[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has been true to its mandate, which it actualized through the application of its power of assessment, setting and maintaining high standard in education delivery. Its mission is to promote excellence. And it has been doing this successfully for more than 60 years, adding value to the education systems of its stakeholders.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has concluded arrangements for the release of the results of the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2018-First Series.

You will recall that upon the approval of Council during the 65th Annual Council Meeting held in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in March 2017 for WAEC in each of the member countries to commence the conduct of an additional diet of the WASSCE for Private Candidates effective the year 2018, the Management of the Council in Nigeria under the leadership of Mr. Olu I. Adenipekun took up the challenge for the implementation of the Council’s decision for the conduct of an additional diet with effect from January, 2018.

The WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2018-First Series was conducted from January 29, 2018 to February 12, 2018. Coordination of Examiners and Marking of Candidates’ Scripts took place thereafter.

In line with the earlier promise made to the Nation by the Head of National Office, Mr. Olu I. Adenipekun on the Council’s determination to release the results of any WASSCE diet within 45 days after the conduct of the examination and to issue certificates within 90 days, feelers from the Council in Nigeria, indicates that the results of the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2018-First Series will be released on or before Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

This will mean that the results of the examination would have been released in less than 30 days after the last paper was written. By this information, candidates who sat for the examination should be able to check their results in the next 48 hours.

The Mr. Olu I. Adenipekun-led management team has always worked round the clock, by strategizing and re-strategizing in order to render the best services to WAEC stakeholders.

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]or eating the forbidden fruit of his 16-year-old sister-in-law, a 52-year-old, Olusola Williams, is to cool his heels in prison, an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court ruled on Friday.
Olusola is to remain in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, for the next 38 days, according to Chief Magistrate Taiwo Akanni, who had refused to take his plea.The accused, a generator repairer, who resides at 19, Water Andem St., Abule-Egba, a suburb of Lagos, is being tried for sexual assault.
At the arraignment of the accused, Police Prosecutor Clifford Ogu told the court that the offence was committed between 2009 to February 2018 at the apartment of the accused.Ogu said the secondary school girl, who is related to the accused’s wife, has been living with him since 2009.“The girl who could not hide it any longer, told her principal when some social workers came to their school to show a film on sexual assault.
“According to the girl, her uncle has been sleeping with her since 2009 when she was eight years old,” Ogu told the court.
He added: “The girl said the sexual abuse reduced to two times a week when she started menstruating in 2013 .
“Before 2013 , the accused used to sleep with her almost every day and the last time he slept with her was on Feb. 28, 2018.
“The case was reported at the police station and the accused was called for questioning and from there, he was detained and charged to court.”The offence contravened Section 269 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The offence carries life imprisonment under the Criminal Law.

[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta State Governor,  Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, on Friday inspected the multiple storm drainage projects and  charged contractors to speed up the pace of work. According to the Governor, “the contractors must fully mobilize to site, they must get to appreciable level before the rain commences in full.”

The Governor frowned at the pace of work at the drainage site by St. Mary Vianney Catholic Church designed to empty flood water from Marian Babangida Way, DBS road, and adjoining areas. “The pace of work here is very slow, if the rains come earlier than expected, the drainage will collapse, in some areas, the soil is softer than others, the contractors must mobilize fully to site and increase the pace of work,” the Governor said.

Governor Okowa disclosed that when completed, issues of flood in the state capital will be a thing of the past, observing that the contractor handling the storm drain that will take water out of DLA and Jesus Saves Road was doing a good job. He urged motorists and commuters who are using alternative road to the Nnebisi road which was cut off as a result of the construction work to be patient as the contractor had shown commitment to open up the road within two weeks as envisaged.

Governor Okowa accompanied by some members of the Delta State Executive Council, members of House of Assembly also, inspected the drainage that will empty water from Okpanam and the level of work done on Okpanam/Asaba road project.

Source’ Grassroots Publishers

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo, Oba Ewuare II, has placed curse on perpetrators of human trafficking and their collaborators including native doctors and priests who administer oath of secrecy on victims. The Oba placed the curse Friday, in Benin City while meeting with Enogie, Edionwere, priests of different deities in Benin and native doctors at his palace.

The monarch who said the oath of secrecy administered on the victims has been encouraging the illegal trade called on all native doctors to shun the act and join hands with the palace to attract development and progress to the kingdom. “It is reported that at the beginning the traffickers take their victims to native doctors to take oath that they will not disclose the names of their traffickers and sponsors.

“Your power is to fight for the progress of Benin kingdom and not to be used for the destruction of our young people”. The monarch who also invoked his power as the spiritual leader of Benin kingdom nullified all the oaths of secrecy administered on all victims of human trafficking and urged them to speak out and seek assistance.

