The Military Pensions Board has transitioned from traditional physical verification methods to an advanced electronic system with the engagement of eTranzact as technology solution provider.

A leading provider of innovative financial technology solutions, eTranzact will provide technological solutions for the Military Pensions Board’s new digital verification system for military pensioners, officially launched on July 1, 2024.

A statement on Monday said the initiative marks a significant milestone in leveraging technology to streamline pension verification processes and enhance the welfare of military retirees across Nigeria.

“With Federal Government’s approval, the Military Pensions Board is transitioning from traditional physical verification methods to an advanced electronic system developed and deployed by eTranzact.

“This transition aims to minimize travel risks, reduce transportation costs, and accommodate the advanced age of many pensioners,” Air Vice Marshal Paul Irumheson, Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, said, emphasizing the necessity of the transition.

Irumheson stated that the move to electronic verification is crucial for the safety and convenience of military pensioners.

“This innovative solution will ensure that retirees can verify their status from anywhere in the world, significantly reducing the burden of travel and associated risks,” he added.

A pilot exercise conducted between February 15 and March 1, 2024, demonstrated the efficiency and reliability of the new system.

The statement noted that, in addition to developing the verification system, eTranzact has managed salary payments for other government agencies.

“The implementation of this electronic verification system is a critical step towards ensuring foolproof and seamless payment processes within the Military Pensions Board.”

The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, have endorsed the electronic verification exercise, recognizing its potential to revolutionise the military pensions system.

The key benefits of the digital verification system include enhanced security by reducing the risk of identity fraud and impersonation, convenience by allowing pensioners to complete verification from their homes, cost efficiency by eliminating the need for travel, and accessibility by accommodating pensioners residing both within and outside Nigeria.

Niyi Toluwalope, CEO of eTranzact, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “We are honoured to collaborate with the Military Pensions Board on this transformative project.

“At eTranzact, we are committed to harnessing the power of technology to solve critical challenges and improve the quality of life of Nigerians. This digital verification system affirms our dedication to innovation and excellence.”

New Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca has revealed his target for the Blues this 2024/25 season.

Maresca spoke on Monday during his first official interview with the Premier League west London club.

The Italian, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge, said his target is to improve all Chelsea players as well as the team.

“I’m very excited. One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent,” Maresca said.

“I always say the same: if you are able to improve players then you are able to improve the team.

“So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.”

Chelsea finished sixth position in the Premier League table last season under Pochettino.

Fenerbahce manager, Jose Mourinho, has spoken for the first time since Portugal were eliminated from Euro 2024.

Mourinho had picked his country as one of the favourites to win the competition.

Roberto Martinez’s men finished top of Group F and saw off Slovenia on penalties in the last 16.

However, they were eliminated by France in the quarter final after another shoot-out.

Mourinho admits that Portugal’s 2-1 defeat to Croatia in the build up to the Euros raised alarm bells.

“Portugal wasn’t fantastic, despite reaching the quarter-finals. We expected more. I was at the National Stadium for the Portugal-Croatia match and it didn’t smell good. I didn’t get a great feeling.

“During the tournament we were the team that was making progress, but we weren’t convincing.

“Often, when the moment of truth comes, these teams are stronger. This wasn’t the end of Portugal, there wasn’t any improvement in the team.

“But it’s a young team, apart from the two veterans [Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe], a team with years ahead of them. The World Cup is just around the corner,” Mourinho told Sport TV.

Real Madrid, on Monday, confirmed that the club have reached an agreement to extend the contract of their basketball player, Dzanan Musa.

The Spanish club disclosed this in a statement on their website.

The new contract will see Musa, 25, remain at the club until next season.

“Real Madrid C. F. and Dzanan Musa have reached an agreement to extend the player’s contract, which will see him remain contracted to the club for the next season.

“During the two seasons in which Dzanan Musa has represented our club, he has won 5 trophies: 1 European Cup, 1 Spanish League, 1 Copa del Rey and 2 Spanish Super Cups.

