As notable in Nigerian politics, after the 2023 general elections, there have been defections by key opposition figures into the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Political analysts have often described this movement as realignment of interests.

The defectors, most of who hinged their decision on “irreconcilable crises” in their former parties, described the APC as the only platform committed to addressing the various challenges bedeviling the country.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that defection of politicians from one party to another has become a tradition in Nigeria’s political landscape. Pundits said those who did so had various reasons.

Daily Trust on Sunday chronicles some of the prominent politicians, who have since found a new home in the ruling party.


Prof Ahmed Rufa’i Alkali and other NNPP chieftains

Perhaps, one of the most shocking of the defections was that of Professor Ahmed Rufa’i Alkali, the former national chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). He defected from the NNPP to the APC on October 30, 2023 with many other chieftains of the party.

The NNPP chieftains who defected alongside Alkali are the Kaduna State governorship candidate, Senator Sulaiman Hunkuyi; Benue State gvernorship candidate, Prof Bem Angwe; Yobe governorship candidate, Garba Umar; ex-Gombe Commissioner for Women Affairs, Binta Bello; Gombe senatorial candidate, Abigail Albashi; Kaduna State NNPP chairman, Nuhu Audu; ex-Kaduna Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman and the immediate past secretary of the NNPP (North West), Dr Isa Shika and Kaduna senatorial candidate, Mikaih Takwat.

Others are the Kaduna NNPP secretary, Major Yahaya Shinko (retd); Kaduna zonal chairman, Usman Danbaba; former Cross River State commissioner, Godwin Ettah; Gombe House of Reps candidate, Adamu Gargajiga; Benue senatorial candidate, Isaac Idu; Benue NNPP deputy chairman, Ihyom Asongu; ex-Benue Commissioner for Information, John Tine; Gombe House of Representatives candidate, Bukar Mailafiya; and ex-Gombe Commissioner for Community Development and Poverty Alleviation, Aishatu Hashidu, among others.

The development came two days after the South East chapter of the NNPP disowned the presidential candidate and leader of the party and former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and settled for Dr Boniface Aniebonam, who founded the party 22 years ago.

The defectors were received at the APC national secretariat in Abuja by the party’s national chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Speaking during the event, Prof Alkali said, “Mr Chairman, before you today are some of the leading members of the NNPP. As Your Excellency may be aware, most of us seated here participated actively in building and strengthening the NNPP political base as a formidable political movement that enabled the party to field candidates in virtually every electable position throughout the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.

“To us, the APC is more accommodating. We are even more convinced that there is a sense of urgency to address the political, economic and social issues that confront our country in order to bring greater good to the greater number of Nigerians, especially the poor, the underprivileged, the women, the youth and other vulnerable groups in our society. And we believe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will see us through.”

Welcoming the defectors, Ganduje said, “It (NNPP) was a decent party before it was bought and polluted by the Kwankwasiyya Movement. But you have done well by retracing your steps to the right party, which is the APC. I promise to convey your congratulatory message to President Bola Tinubu and arrange for you to meet him face to face.”


Ramalan Yero

He is a former governor of Kaduna State. He joined the APC, five months after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party.

The former governor, who served the state from 2012 to 2015 on the platform of the PDP, joined the APC on February 11, 2024.

Explaining why he defected, Yero said, “Since the very day we announced our defection from the PDP, many political parties contacted us, including the ruling APC. We met and discussed since the very day we left our former party. Therefore, from today, being February 12, 2024, myself and representatives of other political associates have decided to join the APC. After our decision, we met with the state governor and had a discussion with him. We told him that we accepted to join the party based on the invitation we received.”


Senator Ifeanyi Ubah

Ubah, who represents Anambra South in the National Assembly, had in October 2023 defected from the Young Progressives Party (YPP) to the APC.

He informed the Senate of his defection in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary. Ubah explained that his decision to join the ruling party was premised on some irreconcilable differences in the YPP.

He thereafter stormed the APC national secretariat in Abuja on October 11, 2023 with his supporters and Anambra State Executive Committee members, where he was received by the party’s national chairman, Dr Ganduje and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

It was gathered that the party has put in motion, a plan to make further inroads into the South East by taking over Anambra from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2025 governorship election.

On October 6, Ganduje said President Tinubu approved a blueprint for political liberation of the South East and urged political bigwigs in the region to unite and key into it.

Addressing the gathering, Ganduje, who announced Ubah as the leader of the party in the state, said he would deliver the state to the APC in 2025.

He said, “This is the biggest fish we have caught since I became the chairman. Let’s see what is happening in the South East. With five states, three are controlled by different political parties. We have the PDP, Labour Party (LP) and APGA. The remaining two are APC states. Now, where is the sense of unity in a geopolitical zone with five states controlled by four political parties? Is this a sense of collective decision to participate in national politics? No.”

Some analysts said Senator Ubah would likely contest the party’s ticket to run against Governor Charles Soludo, who would be seeking a second term in 2025.


Salihu Tanko-Yakasai

He is a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in Kano State, but he dumped the party for the APC on August 30, 2023.

In a post on his verified X handle, Tanko-Yakasai stated that a former governor of Kano State and the current national chairman of the APC, Dr Ganduje, urged him to return to the party to help in “consolidating its gains.

The post reads, “The national chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (OFR), has requested me to return to the party and continue to give my best in consolidating the gains of the party from top to bottom, which I have gladly accepted.”

Before joining the PRP, Yakasai had worked with Ganduje but fell out with him before the elections. He has since reunited with his former boss, now serving as one of the APC national chairman’s aides.


Senator Halliru Dauda Jika

He was the Bauchi State governorship candidate of the NNPP in the 2023 election.

After he received his APC membership card at the Kafin Madaki ward in Ganjuwa Local Government Area in the state, Jika said, “All APC members in Bauchi State will now come together, harmonise and strategise, fuse together as one solid entity ahead of the 2027 polls so that we will emerge victorious in Bauchi State. My return to the APC is marking the beginning of a new dawn in the party in Bauchi State.”


27 Rivers lawmakers, others defect

Twenty-seven members of the Rivers State House of Assembly on the platform of the PDP, had in December 2023 defected to the APC following the feud between the state governor, Sim Fubara and his predecessor, who is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The lawmakers cited division within the PDP as the primary reason for their defection to the APC. The affected lawmakers are said to be loyal to Wike.

Two officials of the PDP in Benue State also defected to the APC on January 3, 2024. They are Vincent Yandev Amaabai, a national ex-officio and Mbakorlumun James Chia, the state vice chairman for Benue North-West (Zone “B”) senatorial district.

The state publicity secretary of the PDP, Bemgba Iortyom, had in a statement noted, “PDP understands that migration of politicians of a particular kind from the opposition to the ruling party has become a common feature of our politics and sees nothing unusual about this current episode of it.”

Also, on December 4, 2023, a stalwart of the PDP and former contender for the House of Representatives, Babatunde Agunbiade, officially defected to the APC in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. He defected with scores of his supporters

In his address at the rally, Agunbiade cited the country’s best interest and his supporters’ yearnings as the primary motivation for his decision to switch allegiance.

A few days ago, scores of members of the PDP and the Zenith Labour Party in Ondo State defected to the APC. The official defection took place at the APC secretariat in Akure, the state capital on Wednesday.

The defectors are a former member of the state House of Assembly, Mr Tomide Akinribido; former House of Representatives candidate of the PDP, Mr Dare Aliu; Dr Felder Olatunji, Olu Falolu, Ayodele Ikumawoyi, Pastor Olatunde Felix, Chief Pius Akinrinmola, among others.

On December 5, 2023, scores of PDP members also defected to the APC in Kwara State.

The defectors, numbering about 200, were led by a former chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area under the Governor Abdullfatah Ahmed administration, Muyiwa Oladipo (Kanu).

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu and the APC chairman in Irepodun Local Government, Abdulhafeez Yakubu, received the defectors at the local government secretariat in Omu Aran.

In an earlier interview with Daily Trust on Sunday , a renowned political analyst, Professor Kamilu Sani Fage, said it’s always an easy decision for politicians in the country to switch political parties because most of them only see the political parties as a vehicle to achieve their personal ambitions.

