₦airaland Forum

Other statistics released by the NBS recently all looked laughably concocted.

Over 600000 people murdered in one year is statistically not credible.

That's an average of about 1,800 people per day nationwide, or 50 per state every day of the year.

Many states, particularly in the South, experience less than 2 murders per day. Many go entire days without a murder incident.

2 million people kidnapped? Haba. Kidnapping is still a rare occurrence in many States.

Over N2 trillion ransome paid to kidnappers?

That's the equivalent of 2,000 victims paying N1 billion each, or 20,000 victims paying N100 million ransome each.

Not credible.

'Britain produces nothing' is inaccurate.

Rolls Royce (aeroplane engines and vehicles), Jaguar Land rover, BAE Systems, and many more.

What is true is that UK manufacturing has dwindled to a fraction of what it used to be when the country was the manufacturing powerhouse of the world.

Times have changed. China and other Asian countries can produce things cheaper.

But the UK still manufactures a lot of things. Same level as France. Germany and Italy are the biggest manufacturers in Europe.

The UK's wealth now comes mostly from Services, not manufacturing.

From banking & finance, to insurance, music, arts, tourism, oil and gas services, shipping brokerage etc, the UK is second only to the US in the world. That is where today's UK makes its money from.

That is why, when all is said and done, that small Island is still the 6th largest economy in the world- ahead of France, Italy, Canada, Brazil etc

prinzedy:
Tinubu needs to be studied as a course in nigerian universities.

This man is literally and indirectly buying all the southern governors to his party. South south as a whole is now in his pocket. SW too is in his pocket.

I don't know if they are in his pocket, but opposition Governors particularly across Southern Nigeria who want to go for 2nd term in 2027 may well feel they need to play it safe with the President.

They will have seen what happened in 2023 Rivers election, and more recently in Edo and Ondo elections.

If your own too much, you can be defeated at the next election.

The combination of APC national Chairman, Oshiomole, Senate President etc are ruthless political operators who can deliver APC victories in several Southern states.

If I am to guess, local APC Chieftains did not work with the Governor on the project.

Governors like to claim FG projects as theirs. Some of them will cause problems if they are denied that opportunity.

It is terrible.

A project that will help your state, you frustrate it because of politics.

Later you will claim there is no federal presence in that region.

From my analysis, if she pays N2 million within 90 days, she can avoid a 9 year jail term.

So, her total punishment is N2m (which I assume she will pay) plus 2 years in prison.

For defrauding someone of N54 million

Inadequate punishment.

People forget that the UK needs Nigeria more than Nigeria needs the UK.

There are not many countries like Nigeria in the world. With over 200 million population, that is not just a number, it is a massive market.

Only 2 weeks ago, the French president welcomed the Nigerian President with a ceremony reserved only for leaders of the most important countries in the world.

The German president arrived in Nigeria 3 days ago. He was in Abuja, then Lagos. I am not even sure he has left the country. That's his second trip to Nigeria in about 6 months.

The Indian president was here just over 3 weeks ago.

A Brazilian company wants to invest $2.5 billion here.

The French, Germans, Indians, and Brazilians are not stupid. They have access to data and other economic information that we Nigerians (and even our government) do not see.

They know Nigeria is a giant today and will become an even bigger giant in the future- potentially the 4th most populous country in the world within the next 25 years.

They want to position themselves.

What is the UK opposition leader, that hopes to become prime minister some day doing? She insists on saying everything on her mind with regards to Nigeria and in the process damaging UK's present and future opportunities in Nigeria.

She needs to learn diplomacy.

The UK, a country that is struggling badly economically,had such great opportunity to be the leading trade partner of Nigeria over the years, but today the UK barely makes the list of Nigeria's top 10 trading partners.

Nigeria's trade has pivoted away from the UK in the last 25 years. With Ms Badenoch running her mouth, it can only get worse.

PressMyButton:
You never hear "after God na Government" before?.

You mention Tinubu, not government.

Your statement is: 'After God, na Tinubu".

Anyway, it's up to you.

That is a huge inward investment by the way.

It would be transformational for Niger State, and Nigeria.

Mr Tinubu, you are doing well.

PressMyButton:
Enemies say why is he always traveling. They don't know, they will know tomorrow.


After God, na Tinubu 💪 God bless Nigeria

That last statement you put on all your comments is unnecessary.

There is no one before or after God.

God is God, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Planning, planning, planning.

The rice should already be in the market now.

You knew on 1st January 2024 that there would be Christmas roughly 12 months later.

Yet, you are announcing on 9 December, around 2 weeks to Christmas that the Governor is CONSIDERING buying more paddy for processing.

Typical inefficiency.

Good deal for Nigeria. Nigeria receives tax from the sale.

One investor sold, another investor bought.

Nothing has changed.

