The Police have confirmed the arrest of the Labour Party, LP National Chairman, Julius Abure in Benin City, Edo State, South-South Nigeria.
The arrest by Zone 5 operatives of the Nigeria Police Force follows a petition against him over alleged assault, molestation and illegal possession of firearms.
Abure was in Benin City for the Edo State LP Governorship primaries scheduled to hold on Friday February 23 for nomination of party's candidate for the September 21 polls.
The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) on Tuesday directed its members to immediately resume petroleum loading activities.
The National President of NARTO, Othman Yusuf, gave the directive after a meeting held in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, with NARTO, oil marketers and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA).
NARTO had in a letter dated 15 February, addressed to the General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and signed by its National President, Othman Yusuf, directed its members to withdraw their trucks from petroleum product loading activities with effect from Monday, 19 February.
The association noted that the decision to withdraw its operation was due to the high operational costs in the industry.
The association had recently raised concern over the high cost of diesel required to power its trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
In its letter, the association said it can no longer continue in business within the context of the current economic situation in the country.
“We agreed to suspend and withdraw the action and we commence operations immediately,” Mr Yusuf said Tuesday.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday, passed for second reading a bill to provide for the establishment of state police in the country.
Sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu and 14 others, the bill seeks to alter the relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for states to establish their own policing outfits.
As lawmakers took turns to contribute to the debate on the floor of the House during Tuesday’s plenary, Kalu who stood in for the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, urged members to look beyond political ambitions and think about the safety of Nigerians and Nigeria.
Also speaking, Babajimi Benson (APC, Lagos) said, “It is the job of the police to maintain law and order. We have a population of over 200m people but we have a police strength that is less than 400,000. State Police should be created to address the internal security challenges of Nigeria.”
PRESIDENT TINUBU TO 36 STATE GOVERNORS: THERE MUST BE ZERO TOLERANCE FOR INCOMPETENCE; SUPPORT LOCAL FARMERS TO BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION AND REMOVE RENT SEEKERS
President Bola Tinubu says his administration is evolving home-grown solutions to address the nation's food security challenges by setting up schemes to support local production and discourage all forms of rent-seeking that are associated with food importation.
The President made the declaration at a meeting with 36 state governors, attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS, and some ministers at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
On security, President Tinubu approved the establishment of a committee comprising state governors and representatives of the federal government to, among other things, explore the modalities for establishing state police.
The President further endorsed the training and equipping of forest rangers by sub-national governments to safeguard human and natural resources in local communities.
''My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
''From Kano, we have read reports about large-scale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser (NSA), the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow up action.
''We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
''What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.
''We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,'' the President stated.
President Tinubu urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the management of the country’s monetary policy, emphasizing the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfill their mandate effectively.
He said the ''cacophony of postulations'' on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively.
''Every one of us can not be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they can not do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,'' the President affirmed.
President Tinubu asked the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government will continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.
At the meeting, the President and the governors emphasized the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for convening the meeting and affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering closely with the federal government.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) February 15, 2024
Elder statesman, Alhaji Aminu Dantata has thrown his weight behind the move to transition from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary system.
Dantata, while speaking on the development on Thursday, said the parliamentary system is better than the presidential system of government because it is cheaper.
The nonagenarian stated this when some members of the House of Representatives spearheading the transition move paid him a consultation visit at his Kano residence.
Recall that the House of Representatives has passed, for the first reading, the bill seeking to transform the presidential system of government into a parliamentary system.
Titled ”The Bills proposing constitutional alterations for a transition to a parliamentary system of government,” it was sponsored by sixty lawmakers and read for the first time during Wednesday’s plenary in Abuja.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, the spokesperson of the sixty-member group, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki (Sokoto, PDP), said that the proposed alterations, when passed, would significantly impact the national political landscape.
According to him, over the years, the imperfections of the Presidential System of Government have become glaring to all, despite several alterations to the constitution to address the shortcomings of a system that has denied the nation the opportunity to attain its full potential.
He said among these imperfections are the high cost of governance, leaving fewer resources for crucial areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare, and consequently hindering the nation’s development progress, and the excessive powers vested in the members of the executive, who are appointees and not directly accountable to the people.
He further noted that the bills presented seek a return to the system of government adopted by our founders, which made governance accountable, responsible, responsive, and ultimately less expensive.
Dasuki explained that with the presentation of these bills, the House hopes to ignite and provoke a national conversation about the future of the Nigerian governance system, to ensure robust public debates, stakeholder consultations, expert analyses, and a thorough and informed decision-making process, to raise awareness about the significant development and to encourage constructive dialogue on the potential implications of these proposed constitutional alterations.
“Today, we stand on the cusp of history, as lawmakers across party affiliations and regional backgrounds come together to present bills proposing Constitutional Alterations that seek a transition to Parliamentary System of Government.
“These bills, seeking to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, advocate a transition from the current presidential system to a parliamentary system at all levels – federal, state, and local government.”
