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Conviction of Simon Ekpa: Learn from Finland, NBA Tells Judges, Prosecutors 

Conviction of Simon Ekpa: Learn from Finland, NBA Tells Judges, Prosecutors 

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on Nigerian judges and prosecutors to take a cue from Finland, following the speedy trial and conviction of Simon Ekpa on terrorism-related charges.

A District Court in Finland, in a judgment, sentenced Ekpa to six years in prison after finding him guilty of terrorism-related charges.

According to the judgment, Ekpa was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organisation and publicly incited crimes for terrorist purposes.

Ekpa, who is based in Finland, is known for being behind the enforcement of a sit-at-home order every Monday in the South-east in solidarity with the actualization of a Biafra nation and also in protest of the continued detention of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnamdi Kanu.

Reacting to the conviction, the President of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), who said he was yet to get full details of the Finland court judgment, stated that he was very impressed with the short time it took to conclude investigation and trial.

Osigwe stated this while presenting the communiqué from the NBA’s Annual General Conference (AGC), which held in Enugu recently.

“I look at the time it took to do the trial,

and the sort of evidence relied on by the court in order for them to arrive at a decision. That should be a lesson for us,” he said.

The NBA president noted that trials take a longer time in Nigeria because “most judges still write longhand” instead of embracing technology, adding that investigators and prosecutors should endeavour to get enough evidence, build up a good case before going to court.

Osigwe also called on security agencies to awake to their responsibilities in checking abuse of social media, adding that: “Persons who have access to social media should be careful how they utilize them to promote hate or terrorism.”

He said: “We should look at those who are using it to provide ethnic hatred, to promote terrorism, and get hold of such, and try them,” rather than filing cyber-bullying charge against citizens in political matters.

Meanwhile, the NBA faulted the invitation of awardees of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), by the Department of State Service (DSS).

According to the body, sending a confidential report in respect of each of the awardees would have been enough instead of the grilling of the nominees.

“It does not require DSS inviting them,” he said, adding that “unfortunately, our members went there without informing us”.

A life bencher and former General Secretary of the NBA, Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), had condemned the clearance of awardees by the DSS, noting that it undermines the independence of the legal profession.

However, the Supreme Court, in its response, had pointed out that the screening was in line with Paragraph 23 (2) of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee Guidelines, the body which is conferring the SAN rank on the lawyers.

But, the NBA is of the position that the job of the DSS should not go beyond sending confidential report on a nominee, because most of the information has already been volunteered by the lawyers themselves including reports from judges before whom the lawyers appear.

“Court records are there, Heads of Courts also write confidential report,” he added.

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Alex Enumah in Abuja  The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called on Nigerian judges and prosecutors to take a cue from Finland, following the speedy trial and conviction of Simon
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Your Claim That Govt is Incentivizing Bandits False, Ribadu Replies El-Rufai

Your Claim That Govt is Incentivizing Bandits False, Ribadu Replies El-Rufai

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has countered a claim by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is incentivizing bandits operating in the North-west, describing it as not only false but baseless.

Ribadu also urged El-Rufai and all political actors to desist from dragging national security institutions into partisan battles.

The NSA, in a statement signed by the Director of Legal at the Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, stressed that the fight against banditry is a collective struggle — not a platform for political point-scoring.

He said: “The attention of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has been drawn to comments made by the former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in a television interview on Sunday. In that interview, he alleged, falsely, that the ONSA coordinates a policy of payments and offers incentives to bandits.

“This claim is baseless. At no time has the ONSA, or any arm of government under this administration, engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals. On the contrary, we have consistently warned Nigerians against paying ransom. El-Rufai’s allegations are not only false but also contradict verifiable facts on the ground.

“From inception, this government has adopted a dual strategy: decisive kinetic operations alongside community engagements aimed at addressing local grievances. The result is evident in areas such as Igabi, Birnin Gwari, Giwa, and other parts of Kaduna that once suffered untold terror but are now experiencing relative peace.”

The NSA stated that the efforts of gallant military and security agencies in capturing or eliminating notorious bandits have been widely reported in the media.

In Kaduna alone, he said, known kingpins who once terrorised residents — such as Boderi, Baleri, Sani Yellow, Janburos, Buhari, and Boka, among others — have been eliminated.

