News

Petition: ‘It’s Fundamental Human Right,’ EDOCSO Tackles CP

Published

3 years ago

August 13, 2022

Editor

The Edo Civil Society Organisation, EDOCSO, has faulted a statement credited to the state Commissioner of Police, Abutu Yaro, that only petitions written by legal practitioners (lawyers) in the state would be entertained by his office.

The CP had reportedly held meeting with some set of persons wherein he made his position known on who has right to petition him in the state, a position that was backed up by a statement of commendation by the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Benin branch.

But the Interim Technical Executive Council (TEC) Chairman, EDOCSO, Comrade Austin Enabulele, in a press conference in Benin on Saturday during the civil society organisation’s general assembly, noted that the CP was wrong to have said only lawyers have right to petition his office, adding that petition, just like letter writing, is a fundamental human right that anyone is entitled to.

Quoting in verbatim Section 89(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act on who and who is entitled to write petition, the Chairman said: “A complaint may be made by the complainant in person, or legal practitioner representing him, or by any person authorized in that behalf,” adding that the Command has a responsibility to treat such petition appropriately.

Comrade Enabulele called on the Commissioner of Police to urgently refute the publication of ‘thank you for making petition writing exclusive to us’ made by the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin branch, if truly he did not make such pronouncement.

The Chairman who said civil society organisations have in the past enjoyed robust collaboration with past CPs in the state and more so the NBA, Benin branch, urged the CP not to cause rift between CSOs and lawyers in the state and that CP Yaro should not to be different in the collaboration.

Members of EDOCSO at the general assembly of the organization in Benin on Saturday.

“The publication of the NBA to the effect that, the COMPOL has decided to entertain petitions from only lawyers MUST be refuted or else it becomes accepted as the true position from the COMPOL and we the people shall resist such abuse of public officer in words and actions to save our society from retrogression to the state of nature,” he added.

While condemning the manners at which the CP has “consistently denigrated the civil society community in Edo state either by abusive statements, sending them out of his office or charging matters to court once the presence of civil society is observed,” Comrade Enabulele added, “Majority of the activists in Edo state, especially members of Edo Civil Society Organisations EDOCSO, are highly educated and well to do individuals and a handful are employers of labour.” (Sic)

He added: “They are not jobless as speculated by our CP Abutu Yaro but only driven by sheer passion by creating time to assisting the weak and voiceless, engaging institutions and government for an egalitarian society beneficial to all.”

News

FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

Published

1 hour ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

3 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

3 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.