NiRfreak:
Those guys are inspiration to me

nice

Kobojunkie:
From whose point of view is this? The religious leaders who are merely scammers(thieves) or the gullible individuals who follow these scammers in hopes that through their much devotion, they could be touched by the divine and hence assure themselves they have been chosen for heaven by that?

These young and versatile pastors bridge the gaps where our leaders have failed, they teach the youths on entrepreneurship and leadership skills and also empower them as well,is it that you are referring to as 419

Kobojunkie:
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

modern day religion is not all about going to heaven.

Kobojunkie:
LOL... value in terms of? Nigerians are known to follow anything for the sake of it, eg. their politicians whom they gain absolutely nothing from. So why assert in this case that a different pattern is to be expected from the same?

lie,on the contrary, Nigerians mostly follow what add value to their lives

Kobojunkie:
419 everywhere!

Do you have evidence,if the followers are not getting value they wouldn't be following them

In today’s digital age, many churches leverage social media and widespread coverage to enhance their global visibility. Led by young pastors, some of these churches have expanded their physical and virtual audiences, gaining significant popularity online. Faith Ajayi looks at some of these influential young pastors making waves in the digital realm.

Jerry Eze

Jerry Eze is the lead pastor of Streams of Joy International with over sixteen branches spread across Africa, Canada, the United States of America, United Kingdom, since its inception in 2013. He is also the convener of the largest online prayer meeting, New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations popularly known as NSPPD which he started during the Covid-19 period on YouTube and other social media platforms.

He is said to be one of the youngest and richest pastors in Nigeria with over 1.2 million followers on Instagram.


The impact of his media presence has reached global levels as a renowned global institution such as CNN amongst many others has rated Pastor Eze’s YouTube channel as number 1 in the world with factual statistics and as the second most viewed ministry in the world. NSPPD is also ranked as the most-watched live channel in Nigeria (Leading in all parameters: Daily, weekly and monthly) and as the channel with the most live viewers in Nigeria, amongst many others.

Before going into ministry, he worked with the World Bank project on HIV/AIDS and the United Nations Population Fund as a Communications Specialist. In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, he noted the reason why he left his job with the UN. He said, “I realised that there could not be any higher calling than the call of God on one’s life. So, I came to the reality that purpose would always trump any human satisfaction at any time. It was extremely compelling to fulfil the desire of God for my life. When I weighed what I wanted and what God wanted me to do, I realised that destiny was much more important than what I wanted to do for myself. I left the secular job to do the work of God. Meanwhile, at the time nothing was exciting about it (the job). I knew I had a mandate to fulfil for a generation waiting to hear my voice.”

Eze is married to Eno, a lady he met seventeen years ago. He made this known via his social media when celebrating his wife’s birthday in February 2024 in a now-deleted post. He wrote “To the little girl I met at 17 who has blossomed into a virtuous woman. To the young Christian, I knew who has grown to become a fireful vessel in the hands of God. To the shy girl I met who has grown to be a pillar of confidence and boldness.


“Who would not love a woman like you? Onye Oma m from way back, a million words cannot describe all that I have in my heart but on this special day of yours, I pray may history be kind to you. May posterity remember you with joy. Our children – biological and spiritual all over the world will call you blessed.”

The couple is blessed with two children Samara and Jerry (a girl and a boy).

Femi Lazarus

With over 1.3 million followers on Instagram, Femi Lazarus is the lead pastor of Sphere of Light Church and the Principal of the International School of Ministry; a platform through which he has trained ministers from more than thirty nations.

Lazarus founded Sphere of Light Church in June 2018 with branches in Osun State, Kwara State, Rivers State, Abuja, the United Kingdom with its headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State. The church which began at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Osun State in 2014 was then known as the ‘Friends of the Word’ ministry.

He also founded Femi Lazarus Ministries Ecumenical, popularly known as FLAME, which includes other institutions like the Campus on Fire Conference, International School of Ministry and Flame Radio.

Lazarus continues to impact lives through other platforms like the ‘School on the Street,’ which he founded to impact the lives of people and was recognized for his contributions. In January 2020, he received an award at the Royal Awards and Leadership Summit Ceremony hosted by the Ooni of Ife Foundation.


In his bid to raise Godly people, he hosts a free mentoring program and conducts a weekly online bible study on telegram. He authored a book titled ‘The Final Move of God’.

Lazarus is a Public Health practitioner by training from Obafemi Awolowo University. He is married to Miracle popularly known as Pastor Mimie who is a public speaker, writer, and a certified relationship, marriage and love coach. Their marriage is blessed with two children.

Jimmy Odukoya:

Oluwajimy Odukoya is the son of the late clergy, Taiwo and his wife Bimbo Odukoya. Jimmy is the lead pastor of Fountain of Life Church, Lagos. He has an active social media presence of over 571 thousand followers on his verified Instagram page. He started his acting career in the entertainment industry in 2016 with ‘Baby Shower’. He acted in the movie, ‘Woman King’ in 2022. Although well-known as an actor, he was officially ordained in September 2023 and later took over as the Lead Pastor of the church after the death of his father.

In a report, he noted that although God had called him into ministry, he had no plan of quitting as an actor. “When I started, people said I couldn’t be a pastor and an actor together. They said the church and the world wouldn’t accept me. If God sends you somewhere, he will clear the path for you. I was there for six years in an industry that is hard to break into. From Nollywood, I moved to Hollywood. God has shown that with him, nothing is impossible. Now, he has asked me to do this (Be a pastor). Whether it’s production, behind the scenes, or in front of the camera, God will figure it out. Although I’m focused on the church now, that doesn’t mean I cannot act. Once an actor, always an actor.”

However, after Jimmy was ordained, there was a controversy about his physical appearance contradicting his role as a Lead Pastor and whether he was the right person for the office.

Addressing the controversy in an interview with BBC Pidgin, he said “God has called me into this new season of my life. All my focus is on the church. This new position is a big responsibility. As for my dreads, most people don’t know I can back up everything I do with scripture. As a pastor, I can tell you that God told Samson in the Bible not to cut his hair, which means long hair is never a bad thing. If you also say the pastor is keeping a beard, I can tell you that the Bible says that when Jesus was tortured, they pulled hair from his face.

“If you say I am putting on earrings, I can tell you that when the children of Israel left Egypt and wanted to make a golden calf, they collected jewellery, earrings and rings from their sons and daughters. You should not use your personal opinion to judge me. A personal opinion is different from saying something is sinful.

“Anybody can do what they want. In 2009, I was ordained as a minister and I became a pastor in 2012. I was the lead pastor of the youth church until 2021.” He added.

Since he resumed as the lead pastor, he has been seen not only as a celebrated man of God but also for his philanthropic contribution to members within and outside the church. He is known for raising finance to support people even during church service.

