₦airaland Forum

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The story is untrue.
1. Police asked for 200 million naira bail for doing nothing

2. You transferred 20 million naira worth of bitcoin to Austin. How many millions of naira worth of bitcoin do you have?

President Muhammadu Buhari said the Boko Haram terrorist group, though fragmented by internal strife and degraded by Nigeria’s defense forces, is still active and preying on soft targets.

Buhari made this known while speaking at the third edition of the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit on Saturday.

The president, however, called on the Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit to provide concrete support to help defeat terrorism and insurgency on the African continent.

The President expressed delight that the Summit convened by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey has given due consideration to the issue of terrorism, while also focusing on development and infrastructure in Africa.

He said: ‘‘Another area this Partnership must focus on, is the global challenge of climate change which is impacting us in Nigeria, Turkey, across Africa, and indeed across the world.

‘‘It has become a catalyst for conflict through food insecurity, drying up of lakes; loss of livelihood and youth migration, among others.

‘‘The trend is the same around the world where communities are overwhelmed by forest fires, rising sea levels, flood, drought, and desertification.

‘‘I want to seize this opportunity to appeal for support for initiatives such as Africa’s Great Green Wall on Environment and Land Management, which is designed to fight the effects of climate change and desertification in Africa.

‘‘The initiative aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land in the 11 countries of the Sahel-Sahara strip, capture 250 million tons of carbon and, create 10 million green jobs by 2030.’’

On the global coronavirus pandemic, President Buhari urged nations to follow the example of Africa-Turkey cooperation, which emphasizes solidarity and support in tackling the challenge.

‘‘The pandemic is a global challenge which calls for global solidarity and solutions and the Africa-Turkey cooperation model has proved to be an example to the world.

‘‘Not only has there been mutual support to respond to the pandemic but also mutual support to build resilience and sustainable development in other sectors.

‘‘The pandemic is a global challenge which calls for global solidarity and solutions and the Africa-Turkey cooperation model has proved to be an example to the world.

‘‘Not only has there been mutual support to respond to the pandemic but also mutual support to build resilience and sustainable development in other sectors.

‘‘We also commend the African Union for the excellent role it has been playing in coordinating the implementation process of the Partnership,’’ he said.

The Nigerian leader noted that in view of the increasingly unpredictable nature of contemporary global challenges facing mankind, world leaders must continue to put the wellbeing of humanity at the center of the agenda for the common good and prosperity of all.

‘‘We must therefore promote science, technology, and innovation and share knowledge from research and development to better equip us to address present and future challenges in a more equitable and sustainable manner.

‘‘In this regard, Nigeria strongly endorses the Summit Declaration as well as the 2022-2026 Joint Action Plan,’’ he said.

Reaffirming that international trade is an engine for development and sustained economic growth, as well as the global eradication of poverty, President Buhari welcomed the significant increase in trade figures between Africa and Turkey.

He urged the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA) to assist in further increasing the level of Africa-Turkey trade, leading to a win-win for all countries.

President Buhari, who applauded President Erdogan for initiating the Turkey-Africa Partnership since 2008, said:

‘‘We are confident that given the level of openness, trust and commitment manifested in the Africa–Turkey Partnership, this cooperation mechanism will be a game-changer for our countries and set us on the path of sustainable development for our peoples.’’

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his commitment to giving his best to Nigerians until May 29, 2023.

He spoke in Instanbul, the Turkish capital, on Friday while responding to tribute and special birthday celebration organised my members of his delegation.

The President spoke on the heels of a comment by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who on Monday in Lagos, claimed Buhari had nothing more to offer the country.

In his brief comment at the surprise birthday celebration, according to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari said he was looking forward to his exit in 2023, but that he will continue delivering to Nigerians in line with the Constitution.

In response to the tribute on the occasion, on behalf of the ministers and the rest of the delegation, rendered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, President Buhari said he will put in his best for Nigeria until the last day when, in 2023 he hands over to a successor and returns to his farm to tender crops and livestock.

“I thought that being away from Abuja I will escape these things. The Guards Brigade had written to tell me what they wanted to do on this day. Now here you are doing this far away from home.

“I look forward to the year 2023 when I finish, to go home to take charge of my farm.

“Between now and that time, I will do the best that is possible to advance the interest of the nation and its people, and carry out my duties as prescribed by the Constitution,” he said.

Nigerian athletes were disallowed from participating in the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 holding in Abu Dhabi, The PUNCH exclusively gathered.

The athletes and their representatives claimed that they were denied access to participate in the competition by authorities of the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

According to the athletes, they arrived in UAE from European countries, not Nigeria but were denied the opportunity to represent their fatherland.

“On sighting our Nigerian passports, the UAE officials treated us with disdain,” a female athlete lamented.

Among the athletes affected are Philip Adejumo and Abiola Ogunbanwo.

Nigeria, UAE diplomatic row

Though organisers of the 2021 FINA are yet to respond to enquiries on the cause of the disqualification of the athletes, there is an ongoing diplomatic row between Nigeria and UAE.

The seeming diplomatic row between Nigeria and UAE had persisted since the outbreak of COVID-19, and it increased after the Omicron variant emerged.

Last Friday, for instance, the Federal Government cut down the daily flights of UAE’s Emirates Airlines to just one per week to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Providing an explanation for its action, the Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Musa Nuhu, said that Air Peace Airlines, the only Nigerian airline that operated passenger flights to Sharjah International Airport in UAE, requested three weekly passenger flight frequencies and was granted only one weekly passenger flight frequency.

Later on the same day, Emirates in a statement announced the suspension of its flights to Nigeria.

Frustrated Nigerian athletes withdraw from competition

Following the frustration, some of the athletes withdrew from the competition.

Some of them also complained that there were not allowed to see Nigerian officials.

“The officials were not even allowed to leave their hotel rooms and competition started yesterday,” one of the athletes told our correspondent.

An official said, “It is probably important we inform the Nigerian media of the treatment being faced by the Nigerian Swimming Team here in Abu Dhabi (UAE) at the ongoing FINA Short Course World Championships.

“Essentially, the whole team has been forced to withdraw from the competition, despite being vaccinated, doing multiple PCR tests, and not departing from Nigeria.

“The reason for the team being withdrawn was because one of the coaches tested positive for COVID-19, yet the officials, local government and FINA all collectively decided to remove everyone in the team from the competition, deeming them as close contacts.

“But a British swimmer tested positive and their whole team is not banned from competing. For Nigeria, our whole team was banned because of a coach, with whom athletes didn’t have contact. For the British, a swimmer tested positive, and the whole team is still fine to compete.

