08/14/18

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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

The Inspector General of Police in compliance with the Presidential directives has ordered the immediate overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to address complaints and allegations on human rights violations against some of the personnel of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) from members of the public in some parts of the Country.

In the new arrangement, a new Commissioner of Police has been appointed as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide.

The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad previously under the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (FCIID) is henceforth to operate under the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja. The Commissioner of Police (FSARS) is answerable to the Inspector General of Police through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations.

In observance of full compliance with the Presidential directives, the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad will be intelligence driven and will be restricted to the prevention and detection of Armed Robbery, kidnapping and the apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences only.

New FSARS Commanders are being appointed for the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) across the country that will now exist and operate in the State and Zonal Commands under the Commissioner of Police (F-SARS) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

A Federal SARS Commander of a Rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) but not below Superintendent of Police (SP) will be in charge of FSARS in State and Zonal Commands across the Country.

All Commissioners of Police have been directed by the Inspector General of Police to comply with this directive with immediate effect and warn their personnel not to pose as SARS operatives.

The IGP X-Squad and Monitoring Unit have been mandated to go round the Commands and Police Formations nationwide to ensure strict compliance with the Presidential directives and apprehend any erring police officer.

A new Standard Operational Guidelines and Procedures, and code of conduct for all FSARS personnel to ensure that the operations of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad is in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regards to international human rights law and constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects will be enforced in totality by the Commissioner of Police, FSARS.

Other measures to be implemented by the Force in observance of full compliance with the presidential directives are as follows:

i.     Human Rights Desk Officers for FSARS in every State to take complaints from the public and forward same to Force Headquarters, the officer will be answerable to the Commissioner of Police, FSARS at the Force Headquarters and not Commander FSARS in the States.

ii.    Medical/Psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel will be carried out immediately. 

iii.    Redesigning of new uniform with identity name tag for all FSARS personnel throughout the Country will be done immediately.

iv.    Henceforth, FSARS personnel will not perform Stop and Search duties except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping offences only.

The Force will be transparent, cooperate, and work cordially with the National Human Right Commission on the special panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of FSARS to address grievances from the public against the personnel of FSARS in compliance with the presidential directives.

Furthermore, a new training program to be organized by the Force in collaboration with some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Local and International NGOs, and other Human Rights Organizations on core Police Duties, Observant of Human Rights and Handling, Care and Custody of Suspects have been directed by the Inspector General of Police for all Federal SARS personnel nationwide with immediate effect.

A committee of Senior Police officers, Technical Consultants, Human Rights/Civil Society organizations (CSOs) has been setup to review the activities of FSARS under the new arrangement.
They are to pay unscheduled visits to FSARS formations across the country with particular attention to States with high complaints index, to assess facilities and situations in these States and submit report to the Inspector General of Police on regular basis.

However, aggrieved members of the public who have any complaint in the past or present of violation of their rights by any Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel anywhere in the country are to report through any of the following channels for investigation and redress.

i.             DIG, Department of Operations: 08037025670

ii.           IGP X-SQUAD

0902 690 0729, 08078662130, 08174041000 – CALLS

0903 227 8905 – SMS

0903 562 1377 – whatsapp

Email:integrityxsquad@gmail.com

iii.         IGP Monitoring Unit:igpmonotoringabj@yahoo.com, 08036242591

iv.         Commissioner of Police, FSARS: 08033476852

v.           FORCE PUBLIC COMPLAINT BUREAU

07056792065 Calls/SMS/whatsapp

08088450152 Calls/SMS/whatsapp

Email:bailisfree@gmail.com,pressforabuja@gmail.com

Twitter: @PoliceNG

www.facebook.com/ngpolice

vi.        PUBLIC COMPLAINT RAPID RESPONSE UNIT (PCRRU)

08057000001 – Calls Only

08057000002 – Calls Only

08057000003 – SMS & whatsapp only

Twitter: @PoliceNG_PCRRU

www.facebook.com/PolicePCRRU


                NGOs/CSOs

vii.  sega@aliensmedialtd.com, 08027757359

viii. koredebello@caspertainment.agency,   casperentertainment@gmail.com, 09051133035

