Queen Elizabeth returns to public stage detailing UK govt’s new agenda

Queen Elizabeth II opened a new session of parliament on Tuesday, in her first public appearance since the funeral of her late husband Prince Philip, as she revealed the Conservative government’s post-pandemic legislative agenda.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson, buoyant after his party’s triumph in local and regional elections in England last week, is vowing to deliver on his mantra to “build back better” with a wide-ranging raft of policies.

But he faces renewed questions over the UK’s cohesion after pro-independence forces won a majority in elections to the Scottish parliament with pledges to hold another referendum on breaking away from the centuries-old union.

Johnson’s government, after rolling out a successful coronavirus vaccination drive, is intent on reopening the economy and refocusing on long-term promises to “level up” prosperity across Britain.

“My government’s priority is to deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the United Kingdom stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before,” the 95-year-old monarch said in a speech from a gilded throne in the upper House of Lords.

Borders focus
The Queen said the government would introduce an environment bill to set legally binding emissions targets as Britain prepares to host the UN’s COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in November.

A “counter-state threats bill”, meanwhile, will provide the security services with tools to tackle hostile activity by foreign states and foreign actors.

New measures will also aim to strengthen Britain’s borders and deter “criminals who facilitate dangerous and illegal journeys”, after rising numbers of asylum-seekers coming on boats across the Channel from France.

Tightening immigration rules and securing borders were vote-winning promises of Johnson’s campaign for leaving the European Union in Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, as well as in securing his thumping 2019 election win.

But by differentiating between asylum-seekers who enter by legal channels and those who enter Britain from “safe” destinations like France, the government has provoked anger among refugee groups.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR has said the proposals could breach international law and be “expensive and hard to implement”.

But Johnson’s spokesman has insisted the plans comply with all laws.

Meanwhile, ministers will legislate to address racial and ethnic disparities, ban gay conversion therapy, enhance animal rights and help more people to own their own home.

The government will also implement the fastest-ever increase in public funding for research and development and establish an advanced research agency.

‘Historic opportunity’
Normally an annual event replete with five centuries of tradition and pageantry, which last occurred in late 2019 amid political acrimony over Brexit, the monarch’s state opening of parliament was scaled back this year due to the pandemic.

This meant far fewer attendees and the Queen travelled to Westminster by car instead of in a horse-drawn carriage. She also wore a powder-blue day dress and feathered hat instead of robes and a crown.

Only a select few from parliament’s two chambers were allowed to attend to maintain social distancing, and those present needed to have tested negative for Covid.

The Queen — Britain’s longest-serving monarch — was accompanied by her 72-year-old son and heir, Prince Charles, as she returned to public duties three weeks after the Duke of Edinburgh was laid to rest. He died last month, aged 99.

Johnson said separately that countering coronavirus remained the “number one priority” but insisted the recovery provided a “historic opportunity to change things for the better”.

“As the United Kingdom gets back on its feet, we will turbo-charge our economic recovery in every part of our country, increasing and spreading opportunity,” he added.

Union future
In her speech, written by the government, the Queen also detailed plans to “strengthen the economic ties across the union”, in part by improving national infrastructure.

The monarch’s role is to stay above the political fray but the future of her kingdom could be at stake after the election results north of the border gave new impetus to the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP).

When Scots last voted on the question of quitting the UK in 2014, Queen Elizabeth issued a guarded remark for voters to “think very carefully about the future”.

They opted against independence then, and Johnson’s flat rejection of SNP demands for a fresh referendum threatens to open a new constitutional crisis in the queen’s post-Brexit realm.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday that it would be “absurd and completely outrageous” for the UK Supreme Court to have to step in and adjudicate on any referendum’s legality.

Okorocha urges FG to reduce hunger, says Nigerians are angry

Former Imo State governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has urged the Nigerian government to change its approach in the fight against insecurity and economic problems.

Okorocha identified injustice and poverty as the main factors responsible for the current level of insecurity in Nigeria.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator said if the government hopes to lower the level of anger in the land, it must begin to tackle every sense of injustice and do all that is possible to make the people happy.