Beyond his ministry and entertainment career, Jimmy is also a motivational speaker, dancer, and fitness enthusiast. He has demonstrated a wide range of interests.

In 2013, Jimmy married Oluwakemi Odukoya (nee Banjoko) in London and their marriage is blessed with children.

Emmanuel Iren

Emmanuel Iren is another force on social media with over 769 thousand followers on Instagram. He is the founder and the lead pastor of Celebration Church International in Ikeja, Lagos with branches in Lekki, Abuja, River State, Oyo State, and Canada.


For a boy with a history in church, Iren served as a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God for nine years, which he noted to have an indelible impact on his life. He started from being a drummer boy to representing his zone at Sunday school bible quizzes and at the age of 13, he preached his first ever sermon on a Sunday morning at Teens Week for his then RCCG branch.

In 2011, Iren obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in building technology from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun state and a Master’s in business administration from the University of Lagos. While in school, it was said that he received his ministerial calling and began a fellowship known as Triumphal Youth Fellowship, which he inaugurated at the young age of 22, on November 11, 2012, and in 2014, the fellowship grew under him to become a church renamed the Celebration Church International.

Along with overseeing the Celebration Church International, Iren also oversees an interdenominational bible training school called ‘Manifest Bible Course’ and a daily devotion platform, ‘Triumph30 Devotional’.

As a man of many passions, he is also involved in gospel music and is known as a singer, principal songwriter and the founder of a Christian record label, ‘Outburst Music Group’. He first released his debut album, ‘Kerygma’ in December 2017 and has continued to minister in songs, featuring other gospel artists over the years including his recent song, Agalliao featuring Nathaniel Bassey.

He also authored a book titled ‘Leading Seeks You’.

Like some pastors, he, in 2023 was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Myles University, Benin Republic, as a recognition of his efforts and contributions to society. In April 2020, he was also recognised by the YNaija Church 100 as one of the 100 people who has made a great impact on the body of Christ.

Iren is married to his heartthrob, Laju and their marriage is blessed with four children; Ruby-Grace, Nadia, Nasara, and Kairo Iren. Iren got married to his wife in November 2014 at the age of 24.

Michael Orokpo

Michael Orokpo who has 255 thousand followers on Instagram was born on March 1, 1981 (43 years). He is the founder and President of Encounter Jesus Ministries International in Abuja, Nigeria, founded on November 11, 2021. He also runs an online mentoring program on Facebook with over 77.3 thousand members in a private group.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Pure Chemistry, a master’s in Physical Chemistry and a doctorate in Chemistry all from Benue State University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State.

He is known as one of the fiery preachers with a message of revival and deliverance. Although he started his ministerial work at a young age, he was officially ordained a pastor on May 24, 2019, and has continued to impact lives through the gospel.


In an interview with Leke, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Orokpo noted that he was caught in some controversial situations in his previous ministry, and has learned more useful lessons during difficult times than when he was having a good time.

He said, “Where I was serving a lot of controversies came up. People told a lot of lies against me. I had to go and beg the authorities about four times. I pleaded and begged but things boomerang. I became so bitter against the people around me. I sowed seed and respected all people but they wanted me to go down. I began to wonder, is this a church? Is this the house of God?”


But, in the midst of it, he remained committed to ministry so much that he still ministered a day after his brother’s death.

Orokpo is married to his lovely wife, Osenaga Umobuarie. They got married traditionally on April 23, 2021, and had their white wedding on April 24, 2021, at Assemblies of God Church, Ugbowo, Benin City. The couple gave birth to a baby boy on February 7, 2022.

Daniel Olawande

Daniel Olawande is an ordained minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and the Lead Pastor at the Afternoon Church, RCCG Living Seed Church, Ikorodu.

Other offices he occupies include serving as the RCCG Youth Evangelist and the current National Youth President, of the RCCG. P Daniels as he is fondly called coordinates the National Youth Representative Council and is a National Executive of the Pastor’s Seed Family, where he serves as the National Representative for Region 26 Ikorodu Lagos.

He is also the President of Inspired Team International and the Director of the Flaming Network.

He is a youth development advocate who is passionate about raising young people who will fulfil their purpose and impact the kingdom of God. As a result of this, he makes use of several platforms to awaken the youth and cause a revival. Olawande is the founder and principal of Flaming College, a mentorship platform to raise, build and equip people for all-around effectiveness.


He is the President of the Flaming Youth Empowerment Initiative, an NGO with a mandate of empowering the next generation and becoming a beacon of hope.

Olawande founded the Young Minister Retreat Global, in 2017; a 72-hour end-of-the-year meeting designed for young believers and ministers across the world with the vision of raising burning kingdom giants across several denominations.

He is also the host of the annual Awakening the Giants Within conference for campuses with the vision of raising 360-degree leaders. Alongside, he is the convener of the Youth Aflame Conference, a conference for young Christian professionals.

In terms of education, Olawande holds a BSc. in Biology Education, M.Sc. in Educational Psychology, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Theology. He also participated in the basic and advanced courses at Daystar Leadership Academy. He is certified by the World Creativity and Intelligence Team at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, and an alumnus of the Texas Bible Institute, U.S.A.

As a result of his global impact on the body of Christ in terms of youth development, management and empowerment, Olawade was awarded an honorary doctorate of Leadership and Management from Irgib Africa University, Republic of Benin.

In addition, he was also listed as one of the 100 guardians of faith in Nigeria (2020) and a Special Marshal in the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Not only is he an internationally sought-after speaker at churches, conventions and conferences, he is also a songwriter and music minister with a debut album titled ‘The Outpouring’. Olawande also acts and has authored different best sellers and transformational books like Fire Tonic and Burden Capsules amongst several others.


He is happily married to Oluwanifemi Olawande and they are blessed with two daughters.

Kingsley Okonkwo:

He is the senior pastor of the David’s Christian Centre in Lagos with over 1.1 million followers on Instagram and over 514 subscribers on YouTube.

He is popularly known as a relationship coach and has authored several books on marriage and relationships.

He was born in Lagos into the royal family of King Rowland Okonkwo and Rosannah Okonkwo of the Obowo Kingdom in Imo state. He initially founded David’s Christian Centre as a Youth Fellowship in 1996 which later became a church in early 2000. That same year, he founded a monthly relationship seminar called ‘Love, Dating and Sex’ to help individuals and families build healthy and successful relationships. However, in 2005, after his marriage on September 3, the seminar was renamed, ‘Love, Dating and Marriage’.

To impact the world outside the church circle, Okonkwo founded Heart and Mind Consulting Services in January 1999 to help individuals and businesses build healthy relationships in the workplace and at home. He also hosts seminars, training and conferences to equip coaches across continents with invaluable relationship coaching content.

