₦airaland Forum

Blue3k:
No state has built or operates their own prison. There all federal prisons. The federal government should start charging states fees to house their inmates rightfully.

Fifteen persons including a one-year-old boy were reportedly murdered in cold blood by assailants on Sunday night at Ri Do, also known as Gidan Ado a hamlet of Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The leadership of the Irigwe Development Association in a press statement issued in Jos, and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Sam Jugo stated that the community predominantly inhabited by Irigwe Natives from Bassa was attacked in the night without any provocation by yet-to-be-identified gunmen, who invaded the hamlet and killed 15 persons.

Several other persons were also seriously injured in the attack.

Expressing concerns about the unprovoked attack coming a few hours to the yuletide, the leadership of the association urged security agencies, to ensure that such heinous acts are prevented as well as caution on reprisal.

“The identities of the perpetrators have not yet been ascertained as of press time, and therefore it will be ill-conceived to state it here in order not to preempt or interfere with the outcome of ongoing investigations by the security agencies.

“While appealing for restraint on our side, the leadership of Irigwe Development Association (IDA) hopes that the security agencies will do the needful to nip probable reoccurrence and/or reprisals in future.” The statement added.

While the joint security task force Operation Safe Haven and the police are yet to comment on the attack, the victims have been given a mass burial at the community burial ground.

The refinery had abruptly stopped loading petrol a fortnight ago without providing any explanation, leaving many marketers stranded.

According to sources, the Port Harcourt Refinery Depot was inactive last Thursday, with an empty loading bay and no signs of activity throughout the preceding week.

However, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had stated that preparations for loading operations were ongoing.

Contrary to earlier reports, it was gathered that the lifting of petrol commenced on Saturday, with 11 trucks loading PMS from the depot.

A visit to the facility on Monday revealed that, although activities had not fully commenced, trucks were seen driving into the 18-arm loading bay from 1:14 pm onwards.

The Guardian observed that the first set of trucks arrived at the Onyema gate, the entrance point for trucks, at around 12:21 pm. The trucks, which were assumed to have been cleared from a designated area, were allowed to proceed to the loading bay.

By 12:26 pm, a total of seven trucks had been cleared and were ready to proceed to the loading bay to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). The trucks eventually made their way to the loading bay at around 1:30 pm.

However, despite the resumption of loading operations, activities at the depot remained slow.

By 2 pm, only two trucks had loaded, while six others were still queuing to load. Two trucks had already loaded and left the loading bay, while three others were in the process of loading.

A fire service truck was stationed at the loading bay in case of any fire outbreak. The first truck started lifting petrol at exactly 1:18 pm, and by 4:30 pm, a total of ten trucks had lifted petrol.

Marketers at the depot expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent shutting down of loading operations without explanation.

They also lamented that only three out of the 18 arms in the loading bay were functional, while the others had yet to be calibrated.

One marketer, who identified himself as Liti, stated, “We are not happy over what is happening here. If operations were going on fully here, you would see this place full of trucks, and they can load up to 50 trucks before 6 pm. So, let the government come and help us and make sure the refinery is working well.”

It was also gathered that not all the arms in the loading bay were designated for petrol loading.

Some were meant for loading Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Automated Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel. However, the refinery has yet to commence production of kerosene and diesel.

The resumption of petrol loading operations at the Port Harcourt Refining Company is expected to alleviate the fuel scarcity in the region.

However, the frequent shutdowns and technical issues at the refinery have raised concerns about the facility’s reliability and efficiency.

Previous Threads:
1. https://www.nairaland.com/8298279/port-harcourt-refinery-shuts-down
2. https://www.nairaland.com/8298349/port-harcourt-refinery-fully-operational-nnpc

Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Monday, President of the Association, Dr George Ebong, while lauding the minister for his “infrastructural development”, stressed that there is an urgent need for him to also focus on the well-being of doctors who are on the verge of extinction due to the economic hardship.

