Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:
1. The Senate on Wednesday passed the 2016 budget. This followed a motion by Senator Danjuma Goje who said that the N6.07trillion be considered for fianl passage. The motion was seconded by Senator Andy Uba. After been satisfied with sectoral explanations which show that the nation stands to benefit from the proposal, the senate passed the budget into law.
2. The Police Service Commission, has officially unveiled a portal for the recruitment of 10,000 additional officers of men of the Nigeria Police. The commission has therefore warned against any form of shortcut during the exercise. The recruitment, will begin on April 1, 2016. The chairman of the commission and former Inspector-General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro, unveiled the recruitment portal in Abuja.
3. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Wednesday told Justice Baba Yusuf of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, that the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), refused to be brought to court for his trial. The reason given was, however, that the senior lawyers defending him were not available. Report says his lead counsels, Messrs Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Ahmed Raji (SAN), were not in court.
4. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, on Wednesday, said regardless of the federal government’s effort to end the ongoing fuel scarcity across the country, queues might not disappear from filling stations until about two months. He said he was not a magician, as such, could not eliminate fuel queues with a magic wand.
5. The management of Babington Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, has said a suspects arrested in connection with the abduction of its three students has asked the school to forgive him and pray for him. This was disclosed by the school Principal, Venerable Olaoluwa Adeyemi yesterday, while addressing the staff and parents of the school immediately after the end of the term thanksgiving service by the school. He said the unnamed suspect had been sending text messages, begging for forgiveness and prayers.
6. The Federal Government Wednesday afternoon released Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, the former Military Assistant to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. Report claims he has now been reunited with his family after over 3 months in EFCC custody.
7. A United Kingdom based Islamic advocacy organisation known as the Islamic Human Rights Commission, IHRC, has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari before the International Criminal Court, ICC, following the killings of about 1,000 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, by the military in December 2015. The organisation also dragged the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Burutai before the ICC while also demanding that the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the Emir of Zaria, Shehu Idris, be probed for human rights violation and crimes against humanity.
8. The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress,TUC, on Wednesday gave governor Nasir El-Rufai seven days ultimatum to stop further verification exercise of workers in the state as well as other anti labour exercises. The unions also asked governor El-Rufai to pay all backlogs of salaries owed workers in the state or face the wrath of organized labour unions and civil society organizations in the state.
9. Following the passage of the 2016 Appropriation Bill, the Presidency on Wednesday commended the National Assembly for the good job. Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, told newsmen at a press briefing in Abuja that the expeditious consideration and passage of the bill was laudable.
10. In continuation of the offensive against remnants of Boko Haram terrorists, troops of 7 Division Garrison and 112 Battalion, assisted by some Civilian JTF, on Wednesday conducted clearing operations at Menari, Bulamari, Zangebe, Maafa, Mijigine, Baale and Kaltaram villages in Mafa Local Government Area. Report says during the raid, 5 Boko Haram members were killed, while 180 persons and their cattle held hostage by the sect at Giltimari and Baale were rescued. Army spokesman, Sani Usman made the disclosure in a statement.