The House of Representatives has ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to immediately halt the recruitment process for the 12 vacancies in the Territory’s High Courts until there is compliance with the Federal Character principle and quota system.
This was a sequel to a motion of urgent national public importance, brought by Rep. Igariwey Iduma-Enwo (PDP, Ebonyi) at Tuesday’s plenary.
While presenting the motion, the lawmaker noted that the High Court is one of the Judicial bodies in the FCT established by Section 255 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.
He recalled that in the past few days, the media and the civil society community had expressed serious concerns and protestations over the proposed list of states to fill the 12 vacant positions in the High Courts of the Federal Capital Territory.
He also observed that information in the public space is to the effect that the proposed list is expected to be sent to the National Judicial Council by February 19, 2024, for vetting by the NJC, and subsequently to the Senate for confirmation.
According to him; “under the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (Number of Judges) Act 2003, the principle of Federal character of Nigeria, shall be applied in the appointment of Judges of the Court; implying that the number of judges of the FCT High Court must always reflect the 36 states and the FCT.”
Iduma-Enwo expressed concern that while every state of the federation has judges from their respective states appointed in the FCT High Court system, four states, namely, Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, and Bayelsa, do not have a single indigene from their states appointed and sitting in the FCT High Court system.
“Worried that Ebonyi State, in particular, is doubly discriminated against in that it has none of its judges appointed in the High Courts of the FCT, and yet was not listed as one of the states to apply for the vacant 12 positions sought to be filled.
“Further aware that according to the FCT website, at least 7 Magistrates from the four unrepresented states of Ebonyi, Abia, Imo, and Bayelsa are currently qualified, and working in the FCT Court system as Magistrates, in addition to qualified private legal practitioners from these states who are willing and eager to apply to fill these vacant positions.
“Concerned that the non-representation of judges from 4 states in the High Court System of the FCT, when some others have as many as 3 judges representing them, is a gross violation of S14(3) of the 1999 constitution which requires staffing from the 36 states and the FCT.
“Cognizant of the fact that the underlying philosophy of the Federal Character Commission principle is to provide equality of access in public service representations, curb dominance by one or few sections of the country, promote inclusiveness and national unity. Violation of this principle of our constitution may not only be destabilising but could open the floodgates to litigation,” he argued.
While ruling on the motion after the adoption, the presiding officer, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu referred it to the Committees on FCT Judiciary and Judiciary for investigation of the Federal Character approval granted for the purpose and the extent of compliance thereto.
Desist From Movement of Building Materials Across The Border Or Face Prosecution-Fintiri
Hours after Government’s directive to security agencies in Adamawa State to halt the transportation of building materials across the border areas of the State to neighboring countries, pictures have emerged of trucks delivering cement and other items to the neighboring Cameroon.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri had earlier frowned at the development through a statement calling on all concerned to adhere strictly to the directive.
The statement warned players in the sector to respect the law or face the consequences of any indiscretion, no matter who the perpetrators are.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri says “The position has not changed. Desist from doing so or face prosecution”. The Governor says the flagrant disregard to the directive is unacceptable and will not be condoned.
Humwashi Wonosikou Chief Press Secretary to the Governor 09:02:2024
The Nigeria senior women's basketball team, D'Tigress inched one step closer to Paris 2024 Olympics after a comfortable victory against Senegal.
16 teams across 4 different cities are participating. Hosts, France and Defending Champions (USA) are already guaranteed qualifications, leaving 14 others to squeeze in to grab the 10 remaining slots.
The African Champions, D'Tigress, on Oct 5th 2023 were drawn in Group A alongside Senegal, the USA and Belgium.
The qualifiers is holding in 4 different cities of Xian in China PR, Antwerp in Belgium, Belem in Brazil and Sopron in Hungary.
D'Tigress kicked off today in Antwerp with a 72-65 win against West African rivals, Senegal.
Amy Okonkwo was named MVP.
Efficiency per game 27.0, most - Points per game 21.0, 2nd most - Rebounds per game 10.0, most
Nigeria plays the USA on Friday and Belgium on Sunday.
Justice K.I. Okpe of the Enugu State High Court has sentenced Chiamaka Ifezue to death by hanging for the killing of a 27-year-old makeup artist, Ijeoma Nneke, on November 11, 2020.
Ifezue and her brother, Chukwuemeka, were arraigned before the court on two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder in 2021.
They were accused of forcing Nneke to drink a poisonous substance that caused her death.
The suspects allegedly dumped her body in the Maryland axis of the Enugu metropolis and poured a corrosive substance suspected to be acid on it.
During the trial, Justice Okpe discharged Chukwuemeka following a no-case submission pleaded by the defence counsel, Mr Chuma Oguejiofor.
In discharging Chukwuemeka, the trial judge held that there was no evidence that he participated in the crime.
However, delivering the final judgment on the case on Wednesday, Justice Okpe said the prosecution proved the case of murder against Ifezue beyond a reasonable doubt.
