.

In his remark, Justice Kanyip while appreciating the gesture called for periodic interactions between NSITF and the court.

My Lord maintained that to show objectivity, such interactions should include stakeholders of the Fund such as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and also stressed the need for enlightenment on the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, that with proper knowledge of the scheme, lawyers would be better equipped to handle cases of industrial disputes.

Credit-Daily Trust

His Lordship, Hon. Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale hails from Lagos State, South-West Nigeria, attended United Anglican Primary, Shekungba, Ejinrin and Lofi Ogunmude Comprehensive College, Ejinrin both in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

With a clear understanding that education plays a pivotal role in future-shaping, My Lord proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State where she obtained Degree in Law, attended Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the Bar as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

In 22 years post-qualification experience, she served as Magistrate Grade 1 Lagos State Judiciary and rose through the ranks to become a Chief Magistrate Grade 11.

In the course of her career as a Magistrate, Hon. Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale served meritoriously in various capacities such as the Co-Ordinating Magistrate of the Special Offences Court, Alausa, Lagos; Coroner for Epe and its environs; Chairman, Family Court covering Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, Ikoyi and its environs and Chief Magistrate in charge of administration in Epe Magisterial District.

My lord worked virtually in all the Magisterial Districts in Lagos leaving a trail of diligence, uprightness, competence and integrity.

In 2017, Justice Ogunbowale was sworn-in by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen as a Judge of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

My Lord has attended professional training and courses both at home and abroad.

Presently, Hon. Justice Opeloye Ogunbowale is of the Ibadan Judicial division of the Court, happily married and blessed with lovely children.