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FG  Begins Transmitting Data of Passports to Interpol

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Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola

 

 

From Alhasan Abdullahi,Abuja

The Committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonisation has concluded its assignment and substantially addressed the concern of the United States on citizen data that led to its imposition of a visa ban on Nigerians and Data on Passports.

Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Presidential Committee, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this today at the State House Abuja when he presented the report of the Committee to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Minister said out of the six areas raised by the United States, two have been fully met, two substantially met while work is ongoing on the remaining two.

According to Ogbeni Aregbesola, Nigeria “substantially provides information on Travellers Identity except for data on Emergency Travel Certificates for Nigerians being repatriated while information on 145,695 Lost and Stolen Passports had been transmitted to the INTERPOL Database as at 31st May 2020, following the intervention of the Committee.

PRAWA celebrates International day of Torture victims, urges Government to develop their database 

“In addition, the Nigeria Immigration Service has now acquired the capability to directly transmit information on Lost and Stolen Passports to the INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon which was one of the key demands of the United States”

The Committee, in its report, also urged the Federal Government to establish a National DNA data bank, testing laboratories and Data collection structures and formations across the federation to support the national security architecture with the view to finding lasting solutions to the security challenges bedevilling the country.

Ogbeni Aregbesola further said that the committee recommends the setting up of a Criminal Information Management System to include the establishment of a Data Fusion Centre fashioned after the INTERPOL model for pooling of crime data and a National Criminal DNA Laboratory with the Nigerian Police Force as the coordinating agency.

This, according to him, is to be complemented by an institutionalized standard procedure for the collection of DNA samples of all suspected criminals in government crime control and custodial facilities to aid criminal investigation and administration of criminal justice in the country. DNA is the holy grail of criminal investigation, helping law enforcement to solve the toughest crimes.

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Aregbesola stated further that 14 agencies hold substantial citizens’ data which were largely disjointed and in duplicates, and as such the committee recommends that the Federal Government should issue an Executive order that would provide among others;

Exclusive collection of biometric data by NIMC and its Licensees; Exclusive storage of Biometric data in the National identity Database and the discontinuance of biometric data storage of new registration by all agencies and institutions in Nigeria, mandatory use of the NIN by all Mobile Network Operations (MNOs) for issuance of Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) with effect from 30th June 2021 subject to the issuance of NIN by NIMC to at least 80 per cent of the population and NIN  as a unique identifier for all public servants and for Data

The Minister added that the Committee recommended the need for the National Population Commission to commence the digital birth, death and other vital registrations (marriage, divorce, adoption etc) at all hospitals and designated NPC offices in all the wards as well as integrate with the National Identity Database (NIDB) and that all agencies capturing identity data should be directed to commence full enforcement of NIN as a requirement for accessing their services.

He said that the Committee observed that an effective citizens data identity management system is a critical tool for planning well as national and global security, adding that deterring terrorism and related societal crimes through secure online identification, pre-screening and tracking of citizens; creating an interface for access and utilisation of identity-related data for delivery of services will help in solving security challenges in the country.

In a statement by Muhammad Manga Director of Press and Public relations to the minister of interior said the Committee noted the need to revive communication network deployed and owned by the government but has remained redundant over the years as this will help in achieving the required connectivity.

It will be recalled that following the temporary visa restrictions placed on Nigerian citizens on January 31, 2020, by the United States Government, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, constituted an 18-member Committee on Citizen Data Management and Harmonization on 3rd February 2020 with membership comprising:

  1. Minister of Interior (Chairman)
  2. Hon. Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

iii.     Hon. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning

  1. Hon. Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice
  2. Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs
  3. Hon. Minister of Police Affairs

vii.    Director-General, National Population Commission (NPC)

viii.   Director-General, National Identity Management Comm. (NIMC)

  1. Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS)
  2. Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
  3. Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

xii.    Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

xiii.  Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

xiv.   Inspector General, Nigeria Police Force (NPF)

  1. Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

xvi.   Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS)

xvii.  Director-General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA)

xviii. Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF

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Dan Agundi’s Supreme Court Case Has Nothing to Do With Kano Emir – Says Lawyer

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14th Emir Of Kano Muhammad Sunusi II

 

 

A lawyer involved in the Kano Emirate titleholder’s dispute, Bashir Muhammad Tudun Wazirci, has clarified that the case before the Supreme Court of Nigeria does not concern the removal or reinstatement of any emir, including Muhammadu Sanusi II.

 

Speaking to journalists after the proceedings, Wizirci explained that the suit was filed by Aminu Babba Dan’agundi against the Kano State House of Assembly, the office of the Attorney-General and the security agencies.