Okorocha made this statement when he joined the Ona of Abaji and hundreds of other Muslim faithful especially the needy and less privileged in the breaking of their Ramadan fast on Monday in Abuja.

The former Imo State governor said over 75% of Nigerian citizens are angry at the turn of events in the country, adding that nothing useful can come out of a country with so much bitterness and anger.

“You can’t solve a problem unless you know the causative. The cause of our Nigerian problem lies in injustice and poverty and the quicker the government moves to address the issue of injustice, the better it is for our nation to reduce the level of anger on the nation,” Okorocha said.

“Yes, things are not okay with our nation. Yes, we have big challenges but we must never give up on this nation called Nigeria and I believe a new Nigeria will soon be born.”

He said what the country needs to find is a new approach to the situation that will replace anger with love.

“If abuses and anger could have helped this nation; I’m sure by now we would have solved this problem,” Okorocha said. “So we must change our style as a nation, imbibe the spirit of brotherhood, prayers and love.”

Okorocha advised the government to apply more dialogue than the use of deadly weapons against insurgents and bandits in the country.

“I appeal that the Nigerian government must change our style. It appears the old style of force and use of modern equipment to fight our insurgents have not helped us. It is increasing rather in geometric proportion despite the efforts of government,” Okorocha said.

PHOTOS: Bishop Oyedepo, others present as Pastor Dare Adeboye is laid to rest

 

Pastor Dare Adeboye, the third son of Pastor Enoch Adeboye has been laid to rest. Dare died in his sleep on May 4, 2021, in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria.

His funeral mass which held at the Redemption Camp was officiated by Bishop David Oyedepo, the General Overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide.

Pastor Dare left behind a wife and children.

See more photos below:

Distracted nurse gives woman six doses of Covid-19 vaccine in a single shot

 A 23-year-old Italian woman who was mistakenly given six doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine all at once was released from a hospital on Monday, 10 May, without having suffered any apparent adverse reactions, local health authorities said. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at the Noa Hospital in Massa, in Tuscany.

According to CBS News, the patient was kept under observation for approximately 24 hours in the hospital’s emergency room. Doctors said she was given fluids and anti-inflammatory and fever medications as preventative measures.

“This person at this time will certainly not have side effects,” said Dr. Antonella Vicenti, director of infectious diseases at Noa Hospital. She said Pfizer studies had shown that people who receive up to 5-times the normal dosage did not suffer any consequences. She also said that patients in Israel and Germany who had accidentally been given 5-times the usual dosage also showed no adverse reactions.

“The patient did not have a fever and did not have any pain except for pain at the inoculation site, nor any other manifestations,” said Vincenti. “She was a bit frightened, thus we preferred to keep her here until this morning.”

Vincenti said it remained to be seen what long-term effects if any, the overdose might have on the young woman’s antibody levels, and thus her immune response to the coronavirus. She said the hospital would test her blood regularly to monitor her immune response and determine whether she should still get the scheduled second dose after a number of weeks.

Dr. Tommaso Bellandi, director of patient security for the northwest Tuscany health authority, said the accident occurred because the nurse had an attention lapse.

“This is something that should never happen,” he said. “Unfortunately, due to our limits as human beings, as well as organizational limits, these things can happen.”

He said the hospital had launched an investigation to review safety procedures.

Bellandi explained that each vial of the Pfizer vaccine contains six doses, which must be individually extracted and placed in separate vials, where they are then diluted. The nurse administering the vaccine on Sunday mistakenly injected all of the liquid from an undiluted vial.

“She thought that the dilution had taken place,” said Bellandi. “They are both transparent liquids of the same density. Unfortunately, this contributed to the error,” he said.

The nurse immediately realized her error and alerted the patient as well as the attending physician, who at once began monitoring the young woman for adverse reactions. Local health authorities and the patient’s family were immediately notified, too.

Bellandi said the incident occurred on an extremely busy day, during a period in which health workers were trying to administer as many vaccine doses as possible.