“In one case, one Nigerian swimmer travelled from the USA just yesterday morning, was fully vaccinated, had all the required tests, didn’t even have any contact with the coach that tested positive, yet he was not allowed to comcompete.

“For Habibat Abiola, she came from Russia, didn’t have contact with this coach, but again, can’t compete.

“So, all these Nigerians travelling from different places around the world, being denied the opportunity to represent Nigeria here in UAE.

“I can assure you, if they were Europeans or Americans, they would definitely allow them to compete.”

]‘Nigerian athlete abandoned for two hours after chest pain’

Some of the athletes also expressed anger that one of their colleagues complained of chest pain and was only attended to after two hours.

When the medical team eventually attended to the female swimmer, they reportedly provided no assistance.

Another official who informed our correspondent of the development said Nigerian athletes were disrespected.

He said, “And to even make matters worse, one of the swimmers complained of chest pains – which is not surprising since they are isolated in a hotel room, not allowed out to get some fresh air.

“It took the FINA Medical Team almost two hours to respond to this. And their solution was to send this swimmer on her own to the hospital.

“This swimmer is a minor and was sent by the FINA Medical Team to a hospital by herself.

“Ideally, the Federation is meant to follow their swimmer. However, they are all isolated too and can’t leave their rooms. But this FINA organisation not transparent with anything at all.”

]‘Officials annoyed but can’t talk’

An official reaction could not be gotten from the Nigeria Aquatics Federation formerly known as the Nigeria Swimming Federation as the board of the federation had been dissolved.

However, a member of the dissolved board said, “Nobody can react. Only the ministry can do that. We do not want to be seen as worsening the diplomatic row between Nigeria and UAE. But it is annoying how our people are treated.”

The board member, subsequently, directed our correspondent to get a reaction from the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

However, efforts to get a reaction from the ministry’s official proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has snubbed calls to visit northern Nigeria amid the rising insecurity in the region. Rather, the President on Thursday travelled with his wife, Aisha, and seven ministers to Istanbul to attend the third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit.

Buhari had come under attack in recent times due to the rising insecurity in the region with youths campaigning with the #SecureNorth and #NorthisBleeding.

As of Thursday evening, over 32,000 people had signed a petition on Change.Org, calling on the President to declare a state of emergency in parts of Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina due to the insecurity even as the President had refused to visit victims.

During protests on Wednesday, the demonstrators said the President should personally visit communities attacked bandits rather than sending delegates there.

Some northern groups faulted the President’s decision to visit Lagos for the book launch of All Progressives Congress chieftain, Bisi Akande, barely two days after a bus load of passengers were burnt alive by bandits in Sokoto State.

Defending the President on Monday, the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, said it was impossible for the President to pay condolence visits to victims, adding that sending a delegation was proper.

“These attacks are happening almost on a daily basis and it is not possible for the president to visit all the places for condolences. And if you send a delegation, it is as if you were there, is all the same,” he said.

However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said in a statement on Thursday that the President had travelled to Turkey for a summit, themed, ‘Enhanced Partnership for Common Development and Prosperity,’ which will be hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of the Republic of Turkey.

According to the organisers, the summit will review the cooperation between African countries and Turkey since the last summit in 2014.

Shehu said, “The third Turkey-Africa Partnership Summit is coming on the heels of President Erdogan’s recent State Visit to Nigeria during which several agreements in the fields of energy, defence industry, mining and hydrocarbons were signed to expand existing bilateral ties.

“The Turkish leader had, during the visit to Nigeria, affirmed his commitment to immediately expand the volume of trade between the two countries to $5bn and the Nigerian delegation will seize the opportunity of the gathering in Istanbul to enhance cooperation with other partners for more trade and investment opportunities in the country.

Shehu added that Buhari would be accompanied on the trip by his wife, Aisha Buhari; the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Defence, Bashir Magashi; FCT, Mohammed Bello; Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire; Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar; Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo; the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Ahmed Abubakar.

The President is expected back in Abuja on Sunday, December 19.

Istanbul will be the 9th city the President has visited in the past 13 weeks. Within this period, he has visited Dubai, Durban, Paris, Scotland, New York, Riyadh and Mecca.

President’s failure to visit victims shows he does not care about Nigerians – Coordinator, NAM

Meanwhile, the coordinator, Northern Alliance Movement, Yahuza Getso said the President’s decision to snub even his home state where a commissioner was killed on Wednesday and traveled out of the country showed that he does not care about Nigerians.

Buhari will leave the country on fire, only God holding Nigeria – SOKAPU youth leader

The Youth President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, Isaac John, in an interview with The PUNCH said he was not surprised by the action of the President.

According to him, only God has been holding the country.

He said,” I am not surprised and I do not expect anyone to be. It is the same old story. He would leave even if the entire country is on fire. Let me say at this point that it is only God that is holding the country

Meanwhile, Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has demanded the immediate release of protesters arrested in the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the Northern region.

The PUNCH had reported that some northern youths who were protesting against the rising insecurity in the region were arrested and subsequently detained by the operatives of the FCT police command.

However, in a statement on Thursday signed by Falana, he accused the police of breaching the fundamental rights of the protesters by disrupting their demonstration and arresting some of them.

The statement was titled, “Release detained protesters against insecurity”.

It read, “On Thursday some young people participated in a peaceful protest against increasing insecurity in the northern part of Nigeria. In utter breach of the fundamental right of the protesters the Nigeria Police Force violently disrupted the rally and arrested some of the participants.

“In stopping the peaceful rally the police violated the fundamental right of the unarmed protesters and others who were earlier arrested in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto by the police and the State Security Service.

“By abruptly stopping the protests, the security forces breached section 83 (4) of the Police Establishment Act which requires the police to provide adequate security for citizens who participate in peaceful meetings and rallies.”

Falana reminded the police authorities that on November 20, 2014 the leaders of the All Progressive Congress led by Buhari took part in a protest against insecurity under President Goodluck Jonathan without any harassment whatsoever.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that democracy remains the best system of establishing governments because it guarantees respect for the fundamental rights of individuals to choose their leaders.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this today in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, where he chaired a roundtable discussion, which was held in honour of the late governor of the State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and in commemoration of his posthumous 72nd birthday.

Speaking on the theme of the Roundtable, Election Security and Good Governance in Nigeria, the VP noted that democracy as a “system of governance guarantees the accountability of the elected to the electorate. As the electorate determine in every electoral cycle by their free choice whether the mandate given was properly utilized.”