The court agreed with the submissions of Chinelo Chigbo, who led the prosecution from the Department of Public Prosecution, that the suspect was responsible for the death of the 27-year-old makeup artist based in Enugu.
The court consequently found Ifezue guilty of murder and sentenced her to death by hanging.
During the trial, the court admitted in evidence police exhibits on the case of the alleged murder of the makeup artist.
Chigbo led Prosecution Witness 7 (PW7), Sgt. Udeze Oguguo, a police officer, in evidence to tender the exhibits.
Oguguo, who is attached to the Independence Layout Police Division in Enugu, said the exhibits were recovered from the scene of the crime.
The exhibits included five pieces of 20 British pounds, an iPhone 7 Plus with an MTN SIM card, another iPhone device and a Blackberry phone.
Others are a broken 9Mobile SIM card, an itel phone, another black phone (no brand name), an MTN SIM pack, and makeup tools belonging to the deceased.
Also tendered in evidence was the key of a Toyota Metrix car with number plate JJJ410BJ which was allegedly used to move the dead body of the deceased from the scene of the crime to where it was dumped.
The police officer told the court that the car that had been parked at the Police Anti-Kidnap Formation is no longer in good condition to be moved to the court.
He also tendered hard copies of the WhatsApp messages and text messages the deceased had with her fiancé and girlfriend, respectively, while at the scene of the crime.
Protesters are seen protesting against the high cost of living in Niger State on February 7, 2024.
Residents of Suleja in Niger State have taken to the street to register their displeasure over the high cost of living in the country.
Wednesday’s protest is coming after a similar protest in Minna, the state capital just two days ago.
Suleja, the commercial nerve centre of Niger State, is only a few kilometres away from the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
An eyewitness, Mr. Yazid Abubakar, who spoke to Channels Television by telephone, said the protesters stormed the popular Moroko Road where the biggest market is located in the town.
The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Leadership is all about improving the life of the masses,” and “Nigerians are suffering, stop the hardship now,” among others.
Some women and youths in their numbers took to the street and blocked the Kpagungu axis of Minna-Bida Road in the Niger State capital city on Monday, protesting against hunger and the high cost of living.
The women, carrying a placard with the inscription “No food, we are dying of hunger”, demanded a better condition of living and a reduction in the cost of living for the citizenry.
They accused political officeholders of insensitivity to their plight as they lamented their inability to feed even once a day.
The protest had caused traffic gridlock on the ever-busy Minna-Bida Road, which is a link road to the South-West part of the country from the North-Central.
Responding, Niger State Police Command clamped down on 25 protesters.
On Wednesday, Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the arrest of one Aisha Jibrin, the initiator of the protest, and 24 other suspects.
The earlier protest forced President Bola Tinubu to order a food intervention to check the shortage of food in the country.
Angry women who claimed their husbands have been starving them of sex due to the persistent heat and prolonged power outage from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED), staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
There was mild drama as some women from some streets in Mile 2 and Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt protested to the office of the PHED over the inability of their husbands to have romantic relationships with them at night due to the intense heat aggravated by alleged poor power supply to their homes.
Our Correspondent reports that the women marched through streets like Dim, Wokoma, Wokoma Lane, Obaziolu, Dim Lane, Egbuagu, Azikiwe and Ojoto streets all in Diobu before heading to the PHED office.
The women who carried placards with inscriptions: ‘No Light No Payment’, ‘The Heat is too much,’ ‘No ‘Nacking’ from our husbands over heat,” “PHED Give Light, No Bills” and so on lamented the untold hardship they are facing.
Among other complaints, the protesting women also lamented their inability to preserve cooked foods for weeks and how their business had grounded due to alleged poor power supply by PHED.
They said they had been thrown into triple jeopardy, as they were forced to pay jumbo estimated PHED Bills, spent huge money to fuel their generators and were denied romantic relationships with their spouses.
The women said they could not be paying for darkness through estimated billings from PHED.
The protesting women promised to re-mobilise and come for another peaceful protest if the condition was not improved.
At the time of filing this report, no official of PHED at their office in Mile 1 flyover had addressed the protesting women.
Investigation has shown that there was no such record of any DPO, policeman, or a soldier(s) snatching a ballot box at Umuokere Polling Unit (PU) 006, in the just concluded Rerun Elections in Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State, as alleged in the report dwelling on a video clip.
As clearly seen in the video, and contrary to the mischievous allegation, the security personnel were resisting and safeguarding the ballot boxes from thugs that attempted to snatch them.
We urge you to disregard the report, as it is clearly an act of junk journalism meant to mislead the public, demean and discredit the efforts of the Police and other security agencies, which brought about a peaceful rerun elections in the Constituency, please.
I woke up Tuesday to read some hair-raising headlines about kidnapping and killings in our country. “Over 17,000 Nigerians abducted under Buhari and Tinubu”, screamed one newspaper that described the incidents an epidemic.
