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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says its acting Chairman , Mr . Ibrahim Magu , is only facing an investigative panel and is not being detained by the Department of State Services .

The EFCC said this in a statement by its Spokesman , Dele Oyewale .

The statement read in part , “Mr . Ibrahim Magu on Monday , July 6 , 2020 , honoured an invitation by a Presidential Panel reviewing the activities of the EFCC , at the Banquet Hall wing of the Presidential Villa, Abuja .

“ He was served the invitation to the panel while on his way to the Force Headquarters , Abuja for a meeting.

The EFCC ’ s boss was neither arrested nor forced to honour the invitation . A member of a legal team from the EFCC is also with him on the panel. ”

Magu , who has been serving in acting capacity for almost five years , was invited after the Attorney- General of the Federation , Abubakar Malami ( SAN ) , accused him of financial impropriety and corruption.

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The Police Service Commission has dismissed 10 senior police officers and demoted eight others for misconduct in the line of duty .

The commission took the decision at its 8 th plenary meeting which spanned three weeks and ended last Wednesday during which it also approved the promotion of 6 , 618 senior police officers , including a Deputy Inspector – General of Police .

Those dismissed include one Superintendent of Police , five Deputy Superintendents of Police and four Assistant Superintendents of Police .

The PSC , according to a statement in Abuja by its spokesman , Ikechukwu Ani , also demoted a Deputy Commissioner of Police , a Chief Superintendent of Police , four SPs , one DSP and ASP .

It stated , “The commission also approved the punishment of severe reprimand for 16 officers , reprimand for 13 and letters of warning to four others. Two officers are to receive letters of advice while 11 were exonerated.

“ The commission in plenary looked into 83 disciplinary cases which included 18 appeals and petitions . ”

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The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State , Mr Olukayode Popoola , said consultations were on for another phase of repair works to begin on the Third Mainland Bridge.

Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria that the consultations were towards evolving perfect traffic management architecture .

“ We want to do maintenance work on the Third Mainland Bridge very soon . Most likely on the 24 th . We may close it from the 24 th of July.

“ We are still working out the modalities and when we perfect the traffic management plan we will move to site .

“ Everything being expected for the repairs of the bridge arrived the country that is why we want to start the repairs now , ’’ he said .

NAN reports that the bridge which has gone through a series of rehabilitation works was last shut in August 2018 for a three days investigative maintenance check .

Thereafter , some components needed for completion of repairs were sourced abroad because they were not available locally .

The 11 . 8 km Third Mainland Bridge is the longest of three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the mainland .

The bridge starts from Oworonshoki which is linked to the Apapa- Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island .

It was constructed in 1990 and was the longest in Africa until 1996 when The 6 th October Bridge in Cairo was completed .

NAN

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan , has declared that the National Directorate of Employment will be fully in charge of the exercise designed to recruit 774 , 000 youths across Nigeria as part of the Federal Government COVID- 19 palliative measures .

He , however , said that the NDE and the Ministry Labour and Productivity must first explain the modalities for the recruitment process .

Lawan stated this during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja .

He said , “ Only NDE will implement this programme. The NDE led by the ministry of labour will have to come and explain .

“ It will be unfair to say that we in the legislature and executive are not on the same page because of an action by someone in the executive .

“ What the National Assembly is insisting on is in national interest. ”

The National Assembly had last week asked the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd . ) , to suspend the programme, following a face- off between one of his ministers and the joint panel of the two chambers of the federal parliament .

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After days in self – isolation after he was infected , the Ondo State Governor , Mr Rotimi Akeredolu , has tested negative for COVID- 19 .

Governor Akeredolu in a weekly press briefing confirmed the development.

He said the doctors confirmed his negative status after running the test twice .

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The Federal Government has announced date for the 2020 West African Examination Examination .

The Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba , stated this at a briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 in Abuja .

He said the examination will hold from August 4 th to September 5 th 2020 .

Details later

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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria , South West, has threatened to stop loading petroleum products in all depots in the region in protest against the recent increase in the price of petrol .

The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency had on July 1 announced a new price band of N140 . 80 to N 143 . 80 per litre of petrol , up from N121 . 50 to N 123 . 50 .

The Zonal Chairman , IPMAN , Southwest , Dele Tajudeen , said that the price hike came as a surprise to the association , adding that the PPPRA did not engage marketers before taking the decision .

In a statement sent to news correspondent , he said , “ I wish to state that the recent pronouncement of PPPRA/ NNPC of increase in ex -depot /pump price of PMS is not acceptable to IPMAN South West. The decision , without consideration of corresponding increase of our profit margin , is unfair and inhuman .

“ The increase translates to almost a million naira on every 45 , 000 litres while our profit margin was reduced , leaving us worst than before . As a responsible association , we demand the NNPC to revert to the earlier ex -depot price of N130 . 72 sent to us or we boycott supply of petroleum products .

According to Tajudeen, the ex – depot petrol price of N111 . 78 per litre was increased to N130 . 72 on Tuesday last week and then to N133 . 72 on Wednesday .

“ This is not a threat but the government should be sensitive to the plight of marketers . We restate our commitment to the uninterrupted supply of petroleum products in the best in interest of the masses and Nigeria as a nation, but the government must be fair to marketers , ” he added.

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The Federal Government will meet with states on Tuesday to discuss the modalities for the safe reopening of primary and secondary schools , according to report .

Schools across the country have remained shut since March in the wake of the COVID- 19 outbreak in the country that has resulted in the infection of over 25 , 000 .

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19 , Boss Mustapha , had earlier announced the resumption of schools , saying it was meant to allow pupils in graduating classes to resume preparation for examinations .

However , the Nigerian Medical Association and the Nigeria Union of Teachers argued that the move was not only badly thought out, but could also expose both teachers and pupils to the deadly infection.

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The West African Examination Council has advised Nigerians to disregard the purposed timetable for the 2020 /2021 West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination timetable circulating online.

The Head of Public Affairs , WAEC, Nigeria , Mr Demianus Ojijeogu , told newsmen that the timetable circulating online was not from the examination body .

He said , “The timetable in circulation did not emanate from WAEC, Nigeria . Please , disregard . ”

The body had initially scheduled to hold the exam between April 6 and June 5 but postponed it because of the COVID- 19 pandemic .

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Over three million applicants have enrolled for about 400,000 job spaces in the third batch of the Federal Government’s N-Power programme.

It was gathered that the applicants applied for the programme through the online portal of the N-Power scheme which was opened for applications on June 26, 2020.

N-Power is one of the National Social Investment Programmes of the Federal Government.

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development said that it would absorb 400,000 applicants as Batch C beneficiaries.

The humanitarian ministry’s Deputy Director, Information, Rhoda Iliya, said, “Enrolment of beneficiaries for N-power Batch C commenced on June 26, 2020 and has received over three million applications since the portal opened.

“The application process will be concluded as soon as possible to provide additional Nigerian youths access to the programme.”

The humanitarian minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, noted that as the ministry had commenced the transition of Batch A and B N-Power beneficiaries, it would conclude activities of the independent monitors enrolled with those two batches by July 31, 2020.

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