He urged Wike to concentrate on human development the same way he is doing in the infrastructural sector.

He noted that the FCT Minister has 14 days to act on their demands to avert what he described as the deadliest shutdown of hospitals in the nation’s capital.

He said: “Firstly, we have to appreciate the minister for his infrastructural development in the FCT since his emergence. We want him to know that Doctors is an abandoned project. While he fixes the infrastructural abandoned project, we are the human abandoned projects. We believe the minister can deal with the challenge.

"We want the minister to clear six months of salary arrears owed to our members employed in 2023.

“The minister should with urgency clear the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund of 2024.

“Also, we want the minister to review the bonding policy to two years instead of 6 years.

"Other demands are we want the minister to enforce the implementation of skipping and issuance of skipping letters to our members employed in 2023, immediate payment of accoutrements allowance for 2024, payment of outgoing 13 months hazard allowance arrears, and the FCTA management should fast-track conversion of ARD FCTA Post 2 members to consultants and expedite the process of employment of health care workers to buffer the manpower shortage in the Nation’s capital hospitals.

"This injustice is alien to FCT; if this is allowed to continue, the nation’s health sector will collapse. We want the minister to solve the problems so doctors can practice to the best of their ability.

“We earlier gave a 21-day ultimatum during our Annual General Meeting, leaving 14 days. We don’t want the deadliest shutdown that may lead to loss of lives; it is important that the minister listen and act on demand without delays.”

His counsel, Stanley Alieke, shared the update on Instagram, stating that the court has granted Speed Darlington bail.

“Apki has been granted bail by the court,” he wrote without including much information.

The rapper was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State, due to alleged abuse of Afrofusion star Burna Boy.

Despite the challenges, Speed Darlington’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had earlier stated that the singer would be arraigned within 48 hours or released on bail.

“Our FREP application for Speed Darlington a.k.a has been granted by the court. He is to be arraigned within 48 hours or released. Issues around injustice may take time but justice will always prevail,” he wrote.

The assertion follows his opposition to the tax reform bills.

In a statement he released on Monday, Ndume again criticised the timing and scope of the bills, saying that they disproportionately target low- and middle-income Nigerians who are already bearing the brunt of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s economic policies.

According to him, the North was, is, and will never be a parasite or dependent on any region or even the country.

Arguing that the North is an asset and not liability to Nigeria, he stressed that those who think that the tax reforms are only against Northern interests are naive.

He explained, “As it is, the law is against all low- and middle-income Nigerians.”

Ndume called for the withdrawal of the tax reform bills, stressing the need for broader consultations and greater stakeholder involvement and advised the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to focus on expanding the tax net and improving accountability and transparency.

He opined, “The FIRS should concentrate on expanding the tax net and collecting more. Also, accountability and transparency should be increased.”

Ndume urged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to scrutinise commercial banks, arguing that their substantial yearly profits warrant higher tax contributions.

He stated the importance of prioritising governance reforms over tax reforms, saying that the country’s current personnel and overhead expenditure consumes a significant portion of the budget.

The senator explained that the personnel and overhead expenditure for 2024 is about 50 to 60 percent of the budget itself, lamenting that in November, 20 percent of the budget has not been implemented as the recurrent expenditure has already been exhausted.

He alleged that over 15 to 20 trillion naira is going into personnel, debt servicing and recurrent expenditure.

NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, revealed this at the weekend while speaking at a virtual conference organised by The Renewed Hope Global titled ‘Student Loan Masterclass: Why, What, and How?’

He explained that the fund is looking forward to pursuing courses that align with the country’s needs rather than giving out loans to those seeking certificates in fields with limited job opportunities to repay their loans.

His words: “At the moment, all courses are treated the same because we are providing loans for people who are already in 300 and 400 levels. We don’t want to discriminate because some of them may be about to drop out. Having said that, there is recognition that there are some courses that Nigeria as a country needs people to have.

