News
Judge orders Nigerian professor’s arrest over electoral fraud
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday, ordered the arrest of a Nigerian professor, accused of election fraud, for being absent during judgment.
Ignatius Uduk, a professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Uyo, is being prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on charges of perjury and announcing and publishing false results during the 2019 general elections in Essien Udim State Constituency, where he served as the returning officer.
The judge, Bassey Nkanang, adjourned the case for an hour after the defendant and his counsel failed to announce their appearance.
The prosecution counsel, Clement Onwuenweunor and an INEC official had announced their appearances in court.
When the hearing resumed, Justice Nkanang proceeded after a lawyer the judge asked to call the defence counsel informed the court that the lawyer said he was not feeling fine and had asked him to hold a brief for him if the judgment is taken today.
The lawyer, Ndifreke Inyangette, said the defence counsel communicated with him via a text message.
In his submission, the prosecution counsel prayed to the court to revoke the defendant’s bail and issue a fresh bench warrant for the professor.
Mr Inyangette said the court could deliver judgment. If convicted, sentencing can be taken at a later date.
He further informed the court that the defendant was ill, of which the judge admitted that the court was aware and had received medical reports.
Justice Nkanang, in his ruling, granted the relief of the prosecution counsel: he revoked the earlier bail granted to the defendant. He issued a fresh bench warrant before adjourning the case to 5 February for judgment.
Backstory
The professor was first arraigned in December 2020 after an arrest warrant was issued against him the previous month for repeated failures to appear for the commencement of the trial.
The professor had pleaded not guilty to the three charges slammed on him by the Nigeria electoral body.
The case has witnessed a series of delays because of several factors, including a change of defence counsel and the defendant’s collapsing in the dock during cross-examination.
…attributes low revenue in 2024 to lack of 5G Sales
By Gloria Ikibah
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set a revenue target of $1 billion in 2025, leveraging the introduction of 6G spectrum and other advanced technologies.
This was disclosed by NCC’s Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice Chairman, Aminu Maida, and Director of Financial Services, Yakubu Gontor, during the 2024 budget review and 2025 proposal defense before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Communications on Thursday, in Abuja.
For 2025, the NCC projects a total revenue of N272.433 billion, with key components including, N205.7 billion from operating levies, N49.784 billion from spectrum fees and additional revenue from other sources.
On expenditure, the NCC plans N95.668 billion for recurrent expenses, N10.735 billion for capital projects and N30.13 billion for special projects. The total projected expenditure stands at N136.534 billion, with an estimated N120.836 billion to be remitted to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
Maida revealed that in 2024, the NCC generated N195.8 billion, with N111 billion remitted to the CRF. The breakdown of earnings included, N137.6 billion from annual operating fees and N26.4 billion from spectrum fees. But the NCC said it fell short of its N292.3 billion revenue target for the year, primarily due to the inability to auction a slot of the 5G spectrum.
Gontor explained that telecom companies’ reluctance to purchase additional 5G spectrum licenses significantly impacted revenue.
He however noted that two major operators already hold 5G licenses but are underutilizing them, and the third-largest operator, expected to buy a slot, opted out, citing business expansion priorities.
Additionally, despite a 50 percent increase in telecom tariffs, the NCC does not anticipate a major revenue boost from spectrum sales, as telecom firms are prioritizing service improvements over spectrum investments.
Co-Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Ikrah Bilbis, noted that the NCC’s presentation will guide lawmakers in assessing the commission’s plans and improving its performance in 2025.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Thursday said its tower T195 along the Ugwuaji–Makurdi 330 kV transmission line was vandalised on Saturday.
TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, in a statement in Abuja, said that the vandalism took place at Watuolo village, Utonkon, in Ado Local Government Area of Benue.
Mbah, however, said that the vandalism was thwarted by the vigilance of the community members, who at about 3 a.m. noticed suspicious activity around the tower.
She said that the community members promptly apprehended one of the suspected vandals while the others escaped and handed him over to the police.
”TCN commends the people of Watuolo village for their swift action and vigilance.
”We equally appeal to communities hosting critical infrastructure to emulate this example and take ownership of protecting transmission installations in their vicinity.
As we continue to work with security operatives and host communities against vandalism, we appeal for more vigilance by the residents in the communities, who we believe are very critical in this fight,” she said.
(NAN)
A Gwagwalada Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Thursday sentenced two lovers, Mohammed Nazifi, 30, and Bilkisu Ibrahim, 25, to three months imprisonment each for adultery.
The police charged the lovers with a one-count charge of adultery by man and woman, to which they pleaded guilty.
Nazifi pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, saying he was a married man with little children to take care of.
Ibrahim also begged the court for mercy, saying she had a 3-year-old child and an aged mother, who depended on her.
The Magistrate, Olatunji Oladunmoye, had previously remanded the convicts in order for them to provide a witness that would vouch for their conduct of good character.
He finally sentenced them when they could not provide any.
Oladunmoye sentenced the lovers to 3 months imprisonment each with an option of N25,000 fine each.
The magistrate said the essence of the punishment was not to ruin or destroy the convicts but to reform them.
He added that it would also serve as a deterrent to anyone who wanted to toe the same path.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Dabo Yakubu, told the court that the complainant, Mr Dayabe Abdullahi of Chibiri village, Kuje, Abuja, reported the matter at the Area Command, Gwagwalada, Abuja on Jan. 16.
Yakubu said that the convicts conspired and had sexual intercourse, and both confessed to the crime in their statements.
He said that the offence contravened the provisions of sections 387 and 388 of the Penal Code.
According to him, sections 387 and 388 refer to a man or a woman subject to customary law where extra-marital sexual intercourse is recognised as a criminal offence.
“If the man or woman has sexual intercourse with anyone other than his spouse, he/she is guilty of adultery and shall be punished with imprisonment for a term. The term may extend to two years or with fine or with both,” he said.
NAN
NCC Targets $1bn Revenue In 2025 With 6G Spectrum, New Technologies
Total Blackout Looms As Vandals, Again, Attack Transmission Line – TCN
Lovers jailed 3 months for adultery in FCT
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