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Obaseki wants Benin Bronzes stolen by colonisers returned without conditions

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Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has called on all foreign holders of Benin Bronzes to return them to Nigeria without having to deal with the stress of conditions set by institutions that acquired them immorally.

Artefacts stolen from the old Benin Kingdom during a British invasion in 1897 have been scattered all over the world, displayed in museums and other institutions in the United States, United Kingdom and the rest of Europe.

 

Over the past few years, many institutions across the world have started to cave to the pressure of returning these artefacts to their real owners. However, the negotiations to return them often come with conditions set by the illegal owners to assure them the real owners plan to adequately preserve and even display the artefacts in public.

 

Obaseki told journalists in Lagos on Sunday, October 15, 2023 the artefacts must return to Nigeria simply by virtue of ownership, and not based on any other conditions.

 

“They belong to us and must be transferred first before we decide on how and where they’re held. Where they should be returned to is not the business of the holders,” the 66-year-old said.

 

While the Nigerian government has led engagement with the international community for the return of the artefacts, the issue of who controls them has caused division locally, especially between the Benin royal family and the Obaseki-led State Government. Because the artefacts were looted from the palace before Edo became a Nigerian entity, the royal family has insisted it must be in charge of the returned artefacts, a position the government disagrees with.

 

While the government’s plan is for the artefacts to be displayed at the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) in Edo, the Oba of Benin has other plans, and received a boost to his claims with a public show of support from Muhammadu Buhari, weeks before the end of his presidency. The outgoing president said all the returned artefacts should be handed over to the king who is “responsible for the management of all places” they’re kept.

 

Obaseki said on Sunday the local control battle should not get in the way of the retrieval of the artefacts and even accused foreigners of stirring the conflict.

 

The governor said, “It’s not an issue of Obaseki or anyone else, but about Nigerian and our sovereignty. I hope we continue the conversations along those lines and ignore politics which has deliberately been planted by the foreigners to create confusion to hold back these pieces. All the things you see in the paper today about all sorts of instruments created is just a distraction. The key thing is the works belong to us and you must send them back to us.”

 

Numerous institutions in the United Kingdom, United States, and Germany have already announced plans to return the artefacts but only a handful have returned.

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Nigerian Navy arrests Motor Tanker VINNALARIS 1 Lagos for crude oil theft

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The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base, IGBOKODA in Ondo State, has arrested 77-meter-long Motor Tanker (MT) VINNALARIS 1 LAGOS in the early hours of Thursday 7 December 2023 at about 3.00am.

 

A Statement by the Nigerian Navy spokeperson Commodore Ayo Vaughn said the vessel had 17 crew members onboard at the time of arrest and was caught engaging in illegal siphoning of crude oil from one of the well heads at EBESAN oil field about 7 nautical miles off the coast of Awoye riverine community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

 

He said the apprehension of the vessel was based on credible intelligence received by the Base on the illegal activities of crude oil thieves at the location which informed the swift deployment of FOB IGBOKODA personnel to enforce the arrest of the vessel and her crew.

 

The vessel, MT VINNALARIS 1 LAGOS, has a storage capacity of about 15,000 metric tonnes and as at the time of arrest had loaded about 500 Metric tonnes of crude oil.

 

The statement further added, “it is believed that Tantita Security Service TSS is involved in the illegalities because Awoye riverine area which is close to the place of arrest is covered by TSS.” Vaughan noted that it was upon the arrest of the vessel by the Nigerian Navy that TSS began to raise false alarm, which the Navy described as totally unfounded and mischievous.

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NJC RECOMENDS ELEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE, HEADS OF COURT 

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The National Judicial Commision has recommended the appointment of 11 Supreme Court Justices, one Justice of Court of Appeal, 6 Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers.

 

This was the consencus at the Councils 104 Meeting after considering the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee

 

 

According to a statement signed by the Director Of Information, Soji Oye, the council after much deliberations, recommended Justice Hannatu Sankey, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Haruna Tsammani and

Justice Aseimo Adumein as Supreme court Justices.

 

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Jamilu Tukur, Justice Abubakar Umar, and Justice Mohammed Idris.

 

The NJC also recommended Justice Mohammed Ramat as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

 

Some heads of court nominated are Justice Joel Agya, as the Chief Judge Taraba State,

Justice Umar Abubakar, Chief Judge of Taraba State amongst others.

 

The Council has said that all recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

 

NJC has also noted that the various Heads of Court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various State Governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective State Houses of Assembly.

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

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EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied comments by it’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede which labelled seventy percent of Nigerian Students as internet fraudsters.

 

 

 

While stating this in a Statement by the Head, Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the Commission says it is a misrepresentation of the concerns of the Chairman of the EFCC to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving Youths across the Country.

 

 

 

It explains that its Chairman had called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud at a meeting with Representatives of the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that paid him a visit in Abuja.

 

 

 

Olukoyede says that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless the trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of Nigeria may be threatened and if it continues in the next ten years, seven out ten of the youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.

 

 

The EFCC says that at no time did its Chairman mentioned that “seven out of ten” Nigerian students are criminals” as widely reported.

 

 

 

The Commission assures the public that its Chairman is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian Youths and underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.

 

 

The Statement added that the concerns of the EFCC Chairman bothers on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

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