While disclosing that statistics from relevant agencies reveal that most of those trafficked in Nigeria are from Benin, Oba Ewuare deplored the practice where gainfully employed artisans sell their working tools to pay their traffickers.“We have some people gainfully employed as mechanics, welders, tailors, selling their working tools to pay traffickers to take them to Italy, Germany.

“Those who traffic people to Italy, Germany and other countries first take them to Libya where they are enslaved”.He urged the native doctors to tell all victims of human trafficking to speak out as all oaths of secrecy have been norlified.

“From today, we no longer want to hear of human trafficking in Benin. I hope those who have been involved in this illegal trade will stop from today.“All native doctors who have administered oath of secrecy on victims of human trafficking should also tell those they administered such oath on to speak out.

“Am appealing to all native doctors to stop administering such oaths on trafficked victims and all such oaths are hereby nullified.

“No native doctor should do any charm for any potential illegal migrant to cross international border. Those who did it before now are forgiven and whoever does it from today will face the wrought of our ancestors”, the monarch warned.

Speaking with news men after the royal pronouncement, zonal commander, National Agency for the Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Barrister Nduka Nwanwennee pointed out that the Oba’s intervention is a significant milestone in the war against human trafficking and illegal migration.

“Before now, victims of human trafficking rarely open up to give evidence in court because of they have taken. They are afraid and believe that the oath will have effect on them as the  native doctors who administered such oaths have their personal items like finger nails, pubic hair, menstrural  pads, pants, photographs etc.

“Now that those oaths have been nullified by the monarch, our power of prosecution has been enhanced and we can now rescue more victims,” he said.

Also speaking, the Enogie of Ukhiri, His Royal Highness, Godwin Aigbe thanked Oba Ewuare 11 for the royal pronouncement and urge the Edo State House of Assembly to complement the Oba’s efforts by enacting a law with stiff penalties for offenders.

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]bba Kyari, a 1997 Geography graduate of the University of Maiduguri, Abba grew up and attended his primary and secondary schools in Maiduguri. He did his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Akwa Ibom State in 1998 and joined the Nigeria Police Force as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in the year 2000. 16 years after, he has earned for himself the reputation of a diligent, no-nonsense and intelligence officer, such that the police authorities and the general public are proud of him. He always demonstrates to his bosses that he knew why he joined the force, and has kept at it.

After completing his training in the Police Academy Wudil Kano, Kyari was posted to Adamawa State where he served in Song, Girei and Numan Local Government areas with remarkable successes in crime bursting. He stood out tall when he led the arrest of a notorious armed robber called, ‘Ndagi’ a.k.a Spirit. Spirit who held in Numan, the third biggest town in Adamawa State and held the area hostage for several years before he was eventually arrested since then, since then, there was no looking back for this intelligent officer with a sharp investigative mind and sometimes deadly courage.

Kyari joined the Police Mobile Force, popularly known as Mopol in 2005 and was there for about five years until his posting to Lagos Command October in 2010. He was deployed as the second in command (2/IC) to SARS and later became the OC SARS on January 15, 2011. It was said that the then Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, who decorated him with several awards, resisted ceaseless attempts by the Police high Command to have Kyari redeployed out of Lagos. This was on account of his amazing achievements in combating the menace of armed robbery and kidnapping in Lagos.

Kyari has a long litany of exploits under his belt. He was instrumental in the arrest of the most notorious armed robber in the South West, Mr. Abiodun Egunjobi, otherwise known as Godogodo. Godogodo was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, with some of his gang members. SARS recovered 42 AK47 rifles from the gang. Godogodo confessed to have killed over 150 Nigerians, including over 50 policemen during his 10 years reign as the kingpin of South West armed robbers.

There was also the arrest of Benjamin Osinachi a.k.a China and his entire gang of kidnappers based in Ghana, but operated in Nigeria. Their victims included a sitting High Court Judge, a sitting local government chairman, many expatriates, amongst others. China and his gang members held South West residents by the jugulars for long. But Kyari with his men, were said to have deployed, “Advanced Technology and brought the kidnappers down.” Several AK47 rifles and thousands of ammunitions were recovered from the gang.

The defeat of Mr. Andrew and his gang of deadly kidnappers in Igando area of Lagos metropolis was spearheaded by Kyari and his men. SARS recovered 12 AK47 rifles, GPMGs and rocket launchers from the gang. Also during his tenure in Lagos, SARS arrested Chinansa and gang in the Ajangbadi area of Lagos. The SARS men recovered 11 AK47 rifles, rocket launchers and GPMGs from them.

There was also the shocking arrest of the General Overseer of a church located at Ejigbo. The General Overseer was part of the gang of robbers that attacked the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The gang was later discovered to have operated at Ogun, Kwara and Rivers States. When they were eventually arrested, police recovered five AK47 rifles and GPMGs. Kyari was also instrumental in the arrest of the kidnappers of former Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo Iweala’s mother. The kidnappers used to operate in Delta, Edo and Port Harcourt. This gang killed the former deputy Governor of Anambra State and kidnapped the wife of a sitting Supreme Court Judge.