“In this time, Dzanan Musa, has already won the love and admiration of all Madrid fans, and is now gearing up for his third season at Real Madrid after finishing the last campaign with three trophies and the well-deserved MVP award in the Endesa League final,” Real Madrid’s statement read.

In a swift operation, the Bauchi Police Command have arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the murder of a 60-year-old woman in Yelwa Village, in Bauchi metropolis.

The suspect was apprehended following an investigation that traced his footprints from the crime scene and recovered the weapon used in the attack.

According to a statement made available to journalists in Bauchi on Monday by the spokesman of the Command, SP Ahmed Wakil, a report was received from the Officer-in-Charge (O/C) of Nabardo Police outstation regarding a grievous incident that occurred on July 7, 2024.

One Aliyu Yunusa, a 40-year-old resident of Yelwa Village, was said to have reported that unknown individuals broke into his mother’s residence and attacked her with a dangerous weapon.

The victim, Safiya Yunusa, a 60-year-old woman, reportedly sustained severe injuries on her head.

Upon receiving the report, a Police team led by the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) was dispatched to the scene and the victim was immediately conveyed to Toro General Hospital for medical attention.

However, the medical doctor confirmed the victim’s death and following a postmortem examination, her body was released to her relatives for burial.

“Following collaborative efforts with local vigilante groups and Fulani leaders in the area, one suspect, Adamu Alhassan, a 30-year-old was arrested in connection with the attack.

“The suspect’s footprints were identified and traced from the scene. Meanwhile, the weapon used in committing the crime was also recovered as exhibits.” the statement reads.

Wakili that the suspect will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation and prosecution upon completion of the investigation, as ordered by the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa Mohammed.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has canvassed the effective implementation of existing laws to fight all forms of crime in the country.

He said, it was not enough to have laws but that effective implementation of the laws must be in full force for crimes to be brought down to the bearest minimum.

The AGF spoke on Monday in Abuja, at a one-day stakeholders’ engagement summit on the effective implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice ACT and the official signing of the Practice Directions on remand proceedings, guidelines and monitoring framework for the implementation of remand proceedings.

At the summit held at the headquarters of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and attended by critical stakeholders, Fagbemi called for synergy of stakeholders in the justice sector for effective implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, ACJA.

While waiting for the amendment of ACJA as suggested, he said courts should use the laws already in existence, especially the deployment of Mutual Legal Assistance, MLA, to repatriate those convicted in absentia but are outside the country.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Chief Judge of the High Court of FCT, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf assured of the commitment of the judiciary to uplifting and promoting various provisions of ACJA for effective administration of criminal justice.

He also stated that the new guidelines will ensure that Judges adhere to the rule of law and the rights of suspects in issuing remand order.

In his own speech, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, called for a holistic review of the provisions of the ACJA.

The EFCC boss recalled that ACJA has achieved a lot in the administration of criminal justice in the past ten years of its existence but, however, observed some flaws, especially Section 396(7) which was annulled by the Supreme Court for been in conflict with the Constitution.

He cited the case of former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, who was ordered to be retried simply because the judge that convicted him at the trial was elevated to the Court of Appeal bench.

The EFCC boss, who was represented by the Director, Legal, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, also faulted Section 252(4)(5) of ACJA that denies a judge the power to pass sentence on a suspect who was convicted in absentia.

He also stressed the need for the Chief Judge and other critical stakeholders to sponsor necessary bills and amendment to the National Assembly.

Also speaking, the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa stressed the need to harmonize the provisions of ACJA and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act l, 2019, to ensure seamless operations.

Represented by the Controller of Operations, National Headquarters, Ezekiel Kagah said the Correctional Service is committed to collaborating with all stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice.

Nigerian singer, Chidozie Ugochinyere, popularly known as FaveSzn, has revealed that she once dated her choirmaster when she was just 10 years old.

Speaking during a chat with colleague Bloody Samaritan and actresses, Susan Pwajok and Genoveva Umeh, the ‘Baby Riddim’ crooner explained that it was the children’s choir and the choirmaster was in the same age bracket.

“He was the choirmaster. It was the children’s choir, so we were all kind of like kids. We would do this midnight thing where he would call, and it was just cute,” the 24-year-old singer recalled.