Aside from this, he also hosts annual seminars like ‘Manual’, which is an only-women conference aimed to help women understand what men want in a relationship; ‘Man up’, an all-men mentorship program; ‘Together Forever’, an annual conference for married couples and ‘International Family Life Practitioners Conference’, a conference for family life practitioners, coaches, counsellors and pastors.


He is a member of the Forbes Business Council, an invite-only community that brings together accomplished executives and entrepreneurs from different industries. He is also a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors among others.

He bagged a Diploma in Biblical counselling from the Light University, and an advanced diploma in Marriage and Family life coaching amongst others.

He was conferred an honourary doctorate in Transformational Leadership, from Myles Leadership University, Benin Republic, on September 9, 2022, for his contribution in the areas of youth development, leadership, mentorship, and philanthropy.

He has other interests aside from being a speaker. He has authored several best-selling books on relationships and marriage and has been featured in some movies like the award-winning movie, Twelve Forty-Five by the Winlos.

He is married to Mildred Chijide, and their union is blessed with three children. In his leisure, he plays tennis and football, watches movies when he can, rides a power bike and travels around the world while still preaching the gospel.



punchng.com © 1971- 2024 Punch Nigeria Limited

Righthussle:


They didn't lose their seats because it's only a speaker that can declare their seats vacant.

The court can also declare their seats vacant due to their unconditional decision

Kogi State government has announced that some of the kidnapped students of the Confluence University of Science and Technology CUSTECH, in Osara, Adavi council area of the state has been rescued by security operatives in the state.


The stage government made this known in a statement on Sunday signed by the state commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo.


Fanwo who did not stated the actual numbers of the rescued students said a DSS officers and a vigikante were however shot at by the adbuctirs during a cross fire.


The statement read apart, ” This is to inform the general public that some of the students abducted by gun men
at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara have been rescued safely by local hunters and other security agents, hours after the Executive Governor of the State, His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo visited the institution to assure parents of his commitment to rescuing the students.

“The vigilante men and security agents engaged the kidnappers in a fierce shootout and the kidnappers succumbed to superior firepower and escaped with gun wounds, leaving the kidnapped students who also ran in different directions to avoid being caught up in the fire exchange.


“Many of the students kidnapped and even other people in captivity have been rescued and taken to medical facilities for proper attention, while many others were also rescued in the early hours of today.

“Security agents are currently combing the forests to ensure all the kidnapped students are found and brought home safely.

“In the sporadic gun battle to rescue our dear students, a local hunter and a DSS operative sustained injuries and they are currently receiving medical attention.

“We commend our local hunters and all the conventional security agents for their bravery and gallantry.


“Of special commendation is the DSS for acting on credible intelligence to coordinate a fearless confrontation on the outlaws. The security agencies have once again demonstrated why Kogi State will remain an uncomfortable place for bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements.

“The success recorded so far is a clear testament of the readiness of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to ensure adequate and uncompromising security for the people of Kogi State.

“We urge residents to report anyone with gun wounds found in their communities to law enforcement agents”.

Gunmen had on Thursday night stormed the school and kidnalled some of the students who were reading for their exams expected to commence on Monday.


The state government had said 9 of the students were abducted.


© 2024 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria

‌

Rivers State has 32 state constituencies. This means that the state has 32 House of Assembly members. Currently, there are two factions of the House. One led by Martin Amaewhule and the other led by the new speaker, Oko Jumbo.

All the House of Assembly members were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election. However, about 27 of them had long defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). One of them had died last year and the independent national electoral commission (INEC) is yet to conduct a by-election to fill the vacancy several months later.


That the defected lawmakers have a greater number on their side does not confer legitimacy on them. Their defection to the APC is still a subject of litigation by a group of civil society organization. The minority faction even with just three members including the speaker has legitimacy on their side. The greater number or greater amount of illegality can never make it legal.

The minority faction which had last year passed the current fiscal budget for the state has all legitimacy and constitutionality on its side. In this case, numbers do not matter. For instance, assuming in a state assembly that comprises 50 lawmakers, 47 of them unfortunately have a fatal accident like a plane crash (God forbid), will the surviving three lawmakers not carry out their duties as lawmakers until the 47 vacancies are filled? Will the remaining three lawmakers not elect a speaker among themselves to continue with the business of legislation or will the state be grounded until the 47 vacancies are filled?

Since Rivers State has two factions of the state assembly now, the activities of the other faction even with greater majority will remain null, void and of no effect until the courts of the land interpret their defection. All their activities so far including the purported intention to impeach the governor will remain invalid until perhaps the supreme court finally confers legitimacy on them by upholding their defection to the APC. Unfortunately for them, they can not return to the PDP now even if they so wish. They shot themselves on the foot by hurriedly defecting to the APC even when their godfather is still claiming to still be a member of the PDP. They would have had every authority and legality to frustrate the governor as they are currently doing if they had remained in the PDP with their overwhelming majority. But God put confusion in their midst and they made a costly mistake of defection. Nigerians are waiting to see how the courts of the land will interpret their defection since there’s no crisis in their former party.

Just like the governor recently said, they are floating on air. It’s just a matter of time before they know their fate on the issue of defection. It behoves on the Nigerian courts to give this matter speedy or accelerated hearings and conclusion since the matter of interpreting defection does not require a load of exhibits and calling of witnesses. This matter can be thrashed out within a year even if it goes up to the supreme court. The interpretations of the courts will also help to deepen democracy in the country. The final interpretation of this vexatious issue of defection will set a precedent in the country even though there seems to be a precedent already on the matter.

Ifeanyi Maduako, Owerri via ifeanyimaduako2017@gmail.com

Nazgul:

The problem here is that most Nigerians believe that seatbelt was created for only those at the front seat.

I don't think I've ever seen anybody using the seatbelt at the back seat.

Sadly they're the ones who suffer the most whenever there's an accident cos they're not on seatbelt.

Road safety corps are not doing enough sensitization

Iceberg3:

It's obvious you gat a big problem with comprehension

It's you that lacks understanding

helinues:
That accident must be fatal

Too bad

yes it is a fatal accident

enci:
So these people has taken this to high institution

nowhere is safe in Nigeria right now, since the government refuse in tackling the security challenges head on

Paraman:
All this service chiefs need to go

Nigeria security architecture is faulty

Selecting a PIN code takes only a moment, but it is worth putting effort into it and choosing a combination that will be difficult to guess. Unfortunately, many people ignore security considerations and set just any PIN.

The most at-risk PIN codes also include the following combinations:


1234
1111
0000
1212
7777
1004
2000
4444
2222
6969
2580
They are easy to remember, but also easy to break such "security." We might as well have none at all.

If you have such a PIN, be sure to change it. Codes consisting of four of the same numbers will be weak security, even if they are not on this list. 3333, 5555 or 6666 is also a bad idea.