Referencing the timeless quote by the late US President Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address in 1863, Prof. Osinbajo submitted that “man has not yet developed a fairer and more just system of establishing governments than that the government be a government of the people by the people for the people.”

“This right of choice of leaders as given by democracy is not just a fundamental civil and political right, but it also separates man from animals for whom might confers the right to leadership,” he added.

According to him “the major issue, therefore, is how to ensure that the right of free choice is not defeated or corrupted. Once that right of free choice is violated, the basis of democracy and its product, good governance, is undermined.”

“I am sure some of the conversation today will look at this fundamental point…how can we protect the vote, how do we ensure that every vote counts; how do we protect the government of the people, by the people, and for the people; and ensure, as Lincoln famously prayed at Gettysburg, that it does not perish from the earth?”

Prof. Osinbajo described the late governor Ajimobi as “an exceptional communicator and a natural bridge builder, who attained early success in the oil and gas industry, and then emerged as an astute politician, Senator of the Federal Republic, and two-term governor of Oyo State.”

The VP added that the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi was “a remarkable human being, an extraordinarily gifted man, astute politician, accomplished public intellectual and administrator in his own right.”

The former Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Attahiru Jega, was the lead speaker, among other distinguished panels of discussants.

The Vice President also commissioned the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Center built by the Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Dignitaries at the event hosted by the late Senator Ajimobi’s wife, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi included the Deputy Governors of Oyo and Osun States: Rauf Olaniyan and Benedict Gboyega Alabi; Minister of Sports and Youth Development Sunday Dare, traditional rulers and top government officials.

The Federal Government should go after the sponsors of the several killings in Nigeria and stop pointing accusing fingers at the youths, a political organisation under the aegis of North-East Youth Initiative for Development has said.

While advising the government to engage the youths in nation-building and governance, YEYID said recent developments have confirmed that the country has “turned to something else.”

The Executive Director of NEYID, Dauda Gombe, stated these in an interview with journalists in Abuja during an inaugural national youth dialogue and workshop to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and ideas to change the narrative that youths have been responsible for the killings and insecurity in Nigeria.

According to him, all the statistics being given about the serial killings especially in the North East were imaginary figures.

The event which was organised by NEYID in conjunction with an international human rights organization, Plan International Nigeria, was attended by over 60 youths from the North-East, North-West and North-Central, and other areas experiencing the grips of banditry, Boko Haram and ISWAP to pave way for peace.

At the event, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, who spoke virtually, expressed happiness over the commitment of the youths to tackling security challenges saying that it had confirmed that he was not alone in it.

He said, “I will always avail myself for the youths. I am happy to see that you’re part of the struggle and security is at the centre of the struggle. We will continue to appeal to our conscience.”

Gombe said the time had come to change the narrative above youths and killings in Nigeria.

He said, “The country has turned to something else; we believe that we have the solution, we have to prove that we are not responsible for the killings.

“Who is responsible? They are pointing accusing fingers at youths; therefore, we have come together to change the narrative to tell the world who actually we are and our contribution in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges affecting this nation.
The problems are not the youths but the sponsors.

“The government, especially politicians should provide the enabling environment for young people to be in governance.

“We are going to issue a communique to send the right message to the government to inject the right people in the right places because most of the time the government will tell you they are engaging the youths. But the issue is that they are not engaging the right people, everything has been politicized in this nation.”

Gombe also faulted the official statistics of casualties of the security challenges in the country, saying they are untrue.

He said, “Any statistics you get is just an assumption, the number of people killed or being killed every day in this country is beyond thinking and nobody can give you the accurate figure.

“Even the government is just trying, but nobody can give you the accurate figure because some the places that these things are happening nobody know; they are not even accessible, the bushes don’t even have network, water, and security. We are just using manageable figures being released by the government or others who feel they have a reasonable number. But the truth is that nobody has the accurate figure and the figure is beyond thinking.”

The Military High Command, on Tuesday, revealed that at least 559 former members of Boko Haram fighters are currently undergoing rehabilitation under one of its programmes being handled by Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) called Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) in Gombe State.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, who disclosed this at Defence headquarters, Abuja, during the Stakeholders’ Meeting of OPSC.

He also dismissed reports claiming that some of the over 1,000 rehabilitated ex-Boko Haram fighters have been recruited into the Nigerian military.

Daily Trust reports that there had been concerns in some quarters over alleged recruitment of rehabilitated ex-fighters into the military and paramilitary agencies but the military has consistently described the concerns as “unfounded”, saying there are stringent safeguards put in place to prevent such.

Irabor, who was represented at the meeting by the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini, maintained that none of such ex-fighters would as well be recruited into any of the sister security services in the country.

According to him, OPSC had improved the programme’s principles, practices and procedures over the years, making the initiative a model that had been replicated in all the Lake Chad Basin countries, adding that it has also elicited the interest of both local and international bodies including the academia.

He said, “The DRR Programme consists of psychological humanitarian treatments that reassure and provide alternatives to low-profile combatants through psycho-social/psycho-spiritual therapies, recreations, vocational training, and introductory western education, thereby countering BHT/ISWAP ideologies and reducing their recruitment drive while depleting the critical mass of their fighting force.

“The programme has so far graduated over 1,000 clients including 16 foreign nationals, who have been successfully reintegrated by their national and state governments. A total of 559 new clients are currently going through the DRR Program at the DRR Camp in Gombe State.”

Speaking further, the military chief noted that the approaches, practices, procedures, strategies, and tactics of the military in its counter-insurgency operation had continued to evolve, to effectively tackle the amorphous nature of the threat.

According to him, the initial response was a single service operation that was limited to only the formations and units based in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States.

“However, as time passed, several task forces were formed, eventually leading to the formation of a Theatre Command with several components including a Naval Task Force and an Aviation Task Force to weaken the insurgents.

“In furtherance of this objective, we are committed to forging stronger synergy between the Services and other security agencies. All of these efforts have re-energised the fight against the insurgents, and the AFN has continuously made progress towards ending the war in favour of the Nigerian government,” the CDS said.

On his part, the Coordinator of OPSC, Brig.-Gen. Joseph Maina, reiterated that the operation began in September 2015 to encourage willing and repentant Boko Haram members to surrender and go through a well-structured DRR programme.

He said that OPSC was a multi-agency, multi-national humanitarian scheme backed by Nigeria’s Constitution, as well as International Humanitarian and Human Right Laws, noting that OPSC had admitted over 1,070 clients comprising 1,064 Nigerians and 16 foreign nationals from Cameroon, Chad and Niger since 2016.