Kyari and his men also arrested the kidnappers that abducted Dangote’s cousin. Another gang that kidnapped a British citizen, Mr. Dickson Lee, along the International Airport Road, was also defeated. The Briton was kidnapped moments after landing in Nigeria. There was the arrest of Obinna in Onitsha. Obinna was the most notorious sponsor and kingpin of robbers who specialized in hijacking trailers carrying containers. SARS has also in its feather,  arrested Emmanuel aka Arab. Arab and his gang members were described as deadly. 12 AK 47 rifles, including four AK47 rifles belonging to Policemen they killed during bank robbery in Kwara State were recovered from them. Kyari and his men led the rescue of a young Kwara female model in Delta State. The policeman and his men also led in the rescue operation of Alhaji Fashola, owner of Kings Petroleum in Isheri Oshun, Lagos.

Lagos residents cannot forget the arrest of the nanny who kidnapped three boys belonging to same parents. The kids were called ‘the Orekoyas kids’. The nanny was arrested within three days that the case was transferred to Kyari and his men. Few days before Kyari got his posting letter to Abuja, he led the arrest of Lekki armed robbers who attacked the First City Monument Bank (FCMB). They killed three policemen and a girl who was hawking fish, carted away money and escaped through the waterways.

He also made success against a splintered members of Lekki bank robbery who recently attacked banks at Ijede and Ogolonto areas of Ikorodu, Lagos. The gang escaped, as usual, through the waterways and Kyari deployed his Technology and arrested four of the Ikorodu bank robbers. Subsequently, the arrest of Vampire and his group of most deadliest gang of kidnappers in Nigeria in Imo State, the biggest of all is the arrest of Billionaire Kidnapper Evans and his Group the Most Notorious Kidnapping Kingpin in Lagos State, Foiled the Bombing of 3rd Mainland bridge in Lagos by arresting the Militant and explosive expert sent to bomb the bridge and recovered the heavy explosives in Lagos, arrested Turkish School and Ikorodu School Girls Kidnappers in Lagos and Ogun States, arrested the kidnappers of the CBN Governors wife in Delta State, the Kidnappers of Ambassador Bagudu Hirse in Kaduna, the Kidnappers of SierraLeon Deputy High Commissioner along Abuja-Kaduna Express, arrest of the Killers of Colonel Yunusa in Kaduna, arrest of the  Kidnappers of Dangote expatriates in Ogun State, arrest of the kidnappers of the mother of Governor Yahaya Bello Of Kogi State, arrest of Urban Gorilla and Group the Most Notorious Kidnapper in Rivers State, arrest of Sunday Aka Full Payment and his group of most Notorious Bank Robbers in the South South, arrest of Kidnappers of Oniba of Iba a First Class King in Lagos State, arrest of Killers of Oyo State member of House of Assembly, arrest of Killers of Reverent Adeyi in Otukpo Benue State, arrest of Kidnappers of Alhaji Salami in Abuja, arrest of the kidnappers of 2 ABTI American University of Nigeria Female Students  in Abuja, arrest of the attackers of Nimbo Community in Enugu State and also arrested many Groups of notorious Fulani kidnappers terrorizing the Abuja-kaduna express way.

Kyari has received a lot of awards to mark his achievements. But to mention a few; there’s the IGP Commendation Award for Courage 2012, 2013, 2014. Governors Award for Gallantry, Leadership and Service excellence 2011, 2012, 2013. There’s Commissioner of Police Commendation Award for Courage 2011. Best Anti- Crime Police Officer in West Africa from Security Watch Africa, Star Award from CRAN 2011, 2012, 2013 ,2014 and the Highest Of them all Presidential Medal of Courage 1/4/16.

A very shy guy, Abba wouldn’t talk about his work and how he does it, but his men and people who have come across him would attest to the fact that his best attribute is that he sees himself as a Team Leader and not a boss in the discharge of his duties and co-ordination of men and resources to fight crime and criminals. One of his boys told me that” “OC is a whiz kid. He is too much. He understands technology and uses it to track down criminals. Also, he is a leader. He motivates us his men. We eat and drink with him. He attends our weddings, birthdays and naming ceremonies of our children and funeral of our relatives. In short, he is like a brother to us and leads from the front. He is always there for us and even teaches us how to key into technology while doing our work. In short, the OC is wonderful.”

So, here’s a brilliant officer who is also a great leader, who is ever ready to learn and teach others so the war against crime and criminals may succeed. No wonder the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, like his predecessor, was full of praises for Abba Kyari as he broke the news to Lagosians of the rescue of the three female students and the arrest of their kidnappers. He couldn’t be headed anywhere else but the top having stayed on top of his game from the moment he joined the Police.