Which PINs are best to choose and which ones to avoid?
You should not share your PIN with anyone and should change it regularly


It is also not recommended to set your date of birth as your PIN. Many people do this, but it is poor security because it is not secret information. After all, no one hides when their birthday is. Sometimes you just need to go to someone's Facebook to find out. Thieves are aware of this.

It is best to choose a combination of numbers that has nothing to do with us. These should be completely random numbers that have no connection with each other in any way. The harder it is to remember the PIN, the better.

Avoid these 3 mistakes whenever you pay with your ATM card

Forgetting your PIN is a problem, but it can be solved in a few minutes by calling your bank's hotline. And if someone robs us, recovering the money is much more difficult and takes much longer. It will not always be possible. Therefore, it is better to choose difficult PIN codes.

Security experts also warn against writing down your PIN. The worst thing you can do is carry a card with this number stuck to your ATM card. Never do that.

Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who have been laying siege on the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State since March 14, 2024, following the killing of 17 army officers and soldiers on a peace mission, have been pulled out from the community.

Local sources from Akugbene and Okoloba communities in Bomadi Local Government Area told newsmen on Wednesday that “the military troops were sighted suddenly pulling out of Okuama community on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.”

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, while confirming the troops withdrawal from Okuama community, lauded President Bola Tinubu and the military high command for their interventions.

Oborevwori, at a media briefing, said that with the withdrawal of the troops, the people of Okuama could now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes and community.


The governor said, “My dear good people of Delta State, I have the pleasure to announce to you that, upon many deliberations and collaborations between the state government and the military leadership, the Nigerian Army has agreed to withdraw its officers and men from Okuama.

“I spoke with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday, 6th of May, and as of today, 8th of May, 2024, the military has withdrawn from Okuama.

“With this development, the people of Okuama can now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes.”

Although Oberevwori had earlier appealed to indigenes and farmers to move into a rehabilitation camp being set up for Internally Displaced Persons by the state government “for proper welfare as a first step towards their resettlement to their community,” Okuama leaders had reportedly expressed reluctance to yield to the governor’s call regarding IDPs.

The Chairman of the State Government Committee to manage the Ewu IDP Camp, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, who affirmed that the governor had already released N10 million to the Committee to ease the take-off of the Camp site at Ewu Grammar School lamented the noticeable lack of willingness by the Okuama indigenes to move into the IDP camp despite the efforts being put in place.
punchng.com © 1971- 2024 Punch Nigeria Limited

The bank earlier directed all banks to charge a 0.5 per cent cybersecurity levy on all electronic transactions within the country starting two weeks from 6 May.

“The levy shall be applied at the point of electronic transfer origination, then deducted and remitted by the financial institution. The deducted amount shall be reflected in the customer’s account with the narration, ‘Cybersecurity Levy’,” it said.

The directive and the exemption list were contained in a circular signed by the Director, Payments System Management Department, Chibuzo Efobi; and the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Haruna Mustafa.


Below is the list of the exempted banking transactions:

Loan disbursements and repayments
Salary payments

Intra-account transfers within the same bank or between different banks for the same customer

Intra-bank transfers between customers of the same bank

Other Financial Institutions instructions to their correspondent banks
Interbank placements

Banks’ transfers to CBN and vice-versa

Inter-branch transfers within a bank

Cheque clearing and settlements
Letters of Credits

Banks’ recapitalisation-related funding – only bulk funds movement from collection accounts

Savings and deposits, including transactions involving long-term investments such as Treasury Bills, Bonds, and Commercial Papers.

Government Social Welfare Programmes transactions e.g. Pension payments

Non-profit and charitable transactions, including donations to registered non-profit organisations or charities

Educational institutions’ transactions, including tuition payments and other transactions involving schools, universities, or other educational institutions

Transactions involving bank’s internal accounts such as suspense accounts, clearing accounts, profit and loss accounts, inter-branch accounts, reserve accounts, nostro and vostro accounts, and escrow accounts.



© 2024 The Premium Times, Nigeria

Nightwolf1:
Thièfnubu is anywhere belle face. He is a very big otondo.

This is a good move

BRICS member India finalized a major trade partnership with Nigeria on Friday switching away from the US dollar. Both countries will use local currencies in the bilateral trade agreement for energy, pharmaceuticals, and transport sectors. India and Nigeria have agreed to cooperate and settle trade in local currencies and not the US dollar.

However, the local currency in question is yet to be finalized and could be either the Indian rupee or the Nigerian naira. The agreement comes at a time when BRICS is looking to uproot the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Read here to know how many sectors in the US will be affected if BRICS ditches the dollar for trade.

India and Nigeria’s latest trade agreement extends cooperation in the sectors of energy, pharmaceuticals, and transport. The delegation from India to Nigeria included officials from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), EXIM Bank of India, and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).


“Both sides agreed to the early conclusion of the Local Currency Settlement System Agreement to further strengthen bilateral economic ties,” the ministry said. The move shows that BRICS nation India is keen on ending reliance on the US dollar to boost the rupee’s prospects.

Nigeria is India’s second-largest trading partner in Africa and has expressed interest in joining BRICS. Trade between the two countries stood at $11.8 billion in FY 2022-23. In 2023-24, the bilateral trade between India and Nigeria stood at $7.89 billion. BRICS is advancing to put local currencies ahead of the US dollar in most of their trade and transactions.


If the development continues on a larger scale, the US dollar will remain in jeopardy. Also, the BRICS alliance revealed that the de-dollarization agenda is a long-term plan, therefore the next decade will be challenging for the US dollar

© Copyright 2024 Watcher.Guru

The CBN issued a circular to that effect on Monday, May 6 and stipulated that the new levy comes into force two weeks from that date, which is Monday May 20.

The circular was directed to all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks as well as mobile money operators and payment service providers.


The circular read in part, “Following the enactment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) (amendment) Act 2024 and pursuant to the provision of Section 44 (2) (a) of the Act, ‘a levy of 0.5% (0.005) equivalent to a half percent of all electronic transactions value by the business specified in the Second Schedule of the Act’, is to be remitted to the National Cybersecurity Fund (NCF), which shall be administered by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA),” the circular partly read.

“The levy shall be applied at the point of electronic transfer origination, then deducted and remitted by the financial institution. The deducted amount shall be reflected in the customer’s account with the narration, ‘Cybersecurity Levy’.

“Deductions shall commence within two weeks from the date of this circular for all financial institutions and the monthly remittance of the levies collected in bulk to the NCF account domiciled at the CBN by the fifth business day of every subsequent month,” the circular added.


Exempted from the levy include loan disbursements and repayments, salary payments, intra-account transfers within the same bank or between different banks for the same customer, intra-bank transfers between customers of the same bank.