UK, an old, poor, debt-ridden former colonialist, always desperate to reassure the US, its former colony that the UK remains a loyal and subservient lapdog of the US - the most powerful, richest country in the world.

How the tide has turned against the UK.

From slave master to slave.

You asked: What if Mr Farotimi's claims are not false.

I ask: What if Mr Farotimi's claims are false.

The only way to establish the truth is for Mr Farotimi to provide the evidence that proves his case in court.

There is no other way.

The Courts will look at the evidence presented by both parties and deliver a judgement.

That is is fair enough. No sentiments.

Some of them keep shouting it is a bailable offence.

Yes, but being bailable means the court MAY grant bail if certain circumstances are present.That means it is not guaranteed.

When the court heard that Ekiti Police invited the man from Lagos, but he refused to come, the court was persuaded by the Police argument that the man is a flight risk if granted bail. That is, he may run away from Ekiti before the Police complete their investigation.

I am not surprised the magistrate agreed with the Police.

If there was no history of him refusing to respond to the initial police invitation, the magistrate would have rejected Police request to refuse the man bail.

In any case, at the next hearing next week, the Police argument for not granting him bail will be weaker as the Judge is less likely to accept that the Police needs more time for investigation. So the man is very likely to be granted bail on that day. Afterall, this is not a murder case.

So it is all about processes.

But people on social media who don't understand legal and court processes keep making noise about corrupt judiciary.

Under the law, the offence was deemed committed in any part of Nigeria where the book was available and read.

So, if Mr Babalola read the alleged offending claims in Ekiti state, he is permitted by law to lodge his petition against the offender in that State.

And the Police in Ekiti are entitled under the law to prosecute the matter before a court in Ekiti State.

Also the fact than an offence is bailable simple means the court MAY grant the offender bail. It is not guaranteed. You can't dictate to the magistrate from social media.

It is easy to be a CBN Governor when times are good ala Messrs Soludo and Sanusi.

No Nigerian CBN Governor in the last 50 years has faced the difficult economic circumstances that Mr Cardoso has faced since he was appointed.

He may not have the bravado of some previous CBN Governors, but he has quietly proven himself as being super competent.

If you doubt me, ask Turkey.

As Turkey's currency has faced very turbulent times in recent years, the country has tried more than 4 central bank Governors in less than 3 years, yet their currency is still in rhe doldrums.

Total exports nearly doubled.

Agricultural export more than trippled.

Local refineries started working.

Local government financial independence.

New exchange rate trading platform introduced this week already moderating naira/dollar rate.

If this man can get the tax reform bills passed. Hmm.

Aa soon as Mr Tinubu came into power and removed fuel and foreign exchange subsidies, I told everyone around me he was the best President since Mr Obasanjo.

With all the other reforms he has brought in and the result we are seeing, he has achieved more in less than 2 years than Messrs Obj, Yaradua, Jonathan (can't remember a single thing this man achieved), and Buhari.

His reforms will set Nigeria for greatness, provided the Presidents after him do not reverse them.

Unfortunately most Nigerians judge how well a President is doing by the relative price of a bag of rice, bread, garri, petrol etc So they'll tell you rice was cheaper under Mr Jonathan. That's all

That's all they care about, not foundational changes that will ensure that in the future, whatever the prices of those things are, the overwhelming majority will be able to afford them.

Better.

Parading yourself as a human rights activist doesn't give you the right to make flippant, and libelous statements in order to impress your impressionable social media supporters.

People like this need to thought a lesson, through the courts.

You can't just open your mouth and say what you like about another person, unless you can prove your assertion if challenged to do so.

Being a 'human rights advocate' does not put you above the law.

Laws exist for a reason.

Ringstonermasks:
I am not an APC fan but this is absolutely commendable.

Please mod, this is an effort that should be applauded.

You're not an APC fan, so which party are you a fan of. Crooked PDP, or spineless Labour Party whose 4 House of Rep members formally defected to APC this morning.

All Nigerian politicians are cut from the same political cloth.

delpee:
It will be absurd to see Ololu masquerade from Ibadan or Agemo from Ijebu parading in Lagos. Sounds very strange for an ancestral spirit. Masquerades are localised to the best of my knowledge. I've never heard of a masquerade going to another town on a visit.

The thought of a masquerade in a bus travelling several hours across tribal borders beggers belief.

What if area boys attack the 'foreign' masquerade in Lagos, and then another lengthy round of blame game will feel the air on radio and social media about who to blame.

Tax reform blame game is still ongoing and confusing many.

I think most Nigerians just want a bit of peace right now.

Masquerade should remain and operate in his indigenous territory please.

I don't even think a masquerade can travel to Lagos from Oyo, Ondo or Ekiti State. Or from Ekiti to Osun. To do what na?

These things are very localised in Yorubaland.