“All the foreign clients were transferred to their respective national authorities for reintegration. Presently, there are 559 clients undergoing the programme in the camp, out of which two clients are Chadian citizens.

“It is also important to mention that one client was repatriated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for expert psychiatric management during the initial documentation stages of the programme,” he said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, on Tuesday, held a meeting with the Ministers of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, Foreign Affairs, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and his junior over the flight ban between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Nigeria.

The meeting which was at the instance of the Speaker lasted for three hours behind close doors at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

The meeting, the Speaker later told journalists was to find solution to the impasse between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirate which noted was robustly discussed.

He described the diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirate as crucial that should not be allowed to collapse.

“The United Arab Emirates has a long standing relationship between Nigeria and it should not be allowed to collapse as both countries stands to benefit much more economically.

Also present at the meeting were representatives of Emirates Airline, the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, and heads of agencies in the aviation sector.

The Speaker explained that steps taken to address the issues and that “in the next couple of days, this matter will be sealed, I believe. We’re engaged in parliamentary diplomacy. That’s what we’re doing.

“We’re not going to allow this to mar the giant strides made between the two countries.”

The Speaker noted that the UAE Government had already written Air Peace to allow the airline to operate seven slots of flights.

He commended the two ministers for their efforts in resolving the issues even as he appreciated Nigerians for their sacrifices and for standing by the Nigerian Government on the face-off.

On his part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, said the meeting under Gbajabiamila’s leadership was a fruitful one, noting that the action pointed to the relevance of Executive-Legislative engagements.

He said they were hopeful that all the issues would be resolved in no distant future.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said the proposed amendment to the Finance Act will ensure that Amazon and other digital companies become Value Added Tax collectors for the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Ms Ahmed said the bill, which emanated from the executive arm of government, if passed by the lawmakers and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, will reduce ambiguity and restrict VAT obligations to digital non-resident companies.

The minister spoke in Abuja on Monday at the public hearing into the bill.

The hearing was organised by the House of Representatives Committee Finance.

Mr Buhari had transmitted the bill to the two chambers of the National Assembly last week Tuesday.

The bill seeks to amend the Capital Gains Tax Act, Company Income Tax, FIRS Establishment Act, Personal Income Tax, Stamp Duties Act and Tertiary Education Act, Value Added Tax, Insurance Police Trust Fund and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The bill is proposing an amendment to section 10 of the VAT, by introducing a new section 10, putting the burden of VAT on non-resident digital companies, rather than non-resident individuals.

Explaining the implication of the proposed amendment, she said “for example, what is proposed here is that Amazon can now register as VAT collection agent for the FIRS, by adding VAT to their transaction and remit to the FIRS.”

She added further that the bill seeks to “restrict VAT obligation to Digital Non-Resident Companies (who supply individuals who cannot self-account for VAT).

“FIRS may appoint persons for purpose of collection of tax including non-residents. Such appointed persons collect and remit taxes collected,” she said.

On taxation of e-commerce businesses, Ms Ahmed said the bill seeks to introduce a turnover tax on fair percentage of profits earned from providing digital services to Nigerian customers. Such digital services include app, high-frequency trading and electronic data storage.

Also, the bill seeks to amend the FIRS establishment act to protect the data of taxpayers. “Every person in an official duty or being employed by the administration of this act or otherwise, that has access to taxpayer information shall regard and deal with such information as secret and confidential.”

The minister also hinted that some of the reforms may come with additional taxes and that past fiscal measures have yielded some results.

While declaring the hearing open, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was represented by Ndudi Elumelu, the Minority Leader, said the bill will block wastages and loopholes in the system.

He added that the House will focus on scrutinising all loan requests by the executive.


“We must strengthen the institution to strategically check reckless borrowings by ensuring accountability in the use of borrowed funds and ensuring that the borrowings shall be on concessional terms or at relatively low-interest rates and subject to the rigours of legislations,” he said.

Twitter ban

The federal government on the 4 June announced the indefinite suspension of the microblogging site, Twitter, following the pulling down of a tweet by Mr Buhari.

During the Independent Day broadcast on 1 October, Mr Buhari announced the conditions for lifting the ban on Twitter.

The conditions, the president said were “National Security and Cohesion; Registration, Physical presence and Representation; Fair Taxation; Dispute Resolution; and Local Content.”

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) says Nigeria has regained the top spot in Africa, producing an average of 1.27 million barrels per day in November.

OPEC disclosed this in its Oil Market Report for December 2021, according to NAN.

TheCable reported that Nigeria’s production declined sharply to 1.35 million barrels per day by 45,000 barrels per day (bpd) in October from about 1.40 million bpd in September.

Libya, which clinched the top spot in Africa in October with 1.24 mb/d, declined to 1.21 mb/d in November.

The new OPEC report showed an increment of 47,000 barrels per day when compared to the 1.228 mb/d produced averagely in October 2021.

“According to secondary sources, total OPEC-13 crude oil production averaged 27.72 mb/d in November 2021, higher by 0.29 mb/d Month on Month,” the report reads.

”Crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Nigeria, while production in Angola, Libya and Congo declined.”

According to the report, the improvement in oil prices still supported the economic recovery but was hindered by the elevated inflationary and labour market pressures.

The inflation rate, the report showed, eased to 15.99 percent in October 2021, from 16.63 percent in September, marking the lowest rate since last December, largely due to a sustained moderation in food prices.

“On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased by 0.98 percent following a 1.15 percent rise in the previous month, it added.

“The Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria Purchasing Managers’ Index reflected a solid expansion in business conditions despite the ongoing overall prices increase as it rose to a four-month high of 55 in November, up from 54.1 percent in October.”

The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, has said it is practically impossible for President Muhammadu Buhari to pay condolence visits to states and families affected by insecurity.

There has been an outrage over President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence to states that have recorded major attacks.

Recently, the president’s presence at a book launch hours after some passengers were burnt alive by bandits in Sokoto, triggered a backlash.

Although Buhari later dispatched a high-powered delegation to Sokoto and Katsina States, where troubling incidents happened, critics still faulted his absence.

Dingyadi said the incessant attacks and killings by the terrorists are too frequent to allow the president visit all the places.

But in an interview with BBC Hausa, the minister said it is not possible for Buhari, as a president to visit all the places due to nature of his job and the occurrences of the attacks.

“These attacks are happening almost on a daily basis and is not possible for the president to visit all the places for condolences. And if you send a delegation, it is as if you were there, is all the same,” he said.