Also exempted from the levy are inter-branch transfers within a bank, cheque clearing and settlements, ⁠Letters of Credits, ⁠Banks’ recapitalisation-related funding only bulk funds movement from collection accounts, savings and deposits including transactions involving long-term investments, among others.

The apex bank recently stopped fintechs firms like Opay and Palmpay from onboarding new customers and directed banks to deduct 0.375 per cent stamp duty charge on all mortgaged-backed loans and bonds.



Copyright © 2024 Blueprint Newspapers Limited.

Betanaija42moro:
This is a confirmation that Reno is just a jobless man. He is just looking for an appointment and he can't get it because even Tinubu knows that he is a serial betrayer and can not be taken serious.

Reno is where belly face
He is so bitter because Obi didn't allow him to manage his social media handles again.

Reno has no job or business, so I can't take him serious.

Let him keep waiting for government appointment

All well meaning Nigerians knew that Reno and FFK are not to be trusted,their stock in trade is betrayal

Nigeria is now among the dangerous countries to live in

This is one of the surviving and thriving SME that contribute enomously to nations economic growth

The government now want to frustrate them like they did to other SME's

harvenghor:
Fake News, ceasefire didn't fall short. The Jewish killers refused it deliberately so they can invade and kill more people.

Hamas accepted the deal way earlier already, Israel is killer State

on the contrary Hamas are the killers, Israel have to act strong to live in their midst

Israeli airstrikes killed multiple people in Rafah early Tuesday, Palestinian officials said, after Israel reiterated its commitment to an offensive in southern Gaza, saying ceasefire terms responded to by Hamas were "far from" meeting its demands.
Israel said its war cabinet had "unanimously decided" to continue with the Rafah operation "to exert military pressure on Hamas." However, Israel will send a delegation for further talks, which Qatar said would resume Tuesday.
Palestinian civilians told to evacuate eastern Rafah by the Israeli military have described their fear and despair. More than 1 million Palestinians have fled to the city during seven months of war.
The White House said the US remains opposed to an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah, while the UN chief said such a move would be "intolerable."


Palestinians flee from Rafah, Gaza Strip, on May 6. Ramadan Abed/Reuters
Palestinian civilians told to evacuate eastern Rafah by the Israeli military have described their fear and despair at being uprooted from their homes and shelters, as Israel airstrikes hit Gaza’s southernmost city.

“We left because they distributed leaflets,” Mohammed Ghanem, a resident in eastern Rafah told a CNN stringer in the area on Monday. “(They) are striking everywhere without differentiating between children, adults, militants or non-militants. I left my house that I have been building for 17 years.”
Ghanem and his wife were pushing strollers piled high with belongings. “We no longer have a home. We are heading to Mawasi because there is no safety with the Israelis. They are killing women and children,” he said.

Another woman from eastern Rafah said, “The Israelis sent us messages ordering us to leave. We cannot stay.”

Earlier on Monday, the Israeli military called on an estimated 100,000 Palestinians living in parts of eastern Rafah to “evacuate immediately,” telling them to move to Al-Mawasi, a coastal town near the city of Khan Younis that aid groups say is not appropriate for habitation.

In a statement, the office of Israel’s prime minister said the country’s war cabinet had “unanimously decided” to continue with the Rafah operation “to exert military pressure on Hamas.”



Israeli airstrikes killed multiple people in Rafah early Tuesday, Palestinian officials said, after Israel reiterated its commitment to an offensive in southern Gaza.

Israel has vowed to "exert military pressure on Hamas" in Rafah after saying the ceasefire terms the Palestinian militant group responded to Monday were "far from" meeting its demands.

International leaders, including the United Nations chief, have urged Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal as tensions escalate on the ground after the Israeli military called on Palestinians in eastern Rafah to "evacuate immediately."


Negotiations stall: Hamas on Monday said it responded a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, but Israel said the terms Hamas accepted were still far from meeting its "requirements." However, Israel said it will send a delegation to Cairo for further talks, which mediator Qatar said would resume Tuesday.
Deadly strikes: Palestinian officials reported multiple fatalities in Rafah following Israeli airstrikes early Tuesday. It comes after at least 26 people were killed by strikes from late Sunday into the early hours of Monday, the Civil Defense said. Separately, video and images showed multiple explosions in Rafah on Monday night, which US officials said they did not believe to be the beginning of Israel's operation.
Mass evacuations: Palestinians evacuating eastern Rafah described their fear and despair, after Israel's evacuation order raised fears that its long-threatened assault on the city could be imminent. Throughout the war, more than 1 million Palestinians have fled to Rafah, where Hamas is believed to have regrouped after Israel’s destruction of much of northern Gaza.
International response: Qatar and Jordan expressed hope for a ceasefire deal, while the White House said the US remains opposed to an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah and that President Joe Biden had been briefed about where things stand on negotiations. Meanwhile, the UN secretary-general warned that a Rafah ground invasion would be "intolerable" and the UN human rights chief called Israel's evacuation order "inhumane."



US President Joe Biden and King Abdullah II of Jordan “discussed the latest developments in Gaza and affirmed their commitment to work together towards an enduring end to the crisis” during their lunch at the White House Monday, the White House said.

“They further underscored the need for an immediate release of the hostages held by Hamas and a sustainable ceasefire that allows for a surge of the urgently needed humanitarian assistance to be delivered safely through Gaza,” a readout of the meeting released by the White House said.
“Both remain committed to achieving a durable, lasting peace to include a pathway to a Palestinian state, with security guarantees for Israel."
Both Biden and Abdullah “reiterated their shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” the White House said. Biden also thanked the king for his “critical leadership and partnership in this effort.”

Abdullah warned Biden in their meeting that an Israeli attack on Rafah, where about 1.4 million Palestinians are internally displaced "threatens to lead to a new massacre," according to a post on X from Jordan's Royal Hashemite Court.



Civil defense teams transport several injured people following Israeli attacks in Rafah, southern Gaza.
Civil defense teams transport several injured people following Israeli attacks in Rafah, southern Gaza. Palestinian Civil Defence
Israeli airstrikes killed a number of Palestinians and injured others early Tuesday, Palestinian officials said.

In a statement published alongside photos of at least two bodies inside body bags, the Palestinian Civil Defense said it had rescued "several injured individuals from under the rubble of several homes which were bombed by Israeli warplanes tonight in various places" in Rafah.
Eight Palestinians were killed in two attacks on Rafah, although the exact timeframe remains unclear, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Rafah's Kuwait hospital said it received 11 dead, according to a post on its Facebook account in the early hours of Tuesday.

The reports come after Israel reiterated its commitment to an offensive in southern Gaza, saying ceasefire terms accepted by Hamas were "far from" meeting its demands.

An Israeli ground invasion of Rafah would be "intolerable," United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Monday.