 

According to him, the case does not include Aminu Ado Bayero as a party or any dispute on who is Emir, stressing, that: “In this case I am for the State Assembly, first, the case is between Aminu Babba Danagundi and the State Government and the office of the Attorney General and security agencies. In this case, there is no name of Emir Muhammad Sanusi II or former Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. It is between Aminu Babba Dan’agundi and the state government alongside security agencies”.

Dan Agundi’s lawyer Professor Yusufari SAN confirmed that “the case is between his client and the State Government” and no Emir is involved.

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Wazirci emphasized “Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi is not a party, neither is the former, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. Dan Agundi approached the Federal High Court that has no Jurisdiction. The Court of appeal ruled that the lower Federal High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the case. Dan Agundi lost the appeal. They were not satisfied and that’s why they appealed to the Supreme Court”. He said.

 

Wazirci said the case was scheduled for hearing but was stalled following a fresh application by Dan Agundi’s lawyer who cited that they received late response from one of the security agencies as reason for delay.

 

“They claimed they received information from the DSS on the 15th of the month and needed time to respond. I objected because this is a matter that requires accelerated hearing if they are serious,” Wizirci said.

 

He, however, stated that the court upheld the appealant’s right to fair hearing and granted them time to file their processes. The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 19, 2027.

 

Meanwhile, Counsel to Aminu DanAgundi, Professor Mamman Lawal Yusufari clarified that “The suit was slated for hearing today, not for judgment as many believed. Counsel to one of the respondents filed a motion on April 14 and served us the following day”.

 

“We are entitled to respond within 14 days from the date of service. Hence, the adjournment, as the matter could not proceed,” he said.

 

Recall that Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, in May 2024, signed a law that dethroned all Emirs of Kano, Rano, Gaya and Karaye and reappointed Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano. Dissatisfied with the new law, Dan Agundi challenged it at the Federal High Court, that his removal by the law is an infringement, the Court ruled that it has jurisdiction. The State Government appealed to the Court of Appeal, which ruled that the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction. Dan Agundi then filed an appeal in the Supreme Court as confirmed by his lawyer Professor Maman Yusufari SAN.

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Governor Yusuf Nominates Murtala Garo to the Kano Assembly as Deputy Governor

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Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has transmitted the name of Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo to the State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as Deputy Governor.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad.

The nomination is in line with Section 191(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the Governor to nominate a Deputy Governor where a vacancy exists.

The position became vacant following the voluntary resignation of the former Deputy Governor, Comrade Abdussalam Gwarzo, on March 27, 2026.

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Following a wide consultations with key stakeholders, the Governor has requested the Assembly to grant the necessary approval for Garo’s nomination.

48 year old Murtala Sule Garo is a season political administrator with over two decades of service in both elective and appointed positions.

He has served as State Organising Secretary of his party, Special Adviser to Kano State Governor and elected Kabo Local Government Chairman.

He also served as Chairman of ALGON Kano, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and Deputy Governorship Candidate of the APC in the 2023 general elections.

His nomination is part of efforts to strengthen governance and sustain effective service delivery in Kano State.

Signed
Mustapha Muhammad
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
Kano State Government

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Insecurity: US lawmaker accuses Matawalle of bribe attempt to silence recommendation calling for his sack

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Governor Matawalle

 

Kimberly Daniels, a United States Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 14, has alleged that Nigeria’s minister of state for defense, Bello Matawalle, attempted to bribe a US official to deflect the narrative of the United World Congress of Diplomats, UN-WCD, report.

The lawmaker made the claim in a viral video released on her official Facebook account on Monday.

She said Matawalle’s alleged move was to cover up the UN-WCD report on Christian genocide in Nigeria, which indicted him.

Daniels insisted that no amount of pressure can silence her stand against the killings of Christians in Nigeria.

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“A US elected official was offered money by Nigeria’s minister of state defense, Bello Matawalle, to change the narrative of the UN-WCD Christian genocide in Nigeria report,” she said in the viral video.

Recall that Daniels, who doubled as the chairperson of UN-WCD, had called for President Bola Tinubu to remove Matawalle over alleged complicity in the killings in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, and other parts of Nigeria.

Matawalle is yet to officially reply the US lawmaker.

Daniels alleged that following her recent press statement on what she described as targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, she came under pressure from individuals she linked to the minister, including what she characterised as attempts to discredit her report and “buy support” from US-based elected officials.

According to her, an unnamed American lawmaker allegedly received an offer of financial inducement to publicly counter her position and defend the Nigerian defence leadership.

She claimed to have received evidence of a communication, including a prepared statement and promotional material, purportedly linked to the minister.

She also claimed that the bribery attempt is meant to divide America elected officials not knowing that they are united.

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