Another newspaper wrote:
”2,423 people killed, 1,872 kidnapped in eight months of Tinubu”. There was yet another scary headline, that will truly scare any outsider away from my state of Ogun. It says “From Rising industrial hub to den of cultists, criminals.” The impressionistic outsider will, at first blush, think every inch of Ogun is under the siege of cultists and criminals.
Of course, this sweeping generalisation conveyed by the newspaper does not match the reality lived by the people in the state.
As a newspaper man myself for over 40 years, I understand the game the media play. To sell our newspapers or clickbait, we tend to exaggerate and embellish, sometimes forgetting the social responsibility of the media, not to give the impression that our country is under siege by criminals or that every nook and cranny of our country is under their stranglehold.
One of our newspapers took this responsibility to heart in its report on the same Tuesday, making its major headline, the efforts by security agents to rein in the minority vagabonds in our midst. “Securitymen raise bar in battle against kidnappers”, the paper reported, as it listed the bombing of terrorists den, the rescue of captives by the army and police, simultaneously as it also reported the unfortunate killing of two monarchs in Ekiti, a policeman in Imo and mother and daughter in the FCT.
The frightening headlines on Tuesday were. based on the report by the Civil Society Joint Action Group that calls for an emergency on the security situation, surprisingly oblivious that our security agencies have been working in that spirit for a long time, since 2009.
Our security agencies deserve society’s appreciation for their efforts so far, in trying to nip in the bud the evils of kidnapping, banditry, communal killings and terrorism in our country. Their efforts, most often understated, have made our country safer at least than South Africa or the United States, where 44,310 people were killed last year in gun violence.
South Africa faces a worsening insecurity than Nigeria. In 2023, 15,343 people were kidnapped, with Gauteng Province, where. the City of Johannesburg, the commercial capital, is located recording 7,818 cases of kidnapping for ransom. Ten years ago in 2013, there were only 3,822 cases of kidnapping. They jumped to 11,000 in 2021 and have been on the upward curve since then.
Gun related killings or murders are also high in South Africa. They increased by 35 percent between 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. In the fourth quarter of 2023, 6,289 people were killed in South Africa. An average of 70 killings occurred per day between January and March 2023. Within a more extended period, April 2022 and March 2023, the killings were 75 per day. According to official statistics, 27,272 people were killed during this period, with 11,347 shot dead.
South Africa also leads the world in car jacking, with 18,000 cases reported in 2020 and 22,742 cases reported last year, an increase of eight percent over 2022 figure.
Nigerians will appreciate our security agencies better with the comparative figures about our country. Between July 2022 and and June 2023, Nigeria recorded 3,620 people kidnapped for ransom, in 582 kidnapping incidents. In 2022, 4,616 people were kidnapped. The same year, 4,545 people were killed by criminals in our midst.
In a report by the. World Population Review, Nigeria is not among the top 10 countries in the world, with kidnapping “epidemic“. Turkey leads with 42 people kidnapped out of 100,000 people. Lebanon is second with 15 people out of 100,000 and Kuwait third with 12 out of 100,000 held in captivity. Canada, Belgium, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, Eswatini and United Kingdom make up the remaining top 10. Kidnapping in Nigeria is 0.334 per 100,000.
Surely, every life matters. Surely, any of our compatriots kidnapped by the criminals must be a matter of concern to the government as it has always been a matter of concern to our security agencies and the leadership, whose job is to keep all of us safe.
In my view, they have all. been playing a salutary role. Contrary to the uncharitable comment that President Tinubu has been fiddling while incidents of kidnapping or killings occur, as commander-in-chief, he has been. providing material support to security agencies to discharge their duties. In recent weeks, we have seen the police setting up a Special Intervention Squad, equipped with drones. The DSS has stepped up its anti-kidnapping act, rescuing 154 abducted people in the last few days.
Last week President Tinubu approved N50billion as Special Fund to address some of the lingering security challenges in North East. He also approved special funds to the FCT, for the acquisition of equipment to track criminals.
Media reporting about cases of kidnapping, communal killings and isolated terrorism acts must show some moderation by not giving the impression that all Nigerians no longer sleep with two eyes closed or are not safe in going about their day-to-day business.
The relative peace we used to enjoy in our country was broken in the 90s by cases of kidnapping in Niger-Delta. Then followed insurgency in the North-East in 2009, which morphed into banditry and kidnapping in North-West and some parts of North Central. Kidnapping, which appears to be developing into an industry, has also spread to South-West and South-East. It will definitely take some time to put the broken pieces back into the whole.
While we do not have a crime-free country yet, there is no denying that some efforts are being made countrywide to fight the emerging scourge. Last December Lagos State celebrated four years of near zero robbery in the state, with only one incident recorded in Epe in 2023. The South-West states have set up Amotekun, a local police of sort, that is working alongside the police. Such efforts must be encouraged all over the country, to give our people security cover at all times. Amotekun and other local police set up by the states must be strengthened to work with our existing security structure for intelligence gathering and covert operation. Citizens and the media must also, as a matter of duty, compliment the efforts of government to completely stamp out violent crimes.
