By Our Correspondent

To guide against fraudulent practices in the nation’s financial institutions, an Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives investigating deduction of taxes and sundry charges from civil and public servants earnings and multiple bank charges on customers account in Nigeria has given the commercial banks operating in Nigeria a 4-Day deadline to submit all requested documents on their charges

The House probe panel also insisted on the appearances of the Chief Executive Officers CEOs of these financial institutions at the investigative hearing and rejected representation of any bank CEO without authorization letter to the panel appropriately signed.

Chairman of the House Committee Hon. Kelechi Nwogu in a remark at the commencement of the House panel session on Tuesday in Abuja said that the House probe panel is mandated to ensure that all deductions of charges by banks on customers account must be fined rightly and used rightly.

He further stated that the House Committee had extended invitation to the Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation OAGF, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC and commercial banks operating in Nigeria on the investigation.

The House Committee members during the investigation said that the commercial banks are perpetrating illegality by deducting inexplicable charges from civil servants, public servants and other customers bank accounts without remittances.

The House Committee Chairman and some members who rejected representation of the CEOs of GT Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and other commercial banks cannot hold waters as they insisted that they must appear before the panel unfailingly

He said: “You cannot appear here without an identity. We are not here on our own. We are here on the mandate of the people that elected us into parliament.

“We have resolved to meet next week Wednesday. You must submit all requested documents on or before Monday.

“We will go through all the documents and we will put you on oath”.

“It will not be well if we invite you here again and you tell us the same story. We have given a deadline that any bank that failed to submit the requested documents on Monday must be sanctioned”.

The House Committee Chairman said that the House panel is not leaving any stone unturned to unravel why the commercial banks engage in spurious decudctoon of charges on their customers account.

Other members of the panel notably Hon Chidi Mark Obeta,Hon. Engr Dominic Okafor,and other members while speaking in support at the hearing demanded that the bank chief executive officers must appear before the panel unfailingly.

By David Owei, Bayelsa

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri has welcomed 2025 Batch C Orientation Course of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) deployed to the state, declaring that their deployment was divinely providential.

Gov. Diri, represented by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on NYSC Matters, Hon. Dr. Wisdom Poyeri, urges the Corps members to view their arrival to the State as an opportunity to serve, love, and lead the community.

Governor Douye Diri said the passing out ceremony marked a pivotal transition for corps members from their initial orientation phase to active service, emphasizing core values of discipline, integrity, and dedicated service.

The Governor urged corps members to uphold dignity and exemplary conduct throughout their service year and beyond.

He highlighted that their deployment to Bayelsa was divinely providential, viewing it as an opportunity to serve, love, and lead the community.

Governor Diri commended the corps members for their discipline, character, and academic achievements during the orientation, emphasizing the significance of the national assignment entrusted to them.

He encouraged them to serve with wisdom, resilience, and honesty, drawing inspiration from scripture to remind them that small beginnings can lead to great achievements.

He also emphasized that their service is not just about fulfilling a duty but about building trust with families, gaining community confidence, and shaping Nigeria’s future.

He also prayed for divine guidance and protection over all corps members, urging them to serve with impact and dedication.

Mrs. Okpalifo Obiageli Charity, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Bayelsa, congratulated corps members on reaching this milestone.

She praised their discipline and cooperation during the orientation and encouraged them to uphold the core values of the NYSC scheme as they transition into their places of primary assignment.

She emphasized the importance of leveraging post-camp training opportunities, particularly the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) sessions, to enhance their contributions.

Mrs. Obiageli urged the corps members to see themselves as ambassadors of the NYSC, maintaining decorum, respect, and integrity in all interactions. She expressed confidence that they would positively impact their host communities and the entire state.

By Our Correspondent

Senate, on Tuesday, gave accelerated approval to President Bola Tinubu’s request to deploy Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin for peace keeping mission following last Sunday’s foiled coup there.

Approval by the upper legislative chamber was sequel to the consideration of a letter to that effect by Tinubu at the Committee of the Whole where lawmakers unanimously voted in favour of the deployment, giving legislative backing for the regional security intervention.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio described the decision as a step in the right direction, noting that instability in any neighbouring country poses a threat to the entire region.

He said: “An injury to one is an injury to all.”

Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the Senate President and read during plenary.

According to the President, the letter was as a result of a request by the Republic of Benin for an exceptional air support from Nigeria’s Armed Forces after soldiers attempted to overthrow President Patrice Talon.

Tinubu, who cited Section 30 (5), Part II of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), stated that he had consulted the National Defence Council before forwarding the request.

He noted that Senate approval was now required to authorize a regional peacekeeping mission.

The President Tinubu warned that Benin was facing “an attempted unconstitutional seizure of power and the destruction and destabilization of democratic institutions,” and therefore urged the Senate to act swiftly.

He added that Nigeria has a historical responsibility to support Benin under the existing Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS security frameworks.

According to him, the crisis demands “urgent external intervention” to help restore stability and prevent further breakdown of order.

The Senate President, subsequently referred the request to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration.

It would be recalled that soldiers operating under the “Military Committee for Refoundation,” led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri, briefly seized the state television station in Cotonou on Sunday, announcing the overthrow of President Patrice Talon’s administration, but the coup was foiled by the intervention of fighter jets and troops deployed in the neighbouring country by President Tinubu.