The minister also said that the security operatives in the country are working tirelessly to checkmate the activities of bandits.

In his reaction, a member of the State House of Assembly representing Sabon Birni, Aminu Boza said sending delegation is not what they want from the president, rather they want action that will end activities of banditry in the state.

“Of course president Buhari’s entourage has come to meet us, but that is not what we want. What we want presently is action. In my local government area, hundreds of people have been killed but yet the federal government has not taken any action.”

Attahiru Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto, had alleged that the president did not visit the state because the peoples’ lives meant nothing to him.

Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning, says there may be modest increases in taxes and tariffs on certain businesses and individuals over the medium term.

Addressing stakeholders at a public hearing on the 2021 finance bill on Monday in Abuja, Ahmed said the government is also considering new taxes as the “economy was now on a recovery path”.

The hearing was organised by the house of representatives committee on finance.

The minister said that a couple of reforms and amendments had been recommended in the draft 2021 finance amendment bill, adding that more will be introduced in the middle of 2022.

She said more fiscal reforms were still in view as the ministry could not take all the proposals collected from stakeholders.

“While these issues may require most increases in taxes and tariffs on certain businesses, industries, and individuals over the medium term…,” Ahmed said in her closing remarks.

”Our aspiration is to do a midterm review with a possibility of another Finance Bill in mid-year 2022 to bring in more amendments.”

Ahmed explained that the ongoing legal cases in court against the federal government on VAT and stamp duties had prompted the finance ministry to steer clear of those areas.

She, however, expressed hope that by mid-2022, the cases might have been dispensed with, and then reforms in those areas could be proposed for parliament to consider.

Ahmed said that there might be a need to revisit the antiquated stamp duties and capital gains tax for holistic reform by the parliament.

“We prepared this draft bill along five reform areas, the first domestic revenue mobilisation, the second is tax administration and legislative drafting, third is International taxation, fourth is financial sector reforms and tax equity and fifth is improving public financial management reform,” the finance minister said.

“The provision in the draft bill is proposing to amend the Capital Gains Tax Act, Company Income Tax, FIRS Establishment Act, Personal Income Tax, Stamp Duties Act and Tertiary Education Act, Value Added Tax, Insurance Police Trust Fund, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

“This is to amend the Police Trust Fund Act and the Nigerian Trust Fund Acts, the purpose is to empower the FIRS to collect the Nigerian trust fund levies on companies on behalf of the fund itself.

“Currently, because there is no such provision, the FIRS is unable to start collecting on behalf of the fund. Also, it is to streamline the tax and the levy collection from the Nigerian companies in line with Mr President’s administration’s ease of doing business policy.

“So we do not have NASENI going out to collect that tax, the FIRS will collect on their behalf during their collection process, and it will be passed through to them.”

Bigchristo:
You have no understanding of what he is saying only the pussy eaters will understand

The federal government yesterday said that it was continuing to put pressure on its western allies to “proscribe” bandits, Boko Haram and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as terrorists.

The government said that doing so would severely reduce the funding for the groups, noting that it was doing all within its powers to ensure that a stop is put to the killings throughout the country.

Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, made the assertion yesterday in reaction to an editorial by Daily Trust newspaper titled: “Life Has Lost Its Value Under Buhari’s Nigeria.”

While the federal government had earlier designated both Boko Haram and IPOB as terrorist organisations, last month, it finally got a Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo to add bandits to the list.

The presidential spokesman stated that aside proscribing the three groups, its friends in the West should partner Nigeria in areas of trade and investment to deplete the reservoir of unemployed Nigerians where the various violent groups recruit their members from.

According to the presidency, the economic instability that the Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked has further proven an effective recruitment tool for bandits and terrorists across the nation in particular and the African continent as a whole.

“Even as the West continues to extricate itself from Africa militarily, we are lobbying our Western allies aggressively for partnership, investment and support in other areas, such as proscribing Boko Haram, bandits and IPOB as terrorist groups.This would severely dent their funding

“(We are asking) them for investment in trade and infrastructure, to help lessen economic instability; and to help with technical assistance, advanced weaponry, intelligence and ordinance,” the presidency stressed.

Shehu explained that although this will likely be small comfort to the families and loved ones of those already lost, ridding the country of avoidable deaths is a battle the federal government is fighting without let up.

Stating that the growing instability and violence in the north of Nigeria and elsewhere were unacceptable, the federal government pointed out that no one, not least the presidency underestimates the seriousness of the situation.

“Every day, the president holds the victims and their families in his thoughts and prayers. Above all, he wishes to reassure them – and all Nigerians – that tackling the scourge of banditry and terrorism remains this government’s first priority,” the government added.

However, Shehu argued that in respect of violence and terrorism, Nigeria is not unique, arguing that violence and terror have risen steadily across the entire African continent over the last decade.

He maintained that the “Economist magazine” in a recent publication wrote about “The Next Afghanistan,” warning the global community of the horrifying security in its neighbourhood, citing specifically the states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Noting that the presidency understood the frustrations of the newspaper and Nigeria’s northern communities about the ongoing challenges of security, Shehu noted that the Buhari administration is no less worried by the situation.

The Buhari government argued that it is only fair to say that Nigeria’s persistent and continued efforts to suppress the instability have seen results, with terror group Boko Haram, among others “reduced to a shell of its former self”

“Yet now we Nigerians face a new threat: the worst global health crisis in living memory. Even Nigeria that proudly holds the mantle of Africa’s largest economy is not immune from the debilitating economic impact of COVID-19.

“ The economic instability that the pandemic has wreaked has proven an effective recruitment tool for bandits and terrorists across the continent.

“Indeed, the Daily Trust has correctly identified the source of the violence as ‘an amalgam of many complex issues’ such as poverty and unemployment. It is equally right to note that, in tackling the violence, ‘force alone will not be enough.

“It is quite wrong, however, to suggest the problem of insecurity is intractable, and more wrong still to claim apathy on the part of the government,” the presidency argued.

Continuing on what the federal government was doing to ameliorate the situation, Shehu stated that the Nigerian military efforts have not let up, but admitted that it is true that in the face of today’s growing number of threats from Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and IPOB to run of the mill bandits, the forces were stretched increasingly thin.

“Second, alongside military force, this government is seeking to address the violence at its economic source. Massive infrastructure projects like the coastal rail and new train from the southern coast through the north-east to our neighbour Niger aim to expand employment and opportunity across the country, bringing hope to our more remote and poorer regions where bandits and terrorists thrive,” he said.