"A ground invasion in Rafah would be intolerable because of its devastating humanitarian consequences and because of its destabilizing impact in the region," the UN chief warned.
Guterres said he had made a "very strong appeal" to both the Israeli government and the leadership of Hamas to "go an extra mile" to reach a ceasefire agreement.

"This is an opportunity that cannot be missed," he added.



Israel says Rafah operations will go ahead as Hamas deal remains "far" from meeting its demands
From CNN's Abeer Salman, Christian Edwards, Becky Anderson and Jeremy Diamond

Israel said the terms of a ceasefire proposal Hamas accepted on Monday remained “far from” meeting its demands and warned its military operations in Rafah would continue, even as it sent negotiators to talk to mediators.

In a statement Monday, Hamas said the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, told the Qatari prime minister and Egyptian intelligence minister that the militant group had accepted their proposals for a ceasefire and hostage deal.

Palestinians celebrated that statement in the streets of Gaza, while in Tel Aviv, hostage families and their supporters implored Israel’s leaders to accept the deal.

However, shortly afterwards, Israel said the terms Hamas had accepted were still far from meeting its “requirements,” and reiterated its commitment to an offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, saying its war cabinet had “unanimously decided” to continue with the operation “to exert military pressure on Hamas.” It did agree, though, to send a delegation to the mediators for further talks.
Later on Monday evening, the Israel Defense Forces said it was “conducting targeted strikes against Hamas terror targets in eastern Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.” Video and images obtained by CNN showed multiple explosions in the Rafah area on Monday night.

CNN political and global affairs analyst Barak Ravid said Israeli forces were going to take over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing in the next few hours, citing two sources with direct knowledge.

The news comes just hours after Israel ordered Palestinians living in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, to “evacuate immediately.”

The order raised fears that Israel’s long-threatened assault on the city could be imminent. More than 1 million Palestinians have fled to Rafah, where Hamas is believed to have regrouped after Israel’s destruction of much of the north of Gaza.


Sounds of apparent gunfire at the Rafah border crossing were heard from the Egyptian side early Tuesday, in footage from Egyptian state broadcaster Al Qahera News





A view of lighting flare fired by the Israeli army in Rafah, Gaza on May 6. Hani Alshaer/Anadolu/Getty Images
Video and images obtained by CNN showed multiple explosions in the Rafah area of southern Gaza on Monday night.

Local social media accounts reported the explosions were to the east of Rafah, an area where the Israel Defense Forces had ordered an evacuation of civilians earlier Monday.

The United States is closely monitoring reports of the explosions and has “real concerns” about the situation that is unfolding, but does not believe this is the beginning of a major Israel military operation into southern Gaza, US officials told CNN.

The Biden administration remains opposed to Israel going into Rafah, as White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters repeatedly on Monday. And while the current situation is concerning, these US officials stressed that for now, they believe the reports of strikes in Rafah are limited in scope.



Indirect ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas will continue on Tuesday, with a Qatari delegation heading to Cairo, according to the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Spokesperson Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said in a statement early Tuesday that the continued negotiations come after Hamas sent a response about a possible proposal, which "can be described as positive."

Al-Ansari expressed Qatar's "hope that the talks will culminate in reaching an agreement for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of prisoners and detainees, and the sustainable flow of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip."

There have been international calls for an agreement to be reached on a ceasefire and hostage release deal. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the Israeli government and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal after Hamas said it accepted a deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar.

The Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi also expressed his hope for a deal to be met on X.

Hamas has said it responded to a deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, but a senior Israeli and a US official said Hamas' response was to a different proposal than one Israel helped craft.

Israel said the proposal Hamas accepted was far from the "necessary requirements," while Hamas has said it would not back down from its demands in the proposal it agreed to.



© 2024 Cable News Network.

The US-Africa Business Summit aims to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.
Besides the summit plenary, the Foreign Minister is expected to speak at the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment with a focus on impact and returns.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, will now represent President Bola Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas, not Vice President Kashim Shettima, as announced earlier.

“Vice President Kashim Shettima who was originally scheduled to represent the President was unable to make the trip following a technical fault with his aircraft, forcing him to make a detour on the advice of the Presidential Air Fleet,” the Presidency revealed in a statement signed Monday evening by the Shettima’s Spokesperson, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha.


The statement is titled ‘Minister of Foreign Affairs To Now Represent President Tinubu at US-Africa Summit.’

Nkwocha said the Vice President who has since returned to Abuja “will carry on with other national duties.”

The high-profile summit, taking place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, will bring together political and business leaders from across Africa, the United States, and other regions.


Hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa, it features high-level dialogues, networking sessions, and plenaries.

African leaders expected at the summit are Presidents Joseph Boakai of Liberia; Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi; Joao Lourenço Angola; Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi of the Republic of Botswana; José Maria Neves of Cabo Verde and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Nthomeng Majara.

The US-Africa Business Summit aims to foster economic cooperation and explore investment opportunities between the United States and African countries.

Besides the summit plenary, the Foreign Minister is expected to speak at the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment with a focus on impact and returns.

He is also scheduled to speak on a high-level panel on agribusiness, focusing on transiting “from food insecurity to thriving agribusinesses”.


Additionally, Tuggar will speak at a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future as well as chair a session dedicated to promoting the ‘invest in Nigeria’ initiative.

He is also expected to attend other meetings and engagements on the sideline of the summit, the statement read.

Tuggar is expected back in the country at the end of his engagements in the US.



© 2022 WITHIN NIGERIA MEDIA LTD.

The Israeli military on Monday said it was asking tens of thousands of Gazans sheltering in eastern Rafah to temporarily evacuate to what it described as a humanitarian zone, a sign that Israel was inching closer to invading the city in defiance of international pressure.

By 9 a.m. local time, the military had begun dropping leaflets in eastern Rafah ordering people to evacuate. The Israeli military said it would also use text messages, phone calls and broadcasts in Arabic to warn residents of Rafah to leave.

Since the start of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza last year, about a million people have fled to Rafah, the southernmost city in the enclave, where they have been living in dire conditions. Israel has told civilians to evacuate from their homes for safety repeatedly since the start of the war. But in many instances the places Israel said would be safe for Gazans were also targeted by Israeli airstrikes.



Israel’s closest allies, including the United States, have been urging it to not send troops into Rafah, saying such an operation would take a heavy toll on civilians. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected those calls, saying Israel needs to defend itself and eliminate Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

Mr. Netanyahu’s stance on Rafah has complicated cease-fire talks and raised concerns about the hostages Hamas is still holding. An agreement has remained elusive, as Mr. Netanyahu has suggested openness to only a temporary halt in fighting while Hamas has sought a permanent one. On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu repeated his promises to destroy Hamas.

