₦airaland Forum

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has revealed that he has no preferred candidates for the leadership of both chambers who will constitute the 10th National Assembly.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Vice President-Elect, Kashim Shettima, disclosed this at the meeting with new members-elect to the National Assembly.

A member-elect for Bungudu/Maru Federal Constituency of Zamfara State, Abdulmalik Bungudu, revealed this to our correspondent shortly after the meeting.

Bungudu, who spoke in the Hausa language, revealed that Tinubu told attendees that he had no preferred candidates for any of the principal offices of the 10th NASS.

According to him, “For now, he (Tinubu) said he doesn’t have anybody that he prefers to have as Senate President or Speaker, but consultations are going to continue to get the way out for the party and to also ensure the party emerges victorious in the forthcoming governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.”

The National Population Commission (NPC) has said that the postponement of the 2023 gubernatorial and state house of assembly elections will affect the conduct of the 2023 Housing and Population Census.

Recall that the census which would hold after 17 years was scheduled for March 29 to April 2.

A staff member of the commission, who does not want his name in print as the decision is yet to be taken told Daily Trust that the exercise would now hold between May 3 to 7.

“The census will hold now from May 3 to 7 and it is a recommendation that has been submitted to the President. He is going to approve it anyway but it is yet to be decided.”

The Chairman of the commission, Nasir Isa Kwarra, had given a hint of the shift of the exercise Thursday while receiving some digital items from the United Nations Population Fund (UNPFA) in Abuja.

Kwarra, while stating that the decision has not been reached, said President Muhammadu Buhari would decide the next line of action.

He applauded UNFPA for its support and partnership.

“Over the years, the UNFPA’s partnership with the NPC has been invaluable in propelling the vision and mission of the Commission forward in its bid to strive for demographic excellence, a successful and fully digital 2023 PHC and in turn the 2023 PES.

“Thus far, the Commission and the UNFPA have spared no expense in the training and equipping the Commission’s ranks with the necessary tools, knowledge, and skills to undertake the 2023 PES in line with international best practices,” he added.

The UNFPA Country Representative, Ms Elizabeth Mueller explained that the laptops have all the software’s needed for the exercise.

The UN agency also pledged to continue to support the commission deliver on its mandate.

A 13-year-old boy, Ope Babalola, has allegedly shot dead a three-year-old girl, Esther Samuel, in Ogun state.

The teenage boy reportedly shot dead the minor with a dane gun belonging to one Semiu Adegesin.

The incident happened in Kukudi village in Imasayi, Yewa North Local government area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who disclosed this to journalists on Friday said, Adegesin, the owner of the gun, has been arrested for “contributory negligence.”

Oyeyemi said, the 45-year-old suspect was arrested following a report lodged at Imasayi Divisional headquarters of the police that a 13-year old boy shot and killed the deceased.

“Upon the information, the DPO Imasayi division, SP Arowojeun Michael, quickly led his detectives to the scene where the deceased was met in the pool of her own blood.”

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect Semiu Adegesin loaded his dane gun, and carelessly kept it in an open place at the backyard of the house where children used to play.

“It was there the 13-year old Ope Babalola picked the loaded gun, pointed it at the deceased and pulled the trigger.

“The deceased was quickly taken to General Hospital Ilaro, where she was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

“The owner of the dane gun was promptly arrested and taken to the station for interrogation,” Oyeyemi said.

He added that, the Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba, had directed that the case be transferred to Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation Departments for discreet investigation.

Mba who described the incident as unfortunate, sympathized with the deceased’s family and appealed for calm.

A Nigerian-born music manager identified as Emmanuel Odunlami has been stabbed to death by robbers in the UK over what is believed to be a fake designer watch worth up to £300,000.

The Old Bailey, which is the central criminal court of England and Wales, recently heard that Odunlami was ambushed by three robbers after holding a party to celebrate his birthday.

According to Daily Mail, the 32-year-old music manager was attacked after leaving Haz restaurant near St Paul’s Cathedral in London on May 1, 2022.

Odunlami’s attackers were said to have been tipped off by Kavindu Hettiarachchi, a security operator, that he was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch.

During the court session, Duncan Atkinson KC, the prosecutor, said it is believed that the watch “may have not been genuine”.

He added that the robbers, however, treated the item as though it was genuine.

“Sadly, as it was to turn out, he liked expensive brand watches. At the time when he was fatally attacked, he was wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus watch,” the prosecutor said.

“If real, such a watch could be worth anything in a range from £90,000 to £300,000.

“It is believed the deceased’s watch may not have been genuine, but was treated as genuine by those who sought to take it.”

Atkinson said Hettiarachchi was “an integral member of the security team”.

The court heard that Hettiarachchi was hired by the events organiser for the private ticketed brunch and after party with DJ.

“It was part of his role to protect the safety of those, like Mr Odunlami, who were attending the event. In fact he did the opposite,” he said.

Old Bailey heard that after the event, Hettiarachchi was seen on CCTV calling Louis Vandrose, who is believed to be one of the robbers.

The jurors were told that Vandrose and Jordell Menzies were then driven by Quincy Ffrench in a white Mercedes with altered number plates from north-west London.

“The evidence shows that Ffrench, Vandrose and Menzies were setting off in car with a disguised registration in order to carry out a robbery and that their target for that robbery was at the Haz restaurant where Hettiarachchi was working, and to which by phone he had summoned them,” the prosecutor said.

The security operator was said to have filmed the victim and his “high-value” watch and then appeared to type something into his phone.

“The prosecution case is that he was making those other defendants aware of Mr Odunlami and his watch, in order that they could rob him of that apparently very valuable item,” Atkinson said.

“In common sense, those planning the robbery of Mr Odunlami of what appeared to be a very valuable watch would not have expected him just to surrender.

“Rather, he needed to be compelled to do so, and to that end one of those travelling in Mr Ffench’s Mercedes was armed with a knife.

“When they were ready, the defendants, Ffrench, Vandrose, and Menzies got out of the car and ran towards Mr Odunlami.

“On seeing the robbers closing in on him, Mr Odunlami tried to run, but he was caught by Menzies and then taken to the ground by the combination of Menzies and by Vandrose.

“Once Mr Odunlami was on the ground, all three defendants attacked him, shod feet were used as weapons to kick the defenceless man on the ground.

“During the course of that attack, one of the robbers, identifiable as Ffrench, bent down and took the object of this exercise, Mr Odunlami’s Patek Phillippe Nautilus watch. As he did so he was heard to say ‘got it’.”

The trio were said to have fled the scene, leaving Odunlami on the floor with a knife wound to the chest.

“It appears from the CCTV that he was stabbed before any demand was made of him, or any other form of attempt to take his watch from him,” the prosecutor said.

The jurors were told that a knife was recovered nearby and linked by scientific analysis to the victim and Menzies.

Menzies, whose DNA was on the attack knife, is charged with murder along with Ffrench and Vandrose while Hettiarachchi is charged with being involved in the robbery and manslaughter.

The defendants have denied the charges against them as the trial continues. The proceeding is estimated to last between four and five weeks.

A 22-year-old tailor in Adamawa State, Muhammed Bala, has been arrested by the Police for allegedly stabbing a rival to death.

Muhammed who hails from Mararaba in Madagali LGA allegedly killed his rival in the neighbourhood, identified simply as Bakura, during a quarrel over a girlfriend that they were allegedly sharing.

Muhammed was reported to have caused the death of Bakura in the brawl which occurred on February 15, at the compound of the 17-year-old girl who is identified as Maryam Mohammed.

Muhammed admitted stabbing Bakura by the neck over the teenager who he said he had proposed to marry after dating her for three years.

According to the Police, Bakura himself had insisted that the teenage girl was his and had warned Muhammed to keep away from her.

The stage was thus set when they both met at the girl’s place on the fateful February 15 and began the fight when Muhammed allegedly used a knife in his possession to stab Bakura who slumped and died instantly.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Adamawa State, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, assured that the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution.

As they received their certificates of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), some of the senators-elect unveiled their plans for Nigeria and their constituencies.

They were, however, unanimous in saying that their envisioned 10th National Assembly would not be a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government. They also promised to work assiduously to address the nation’s numerous socioeconomic, political and security challenges.

The certificates were presented to the elected members of the 10th National Assembly at the National Collation Centre of 2023 general elections – the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja – yesterday.

Overall, INEC presented certificates of return to 101 senators-elect. It will conduct supplementary elections in eight senatorial districts of the 109 senatorial zones slated, including Enugu East where the candidate was assassinated.

Some of the lawmakers who spoke with LEADERSHIP expressed their delight to be elected and promised to meet the expectations of Nigerians.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator-elect for Edo North Senatorial District in Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, said he will be part of the Senate that legislates for the good people of Nigeria.

“I will work not for the powerful by making sure that what we do in appropriation will be such that Nigerians get value for money. It is expected that the executive is powerful but does not exercise absolute power, so it will be subject to legislative check,” he said.

Oshiomhole said even the president-elect is not looking for a rubber stamp National Assembly, but a robust one.

