Dons EzeTINUBU APPROVES GENEROUS BENEFITS FOR RETIRING MILITARY SERVICE CHIEFS, GENERALS
TINUBU APPROVES GENEROUS BENEFITS FOR RETIRING MILITARY SERVICE CHIEFS, GENERALS President Bola Tinubu has approved a new retirement package for service chiefs and generals, including a $20,000 annual medical allowance for foreign treatment, bulletproof SUVs, and domestic staff. According to the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers and Enlisted Personnel in the Nigerian Armed Forces (HTACOS), signed by President Tinubu on December 14, 2024, retiring Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) and service chiefs will receive a bulletproof SUV (replaced every four years and maintained by the military), a Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup vehicle, five domestic aides (two cooks, two stewards, and a gardener), a security officer or aide-de-camp, a special or personal assistant, three drivers, a service orderly, and escorts as needed. They will also retain their personal firearms. The document also stipulates “free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad” for these top-ranking officers. Lieutenant generals and their equivalents will receive two Toyota Hilux vehicles or one Toyota Land Cruiser, $20,000 annually for medical treatment, two cooks, two stewards, four residential guards, two drivers, and a service orderly. “Retirement benefits for CDS and Service Chiefs: The following benefits shall be applicable: One bullet-proof SUV or equivalent vehicle to be maintained by the Service and to be replaced every four years. One Peugeot 508 or equivalent backup vehicle,” the document read. “Retention of all military uniforms and accoutrement to be worn for appropriate ceremonies; five domestic aides (two service cooks, two stewards and one civilian gardener); one Aide-de-Camp/security officer; one Special Assistant (Lt/Capt or equivalents) or one Personal Assistant (Warrant Officer or equivalents); standard guard (nine soldiers). “Three service drivers; one service orderly; escorts (to be provided by appropriate military units/ formation as the need arises); retention of personal firearms (on his demise, the personal firearm(s) shall be retrieved by the relevant service) and free medical cover in Nigeria and abroad. “Lieutenant generals and equivalents will receive two Toyota Hilux vehicles or one Toyota Land Cruiser, along with $20,000 annual medical treatment, two cooks, two stewards, four residential guards, and two drivers. “Retirement benefits for lieutenant general/equivalents. The following benefits shall be applicable: Officers of three-star rank. Two Toyota Hilux Vehicles or one Toyota Land cruiser or equivalent jeep of the same value; two Cooks; two Stewards; four residential guards; one service orderly; two service drivers and free medicals in Nigeria and abroad to the tune of $20,000 per year.” Major generals and brigadier generals will receive a Toyota Land Cruiser or equivalent, $15,000 annually for medical treatment, domestic staff, and residential guards. One-star officers (Brigadier Generals) are entitled to $10,000 annually for medical care, a Toyota Camry or equivalent, and similar domestic and security arrangements. Colonels and their equivalents will receive a Toyota Corolla or equivalent and free medical care within Nigeria. “For major-generals/brigadier-generals and equivalents, the following benefits shall be applicable: One Toyota Land Cruiser or equivalent car of the same value. “One cook; One steward, two residential guards; One service orderly; One driver; Free medicals in Nigeria, and abroad to the tune of $15,000 per annum. “Officers of One-Star rank (Brig. Gen.): One Toyota Camry or equivalent car of the same value; One service driver; two residential guards; One orderly and free medicals in Nigeria and abroad to the tune of $10,000 per annum.’’