-Onanuga is Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja has ordered commanders and personnel to desist from further commenting on the issue of a detained Corporal, Ruth Ogunleye who accused some senior army officers of sexual harassment.
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s statement accusing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of fiddling amidst some security and economic challenges is to say the least, reckless.
Coming days after he made an equally reckless allegation against the President on the crude for loan deal for NNPC Limited, his latest statement fell short of what is expected from an elder statesman.
We like to believe that Alhaji Atiku is still not nursing hangover of his electoral defeat and now latches on any issue to attack President Tinubu.
President Tinubu did not travel without informing Nigerians of his whereabouts. He announced a private visit to France and announced a return date.
While in France, President Tinubu has been following developments at home and he is on top of the situation in the country. Today’s inauguration of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum wage bore his imprimatur.
He is in constant touch with his officials and security chiefs and has directed them to stamp out every form of criminality in the country.
He has particularly ordered them to apprehend those criminals responsible for the murder of two monarchs in Ekiti State and the kidnapping of some pupils in the state.
We are already seeing results with the arrest of over 139 kidnappers around Abuja, Kaduna and Benue States in the last one week. The police Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and DSS have also rescued 154 abducted persons in the last few days.
Just last week President Tinubu approved N50billion as Special Fund to address some of the lingering security challenges in North East where Alhaji Atiku hails from. To cope with the kidnapping challenges in the FCT, President Tinubu also approved funds for the acquisition of equipment to track criminals.
If Alhaji Atiku is really concerned about security issues and not playing cheap politics, he should have known that President Tinubu is on top of issues and working hard to restore peace to every part of our country.
Our security agencies are working very hard to bring the security situation under control. President Tinubu is giving them all the necessary support they need to win the battle against criminal elements and secure every inch of our country.
Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, to pay N135,722,303.40k along with accrued interest to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) over his unpaid bank loan.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo issued the order in a judgement delivered in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/AMC/12/2022 filed by AMCON.
Justice Ekwo, who declared that Umeh was actually indebted to AMCON, issued an order directing the forfeiture of Umeh’s 5,000,000 units of Skye Bank shares in the records of the Central Securities & Clearing System to AMCON.
The judge also awarded a cost of N2m in favour of AMCON and against Umeh, who is currently the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora.
According to court documents filed by AMCON, Umeh got a loan of N23,250,000.00 from the now defunct Skye Bank in January 2008 “to enable him invest in and purchase shares of a financial institution in Nigeria.
“The tenor of the credit facility granted the defendant was specifically fixed for 356 days.
“The offer letter contained various other explicit terms and conditions, which the defendant accepted by duly executing the memorandum of acceptance.
“The defendant utilised the funds granted to him as credit facilities by the bank. However, at the expiration of the tenor of the facility, the defendant failed and neglected to liquidate the credit facility as per the contract.”
AMCON stated that it later acquired the unpaid debt when Skye Bank became unsuccessful in making Umeh repay.
It added that its suit was to recover the debt, which stood at N135,722,303.40k as of April 2011.
Justice Ekwo, in his judgement, noted that despite being served with court documents in relation to the case, Umeh failed to file any response or make any effort to enter a defence.
The judge said: “It is to be noted at this point that the defendant, upon being served, failed to enter a defence in this case.
“It is trite law that the net effect of the failure of a defendant to file pleadings is that the assertions of the claimant in his pleadings stands unchallenged and are deemed admitted and established
“It is also true that the effect of a defendant’s failure to call evidence in defense of the claims against him at the trial is that he is presumed to have admitted the case made against him by the claimant.”
The judge added that despite Umeh’s failure to file a defence, the plaintiff was able to prove it’s case through the evidence it presented.
He held that, based on the evidence presented by the plaintiff, “the indebtedness of the defendant has been proven.
“I find that the plaintiff has established its case by preponderance of evidence as required by law.
“Consequently, judgement is entered per terms as follows:
*A declaration is hereby made that the defendant is indebted to the plaintiff, in the sum of N135,722,303.40 representing the principal debt sum plus all the accrued interest and charges, at the rate of 15 percent per annum drawn up to January 25, 2021, being the sum due and outstanding from the defendant to the plaintiff.
*A declaration is hereby made mandating the defendant to pay to the plaintiff the sum of N135,722,303.40 representing the principal debt sum, plus all the accrued interest and charges, at the rate of 15 percent per annum drawn up to January 25, 2021, in settlement of the debt due and outstanding from the defendant to the plaintiff.
*An order is hereby made mandating the defendant to pay the plaintiff a sum representing 15 percent of the principal sum as interest on the judgement sum from January 26, 2021, until the date of delivery of the judgement.
*An order is hereby made mandating the defendant to pay the plaintiff a sum representing 15 percent of the judgement sum as interest on the judgement sum, from the date of delivery of the judgement till the date of full and final liquidation of same.