“A couple of things can be done differently so that the renewed hope of our party can be translated into reality; even the president-elect is not looking forward to a rubber stamp assembly but the one that can help to contribute to knowledge, as nobody has absolute knowledge but working together and negotiating to have a win-win formula that will contribute to the dividend of democracy,” he said.

He said issues that will be brought to the fore are well captured in the APC Action Plan.

“Those issues are well captured in the APC action plan which form the basis of our election which ushered in Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president-elect,” he said.

He pledged to revisit the power sector which, according to him, will in turn lead to economic growth and increased GDP.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator-elect for Delta North Senatorial District, Ned Nwoko said his focus would be improving the well-being of Nigeria, reduction in cost of borrowing, and addressing insecurity.

“The cost of borrowing is too much; we need to bring it down. Banks cannot be charging arbitrarily.

”We must focus on insecurity. We must dialogue with agitators anywhere they are, from north to the east and to the south.’’

Nwoko pledged to serve the people of Delta and Nigeria in general.

On his part, Sen. Michael Bamidele of Ekiti Central Senatorial District (APC), said the 10th Assembly senators of the National Assembly would work together in the overriding interest of Nigeria, not for party or individual interests.

Bamidele, who was re-elected, said the representation of different political parties in the National Assembly would make the incoming senate more dynamic, which would be of great benefit to Nigeria and its democracy.

“One of the ways a parliament can be dynamic is for us to have robust representation by various political parties.

“We have always said Nigeria is not a one-party state, we are a multiparty democracy. And this is going to be reflected in the 10th assembly.

“`We are going to the Senate where at least four political parties are adequately represented – the APC, the PDP and the Labour Party.’’

He added that “part of the advantages of this for me is that it will make it possible for all of us to reason together and to work together across the board.

“One thing I know is that regardless of which political party brought you into parliament, once you are there, you are there as an elected representative of the people in Parliament, all of us must work together.

“We will work together in the Senate as senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not because of Senators of the PDP or senators of APC, senators of NNPP or senators of Labor Party, but as senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

APC Kogi West senator-elect, Sunday Karimi, said that the expectations of the people on the 10th Senate was high, promising that senators-elect, including him, would not disappoint Nigeria.

Karimi, a former member of the House of Representatives, promised to work for the development of Kogi west, Kogi state, and Nigeria in general, especially in the areas of infrastructural development and development of the people.

Senator Abba Moro, PDP- Benue South, promised to justify his re-election into the senate saying I have the responsibility to do better than we have done in the 9th Senate.

The former minister, when asked which geopolitical zones should produce the next Senate president, said the most important thing was having effective leadership and not zones.

Moro said what was important was to have a Senate president that would do the needful and meet the expectations of Nigerians.

“I think we should elect a Senate president that is for the whole of Nigeria, not for a political party. I think that is the first thing.’’

Moro said he had been talking to a few of his colleagues and friends that have been reelected.

Ahead of the March 11 gubernatorial election, the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is wooing voters with N500 to reelect Babajide Sanwo-Olu as governor.

FIJ learnt that voters are credited with N500 after dialing a special code.

Bimbo Alade (not real name) told FIJ he received N500 airtime from the political party on Friday evening.

“I heard news that APC was giving away N500 to anyone who dialed 013302645,” he told FIJ.

“After the call went through, it requested that the caller input a pin, which was 1028#, and then a sound recording of Sanwo-Olu was played. He campaigned for a minute or two.

“When he finished, the call dropped and I was credited. Alternatively, the call was interrupted and the number called back, and once I picked, the sound recording was played automatically.”

Another recipient of the free airtime told FIJ that although there were no assurances that every caller would be credited, the method of receiving airtime was the same.

“Upon dialing the number, I was asked to input the 1028# pin,” he said.

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“There were no further instructions after receiving the airtime, but I got a call back and I heard Sanwo-Olu speaking and soliciting for votes.

“There are no express promises that you will get the airtime after dialing, but I got mine.”

When FIJ called Gbenga Omotoso, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, he denied knowledge of the act and said the idea didn’t emanate from his principal’s party.

“It is not from us; we don’t know anything about it,” he said.

A businessman, Mr. Justine Onu, has suffered heart break and developed high blood pressure after he allegedly caught his wife, Joyce, having sex with his blood relation in their matrimonial home in FCT, Abuja.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that as a result he has filed a suit before the Customary Court in Jikwoyi, FCT, to dissolve his marriage to his embattled wife, Joyce.

An embittered Justine told the Court that the marriage has so troubled him to the extent that he has become hypertensive because of his wife’s bad attitude and unscrupulous ways. He said he now lives on drugs because of the trauma brought by Joyce.

The petitioner told the Court that his wife, Joyce, developed a character which is unbecoming of a wife, has caused irreparable damage to the marriage and he was no longer interested and wanted the Court to dissolve the marriage so that he will move on with his life.

“My wife has been having extra-marital affairs with different men. The worst of it all is that I caught her having sex with a blood relative,” he said.

The petitioner also told the Court that his wife does not know how to manage things in the home; very wasteful and does not know that things are hard in the country.

“Whenever she decides to cook, she cooks excessively and the food ends up in the trash,” he said.

He further alleged that his wife, Joyce, was irresponsible and does not take care of the children.

However, the respondent, Joyce, however, denied all allegations brought against her.
The Presiding Judge, Labaran Gusau, further adjourned the matter for further hearing to enable the wife to respond to the allegations against her by her husband.

There were rowdy sessions in many Catholic parishes in the Enugu metropolis, on Sunday as parishioners booed their parish priests for openly campaigning for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Mbah against other candidates.

The parishioners who chided their priests and vigorously opposed the campaign for a particular candidate using the altar of God reminded them that there is no market where Catholic faithful buy food cheaper than those from other faith.

They also reminded their priests that Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, whose tenure will end in May 2023, is a member of the faith but could not pay pensions and retirees their gratuities.

They asked what the church leadership had done to ensure his government paid senior citizens.

They reminded their spiritual leaders that PDP had held power in the state for the past 24 years yet they could not provide even potable water to residents of the Enugu metropolis despite several foreign grants and annual budgetary provisions.

However, the booing was visibly noted at the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Catholic Church, Mbanugo, Coal Camp, where the church service, was turned into a shouting match when the parish priest, Rev Fr Raphael Chukwu openly campaigned for Peter Mbah.

The priest who was trying to encourage the faithful to vote for Mbah during the forthcoming governorship election, criticised the candidate of the Labour Party, Hon Chijioke Edeoga, saying, "He is older than Peter Mbah, it's not his turn to become governor, he is not a Catholic faithful and Peter is a Catholic and many more."

A congregant who spoke on condition of anonymity told SaharaReporters that following the comparison made by the priest, the congregants started shouting, "Stop the campaign, this is church service time, not campaign time. You and Bishop will vomit the millions given to you because Mbah will not win.

“Why are you turning the church service into a campaign? Look at how poor your faith in Christ is. Stop instigating us against other denomination."

According to the source, efforts to make the angry faithful listen to him were in vain. According to the source, when he said ‘Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ,’ there was no response. He reportedly quietly went to the sanctuary and many congregants left the church in anger.

It was further gathered that the church was divided in the middle of the service as he said that the Bishop had instructed them to tell parishioners to vote for Mbah based on the documents forwarded to them by the Independent National Electoral Commission, requesting that they should campaign for Peter Mbah.

There are four leading governorship candidates contesting for Saturday's governorship and House of Assembly polls. They are - Peter Mbah of the PDP, Chijioke Edeoga of Labour Party, Frank Nweke Jr of the All Progressive Grand Alliance and Uchenna Nnaji of the All Progressive Congress.

SaharaReporters reports that the same scenario played out at Holy Ghost Cathedral parish Blessed Sacrament among others.

A priest who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said the campaign was directed by the Bishop, Most Rev Callistus Onaga to all the Catholic priests to encourage their parishioners to vote for Mbah.

"The truth of the matter is that the Catholic Church in Enugu has adopted Peter Mbah as its candidate in this governorship election. Unfortunately, most of our parishioners are not buying into that argument because they are the ones suffering the bad leadership in the state for the last 24 years.

"Our parishioners have lost hope in PDP. All the political positions in the state are held by people with questionable characters. The criteria for getting government appointment under the present government which is led by a Catholic faithful is if you belong to a cult."

The priest added, "We are just servants and you cannot disobey your Bishop but some of us have told him (bishop) that the people know the candidate they want as their governor because the church is also suffering from the bad leadership in the state.

“Under the current administration that is led by a Catholic, more than four priests were killed and several others kidnapped. What people need is good leadership that will make life better for them."

Meanwhile, efforts to get an official reaction from the Catholic Diocese of Enugu were unsuccessful as the Communication Director, Rev Fr Aneke could not be reached for comments.

No fewer than two party agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were on Sunday bribing residents of Bariga and Shomolu with N1500 and N2,000 to vote for the party in the gubernatorial and house of assembly elections coming on March 11.

https://i0.wp.com/fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IMG_20230306_121249.jpg?w=636&ssl=1APC agents

A 32-year-old who benefited from the N2,000 package told FIJ that he didn’t vote for the APC during the presidential election and might yet not cast his ballot at the governorship poll for the party.

