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SEDC Act: Ohanaeze youths hail Tinubu, Kalu, back call on suspension of agitation
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide has hailed President Bola Tinubu for his assent to the South East Development Commission Bill.
This is also as the group lauded the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, RT Hon Benjamin Kanu for sponsoring the bill, describing him as the new face of hope for the Igbo race.
In a statement made available to journalists on Thursday, the National President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, who eulogized President Tinubu as a man of history, said the signing of the bill had justified the group’s support for Kalu.
Okwu, who said the Commission would accelerate development in the South East region, noted that “this is a landmark step since after the civil war, which will help in bringing rapid development to the South East.
“There is no doubt that the South East has the highest concentration of decayed infrastructure. So, this Commission will go a long way in transforming the level of infrastructure in the zone.”
According to Okwu, “we recall that during the inauguration of the current National Assembly, we stood solidly behind Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu to emerge as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. We saw in him what some others could not see.
“Today, we have been vindicated with the historic signing of this bill, which he sponsored. The SEDC Act is undoubtedly the best thing to have come the way of Ndigbo since the civil war ended 54 years ago.
“We can’t thank the Deputy Speaker less for his foresight, for pushing through what other lawmakers from the zone could not achieve tens of years ago.”
The Igbo group then asked their kinsmen to heed to Kalu’s appeal for an end to every form of agitation in the region.
This comes as Kalu at a press conference on Wednesday, called on his Igbo kinsmen to stop agitation.
Okwu, who said the call was in order, noted that the current federal government, having taken the first major step towards addressing cries of marginalization in the zone, there was no longer any need for any form of agitation or protest in the region.
“We want to reiterate our call that no Igbo man should participate in the planned nationwide protest.
“In line with the call by the Distinguished Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Kalu, we also advocate that every form of protest and agitation should end forthwith.
“This is as the bill will address the key issues of concern to Ndigbo, as it centres on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damage suffered by the region as a result of the effect of the civil war after 54 years.
“We, therefore, call on all Ndigbo to key behind the Rt Hon Benjamin Kanu, the new face of hope for the Igbo race, as we are sure of having our demands met through him under the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Okwu further stated.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared four individuals wanted over the alleged fraud perpetrated on crypto bridge exchange (CBEX), a trading platform.
The four suspects are Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, and Seyi Oloyede.
More to follow…
The Oodua Integrity Group, a Nigerian civil society organisation, has called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun to investigate and arrest an alleged gun runner, land grabber,popularly called then insert Lucky Blessings Abuah aka bullets of Achala Ibusa village operating in Asaba and Ibuzor, Delta State, accusing him of orchestrating criminal activities with the aid of rogue police officers.
Tosin Olaoluwa, the group’s South-South coordinator, made the appeal following intelligence gathered from concerned residents.
The suspect, identified as Achala Ibusa but popularly known as “Bullet,” is accused of running a network involving illegal arms trafficking, land grabbing, and cult-related activities.
Olaoluwa claimed Bullet operates with the protection of police officers from Rivers State, in violation of regulations prohibiting officers from working outside their command without approval.
According to the group, four AK-47 rifles were recently discovered hidden in a house in Ibuzor.
Two mobile police officers guarding the property reportedly distanced themselves from the find, raising suspicions of their involvement with Bullet, who is allegedly a leader of the Viking cult.
The Oodua Integrity Group further alleged that an assistant commissioner of police is complicit in Bullet’s activities.
The group highlighted that up to 10 mobile police officers are attached to Bullet, despite IGP Egbetokun’s recent directive to withdraw such personnel from individuals not legally entitled to their services.
“We urge the IGP to take immediate action to arrest the culprit in the interest of the general public,” Olaoluwa said, describing Bullet as a miscreant exploiting government security agents to perpetrate crimes.
In a separate incident, the group claimed that security agents from an agency in Abuja, acting on intelligence, were prevented from arresting Bullet by his police escorts.
The officers, reportedly from Rivers State, allegedly used tear gas and fired shots to obstruct the operation.
The Oodua Integrity Group warned that Bullet’s activities, including stockpiling AK-47s and other weapons in Asaba and Ibuzor, pose a significant threat to public safety.
They called for a thorough investigation into the allegations and the immediate apprehension of those involved.
The Nigeria Police Force has yet to respond to the allegations. Efforts to reach a spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
The competition and consumer protection tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement on Friday by Ondaje Ijagwu, the agency’s director for corporate affairs, FCCPC said the tribunal also awarded $35,000 to the commission as the cost of investigation.
On July 19, 2024, FCCPC imposed a fine of $220 million on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, for multiple data privacy violations.
However, Meta said it would appeal the fine.
The case stemmed from a 38-month joint investigation by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the privacy practices and consumer data policies of WhatsApp and Meta.
Delivering judgment on Thursday in Abuja, the tribunal led by Thomas Okosun ruled that the FCCPC acted within its constitutional and statutory powers in investigating and sanctioning the companies for alleged anti-competitive and exploitative practices.
The tribunal dismissed the appeals filed by Meta and WhatsApp, which challenged the legal basis of the commission’s findings and orders.
Instead, it upheld the commission’s position on nearly all contested issues.
Gbolahan Elias (SAN) led WhatsApp and Meta’s legal teams, while Babatunde Irukera led the FCCPC’s legal team.
According to the statement, both teams had made their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28.
‘FCCPC ADHERED TO DUE PROCESS’
The tribunal, in its ruling, found that the FCCPC adhered to due process and acted within the law.
It resolved issues one to seven primarily in favour of the commission.
“The Tribunal resolved Issues 1 to 7 largely in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the Commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence,” the statement reads.
“One of the central issues (Issue 3), which alleged a breach of fair hearing, was decided in favour of the Commission, with the Tribunal affirming that the FCCPC fully discharged its quasi-judicial responsibilities by affording the appellants ample opportunity to respond.
“The Tribunal found no violation of constitutional due process.
“On Issue 4, which questioned the Commission’s powers in data protection and privacy, the Tribunal held that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate, reaffirming its authority under Section 104 of the FCCPA to regulate competition and consumer protection even in regulated industries.
“On Issue 5, which challenged the Commission’s findings regarding Meta’s privacy policies, the tribunal also resolved in the FCCPC’s favour.
“The Tribunal found no error in the Commission’s conclusions and held that the privacy policy in question did, in fact, offend Nigerian law.
“While issue 7 was largely resolved in favour of the commission, the tribunal set aside Order 7 of the commission’s final order, stating that it lacked sufficient legal basis.”
Commenting on the judgment, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the FCCPC, welcomed the ruling, describing it as a landmark judgment reinforcing the commission’s mandate to protect consumers and ensure fair market practices.
He commended the commission’s legal team for their diligence.
Bello reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to enforcing the provisions of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) in line with President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.