*A declaration is hereby made that the defendant is liable to a total forfeiture and divestment of all his title, rights, interests, benefits, and claims in respect of the 5,000,000 shares of Skye Bank shares in the record of the Central Secures & Cleaning System while the plaintiff is entitied to take over, as beneficial owner, all the title, rights, interests, benefits and claims in respect of same.
*An order of final foreclosure and final forfeiture is hereby made foreclosing and divesting the defendant of his title, rights and interests, in respect of the 5,000,000 units of Skye Bank shares in the records of the Central Securities & Clearing System and vesting same in the plaintiff in furtherance of part liquidation and satisfaction of the outstanding debt obligation of the defendants due to the plaintiff.
*An order is hereby made mandating the defendant to pay to the plaintiff the sum of N2,000,000 00 as costs for filing and pursuing this claim.”
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by terrorists on the Pulka/Firgi road in Gwoza Local Government of Borno has killed seven farmers in a commercial vehicle.
Intelligence Sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, that the incident occurred in the early hourz of Monday, January 29, 2024, when the vehicle conveying the victims ran over an explosive.
The sources said that seven passengers including the driver were confirmed dead, seven others were severely injured while other bodies were shattered into pieces by the explosive.
ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists have been resorting to desperate but extreme measures to fight back against the crushing intrusion of their enclaves by the Nigerian Military.
They heightened the use of IEDs as their major warfare tactics due to their weakness and depleted capacity. These landmines had in the past days and weeks claimed the lives of innocent civilians - mostly women children in Borno state, Northeast Nigeria.
The IEDs, mostly locally made bombs, account for more than half of the fatalities recorded in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the Northeast.
UPDATED: The death toll in Pulka IED attack has rissen to 13 as those wounded later died.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Akanimo Udofia, suffered a setback on Monday at the Supreme Court in their request for a review of judgement that affirmed the election of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State.
The apex court dismissed the requests seeking that it reverse itself and depart from the final verdict that put an end to the legal battle in January 2024.
At Monday’s proceedings, a lawyer, O.U. Orji, stunned the court with a motion praying for a review of the final verdict delivered on January 18.
Before a full panel of seven justices on the bench, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, the lawyer, who claimed to represent APC and Udofia, insisted that the judgement should be reviewed in the interest of justice and fair play.
However, sensing the mood of the justices, Orji changed tune and claimed he was just holding a brief for another lawyer.
He said that a lawyer contacted him in the morning to bring the motion before the Supreme Court and that he would have willingly opted out of the case if he were the owner of the case.
When reminded that he was on his own as a lawyer as far as the Supreme Court was concerned, Orji said that given the mood of the court and the wise counsel from senior lawyers in court, he wished to withdraw the case.
At this point, Justice Tijani Abubakar cut in and asked: “As a minister in the temple of justice, do you need to do the right thing on your own or contact your client before the right thing can be done?”
Sensing that the lawyer might be heavily penalised, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Damian Dodo, rose and apologised profusely on behalf of the lawyer for bringing a frivolous motion before the court.
Thereafter, Lawyer Orji tendered profuse apologies and applied for withdrawal of the motion.
Subsequently, Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, in a brief ruling, dismissed the motion with a serious warning to lawyers not to turn themselves into a laughingstock because of desperate politicians.
Justice Uwani Abba-Aji noted that there was nothing new in the appeal that required the court’s consideration.
The panel said the concurrent judgements by the two lower courts have effectively dealt with the issues raised in the case.
It noted that the tribunal and the Court of Appeal were right in holding that the appellants failed to establish their claims that Eno forged his West African Examination Council, WAEC, result and that he was an ex-convict.
For transparency and accountability, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria to take over the responsibility for crude oil sales from Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Under the new arrangement, NNPC will submit receipts for crude oil sales to CBN for vetting and documentation.
Source within the CBN confirmed the development to Western Post, saying receipts of payment for the oil sales will be forwarded to the apex bank with immediate effect.
NNPCL over the years has maintained sole control over crude oil sales, only rendering accounts to the Federal Government.
Many say this arrangement is opaque as it makes the NNPC the overall responsibility rendering whatever amount it wishes to FG for the crude oil sales.
This arrangement is no longer tenable amid declining oil revenue following lower oil production arising from crude theft and other sharp practices.
For instance, former Vice President and PDP Presidential Candidate in the last general election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had recently raised a related issue, asking for details of crude oi that will be used to retire the recent $3.3 billion loan from the Afri-Exim Bank.
The new arrangement will block any gap in the crude oil sales and declared receipts.
CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, last week stated that the collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the NNPCL is to ensure that all foreign inflows are returned to the Central Bank.
“This coordinated effort will greatly enhance the Bank’s foreign exchange flows and contribute to the accretion of reserves,” he said.
Cardoso, who was delivering a keynote address at the launch of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) “2024 Macroeconomic Outlook Report”, said, “The expected stability in the foreign exchange market for 2024 can be attributed to the reduction in petroleum product imports and the recent implementation of a market-determined exchange rate policy by the CBN.