ix.   oluogunsakin@hotmail.com

x.    g.writer2011@gmail.com, 07037887630
LR News
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Italy’s Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini said about 30 people were killed on Tuesday when a giant motorway bridge collapsed in heavy rain in the Italian city of Genoa.
The collapse, which saw a vast stretch of the A10 freeway tumble on to railway lines in the northern port city, came as the bridge was undergoing maintenance work and as the Liguria region, where Genoa is situated, experienced torrential rainfall.
“Unfortunately there are around 30 dead and many injured in a serious condition,”  Salvini told reporters.
Rescuers scouring through the wreckage, strewn among shrubland and train tracks, said there were “dozens” of victims, as rescue helicopters winched survivors on stretchers from the ruined bridge.
Cars and trucks were tangled in the rubble and nearby buildings damaged by vast chunks of concrete, according to an AFP photographer at the scene.
“We’re not giving up hope, we’ve already saved a dozen people from under the rubble,” a fire official, Emanuele Giffi, told AFP.
“We’re going to work round the clock until the last victim is secured.”
The incident — the deadliest of its kind in Europe since 2001 — is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of a faltering economy.
Aerial footage showed more than 200 metres (650 feet) of the viaduct, known locally as the Morandi bridge, completely destroyed.
“I’m following with the utmost apprehension what is happening in Genoa and what looks like it could be an immense tragedy,” Transport and Infrastructure Minister Danilo Toninelli said on Twitter.
Salvini, who is also leader of the nationalist League party in a power-sharing government, vowed to hold those responsible for the disaster accountable.
“I have gone over this bridge hundreds of times, and I commit to digging and finding out who is responsible for an unacceptable tragedy, because it’s not possible that in 2018 you can work and die in these conditions,” he said.
The cause of the disaster was not immediately clear, although weather services in the Liguria region where Genoa is situated had issued a storm warning Tuesday morning.
The national motorways body said on its website that “maintenance works were being carried out on the base of the viaduct”, adding that a crane had been moved on site to assist the work.
 
Shares in Italian company Atlantia, which runs much of Italy’s motorway network including the collapsed stretch of the A10, closed the day down more than five percent at 23.54 euros.
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has ordered an immediate re-organisation of the police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Acting President gave the order following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)
The allegations border on human rights violations.
Osinbajo ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS.
The IGP, according to a statement by Mr Laolu Akande, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity, Office of the Acting President, would ensure that any Unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven.
Such unit, he said, should be restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.
The Acting President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the emerging Unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Human Rights Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects.
The operatives should also bear proper identification anytime they are on duty.
Meanwhile, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a Special Panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

A jury in Atlanta, Georgia United States has found a Nigerian guilty on federal charges related to hacking universities.
Prosecutors said in a news release Monday that 34-year-old Olayinka Olaniyi and co-defendant 29-year-old Damilola Solomon Ibiwoye ran several phishing scams targeting employees at U.S. colleges and universities, including Georgia Tech and the University of Virginia.
Prosecutors say they obtained employee logins and passwords and used them to steal payroll deposits and to file fraudulent tax returns.
Olaniyi was convicted last week of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, computer fraud and aggravated identity theft. He is to be sentenced Oct. 22.
Ibiwoye, who’s also from Nigeria, pleaded guilty to similar charges. He was sentenced to serve three years and three months in prison.
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A man was detained after a car smashed into the security barriers outside the House of Parliament in London, several pedestrians were injured in the incident, the Metropolitan Police said on Tuesday.
“At 7.37 a.m. today, a car was in collision with barriers outside the Houses of Parliament. The male driver of the car was detained by officers at the scene.
“A number of pedestrians have been injured. Officers remain at the scene.
“We will issue further info when we have it,” the Metropolitan Police wrote on Twitter.
Footage on social media showed heavily-armed police response units arriving at the scene, with the area outside the parliament building in central London cordoned off.
Sputnik/LR News
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.
Senate President Saraki and Speaker of House of Rep. Dogara

