News
Commissioners: Gov Alia sends 14 names of nominees to Benue Assembly
Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue, has sent 14 names of nominees for screening and possible confirmation as commissioners,, to the Benue House of Assembly.
The Speaker of the house, Mr Hyacinth Dajoh, disclosed this while reading a letter titled “Submission of Commissioner Nominees and Screening” from Alia during plenary on Thursday.
Dajoh, who did not however give the names of the nominees, promised that their names would be revealed on the day of the screening.
He, however, said that the nominees were Benue-born technocrats, who would not fail Benue people if they succeeded in scaling through the screening process.
Speaking to newsmen after plenary, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr Elias Audu (Gwer-East/APC), said the governor had sent in 14 names as against the usual 16.
Audu said the governor might have genuine reasons for his actions which he believed hinged on track records of people who would help him succeed in his administration.
Headline
Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna
Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.
The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.
Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.
Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.
News
Senate approves death penalty for drug traffickers
Senate on Thursday, May 9, approved the death penalty for those convicted on the charge of drug trafficking in the country.
The punishment prescribed in the extant NDLEA Act is a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of a report of the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and Drugs and Narcotics, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
The Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights & Legal Matters presented the report during plenary, Senator Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North).
The bill, which passed its third reading, aims to update the list of dangerous drugs, strengthen the operations of the NDLEA, review penalties, and empower the establishment of laboratories.
Section 11 of the current act prescribes that “any person who, without lawful authority; imports, manufactures, produces, processes, plants or grows the drugs popularly known as cocaine, LSD, heroin or any other similar drugs shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to be sentenced to imprisonment for life” was amended to reflect a stiffer penalty of death.
Although the report did not recommend a death penalty for the offence, during consideration, Senator Ali Ndume moved that the life sentence should be upgraded to the death penalty.
During a clause-by-clause consideration of the Bill, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, put the amendment on the death penalty to a voice vote and ruled that the “ayes” had it.
But Senator Adams Oshiomhole objected to the ruling, saying that the “nays” had it.
He argued that matters of life and death should not be treated hurriedly, but Barau said it was too late, as he failed to call for division immediately after his ruling.
The bill was subsequently read for the third time and passed by the Senate.
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