He said it was difficult to identify political parties based on manifestos or ideologies; hence it is easier for politicians to move freely from an opposition party to a ruling party, and vice versa. He added that because of personal goals and lack of ideology, most politicians find it difficult to remain in the opposition.

Also commenting, a professor of Political Science, Tunde Adeniran, told Daily Trust on Sunday that the quest for materialism and lack of political ideology are some of the factors responsible for defection of opposition leaders and members to the ruling party after elections.

He said, “There is the rush at different levels and by various politicians to join the ruling party because of lack of ideology.

“It ordinarily should serve as a compass to guide members of the political class and their followers.

“In its absence, the majority of politicians act without integrity, principles or values-guided direction. They are, therefore, prompted by materialism in their actions.”

Grace Obike, Abuja


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s two-day official visit to the State of Qatar will assume full gear today with the signing of seven agreements between Nigeria and the Middle East country.

The visit had begun yesterday with a visit the Nigerian president paid to the Museum in Doha, the capital city where the CEO of Qatar Museums Mohammed Saad Al Rumaihi and the Director of National Museum of Qatar, Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al Thani conducted the Nigerian leader around the facilities.

The Museum which was recently redesigned ahead of the 2022 FIFA world Cup, offers visitors access to a variety of materials used in Islamic art, including carpets and textiles, manuscripts, ceramics, wood, ivory, metalwork, stone and glass.

The President is expected to see pieces of materials dating back to the earliest Islamic period from the 20th century, spanning Spain and North Africa to the Far East.

The host is also expected to conduct his visitor to view the early Hijazi Quran fragments, the sitara of the Holy Kaaba, the Moroccan arch, a copy of al-Sufi’s treatise on the fixed stars, the Abbasid blue-and-white bowl, the Seljuq stucco panel, the Doha Hind and the post-Islamic Spanish ceiling.

The visit to the Museum is expected to herald other events that will culminate in the signing of agreements in seven areas between the Nigeria and Qatari governments today.

From the Museum, the President will visit the Qatar Foundation, which is responsible for promoting Qatar government humanitarian activities in other countries, including Nigeria.

The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, is a state-led non-profit organisation in Qatar.

The institution, which was founded in 1995 by the then Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and his second wife Moza bint Nasser Al-Missne, has been linked to development of schools, houses and health facilities in several countries, including Nigeria.

The Foundation helped Nigeria with infrastructures including schools, residential houses and health facilities in states ravaged by insecurity.


Earlier on Friday night, President Tinubu had met with key ministers and top officials of the Qatari government.

At the meeting were some key Nigerian government officials on the President’s entourage, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; the Minister of Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite; the Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Ibrahim and the Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister of Social Welfare, Ali Pate.

FG has identified locations with Lithium in commercial quantity —Alake

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, said the Federal Government (FG) has identified locations where Lithium occurs in commercial quantities in the country.

He said comprehensive data on the pattern and quantity of energy mineral Lithium are available at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency for businesses interested in establishing lithium companies in Nigeria.

Special Adviser to the Minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan, made this known in a statement.

He said Alake made this disclosure in Doha, Qatar on Saturday at a meeting with Qatari businessmen on the sidelines of the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Arab country.

He stated: “Comprehensive data on the pattern and quantity of energy mineral Lithium are available at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency for businesses interested in establishing lithium companies in Nigeria.

“Responding to enquiries on the quality of Nigerian lithium by Qatari business mogul Sheikh Shahid Jawad, at the meeting held at the prestigious Sheraton Doha, Alake said mineral exploration initiated by the Federal Government has identified locations where lithium is available in commercial quantities and in high grades.

“To buttress the disclosure, Alake recalled that on a visit to Australia, he was presented with samples of rock composites from Nigeria with high grade lithium content confirmed by laboratory analysis.

“He said it showed that the quality of Nigerian lithium has been recognised by the global mining sector.

“Encouraging Qatari businessmen to visit the country and witness the immense opportunities in mining, Alake said the Nigerian government has put in place generous, investor- friendly policies to facilitate business.

“Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of Solid Minerals Development Fund, Mrs Fatimah Shinkafi, urged investors to explore opportunities in mining infrastructures.

“Giving the example of Vale, a mining company in Brazil that invested in trains to ease the transportation of minerals from the mines to the processing towns, Shinkafi said while the government will continue to provide transportation facilities to the mines, mining companies that recognise the significance of transportation to their future cost control will invest wisely by supplementing government’s efforts.

“Also giving the minister the update of its activities in the mining sector, the vice- chairman of the Qatar- Nigerian Chamber of Business, Muhammed Santuraki, said the chamber was formed in 2017 to build business relations between both countries.

“Recalling a recent visit to a gold mine in Nasarawa State, Santuraki observed the existence of good roads for the haulage of minerals to the ports.

“Other businessmen at the top- level meeting were Sheikh El Jouneid, Chief Executive Officer, ETCC Qatar and Aminu Dahiru, Chairman, Asdub Oil & Gas.”

Godwin Emefiele, immediate-past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has demanded the sum of N25 billion as damages from Senate President Godswill Akpabio over an alleged defamatory remark.

On Sunday, Akpabio said the allegations against Emefiele are so numerous that the federal government does not know which charges to pin on him.

The senate president also blamed the economic hardship in the country on the policies of the former CBN governor. Akpabio and childish talk are just inseparable..

In the letter dated February 19 and seen by TheCable on Wednesday, Matthew Burkaa, counsel to Emefiele, said if Akpabio fails to pay the aforementioned sum and tender an apology, the ex-CBN governor would seek “appropriate redress”.

President Bola Tinubu says his administration is making efforts to raise at least $10 billion to increase foreign exchange (FX) liquidity, stabilise the naira and grow the economy.

Tinubu made this known at the inauguration of the public wealth management conference organised by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said there was a need to identify, consolidate and maximise returns on government-owned assets worth trillions of naira.

Represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu also said there are plans to create millions of jobs by unlocking the value of Nigeria’s vast public assets.

“The federal government set a goal to raise at least $10 billion in order to increase foreign exchange liquidity, a key ingredient to stabilise the naira and grow the economy,” he said.

“At the core of this is ensuring optimal management of the assets and investments of the Federal Government towards unlocking their revenue potential.

“This includes our bold and achievable plan to double the GDP growth rate and significantly increase the GDP base over the next 8 years.”

Tinubu, however, revealed that decades of mismanagement and underutilisation have plagued the country’s assets, spread across Nigeria and outside its borders, leading to revenue losses that have hindered economic growth.

He assured that “the newly restructured Ministry of Finance Incorporated, which is to act as custodian and active manager of these assets, will now take the centre stage.”

The president also said transparency and accountability are key principles, believing improved corporate governance, innovative partnerships and attracting alternative investment capital would significantly increase returns.

“These improved returns will then be directed towards crucial funding for education, healthcare, housing, power, roads and other areas vital to lifting millions out of poverty,” Tinubu said.

“And stimulating sustainable economic development and job creation for the youths.”

By efficiently managing public resources, Tinubu said the government aimed to build a more equitable society and unlock the full potential of its citizens.

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders, including ministries, development financial institutions and the public and private sector players, to partner with MOFI to optimise the strategic assets.

Tinubu expressed hope that the collaborative effort would unlock Nigeria’s full potential and create a brighter future for all citizens.

On his part, Shamsudeen Usman, MOFI board chairman, said the asset manager would play a more active role in the management of assets under its purview.

He told operators of the assets to see MOFI as partners rather than competitors or regulators.

The chairman said the management was committed to high-level corporate governance.

Usman also said the company had integrated a non-conflict of interest policy to guard against practices that undermine professionalism among members of staff.

President Bola Tinubu has directed immediate settlement of outstanding electricity bill due to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s directive followed the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and AEDC.

The AEDC on Monday, in an advertorial, published in a number of national dailies, mentioned the Presidential Villa one of the debtors on its list of 86 defaulters, claiming a whooping N923,873 million.

The Statement, however, faulted the almost N1 billion claim by AEDC, saying the Villa’s outstanding bill stands at N342, 352, 217.46.

“Contrary to the AEDC’s initial claim of N923million debt in paid advertorial in newspapers, the State House outstanding bill is N342, 352, 217.46, according to a letter by the management of AEDC to the State House Permanent Secretary dated February 14, 2024.