“With no disrespect to anybody, language courses are less important to our national development than perhaps engineering or medical courses because they are more practical. And as a developing country, we do need skills and people to be educated to a level where they can develop the country.

“That is not to say that we will not fund courses, for example, where people begin to have skills that are exportable; so, people may study in Nigeria and get skills that they can use to work in other places and remit funds back to Nigeria.”

Sawyerr stated that so far, 335,000 students have benefited from the student loan initiative across 127 tertiary institutions.

The former vice president made this disclosure in a statement on Sunday, reacting to the 2025 budget proposal.

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week presented a N49.7 trillion 2025 budget to the National Assembly. The President had based the budget on key economic assumptions, including a N36.36 trillion revenue target, inflation reduction to 15.75 per cent, an exchange rate of N1,500 per dollar, oil production at 2.06 million barrels per day, a crude oil price of $70 per barrel, and a N13.39 trillion budget deficit.

Reacting to the budget, Atiku stated that it reflects a continuation of business-as-usual fiscal practices where budgets fail to impact the lives of citizens.

According to him, the 2025 budget’s ability to foster sustainable economic growth and tackle Nigeria’s deep-rooted challenges is questionable.

Atiku also criticised the budget’s reliance on N13 trillion in borrowing to fund the deficit.

“Weak Budgetary Foundations: The 2024 budget’s underperformance signals poor budget execution. By Q3 of the fiscal year, less than 35 per cent of the allocated capital expenditure for MDAs had been disbursed, despite claims of 85 per cent budget execution. This underperformance in capital spending, crucial for fostering economic transformation, raises concerns about the execution of the 2025 budget.

“Disproportionate Debt Servicing: Debt servicing, which accounts for N15.8 trillion (33 per cent of the total expenditure), is nearly equal to the planned capital expenditure (N16 trillion, or 34 per cent). Moreover, debt servicing surpasses spending on key priority sectors such as defence (N4.91 trillion), infrastructure (N4.06 trillion), education (N3.52 trillion), and health (N2.4 trillion). This imbalance will likely crowd out essential investments and perpetuate a cycle of increasing borrowing and debt accumulation, undermining fiscal stability.

“Unsustainable Government Expenditure: The government’s recurrent expenditure remains disproportionately high, with over N14 trillion (30 per cent of the budget) allocated to operating an oversized bureaucracy and supporting inefficient public enterprises. The lack of concrete steps to curb wastage and enhance the efficiency of public spending exacerbates fiscal challenges, leaving limited resources for development.

“Insufficient Capital Investment: After accounting for debt servicing and recurrent expenditure, the remaining allocation for capital spending—ranging from 25 per cent to 34 per cent of the total budget—is insufficient to address Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit and stimulate growth. This amounts to an average capital allocation of approximately N80,000 (US$45) per capita, which is insufficient to meet the demands of a nation grappling with slow growth and infrastructural underdevelopment.

“Regressive Taxation and Economic Strain: The administration’s decision to increase the VAT rate from 7.5 per cent to 10 per cent is a retrogressive measure that will exacerbate the cost-of-living crisis and impede economic growth. By imposing additional tax burdens on an already struggling populace while failing to address governance inefficiencies, the government risks stifling domestic consumption and further deepening economic hardship.

“The 2025 budget lacks the structural reforms and fiscal discipline required to address Nigeria’s multifaceted economic challenges. To enhance the budget’s credibility, the administration must prioritise the reduction of inefficiencies in government operations, tackle contract inflation, and focus on long-term fiscal sustainability rather than perpetuating unsustainable borrowing and recurrent spending patterns. A shift toward a more disciplined and growth-oriented fiscal policy is essential for the nation’s economic recovery,” he stated.

EmekaA125:
They have no population to agitate such. Besides, Igbos make 65% of SouthSouth population.

The Chairman, Abia State Council of traditional rulers, Eze Linus Nto Mba made the disclosure in an appreciation message to the Governor on Saturday.