The spokesman maintained that the Daily Trust’s suggestion that the president exchanges violence for the support he got electorally was “beneath a publication that claims any kind of political neutrality or integrity.”

According to the presidency, the focus as Nigerians must be on coming together and ending the violence pervading the country.

“As President Buhari wrote recently of the terrorists in UK paper ‘The Financial Times’: “We will defeat them, one highway, one rail link – and one job – at a time,” the statement added.

The Presidency has responded to Sunday’s Editorial of Daily Trust on the widespread insecurity in the country.

In the piece, which went viral, and attracted so many comments, this newspaper made references to carnage being witnessed across the country, especially in the North.

From the burning alive of passengers by bandits in Sokoto, to the murder of Dr Rabe Nasir, former Commissioner of Science and Technology in Katsina, to the blood shed by bandits at a mosque in Niger State, among others.

In one of the thousands of social media comments on the editorial, Shehu Sani, a former Senator, wrote, “When the most prominent newspaper from the North has in its Editorial that ‘Life has lost its value under Today’s Buhari’, the question is; where are those from the North who defended the failure of this government and insulted all those who criticised or simply advised the same government?”

But in a response issued by Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, the presidency admitted that Daily Trust properly identified the source of the problem.

However, it said this is not peculiar to Nigeria, adding that the Federal Government is doing its best to reverse the ugly trend.

“Given the seriousness of the issue raised by The Daily Trust today, the Office of the President would like to issue a response.”

“The growing instability and violence in the North of Nigeria and elsewhere is unacceptable. No one, not least the Presidency underestimates the seriousness of the situation. Every day, the President holds the victims and their families in his thoughts and prayers. Above all, he wishes to reassure them – and all Nigerians – that tackling the scourge of banditry and terrorism remains this government’s first priority.

“Sadly, in this respect, Nigeria is not unique. Violence and terror have risen steadily across the entire African continent over the last decade. The Economist magazine in a recent publication wrote about “The Next Afghanistan,” warning the global community of the horrifying security in our neighborhood, citing specifically the states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. So we understand the frustrations of the Daily Trust and Nigeria’s northern communities about the ongoing challenges of security and the Buhari administration is no less worried. But it is only fair to say that Nigeria’s persistent and continued efforts to suppress that instability have seen results, with terror group Boko Haram among others reduced to a shell of its former self.

“Yet now we Nigerians face a new threat: the worst global health crisis in living memory. Even Nigeria that proudly holds the mantle of Africa’s largest economy is not immune from the debilitating economic impact of COVID-19. The economic instability that the pandemic has wreaked has proven an effective recruitment tool for bandits and terrorists across the continent.

“Indeed, the Daily Trust has correctly identified the source of the violence as “an amalgam of many complex issues” such as poverty and unemployment. It is equally right to note that, in tackling the violence, “force alone will not be enough.” It is quite wrong, however, to suggest the problem of insecurity is intractable, and more wrong still to claim apathy on the part of the government,” the statement read.

‘What government is doing’

Shehu listed some of the steps being taken by government to secure lives and assured Nigerians of a better tomorrow.

“First, our military efforts have not let up. It is true that in the face of today’s growing number of threats from Boko Haram, bandits, kidnappers and IPOB to your run of the mill bandits, our forces are stretched increasingly thin. But our dedicated soldiers are working around the clock to keep Nigerians safe.”

“Second, alongside military force, this government is seeking to address the violence at its economic source. Massive infrastructure Projects like the coastal rail and new train from the southern coast through the north-east to our neighbour Niger aim to expand employment and opportunity across the country, bringing hope to our more remote and poorer regions where bandits and terrorists thrive.

“Third, even as the West continues to extricate itself from Africa militarily, we are lobbying our Western allies aggressively for partnership, investment and support in other areas, such as proscribing Boko Haram, bandits and IPOB as terrorist groups, which would severely dent their funding; for investment in trade and infrastructure, to help lessen economic instability; and to help with technical assistance, advanced weaponry, intelligence and ordinance.”

kettykings:
When are we going to have the last straw before these folks move in and clear the bandits

Even if you forget everything in this life, never you forget to stay away from friends like 7th, 8th and 9th commenters because they'll not just deceive you or lead you astray, they'll also kill and bury you and not even a drop of your blood will touch the ground.

Stay away from people like them, they're evil.

Let me come and be going

Candidlady:
snake meat NO

sk YES

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, yesterday, raised the alarm that the north is turning to killing field by bandits and other terrorists operating in the region.

The Sultan, who noted that bandits were holding the region, especially North West, spellbound, expressed concerned that most of the killings were not being reported or underreported.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fourth quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), he accused the elite of being responsible for the unending security challenges.

“We need to sit down and talk about ourselves. We need to come up with possible solutions to the problems of Nigeria, particularly as regards rising insecurity. In this room, we are the minority, we are the elites and the elites are the problems of this country because we always want things to go our way.”

The Sultan lamented that terrorists unleash terror on communities and kill people on a daily basis in the north “freely” and should be stopped forthwith.

“Evidently, Nigeria is faced with series of challenges, and if leaders doesn’t wake up, come together to understand the issues facing the country, the challenges might escalate and possibly consume all.

“Let’s not deceive ourselves, everything is not all right in our country, and I have spoken about it repeatedly in different fora. To know that you have a problem means you have part of the solution. The earlier we rise to the occasion, come together, the better for us.”

The Sultan reminded some religious leaders of the enormous respect, loyalty and followership they command, hence they should guide their utterances and actions particularly towards their followers to avoid unnecessary bitterness and incitement.

“We have to be careful in the way we handle, say and do things as religious leaders. We are not political leaders, and therefore, we have to be weary of what we say, where and how we say such things, because our followers will definitely believe in what we say and feel that it is from the Holy Koran or the Holy Bible.”

President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Dr. Samson Ayokunle Olasupo, also complained about activities of kidnappers and other criminals on Nigerian roads.

“Travelling on Nigerian roads has become a very great risk now. Kidnapper are everywhere and they don’t only come out to kidnap but also to kill. So, you don’t know who the next victim is going to be.

“Why should these people be killing and hiding people in our territory without being challenged? Why should it be easy for them to hide people somewhere within the state and the security agencies in the state within few days or weeks will not be able to fish them out?” he queried.

The CAN president, who is co-chairman of NIREC, thus, advocated intelligence gathering to tackle the challenge.

He advised Nigerians to volunteer information to security agencies so that the movement of criminals could be traced and apprehended ahead of time.

The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, in his opening remarks, stressed the importance of synergy between Christians and Muslims in the fight against terrorism and insecurity.