“Having reconciled the position to the satisfaction of both parties, the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has given assurance that the debt will be paid to AEDC before the end of this week.

“Following the example of the Presidency, Chief of Staff also urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with AEDC and pay their electricity bills,” the statement reads.

Dollar sales by Deposit Money Banks and other entities at the Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market dropped by $252m to $84.1m on Friday.

This represents a 74 percent drop from the $331.1m transactions recorded at the official Nigeria Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the naira depreciated to N1,537/$ on Friday from N1,498/$ recorded at the close of trading activity on Thursday at the official market.

Analysis of data obtained from FMDQ Security Exchange showed that forex turnover plunged by 74 percent to $84.10m on Friday from $336.11m on Thursday. However, aside from commercial banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria, oil firms and multinationals also sell dollars at NAFEM.

At the parallel market, on Friday, the naira also depreciated to N1,670/$ from N1,600/$ recorded on Thursday amid a demand with a steady demand for the greenback.

Further analysis for the week ending showed that the supply started on a low at $116.11m on Monday; it increased by $292.3m to $381.92m on Tuesday but dropped to $117.87m on Wednesday. On Thursday, the supply increased to $336.11m.

Market experts hinted that the naira depreciation followed a strong demand for dollars by speculators as well as individuals travelling for business, tourism, education and health.

According to currency dealers, the demand for the greenback may not end anytime soon.

The FMDQ report indicated that the banks led others to sell $1.97bn in the first week of the CBN circular which had mandated banks not to exceed a new threshold in their FX prudential guidelines.

In a series of guidelines, the CBN had ordered Deposit Money Banks to sell their excess dollar stock. It also warned lenders against hoarding excess foreign currencies for profit.

On Thursday, the apex bank released another set of guidelines that stopped banks from paying Personal Travel Allowance to their customers.

In a second circular signed by its Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Hassan Mahmud, it also asked International Oil Companies not to repatriate all their revenue to their parent companies at once. The apex banks also, in the third circular, reviewed its guidelines to stop under-invoicing of exports and over-invoicing of imports.

Nevertheless, despite the Central Bank’s efforts to boost forex supply through various policy interventions, challenges persist in the forex market.

The gap between the rates in the official market and the parallel market is once again widening, raising concerns about the potential resurgence of round-tripping activities.

In response to the circular, banking institutions and IMTOs have begun the implementation, carrying out operational adjustments to accommodate the revised remittance framework by issuing notices to their customers.

A showdown is imminent at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged plans by members of the dissolved board to return to office.

President Bola Tinubu had on June 19, 2023 dissolved boards of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including the ICPC.

However, TheCable understands that members of the dissolved board have insisted that the ICPC was not affected by the presidential directive and are set to resume duties on February 19.

Insiders said the affected board members have continued to lobby the presidency through the office of the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) and that of the vice-president that the ICPC board should be excluded from those dissolved.

“Since 19, 2023, the staff of the commission have continued to be notified every week that they are resuming back to the commission the following week,” a source told TheCable.

“A letter purported from the office of SGF was dropped by a representative of the board members last week asking them to return back to the commission to complete their terms of office.

“Since the letter was dropped at the commission, the chairman has been under intense pressure to stop the board members from resuming work on Monday, February 19.”

Another insider informed TheCable that Aliyu Musa, chairman of the commission, has also been seeking to confirm if the board members were resuming as claimed.

“The chairman has been running around from the SGF office to the attorney-general and the chief of staff to the president to confirm the resumption of the board members,” the source said.

“The chairman prefers the board members to come in as ad-hoc board members on part-time and not full-time.

“The 12 board members are also insisting on resuming on Monday and have made demands which included the payment of their eight months salary arrears (the period they were suspended).

“Each board member earns over N2 million monthly. This implies over N24 million monthly for the period they were dissolved.

“And in eight months, the total salaries of these 12 board members is over N192 million.

“Some of the board members have also demanded the return of the cars allocated to them which were collected when the board was dissolved.

“The main issue is that the salaries of the 12 board members have not been factored into the 2024 budget of the ICPC as the board was dissolved during the preparation and defence of the budget.”

Azuka Ogugua, spokesperson of the ICPC, is yet to respond to enquiries by TheCable.

In 2000, when the commission was created by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, there were six full-time board members but ex-President Muhammadu Buhari increased the number to 12.

“Buhari made them 12 board members and is draining resources, and we have plenty of things to do with resources,” an official of the commission, who did not want to be named, said.

Bandits have reportedly killed no fewer than nine persons in Kwasam community, Kauru LGA and Gwada community in Igabi LGA of Kaduna State.

The bandits also reportedly abducted 35 others, including a retired Director of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), his brother and the brother’s wife.

They were said to have also injured nine people during the attack in the two LGAs.

The retired CBN Director was identified as Zakariya Markus

The breakdown showed that six persons were killed, five abducted and two injured in Kauru LGA while three persons were killed, seven injured, and 30 others kidnapped in Igabi LGA of the State.

According to sources, the incident occurred penultimate Friday around 10pm when bandits invaded the community.

Sources said the bandits picked two people who, at gun point, led them to the residence of the retired CBN staff and abducted him.

“Banidits moved to his family house, abducted his brother and the brother’s wife. Residents rushed out in an attempt to rescue victims but the bandits fired at them killing six, injuring two.

“Those killed, include Danmasani Gwaska, Mrs. Giwa John, Kapishi Barmu, Ganya Ubangida, Shigama Salisu and Gani Magawata.

“Those kidnapped include Mr. Zakariya Markus (retired CBN director), Mr. Monday Markus (Younger brother to the retired CBN staff), Mrs. Monday Markus (wife of Monday), Mr. Alhamdu Makeri’s son and Baban Fati of Kauru.”

Kaduna Governor Uba Sani has appealed for aggressive military operations against bandits across the State following the attacks.

The Governor sent his condolences to the families that lost their loved ones in Igabi and Kauru LGAs.

He spoke through the Overseeing Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, at Gwada and Kerawa villages in Igabi LGA, during an on-the-spot assessment of the security situation in the area, in the company of the Garrison Commander, One Division Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Muhammad Kana, other military commanders and security forces working.

He said: “We are here on behalf of Governor Uba Sani to first of all condole with you over the lives lost in Kerawa and Sabon Birni Wards in Igabi LGA and also Kwassam, Kurera and Kan Makama communities in Kauru LGA.

“May Almighty God grant the deceased eternal rest, and grant a speedy recovery to the injured.

“I want to assure you that we are also here for an assessment of the security situation and as you can see, troops are presently carrying out operations in these locations, to which you have attested. The Governor of Kaduna State is not relenting in his efforts, and he is also working towards sustained aggressive military operations in the frontline locations and emerging fronts like Kauru LGA.”

The most wanted suspected kidnapper in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Dahiru Adamu, has been arrested.

The development comes barely three days after the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, placed a N20 million bounty on him and one Abu Ibrahim.

The two terrorists are said to be causing mayhem in the nation’s capital, kidnapping and killing unsuspecting citizens.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest to DAILY POST on Friday.

The PPRO said the suspect was arrested when operatives of the Command raided two kidnappers’ camps bordering Nasarawa and the FCT, via Kuje Area Council, on Thursday.

The suspected kidnapper was said to be the leader of the kidnapping syndicate paraded by the Police Command on Wednesday.

By Henry Umoru


FRESH facts are emerging from Tuesday’s closed session between the Senate and leadership of the nation’s security apparatus.

This is just as the security chiefs led by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, gave the Senators the achievements made so far by security agencies.

A very ranking Senator who was at the closed door session that lasted nine hours on Tuesday, told Journalists yesterday that though the lawmakers went into the meeting with a lot of misgivings and apprehension, the security chiefs allayed their fears and earned the confidence of the lawmakers.

The NSA, ministers and security chiefs took turns to give the lawmakers vivid accounts of their exploits and how they have averted major terrorist attack since President Bola Tinub took over in May last year.

The Senator who noted that Ribadu gave the lead presentation by taking them through different components of the security challenges, explaining how they met the situation and the changes so far, however spoke about how wanton violence has significantly gone down thus pushing down number of casualties from attacks by armed groups.