So localised that even within a big town, an Egungun will not go to another part of town that is not within his territory because that may cause trouble with the Egungun families in those other parts.

Some things are just best left alone.

45 years

Smh

Nigerias have been sold down the river again.

No serious country gives out a prime asset for 45 years to a foreign company.

India for example will never do that.

I can think of at least one reason why Efcc may not have wanted to name the ex CBN Governor.

'Over 750 fraudulently acquired houses Recovered from Nigeria's Central Bank Governor'.

This headline would have reverberated around the world, and be on the first page of every major newspaper in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

It would have caused further immense damage to Nigeria's reputation on the international scene.

A CBN Governor involved in such unfathomable corruption?

Nigeria would be the butt of jokes, memes, and consternation around the world.

Now that the identity of the culprit is being disclosed by 3rd parties, and not by Efcc itself, some sting has been taken out of the impact of the news, though some international media may still pick it up.

Every country attempts to hide certain very damaging information from their citizens. So this is not unusual as people are making it.

What is most important here is that the Efcc did a fantastic job in recovering the properties.

Being a human rights lawyer does not grant you immunity from the law.

You claim the man started the corruption of the Judiciary.

Fine. You'll have to prove your statement.

Now you're spending the 2nd day in a dirty police cell.

Mr Tinubu is going after the biggest thieves in Mr Buhari's administration one by one.

The reality is many of them will still escape with their loots especially if they already moved those loots outside the country.

As we see with this man and Mr Yaya Bello, that refused to turn up in court, it is very difficult to fast track the prosecution of these big wigs.

Citizens get frustrated that prosecuting these people is too slow, but what can a President with only for years before election do.

His administration can't spend all its time on chasing after alleged thieves.

This administration needs to reform the law to make prosecution in absentia easier.

The colonial French company has made so much profit in Nigeria for over the years.

Lafarge was the big boy in cement until Dangote came on the scene.

Now they can't compete any longer, they are running back home to little Europe with their tails between their legs.

The Chinese have bought them out.

Truth is, the Chinese and Indians will be the dominant foreign investors in Nigeria going forward.

German, British, French and US companies can't compete with the Chinese.

This is a good deal for Nigeria. Some of that $1 billion purchase price will likely end up in being paid to the Federal government in tax.

I am constantly asking myself if I need a car or whether I should sell my car, and use Uber 100%. Increasingly the answer is, yes.

I fear and always want to avoid any interraction with Nigerian Police, LASTMA etc. As a result, I try to avoid driving in Lagos.

I now use Uber for most of my trips. It is a less stressful experience, I think.

That is not to say that Uber drivers are free from harassment by Police, traffic wardens / LASTMA officials.

However, not being behind the wheel, and with the vehicle not being mine, I do not have to interact with these officials when they inevitably jump from behind plant verges, trees, broken down vehicles etc (where they hide!) to block a Uber driver's way and allege a road traffic offense.

For many drivers, encountering these officials is a terrifying experience.

Dint hold your breadth.

The FCCPC is one of the most incompetent and ineffectual government agencies.

Fantastic.

The government of a country with over 100 million very poor people should use scarce resources to subsidise the luxury transportation of people who left the country for supposedly rich foreign countries?

If you people have so many billions of dollars to 'inject' as you claim, then inject some into buying your tickets na.

People on minimum wage who can barely survive still have taxes deducted from their paltry wages. Now you want these taxes to be used to pay for your flight ticket to Nigeria

Because living abroad makes you special?

Your proposal is morally untenable.

Absolute tosh.

Many northern politicians assumed the moment they wheel out Emirs and Governors and demand the bills be withdrawn, the presidency will panick and do as they commanded.

They forgot that the current President is not Mr Jonathan.

We did not vote for Emirs, neither are Governors members of the National Assembly whose responsibility it is to scrutinise bills.

The tax reform bills are a key plank of the President's agenda, and if the national assembly decide to pass the Bill, the President will sign it into law.

Some northern politicians are only angry because for the first time in a long time, a Southern president is refusing to back down to their misplaced intimidation.

There is nothing in the bills that I have seen that will cause permanent harm to any part of the country, and indeed the biggest loser in the bills is Lagos State.

If the bill fails to pass, the President should withdraw the VAT section completely and let the Supreme Court rule on the matter. The Court of Appeal already ruled that States, not the federal government are the ones constitutionally entitled to collect VAT.

If elements in the North refuse to back the currently bills, and the Supreme Court reaffirms the Court of Appeal decision, then many Northern States will be poorer under that VAT regime, while Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Anambra, Oyo etc will be the big winners.

You won't be able to pay salaries Get your state working then. Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and God knows how many other states may also struggle to pay salaries, but we are not hearing them protesting.

States that depend on unsustainable federal feeding bottles need to think long term and start seeking local solutions.