Headlines
Coronavirus: NASS Resumes Plenary Today Amid Tension
There was tension among National Assembly workers, journalists and staff of private establishments within the complex on Monday as the federal lawmakers prepare to resume plenary today (Tuesday).
The Presidency’s letter to the leadership of the federal parliament alleging that some lawmakers failed to undergo screening at the airport, on arrival from a foreign trip recently, caused anxiety among the people at the complex on Monday.
Already journalists covering the Senate have vowed to steer clear of their press centre on Tuesday because of the danger in sitting at the overcrowded facility with no feasible ventilation.
Staff of the banks within the complex said they would attend to customers but with the highest conformity to the rules on social distancing and provision of hand sanitizer for customers.
The greatest fear among some members of the National Assembly staff was whether the federal lawmakers, who just returned from foreign trips would be part of the plenary today.
A few of them, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, urged the leadership of the two chambers to excuse the affected legislators from coming to the office or attend plenary immediately.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Senate, Senator Godiya Akwashiki, said he was not aware if his colleagues had gone for the coronavirus test.
He also said he could not confirm if the affected senators would attend plenary.
Akwashiki said, “There is no way that I will know if the affected senators have gone for the test or not because they don’t report to me.
“I can also not confirm if they would be part of the plenary tomorrow (Tuesday) because I have no such information.”
Akwashiki had told journalists covering the Senate to bear with the leadership of the red chamber over the poor state of ever crowded facility, pledging that something would be done about it soon.
He had said, “There is no way we can close down the Press Centre. Doing so will mean closing down the Senate chamber too.”
There were, however, strong indications on Monday that the leadership of the two chamber would adjourn plenary as from Tuesday (today) as part of the measure to curb the alarming spread of COVID-19.
The Punch
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the son of a former Jigawa State governor, challenging the decision of the trial court, which convicted him for failing to declare $40,000 at Kano airport.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court panel dismissed the appeal of Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of former governor Sule Lamido, for lack of merit.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Aminu on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while preparing to travel to Cairo, Egypt.
The prosecution said Aminu declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but was found with an additional $40,000, which was not disclosed on his currency declaration form.
The EFCC charged him before the Federal High Court in Kano on a one-count offence of false declaration of foreign currency, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
On July 12, 2015, the court convicted Aminu and ordered him to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal government.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aminu approached the Court of Appeal in Kaduna to overturn the conviction and set aside the forfeiture order.
In a judgment delivered on December 7, 2015, however, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former governor Lamido, his two sons, and others, over alleged N1.35billion fraud, should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments, in the two appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submission filed by the Lamidos and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
Both appeals were against the July 25, 2023, judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the no-case submission made by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on which they were being prosecuted, on the grounds that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the earlier decision by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions by Lamido and others and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as a governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The other defendants charged alongside Lamido are his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