FG POSITIONS EASTERN PORTS FOR MORE INVESTMENTS
FG POSITIONS EASTERN PORTS FOR MORE INVESTMENTS Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has embarked on operational and investment campaign tour of Onne and Rivers Port complexes to enable them complete profitably. This was in continuation of its resolve to galvanized the port concessionaires and terminal operators into increasing their in-country investments on infrastructure equipment. The Managing Director of the authority, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho said on Thursday that his visit to the ports was coming on the heels of the current administration’s readiness to deepen Nigeria’s competitiveness in vessel and cargo traffic to match the needs of Nigeria’s huge population of over 200 million inhabitants. The tour covered BRAWAL Oil Services Ltd, Onne Multipurpose Terminal, INTELS, INDORAMA,West African Container Terminal (WACT) and NOTORE and the terminals at Rivers Port Complex, Port Harcourt. Dantsoho explained that with the quantum of investments our maritime neighbours, especially along the West & Central African Coast are attracting, Nigerian ports could only stay competitive if they redouble their investment drive by providing requisite infrastructure and equipment to attract the sizes of vessels that scale up Nigerian cargo throughput that would adequately serve the huge population. He added: “As far as this management is concerned we have the mandate of the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola to create the enablers for increased investment, and we are poised to do just that. “Let me seize this moment to reiterate my earlier plea to investors to take maximum advantage of the investor-friendliness of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to infuse greater Investment and be assured of guaranteed return on investment.” The managing director, who was recently elected as the first ever Nigerian President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) added that the reality of Nigerian ports processing two million containers of cargoes to service a population of over 200 million was an anomaly that must be urgently addressed through deployment of huge investments.
FG VS EX-CJN, ONNOGHEN, APPEAL COURT OKAYS OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT
FG VS EX-CJN, ONNOGHEN; APPEAL COURT OKAYS OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday granted the request by the federal government and former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen to settle an appeal challenging his removal as CJN out of court. During Thursday’s proceedings, parties told the court that they have intensified efforts to reach an amicable settlement of all issues in dispute. Former President Muhammadu Buhari, had in 2019 removed Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria during the pendency of a charge against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. However, at Thursday’s proceedings in the appeal, lead counsel to the former CJN, Dr Ogwu Onoja, informed a 3-man panel of justices of the Appeal Court that the two parties are already having discussions on a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Onoja informed the court that the parties had an engagement up until Wednesday, September 18 and expressed optimism that the discussion would bear fruitful results. The senior lawyer subsequently appealed to the appellate court for a one-month adjournment for final settlement of the matter. Counsel to the federal government, Tijani Gazali corroborated the submission of Onoja and requested that the matter be shifted forward for a possible amicable settlement. “My Lords, I wish to humbly confirm the information. It is our position to settle the matter out of court,” he said. In a brief remark, Justice J. O. Oyewole, who presided over Thursday’s proceedings, directed them to file terms of settlement for adoption when eventually agreed upon. Justice Oyewole held that the terms of settlement must be documented and filed before the adjourned date for the court to adopt as its judgement in the matter. He subsequently fixed November 4 as the return date for the two parties. Onnoghen was prosecuted in 2019 by the federal government on false declaration of assets at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, found guilty and removed from office. He was also made to forfeit the undeclared assets to the federal government. Unlike the August 20 proceedings, Onnoghen was not in court to witness his appeal, in which he is praying the Court to set aside the judgement of the CCT that removed him from office and ordered the forfeiture of his five bank accounts.
DSS ARRESTS SOWORE, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
IDSS ARRESTS SOWORE, FOMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE n a shocking turn of events, the Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested Omoyele Sowore, the 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), upon his return to Nigeria. Sowore was taken into custody at the airport shortly after arriving in the country. According to Vanguard news, it comes after it was reported earlier this month that the DSS had instructed airport security and immigration authorities to intercept and detain Sowore. The directive was allegedly issued by the newly appointed DSS Director-General, Adeola Ajayi, due to Sowore’s prominent role in the recent 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests. The protests, which took place in major cities across the country, were a call to action against alleged corruption and bad governance under the current administration. Sowore, who was a leading figure in the protests, had been vocal about his criticisms of the government and its handling of the economy. Sowore’s arrest has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation from civil society groups, human rights organizations, and political opponents. Many have described the move as an attempt to silence Sowore and intimidate other political activists who dare to challenge the government. The arrest has also raised concerns about the government’s commitment to freedom of expression and assembly. The #EndBadGovernance protests were largely peaceful, with participants calling for reforms and an end to corruption. The DSS has not provided any official statement on the reasons behind Sowore’s arrest or his current whereabouts. However, sources close to the matter have indicated that he is being held at an undisclosed location for further questioning.