The NSA was said to have told the lawmakers that Boko Haram and ISWAP now resort to planting IEDs showing that they were regressing from their comfort zones, which he attributed the success in the fight against the Boko Haram to the gallantry of troops and the hard work of the Borno State Government.

According to the Senator, Ribadu who also told the lawmakers that 20 gunrunning networks were smashed and over 5,000 military grade weapons were seized and destroyed by government agencies, also disclosed to them that sporadic incidences of kidnapping being reported in most parts of the country were pointers that security kidnapping and banditry have now evolved into economic crimes substituting armed robbery as an easy means of making money through criminal means.

The NSA said that the country was today witnessing significant increase in oil production and ralative peace in the South-East region, which was hitherto bedevilled by activities of gunmen, due to concerted military and non-military steps,

The Senator said, “The Chief of Air Staff also gave an excellent account of how the air component of the war complements the work of troops on ground. He mentioned how they killed two key leaders of bandits Ali Kacalla and Yellow Janburos and how that has helped to halt interstate movement of bandits and logistics especially around Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States.”

The ranking lawmaker who recalled the Inspector General of Police also spoke about routing out criminals in the suburbans of Abuja and how his men have checkmated activities of one-chance criminals in the capital city.

Despite the satisfaction expressed by most lawmakers who spoke at the session, others pointed areas of operational lapses that deserve attention and urged the service chiefs to ensure harmony and cooperation for maximum success.

The lawmakers also tasked the minister of finance to prioritise release of funds to security establishments.

It would be recalled that at end of the marathon session on Tuesday, the Senate leadership expressed confidence in the leadership of the security sector and applauded their effort in addressing the security concerns.

One of the 12 All Progressives Congress governorship aspirants in Edo State, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, on Thursday, announced his withdrawal from the race.

Agbonayinma, a former member of the House of Representatives, announced his withdrawal from the governorship race following the news of his son’s death.

Agbonayinma’s 23-year-old son, Osazuwa Agbonayinma, was said to have been killed by a gunman in Houston, Texas, USA.

It would be recalled that Agbonayinma was the first aspirant to officially inform the leadership of the APC that he would be contesting the election when he visited the state secretariat in October 2023.

Addressing his supporters and members of the party in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area on Thursday, Agbonanyinma thanked his supporters and urged them to stay united and back whoever emerges at the party’s flagbearer in Saturday’s primary election.

He said, “Over a year ago, I decided to give serious consideration to the calls from well-meaning Edolites at home, and in the Diaspora, on the dire need to change the political narrative in Edo State, while expressing confidence in my ability to champion the cause of moving Edo State forward.

“So, I began consultations with my family, friends, close allies, leaders of our great party, traditional rulers, religious leaders, opinion leaders, and media influencers across Edo State and the nation on my interest to contest in the 2024 Edo governorship race.

“To the glory of God, the positive reception has been overwhelming. I am eternally grateful for the individual and collective efforts for this success.

“At the height of this success, my family suffered a very tragic development. My 23-year-old and very promising son, Osazuwa Michael Agbonayinma (Zuwa), was fatally shot and killed in Houston, Texas, USA. I have just returned from the United States after my son was buried. This is a very bitter experience that cannot be wished even upon an enemy.

“Presently, my family and I are highly devastated. And I am not in the right frame of mind to continue any serious political campaign at this time. After due consultations and consideration, I am suspending my gubernatorial campaign at this time. We need some quiet time to grieve and heal.”

He thanked his supporters for their “overwhelming moral, financial, and spiritual support in my journey so far.”

Agbonayinma expressed the hope that the Edo APC governorship primary holding this Saturday will offer aspirants “a level playing field, where every aspirant is accorded a free, fair and equal chance and opportunity to participate in the APC governorship primary.”

“As a loyal party man, I call on all leaders and supporters of our great party, APC, to fall behind the party flag-bearer that would eventually emerge from a free, fair and credible process such that APC will go into the governorship election as a united party,” he said.

With Agbonayinma out, 11 aspirants are left to slug it out in the Saturday governorship APC primary of the Edo APC.

They are Clem Agba, Monday Okpebholo, Lucky Imasuen, Anamero Dekeri, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Gideon Ikhine Col David Imuse (retd), Gen Charles Airhiavbere, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, Blessing Agbomhere, Dennis Idahosa and Ernest Umakhihe.

The House of Representatives has resolved to stop sports betting in the country and urged the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) to comply with the Lottery Regulatory Commission Act, 2005.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Kelechi Nwogu (PDP-Rivers) at plenary in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had earlier reported that approximately 60 million Nigerians aged between 18 and 40 engage in sports betting.

According to him, weak or neglected regulations of sports betting have given rise to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.

Nwogu added that it had also led to strain or broken relationships due to lying or stealing from friends and family, financial problems, legal issues, and job loss due to excessive loss or debt.

“Betting has given rise to an increased crime rate and eventual suicide,” he said.

He harped on the need for campaigns to prevent the negative social impact of lottery and underage participation.

Adopting the motion, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to conduct a comprehensive nationwide campaign to raise public awareness about the negative impact of youth participation in sports betting.

The House also mandated the Committee on Inter-governmental Affairs to conduct a public hearing on the dangerous effects of sports betting in Nigeria.

It urged the committee to report back to it within four weeks for further legislative action.

NAN reports that data from the National Lottery Trust Fund (NLTF) has revealed that over 65 million Nigerians actively engage in betting, spending an average of 15 dollars daily.

NAN reports that Nigerians spend an estimated 975 million dollars daily on online sports betting, which amounts to about 356 billion dollars annually. (NAN)

The federal government, on Wednesday, announced that it is making efforts to modify farmers’ databases to get rid of “political farmers” as it plans to kick off the second phase of dry season farming.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in a maiden press briefing organised by the Minister of Information and National Orientation to regain public confidence.

According to him, only genuine farmers will benefit from government-subsidised interventions.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Bola Tinubu administration earlier announced that a lot of agricultural policies meant for farmers were enjoyed by ‘political farmers’: persons linked to politicians but who were not real farmers.

Last year, the ministry launched the first phase of dry season farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) project. The first phase focused on 15 wheat-growing states.


I50,000 hectares of rice to be cultivated in second phase

Mr Kyari said following a key evaluation of the first phase of dry season farming, measures have been taken to ensure the success of the subsequent phase.

He said 150,000 hectares of rice would be cultivated during the second phase, noting that 300,000 genuine farmers are targeted for this. The farmers, he said, would benefit from the government’s subsidised interventions such as fertilisers, herbicides and micronutrients among others.

According to him, the farmers would get three bags of these agro-inputs for free after purchasing half bags.

In addition, he said, 30,000 hectares of maize would be cultivated across the 36 states of the federation. The minister expressed optimism, noting that some state governors have shown interest in the scheme.

Mr Kyari also clarified that 42,000 metric tonnes of grains earmarked for distribution to vulnerable households would be at no cost.

“The 42,000 metric tonnes of food from the national food reserves is free,” he clarified. “We’re trying to crash down the prices of food and make it available.”

“So these 42,000 metric tonnes of food will be given to the needy free of charge. It would go directly to the needy at no cost at all.

“We’ve met with the DSS and NEMA to give us the index. This is to gather intelligence on where it is needed the most, and we are going to look at those indices,” Mr Kyari added.


Idris unveils five-pillar agenda to regain public confidence

In his remarks, the information minister, Muhammed Idris, said his ministry has developed a five-pillar agenda in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision.

Mr Idris said the agenda is targeted at restoring trust, amplifying policies and programmes, reorienting national values, modernizing technology and talent, and creating an enabling environment for the media.

“The Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) that we are kicking off today, are in line with our ‘Restore Trust’ and ‘Amplify Policies and Programmes’ pillars. This is a chance for you, the distinguished members of the press, to engage with senior officials of the federal government, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria,” the minister told journalists.

“You will hear first-hand about what the federal government is doing, policies, programmes, targets and objectives, and you will be able to ask questions and receive relevant clarifications. We have also made efforts to ensure that this Briefing Series receives the widest possible coverage, through traditional and digital platforms,” the minister explained.

Mr Idris said the ministry is “determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and international community, deploying all available platforms and media.”

He noted that the press briefing will subsequently feature other ministers who will be brought before the press to highlight the government’s efforts in stabilising the country.