“I never voted for the APC in the presidential election,” he said. “That I was given N2,000 doesn’t mean I would vote for the party on Saturday. Everything is just runs.”

Also, a 58-year-old woman, who benefited from the N1,500 bribe, confirmed the fund transfer to FIJ on her mobile phone.

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N1,500 credit alert received by resident

“The APC just credited me with N1,500,” she said. “I voted for them at the presidential and I’ll likely do the same at the gubernatorial this coming Saturday.”

A soldier of the Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal Nwobodo Chinoso, has shot dead the Commander of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Rabah in Sokoto State, Lt. Sam Oladapo.

The incident happened at the weekend.

Mr Chinoso, also shot the FOB Rabah Command Sergeant Major (CSM), Sgt. Iliyasu Inusa, and another private soldier, Attahiru Mohammed, after he had killed Oladapo.

PRNigeria further gathered that, after gunning down his army colleagues, Mr Chinoso thereafter committed suicide by opening fire on himself.

But credible military sources in Sokoto when contacted, however could not ascertain the mental stability of the trigger-happy soldier.

One of the sources told PRNigeria that: “At the moment, the Commander 8 Division Garrison and Commander 26 Battalion are at the location.

“They have made efforts to move the corpse of the slain personnel to the Usmanu Dan Fodio Teaching Hospital, even as they have since ordered an investigation into the cause of the incident”.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a top military officer in Sokoto, told PRNigeria that, “The soldier who killed his FOB Commander at Rabah, and two other colleagues of his, may perhaps be battling operational and psychological stress.

“It is something that is common with military personnel. But that’s not a justification for any of our soldiers to go haywire. Definitely, necessary action will be taken to forestall a recurrence. ”

ABUJA–The Supreme Court, on Friday, dismissed the preliminary objection the Federal Government filed to challenge its jurisdiction to hear the suit that 16 states filed to challenge the ban on use of old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes as legal tenders in the country.

The apex court, in its lead judgement that was delivered by Justice Emmanuel Agim, held that FG’s contention that it lacked the original jurisdiction to halt the full implementation of the Naira swap policy that was introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was invalid.

It held that contrary to FG’s position, the case the states brought for determination bordered on alleged failure by President Muhammadu Buhari, in the exercise of his Executive powers, to comply with provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The apex court held that the plaintiffs were not wrong by not joining the CBN as a necessary party to the suit.

It held that the suit qualified as a dispute between FG and the federating states, to which the Supreme Court has exclusive and original jurisdiction to determine.

“It is glaring that the CBN has no power to introduce new Naira if there is not directive by the President. The CBN is an agency of the Federal Government.

“The suit as constituted could be effectively determined without joinder of the CBN.

In the light of the foregoing, I good that all the preliminary objections lacked merit and there are accordingly dismissed”, the apex court held.

The International Press Centre (IPC) has asked the federal government and security agencies to probe the various attacks on journalists during the February 25 elections.

In a report on journalists’ safety during the February 2023 presidential and national assembly elections, the IPC revealed that more than 20 journalists were attacked.

The journalists were covering the elections for their platforms: Punch Newspaper, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Daily Post, Upfront News Magazine, Television Continental (TVC), Radio Nigeria, Peoples Gazette and Wikki Times.

According to the report, the journalists were subjected to harassment and intimidation in Rivers, Oyo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Anambra, Lagos, Bauchi State and the FCT.

Some of the perpetrators were police personnel, angry youths and political thugs, revealed the report.

While condemning the attacks, the IPC urged the government, INEC and security agencies to prioritise the safety of journalists ahead of and during the March 11 gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

Political parties were also tasked to advise their supporters to refrain from threatening and attacking journalists.

Meanwhile, the attacks on journalists negate the provision of the Nigerian media code of election coverage, which mandates the government at all levels, and its agencies and officials to ensure the safety of journalists during electoral processes.

The code also directs the government to ensure prompt investigation and prosecution of any individual or group accused of assault, harassment, intimidation or other crimes against the media and journalists during electoral processes.

The Executive Director of a citizens-led political movement, FixPolitics, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of breaching the trust of Nigerians with its reported failure to upload the February 25, 2023 general elections results to its portal via the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System in real time, as it promised before the election.

Tony Ubani, in a statement on Thursday noted that this is a deviation from the various assurances by the commission’s officials that they were ready for the polls with deployment of the BVAS.

He also accused INEC of unpreparedness for the polls.

He stated, “At a press conference in November 2022, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu – conscious of growing public concern about the sincerity, transparency and commitment of the commission to credible elections, in which the votes of citizens will be respected – assured Nigerians the commission would upload polling results to its portal at the polling unit, immediately after voting, adding that citizens would have access to these results in real time.

“The performance and controversies over the results mean that the electoral reforms and lessons declared to have been learned were not applied and, as an electoral body, it was significantly less prepared than it claimed.”

According to Ubani, the commission had promised to upload results from the polling unit and that citizens would have access to those results in real time as they are uploaded.

Yakubu had stated in November that the programme cannot turn around and undermine itself, as this technology has come to stay.

He assured Nigerians that “We will upload polling unit results from the polling units. Citizens will have the right to view these results. After all, who are we serving? The citizens. How can we deprive citizens access to the results of the process conducted by them at the polling unit?

“I assure and reassure you that the 2023 general elections will be our best ever and we are committed that votes cast by Nigerians will determine the outcome of the elections. Nothing more, nothing less.”

It is this assurance and several others by INEC, FixPolitics noted, that built confidence among Nigerians to register to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.

“The public even accepted the added burden of the closure of tertiary institutions as part of the sacrifice in reciprocity to the assurances by INEC of a vote that would count. Many returned from overseas to exercise their citizenship in the hope that the process would be transparent, free and their votes will count,” Ubani said.

He however lamented that since the February 25 elections, the country had been saturated with reports, complaints and protests from citizens, candidates, political party officials, civil society organisations, the media, local and international observers and well-meaning Nigerians.

“The failure of INEC and widespread delayed opening of polling units meant that voters, who showed up at the polling stations early, were frustrated and many voters and INEC staff were not able to locate their polling units for several hours.

“Despite the different voices of dissent to the outcome of the election, three specific complaints cut across most of them: INEC’s failure and refusal to upload presidential election results, particularly in real time, to the INEC Result Viewing Portal; the complete lack of transparency in INEC’s processes; and the failure to follow its own regulations and processes,” he said.

This breach of trust, he added, has made the populace to resent INEC and question the integrity of the ballot and its implication on the entire process.

Tragedy struck in Abeokuta, on Saturday, as a middle-aged woman, known in her neighbourhood as Mama Dada, set herself on fire in her rented apartment.

The woman’s remains were burnt beyond recognition and the entire building was also razed.

The incident happened at Oke-Keesi, Itoko area of Abeokuta.

According to a witness, Rasheed Aina, who resides around the deceased’s residence, the woman killed herself for being unable to repay a loan she took from a microfinance bank popularly known as ‘LAPO’.

“Her neighbour told me that the loan was to the tune of N70,000,” Mr Aina said.

LAPO was established as a Nigerian non-governmental organisation in 1987 to help local Nigerians move out of poverty.

The organisation was expanded into a microfinance institute, MFI, in 1990, and was registered as a microfinance bank in 2007.

Lapo in Abeokuta is known for lending money to traders and other small-scale business owners with strict repayment plans.

A former member of the Lapo group, who identified herself simply as Mrs Adeogun, said an ‘unprecedented embarrassment’ will befall anyone who refuses to pay back the borrowed money at the set date.

“If you refuse to pay them back at the set date, you will be treated like trash, you will be embarrassed in a big way, in a manner that your children will forever be ashamed of. I know what I am saying, I used to be a member.

“ One must be a member and a committed one before you will be given a reasonable amount of money. What they do is that you will join the group and start making thrift with them. It is the evidence of this thrift through your card that will qualify you for a loan which you must either pay back outrightly or in batches. But either in batches or outrightly, there is always a set date for repayment that you must meet but if you default…! you will live to blame yourself.”

The house set ablaze over Lapo debt in Ogun.
Secretary of the community development association in the area, Mr Babawale, said: “She is owing the ‘Gbomu le lantern’ the sum of N70k. Because she was unable to meet up with the payment she then sent her last born to buy fuel and also used style to discharge the small boy she locked herself up inside the room and wet everywhere with petrol including herself and set the whole place on fire.”

The corpse has been deposited at the State General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, promised to get back after being briefed on the incident but had not as of press time.

by Olugbenga Soyele


The Political Dimension Of The Naira Redesign
In its efforts to ease the suffering of lawyers and litigants the Lagos State Chief Judge, Kazeem Alogba resolved to strengthen the court alternative payments platforms to make filing of cases and other court business stress free

Justice Alogba, in a statement signed by the Acting Chief Registrar, Tajudeen Elias, reiterates that the state judiciary is an integral part of the Nigerian Judiciary and holds tenaciously to the due administration of Justice and the Rule of Law generally.