“I’m not trying to justify something that we hoped would never happen,” he said. “We are extremely regretful, especially towards the young woman.”

Bellandi said the nurse and the attending doctor were “heartbroken” at what had occurred, and a psychologist described them as “traumatized” by the event.

Insecurity: Police ban personnel from escorting principals to South-East states

Owing to the incessant attacks on police and other security formations in the South-East, the Nigerian Police Force (Delta State Command) has issued a red alert, urging its personnel to refrain from escorting their principals to states in the region.

According to a wireless message sighted by The Street Journal, the police accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its security outfit of being behind the frequent attacks on security operatives.

The message which originated from the Delta Police Command and addressed to the Chief Security Officer of the Delta State Government House, Chief Superintendents of Police and other line officers, partly read:

“Sequel to the incessant attacks and snatching of arms and ammunition by the proscribed IPOB and ESN elements in the eastern states of Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo and Rivers States, the COMPOL DOPS directs you warn personnel of yours that escort of their principals to the six (6) eastern states is suspended forthwith until the security situation improves.

“Ensure strict compliance, please.”

The security situation in the South-East has deteriorated over the last few months with several policemen and operatives of the Nigerian Military being killed and their weapons carted away.

Both IPOB and ESN have continued to claim innocent despite the federal government pointing accusing fingers at them.

Similarly, several police stations across the South-East, including Nsukka, Nnewi, Obosi, Orlu, Onitsha, Aba and many others have come under attacks, a development that has led to the death of many police officers and vandalization of security facilities.

Yoruba actor, Olumide Olajide arrested for defrauding traders with fake bank alerts

One Olumide Olajide who claims to be a Yoruba film actor has been arrested for allegedly defrauding traders with fake bank alerts in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Olajide was paraded at the Police Command Headquarters alongside his partner, Wemimo Adeyanju, a Higher National Diploma student in one of the polytechnics in the South-West.

Speaking on how he was able to generate fake bank alerts, Olajide said he would ask for the account numbers and names of the sellers after buying goods from them, after which he would use the information to generate their details by dialing the USSD code of his bank.

After generating the recipient’s name, he said he would alter the old bank alert sent to him by his bank and change the date and the amount, and resend the same to the recipient. According to him, the fake alert sent will show on the recipient’s phone as a genuine alert from his bank.

“I did it just three times before I was arrested. After seeing the alert, they would allow me to go away with the goods paid for with the fake bank alert. I went to another shop and a woman recognized me through the display photograph on my WhatsApp and raised the alarm,” PUNCH quoted Olajide as saying.

Police sources told the publication that Olajide had an app on his phone through which he was generating fake bank alerts to defraud traders.

Wemimo added that he went out with the prime suspect. He admitted that Olajide used the fake bank alert to purchase some items on an occasion that he accompanied him.

“He did it once. He was the one who did it, but I followed him that day,” Wemimo Adeyanju stated.

Soldier shoots fruit seller dead after refusing to pay for banana

 

The family of a fruit seller identified as Abdulkadir Musa has been thrown into mourning after he was shot dead by a soldier in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital.

According to PUNCH, the unidentified soldier shot the fruit seller for refusing him to go away with his bunch of bananas without paying for them.

The father of the deceased, Alhaji Mustafa Musa, told the publication that two soldiers went to his son’s fruit stand on Sunday and purchased a bunch of bananas.

According to Alhaji Mustapha, when the soldiers paid for the bunch, they tried to collect another one for free and this led to a squabble.

“They bought a bunch of banana for N300 and instead of them taking the one they paid for, they also took another one and wanted to go with it, but my son did not allow them to do so.

“When they insisted that they must go with the bunch of bananas, the fruit vendor rushed to the police station, which was very close to the scene of the incident, and reported the case, and the two soldiers were arrested, but they were released shortly after,” the fruit seller’s father said.

Mustafa added that immediately the soldiers were released, one of them went home, fetched a gun and returned to the scene, and shot the fruit vendor.

“My son was shot in the back and we took him to the Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, but unfortunately, he lost his life,” Mustafa said.