Mba, who spoke on behalf of principal officers and entire members of the tra

ditional rulers council, said that the payment of the monthly package will commence in December, 2024.

He explained that the N250,000 monthly stipend is different from the N150,000 Christmas package which Otti recently approved for over 500 traditional rulers in Abia State.

“The Council expresses gratitude that the Governor would from this month of December 2024 begin to pay two hundred and fifty thousand Naira (N250,000 ) monthly stipend to every Eze in Abia state, except the traditional rulers in Aba South, who would receive an amount different from others,” he said.

Eze MBA said a cordial relationship is existing between the traditional institution and the Governor, adding that past administrations in the State did not accord such respect to the monarchs.

He promised that traditional rulers will continue to support the Governor in eradicating criminal elements from various communities for peace and security to reign supreme.

Dogara made this statement at a town hall meeting for Christian leaders in northern Nigeria on Friday, saying the region remained impoverished due to its leaders’ inability to invest in meaningful projects.

At the event, tagged “Church and Society: Tax Reforms and Matters Arising,” Dogara addressed issues surrounding governance and development in the country.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu is not the problem of the North, adding that the South had not come to cheat the northern people.

“We are all northerners, and it should be made clear that President Tinubu or the South is not our problem; they have not come to cheat the North.

“That is our of the question. Some are claiming that Yoruba people are getting appointments, but let’s reflect.

“We ruled this country for over 40 years when northerners were in power. What did we achieve? The North remains the same, impoverished by our own leaders,” Dogara said.

Ribadu stated this at the official inauguration of the Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAAKFC) on Thursday in Abuja.

“Within a short period of time, I can say less than two years, we are getting 80 per cent successes, but we do not talk about it,” he said.

This is despite a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that Nigerians paid a ransom of over N2.2 trillion in the year 2024. According to the report, 2.2 million Nigerians were kidnapped, while 614,937 were killed in the same year.

However, Ribadu admitted that kidnapping was the most worrisome threat in Nigeria and globally.

He said the commissioning of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAAKFC) was a significant step forward in the nation’s collective fight against one of the gravest security challenges we face: ‘kidnapping’.

“As we all know, kidnapping remains one of the most pressing security threats in Nigeria today. It has caused untold hardship for countless families, disrupted economic activities, and posed a severe threat to our national stability. This menace demands a robust, multi-agency approach, which the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell embodies.”

He charged members of the cell to leverage their knowledge and expertise to ensure Nigerians are protected and feel safe.

“The training and resources you received have prepared you for this critical task, and I expect nothing but professionalism, dedication, and innovation in your work. Embrace synergy, leverage the knowledge you have acquired, and ensure that this Cell fulfils its mission to protect our people and communities,” he added.

The National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Center Office of the National Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, said the establishment of the Multi-Agency Fusion Cell was a result of the Security Defence Partnership (SDP) Dialogue signed between the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United Kingdom in 2022 in a bid to stem the rising spate of kidnapping in the country.

Laka said that between 2022 and 2024, the United Kingdom, through the National Crime Agency (NCA), partnered with the Office of the National Security Adviser to provide capacity-building exercises as well as support to the National Counter-Terrorism Center in a bid to set up a kidnap fusion centre.

He added that the output of this partnership led to a multi-agency approach, with over 15 law enforcement agencies and stakeholders working together to fight kidnapping in Nigeria.

General Laka further said that the United Kingdom and Nigeria enjoyed a deep and long-standing security and defence relationship, underpinned by shared history, mutual trust, and shared Commonwealth principles of democratic governance and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law.

This is in addition to a shared desire to support regional and international peace and security, hence the inaugural UK-Nigeria SDP Dialogue signed by the two National Security Advisors of the two countries between January 31 and February 2, 2022.

The National Coordinator commended all the law enforcement agencies for working together to build capacity for the fusion cell, as well as the efforts in putting together Terms of Reference and Standard Operating Procedures to guide the activities of the cell.