The leaders of the National Assembly(NASS) have said that there was no date yet for the National Asembly to reconvene to consider the  N242 billion virement for the 2019 elections.
The president of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki and his counterpart in the House of Representatives  Yakubu Dogara, disclosed this in a statemnet jointly signed by their Special Advisers on Media and Public Affairs, Yusuph Olaniyonu and Turaki Hassan,
In the statement, they called on all members of the National Assembly as well as the general public to note that no date had been set for the reconvening of the Federal Legislature.
According to them, some relevant committees whose reports are supposed to be considered upon the reconvening of the National Assembly are yet to meet and as such there is no report to be considered.
“The Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, have directed that we inform all Senators, Honorable members and the public that a date has not been set for the reconvening of the Senate and the House of Representatives to consider the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 2019 elections budget request forwarded by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 17, 2018.
“The leadership of the two chambers had met and agreed to reconvene to consider the proposal this week before which a meeting between the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters and officials of the INEC must have held on or before Monday August 13, 2018.
“The joint committees were also expected to meet with the joint Senate and House Committees on Appropriations, Loans and Debts on the Eurobond loan request after which two reports would have been ready for presentation in the two chambers.
“However, no such meeting had taken place yet as a result of which both Senate and House of Representatives cannot reconvene as there is no report to consider.
“Until the Committees have a ready report for the consideration of the two chambers, it will be most irresponsible to recall members from recess especially those that may have travelled to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj,” it said.
Recall that the National Assembly met the with the INEC leadership last week and promised to give the budget accelerated passage. the meeting was held after the World Press Conference addressed by Dr Bukola Saraki. LR News
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Despite improvements in infrastructure by the Ambode administration in Lagos, a new survey by the London Economist Intelligence Unit was not so impressed as it ranked it one of the five worst cities to live in.
Lagos was ranked third out of the five worst cities,  better than Damascus and Dhaka. Pakistani city of Karachi and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea were ranked fourth and fifth worst.
In contrast, West Africa’s Abidjan earned inclusion among world cities where long-term improvements had been made. Hanoi, Belgrade and Tehran saw the largest improvements in liveability over the last five years — more than five percentage points, according to the report.
In the new yearly survey, Austria’s capital Vienna beat Australia’s Melbourne to be ranked the “world’s most liveable city”.
It is the first time a European metropolis has topped the annual chart compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit which identifies the best urban playgrounds to live and work in.
Each year 140 cities are given scores out of 100 on a range of factors such as living standards, crime, transport infrastructure, access to education and healthcare, as well as political and economic stability.
Vienna scored a “near-ideal” 99.1, beating Melbourne into second place on 98.4. Japan’s Osaka took third place.
Australia and Canada dominated the top ten, each boasting three cities. Australia had Melbourne, Sydney (fifth) and Adelaide (10th) while Canada had Calgary (fourth), Vancouver (sixth) and Toronto (joint seventh).
“Those that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries,” researchers said in their report.
They noted that several cities in the top 10 had relatively low population densities which fostered “a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure”.
Australia and Canada, researchers said, have an overall average population density of 3.2 and four people per square kilometre respectively, compared to a global average of 58.
Japan, which alongside Osaka boasted Tokyo in the top ten (joint seventh), is the glaring exception to that rule with a nationwide average of 347 people per square kilometre but its cities are still famed for their transport networks and living standards.
Copenhagen was the only other European city in the top ten at ninth place.
Researchers said wealthy financial capitals such as Paris (19th), London (48th) and New York (57th) tended to be “victims of their own success” with higher crime rates and overstretched infrastructure dampening their appeal.
Ukraine’s Kiev, the capital of a European country wracked by political violence, civil war and the loss of Crimea to Russia, saw the largest drop in its liveability over the last five years (-12.6 percent).
Puerto Rico’s San Juan — which was devastated by a hurricane last year — as well as Damascus and Caracas also saw steep drops over the same period.
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Latest Reality Blog is a legal blog where you are updated on online latest news, gist, entertainment, events, motivational text, and genue articles.