The leadership of the organised labour has maintained that major actions it is planning to carry out after a 14-day ultimatum it gave expired would go on as planned if the federal government does not resolve all the issues it raised.

This is just the federal government, begging the two labour centres to withdraw their notice of strike issued last week Thursday over what it described as non-implementation of 16-point agreement it reached during October last year negotiation meeting.

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, who made this plea at a meeting with the two leaderships of both Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), promised again that the government would resume payment of N35,000 wage award to workers.

Daily Trust reports that the federal government has only paid N35,000 wage award to workers twice since September 2023 when the payment was initiated as agreed by both parties – the development many workers had described as “unfair”.

Speaking before the meeting went into a closed-door, Onyejeocha explained that the government had stepped up efforts to complete the implementation of those agreements, adding that she convened the meeting in order to brief the two Labour centres on the progress of the implementation.

“It is true we entered into an agreement, but the government has shown good faith, and considering the urgency of the issue at hand, I called this meeting because dialogue has always been the best way out, and we are all for the well-being of our people.

“I am here to show good cause on why some agreement has not been met,” the minister told the gathering led by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero and his counterpart from TUC, Festus Osifo at the headquarters of ministry of Labour and Employment.

She noted that while the reaction of the labour organisations was not unwarranted in the face of government’s non-completion of the agreement, bearing in mind that some items in the agreement could only be achieved in stages.

She assured them of President Bola’s sincerity of purpose and unflinching dedication to the implementation of that agreement, adding that he would leave no stone unturned to satisfy the demands of the labour organisations.

But the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, enjoined the Federal Government to be committed to beating the deadline of the 14-day ultimatum, which started on 9th February 2024, by ensuring the implementation of that agreement.

Ajaero, who declared that the organised labour had resolved to stand by their ultimatum, and that every party to the agreement should endeavour to live up to expectation for the interest of Nigerians and the government, stressed that the Congress would always fulfil its part of the bargain, so long as the federal government would do same.

Nigeria lost of its brightest minds in the banking and financial sector on Friday when the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings died in a helicopter crash in California United States.

Wigwe was in a chopper with his wife, son and three other passengers, including former Nigeria Stock Exchange chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, when the incident happened.

They were reportedly heading for Las Vegas to watch the Super Bowl, the annual league championship game of the National Football League (NFL) of the United States.

Here are some notable Nigerians who have died in plane and helicopter crashes.


Patrick Yakowa

The former Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, died in a naval helicopter that crashed and burst into flames in the forest of Okoroba, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, shortly after take-off. Yakowa was a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012.


Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Abubakar III

The 19th Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Maccido Abubakar III, also died in a plane crash on ADC Airlines Flight 53 on October 29, 2006, while returning to Sokoto after meeting with President Olusegun Obasanjo. Maccido died along with his son, Badamasi Maccido and both were buried in Sokoto.


Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, lost his life in the ill-fated aircraft that killed 11 military officers on board, on May 21, 2021.

The aircraft crashed near Kaduna International Airport while the military officers were on their way to the passing out parade of regular recruits slated for the next day.


General Andrew Owoye Azazi

Former National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Owoye Azazi, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, also died in a crash alongside the late Governor Yakowa in December 2012. He was Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of Nigeria, and Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo North Senatorial District and two-time governor of Edo State, has demonstrated a penchant for blaming Nigeria’s woes on the previous administration or leader at every point in time.

Barely after two months former President Goodluck Jonathan handed over government to the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, the country was plunged into economic crisis. Oshiomhole, then as sitting Edo governor, without mincing words blamed the challenges on what he labelled “recklessness” of Jonathan’s government.

Featuring on Sunrise Daily, a breakfast programme on Channels Television, in July 2015, Oshiomhole had said, “The crisis we have at the moment is not a flash; it’s going to be here for some time. I feel what has happened is that at the peak of the oil boom, prices were high and people made projections and budgets were drawn up on the basis of those numbers and along the line there was a sharp drop.

“So, if the federal government had been stopped from borrowing, the federal government would have defaulted much earlier than the states and the number of months that the federal government would have been worse than the worst state in the federation. The federal government allowed itself to borrow recklessly, quite reckless in the sense that no serious manager goes month after month to borrow for the payment of salaries.”

He added that revelations of the excesses of Jonathan’s administration have been coming into the fore, noting that Buhari had made practical efforts to correct his predecessor’s anomalies.

Oshiomhole not only attacked Jonathan, but he also called for the heads of some of his appointees.

At some point, the former labour leader alleged that Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, immediate past minister of finance, expended $1 billion on the re-election bid of Jonathan.

Oshiomhole, in blistering attacks on the former minister, described her as a “pathological liar”, re-emphasising the point of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that revelations of the rot of Jonathan’s government would be released in the coming weeks.

“You will soon begin to hear when all the numbers are published,” he said.


After Jonathan Comes Buhari

The former Governor now Senator has again latched on to the current growing hardship in the country and passed the blame on Buhari, who left the government about eight months ago.

Many Nigerians and most especially experts have criticised some of the policies introduced by the President Bola Tinubu-led government that have led to hardship, especially the removal of petrol subsidy, which tripled the pump price of fuel.

But Oshiomhole said President Tinubu should not be held responsible for the right or wrong decisions taken by the previous administration.

Speaking during an interview on Channels TV, Oshiomhole specifically said he always places national interest above partisan interests.

The senator said he criticized Buhari’s government for some of its policies. Oshiomhole was removed as the national chairman of APC in 2020 under the watch of Buhari.

“My first loyalty is to Nigeria. At some point, before the last president left office, I lamented loudly what I saw as reckless policies that were designed to dehumanize the population that was already in pain.

“I felt that it is not what the then president promised. I dissociated myself from those policies and I’m happy that I was not the only one.

“There were governors who approached the court to denounce some of those policies. It is the long term consequences of those policies that we are still grappling with now,” he said.

biographyinsigh:
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https://biographyinsight.com.ng/challenges-of-n100000-minimum-wage/

Justina Asishana, Minna


A 20-year-old girl, Aisha Aliyu, who got married in December 2023, has allegedly killed her husband, Idris Ahmadu in the Nasarawa community in the Lapai local government area of Niger State.

Aisha was said to have stabbed the husband in his chest and slit his throat.

According to witnesses, the bride disagreed on Sunday evening with her husband and was seen to have resolved their disagreement.

Neighbours said they heard screams of Idris in the middle of the night and ran into the house with his mother, meeting him trying to leave the room while holding his neck before he fell and died.

The wife was said to have fled from the scene before others came into the house.

The Niger Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident saying that effort was on to arrest the fleeing suspect.

“Today 12/02/2024 (Monday), at about 1200hrs, information was received that in the early hours, one Idris Ahmadu of Nasarawa village, via Lapai was stabbed to death by his wife, Aisha Aliyu 19/20 years of the same address.

“Before the arrival of the police at the scene, the suspect had fled to an unknown destination, while effort is being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect. The case under investigation please,” he said.

The State Security Service, SSS, has quizzed a prominent Zaria-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Auwal Shariff, for criticizing the administration of President Bola Tinubu over economic hardship in the country.

DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that the cleric, who is a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu, was quizzed on Friday and released the same day.

In one of the videos of his sermons obtained by our correspondent, Mr Shariff had likened the power transition between former President Muhammadu Buhari and Mr Tinubu to that of Pharaoh and Haman.

He also lambasted the president for the hasty decision to remove petrol subsidy.

“Tinubu and Buhari are like Pharaoh and Haman; there is no difference between them. If not for Tinubu’s lack of respect and dignity for Nigerians, how can you announce the removal of subsidy in your inaugural speech?

“After announcing the removal on the inauguration stage, the petrol price jumped from around N200 to over N600 before the president left the venue.

“And people just laughed it off, as though nothing happened. What kind of people are we?

“Ideally, he should have consulted his economic team before making such a hasty decision; even the military, which rules by decree, don’t make that kind of pronouncement,” Mr Sharif said.

An insider source told DAILY NIGERIAN that the cleric was quizzed for some hours before he was asked to go home.

“Some operatives of the SSS stormed the residence of Malam on Friday before Jumuat prayers, but he wasn’t at home.

“They came back again after the Jumuat prayer, but could not meet him. So they left behind a letter and a phone number for him to call.

