News

NUJ urges members to obey traffic rules, educate public

Published

9 months ago

September 2, 2023

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has urged its members to obey all traffic rules and help to educate members of the public to adhere strictly to the rules in Enugu State.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of NUJ Enugu State Council Monthly Congress held on Thursday in Enugu.

The communique also advised the state Ministry of Transport to operate within the established rules guiding the ministry.

“NUJ Enugu State Council, led by Comrade Sam Udekwe, after deliberating on the welfare of members and ways to improve its function as the fourth estate of the realm, came up with the following resolutions:

“The Congress stresses the need to maintain cordial relationship between journalists in the state and the Enugu State Police Command by paying a courtesy visit to the new state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu.

“NUJ urges the state government to be up an doing on the issue of security, especially at Enugu-Ezike area of Igboeze North LGA, as well as other parts of the state.

“This is especially where kidnapping, killings and other forms of crimes seem to have overwhelmed the people,” it said.

The statement also reiterated the need for the state government to include journalists working in the state in its palliative distribution programme to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The communique was signed by Comrade Ifeoma Amuta, Secretary of NUJ Enugu State Council.

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

5 days ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

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

Published

1 week ago

May 9, 2024

Alero Danjuma

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.