General News
Senate moves to establish Police Pension Board
…seeks equity in pension payments between police, military
The Senate on Tuesday considered a bill seeking to establish the Police Pension Board.
The bill which scaled second reading on the floor was sponsored by Senator Elisha Ishaku (Adamawa North).
The bill was read for the first time on June 14th, 2022.
Leading the debate on the bill, Senator Ishaku noted that the current pension arrangement of the Nigeria Police is under the Pension Commission by virtue of Section 5(1) of the Pension Reform Act 2014.
According to him, the Nigeria Police, though a premier law enforcement and security agency, was left under the Contributory Pension Scheme unlike the Army, Navy, Airforce, Department of State Security Services (DSS), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), that have their Pension Boards, respectively.
“The resultant inclusion and continuous stay of the NPF in PENCOM has placed them on the wrong end of the post service emolument life, even though the Nigeria Police is saddled with the responsibility of not only protecting the lives and property of the citizenry, but also detecting crimes, preventing crimes, investigating crimes and prosecuting offences”, he said.
The lawmaker, expressed dismay at the disparities between the pension and gratuity benefits of the Nigeria Police and those of her counterpart in the military.
“A cursory look at the difference between the pension and gratuity benefits of the Nigeria Police and her counterpart in the Military shows, for example, the benefit of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) under the current Pension Scheme is N2.5 million and that of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) is N1.5 million, while their equivalents of DSP in the Army (Captain), Navy (Lieutenant), Air Force (Flight Lieutenant) and the DSS (Captain) are paid N12.8 million and N10.3 million, respectively”, Senator Ishaku said.
He added that ensuring equity and justice in the payment of pensions would boost the morale of serving personnel, as well as enhance the standard of living of the retired personnel of the Nigerian Police Force.
The Police Pension Board (Establishment) Bill 2022, after scaling second reading, was referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Police Affairs for further work.
The Committee was given four weeks to report back to the chamber in plenary.
Also, a bill for an Act to Repeal the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and enact the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2022, scaled second reading during plenary.
The bill sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Orker-Jev (Benue North West), seeks to provide for the establishment of administration of criminal justice monitoring council for effective and efficient administration of justice in Nigeria.
The bill after consideration was referred by the Senate President to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further inputs.
The Senator Opeyemi Bamidele-led Committee was also given four weeks to turn in its report.
General News
Clergy Urged To Put Members’ Welfare Above All Else
At a solemn ordination service in Abuja, senior church leaders have called on pastors to make the well-being of their congregations a top priority, following the example of Jesus Christ.
Speaking during the priesthood ordination and installation of a Sub Dean at the Cathedral Church of Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, the retired Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Okene, Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Ajulo, described pastors as shepherds charged with the care of their flock. He urged them to shun worldly distractions and focus on meeting the spiritual and material needs of their members.
Bishop Ajulo also encouraged the newly ordained priests to remain faithful to their calling by teaching God’s word without compromise.
In his charge, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, urged the new clergy to preach the undiluted gospel and foster religious harmony wherever they serve. He expressed confidence that their new roles would help promote peace and unity in society.
The service also featured prayers for national leaders and divine intervention in addressing the current global economic challenges.
General News
1,000 Prayer Warriors Storm Ilorin for Tinubu, Nation’s Deliverance
In a dramatic show of faith and patriotism, over 1,000 fiery prayer warriors from across Nigeria will descend on Ilorin, Kwara State, this Saturday, lifting their voices in intense intercession for President Bola Tinubu’s success and Nigeria’s survival in the face of biting economic woes and mounting insecurity.
The spiritual siege, themed “Walking in Domini”, is the maiden convention of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), with its Kwara State Chairman, Evangelist Thomas Adeboye, vowing that “heaven will hear and respond to Nigeria’s cry.”
Aside from marathon prayers, the gathering will roll out free medical outreach to locals across Kwara’s LGAs, a gesture aimed at touching both body and soul.
Adeboye, lamenting Nigeria’s “troubling economic and security realities”, called for a nationwide prayer uprising, insisting that Tinubu has shown the will to revive the nation but needs massive divine backing to succeed.
“Banditry, a collapsing economy, and political tension demand we seek God’s face like never before,” he declared. “We will storm heaven for wisdom for the President and governors to steer Nigeria to safety.”
The convention will also feature awards to distinguished personalities, soul-lifting worship, fiery sermons, and unity-driven lectures—all capped with thunderous prayers for Nigeria’s redemption.
Adeboye urged the President to ensure every policy has “a human face,” stressing that Nigerians must not only endure but also enjoy the fruits of governance.
With the OAIC promising to reaffirm believers’ authority in Christ and rally spiritual boldness in the face of national challenges, Ilorin is set to become the epicentre of a powerful spiritual warfare for Nigeria’s destiny.
General News
Nigerian Anglicans Condemn Lesbian Archbishop of Wales, Deepening Global Anglican Rift
…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.