The father added that he reported the issue to all relevant authorities, including the Human Rights Commission, so that action could be taken against the soldier, who killed his son.

Four men arrested for allegedly kidnapping 13-year-old girl

Four members of a kidnap syndicate, have been arrested by operatives of Ogun state police command, for allegedly kidnapping a 13 yrs old girl in Onipanu area of Ado odo ota local government area of the state. 

 

A statement released by DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, says the four suspects, John Nelson, 21yrs, Adeleke Ayotunde 29yrs, Adekunle Basit 20yrs and Abey Fagbemi 20yrs, were arrested, following a complaint lodged at Onipanu divisional headquarters, by one Adejunwon Odunowo, who reported that his 13year old daughter Susan Odunowo, was sent on an errand by her mother at about 6:30 p.m. of 6th of May 2021, but didn't return home. Adejuwon told the police that he later received an anonymous phone call, demanding for the sum of N500,000 as ransom if he ever wants to see his daughter again. 
 
''Upon the report, the Dpo Onipanu division, CSP Bamidele Job, detailed his crack detectives,to embarked on intelligence and technical based investigation, in order to unravel those behind the devilish act. 
On the 8th of May 2021, the detectives successfully traced one of the suspects to Cele area of ota, where he was arrested. His arrest, led to the apprehension of two other members of the gang at a factory in ota. It was then discovered that the victim was being kept in a room, owned by Adekunle Basit. Detectives swiftly moved in there, and rescued the victim unhurt. 
The leader of the gang, Abbey Fagbemi, who took to flight immediately he heard of the arrest of his fellow gang members, was later arrested at about 7:30 am of Monday 10th of May 2021.
The victim has since been reunited with her family'' the statement in part read
 
Oyeyemi said the state commissioner of police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to anti kidnapping section of the state criminal investigation and intelligence department, for discreet investigation and prosecution. He also appealed to members of the public, to adhere strictly to various security advice given by the command, in order not to fall victim of kidnap syndicates. 
 

FG extends work from home directive for civil servants till June 11

The Federal Government's work-from-home directive for civil servants on Grade Level 12 and below, has been extended till June 11. 

Civil servants were directed by the Presidential Steering Committee On COVID-19 domiciled in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, to work from home till June 11, 2021, after which the directive may be reviewed.

PSC's  National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed who gave the directive said; 

 “All Government staff on GL. 12 and below are to continue to stay at home until 11th June, 2021."

‘Nigerians can’t stand two more years of Buhari regime’

 The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), yesterday, threw its weight behind calls for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari, warning Nigeria cannot survive two more years under this regime. Speaking during AIT’s ‘Kakaaki’ programme, spokesman of the forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, called on members of the National Assembly to begin the process of impeaching the president, noting that the lawmakers must realise that the country is in a dire state.

Baba-Ahmed, who pointed out that the challenges bedeviling the country were more than mere talking and issuing statements, said now is the time to act.

He said: “Those who have constitutional responsibility must realise that the country is in a dire strait, and do something other than just talking and making promises. The second option is for citizens to get together and decide to do something.

“The third option is that those leaders who are failing will recognise the fact that they are the problem, and they will resign because they clearly have nothing to offer in terms of leadership,” he said.

“Or, as our democratic system provides, those with the responsibility to get them off, should impeach those who are failing. If the president can’t deliver, he should be impeached.

“Sadly, we don’t have a National Assembly that appears to have the levels of patriotism and concern beyond partisan politics to realise that when this roof falls, it also falls on their heads. Partisanship is so pronounced that the people we elected and sent to Abuja think they serve the President rather than the Nigerian people.

“Ordinarily, the legislators should look at the record of the administration, understand the areas where the President has failed, understand areas where there is clearly no evidence that they are going to do anything about it and refer to the Constitution that says the whole purpose of government is to secure citizens and pursue their welfare,” Baba-Ahmed said.

Earlier in February, the National Assembly had requested President Buhari to appear before it over the state of insecurity. However, the President did not honour the request. Section 143 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution gives the National Assembly the power to remove the President if he is incapable of effectively discharging his duty.

