The Kaduna State House of Assembly has set up a fact-finding committee to probe all finances, loans and contract projects awarded under the former Governor Nasiru El-Rufai administration.

The PUNCH reports that Governor Uba Sani, during a town hall meeting on Saturday, lamented the huge debt inherited from his predecessor, El-Rufai, on May 29, 2023.

Sani had said the state was left with a few amounts, not enough to pay salary, adding that his administration inherited a total of $587 million, N85 billion, and 115 contractual liabilities from the ex-governor.

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“Despite the huge debt burden of 587 million dollars, 85 billion naira, and N115 billion in contractual liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.

“We have conducted a thorough assessment of our situation and are sharpening our focus accordingly,” the governor had said.

However, on Tuesday, the state’s Assembly set up a fact-finding committee during plenary, among others, to also investigate the former governor’s top associate and Senior Counsellor on Investment, Jimi Lawal.

Besides, the panel would probe financial dealings, loans and grants and other project implementation from 2015-2023.

The State Assembly also mandated the committee to invite notable personalities including the former speakers of the 8th and 9th Assembly, commissioners of finance, former Managing Directors of Kaduna Markets, and Commissioners of Budget and Planning, among others.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority has suspended the permit of three private jet operators for engaging in commercial flights.

This was according to a Riot Act on the NCAA’s website on Tuesday, signed by the Acting Director General, Captain Chris Najomo.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had on Monday warned private jet operators unlicensed to operate commercial services that their activities were causing the Federal Government a huge loss of revenue.

The minister issued the warning in an interview on Channels TV programme, Newsnight, on Monday.

Keyamo said, “Almost all these private jets are operating commercially resulting in a huge loss of revenue for the Federal Government because the licence to fly a private aircraft privately and the one to fly it commercially is so much.

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“When it is commercial, the money paid to the Federal Government is so much. So, people now take licences from us to say I have just bought a private jet and I want to be using it for my business or to fly my friends and family, and we give them at a very low fee.

“However, the moment they are given, they carry passengers all over Nigeria doing six or eight flights a day. This is a notice to them on camera, I am coming for them because the president has given us a marching order, and we are not going to allow it.

“First, in terms of passengers’ safety, the regulation is low. Second, it is economic sabotage and I won’t allow that to happen. People who are my friends or the president’s friends, we will come down on them and, perhaps, ground all their planes. We will come very hard on them. In a matter of days or weeks, we are going to come down on them because we have to raise revenue for the Federal Government, ensure that the laws are kept and ensure the safety of Nigerians.”

However, expediting action on the warning issued, the acting DG of NCAA in a Riot Act on Tuesday, suspended three jet operators found guilty of engaging in commercial flights.

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The acting DG disclosed that despite several warnings, these jet operators continued to engage in commercial flight operations, hence their suspension.

The message read, “Back in 2023, the use of private jets for commercial purposes had gotten the attention of the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, who issued marching orders for the cessation of such acts.

“Subsequently, in March 2024, the NCAA issued a stern warning to holders of the permit for non-commercial flights, PNCF, against engaging in the carriage of passenger-cargo or mail for hire and reward.

“The Authority had also deployed its officials to monitor activities of private jets at terminals across the airports in Nigeria. As a consequence of this heightened surveillance, no fewer than three private operators have been found to be involved in violation of the annexure provision of their PNCF and Part 91.14 of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”

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Najomo noted that suspending the jet operators for flouting several warnings was in line with the Authority’s zero tolerance for violation of regulations.

He continued, “In line with our zero tolerance for violation of regulations, the Authority has suspended the PNCF of these operators. To further sanitise the general aviation sector, I have directed that a re-evaluation of all holders of PNCF be carried out on or before the 19th of April 2024 to ascertain compliance with regulatory requirements.”

The statement further directed that all holders of the Permit for Non-Commercial Flights should submit relevant documents to the Authority within 72 hours.

It added, “All PNCF holders will be required to submit relevant documents to the authority within the next 72 hours.

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“This riot act is also directed at existing Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders, who utilize aircraft listed on their PNCF for commercial charter operations.

“It must be emphasised that only aircraft listed in the operation specifications of the AOC are authorised to be used in the provision of such charter services. Any of those AOC holders who wish to use the aircraft for charter operations must apply to the NCAA to delist the affected aircraft from the PNCF and include it in the AOC operations specification.

“NCAA wishes to reiterate to the travelling public not to patronise any airline charter operator who does not hold a valid Air Operators Certificate issued by the NCAA when they wish to procure charter operations services.

“Finally, the NCAA encourages the legitimate players in the aviation industry to report the activity of such unscrupulous elements to the authority promptly for necessary action.”

Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has ordered the arrest of one Mr Itoro Monday Uko in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state for contempt of court.

Itoro Uko is said to have abandoned his wife and only child, a two-year-old girl, in the village to live with his girlfriend in Ikot Ekpene Town.

The presiding judge, Justice Ntong Ntong, gave the order after hearing Counsel for the applicant and mother of the child, Barrister Ekom Friday Inwang, following the absence of the contemnor and his Counsel.

The applicant, a private school teacher from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area told the court that apart from neglecting his responsibilities as a father in providing for the needs of his child, the respondent also refused to refund the N200,000 loan she collected for her husband to fix his car since March 2022.

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She said they got married on January 18, 2020 and the marriage was blessed with the first child, after which she got pregnant for the second child when her husband started to beat her, resulting in her first miscarriage.

She also told the court that she got pregnant again for the third time and her husband continued to assault her, adding that she was rushed to a hospital where she spent three nights due to bleeding in May 2022, and her husband never showed up even one day. She added that it was her siblings who financed her medical bills.

She told the court that she had to travel to her village in Mkpat Enin for her mother to take care of her till she fully recovered and that throughout her stay, her husband did not call or visit.

Upon recovery on July 4, 2022, the applicant said she went to her husband’s family home in Itak Ikot Udo, where they were living, to find out why her husband did not visit but to her surprise, the keys to their apartment were changed and she could not enter the house to pick her clothes or that of her child.

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Mrs Itoro Uko said she became aware after the birth of her first child that her husband was keeping multiple sex partners and efforts to get him changed proved abortive.

She said she became pregnant again for the third time, and the act of battery persisted, which prompted her in-laws to advise her to stay with her parents in Mkpat Enin to avoid being killed by her husband.

Counsel to the applicant urged the Court to order the arrest and detention of the respondent for being in contempt of the order of the Court made on April 6, 2023.

Justice Ntong granted the order and commanded “Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police and the Divisional Police Officer, Ikot Ekpene Division, their officers and men in the name of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State and the Inspector General of Police to cause the arrest and detention of Mr Itoro Monday Uko and produce him in court” and adjourned the case to Thursday, April 25, 2024, for hearing.