He also advised court users to make use of the existing electronic platform for payments whilst the development was being dealt with.

Business activities at the various court registries in Lagos State were grounded last week as court officials declined to receive old naira notes from litigants and lawyers on the ground that their official bank, Polaris, is no longer accepting it as legal tender.

Specifically, the account officials at the court registry in Ikeja High Court, who spoke under the condition of anonymity said an attempt to pay in old notes collected by them into the government account was denied by the Polaris Bank.

She also said that they have received a directive from their boss to stop collecting old currency, noting that henceforth, lawyers and litigants must not come with the old currency because it will no longer be accepted.

The officials further said that the only currency acceptable for filing of court processes in the Lagos Judiciary Registry is the new notes.

One of the affected lawyers who did not want to mention his name confirmed that the registry at Osborne Division of Lagos High Court also rejected the old note and turned him back from filling his process.

He affirmed that the problem is not the judiciary official but that of the CBN governor who is visiting anarchy in the nation by jettisoning the Supreme Court order.

“Non -acceptance of old notes would be a catastrophe to the nation. The highest court in the land, the Supreme Court order is being flouted with impunity. It is obvious that the CBN, especially the governor, Godwin Emefiele, is ready to impose a state of anarchy on Nigeria by directing banks against the order of the apex court.”

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Muiz Banire, has alleged that the governors insisting on the continued circulation of all the old naira notes as legal tender are doing so for the purpose of vote-buying.

Banire alleged that the governors were planning to deceive voters to accept the “already stocked old notes in their custody for the purpose of buying voters’ conscience.”

He made the allegations in a statement posted to his LinkedIn page on Friday.

“A lot of us might not understand why the Governors are insisting on the old notes being legal tender,” the SAN wrote. “Certainly, it is not that they don’t know that they do not have the power to declare what is legal tender, neither did they not know that [they] … lack the capacity to enforce any Supreme Court judgment.

The secret is simply that they are out to deceive the unwary potential voters into accepting the already stocked old notes in their custody for the purpose of buying voters’ conscience,” he alleged.

Banire advised voters who wished to collect money from politicians to insist on “the real legal tender as pronounced by the apex bank.”

He wrote, “My counsel is that potential voters who must take money should either insist on the real legal tender as pronounced by the apex bank or any other currency acceptable to them.”

He, however, admonished that ”your conscience is not worth buying, but if you must collect the money which mostly is stolen from the treasury, insist on legal tender and still vote your conscience. This is part of our leadership campaign leadership series.”

By Sharon Osaji


The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday morning addressed the nation in a televised broadcast where he addressed the naira crisis plaguing the country.

In his address, the president apologised for the difficulties experienced across the nation in accessing the scarce new naira notes.

Here are 10 major takeaways from the president’s address


New naira has come to stay

The president has defended the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria. In his address, he said the policy became necessary noting that the proportion of currency outside banks grew from 78% in 2015 to 85% in 2022. He said as of October 2022, the currency in circulation had risen to N3.23 trillion; out of which only N500 billion was within the Banking System while N2.7 trillion remained permanently outside the system; thereby distorting the financial policy and efficient management of inflation.


Old N200 note will remain legal tender till April 10

The president, in an effort to cushion the effect of the new naira policy on the citizenry, approved the continued use of the old N200 as legal tender for the next 60 days. This means that till April 10, Nigerians will be able to trade with the old N200 banknote. However, it will also cease to be legal tender after its 60 days of grace elapses.


Old N500, N1000 notes no longer legal tender

On the contrary, the president had nothing much to say about the old N500 and N1000 bank notes, which indicates that they are no longer legal tender in the country, as he said the old N200 will circulate alongside the new N200, N500 and N1,000 notes.

He however added, “In line with Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, all existing old N1000 and N500 notes remain redeemable at the CBN and designated points.”


Buhari apologises for difficulties

Speaking on the difficulties Nigerians have experienced since the naira redesign, the president said he was deeply sorry for the hardship caused.

In his words, “I am deeply pained and sincerely sympathise with you all over these unintended outcomes. To stem this tide, I have directed the CBN to deploy all legitimate resources and legal needs to ensure that our citizens are adequately educated on the policy , enjoy easy access to cash withdrawal through availability of appropriate amounts of currency and availability of currency.”


Why naira was redesigned

In a bid to enlighten Nigerians on why the naira was redesigned, Buhari said, “I feel obliged to avail you a few critical points underpinning the policy decision. These include:

a. The need to restore the statutory ability of the CBN to keep firm control over the money in circulation.

b. The proportion of currency outside banks grew from 78%in 2015 to 85% in 2022, thereby distorting the financial policy and efficient management of inflation;

c. The huge volume of banknotes outside the banking system has proven to be practically unavailable for economic activities and by implication, retard the attainment of potential economic growth;

d. Economic growth projections make it imperative for government to aim at expanding financial inclusion in the country by reducing the number of the unbanked population; and

e. Given the prevailing security situation across the country, which keeps improving, it also becomes compelling for government to deepen its continuing support for security agencies to successfully combat banditry and ransom-taking in Nigeria


What new naira policy will achieve

The president highlighted the expected short, medium and long terms goals the policy is supposed to achieve as; a strengthening of our macroeconomic parameters; reduction of broad money supply leading to a deceleration of the velocity of money in the economy which should result in less pressures on domestic prices; lowering of Inflation as a result of the accompanying decline in money supply that will slow the pace of inflation; Collapse of illegal economic activities which would help to stem corruption and acquisition of money through illegal ways; Exchange Rate stability; availability of Easy Loans and lowering of interest rates; and greater visibility and transparency of our financial actions translating to efficient enforcement of our anti-money laundering legislations.


Saboteurs of naira policy will face the law

Buhari said he has directed the CBN to intensify collaboration with anti-corruption agencies, “so as to ensure that any institution or person(s) found to have impeded or sabotaged the implementation should be made to bear the full weight of the law.”

He added, “I have directed the CBN to deploy all legitimate resources and legal means to ensure that our citizens are adequately educated on the policy; enjoy easy access to cash withdrawal through availability of appropriate amounts of currency; and ability to make deposits.”


Buhari appeals for understanding

Insisting that the naira redesign policy is for the economic best of the nation, the president pleaded with Nigerians for understanding. he said, “I seek your understanding and patience during this transient phase of implementation,” adding that “I wish to once more appeal for your understanding till we overcome this difficult transient phase within the shortest possible time.


Next administration will benefit from naira redesign

On the fast-approaching general elections, the president said, “On the 25th of February, 2023 the nation would be electing a new president and National Assembly members. I am aware that this new monetary policy has also contributed immensely to the minimization of the influence of money in politics. This is a positive departure from the past and represents a bold legacy step by this administration, towards laying a strong foundation for free and fair elections.


Shun electoral violence

Buhari further urged every citizen to “go out to vote for their candidates of choice without fear, because security shall be provided and your vote shall count. I however admonish you to eschew violence and avoid actions capable of of disrupting the electoral processes. I wish us all a successful general election.”

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Niger State, Isah Liman Kantigi, has issued a death threat to prospective voters who have the intention to collect his money without voting for him in the general election.

Kantigi made the threat while addressing his supporters in a viral video.

Kantigi was a former Chairman of Edati Local Government Area and the ex-Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to former Governor, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

The PDP candidate was recently in the news after he donated two electricity transformers to Dangana and Duma communities in Lapai.

In November, his growing popularity in Niger State was tested after his candidacy was challenged by an aggrieved party member, Sani Idris Kutigi.

He was, however, affirmed by a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, as the valid governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 governorship elections in Niger.

Justice Zainab Abubakar, in a judgement, dismissed the suit brought by the plaintiff for lacking in merit.

In the 25 seconds viral video trending on social media, the Niger PDP governorship candidate, who was dressed in a white long dress and a cap to match, was captured telling his supporters in English and Hausa languages that dire consequences await anyone who betray him at the poll.

While describing himself as a generous man who looks out for others, Kantigi warned that those who collect his money without reciprocating with votes will be plagued with nightmares, and cold and would eventually die.

He threatened, “If I give you and you spend it, from today, you will be receiving some kind of dream. After receiving the dreams, the next thing is that you will start feeling cold and after that, you will lose your life.

The presiding pastor of the Abuja chapter of the House on the Rock, Pastor Uche Aigbe, on Sunday caused a stir when he mounted the pulpit carrying an AK 47 rifle.

The incident took place during the second service, which frequently has a high turnout of the congregation who comes from different parts of the Federal Capital Territory.

Brandishing the gun, the pastor picked his way to the altar as many members of his congregation exchanged glances trying to understand what was happening.

An unflinching Aigbe walked up to the lectern, aware of the tension his action had created, without looking at his worshippers.

But as he made attempt to open his Bible, the preacher looked up and said teasingly, “Some people are looking for my trouble. And I came here prepared.

“Today, there are some pastors with gift of divination who go about ripping people. This is why we should carry our ‘guns’ and defend ourselves. I will particularly be coming very soon for some of you sleeping in the church.”