“Upon his arrival from the mosque, Malam reached out to them, confirming the receipt of their letter.

“He offered to go to their office immediately, but we advised him against it. Even the SSS asked him to wait until Monday, but he insisted on going to know the reason for the invitation, and prove his innocence.

“He went and had a discussion with them, and after hours of grilling, he was allowed to go home.

“From what we gathered, the order to arrest Malam was from Abuja, but somehow the matter was handled by the Kaduna State Command,” he said.

The source said the secret police expressed security concern about some of his sermons and the kind of engagement they received from people of all faith.

“He was advised to be less critical due to the fragile nature of the polity,” the source added.

The source said his ordeal might not be unconnected to his recent criticisms of the economic hardship and some top politicians in the country.

When contacted, the SSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, didn’t respond to an SMS sent to his known phone number as at the time of filing this report.

Several bandits, two soldiers and a mobile police officer were killed on Monday during a fight that ensued after the outlaws attacked a security camp in Zamfara State.

The terrorists had attacked security personnel stationed at the Government Day Secondary School, Dauran in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.

Multiple sources from Dauran and Zurmi towns told PREMIUM TIMES that the attack, which began around 9:30 a.m., was launched by the terrorists to avenge the arrest of one of them by the soldiers on Sunday after being identified by locals.

“Some residents who were once kidnapped spotted a bandit in the market on Sunday and alerted the soldiers that were stationed in the community. The soldiers came and arrested the suspect and took him away,” a community leader in Dauran, who asked not to be named for security reasons, told PREMIUM TIMES Monday evening. “That was what caused the attack.”

Two groups of terrorists were said to have stormed the camp, a government secondary school now being used by the soldiers.

“Most of the soldiers were inside the classrooms that now serve as their rooms when they started hearing gunshots,” a youth leader in Zurmi, Abubakar (surname withheld), said. “The two soldiers killed and the mobile policeman were the ones on duty outside so they fired back. They exchanged fire for some time before the other soldiers joined.”

He said several terrorists were killed by the soldiers but only two bodies were recovered as the bandits retrieved and withdrew with the others.

“Terrorists don’t leave behind dead bodies of their friends. They try as much as possible to take away all dead bodies. Yesterday, they left behind two dead bodies and went away with others. Several of them also got bullet wounds. I believe if the soldiers had more numbers, they would have killed all the terrorists,” Mr Abubakar said.

Another resident of Dauran, Ahmad Muhammad, told PREMIUM TIMES over the phone that the terrorists entered through Marakkai forest.

“The soldiers are trying but they are not enough honestly. We are happy that there are soldiers and mobile policemen here but they need to bring more security agents,” he said.

He said even before the attack on Monday, the terrorists abducted a local trader, Shafiu Musa, his wife and a friend.

Ibrahim Yahaya, the spokesperson for Operation Hadarin Daji, 1 Bridge Nigerian Army in Zamfara State, and the police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, did not respond to calls and SMS sent to them by this reporter over the attack.

Most of the communities in local government areas sharing a border with the Niger Republic like Zurmi (Zamfara), Jibia and Batsari (Katsina), Gada, Sabon Birni and Isa (Sokoto) have in recent weeks witnessed the resurgence of terrorist activities.

US President Joe Biden confused his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron with France’s long-dead former leader Francois Mitterrand, in a campaign speech shared on social media.

Addressing a campaign event in Las Vegas on Sunday, the 81-year-old US leader included an anecdote about Macron’s reaction to a speech at a G7 meeting in 2020.

“And Mitterrand from Germany — I mean, from France — looked at me and said, ‘You know, what — why — how long you back for?'” Biden said.

A later White House transcript inserted the correct name, Macron, in brackets.

Mitterrand was French president from 1981 to 1995, and died in 1996.

Video of the mix-up has been widely viewed and shared on social media, and shared hundreds of times.

Biden has made similar public mistakes in the past, notably in September 2022 when he called on a deceased congresswoman at a conference she helped organize.

“Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie? I think she was going to be here,” he said, referring to Indiana representative Jackie Walorski, who had died a month earlier.

And in April last year, a White House transcript corrected Biden when he confused New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team with the Black and Tans, a British military force notorious for its involvement in the Irish War of Independence.

The transcript of his speech, given in a pub in Ireland, crossed out “Black and Tans” and inserted “All Blacks”.

Biden’s predecessor and probable opponent in the November presidential election, Donald Trump, made a similar gaffe last month, confusing his party rival Nikki Haley with former House speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Biden, Trump come under age scrutiny
Trump, 77, had falsely said Haley was in charge of security during the violent assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, prompting her to question his mental fitness during a campaign speech.

Following Trump’s gaffe, Biden also took the opportunity to make a dig at his potential presidential rival.

“I don’t agree with Nikki Haley on everything, but we agree on this much: She is not Nancy Pelosi,” he had written in a post.

A Nigerian soldier stationed in Maiduguri, Borno State who expressed his frustration at being unable to visit his family due to the transport fare has been detained by the army, military sources told SaharaReporters.

The soldier had in a trending video lamented how he spent one year in the bush in Borno and was given a pass to visit his family but could not go because of his N50,000 salary.

He said he was told at the motor park that the transport fare to his town was N35,000, meaning that the trip would cost him N70,000 to and fro.

Speaking in pidgin English, the soldier said, "See wahala oo, the Nigerian Army gave me a pass as I spent one year in Maiduguri today, they gave me a pass to go and see my family.

"As I left the bush, I reached the park and they (transporters) told me that from here to my town is N35,000. I calculated it and going and coming back is N70,000 and N50,000 is my salary that I was paid this month.

“I don't have any option again; I'm going back to the bush.”

Multiple sources on Tuesday told SaharaReporters that the soldier had been locked up in the ‘guardroom’ for days over the video, considered embarrassing by the army authorities.

“Our colleague who complained about the transport fare more than his salary has been locked up in the guardroom,” one of the sources said.

SaharaReporters had reported how the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, said that soldiers and military officers earn less than N50,000 as monthly salaries while Generals and soldiers on operations get N1,200 for feeding daily.

The CDS disclosed this during an interview where he said that Nigerian soldiers and military officers were doing well and therefore should be paid salaries that were worth the jobs to encourage them to do more.

SaharaReporters has done several reports on soldiers lamenting poor feeding, poor salaries, poor medical treatment and poor welfare packages in general despite abandoning their families, putting their lives on the line with massive promises by the Nigerian government.

On December 11, SaharaReporters reported how troops attached to 145 Taskforce Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Damasak, Borno State for Operation Hadi Kai lamented the alleged misuse of power against their rights by their Commanding Officer.

The soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity over fear of victimization also lamented acute hunger.

The soldiers who lamented that they were not being properly fed, called for the immediate intervention of President Bola Tinubu and military chiefs to address the issue of poor treatment of soldiers on the front lines, sacrificing their lives daily.

Apart from not being given good food, the soldiers lamented that many of their colleagues had been killed by terrorists because the military lacked adequate firepower and equipment to combat the insurgents.

In what seems to be the affirmation of the claims made by the soldiers, the Chief of Defence Staff said, “The issue of ration cash allowance where we feed, any time we are on operations, I, as a General I’m being fed on N1,200 per day with my soldiers, from the first General to the last soldier, the same amount. That is what we manage with.

“My soldiers collect less than N50,000 for a salary a month. We all know the situation on ground. My appeal is for them to have salaries that are worth the work they are doing. We deserve to have that so that it will encourage them to do more.

“We have a lot of them that have been injured, families separated for a very long time. These are the morale aspect of it that we check to actually ginger the troops to want to do more.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has said that the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as fuel and long queues being experienced in some filling stations in some Nigerian cities, particularly in Lagos is caused by distribution issues.

It had been reported on Monday that there were long queues in some filling stations in Lagos while residents of the city expressed fears that there might be a fresh scarcity of the product.

The long queues were noticeable at filling stations along the Ikorodu Road and Total Filling Station located at the Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way where the queues had led to traffic jams around the Ikeja axis of the state.

The PUNCH reports that many of the filling stations along the Ikeja axis, through Obafemi Awolowo Road in Ikeja, Lagos state capital were shut down, and that all the filling stations along Ogunnusi Road, inbound Berger, did not sell petrol to customers.