“This reform is designed to streamline and unify multiple exchange rates, fostering transparency and reducing opportunities for arbitrage.
“The resulting consistent and stable exchange rate will not only boost investor confidence but also attract foreign investment, elevating Nigeria’s appeal to global investors.”
“We are implementing a comprehensive strategy to improve liquidity in our FX markets in the short, medium, and long term. Our focus is on addressing fundamental issues that have hindered the effective operation of our markets over the years.
“Upholding the integrity of financial markets is crucial for building confidence. With the completion of an independent forensic review, we are addressing the backlog of valid FX transactions and we remain steadfast in our commitment to decisively address any infractions and abuses,” he added.
President Bola Tinubu has ruled out the possibility of reinstating Dr Betta Edu as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The President suspended Edu from office on January 8 for her alleged involvement in financial scandal running into billions of Naira belonging to the ministry.
Edu was found to have illegally approved payment of hundreds of millions of Naira to some private companies and civil servants in contravention of extant rules.
One of the payments was the N585 million paid into the United Bank for Africa (UBA) account of a project accountant in the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry. A company belonging to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo was also reported to have received N438 million payment for unverifiable contract.
The suspended Minister is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while Tunji-Ojo is being investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
However, some prominent chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are reported to be mounting pressure on the President to give Edu a soft landing.
It was gathered on Sunday that the party leaders hinged their pleas on the fact that Edu, in her previous position as National Woman Leader of the APC, played a key role in mobilising support for Tinubu’s election during the last electioneering.
They reminded the President that it was in recognition of her contribution to the victory of the APC in the last presidential election that earned her the ministerial appointment in the first place.
A top party source privy to the rapprochement moves, told our correspondent on Sunday, that party leaders were however not unmindful of the effects of the Edu scandal on the image of the APC at the national level.
The source, who did not want his name in print, said, “It was a difficult task trying to convince President Tinubu to give Edu a soft landing despite the fact that she payed a prominent role during the residential campaign.
“Edu wept profusely when some of our leaders managed to prevail on the President to grant her audience a few days ago. But the president was not moved one bit.
“President Tinubu did not mince words in telling her and the party leaders pleading on her behalf that she should forget about reinstatement. However, the President left everyone guessing regarding her ongoing investigation by the EFCC”.
Another source confirmed to our correspondent that Edu named one of the President’s top aides as her enabler. The said aide is known to be one of the President’s long standing political associates.
Tinubu was said to have been taken aback by the revelation of the aide’s deep involvement in Edu’s reckless looting of public treasury and the effects on the administration’s anti corruption campaign.
A source in the Presidency said the President has tactically stripped the top aide of his official functions and has delegated the responsibilities of his office to two other officials in the Presidency.
Other multiple sources said the President had placed the influential aide on security watch shortly before he travelled to France last week on a private visit.
It was reliably gathered that Tinubu’s initial plan was to send the errant aide packing, but that on a second thought, he felt it was rather too early to kick out such a prominent aide barely seven months into his administration.
“President Tinubu was scandalised by the involvement of his close associate in the huge financial scandal perpetrated by Betta Edu. He felt disappointed that one of those he trusted to drive his administration’s anti corruption campaign has turned out to join the corruption bandwagon so early in the life of the administration.
“I am not in a position to answer your question as to whether or not the President is going to fire him anytime soon because I cannot read his mind. That is strictly left to him since he alone has the prerogative to hire and fire”, one of the sources said.
There have been a deluge of corruption allegations involving other top officials of the administration. The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi is presently in the eye of the storm over alleged payment of some N9 billion to a Microfinance bank for unspecified project.
Also, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, is contending with allegations of receiving $170 million in bribes and releasing several vessels seized for illegal oil bunkering and oil thieves.
Although both the Works Minister and the Naval Chief have come out to defend their positions through their establishments the allegations have continued to gain traction in the public space.
LET POSTERITY REMEMBER YOU FOR WHAT IS GOOD, GOV FUBARA CHARGES RE-SWORN-IN COMMISSIONERS
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has said that it was imperative for the newly sworn-in commissioners to engage in activities for which they will be positively remembered by posterity.
Sir Fubara gave the advise shortly after swearing in nine (9) commissioners into the State Executive Council at Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
The newly sworn-in were former commissioners who, citing several reasons, had resigned their appointments during the political crisis that engulfed the State. They were however returning on their own to be reabsorbed into the administration.
Observing that they have already read the charge as contained in their oath of office, Governor Fubara enjoined them to uphold and defend the state's constitution.
"I wish you well in your coming back. Stand for justice, and stand for the interests of our dear state. That is the purpose of your appointment and that is the truth.
"I can see how heavy your hearts are. But I assure you that I don't have anything against anyone of you. You were caught in between during the crossfire."
Governor Fubara spoke further: "I will advise that you give your best. Like I said the first time, let this State and posterity remember you for what is good."