His response threw the entire gathering into a fit of laughter as he continued preaching on “Guarding your hearts from false teachers” and “faith without work is dead.”

It was, however, not known if the gun he brandished was loaded or not.

The Police Command in Lagos says a traditional ruler would be invited for questioning over a recorded audio which appeared to threaten and intimidate residents of a community in Eti-Osa area of the state.

Its spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, while reacting to the audio that had gone viral.

“The traditional ruler, a Baale, is to be invited for questioning. Intimidating voters will not be allowed.

“Everyone should feel free to vote the candidate of his or her choice,” Mr Hundeyin said.

NAN reports that a recorded audio of a meeting held on Monday at the instance of the traditional ruler went viral and has attracted the attention of security agencies and civil societies in Lagos State.

In the 11 minutes and 34 seconds audio, the traditional ruler and one other requested the residents and those doing business in the area to vote for a political party in the forthcoming elections.

The traditional ruler, in his voice, wanted to know how many persons at the meeting had their PVCs and only about 20 answered in the affirmative, out of about 60 persons in attendance.

He wondered what happened to the rest who did not have PVCs.

“If we take the number of people here, we will not be less than 60, but only 20 have PVCs; what is happening to the rest?

“We are ready to fight; yes, I am not hiding it; I have narrated everything to you. In Nigeria, there is Lagos; in Lagos, there is Eti-Osa; within Eti-Osa, we have Igbara community and by the grace of God in Igbara today, we can take our decision.

“The people that will be friends with us, that will do business with us are those with PVCs and are willing to vote for our party. Nothing short of that,” he said in the audio.

The traditional ruler further said that if the people intended to vote for other political parties outside the one specified, he wouldn’t stop them from doing so, but that such will only happen “outside Igbara community”.

“You want to vote for other political parties? Not here! Elections have been coming and going, we have never done this before.”

The traditional ruler was quoted as saying that a lot was at stake, warning that he would not allow the residents to jeopardise his future and the future of his children.

NAN quotes a second voice in the audio as telling the gathering that only those that will vote for the chosen party would enjoy peace in the area.

The voice even requested them to vote and snap the ballot paper to confirm that they had conformed with the directive to support a particular party.

Members of the management team of the Central Bank of Nigeria are to meet on Monday to review the crisis that the naira redesign programme has generated and come up with solutions to the acute cash crunch that has nearly paralysed the country.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the meeting would also consider the advice given by the National Council of State that the apex bank should print more redesigned N1,000, N500 and N200 notes or re-circulate the old ones withdrawn from circulation in order to ease the current cash crunch.

It was learnt that the meeting, which will hold at CBN headquarters in Abuja, would involve the top echelon of the apex bank, and a fresh directive might be issued to Deposit Money Banks on whether to keep accepting deposits of the old notes or not.

An official of the CBN told one of our correspondents on Saturday that a decision would likely be made on the continuous circulation of the old notes at the meeting.

He, however, said the advice to print more money would not be straightforward due to logistic reasons and the fact that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc had capacity issues as regards the printing of the new notes.

Saturday PUNCH had reported that the CBN was considering contracting foreign firms to print the redesigned naira notes as the Mint was unable to meet the demand for the currency, thus leading to the current nationwide scarcity.

It was reported that the Mint had succeeded in printing N500bn worth of the new N1,000, N500 and N200 notes and might not have the capacity to do more than that at the moment, whereas the CBN had withdrawn about N2.1tn of the old notes from circulation.

The apex bank official told Sunday PUNCH that the advice given by the Council of State would be weighed carefully vis-à-vis the security implications of the continued scarcity of the notes, the cost of printing more notes and re-circulating the old ones, and the implementation of the Supreme Court interim order that the old notes should be allowed to circulate alongside the new ones.


Confusion reigns

However, developments in the last few days have thrown bankers, traders and ordinary Nigerians into confusion regarding the acceptability or otherwise of the old notes as legal tender.

While the Federal Government, through the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), had indicated that the Supreme Court order would be complied with, he also said it would be appealed.

A manager of a Tier-1 bank, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, said there was confusion everywhere as the CBN had not given any counter directive to its earlier order that the old notes should not be in circulation again from Friday, February 10, 2023.

The bank manager said, “The whole thing has thrown us into confusion as we don’t know what to do. The last communication we received from the CBN was that we should begin to pay customers a maximum of N20,000 over the counter and that the February 10 deadline for the withdrawal of the old notes stays.

“We have stopped accepting old naira deposits from customers. We stopped on Friday. For instance, we didn’t open today (Saturday) to collect deposits as earlier directed by the central bank. We received an advisory from our zonal head to stop collecting old notes from Friday. Except there is a new directive on Monday, we will not take deposits of old naira notes again.”

Meanwhile, some petrol filling stations in Lagos and Ogun states, on Saturday, rejected the old naira notes from customers and insisted on new notes, transfers and Point of Sale payment only.

A similar situation played out in supermarkets and fast food restaurants, while some traders in different markets rejected the old notes.

Some residents of Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, have urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, address the nation on the suspension/extension of the deadline for the old naira note swap.

The residents, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews on Saturday, said the appeal became imperative due to the rejection of the old naira notes by traders and petrol stations across the state.

The residents, who expressed worry about the development, noted that the refusal by the business community in Abakaliki to accept the old notes amounted to a contravention of the recent Supreme Court ruling suspending the February 10 deadline set by the CBN.

A lawyer, Mr Lawrance Onwe, said Nigerians deserved to know from the government the true position of the naira swap so as to avoid the confusion, chaos and panic the development had generated since the deadline elapsed on Friday.

A civil servant, Mr Silas Nkpuma, said he almost engaged in a brawl with a commercial motorcyclist, who insisted on being paid with a new naira note.

He said, “I hadn’t any new naira notes on me and the man refused a mobile transfer. I was held hostage by the cyclist until a good Samaritan intervened and bailed me out.

“I think the confusion arising from the rejection of the old notes would have been averted if members of the public were properly informed by relevant government agencies.

“The rejection stemmed from apparent ignorance and what is more worrisome is that filling stations and big business organisations started rejecting the old money on Friday.”

Mrs Chika Iteshi, a foodstuffs dealer at the Ophoke-Abba, Kpiri-Kpiri Market, said that she stopped collecting the old naira because okada and keke (tricycle) riders refused to collect it.

Similarly, some residents of Enugu, on Saturday, started rejecting the old naira notes.

NAN investigation showed that many residents, who were still holding the old naira notes, were finding it difficult to spend them.

A resident of Awkunanaw in the Enugu South Local Government Area of the state, Mr George Nweze, said he observed the situation when he gave a bus driver the old N500, which he rejected.

“I was surprised that the driver rejected the old note because I thought he could easily use it to buy fuel. He flatly rejected it,” Nweze said.

A petty trader, Mrs Marta Chukwu, also said that she went to buy provisions with the old naira notes totalling N25,000, but they were rejected by her customer.

Chukwu said her customer declined to collect the notes from her, insisting that he stopped collecting old notes on Friday.

NAN observed that tricycle operators were asking intending passengers if they had new notes before boarding.

Mr John Nwabueze, a civil servant, said he paid old notes to a taxi driver while going to work on Friday, but while returning home in the evening, things had changed.

A tricycle operator, Mr Ejike Ogbodo, said the problem started when an NNPC mega station started refusing old naira notes.

“We queued to buy fuel yesterday at the NNPC mega station and the attendants refused to collect old notes from us; so, we decided not to collect old notes again,” Ogbodo said.

Similarly, the Amalgamated Union of Northern Traders, on Saturday in Sokoto, lauded the directive given by Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State to security agents to arrest anybody who rejected the old naira notes for commercial transactions.

Matawalle was among the governors who dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court, seeking a restraining order to stop the naira redesign policy.

The union’s Youth Leader, Alhaji Sanusi Daudu-Nufawa, lauded the directive of the governor to security agents in Zamfara State to closely monitor all trading activities around markets in order to reduce the suffering of the masses.

Daudu-Nufawa noted that the informal economic sector could only be revived if leaders took drastic decisions to effectively make people do transactions with the old and new notes.

He said the effort would further reduce and relieve the pains that ordinary Nigerians were experiencing in the face of scarcity of the old and new naira notes.

He expressed optimism that the circulation of old notes and their gradual replacement with new notes would ease peoples’ sufferings.


Unions threaten strike

The National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees and the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions have said their members will down tools if they continue to come under attack from angry customers.

The President of NUBIFIE, Anthony Abakpa, said in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, “Nigerians are suffering and bank workers are also the target. Customers are venting their anger on staff members, who are also our members.

“The CBN is the sole regulatory body that supervises banks. So, if it gives certain amounts to Bank A or Bank B, it should be able to supervise them and know which bank is doing the right thing. If nothing is done within a week, I think we will mobilise to shut down.”

Similarly, the President, ASSBIFI, Olusoji Oluwole, said the banks could only disburse to customers the amount of cash made available to them.

