The federal government is moving to check the spate of electoral offences in the country by setting up an electoral offences commission and tribunal.

To achieve this, government is proposing three legal instruments to be forwarded as bills to the national assembly for passage.

The executive bills include Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal Establishment Bill, Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 and Constitutional Alteration Bill.

Briefing journalists after the federal executive council meeting, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, ABUBAKAR MALAMI said there was an urgent need for a permanent structure to replace the existing ADHOC arrangement, which makes it difficult for election monitors to identify, investigate and prosecute electoral offenders.

President MUHAMMADU BUHARI has named a new head for the Department of State Service, DSS.

The new director-general is YUSUF MAGAJI BICHI.

According to a statement by the President’s spokesman, GARBA SHEHU, the new head replaces MATTHEW SEIYEIFA, who has been operating in acting capacity since LAWAL DAURA was dismissed.

The appointment takes immediate effect from today.

The new DSS boss comes to the job with skills in intelligence gathering, research analysis, conflict management, general investigation, risk and vulnerability operations, counter intelligence and protective operation and human resources management.

The Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), the Most Reverend NICHOLAS OKOH, has appealed to the Federal Government not to forget LEAH SHUAIBU and the remaining Chibok girls in Boko Haram captivity.

OKOH described the reduced attention to the girls’ release as not encouraging and expressed the need for the Federal Government to expedite action towards her release.

The primate’s appeal is contained in his opening address to the Standing Committee of the Church of Nigeria at St. Peter’s Cathedral Church in Minna, Niger State Capital.

He said no sacrifice is too much to get all those in Minna, Niger State Capital. captivity released in the interest of democracy, freedom of religion and national cohesion.

Speaking on the 2019 elections, the cleric urged INEC to be an unbiased umpire.

The National Emergency Management Agency says it has recovered 12 bodies after Boko Haram terrorists attacked a farm in Borno State.

The North East zonal coordinator of the agency, BASHIR GARGA, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.

He said the civilian JTF in the area disclosed that the insurgents hacked 12 farmers to death as they worked on their fields in the state.

According to GARGA, the militants did not use their guns, so as not to attract the attention of troops in nearby Molai village.

He decried that Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on farmers and loggers in the state in recent years, accusing them of passing information on the group to the military.