She further disclosed that she has doubts about her sexuality.

“My sexuality is in question; I am curious. Shouldn’t we all be curious? If you are not, then it is a problem,” Fave added.

The Women In Mining In Nigeria (WIMIN), in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, has called on the Nasarawa State Government to urgently address the issues of sexual harassment and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) affecting female miners in the state.

WIMIN, a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting women’s inclusion in Nigeria’s mineral exploration and mining sector, focuses on community engagement, research, capacity building, and strategic dialogue.

Speaking in Lafia on Monday at the opening of a three-day training for Service Providers on Sexual Gender-Based Violence, WIMIN President Janet Adeyemi, represented by Vice President Regina Edzuwah, lamented the increasing cases of GBV and other issues affecting its members and females across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state.

Adeyemi stated that female rights have been the most abused and neglected despite numerous awareness campaigns.

“In most mining sites and host communities in Nigeria, women are constantly abused, misused, over-laboured, underpaid, shortchanged, and even raped by the male labourers and staff of mining companies,” she stated.

She further pointed out the unlawful employment of young children in mining environments, stating, “The companies also unlawfully welcome the labour of young children who should not be exposed to the mining environment yet but should be in school.

“The children are stretched and over-laboured by mining companies and their wages are given to their mothers who are equally on the mining sites.”

She added that the training program, titled, ‘Eliminating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Mining Host Communities’, aims to address GBV affecting females.

It will cover various critical topics, including understanding Sexual GBV, cultural and social norms influencing Sexual GBV, root causes and risk factors, legal framework and policies, survivor-centred approach, and trauma-informed care.

Adeyemi noted that the training is designed to enhance the capacity of service providers, including healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, social workers, and community leaders, to provide effective support to Sexual GBV survivors and promote a coordinated community response.

She lamented that over 90 percent of WIMIN members had been sexually harassed by their male counterparts in the past year.

The Director of Public Defender at the Nasarawa State Ministry of Justice, Justina Allu, condemned the issues of sexual harassment, molestation, and gender-based violence in the state.

Allu revealed that her office had handled over 50 cases in the last six months and commended WIMIN for organizing the training program.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Aisha Ibrahim, represented by the Director of the Women Affairs Department, Matayashi Aselema, welcomed WIMIN members and other stakeholders to the training.

She reiterated the state government’s commitment to addressing the issues affecting women in the state, including sexual harassment and gender-based violence.

Patience Sampson, a participant, thanked WIMIN for the opportunity to learn more about tackling sexual harassment and GBV, promising to put all that they learn into practice.

The Federal Government on Monday announced the suspension of duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of some food items through land and sea borders.

The foods include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.

Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, disclosed this while announcing a 150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for food commodities.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Kyari said: “150-Day Duty-Free Import Window for Food Commodities, suspension of duties, tariffs and taxes for the importation of certain food commodities (through land and sea borders). These commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat and cowpeas.

“Under this arrangement, imported food commodities will be subjected to a Recommended Retail Price (RRP).

“I am glad to reiterate that the Government’s position exemplifies standards that would not compromise the safety of the various food items for consumption.

“In addition to the importation by private sector, Federal Government will import 250,000MT of wheat and 250,000MT of maize. The imported food commodities in their semi processed state will target supplies to the small-scale processors and millers across the country.”

The Jigawa State Police Command has announced the loss of three senior officers due to illnesses over the past two weeks.

The Command disclosed this in a statement released to newsmen by its spokesman, DSP Lawan Shiisu, on Monday.

According to the statement, the officers, who passed away between June 22 and July 5, 2024, include SP Salisu Salisu-Mudi, a Patrol and Guard officer from Babura Division, who died at the Federal Medical Centre in Katsina on June 22.

ASP Asabe Muhammad, the second-in-command of the Gender Desk Office at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), died on Wednesday, July 3.

CSP Muhammad Salihu-Koko, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Yankwaahi Division, passed away on Friday, July 5.

Shiisu expressed the Command’s condolences to the families and loved ones of the deceased officers, while praying for the repose of their souls.