Oluwole stated, “The sad thing is that yes, banks are being given money, but banks are not being given enough money to circulate. The banks can only issue out what they have. But coming out to tell an already agitated public that banks are the ones keeping the money creates a lot of worry for us, because what it does is that you’re practically eroding the confidence of people in the banking system and putting the workers in danger, and that is the sad part of it right now.

“Beyond that, I think people just want access to cash, whether it is the newly-designed ones or even the old ones. I’m talking about the N100, N50, and N20 (notes). Let the CBN make them available.

“We’re sure it has them in stock and when they’re doing that, it should bring the ones that are distributable, not the ones that are mutilated. It should be able to do that and, at least, ease the tension a bit.”


No problems – CBN

Meanwhile, the CBN has said that the NSPMC has the capacity and enough materials to produce the required indent of the naira notes.

The apex bank also said that it was working to increase the circulation of the new notes across the country.

The apex bank’s Director of Corporate Communications, Osita Nwasinobi, in a statement dated Friday but released on Saturday, said such reports about the Mint’s capacity to print the required banknotes that were credited to the governor of the bank, Godwin Emefiele, were not true as he was misquoted.

Some news media (not PUNCH) had reported that Emefiele admitted that the Mint did not have enough materials to print the new notes and that accounted for the current scarcity.

Nwasinobi said at no time did the CBN governor make such a statement during his presentation to the National Council of State at its meeting on Friday.

He said, “For the records, what Mr Emefiele told the meeting was that the NSPMC was working on printing all denominations of the naira to meet the transaction needs of Nigerians.

“While the CBN appreciates the concerns shown by all stakeholders about the distribution of the naira, we are alarmed at the extent to which vested interests are attempting to manipulate facts and pit the public against the bank.”

Nwasinobi also said the CBN remained committed to performing its monetary policy functions as stipulated in the CBN Act, 2007 (as amended).

He added, “We also wish to restate that the NSPMC has the capacity and enough materials to produce the required indent of the naira.

“The bank, therefore, wishes to appeal to the public to disregard the said reports and exercise more restraint, even as we work assiduously to increase the circulation of the new notes in the country.”

On a particular voice note trending on the social media alleging that the CBN planned to shut down some banks, particularly in a geopolitical region of the country, the CBN director said there was no such plan and that the claims were illogical and did not comply with the workings of the banking system.


Niger sues FG

The Niger State Government has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government at the Supreme Court over the naira redesign policy.

A statement by the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasara Danmallam, on Saturday, said the case with suit number SC/CV/210/2023, was filed on Friday.

The statement said that the state government was seeking an extension of the timeframe given by the CBN for the currency swap and withdrawal from circulation of the old N200, N500 and N1,000, among other reliefs.

The statement said the three months given by the Federal Government for the withdrawal of old notes across the country was not reasonable and was in violation of sections 13, 14 (2) (b), 17 (1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

In the affidavit in support of the originating summons, the state government contended that the unavailability of the redesigned notes had caused untold hardship and suffering on residents of the state, especially those living in rural areas.

The statement expressed the state government’s concern about the inconveniences the policy had brought on the people, saying it would continue doing everything within its constitutional limit to ameliorate their suffering.


Economists, lawyers react

A professor of Economics, Cletus Agu, said the issue of naira scarcity was an artificial community-imposed problem fuelled by banks and the people, stating that the Supreme Court ruling was irrelevant.

Agu said, “It is not a central bank problem; rather, it’s a problem stemming from the commercial banks, imposed by the people and politicians. It is not a question of law; it is pure economics. The naira is being sold outside the banks; bank managers are busy selling the money, and people keep withdrawing without depositing. The issue of economics has been turned into politics.

“When there are incessant queues at Automated Teller Machine galleries every day, you know that something is wrong. The money is not circulating; if it did, then there will be ease. People are withdrawing and storing the cash; bank managers are giving it out to politicians and big businessmen. Why are the rich not complaining and it’s only the poor that are feeling the pain?”

According to him, one of the objectives of the CBN is to return money into the system to allow for cash flow, adding that the Supreme Court would not solve any problem by imposing sanctions.

“The Supreme Court shouldn’t have interfered in the issue. What are they trying to achieve? They can only get an extension of five days, after the five days, what next? Let’s wait for the subsequent judgment they will bring up,” he added.

However, a professor of Economics at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Samuel Igbatayo, described the implementation of the cashless policy as a ploy to crash the economy.

He stated that the military approach had created chaos across the economy with Nigerians being left stranded and unable to access their money.

Igbatayo noted that though he supported the cashless policy, he believed it needed gradual implementation for minimum impact on the economy.

He said, “It is hardly a surprise that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the litigants because it has taken due consideration of the effect on the masses. The scarcity of the new notes and the period in which it is implemented is bad for the economy. It will be worse for those in areas where there are insufficient financial services.

“Most rural areas are devoid of banks/financial services and some residents of those areas don’t have bank accounts. These people have to be taken into account in implementing the policy. While one doesn’t dispute the need for a cashless society or the implementation of the policy, there is a need for a gradual approach to it.

“I think the CBN needs to return to the drawing board to implement the scheme over a fairly long period to ensure a sufficient quantity of the currency in circulation that will support economic activities across the length and breadth of the country. I think that is plausible and I believe the CBN will recognise the potency of its activities and the dangerous nature of them altogether.”

According to him, the naira scarcity coupled with the high fuel prices has brought social instability with riots breaking out all over the place with banks being vandalised and causing untold hardship on Nigerians. He urged the government and policymakers to take all these into account and implement the policy over a sufficient period.

A human rights lawyer and professor of International Law at the University of Jos, Nnamdi Aduba, said the cash withdrawal limit set by the CBN would encourage vote-buying during the general elections.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Aduba said the policy was counterproductive, adding that the suffering it had inflicted on the people was enough for them to succumb to cheap inducement during the elections.

He noted that politicians would access the cash from the comfort of their homes and would also devise other means to induce voters.

Aduba said, “The CBN and the banks are just out to punish poor Nigerians. I cannot see how you will have a free and fair election under this situation that we have found ourselves. It is not possible because people wake up in the morning now to either go to filling stations or banks to queue for their own hard earned money. Then, you will say people should come out to vote; who will they vote for?

“Who are you preventing from spending this money? There are difficulties in purchasing food, paying transport fares and buying other commodities. If you say it will curb vote-buying, let me ask you, how do you define vote-buying? Is it only about cash?

“Put yourself in the shoes of a poor person; somebody will give you food, and pay for your transportation when the election is a few days away. Tell me, during the election will you vote against that person?

“If they are targeting politicians, they are aware that most of the politicians will stay in their houses and get the currencies; it’s the ordinary Nigerians who go to queue. So, if the policy is intended to get the politicians, then it has not caught anybody.

“So, why the haste? For the past seven years, you didn’t think of this; why are you now in so much haste with this; issuing a deadline that is impossible.”

Emmanuel Olaitan Johnson, a Nigerian who survived the earthquake that killed over 5,000 people has narrated how he and his family members escaped.

Daily Trust had reported how a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which hit Turkey on Monday, had a devastating effect on felt in Syria, which shares border with Turkey.

Speaking with BBC Pidgin, Johnson said he knew all was not well after he noticed the crack on the wall of his building.

“I was in my building and I noticed it was shaking but I wasn’t perturbed at first. But when I saw a crack in the wall, I grabbed my wife and children and ran out of the house.
“As I speak to you, I and my family are now homeless,” he told BBC Pidgin.

Johnson, a Nigerian living in Gaziantep, one of the affected cities in Turkey, explained that he had just finished watching the 9/11 terrorist attack documentary before the incident began.

According to Jonhson, before my house broke down, I ran inside twice to pick shoes for myself, wife and children and also pick up our documents.

He added that the incident began around 4:17 am in the morning.

According to him, we are dressed in singlets and boxers and my children were walking in the snow with barefoot.

“While I was using my building’s staircase, I almost lost my footing while climbing because of the earthquake’s magnitude and how the building was shaking,” he said.

By Sunday M. Ogwu, Faruk Shuaibu & John C. Azu


The World Bank Country Office in Nigeria has disclosed that the incessant fuel scarcity and the inability of Nigerians to access the new naira notes may influence uncertainty ahead of the February 25 and March 10 elections in the country.

According to a document, the bank pointed out that the deadline for old notes will socially and economically affect vulnerable people in the country.

Daily Trust reports that after the initial January 31 deadline, the CBN, after reportedly seeking the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari had extended the deadline for the currency swap to February 10.

But it appears the extension has not changed anything for the better as millions of Nigerians could not access the new N1000, N500 and N200 notes while even the lower denominations of N100 and N50 that have not been altered are not available.

While politicians have continued to trade blames; and the CBN accusing commercial banks of hoarding the new naira notes to the extent of unleashing security agents on them, Nigerians in many states have ran out of patience and have started taking to the streets to protest the shortage of the naira.


What the World Bank said

Experts said the document released by the World Bank on its website should be taken seriously because the citizens are becoming increasingly overstretched as many could not access their hard-earned money to feed their families.