“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” Mr. Netanyahu said in English, in a speech marking Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day. “But we know we are not alone because countless decent people around the world support our just cause. And I say to you, we will defeat our genocidal enemies. Never again is now!”

About two weeks ago, the Israeli authorities said that before they moved on Rafah, they would expand a humanitarian zone in nearby Al-Mawasi where civilians could shelter. On Monday, the Israeli military said that it had done so, and that the zone had field hospitals, tents and larger supplies of food, water and medicines.

The military is not calling for a “wide-scale evacuation of Rafah,” Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman, said on Monday. “This is a very specific scoped operation at the moment to move people out of harm’s way.”

On Monday, the Israeli military, known formally as the Israel Defense Forces, seemed to foreshadow its next move in Rafah.

“The I.D.F. will continue pursuing Hamas everywhere in Gaza until all the hostages that they’re holding in captivity are back home,” it said in a statement.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday rejected international pressure to rein in its military campaign in Gaza and, speaking at a Holocaust memorial, asserted Israel’s right to fight its “genocidal enemies.”

Nearly seven months into the war, Mr. Netanyahu has been steadfast in his goal of destroying Hamas. This, and Mr. Netanyahu’s insistence on sending troops into Rafah, the southernmost city in the Gaza Strip, has complicated efforts to end the fighting and raised concerns about the future of the hostages held by Hamas.


On Sunday, he spoke at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, to mark the national Holocaust remembrance day. Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, he said, was not a “Holocaust” — not because Hamas did not have the intention to destroy Israel but because of its inability to do so. About 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage that day, Israeli authorities say. Hamas’s intention, Mr. Netanyahu said, was the same as that of the Nazis.

In his speech, which lasted for about 15 minutes and was largely in Hebrew, Mr. Netanyahu rejected accusations that Israel was committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Since the beginning of the war, Gazan authorities say Israeli troops have killed more than 34,000 people, many of them women and children, though the statistics do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Mr. Netanyahu said that Israel’s military does everything it can to avoid harming civilians and that it has allowed aid to flow through to Gaza to avoid a humanitarian crisis. A United Nations official recently said that parts of Gaza are experiencing “full-blown famine.”

Mr. Netanyahu made a point to say a few words in English that were aimed at the international community. He invoked the Holocaust in asserting Israel’s right to defend itself, with or without international support.

“If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” he said. “But we know we are not alone because countless decent people around the world support our just cause. And I say to you, we will defeat our genocidal enemies. Never again is now!”

On Monday morning after his speech, the Israeli military gave the strongest signal yet that it was going to invade Rafah as it asked tens of thousands of Gazans to evacuate from the city.


The failure to strike a deal meant Palestinians in Gaza would not experience an imminent reprieve and the families of hostages would have to wait longer for the freedom of their loved ones.Credit...Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The latest round of negotiations between Israel and Hamas hit an impasse on Sunday as mediators struggled to bridge remaining gaps and a Hamas delegation departed the talks in Cairo, according to two senior Hamas officials and two other officials familiar with the talks. An Israeli official also confirmed the negotiations had stalled and described them as being in “crisis.”

For months, the negotiations aimed at achieving a cease-fire and a release of hostages have made little progress, but signs the two sides were coming closer to an agreement appeared over the last week. Israel backed off some of its long-held demands and a top Hamas official said the group was studying the latest Israeli offer with a “positive spirit.”

But the setback over the weekend meant Palestinians living in miserable conditions in Gaza would not experience an imminent reprieve and the families of hostages held by militants would have to wait longer for the freedom of their loved ones.

The main obstacle in the talks was the duration of a cease-fire, with Hamas demanding it be permanent and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel expressing openness to only a temporary halt in the fighting.

Hamas blamed the lack of progress on Mr. Netanyahu, who vowed again in recent days that the Israeli army will invade Rafah, the southernmost town in the Gaza Strip, with or without an agreement.

“We were very close, but Netanyahu’s narrow-mindedness aborted an agreement,” Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, said in a phone interview.

Mr. Netanyahu has for weeks declared his intention to stage a ground offensive aimed at Rafah, where about a million Palestinians have been sheltering. The Biden administration has been pressing Israel to refrain from undertaking a major operation in the city.

On Sunday, Hamas fired roughly 10 rockets from the area of the Rafah border crossing, killing three soldiers near the Kerem Shalom crossing, according to Israel’s military. Rocket attacks by Hamas have been relatively rare in recent months, and Israel said it had responded with airstrikes targeting the site of the launches.

The Israeli official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Israel and Hamas were closer to a deal a couple of days ago, but that Mr. Netanyahu’s statements about Rafah had compelled Hamas to harden its demands in an attempt to ensure that Israeli forces won’t enter the city. Hamas, the official said, was now seeking further guarantees that Israel would not implement only part of an agreement, and then resume fighting.

The official lamented that Hamas and Israel had shifted gears to playing a “blame game.”

Two U.S. officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, pushed back on the notion the talks were at an impasse, suggesting that parties were still reviewing details of the most recent proposals.

Mr. Netanyahu and the United States have been contending that Hamas was holding up an agreement. On Sunday, Mr. Netanyahu said he would not agree to the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and an end to the war. Countenancing such demands, he said, would allow Hamas to re-establish control over Gaza, rebuild their military capabilities, and threaten communities throughout Israel.

“It is Hamas that is holding up the release of our hostages,” he said. “We are working in every possible way to free the hostages; this is our top priority.”

An Israeli delegation never made it to Cairo for the latest round of talks. The Israeli official said that Israel had sought a written response to its latest proposal from Hamas before dispatching a delegation, but that the group never conveyed one.

Mr. Abu Marzouk said Hamas had wanted Israel to be present at the talks in Cairo, where they could have worked through mediators to clarify “vague” points in the latest Israeli offer, including on the duration of a cease-fire.

Mr. Abu Marzouk was the only one of the officials who spoke about the talks to allow the use of his name. The others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject or because they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Hamas, Mr. Abu Marzouk said, thought that Mr. Netanyahu wanted an agreement that would permit Israel to invade Rafah after its hostages are released.


A technical team from the Qatari foreign ministry also left the Egyptian capital on Sunday, two officials briefed on the talks said. Bill Burns, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Sunday to discuss getting the talks back on track, one of the officials said.

On Monday, Hamas’s political leadership will convene in Doha to discuss what unfolded in Cairo over the past two days, but the group intended to continue participating in negotiations with “positivity,” said one of the senior Hamas officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

A report in Al-Qahera News, an Egyptian state-owned television channel, said that a Hamas delegation would return to Cairo on Tuesday, but the senior Hamas official said that the group hadn’t made a decision yet.

Peter Baker and Michael Crowley contributed reporting to this article.