Signed
Boniface Onyedi SSA, Media to the Governor of Rivers State
The Lagos State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Philip Aivoji, has been abducted.
He was abducted along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway around 6 p.m on Thursday, according to sources.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Hon. Hakeem Amode, confirmed the abduction.
He called on security agencies and government authorities at all levels to intervene promptly and secure his release.
Amode stated that the chairman was returning from a stakeholders’ meeting in Oyo State convened by Governors Seyi Makinde and Ademola Adeleke.
He said, “It is disheartening that kidnapping has become a prevalent issue in our country, and the government’s inability to address this menace is deeply concerning.
“The abduction of Aivoji underscores the pressing need for decisive actions from the government and stakeholders to eradicate this menace.
“Aivoji’s abduction was a violent incident, and his current whereabouts or any communication from the abductors remain unknown.
“We implore the governments of Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos States, alongside security agencies, to expedite efforts and secure his safe return to his family and well-wishers. We firmly believe that, with increased efforts from security agencies, Aivoji can be rescued from these criminals, and we call on the public to support initiatives aimed at ending this threat to innocent lives.”
Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, on Friday, swore in nine re-nominated commissioners in the state.
The nine commissioners, eight of whom were members of the immediate past cabinet led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, resigned their airports in the heat of the political crisis that rocked the state from the later part of last year.
The swearing in ceremony was conducted at the state Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt
All nine of them took the oaths at once, beginning from the oath of allegiance before the oath of office.
One of the commissioners, Gift Worlu, who was not part of the wike’s administration, however, comes from Obio/Akpor, the same local government area with the FCT Minister.
Congratulating the re-sworn in commissioners, Governor Fubara urged them to do what is right for the state.
“I don’t think I have any charge for you. You have already read your charge to uphold the Constitution of the fed republic of Nigeria. I urge you to do the right thing.
“I can see how heavy your hearts are. I don’t blame you. You were caught between the crossfire,” Fubara said.
The Project Gazzelle is such a straightforward deal that I do not expect Alhaji Atiku, who prides his whole political aspirations on being an economic reformer, to fumble the simple numbers behind it.
Talking about the FG owing Nigerians an explanation, Alhaji Atiku is late to the party, as usual, as the presidency had done the needful on explaining the deal to Nigerians few days ago.
For record purposes and to save Alhaji from his self-imposed mystery, here are some explanations to his questions about the conditionalities of the loan in a simpler language.
1. The facility is a forward sales agreement between NNPC limited and an SPV(the buyer) where a predetermined number of barrels of oil is sold in advance at an agreed price.
2. The sales allow the seller (NNPCLtd in this case) to use the received payment to solve critical and urgent problems with forex scarcity as the problem in Nigeria’s case.
3. A lower benchmark is usually adopted as a safe haven for the buyer(the SPV) as oil price tends to remain unstable most times.
4. For repayment, an eventual increase in oil prices will result in the SPV returning all excesses to the seller(NNPCLtd) while the risk which could lead to a rearrangement of the terms is a significant decrease in the agreed price (this case $65 per barrel)
5. Oil has been averaging $70-75 per barrel since the deal was agreed, and if things stay the same way, Nigeria will be getting refunds of excess amounts from the SPV once the payment is concluded.
6. There is a very big chance that the repayment will be concluded before the agreed time if oil prices continue to increase as NNPCL had penned a 90,000 barrel per day which will eventually be calculated at the current prices. Repayment stops when the agreed amount + interest is fully paid and Nigeria may be liable to refunds were there to be excesses.
I hope Alhaji Atiku, being an elder statesman, will allow the financial expert in charge of the country to continue devising innovative ways of funding our expenditures while he surfs his archives for more promising economists who will advice him duly before rushing to make public comments going forward.
Olusegun Dada is the Special Adviser on Social Media to President Tinubu
The Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has struck out a suit challenging the legality of President Bola Tinubu‘s intervention to resolve the political crises in the state. The suit was struck out by the court for lack of jurisdiction.
The case was filed by 10 representatives of sons and daughters of the state led by His Highness Anabs Sara-Igbe against President Tinubu, the Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, Rivers State House of Assembly, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The plaintiffs had sought the constitutional interpretation of the peace accord and whether the directives contained in the documents to resolve the political impasse in the state were not at variance with the 1999 Constitution as amended.
They also sought to know whether the president had the legal right to direct the governor to re-present the 2024 budget to 24 members of the House of Assembly led by Martin Amaewhule even after their seats were declared vacant.
The applicants further demanded to know whether it was proper for names of commissioners, who had willingly resigned their offices to be re-submitted for screening.
They wanted the court to determine whether the 24 House of Assembly members led by Amaewhule after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) still had the right to be members of the legislature.
But when the matter came up on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Chinwendu Nworgu, discountenanced all motions and declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Nworgu cited the judgment of James Omotosho of Abuja High Court, which nullified the activities of the Edison Ehie-led faction of the Assembly.
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