News
General Ahmed Seeks Local Governments’ Support For NYSC
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed has appealed for robust support from the 774 Local Government Chairmen cross the country.
He said this would enhance the achievements of the Scheme which largely depends on the commitment and active participation of key role players in the running of the Scheme.
General Ahmed stated this while addressing the National Executive Council Meeting of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Lafia.
He said Management has made a sustained advocacy on the proper performance of stakeholders’ roles as spelt out in the NYSC Act Cap N84 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
General Ahmed stated further that the role of Local Governments are critical to the smooth operations of the NYSC because majority of Corps Members posted to serve in the rural areas support developmental strides, especially through their Primary Assignments in schools, Primary Healthcare Centres and other aspects of national economy.
The Director General informed the Council Chairmen that while the Federal Government shoulders a greater part of the responsibility of running the Scheme, the enabling Act saddles States and Local Governments with complimentary responsibilities which include the provision of facilities like; Orientation Camps, Corps Transit Lodge, Corps Lodges, Office Accommodation and other forms of intervention that are essential for the welfare of Corps Members and the general success of the Scheme.
While appreciating the Local Government Chairmen for their individual and collective gestures in supporting the Scheme, such as the provision of accommodation for Corps Members and facilitation of their integration into the host communities, General Ahmed added that there is much to be done in many Local Government Areas across the country to make the operating environment more conducive for the Scheme.
“Permit me at this juncture to highlight some of the key issues that require your attention such as; formation of NYSC Local Government Committees. Section 8 Sub-Sections 1, 2, and 3 of the NYSC Act provides for the establishment, composition and functions of the NYSC Local Government Committee in each of the 774 Local Government Areas of the country. However, the committees have not been in existence in many of the Local Government Areas over the years.
Therefore, to ensure smooth operations of the Scheme at the grassroots, the committees need to be put in place and empowered with the necessary resources to enable them function effectively.
I therefore appeal to those of you that do not have the committees to establish and make them functional”, he said.
General Ahmed further informed the Council Chairmen that Management is in constant liaison with security agencies, adding that Section 8 Sub-Section 3 (d) of the NYSC Act saddles the Local Government Councils with the responsibility of ensuring the safety of Corps Members serving in each Local Government.
He also requested them to use their offices to influence other stakeholders such as traditional rulers, religious and community leaders to complement the efforts of the security agencies in their areas.
The Director General advised the Local Government authorities that host NYSC Orientation Camps to contribute towards ensuring the safety of the camp facilities through local security arrangements.
He also informed the Chairmen that the condition of some of NYSC Zonal and Local Government offices leave much to be desired, while some of the Scheme’s Zonal and Local Government Inspectors operate in dilapidated structures, others have inadequate office spaces thereby hindering effective performance of their duties.
The DG however thanked the Local Governments that have provided befitting office accommodation, while he appealed to others to do same so as to enhance the smooth conduct of the Scheme’s operations.
Other statutory areas that the DG harped on include; transport for Corps Inspection in order to enhance grassroots development and support for Community Development Service Projects.
The National President of ALGON, Hon Aminu Mu’azu Maifata in his remarks lauded the Scheme for it’s remarkable achievements over the past fifty-one years.
He however promised that the requests of the Director General would be considered.
Law & Crime
Court sentences killers of Ogun couple, son, to death by hanging
The Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta on Monday sentenced three persons to death for killing a couple, Kehinde and Bukola Fatinoye and their son, Oreoluwa, on 1 January 2023.
Trial judge Basirat Adebowale sentenced the trio – Lekan Adekanbi, was the family’s driver, Odetola Ahmed and Adeniyi Waheed – in a judgement which lasted for more than three hours, DailyPost reports.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants were charged with 24 counts of armed robbery, armed robbery, conspiracy to murder, murder, arson, escape from lawful custody, perverting the course of justice and receiving stolen property, among others.
Gruesome murder
The assailants reportedly trailed Mr Fatinoye, a former employee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and his wife, Bukola, alongside their son, Oreoluwa, as they were returning home from the 2022/2023 crossover service at the Christ Anglican Church Iporo-Ake, Abeokuta.
The couple who lived at Oba Karunwi Road, a street behind former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s residence, in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, at about 1:30 a.m. were robbed, gruesomely murdered and their house set ablaze.
The assailants reportedly tied their son, Oreoluwa, and adopted son, Felix, with ropes and threw them into a river along Adigbe-Obada Road.
Penalties
Delivering judgement on Monday, the judge held that the prosecution proved its cases against the three defendants beyond reasonable doubt.
She found the three principal defendants guilty of murder.
The judge held that the convicts did not deserve mercy, as their lawyers had requested, because of the way they killed the couple and their son.
She convicted them of counts one to nine, handing them death by hanging or lethal injection, life imprisonment with hard labour, 14 years imprisonment among others for the various offences.
“The sentence of this court on Adekambi Lekan in respect of count II is that you be hanged by neck until you’re dead or by lethal injection.
“May God have mercy on your soul,” the court held.
The judge also convicted Ms Fadairo, the wife of Mr Adekanbi, to two years imprisonment for perverting the course of justice by hiding her husband.
Meanwhile, Mr Adekanbi’s mother, Adenike, was also sentenced to one year imprisonment for making false statements to police officers.
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