— Adam Rasgon reporting from Jerusalem
Show more
Media experts condemn Israel’s move against Al Jazeera.
Image
The Al Jazeera newsroom, with rows of desks and an array of video screens above.
Al-Jazeera’s newsroom in Doha, Qatar. The Israeli government cited national security concerns in shutting down the network’s operations in Israel.Credit...Karim Jaafar/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The Israeli government’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera’s operations in that country and block its reports there was condemned by American media and free speech experts as a troubling precedent and further evidence that Israel was engaging in a harsh wartime crackdown on democratic freedoms.

The experts noted that it was rare for a democratic government like Israel’s to close down a foreign news outlet. The government described its move as a national security necessity.

But invoking national security as the basis for barring a news organization from operating in a country is “incredibly vague” and “way outside the bounds of democratic norms,” said Joel Simon, director of the Journalism Protection Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York.

Jameel Jaffer, executive director of the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, said that closing off a country to information, news and ideas from abroad has long been a hallmark of repressive governments.

“The legitimacy of any democracy turns in part on its citizens having unrestricted access to foreign media,” Mr. Jaffer said.

Some free speech advocates acknowledged that the United States seems to be pulling back from its role as a champion of information freedom. Washington is moving to ban TikTok, the popular social media app with a Chinese parent company, unless it is sold to American investors.

But Israel, they said, is a different case. Shutting down Al Jazeera is the latest step in “a broad attack on press and speech freedom” by the Israeli government, said Genevieve Lakier, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School who writes about freedom of speech. Israel’s actions, she added, are “inconsistent with a commitment to democratic values.”




© 2024 The New York Times Company

The extraordinary order includes seizing broadcast equipment, preventing the broadcast of the channel’s reports and blocking its websites.

Israel has ordered the local offices of Qatar's Al Jazeera satellite news network to close Sunday.




The extraordinary order includes seizing broadcast equipment, preventing the broadcast of the channel’s reports and blocking its websites.



This is believed to be the first time Israel has ever shuttered a foreign news outlet, ABC News reports.



Al Jazeera went off Israel’s main cable and satellite providers following the order but its website and multiple online streaming links still operated Sunday.



The network has reported the Israeli-Hamas war nonstop since Hamas militants attacked Israel on October 7 and the war that followed in Gaza.



While including on-the-ground reporting of the war's casualties, its Arabic arm often publishes verbatim video statements from Hamas and other militant groups in the region.



“Al Jazeera reporters harmed Israel’s security and incited against soldiers,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “It’s time to remove the Hamas mouthpiece from our country.”



Al Jazeera issued a statement vowing it will “pursue all available legal channels through international legal institutions in its quest to protect both its rights and journalists, as well as the public’s right to information.”



“Israel’s ongoing suppression of the free press, seen as an effort to conceal its actions in the Gaza Strip, stands in contravention of international and humanitarian law,” the network said. “Israel’s direct targeting and killing of journalists, arrests, intimidation and threats will not deter Al Jazeera."



Israeli media said the order allows Israel to block the channel from operating in the country for 45 days.

Copyright © 2006–2024 Sahara Reporters, Inc.

The visit by Vice President Kashim Shettima to the United States of America, for the US-Africa Business Summit, has created leadership vacuum at the nation’s seat of power as President Bola Tinubu is yet to arrive Nigeria, six days after attending the Special World Economic Forum WEF meeting.

A statement by Stanley Nkwocha, the senior special assistant to The President on Media & Communications (office of the Vice President), said the Vice President was to depart Abuja on Sunday for Dallas, United States of America, to represent the President at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa.


The statement said the Vice President will join other political and business leaders across Africa, the United States of America and beyond for the summit featuring high-level dialogues, networking business sessions and the plenary, all scheduled for the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.


Among African leaders expected at the summit include, Joseph Boakai, President, Republic of Liberia; Lazarus Chakwera, President, Republic of Malawi; Joao Lourenço, President, Republic of Angola;


Others are Mokgweetsi E. K. Masisi, President, Republic of Botswana; José Maria Neves, President, Republic of Cabo Verde, and Nthomeng Majara, Deputy Prime Minister, Kingdom of Lesotho.


Besides the summit plenary, Sen. Shettima is expected to speak at the Roundtable on African Infrastructure Investment with a focus on impact and returns. He is also scheduled to speak on a high-level panel on agribusiness, focusing on transiting “from food insecurity to thriving agribusinesses”.

Additionally, the Vice President is also expected to speak at a plenary session on Navigating Africa’s Energy Future as well as chair a session dedicated to promoting the ‘invest in Nigeria’ initiative.

He is also expected to attend other meetings and engagements on the sideline of the summit.

Vice President Shettima is expected back in the country at the end of his engagements in the US.


It will be recalled that the Vice President had also represented the President on April 28 at the International Development Association (IDA21) Heads of State Summit taking place tomorrow in Nairobi, Kenya, when the President went to Saudi Arabia


This visit to the US is coming even as President Bola Tinubu is yet to return to Nigeria, six days after the the conclusion of the World Economic Forum WEF, meeting in Saudi Arabia.

The President had left Nigeria on Tuesday, April 23, for a two leg foreign trips that took him first, to the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit, from where he proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Special meeting of the World Economic Forum WEF, from April 28 to 29, 2024.

Ajuri Ngelale, the Presidential Spokesman, had in a statement, said the visit to the Netherlands, was at the invitation of Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

While in the Netherlands, the President had participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organizations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.


At the World Economic Forum meeting, which focused on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development, President Tinubu and his entourage actively participated in the discussions, using the opportunity of the gathering to strike economic deals, with the like of Bill Gates, founder of the Microsoft

But while other government officials who accompanied the President have arrived, Nigeria, the President is yet to arrive.

Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Spokesman, could not be reached for his comments on the whereabout of the President

But a top Presidency source however told BusinessDay that the President proceeded to the United Kingdom for undisclosed reasons

The top Presidency official who does not want his name in print noted that it has been the usual practice for the “President to take time off, after such hectic meetings and engagements”


” According to him, ” the President’s absence has not affected government business, he was been working and the Vice President is also on ground.”

He however could not say when the President will be back to the country.

Another source also dismissed that there is leadership vacuum.

He asserted that the machinery of governance has remained in operation, thus, there can’t be vacuum

” The SGF is there, the Chief of Staff to the President is in his office working and ditto all the Minister’s.

” The President can work from anywhere. So, let me assure you that there is no vacuum anywhere”

The President had September last year, also proceeded to France, after attending the UN General Assembly in New York.

© 2023 - Businessday NG.

MyVILLAGEpeople:


Do the Nigerian police know this themselves?

majority of them are illiterates

Anyenmoney:
Obaseki used his first tenure to fight Oshiomhole and used is second tenure to fight shuaibu,.

Now he is bringing his "preferred candidate"

I am based in first Ugbor, GRA Benin city and we are patiently waiting for the coming election.

to collect stipends