It was gathered that NNPCL mega filling stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway did not dispense fuel as of Monday evening.

On Tuesday morning, the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, dismissed insinuations of fresh fuel scarcity, saying that the NNPCL did not have supply issues and that its products remained readily available.

Soneye, who added that the distribution issue in some areas had been resolved, was quoted as saying, “We are pleased to confirm that there are no supply issues, and our products remain readily available.

“The recent tightness experienced in certain areas was due to a brief distribution issue in Lagos, which has since been resolved.”

Also, the National Vice Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, said he was aware of the queues in some filling stations in

Lagos, but said the queues might be due to panic-buying on the part of customers.

Fashola said, “I am not in Lagos as we speak. But I heard about it too that there are queues in Lagos. It may just be panic buying. I am not sure there is fuel scarcity. People are just panicking. However, I will find out what the problem is.”

However, the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, said he was not aware of the situation as he was not in Lagos at the time of filing this report.

Amid the rising wave of insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), some police officers have been arrested for forcefully collecting N29.9m from a resident of Abuja.

The incident, according to Harrison Gwamnishu, a candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, happened in January.

Gwamnishu had in a video via his X account alleged that the businessman was kidnapped in Abuja by the police officers who detained him until he transferred all the money in his bank account to them.

They thereafter insisted he should call all his relatives and friends to keep sending money before he could be freed.

He also alleged that the man was taken away from his site without any proper complaint against him, adding that he was not asked to write a formal statement by the police officers.

Receipts of the transactions were shared alongside the video.

Quoting the post on Tuesday, the Force Spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while confirming the arrest of some of the culprits, disclosed that the force had made progressive steps towards ensuring justice was served in the case.

“We are making a headway on this matter, and justice will be served, as some suspects have been arrested. Hakuna matata,” he wrote.

The development comes after the Anambra State Police Command declared one of the officers in its command, Inspector Audu Omadefu, wanted over alleged murder.

Ikenga Tochukwu, the command’s public relations officer disclosed this in a press release on Tuesday.

The police spokesperson said the fleeing operative Omadefu can be recognised by his service number AP No. 362178.

According to Tochukwu, the inspector disappeared into thin air following the accusation of murder against him.

The police called upon the public to assist in locating Omadefu, assuring that any information provided will be treated with the highest degree of confidentiality.

The Nigerian government has said it will clamp down on loan apps involved in illegal debt recovery and exploitation of consumers.

The crackdown comes amidst an upsurge in violations of the Interagency Joint Task Force’s Limited Interim Regulatory/Registration Framework and Guidelines for Digital Lending 2022.

While some digital money lenders (DMLs) have offered financial access to many individuals, the industry’s dark side looms large, with some loan sharks employing unethical and illegal tactics to collect debts. These illegal debt recoveries include forgery, impersonations, and privacy breaches, which are causing fear and distress among borrowers.

Still, many Nigerians turn to loan apps to meet financial needs as inflation bites harder, with the rates reaching a staggering 28.92% in December 2023 from 28.20 percent in November, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The current inflation surge is significantly impacting Nigerians’ ability to maintain their standard of living, leading to difficult adjustments like reduced spending and potentially increasing the risk of loan defaults.

FCCPC’s boss, Adamu Abdullahi, noted in a statement on Monday that the commission understands the increased demand for loans during this period, leading to a higher risk of default due to large numbers and typical cash flow challenges.

“However, the solution cannot be to violate law or utilise unethical recovery methods,” Abdullahi said .He said that the commission is “intensifying enforcement efforts and adopting a zero-tolerance stance towards any exploitation of consumers or abusive conduct, whether in balance calculations, loan default enforcement, or recovery processes.”

Abdullahi added that, in the coming days, the commission will be engaging approved loan apps to a stricter compliance framework, including any additional requirements where applicable and possible mechanisms for otherwise blacklisted apps.

“The Commission will welcome demonstrated and timely compliance by all legitimate operators in order to promote and enhance fairness to consumers and fairness among competitors,” he said.

“With respect to operators that do not possess the Commission’s approval, the scrutiny process will include law enforcement action against such, in addition to regulatory prohibition and consequences.”

Emmanuel Brown, the 23-year-old son of female soldier, Philomena Nnamoko, attached to Ilese Sappers Barracks, Division 2, Ogun State, has been allegedly detained by the Nigerian Army.

Our correspondent gathered that Brown was locked up in a guardroom by a female lieutenant colonel in the army for granting an interview to The PUNCH shortly after his mother was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Yaba.

In the interview with our correspondent, Brown explained how soldiers beat his mother and sent her to the psychiatric hospital under the guise that she had a mental illness.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Nnamoko accused her superiors of sexual harassment and maltreatment and claimed to have written 10 discharge letters without her superiors approving any.

However, in a recorded voice note that was made available to Sunday PUNCH by Nnamoko’s lawyer, Kayode Oshiyemi, our correspondent heard her lamenting that her child had been locked up in a guardroom.

She was heard saying, “They are unwilling to release me from here and have locked up my child in the guardroom because he spoke to PUNCH Newspaper. Civilian workers on this premise concluded that I would be here (psychiatric hospital) for a month, alleging that I had attempted suicide, which I never attempted to do.

“The most painful part is my child who had been detained in the guardroom by a female lieutenant colonel.”

Efforts to speak with the Director of Army Public Relations, Maj. Gen. Nwachukwu Onyema, proved abortive as his number was unreachable, and he had not replied to messages sent to him via SMS and WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.

But the spokesperson of the 35 Artillery Brigade, Lt. Mohammed Goni, said, “The whole concept of your story is not correct and you didn’t contact me at that point to clarify issues to you.”

“I can’t give you fictitious information to work with. Come let’s go for investigative journalism so you can see for yourself; you can’t write such a sensitive report without having factual proof,” Goni said.

Reacting to the incident, the lawyer described Brown’s arrest as unlawful.

Oshiyemi, “The boy went to see his mother and they locked up the boy, he is now in the cell of the Nigerian army because he went to make a publication about his mother.

“Because they don’t want us to go to court because of the ill-treatment that they had done to the woman (Philomena), they are now locking up her son in the guardroom. Meanwhile, the boy has done nothing wrong, just because he was granted an interview to PUNCH Newspaper; that is an unlawful detention of a civilian.

The lawyer told Sunday PUNCH that the soldier’s son had been unreachable when he tried to contact him.

He said, “When I tried calling the boy’s phone, I discovered that someone else was using it to chat with me on WhatsApp. Later, I found out that the boy was in the guardroom and the person I was communicating with was not him.

“Unsure of their identity, I messaged them, explaining that I knew the boy was unlawfully detained according to his mother, and that I would take action because he is a civilian, not an army officer, and should not be detained.

“Around 30 minutes later, the son called me and informed me that he had been released. I asked him why he had been detained, and he explained that a lieutenant colonel claimed he had published the issue in a newspaper, and that was what led to his arrest.”

The management of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has failed to disclose the identities of the board members of Orlean Investment Africa Limited, the real owners of INTELS Nigeria.

LEADERSHIP recalls that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had said he sold his shares in INTELS in 2019, but when LEADERSHIP wrote to the CAC under the Freedom of Information Act on December 5 and December 18, 2023, respectively, and after much back and forth, the commission simply frustrated efforts of our reporter and ignored LEADERSHIP inquiry completely.

For weeks, LEADERSHIP was given assurances that our FOI request was being processed and that we would be contacted. At first, we were told that the details of Orlean Investment Africa Limited had not been updated electronically on the CAC website.

The officer in charge asked for time to call for the company’s file, but at the end of the day, it was all a ploy to frustrate our efforts.

The failure of the CAC to disclose the information requested by LEADERSHIP is a clear violation of the Freedom of Information Act which mandates public institutions to provide access to information requested by citizens.

The CAC’s action is even more concerning given the importance of transparency and accountability in the public and private sectors.

LEADERSHIP calls on the CAC to immediately disclose the identities of the board members of Orlean Investment Africa Limited, the real owners of INTELS Nigeria.

We also urge the commission to respect the Freedom of Information Act and provide access to information requested by citizens and the media.