He, however, emphasised that the fusion cell is a 24/7 coordination centre and not an operational outfit that could duplicate efforts.

While giving a background on the Security Defence Partnership, NCA Operations Manager, Chris Grimson, thanked the Nigerian government for the partnership and stressed the importance of having solutions tailored to the needs of Nigeria and implemented by Nigerians.

The fusion cell is housed in the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, and is supported by the National Crime Agency of the United Kingdom

Bede2u:
face your region bro. You guys are the one always commenting on Igbo issues. If any Igbo ever comments on Yoruba issues, it doesn't pass lagos. And that is because of the nature of lagos as a melting point of cultures. You get to have a voice in SE matter when you and your people have invested as much as igbos have invested in Lagos. Till then, face your region. Thanks

Bede2u:
water is also a problem in Nevada. In Qatar, the government converts sea water into drinking water. SE is not connected to the sea. The only way out is for Enugu to dig for ground water (which is the current ineffective method) or to look for a way to convert a river into drinking water or partner with a state that is close to a large water body.

Exceed15:
When you hear count grants bail to a person,some people thinks the person has been freed.
Some bail conditions are so difficult to meet and the accused continue to remain at detention until the requirements are met. Bello case is a hard nut to crack. Even the notable people he knows had refused to stand as sureties . Who wan loose?
Bello don dey hear am, his gragra don calm down.. Kai something must humble somebody.

Sonnobax15:

Bannies are definitely the most confused set of creatures God ever moulded...

Well,as from next year, I'll prefer to be a busy man than to be a broke man,cuz the "later" didn't favor me this year at all

Media reports indicate that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the ownership of 762 plots of land in the Maitama 1 District of Abuja, citing non-payment of statutory fees.

According to the trending reports, high-profile figures, including former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, are among those affected.

The FCTA had also issued a two-week ultimatum to 614 other individuals and organisations, demanding they settle outstanding Rights of Occupancy (R-of-O) fees or risk losing their plots.

However, debunking the reports, the former President stated he is “not the owner of the said plot of land which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.’”

In a statement issued by his media aide, Garba Shehu, and made available to The Guardian in Abuja, the former President explained that he turned down the offer by the administration when it was presented to him.

The media aide further clarified, “When he and his cabinet members were invited to fill the forms and obtain land during his tenure in office, he returned the form without filling it, saying that he already had a plot of land in the FCT and that those who did not have should be given. He, therefore, turned down the offer

“All those jumping up and down in the digital space talking about the rightfulness or the lack of it on the reported seizure of Buhari’s land in Abuja to get their facts right and stop dragging down the name of the former president.

“As with anything Buhari—and there is no surprise in this at all—there is a lot of buzz in the media on the reported seizure of a piece of land by the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, FCTA, allegedly belonging to the former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Former President Buhari is personally not the owner of the said plot of land, which is allocated in the name of a ‘Muhammadu Buhari Foundation.

“The Foundation was itself floated by some utilitarian individuals around him who, it must be said, went about it in a lawful manner with the support of a number of well-meaning persons.

“But they ran into a roadblock in the land department of the FCDA, which handed them an outrageous bill for the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, very high in cost that did not at all compare with the bills given to similar organisations.

“It may have been that this was not erroneous, but a deliberate mistake, making the revocation of the land no surprise to anyone.

“As a person, the former President has a plot of land to his name in Abuja.”

Nollywood veteran Kanayo O. Kanayo has shared a dating tip for women.

The award-winning actor advises ladies to carefully consider their priorities when choosing a partner.

He explained that if a woman can’t accept being with a financially struggling man, she may need to be prepared to date a man who is very busy and has little time to spend in a relationship.

On his Instagram page, Kanayo wrote, “The gentleman’s code: If you don’t want a man who is broke, you are going to have to put up with a busy one.”

His post elicited mixed reactions.