Quote of the Day

“I was elected on a platform of change. I know this is what the people of Nigeria desire more than anything else. I know they are impatient for action. I realize the world waits to see evidence that my administration will be different from all those that came before. Yet reforming my country after so many years of abuse cannot be achieved overnight. In our campaigns against both Boko Haram and corruption, we should remain steadfast and remember, as it is said: “Have patience. All things become difficult before they become easy.”

President Muhammadu Buhari

Quote of the Day

We’ve got a busy agenda, but I want to emphasize how much I appreciate President Buhari’s work so far. I’m looking forward to seeing him put together his team so that we can do everything that we can to help him succeed and help the people of Nigeria succeed. Because if they’re successful and doing well, that will have a ripple effect not only in West Africa, but throughout the world.

President Barack Obama

FHC Slams N100m Damages On Police over suspects death

The death in custody of one of the suspects in the N1 billion pension scam that rocked the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Patricia Onyeabo, will cost the Nigerian Police payment of N100 million damages, a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday ruled.

Onyeabo died in the police custody on May 16, 2014, while investigation into the alleged scam was ongoing.
But Justice Mohammed Idris, who gave judgment on a fundamental rights enforcement action filed by the daughter of the deceased,  Amaka, awarded N100 million damages against the Nigeria Police Force for Onyeabo’s death.

The judge found the police culpable for denying the deceased access to hospital facility, saying had the police done so, Onyeabo would not have died.

That Depends

A judge had this exchange with the prisoner arraigned for vagrancy.

Judge: What is your employment?

Accused: Walking, sir.

Judge: Where do you walk?

Accused: Well, that’s according to which way the policeman is coming from.

Young Bar Alpha – Ikechukwu Uzoma

It has been a while since we had a YBA!

We would like to introduce Ikechukwu Uzoma, a law graduate from Abia State University who was called to the Nigerian Bar in November 2014. He hails from Imo State, South East Nigeria and is the second of five children born to his parents. He is presently undergoing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. He has had modest experience in International Development and Civil Rights Advocacy. He is also passionate about Legal Education, Foreign Diplomacy and International Humanitarian Law.

Ikechukwu was called to the Nigerian Bar with a First Class Upper, making him one of the celebrated four people of the November 2014 set. He is our YBA this week and as always the YBA post is to showcase young exceptional lawyers who are, or planning to specialize/form a niche for themselves in various areas of Law both in Nigeria and abroad. It will also showcase young Lawyers doing amazing things in our country.

I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Ikechukwu, in this interview, we see his clear cut goals to becoming a Harvard Professor and the mentor guiding him along this path.

BA: Hi Ikechukwu! Thank you for doing this

IU: It’s a pleasure

BA: So you know I have to ask this first, did you always want to study law?

IU: I will answer in the affirmative. Becoming a lawyer was my childhood dream. I grew up saying I would be a lawyer for no particular reason. As I approached my decision years, I realized that my dream had moulded me into a frame that could only accommodate studying of law.

At some point, before I got admitted into Abia State University (ABSU), I considered scholarship in International Relations and Foreign Diplomacy but when I couldn’t find a University that had that as a component of their curriculum I reverted to Law.

Importance of Bank Verification Number

THE Bank Verification Number, BVN, is another important step the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is using to strengthen the security of banking transactions and to ensure that fraudulent transactions are minimised, if not totally eliminated. The campaign is on, but the public may not realise its importance until it closes in June 2015.

Yet as the public embraces the initiative with enthusiasm, it should be aware that some fraudsters are trying to undermine the exercise by providing seemingly easier registration options for bank account holders. They request these details online and threaten that the account would be closed if the owner does not provide them the details. Their target is the account holder’s money. The best way of enrolling remains direct communication with one’s bank.

BVN uses biometric technology to register customers in the financial system.   It records these physical features which are unique to individuals – fingerprints and the face. The record would be used to identify the person afterwards. Once a person’s biometrics have been recorded, and BVN issued the account would be accessed through BVN. The major objectives of the initiative are to protect bank customers, reduce fraud and strengthen the Nigerian banking system.

Countries You Can Visit Without Any Visa As A Nigerian

As a Nigerian citizen and holder of the Nigerian Passport , you are free to visit certain countries without worrying about visa issues because these countries do not require a visa upon entry – as long as you have your passport:

AFRICAN COUNTRIES

Benin Republic (visa free)
Burkina Faso (visa Free)
Burundi (visa on arrival for 30days)
Cape Verde (visa on arrival )
Cameroon (visa free)
Chad (visa free )
Comoros Island(visa on arrival )
cote d Ivoire (visa free)
Djibouti (visa on arrival)
Gambia visa free for 90days)
Ghana (visa free)
Guinea (visa free)
Guinea Bissau visa free for 90days)
Kenya (visa on arrival for 90days)
Liberia (visa free)