The failure of the CAC to disclose this information raises questions about the transparency and accountability of corporate entities in Nigeria. It is essential that we know who owns and controls the companies that operate in our country, especially those with significant economic and political influence.

LEADERSHIP will continue to pursue this matter until the identities of the board members of Orlean Investment Africa Limited, the real owners of INTELS Nigeria, are disclosed. We will not be deterred in our efforts to promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has said about $2.4 billion out of the reported $7 billion outstanding foreign exchange liabilities of the federal government are not valid for settlement.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Arise Television, the broadcast arm of THISDAY, Cardoso disclosed that the bank had settled verified FX requests, which amounted to $2.3 billion. He added that current total outstanding FX obligations stood at $2.2 billion.

Cardoso further indicated that part of the headline $7 billion outstanding FX claims were fraudulent, citing the outcome of a forensic audit by Deloitte Management Consultant, which was commissioned by the apex bank.

The central bank governor said he was confident that the outstanding FX liabilities would be addressed shortly. He maintained that CBN would not pay for FX requests that were not validly constituted, adding that the bank has written to authorised dealers to explain the disparities identified.
“And sadly, quite frankly, I think much of those have not been disputed to our satisfaction,” Cardoso said.

Moreover, contrary to speculations, Cardoso stated that he had nothing against the central bank’s interventions in the economy, pointing out that this remains a standard practice globally, especially in times of crisis.

However, he said such interventions needed to be well thought out in order not to destabilise the economy. He added that too much liquidity had been injected into the economy in a relatively short space of time, which he said was particularly detrimental to monetary policy.

Cardoso explained that loans and advances in the economy were about N40 trillion of which CBN interventions accounted for about 25 per cent. He said such liquidity injections were responsible for the current distortions, including inflation in the economy because they were not properly managed.
He pointed out that CBN currently lacked the capacity for direct interventions, and would rather focus on its primary mandate to control inflation, stabilise prices, and ensure a stable economic environment.

Cardoso stated that the apex bank would partner with those with the capacity to manage such interventions in a way that they will not mismanage the funds but also get the desired outcomes.

He denied claims that the federal government planned to convert domiciliary accounts of Nigerians to naira accounts as part of the reforms to stabilise the local currency.

Commenting on the outstanding FX obligations, the central bank governor said, “We contracted Deloitte Management Consultant to do a forensic of all these obligations and to actually tell us what was valid and what was not. Of course, we were committed to ensuring that we would pay all valid transactions.

“The result that came out of this was startling in a great respect; it was quite startling. We discovered that of the roughly $7 billion, about $2.4 had issues, which we believed had no business being there – and the infractions from that range from so many things. For example, not having valid import documents and in some cases, even entities that did not exist and in some cases, beneficiaries and account parties that asked for FX and got more than they asked for. And those who didn’t even ask for any and got. So, there were a whole load of infractions there, which I said amounted to about $2.4 billion out of the $7 billion headline figure.”

The CBN governor added, “We are not paying if you don’t qualify; they are not validly constituted requests. And of the validly constituted ones, we have settled about $2.3 billion and that applies to the airlines and a whole load of different entities spread throughout our economy – we’ve settled that already.

“And now what remains is about $2.2 billion to be settled and I am confident that we will shortly be addressing those and be able to move on and make progress.

“Now, how are we dealing with those that are not valid? As they were identified, we wrote to the authorised dealers to come in and explain what the situation was and where the numbers differed. And sadly, quite frankly, I think much of those have not been disputed to our satisfaction.”

Reiterating the bank’s commitment to resolving outstanding liabilities, Cardoso said, “Yes, as I said, I think that would be what would be done very shortly. Now, you can imagine that having $2.2 billion outstanding and $7 billion outstanding are not the same figure.

“I think we are at the end of this, to be honest, I will put it that way – we will clear all that very shortly and will move on to the next line of action. I am not concerned that the backlog would continue to be on overhang and I think we’ve come to the end of that road.”

On why CBN resolved to reduce direct intervention in the economy, Cardoso said, “By way of background, it is important for me to state clearly and unequivocally that I have nothing against interventions. It is done all over the world; in times of crisis, intervention does take place, and so, I am not saying it is necessarily a bad thing.

“I am just saying that it needs to be done in a well thought out manner and in a manner that does not destabilise the economy.
“If you push in too much liquidity in a relatively short space of time and it is not managed properly, then the distortions that we’ve had are bound to happen; it’s just as simple as that and nobody should be surprised that they are happening.”

Cardoso also said, “We all saw the issues of direct interventions from the central bank and quite a bit of those funds really may have not necessarily had the impact that they were hoping to accomplish and as we have come into government, we’ve had a lot of opportunity to look at the model and test the model.

“And there was a concern that an inordinate amount was put in in a relatively short space of time, and especially when you compare this statistics about loans and advances in the economy, which is about N40 trillion, and interventions alone was about 25 per cent of that and that is a huge amount of money in a relatively short space of time, especially when you consider that the loans and advances had been there before independence and gradually grew up to the level it is now.

“So, that has grave implications for the monetary policy and for the exchange rate and, of course, inflation.

“Our view basically is that we don’t have the capacity to direct interventions and we would rather focus our efforts on doing what we, as a central bank, are meant to do; which is to control inflation, stabilise prices, and ensure that we have a stable economic environment.

“And then, where we are able to find those who can do these things, we are happy to partner with them on the understanding, of course, that as I have said earlier, it’s done in a reasoned manner and that they themselves can deliver in a way that whatever interventions you put into the economy are not mismanaged.

And that they get to where they are meant to get to because that, to me, is really a concern, that handling such huge sums of money without having the capacity as a central bank to do that directly can create serious distortions in the environment and I think that’s part of the problems we are having today.”

Suspected vandals have destroyed a High Tension Transmission Line using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Unguwar Kanawa, a suburb of the Bauchi metropolis.

Our correspondent reports that the power transmission, which passes through Bauchi State, supplies electricity to other northeastern states.

Residents of the community reported overhearing a huge sound in the backyard and later discovered that the High Tension Mast had been brought down.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Bauchi State Police Command, Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, said the command had received a report about the incident from the Chief Security Officer of the Federal Polytechnic Bauchi.

“On 01/02/2024 at about 22:00 hrs, the Bauchi State Police Command received a report from the Chief Security Officer of Federal Polytechnic Bauchi indicating that on the quoted date, a loud sound was heard around an electric High Tension Transmission Line situated at the Anguwan Kanawa area, a suburb of the Bauchi metropolis.

“Upon receiving the report, a team of police operatives, including specialized personnel from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemicals Biological Radioactive and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit, was drafted and deployed to the scene immediately.

“Consequently, a preliminary investigation revealed that a High Tension pole had collapsed and was damaged as a result of explosives used by suspected economic vandals. Furthermore, the vicinity was cordoned off and swept by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Chemicals Biological Radioactive and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Operatives,” he said.

Wakil added that some remnant components of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were recovered from the scene.

He said a discreet, full-scale investigation into the incident is underway to ensure that the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

The Belgian government has said Nigerians have the highest number of people in forced prostitution in the European country.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Mr Freddy Roosemont, the Director-General of the Belgian Office for Foreigners, said most Nigerians were deceived into the country with the promise of job placements.
He said most of them are however being forced into prostitution by traffickers once they arrived in the country.

“The dream is not real, it’s not easy to survive in Europe without a decent job. The dream is fake.

“Belgium is not land of milk and honey, nor is Europe. This was not the case before, but is even less so now, in a world with many crisis hotspots with severe economic consequences”, Roosemont said.

He lamented that more Nigerians were currently seeking asylum in Belgium, adding that it makes little sense.

“Asylum is determined on the basis of the Geneva Convention and economic motives are not included. Therefore the recognition rate for asylum is very low and the chances of obtaining a residence permit are almost non-existent,” the Belgian official said.
He said no fewer than 362 Nigerian migrants sought asylum in 2022 while 380 of them applied in 2023, adding that only a few of them got their application granted.

“As a consequence, people are forced to live in irregular stay, without a social safety net, in precarious conditions. They risk economic exploitation and women risk ending up in prostitution”, he said.

He charged Nigerians to ignore those trying to deceive them into embarking on the journey to Europe without admission to a university, a job offer from a Belgian company or an invitation from a family member to relocate.