The report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in March reveals that Nigeria’s Ports dropped in global ratings basically due to bad infrastructure.
“Interestingly, major competitors in the West African region, such as the Port of Lome in Togo, Port of Dakar in Senegal, and the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic, all deliver better efficient services than the Nigerian Ports.
“This is really not acceptable,’’the Speaker of House of Representatives, Honourable Yakubu Dogara, said on Monday to kick off a probe of Nigerian Port Authority and Nigerian Inland Waterways.
Some of the problems that have been identified as the reasons the Nigerian Ports are performing so poorly, he said, include bad infrastructure, high cost of doing business and low draught at a lot of our major waterways.
“It is our hope that the Legislative exercise being carried out through this committee will proffer lasting solutions to these problems,” he said.
He also stressed the need to dredge other ports in order to increase traffic and in turn, boost economic productivity.
“It has also been pointed out by stakeholders that dredging our port channels will increase traffic to our ports and invariably increase economic productivity.
“For instance, if we have cargoes going up north to places such as Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri, such cargoes would not need to go through Lagos, which is already so congested.’’
“But for this to happen, the channels of other ports need to be dredged.
“Reports have it that the Lagos water channel is about 14.5 meters deep, while the Port Harcourt and Calabar channels are less than 10 meters deep, which limits their capacity to receive big cargo ships.
“This explains why there is so much congestion at the Lagos Port. If we must make the expected progress in our maritime sector, all available resources must be accountably and prudently managed to meet the various demands for improved infrastructure,” he said.
The speaker further highlighted other factors militating against the development of the maritime sector.
The factors, he said, include alleged arbitrary increases in charges by terminal operators, inefficient collection and accounting procedures, and contract repetitions and payment of huge commissions to service providers compared to remittances to the Federation Account, among others.
According to him, if these allegations are anything to go by, we can understand why the sector has recorded persistent decline in performance and economic growth over the years.
The speaker pointed out that these are serious allegations which need to be looked into.
The investigative hearing was necessitated by seven maritime related motions on issues relating to Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage at the Nigeria Ports, extra budgetary spending and other financial improprieties by terminal operators and service providers engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority.
Others are abandonment of dredging projects by companies so contracted, even after allegedly receiving payments and alleged illegal disposal of lands and properties belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria.
The House of Representatives on Monday kicked off investigation into the alleged malpractices in Nigerian Ports Authority and National Inland Waterways.
The investigative hearing began on Monday in Abuja by the House of Representatives Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways.
The probe followed several motions calling for an investigation into malpractices in the maritime sector.
Dogara, while speaking at the hearing, noted that the allegations raised were very weighty, with potential to seriously affect the economy.
He emphasised the importance of an effective maritime sector to the Federal Government’s diversification drive, saying that the Nigerian maritime industry still seemed to be struggling in spite of efforts aimed at repositioning it.
Dogara also commended the Executive Arm and particularly the managements in the Maritime Industry for their efforts to reposition the Nigerian Maritime Industry for improved service delivery and enhanced contribution to economic growth.
According to him, I must say that the maritime industry in Nigeria is yet to attain the desired and expected status of becoming the hub for international freight and trade in West Africa.
“In this regard, it has been observed that over the years, the Nigerian maritime industry has failed to attract the required local and foreign investment inflow that is proportionate to its contribution to both the Nigerian and West African economy, despite its great potential and enormous investment opportunities.”
He described as unacceptable, a situation whereby ports in other West African nations would deliver better and more efficient services than Nigerian ports.
“According to the National Bureau of Statistics in March, Nigeria’s Ports dropped down the global ratings basically due to bad infrastructure.
“Interestingly, major competitors in the West African region, such as the Port of Lome in Togo, Port of Dakar in Senegal, and the Port of Cotonou in Benin Republic, all deliver better efficient services than the Nigerian Ports.
“This is really not acceptable.’’
Some of the problems that have been identified as the reasons the Nigerian Ports are performing so poorly, he said, include bad infrastructure, high cost of doing business and low draught at a lot of our major waterways.
“It is our hope that the Legislative exercise being carried out through this committee will proffer lasting solutions to these problems,” he said.
He also stressed the need to dredge other ports in order to increase traffic and in turn, boost economic productivity.
“It has also been pointed out by stakeholders that dredging our port channels will increase traffic to our ports and invariably increase economic productivity.
“For instance, if we have cargoes going up north to places such as Kaduna, Kano and Maiduguri, such cargoes would not need to go through Lagos, which is already so congested.’’
“But for this to happen, the channels of other ports need to be dredged.
“Reports have it that the Lagos water channel is about 14.5 meters deep, while the Port Harcourt and Calabar channels are less than 10 meters deep, which limits their capacity to receive big cargo ships.
“This explains why there is so much congestion at the Lagos Port. If we must make the expected progress in our maritime sector, all available resources must be accountably and prudently managed to meet the various demands for improved infrastructure,” he said.
The speaker further highlighted other factors militating against the development of the maritime sector.
The factors, he said, include alleged arbitrary increases in charges by terminal operators, inefficient collection and accounting procedures, and contract repetitions and payment of huge commissions to service providers compared to remittances to the Federation Account, among others.
According to him, if these allegations are anything to go by, we can understand why the sector has recorded persistent decline in performance and economic growth over the years.
The speaker pointed out that these are serious allegations which need to be looked into.
The investigative hearing was necessitated by seven maritime related motions on issues relating to Guaranteed Minimum Tonnage at the Nigeria Ports, extra budgetary spending and other financial improprieties by terminal operators and service providers engaged by the Nigerian Ports Authority.
Others are abandonment of dredging projects by companies so contracted, even after allegedly receiving payments and alleged illegal disposal of lands and properties belonging to the Nigerian Ports Authority and the National Inland Waterways Authority of Nigeria. LR News
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