The commissioner said there had been several attempts by hackers to compromise  the NPC server but they had all failed.

“As against lies and rumours that have been peddled, the NPC server has never been hacked because we have never rested and we won’t rest until the programme becomes successful.

“We at the NPC are fast learners; we quickly learned from the experience of the Independent National Electoral Commission, in the last election and we have put additional security measures in place that not even our staff can crack,” the don said at a press conference, tagged, ‘Journey So Far’ in Lokoja on Tuesday.

Isah said the server was one of the most important aspects of the census and the NPC understood the need to protect it from being hacked.

He added, “In the time past, censuses have been conducted using paper and pen but this time, the census will be conducted using Android devices such that once the information is got, it will go directly to the server.

“Apart from our actions against hackers and intruders, we have been able to conduct a series of training for different stakeholders of the commission, including the Federal Commissioners.

“The recent training for Federal Commissioners was held in Port Harcourt while the state directors and other officials of the commission are undergoing continuous training.”

The commission said the upcoming census would be a tool for national planning, adding that “no serious government is supposed to take census as a joke. Any serious-minded government should take the population and housing census as an issue of key interest.”

He also assured residents and citizens of Kogi  that the census would be transparently conducted and alleyed fears of figures manipulation.

He added that no part of the state would be left out as the commission had  procured speed boats to get to places like Ibaji and Bassa LGs that are surrounded by water.

He added that sensitive issues like religion, language and ethnicity had been removed from the templates because of crisis and clashes associated with them in some parts of the country.

Isah said the NPC leadership  would be meeting with the Federal Government at the Federal Executive Council meeting to brief the executive arm of the government on the commission’s level of preparedness.

It insisted that the alleged sum of N19,333,333,333.36, which Sterling Bank had made an undertaken to the EFCC to transfer to the Central Bank of Nigeria did not belong to the Kogi State Government and that the state did not enter into any agreement, either with Sterling Bank or the EFCC, to return any bailout funds to the CBN as being portrayed.

The EFCC had on Friday, withdraw its suit seeking the forfeiture of N20bn bailout funds.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the order of withdrawal sequel to a motion filed and argued by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, leading Rotimi Oyedepo.

But the government kicked against the panic withdrawal by the EFCC, challenging the anti-graft body to make public its investigation of the alleged bailout funds.

In a statement on Sunday, by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, on Sunday, the state government accused the EFCC of hiding inalienable facts and embarking on a face-saving mission with its statement on the withdrawal.

Fanwo also urged Nigerians to ask the EFCC in whose custody it found a part of the bailout fund said to have been dissipated.

He said, “It is our belief that the unceremonious withdrawal of the suit by the EFCC without informing the court of the facts is a deliberate and face-saving effort by the EFCC which has throughout this episode engaged in very unprofessional and unethical conduct, all in a bid to ‘nail’ at all cost, the Kogi State Government and tarnish its image. It is our belief that the unceremonious withdrawal of the suit by the EFCC without informing the court of the facts stated in paragraph 3 above, is a deliberate and face-saving effort by the EFCC which has throughout this episode engaged in very unprofessional and unethical conduct, all in a bid to ‘nail’ at all cost, the Kogi State Government and tarnish its image. While we reserve all our legal rights against the EFCC, we reiterate our demand for an unreserved apology from the EFCC as contained in our letter to the chairman of the EFCC dated September 6, 2021. We hope the EFCC will honour the said demand as a step on the road to redemption as it tries to regain the trust of Nigerians and repair its rapidly deteriorating image.”

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke granted the application which is the sequel to the decision of the management of Sterling Bank Plc to return N19, 333,333,333.36 standing in the credit of the frozen account to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Recall that on August 31, 2021, Justice Tijani Garba Ringim had ordered the freezing of the account following an ex-parte application filed by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency, in a 13-paragraph affidavit in support of the ex-parte application, had stated that it received a credible and direct intelligence, which led to the tracing of the funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities in an account No. 0073572696 domiciled in Sterling Bank, Plc with the name Kogi State Salary Bailout Account.

EFCC alleged that the money meant for the payment of salaries in the state was kept in an interest-yielding account with the name ‘Kogi State Salary Bailout Account’.

At the last adjourned sitting, counsel to the Kogi State government, Sam Eguro (SAN), had told Justice Aneke, to whom the matter was re-assigned, that his client had filed processes against the interim order granted by Justice Ringim, and that the EFCC had equally filed a reply to the same.

In his response, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, had admitted being served with the processes, and added that he had filed his counter.

At the resumption of proceedings on Friday, EFCC counsel Kemi Pinheiro moved an application seeking to discontinue the matter.

The council said, “That the management of Sterling Bank Plc, where account No 0073572696 with the name Kogi salary bailout account is domiciled, has since acknowledged the existence of the said account in their book but claimed same was a mirror account.”