“No terrorist can be a religious person and no religious person can be a terrorist. We must come together now to pray and fight those who have waged war against humanity in Nigeria, he advised.

The Sagamu Road Police Division said it has arrested a 41-year-old man, Sikiru Kolawole, for allegedly being in possession of fresh human parts.

The Spokesman of the Lagos Police Command, Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the incident, said that the suspect was reportedly found with fresh human hands, intestines and skull from Ojokoro cemetery in Ikorodu.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered the case to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba, for diligent investigation and prosecution.

Earlier, the Ikorodu Local Government Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Adesina, who led members of his cabinet to the scene of the crime, said the council promised to do everything necessary to curtail the dastard act and its reoccurrence.

The council boss immediately directed the environment department to clear every part of the cemetery to avoid any black spot inside and outside, adding that the apprehended suspect would be dealt with according to the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

“While we take care of the living, the council has mandated itself to cater for our dead ones and that is why we have rehabilitated the Ikorodu cemetery to international standard.

“I will ensure proper security measures are put in place and deal ruthlessly with anybody engaging in such illegitimate act at the cemetery.

“We have done lots of rehabilitation, illuminating the cemetery with solar power, provided water system and perimeter fencing,” he said.

Mr Nurudeen Lawal, one of the local guards at the cemetery, said that they engaged with the suspect in combat before he was apprehended around 1:30 am with a sack full of human parts while trying to escape.

“Suddenly, we started hearing some funny sound, on getting there we saw the suspect with a sack loaded so we challenged him on how he got in and his mission at the cemetery.

“During the interrogation, we challenged him to open his sack, he resisted and it resulted in a combat and trying to use the weapon with him to scare us away to enable him flee.

“Subsequently, we grabbed and took him to the police station with the human parts for further interrogation,” Lawal said.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Facebook says Nigerians will pay 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) on all ad placements from January 1, 2022.

The social media giant said this in a statement issued on Thursday.

According to the statement, the charge will apply to those buying ads for businesses or personal purposes.

“Due to implementation of a value-added tax (VAT) in Nigeria, Facebook is required to charge VAT on the sale of ads to advertisers, regardless of whether you’re buying ads for business or personal purposes,” the statement reads.

“All advertisers with a business country of Nigeria will be charged an additional 7.5% VAT on advertising services purchased beginning 1 January 2022.

The statement added that those exempted from VAT would be able to recover the fund if they provided their tax ID.

“If you’re registered for VAT and provide your VAT ID, your VAT ID will show up on your ads receipts,” it added.

“In the event that you’re entitled to recover the VAT, this may help you recover any VAT you paid to the Nigerian tax authorities if you are a VAT registered business in Nigeria.”

Facebook (now META) is the parent company of Instagram, FB Messenger, and Facebook social media channel.

TheCable understands that the new 7.5 percent VAT charge will also apply to Instagram ads.

The federal government is currently working on modalities to tax the digital economy and improve revenue. President Muhammadu Buhari had transmitted the 2021 Finance Bill to the national assembly.

On Wednesday, TheCable reported that the bill empowers the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to assess and charge companies income tax (CIT) on any digital company with a significant presence in the country, such as Facebook, Twitter, AliExpress, others.

If passed into law, it will increase government revenue and widen the tax net in a cash-strapped economy.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed yesterday said that the COVID-19 crisis may plunge 11 million Nigerians into poverty by the end of 2022

Ahmed stated this during the second day of the National COVID-19 Summit where stakeholders discussed the Theme: “Pushing Through the Last Mile to End the Pandemic and Build Back Better”.

The minister, who was represented by the Director General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, said that before the pandemic, about two million Nigerians were expected to fall into poverty by 2020 as population growth outpaced economic growth.

According to her, before the pandemic COVID-19, 6.6 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty in 2020 by the recession bringing the total newly poor to 8.6 million in the same year.

“This implies an increase in the total number of poor in Nigeria from about 90 million in 2020 to about 109 million in 2022”, she said.

Ahmed listed a vulnerable employment; lower remittances and being close to the poverty line as some of the factors responsible for the increase in poverty.

On the impact of COVID-19 on the country’s economy she noted that Nigeria’s total trade, driven by the slumped in exports, contracted by N3:731.49 billion (10.32 per cent) from N36,152.11 billion in 2019 to N32,420.71 billion in 2020. Export declined by N6,669.55 billion (43,75 per cent) to N12,522.67 billion while imports galloped by N2,2938.15 billion (17.32 per cent) to N19,898.03 billion in 2020.

She said this led to a significant trade deficit of N7.375 trillion billion in the review period from a surplus of N2.232 trillion in the 2019 fiscal year. The decline in exports as across all segments.

The finance minister added the country’s outstanding debt rose by N5.51 trillion or 20.12 per cent to N32.92 trillion as at December 2020 from N27.40 trillion in December 2019. Partly from new external borrowings comprising $3.4 billion budget support facility from the IMF, and the IDA of $1.2 billion, among others largely induced by COVID.

She stressed that domestic debt stock also increased by N1.83 trillion to N20.21 trillion. Total reported public Debt/GDP as at December 31, 2020 rose by 3.61 percentage points to 21.61 per centfrom 19 per cent at end of 2019 however, is sustainable.

Ahmed also said Brent Crude Oil price fell to as low as $7.15 per barrel in April 2020 from $67.91 per barrel at end of 2019 an 89.46 per cent decline over the period. The price she said quickly rebounded to over $51 per barrel as at the end of the year.

The finance minister, speaking in the federal government health sector financing, said the budget for sector has more than doubled in nominal terms over the past five years.

She said the budget increased by 123.6 per cent from N305.06 billion in 2016 to N682.13 billion in 2021. Inclusive of about N82 billion transfers to NHIS made possible by key and strategic interventions.

“This was further increased by N137 billion or 20 per cent to N820.2 billion in the 2022 proposed budget.”

Ahmed said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on global economic activities affecting both developed and developing countries alike.

“The impact was disproportionately higher for developing countries particularly for those with poor health systems and those with higher cross border activities.

“Economies with lower fiscal buffers and/or higher fiscal distress we’re also less capable of intervening and therefore also more heavily affected.

“Nations generally experienced both health and economic impacts, albeit in varying degrees.

“The nature of the pandemic also meant that the measures to the curtail the health impact were reinforcing/aggravating the economic impacts on nations.

“The pandemic reaffirmed the need for adequate and appropriate funding for the health sector globally, but has equally made domestic resource mobilization in support of this goal critical; in this regard, we are contemplating earmarked taxes for the health sector.