The document said, “The shortage of cash compounds fuel shortages, which have been ongoing for months. There is a clear risk that cash shortages cause hardship and frustration, which could escalate social tensions, especially in a febrile political environment ahead of elections on February 25 (presidential and parliamentary) and March 11 (gubernatorial).

The bank further disclosed 45 per cent of Nigerian adults had a bank account, 34 per cent pay or receive money digitally over the past year, while nine per cent made an in-store payment by digital means.

It projected Nigeria would not be able to attain a quick increase in digital payment to enhance the shortages of new notes across the country within the stipulated deadline.


Kaduna, Kogi, Zamfara take FG, CBN to S/Court

Amid the alarm by the World Bank, the governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states have sued the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) before the Supreme Court over the currency redesigning and “de-monetisation” policy.

They are seeking a declaration that the “Demonetization policy of the federation being currently carried out by the CBN under the directive of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not in compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and actual laws on the subject.”

They are also asking the court to make a declaration that the three-month notice given by the federal government and the CBN under the directive of the president, the expiration of which will render the old bank notes inadmissible as legal tender, is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, which specifies that reasonable notice must be given before such a policy and that the limit cannot be outside that provided under Section 22(1) of the CBN Act 2007.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaduna State, Aisha Dikko, in an affidavit, averred that although the naira redesign policy was introduced to encourage the cashless policy of the federal government, it is not all transactions that can be conveniently carried out through electronic means.

Dikko also pointed out that the federal government had embarked on the policy within a narrow and unworkable time frame, “And this has adversely affected Nigerian citizens within Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states as well as their governments, especially as the newly redesigned naira notes are not available for use by the people as well as the state governments.

“That the majority of the indigenes of the plaintiffs’ states who reside in the rural areas have been unable to exchange or deposit their old naira notes as there are no banks in the rural areas where the majority of the population of the states reside”.

No date has been fixed for hearing.

However, an FCT High Court has restrained the CBN, President Buhari and 27 commercial banks from extending or sabotaging the currency redesigning and cash withdrawal limit policy in the country.

Justice Eleojo Enenche on Monday further ordered the heads of the financial institutions to immediately appear before the court to show cause “Why they shall not be arrested and prosecuted for the economic and financial sabotage of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by their Illegal act of hoarding, withholding, not paying or disbursing the new N200, N500 and N1000 bank notes, being the legal tender of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to their respective customers, despite supplies of such currency.”

The political parties that went to court included Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and National Rescue Movement (NRM).

But Barrister Sam Kargbo (SAN) faulted the decision of the high court to listen to a matter already before the Supreme Court.

He said it was well within the right of the three state governments to approach the apex court as they had the locus to do so.

Kargbo, who stated this when he featured on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, also doubted the loyalty of the CBN governor to the Nigerian people.

“I have my serious doubt as to who the CBN governor is working for. Definitely not for Nigerians; definitely he has no interest for the survival and development of the economy. Under his watch, the naira is slipping by the minute.”


14 political parties threaten election boycott

Also, fourteen of the 18 registered political parties have said they would withdraw their participation in the general elections if the CBN extends the February 10 deadline for the use of old naira notes.

The National Chairman of the Action Alliance (AA), Kenneth Udeze, on Monday at a press conference by the Forum of Chairmen of Nigerian Political Parties and the Forum of Candidates for the 2023 General Election, said the CBN must not shift the deadline.

“We hereby announce our resolution that at least 14 of the 18 political parties in Nigeria will not be interested in the 2023 general election and indeed we shall withdraw all our participation from the electoral process if these currency policies are suspended or cancelled or if the deadline is further shifted,” Udeze said.

The forum said the policy would enhance the credibility of the 2023 election.


We must not politicise national security

A legal practitioner, Barrister Aminu Muhammad Sani, said as Nigeria approaches a critical moment of electing new leaders, there is the need for circumspection by all.

“The truth is that the Central Bank is not telling the truth, it is economical with the truth because there is a limit to how the commercial banks can hoard the new notes.

“Up till this evening, there are long queues of people looking for money at ATMs. This is definitely not fear.

“A friend of mine in a GTB branch in one of the north-western states swore by his creator that they don’t have a single new note in their safe.

“He said they have gone to the CBN branch in the state since morning and were told to wait, that the CBN branch was also awaiting the arrival of the new mints from Abuja,” he said.

Salihu Ibrahim, who leads an NGO, Citizens First Initiative (CFI) said President Muhammadu Buhari should speak to Nigerians before the end of the ten days extension.

“We have gauged the mood and it is not favourable. People protested in Lagos, Ibadan and many other places, the protest is approaching other parts of the country.

“The president must ensure that citizens are not buying fuel at between N350 and N500/l. He should talk to the CBN to release more money. There are places that till date, the people have not seen the new currency.

“We must do whatever it takes to control emotions,” he said.


CBN to blame – Peterside

Speaking at a Twitter Space conversation by by Prime Business on the theme, ‘The naira blame game: Banks, CBN and the politicians, a former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside said, “I don’t think the objective or the goal of the policy has been challenged. Unfortunately, CBN is the designer of the policy, regulator, operator and executor of the policy, so should share 70 per cent of the blame.

“Policy is always in the realm of politics. Policy and politics are like twins, policies affect the people and politics is about the representation of the people. They are inseparable.

“For me, the initial question is, was the execution thought through? I don’t think so. CBN was not going to be everywhere, did you model all those that would be involved in the execution? Did you anticipate challenges? Did you engage all those who will be involved? Do you have the necessary infrastructure in place for transition?

“Because we expect a change in behaviour with any new policy; is that infrastructure in place? I don’t think that was extensively examined. The intervention of the governors may have been driven by ulterior motives but we don’t expect leaders to be quiet when their people are suffering.

“The fact that they engage with the CBN and the president is not the same as deciding the direction of policy. It should not affect the independence of the CBN.”

He said the commercial banks must communicate regularly to say, this is how much we got, this is how much we have disbursed.

He said: “The truth today is that we are in a crisis situation and how do we address it, CBN needs to sit with the banks and make sense of what is happening. With the populace, there must be a constant flow of information. That will build confidence, reduce anxiety and remove uncertainty, which drives people to negative behavior.

“Put institutional processes in place that will make it impossible for banks to abuse their powers and licence.”

By Friday Olokor


Justice Eleoje Enenche of a High Court at the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja on Monday restrained the Federal Government and 27 listed commercial banks from suspending, stopping, extending or interfering with the currency redesignation terminal date of February 10 or issuing any directive contrary to the date.

Also restrained were the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), Central Bank of Nigeria and the Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele.

In a motion exparte filed by five of the 18 political parties, Justice Enenche also granted an order directing the CEO’s of the banks and their alter egos to show cause why they should not be arrested and prosecuted for the economic and financial sabotage of the country by their hoarding, withholding, not paying or disbursing the new N200, N500 and N1000 bank notes despite supply of such notes by the CBN.

The order also ties the hands of bank CEO’s and their staff who have been alleged to be hoarding the new bank notes and trading with them thereby causing untold hardship to ordinary citizens.

In the 27 grounds by the applicants they made out a case showing that politicians who ostensibly were in possession of illicit funds were the ones who wanted the policies suspended.

Senator representing Borno South and Chairman of Senate Committee on Army, Mohammed Ali Ndume has added his voice to negative reactions trailing the redesign and poor issuance of the new naira notes with its attendant scarcity, lamenting that the policy made by Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has caused more economic harm on military troops fighting Boko Haram/ISWAP and other terrorist activities in the country.

He said, the new policy has forced many frontline troops, especially those fighting Boko Haram/ ISWAP to a perpetual hunger, as they could not get the new currency to buy food items within some areas of engagement.

Ndume stated this on Saturday while interacting with Journalists at his Maiduguri, residence.

He said, the hardship posed on Nigerians by this CBN policy, have nearly caused the life of a soldier when some mobs attempted to kill him during a fracas at one of the ATM queues.

The Senator pointed out that, apart from subjecting troops to hunger, the shortage of the new naira notes have caused logistical problems for military operations in moving their fighting equipment.

He noted that, although, he was not against the CBN policy of redesigning a new currency, but such money should be made available to the general public irrespective of political or social background in line with international best practices.

“I want to category join other concerned Nigerians for voicing out their anger on the current shortages of the newly redesigned naira notes which has crippled economic activities all over the country.

“I want to tell Federal Government, and particularly the CBN that the situation on the ground is not only affecting the masses, but most importantly is affecting the military operations and other security agencies who are fighting against terrorism and other criminal activities in the country.

“This is because, what i discovered during my recent visit to my constituency, is that, many soldiers who were deployed to various remote areas, are finding it very difficult to survive, as they don’t have money to buy food and other non-food items.

“If as a senator, I am yet to get access to the new currency, what of troops who are on the frontline defending our nation from terrorists? I am aware that even some troops who have secured a PASS do come to nearby commercial banks to withdraw, but most of them end up disappointed as the new naira notes remained inaccessible on the counter or from the Automated Teller Machines, and ATMs.

“It is very unfortunate that the hardship posed on Nigerians by this CBN policy has nearly caused the life of a soldier when some mobs attempted to kill him during a fracas at one of the ATM queues.” Ndume lamented.

