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FG begins payment of military retirees’ entitlements

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The Federal Government has begun payment of pensions and other entitlements to retired military personnel, including three months’ arrears.

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Ministry of Defence, Henshaw Ogubike.

The retired military personnel halted activities at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja on Thursday to protest their unpaid entitlements.

The retirees expressed frustration over the Federal Government’s failure to pay the promised 20% to 28% salary increment from January to November 2024.

Their demands included overdue payments for palliatives from October 2023 to November 2024, an additional N32,000 added to their pensions, bulk payment of the Security Debarment Allowance, and the refund of pension deductions made from the salaries of medically boarded soldiers.

However, Matawalle said that the government has begun payment of military salary increases, and the military personnel have already started receiving alerts for the payment.

“President Bola Tinubu released funds for the payment of pension and other entitlements owed to retired military personnel on Thursday,” the statement said.

He commended the President for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of both serving and retired military personnel, emphasising that the payment of pension arrears owed to retirees would continue to receive critical attention.

The minister said that the initiative reflected the President’s dedication to enhancing the living standards of those who have served the nation.

Mayawalle also acknowledged the efforts and support of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who was very committed to actualising the payments.

He urged the Nigerian military to remain steadfast in their duties while reassuring them that the President was fully committed to boosting their morale and providing the necessary support to combat insecurity in Nigeria.

“In spite of initial setbacks, be rest assured that Mr President will do everything within his power to uplift our military forces as they confront the challenges of insecurity,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to the President for his decisive action and reiterated the vital role played by both retired and serving military personnel in ensuring the nation’s security and their significant contributions in combating insurgency.

He assured the Nigerian Armed Forces officers and personnel of the President’s unwavering resolve to eradicate insecurity in Nigeria, bolstered by the readiness and resilience of the military.

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NAFDAC seizes unregistered food products worth N3.8bn at warehouse in Lagos

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says its investigation and enforcement directorate team raided a warehouse at Apongbon Oke Arin market in Lagos state.

In a statement on Tuesday, the agency said the raid followed a tip-off about the sale of unregistered food products in the warehouse.

“Various unregistered items valued at N3,818,802,720 were seized during the operation, and the facility has been placed on hold pending further investigation,” the statement reads.

“The warehouse management has been summoned for questioning, and appropriate sanctions will follow after investigations.

“We reaffirm our commitment to protecting public health and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

“We also urge the public to remain vigilant during the festive season and report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.”

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Nigeria nominates Olufemi Elias as candidate for ICJ judge

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Nigeria has presented Olufemi Elias to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as its candidate to lead the institution.

The ICJ is often referred to as the highest court in the world for disputes involving sovereign states.

Established in 1945 and located in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN).

The ICJ comprises 15 judges elected for nine-year terms and representing legal systems globally.

Elias currently serves as an ad hoc judge for the court.

He was formally introduced to the UN diplomatic corps on Monday in New York by Samson Itegboje, the Charge d’Affaires of Nigeria’s permanent mission to the UN.

Itegboje harped on Elias’ qualifications, pointing out Nigeria’s long standing contributions to the ICJ, including participation in significant international cases involving territorial disputes, human rights, and maritime law.

The ambassador noted that Nigeria has also fully adhered to ICJ rulings, such as the landmark Bakassi Peninsula case with Cameroon.

WHO IS OLUFEMI ELIAS?

If elected, Elias will be the fourth Nigerian to preside over the ICJ, after Charles Onyeama, Bola Ajibola, and Taslim Elias, his father.

Making the case for the nominee, Itegboje said Elias’ family background shaped his morals.

“It would interest you all to also note that the father of the candidate we are introducing today, Taslim Olawale Elias, a prominent Nigerian jurist, was a judge at the ICJ from 1976 to 1991 and his tenure marked significant contributions to international law, especially in shaping the court’s jurisprudence in various areas, having served as president and as vice president of the court,” the diplomat said.

“In light of the foregoing, I can categorically state that Dr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, himself currently a judge ad hoc at the ICJ, is not just a renowned international lawyer with vast experience in the practice of international law and academics but born into a jurist family and has learned the ropes of dispensing good judgment from his childhood.”

Elias has extensive experience as a lawyer and leader in various international organisations.

He is a member of the Institut de Droit International and served as the legal adviser and director at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at The Hague.

Elias is also the president of the administrative tribunal of the OPEC fund for international development, chairman of the Islamic Development Bank administrative tribunal, as well as a former president and member of the OPEC appeals’ committee.

Speaking on his qualifications, Elias said his achievements as a renowned expert in international law for 35 years in various capacities — comprising academia and public service — underscore his ability to effectively oversee the ICJ.

“When we put together all those qualifications, I think that’s what set me in good stead,” he said.

Nigeria last oversaw the ICJ in 1994 with Bola Ajibola as judge.

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Lagos State government seals Coca-Cola, FrieslandCampina, Guinness factories over regulatory non-compliance

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The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has sealed the factories belonging to Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, and Guinness Nigeria for extracting groundwater for commercial purposes without proper authorisation.

Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos, Olowu Babatunde, director of technical services at LASWARCO, said the commission had been engaging with the three companies for over seven years, but they had either partially complied or failed to comply with regulations, prompting enforcement action.

“We operate a law that empowers us to regulate most of these heavy abstractors in Lagos State,” Babatunde said.

“Abstractors are individuals or entities that extract large quantities of groundwater for commercial purposes.

“So, these companies that we have sealed, basically three of them – Coca-Cola, FrieslandCampina and Guinness, abstract water in large quantities.

“And we have been engaging them over time. At least, I have been here for more than seven years now. We’ve been engaging these companies for more than seven years now.

“Some, either they do partial compliance, or some don’t comply at all. So, now that we started implementation of our regulation, we now compel them to fulfil all their regulatory demands.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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