He added that, only recently, leaders of Ansaru who had previously established bases in Kaduna were apprehended.

“These successes came at a cost — some of our brave officers paid the supreme price. For a former governor of a state, in the person of El-Rufai, to deny these sacrifices on national television is both unfair and deeply insulting to the memories of our security personnel,” he said.

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Linus Aleke in Abuja The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has countered a claim by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, that the Federal Government, through the
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UBEC, DLN to Distribute 47m Laptops, Tablets to Students, Teachers 

UBEC, DLN to Distribute 47m Laptops, Tablets to Students, Teachers 

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Digital Learning Network (DLN), to implement a comprehensive National Digital Education Transformation Project, increase access and improve quality of education. 

The MoU, signed at a brief ceremony at UBEC headquarters on Monday in Abuja, involving the US-based corporation, will ensure the distribution of 47 million laptops and tablets to students and teachers across Nigeria’s basic education sector — pre-primary, primary, and junior secondary schools — with equitable access to world-class digital learning tools, infrastructure and training.

DLN, working with Deloitte Financial Advisory, UBA Plc., Zenith Bank and the National Credit Guarantee Company, will fully fund this transformation through private investments from development finance institutions that support its global technology partners and institutional investors.

The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Aisha Garba, in her remarks, highlighted the importance of the project, saying the initiative would transform learning in pre-primary, primary and junior secondary schools, especially in remote and underserved communities.

She noted that the project represents one of the most significant educational technology initiatives globally. 

The core components, as detailed in the MoU, included device deployment involving the distribution of 47 million DLN-branded laptops and tablets pre-loaded with digital textbooks and interactive learning materials fully aligned with the Nigerian curriculum set by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

There would also the deployment of a robust hybrid internet infrastructure combining 5G, local telecom partnerships, and SpaceX’s Starlink satellite technology to guarantee minimum broadband speeds of 50 Mbps for schools, even in the most remote and rural communities.

The UBEC boss further disclosed that there would also be a nationwide digital pedagogy programme for educators, administrators, and support staff in collaboration with the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) to ensure  alignment with national standards.

According to her, the project involves deployment of Advanced Learning Platform that would see to the implementation of an AI-powered Learning Management System (LMS) for real-time student performance tracking, automated grading and enhanced parent-teacher communication.

“This partnership is a testament to our commitment to fulfilling our mandate under the UBEC Act. 

“By leveraging DLN’s technology and financing model, we can bridge the digital divide and ensure every Nigerian child has access to quality basic education, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, National Policy on Education and Sustainable Development Goal 4. This is a transformative leap for our education system,” she stated. 

According to Garba, “This partnership will provide about 47 million students and their teachers with devices bundled with digital learning content and internet connectivity.

“It’s a transformative leap to our education system in Nigeria. In addition to the 47 million devices, laptops, there will also be a provision of connectivity, internet connectivity, working with all the relevant partners, ensuring that there is infrastructure, as well as the minimum standards across all the schools that will benefit from this particular project. 

“There will be teacher training in collaboration with the National Teachers Institute to ensure that it aligns with our national standards.” 

She added that the project would also include teacher training, internet access and the establishment of regional hubs for assembling and distributing the devices.

“The hubs will create jobs, build local expertise, and boost the economy,” Garba said.

On his part, DLN President and CEO, Mr. Thomas Larmena, described the rollout as the largest digital education project in Africa.

“This is a unique opportunity to digitally transform Nigeria’s education sector at no cost to federal or state governments, while keeping costs low for parents and students. We have secured strong global partners including Huawei and Samsung and we are ready to roll out nationwide,” Larmena stated.

He revealed that the project had already begun in Akwa Ibom State, with more states set to join through commitments from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

“This is a unique opportunity, and for us, with this project, it becomes the largest digital transformation education project across Africa. 

“So we are very proud and very happy to be here, and we want to give a lot of thanks to the executive director and her team for working with us in getting the project to this stage,” he said.

A critical pillar of this collaboration is the establishment of state-of-the-art regional laptop assembly facilities within Nigeria. 

These facilities, to be located in special economic zones, will have an initial production capacity of one million devices annually, scalable to two million.

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Kuni Tyessi in Abuja The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Digital Learning Network (DLN), to implement a comprehensive National Digital Education Transformation
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