He, therefore, call on the federal government and the CBN to expedite action to ensure that the new currency is made available to the people with immediate effect, so as to avoid similar protests witnessed during the EndSARS.

Vanguard report that the CBN had while implementing the policy, printed only N300 billion, while it has recovered about N2.7 trillion old notes in circulation.

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi is facing a fresh disqualification suit at a Federal High Court in Abuja over his alleged possession of dual citizenship of two countries.

Obi was dragged before the Court by another political party, the National Rescue Movement (NRM) which among others, alleged that the presidential candidate is no longer fit, proper and qualified for the highest plum office in Nigeria on account of his dual citizenship.

The plaintiff in the fresh suit against Obi is praying the court for an order to disqualify him from the presidential race on the ground of breach of the 1999 Constitution.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1842/2022, the Labour Party candidate was accused of acquiring citizenship of Dallas in Texas, United States of America in breach of sections 1 and 137 of Nigeria’s Constitution.

The party through its counsel, Mohammed Danjuma asked for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing, dealing or affording Peter Obi any right or privilege to stand for the presidential election.

In a 14-paragraph affidavit in support of the suit, Peter Obi was said to have voluntarily acquired Dallas citizenship and the certificate of citizenship presented to him by the Mayor of Dallas, Mr Eric Johnson.

The party produced the picture and video recording of the presentation of the citizenship certificate to establish its case against the defendant.

When the matter came up on Monday, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo lambasted the plaintiff for the inability to serve the originating summons on the defendants.

Justice Ekwo thereafter fixed February 10 for mention of the suit and threatened to strike out the case should the plaintiff fail to serve the court process on Peter Obi before the adjourned date.

Defendants in the suit are INEC, Peter Obi and Labour Party as 1st to 3rd defendants, respectfully.

by Patrick Ochoga


A Nigerian-born naturalised Danish citizen, Kelvin Uyi Martins, who is serving in the Danish Army, and Major Lucky Ogiemudia of the Nigerian Army, are currently at loggerheads over the Danish Army officer’s revocation of Power of Attorney to the Nigerian Army officer.

The disagreement became public through petitions written by lawyers to both parties over a multi-million naira duplex belonging to the Danish citizen, which he had earlier given authority to the Nigerian military officer to oversee same, which is located at No. 27, Roland Abanor Street, GRA, Benin City, Edo State.

Trouble started between the duo when the naturalised Danish citizen instructed his counsel, Barrister Douglas Ogbankwa, to revoke the Power of Attorney given to Major Ogiemudia.

The petition addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya and copied the Provost Marshal, Nigerian Army, and the Directorate of Legal Services, alleged that Major Ogiemudia had breached the terms of the agreement, urging the Nigerian military authorities to call him to order.

“That our client revoked the said Power of Attorney vide a notice of Revocation of Power of Attorney dated 6th December, 2022 duly endorsed by a Notary Public in his hand and seal, which totally extinguished and obliterated the same.

“That the said Major Lucky Ogiemudia in an audacious response, wrote to our client admitting to be in Breach of Code for Public Officers, by the content of his letter and demanded for N5 million from our client for no known reason whatsoever, which action is admission of his culpability of his breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers,” the petition stated.

But, the counsel to Major Ogiemudia, Emeka Obasi Esq through a counter-petition to the Danish military officer had expressed shock over the revocation notice served his client (Major Ogiemudia) having incurred bills on the said property to the tune of N5,000,000

Part of the counter-petition reads, “Our client was surprised when he was served with a Notice of Revocation executed on the 6th December, 2022 which said Notice was received with thanks by our client.

“However, our client has over the years incurred huge expenses under the said Power of Attorney which now need to be fully settled and our client reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses incurred.”

The said properties in question include a duplex, other landed properties and a Toyota Highlander vehicle.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has said the G5 Governors would soon shut the door of reconciliation with the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor stated this yesterday during an interview with BBC Pigin, which was monitored by The Guardian in Port Harcourt.

Wike reiterated that their choice of presidential candidate would soon be made known to the public, adding that they were not in a hurry to make a decision on whom to support.

Wike said: “Some people are counting January 4th, 16th. They should calm down. We are all politicians; we have political strategies. I don’t work as an individual. That’s what people don’t understand.

“There are different strategies in going to war. What you see today is not what you see tomorrow. Oh I laugh at them (PDP) when they say we are in touch with so, so governor.”

He clarified that telling the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, that he is a presidential material doesn’t mean that he (Wike) has endorsed Obi.

“If I tell Obi that he is a presidential material, does that mean an endorsement?” Wike queried.

Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo has expressed dismay on how quickly Nigerians forget all his warnings prior to the emergency of the current administration, saying that those who criticized him are currently breathing hard while some are dead.

Speaking during the 21 Days of prayer and fasting of the church, Oyedepo said that if Nigerians can’t learn from the past up until now, that shows that Nigerians have a very short memory.

“Some fellows were talking chaff in those days when I was talking to them about how the government we are voting into power is going to torment your life.” Being in church doesn’t make you a prophet. God tells me things, details about this nation, and I know something is happening right now, but when it’s time, I’ll talk to you.

“Those that said, ‘What do you mean?’ the other time, they’re breathing hard now, some are dead.” Just be in love, that’s all. You’ll become dead to what they’re saying, you’re just open only to what God is saying. Did you see pepper or not in the last 8 years? You know pepper is in grades, different levels of pepper. Nigerians, short memory, very short memory.

“If you can’t learn from the past up until now, I don’t know what you want to learn.” They made all balloon promises, nothing came to pass, not one. You wrote them down, newspaper wrote them down, you can’t see anything there. They’re saying, “come again, come again, fools come”.

As the Lord lives, the devil will not have his way again in Nigeria for the sake of the destiny of innocent people. Security down to zero, you’re traveling, you’re looking at the back, everyday, on the street, in the town, in the villages, what?

“Somebody came to me during the primaries or something and said, he just wanted to ask for my prayer. I said, ‘good. Call me later please, I can’t talk to you people now’. They said, ‘we have brought an offering’. I said, “no no, they don’t use offering to hear from God’. He called me, I said, ‘don’t try it, it will be futile”, (he said), “ah, but I have so much promises’. (I said), “don’t try it, goodnight”, maybe he’s hearing me now.”

A United States female citizen, Vonapolouis Moss, has explained to the Kwara State Police Command how she was tricked into Nigeria by a 23-year-old suspected internet fraudster otherwise known as “yahoo boy”.

Moss of 2962, W 64th Court, Merrillville, Indiana 46410, USA said she was lured into the country on January 9, 2023, by the suspect, said to be an internet fraudster who ripped her off thousands of dollars since her arrival.

She further added that she met him on TikTok, a social media platform and he claimed to be an American by the name of Howard Adams and is currently working in Nigeria, claiming to need 1,000 USD which she was first ripped off.

Narrating the incident, the state police command said the suspected fraudster identified as Joshua Awoleye, a Higher Diploma Student of the Kwara state Polytechnic, Ilorin allegedly lured the foreigner and swindled her of the sum of $1000 when she came to Nigeria.

Parading the suspect at the Police headquarters in Ilorin on Friday, the state Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama, said that Joshua Awoleye of Sabo-Oke Road, Ilorin lured the foreigner whom he met on the internet from the United States of America to Ilorin, Kwara State capital, lodged her in a Hotel and defrauded her of thousands of dollars.

According to the CP, “On January 12, 2023, at about 1200 hours, based on actionable intelligence, operatives of the SCID at the Kwara State Police command arrested one Awoleye Joshua Oluwatofunmi, “male” of Sabo-Oke Road, Ilorin, within the premises of a hotel along Flower Garden Road, Ilorin, in company with one Vonapolouis Moss, “female” an American citizen.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, who is an internet fraudster known as Yahoo Boy, presented himself to the victim on TikTok, a social media platform, as an American by the name of Howard Adams and ripped her off for about 1,000 USD.

“The suspect later took a step further by luring the victim to fly into Nigeria on January 9, 2023, through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos, after which she flew into Ilorin the next day and was received by the suspect.

The suspect also deceitfully took an unspecified amount of USD from the victim before she was rescued by police operatives.

“The necessary authorities have been contacted for appropriate action, he said.

Odama said that “the rescued victim has been moved into secure custody by the State Police Command pending her return trip to the USA.”

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, Vonapoloius said that she arrived in the country on Monday night and moved from Lagos to Ilorin on Tuesday morning.

“We met on social media and he invited me to visit Nigeria but when I came, he took me to the bureau de change to change money to Nigeria currency and he also took me to ShopRite. When the money on me finished, he told me to tell my people to send more money.

The foreigner who said that she likes the country’s environment however stated that she likes to go back to America.

“I like Nigeria and i will like to come back but what i want now is to go back to America”, she said.

The Police Commissioner said that though Joshua confessed to being a Yahoo suspect but said that he would not be handed to the Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission but would be investigated by the Police and charged to Court after a thorough investigation of his alleged crime.