““Very importantly the COVID-19 crisis has further reaffirmed the need to build fiscal buffers that is critical for the next pandemic that is certain to come in the future.

“The FGN is therefore coordinating efforts among all tiers of government to face the difficult task of restoring the nation to a more secure future by tackling both the health and economic impacts of the pandemics, “she said.

The federal government has stated its readiness to work in collaboration with Israel on investment on youth innovative and research programmes to tackle poverty in the country.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made this known in his address at the Innovative Fellowship for Aspiring Inventors and Researchers (i-FAIR-2) inaugural ceremony yesterday in Abuja.

Osinbajo, who was represented at the

event by the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, said: “Nigeria was not just great in the past, Nigeria will be one of the greatest nations on earth.”

I-FAIR-2 was organised by the Israeli Embassy in Nigeria in collaboration with the Office of the Vice President and Skill G Limited, Gregory University, and DeNovo, a private sector-based organisation.

Osinbajo said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is working very hard. and we will give him all necessary support to lay the solid foundation for this to be achieved.

“There is no reason for Nigeria or even, Africa to be poor, because we have everything that every other continent is looking for, but these things were just placed there for us by God.

“Other nations and continents come into Africa take these resources to develop their countries and continent, so the question is why can’t we do it?”

He added: “We have young men and women who can compete; whenever young people who have dreams and determined come together, and are prepared to work to change the world, we must support them.

“So, we want to assure you that the government under President Buhari will give you the support.”

Osinbajo commended the I-FAIR initiative to have enabled young people realise their dreams, transform their ideas into inventions and also convert them into useful products.

He noted that Nigeria would no longer continue to import things that Nigerians can produce, saying by so doing, jobs were exported into other nation.

Speaking also, the Charge d’Affaires and acting Ambassador of Israel to Nigeria, Mr. Yotam Kreiman, said the programme was put together amid challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, “To look back and see how far we have come in the building of this initiative into platform that elevate innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria, is remarkable.

“Every person here has been invited to this event, because of the part you play in advancing the cause of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

“Israel invites all parties represented here to collaborate and build more success stories like the I-FAIR initiative.

“To the mentors and participants of I-FAIR, I congratulate you on the fascinating journey ahead of you for the next six months, and I look forward to presenting your results proudly.”

Also speaking, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, said there is need for the government to encourage Nigerian youths to become innovators and inventors.

Gbajabiamila was represented by member representing Atisbo/Saki-West/Saki-East federal constituency, Oyo State, and Chairman of Nigeria-Israel Friendship Group, Mr Olajide Olatubosun.

He said: “50 per cent of GNP globally is from innovation, and if Nigeria is not to be lagging behind, we have to do everything possible to encourage young Nigerians.”

On his part, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, expressed appreciation to Osinbajo for supporting the cause of youth innovation.

“As the number two person in this country, he supports youth innovation. In the 21st century, knowledge defines the economy, and we cannot be different, amid knowledge, it is innovative research that makes the difference,” he said.

The Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) yesterday put the total amount of stolen assets recovered by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration since 2015 at over N1trn.

Briefing journalists in Lagos yesterday, the Chairman of PACAC, Prof. Itse Sagay, who reeled out the achievements of the committee said the federal government had been deploying some part of the recovered funds towards financing the annual budget, especially its social intervention scheme.

Sagay, who said the fight against corruption in the country had come a long way, describing it as both sweet and sour, stressed that a lot of work still needed to be done to rid Nigeria of corruption.

He also said PACAC has continued to carry out capacity building initiatives for the various anti-corruption agencies as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“This has resulted in these stakeholders having an improved understanding of their individual roles in the criminal justice system, both in its substantive and procedural aspects. The impact of this effort is reflected in increased number of cases filed and concluded and the improvement in the rate of conviction of looters.

“Total recoveries are hovering around the N1 trillion mark, and even more remarkably these recoveries have been recycled into the budget to uplift the oppressed and most vulnerable victims of corruption, namely, the young unemployed youths, young school children, who can now enjoy one free nutritional meal a day at school, extremely poor families who now receive the conditional cash transfer of N5,000 a month and women, youths, farmers, etc, who now receive interest free loans to capitalise their small scale businesses.

“So the recovered loot is pumped back into the lives of the most vulnerable Nigerians, in order to transform them into proud productive Nigerians, who will end up as employers themselves, contributing to the development of Nigeria,” he added.

According further, he said another contribution of PACAC in the war against corruption was the Committee’s concentration on illicit financial flows (IFF).

He claimed that very little was known about IFF in the country before PACAC brought it into centre stage nationally and internationally.

“Now, we know that this silent, quietly stalking source of financial bleeding, could even be worse in terms of volume of loss, than the typical looting we are all used to. Over invoicing of external expenses, under reporting of resources obtained from the developing countries, tax evasion, under declaration of profits, out sourcing of what could be done within the victim country, etc, all constitute IFFs,” he added.

The PACAC chairman disclosed that the massive losses underdeveloped countries like Nigeria were experiencing as a result of IFFs were recently documented and published by the Global Financial Integrity.

According to the report, Nigeria lost $83 billion in the period 1960 – 2011 and currently, “it is losing more than $45 billion annually.”

“Therefore, the importance of concentrating our minds on IFFs, as PACAC did for two consecutive years, through major international conferences and other strategic engagements, cannot be over stated.

“I have concentrated on only a few items of PACAC’s work, but the varied and extensive level of its work has been remarkable. We have organised Workshops for the Management and Protection of Assets, and an Asset Tracing Team/Central Asset Management Committee, was established in the first term of this Government with membership drawn from the Anti-Corruption Agencies, the Security Agencies, our Committee (PACAC) and from the highest echelons of Government.

“We have also produced manuals and protocols to assist the ACAs (Anti-Corruption Agencies) in their work. These include one on Effective Prosecution, entitled Corruption Case Management Manual, a Plea-Bargaining Manual, and Sentencing Guidelines for High Profile Cases, and A Frame Work for the Management of Recovered Assets, etc,” he added.

Sagay said the committee believes that productivity would be greatly enhanced and corruption greatly curbed if parents arouse themselves to inculcate the needed core values in the children; if schools at all levels become centres of character moulding and manpower development and religious values are deployed by Pastors and Imams in both theory and practice to re-mould the character and orientation of Nigerians.

He also advised the federal government, labour unions, civil society organisations and main stream civil servants to work together to reform the civil service to make it productive rather than a drain on the nation.