Pinheiro also said the management of the bank had clarified the questions leading to the commencement of the suit and has indicated an intention to return the N19,333,333,333.36 to the CBN.

Kogi state government’s counsel, Eguro also acknowledged the notice of discontinuation.

Ruling on the application, Justice Aneke said that “since this is what they are asking for, the application is therefore granted as plead.”

Reacting to the development while presenting awards to journalists who participated in the GYB essay competition for Nigeria’s political and crime editors in Lagos, Kingsley Fanwo Kogi commissioner for education said it was “unfortunate” that EFCC chose to believe “hired guns”.

Insisting that the agency “ignored thorough explanations by the state government on the matter, but chose to believe allegations that it fixed N19 billion out of the amount in a new generation bank”, he asked the EFCC to exhibit professionalism in carrying out its duties.

It was gathered that the patrol security team ran into the kidnappers while they were terrorising commuters on the road on Saturday, May 1. The security operatives overpowered the kidnappers, killing two. They also arrested two others and freed two victims.

Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Governor, Muhammed Onogwu, who confirmed this in a press statement, said Yahaya Bello had instructed the local government chairmen, security agencies, vigilantes, hunters and members of the public to work harmoniously to root out criminals from the state.

He said “We will go after you through the valley, in the caves, on land and water. We will make Kogi a hell for you and we will root you out of our state using any means possible. Few cannot be allowed to inflict pains on the majority of our people,”

Bello was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC ) in the November 16, 2019 poll in Kogi State.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Musa Wada, had petitioned the state election tribunal, challenging Yahaya’s election. They alleged that the election was characterized by irregularities, violence, ballot snatching and stuffing, and non-compliance with the electoral act, constitution and INEC’s guideline for governorship elections.

The tribunal in its ruling delivered today May 23, struck out the petition for lack of substantial evidence by the opposition.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voters’ Education and Information Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, noting that Bello was currently shielded by the immunity clause, which protects him against any form of prosecution.

He pointed out that the three INEC workers who were indicted in the governor’s double registration have been dismissed.

Okoye said: “The case of double registration against the Kogi State Governor has not been abandoned, but there is nothing the commission can do now because he is still under immunity. But by the time the immunity expires, the commission will meet and take a decision on the next line of action.

“We started with our workers who were implicated in the double registration, first; while we have to wait until the governor ceases to enjoy immunity, which protects him against prosecution.

“There are various stages involved. You have to investigate, prosecute and convict or acquit. You cannot just conclude that one is guilty or innocent without exhausting the entire process. So, when we get to that bridge, we will cross it.”

Recall, it had earlier been reported that Bello had November 2019, told the Federal High Court Abuja, that he was ready to defend himself in the allegation of double registration framed against him by Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

Bello was declared winner by INEC’s Returning Officer in Kogi State, Prof. Ibrahim Garba after polling a total of 406, 222 votes to defeat his closest rival, Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who polled 189, 704.

The incumbent governor won 12 local government councils while Engr. Wada won nine local government councils.

The results of the election as declared by INEC are as follows:

Ogori Magongo
APC 3,679
PDP 2,145

Ijumu LGA
APC 11 425
PDP 7,587

Omala LGA
APC 8,473
PDP 14,403

Adavi LGA
APC 64,657
PDP 366

Igalamela/Odolu
APC 8,075
PDP 11,195

Okene LGA
APC 112,764
PDP 139

Kabba-Bunu
APC 15,364
PDP 8,084

Kogi/Koton-Karfe
APC 14,097
PDP 9,404

Yagba East
APC 6,735
PDP 7,546

Okehi LGA
APC 36,954
PDP 478

Mopamoro
APC 4,953
PDP 3,581

Idah LGA
APC 4,602
PDP 13,962

Ajaokuta
APC 17,952
PDP 5,565

Olamaboro
APC 16,876
PDP 8,155

Yagba West

APC 7,868
PDP 8,860

Ankpa
PDP-28,108
APC-11,268

Ofu
APC-11006
PDP-12,264

Bassa LG
APC -8386,
PDP-9724

Ibaji
APC 12,682
PDP 10,504

Dekina
APC 8,948
PDP 16,575

Lokoja
APC 19, 457
PDP 11, 059

The swear-in followed Onoja’s confirmation as the Deputy Governor by State House of Assembly at a special plenary on Monday.

Details soon

The appointment of Onoja was confirmed at about 8:27 am, Onoja been the immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello appeared before the 25 lawmakers, he was asked to take a bow and go.

The Speaker of the House, Prince Mathew Kolawole, charged the new deputy governor to support the vision of Alhaji Yahaya Bello towards bringing more development in the state.

Prince Kolawole directed the Clerk to convey this development to the Judiciary by swearing in Onoja as the new deputy governor.

The House, however, adjourned sitting to Tuesday 3rd December 2019.