But the possibility of impeaching the President is low because the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), controls both chambers of the National Assembly. Also, past threats of impeachment failed to yield any action. In 2020, the PDP caucus, under the leadership of Kingsley Chinda (PDP, Rivers) threatened to commence an impeachment process over insecurity and corruption in the country. It never did.

THE Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has faulted the call by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) for the impeachment of President Buhari due to the appalling security situation in the country. BMO Chairman, Mr Niyi Akinsiju, maintained that such position by NEF was tantamount to an invitation to anarchy.

Akinsiju, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), argued that NEF’s position was politically motivated, adding that those calling for the impeachment of the President do not mean well for the country.

He noted: “They are entitled to their own opinion on the performance of the President. However, we insist that the vast majority of Nigerians who agree that the President is living up to their expectations would not allow any move to impeach him.

“The President is on top of his game in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians. There is no country in the world that is not grappling with a security challenge or the other. Even the advanced countries of the world are not exempted.

“The President is working round the clock to addressed the concern raised by Nigerians on the issue. The security architecture is being rejigged to tackle the latest challenge, especially coming from the Southeast geopolitical zone.”

HOWEVER, an ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives on National Security has called for the submission of memoranda on a planned security summit. The four-day summit has been scheduled for May 24 to 28.

According to a statement by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, Chinedu Akubueze, the deadline for submission is May 20. The Special Ad Hoc Committee on National Security was constituted by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, on March 17.

According to the statement, memoranda should be solution-focused with emphasis on “local and community level security options, strategic kinetic national security, and non-military and non-kinetic security.”

This is not the first time lawmakers will be holding security summits in the administration of President Muhamadu Buhari. In 2018, the Senate had a summit on security and another was held 14 months later in 2019.

This latest one is coming amid an increase in killings and general insecurity across the country. Last month, the lower chamber asked the President to declare a State of Emergency on security, while the lawmakers also made 11 other resolutions on security.

An opposition lawmaker, Dachung Bagos (PDP, Plateau), had said the lawmakers would consider the option of impeachment if nothing changes after the summit.

MEANWHILE, the Ado-Ekiti branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has thrown its weight behind the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, on his recent call for a summit to address the lingering insecurity and other challenges bedeviling the country.

Babalola had last week while speaking during the 10th NBA public lecture held in his honour expressed regret over the wave of insecurity in the country and called for a summit titled ‘Summit of Hope’ where leaders across board will discuss workable solutions to prevent the nation from sliding into anarchy.

But an online report stated that the legal icon was daring the Federal Government by proposing the summit. The NBA, in its reaction, has therefore dismissed the report, which suggested that the legal icon wanted to destabilise or topple President Buhari’s government.

The NBA chairman, Adeyemi Adewumi, in a statement on Monday in Ado-Ekiti, while condemning the alleged malicious and misleading report, said Babalola was being patriotic by calling for the summit over the precarious situation in the country.

He said: “The Nigerian Bar Association condemns this criminally mischievous publication and calls on every Nigerian to disregard and discountenance its content but appreciate the patriotic and nationalistic move by way of suggestion, of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN to restore the hope of Nigerians.

“The publication is an attempt to hoodwink Nigerians into believing a negatively and falsely reported news as against the genuine reasoning behind Aare Afe Babalola’s call to restore hope for Nigerians amidst her numerous challenges.

“We wonder how the most nationalistic suggestion to summon all living former Nigerian presidents, leadership of the National Assembly, governors, religious leaders and frontline traditional rulers, as well as Civil Society Organisations, which was made in the most unparalleled good faith, now amounts to conspiracy to remove the government from power.

“The rationale behind Babalola’s call was to prevent the country from disintegrating and drifting into anarchy so that it can remain an indivisible entity. We must however state unequivocally that the law is very clear on the right of every Nigerian, including Afe Babalola, to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Section 39(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Ameneded).

“The law is equally clear on the right of every Nigerian, either singly or together, to advise government, in good faith, on how the country can move forward devoid of disintegration and anarchy.”

Culled from The Guardian.