₦airaland Forum

The bursary and scholarship award ceremony organized by the Ondo State Oil Development Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC), has been disrupted by suspected hoodlums who beat up the agency’s commissioner, Kehinde Akinrotoye.

Vanguard learnt that the hoodlums invaded the venue of the ceremony and started shooting sporadically, disrupting the event for hours.

Both staff and students who came for the event scampered for safety as a result of gunshots from the suspected hoodlums.

Sources told newsmen that the “hoodlums came in hired vehicles and started to shoot into the premises, thereby preventing the event from being held at a scheduled time.

“The beneficiaries of the bursary and scholarship award were already seated when the hoodlums came and started shooting sporadically into the venue and this led to pandemonium in the area.

”Security officers attached to the office, could not curtail the activities of the hoodlums as they forced their way into the premises.

Vanguard gathered that one of the agency’s commissioners, Kehinde Akinrotoye, was beaten to a pulp by the beneficiaries who alleged him of sponsoring the hoodlums to disrupt the event.

Akinrotoye’s vehicle and another vehicle parked on the premises of the agency were vandalized.

Timely intervention of police detectives from the State Police Command saved the situation from degenerating.

They were able to bring the riotous situation under control.

Police detectives were still keeping vigil at the agency at the time of filling in the report.

Meanwhile, the attacked commissioner has been rushed to the state hospital for medical attention.

He declined to comment when contacted for comments.

Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), revealed to federal lawmakers yesterday that some police stations in the country do not have a single operational vehicle.

He made the speech while addressing National Assembly members during a debate organised by the House of Representatives to receive briefings on challenges confronting security agencies and other organs of the federal government.

Egbetokun lamented the poor welfare of police operatives and operational challenges impeding their efficiency.

https://i0.wp.com/fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PXL_20231122_124823188-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1Mini trucks Wasting Away at Police College, Lagos Photo Credit: Sodeeq Atanda/FIJ

“We have 1,137 police divisional headquarters across 774 LGAs in Nigeria, but getting operational vehicles for the divisions is difficult. Each of these divisions at least require four functional vehicles, but we have divisions that don’t have any functional operational vehicle as of today,” the IGP said.

“The welfare of personnel is nothing to write home about. Funding is critcal to achieving the mandate of the Nigeria police. Unfortunately, the citizens are not interested in our excuses for underperformance. What the citizens want is performance.

“They want us to serve them. We are willing to serve them, but we need your cooperation, funding, more manpower and logistics to train our men adequately. We need to improve the welfare of our officers. We want a well-motivated workforce in the police.”


https://i0.wp.com/fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PXL_20231122_124803440-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1The brown pick-ups. Photo Credit: Sodeeq Atanda/FIJ


VEHICLES BEGGING TO BE USED

While it is correct that police personnel face numerous challenges, there are indications that the resources available to the Nigeria Police Force are not evenly distributed.

As Egbetokun pointed out, some divisions lack operational vehicles. However, some police facilities have so much that vehicles are wasting away.

For example, the police college located opposite the Lagos State’s Standing Tribunal of Inquiry Into Chieftaincy Matters, Ikeja, is home to some unused vehicles.

During a visit to the facility on Wednesday, our reporter observed no fewer than 19 new mini trucks close to the college’s main gate.

There were also four unused pickups on the college’s premises: two white pickups and two brown pickups. The brown ones appeared to be in poor physical condition from abandonment.


https://i0.wp.com/fij.ng/article/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/PXL_20231122_124751940-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1The white pick-ups. Photo Credit: Sodeeq Atanda/FIJ


What is not hidden from plain sight is that all the vehicles have been on the same spot for long. A source told FIJ that the vehicles had been parked on the same spot for some months.

“I am not sure of when they brought them. But I am sure the vehicles have been here for some time now. I was here in April, and I saw these vehicles,” said the source, who does not want to be named.

The Minister of Interior, Hon. (Dr.) Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said the Federal Government is ready to expel officers abusing their powers by locking up people without a detention warrant.

The Minister disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during his presentation at the International Donor Round Table on Correctional Service Reform organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC.

While speaking on the abuse of power by correctional facility controllers, which has in recent years become a commonplace practice, the Minister who frowned at such development noted that the Renewed Hope agenda of the President was set to crack down and expel anyone caught in the act.

“Any controller caught taking money from a big man to lock up a poor man without a detention warrant will be expelled from the service.

“We are here to fill in the gap for the weakest in the society. We are here, as a government, to be the voice of the voiceless, and the strength of the weakest. Never again should the freedom of anybody be taken away on the basis of his weakness,” Tunji-Ojo was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide Alao Babatunde on Wednesday.

The Minister assured the United Nations team that the current administration is key to doing things differently in order to earn the trust of its citizens and the international communities.

“Trust is something you don’t ask for – you earn it. This government wants to work to earn your trust and loyalty. We are doing things differently, and ready to deliver on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu where Nigerians can have a better life, and brighter future,” the Minister said.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Matthias Schmale, commended the Minister for his proactive measures since taking over the helm of affairs of the Ministry.

“I want to commend you for the good job you are doing. I am aware of the great things you have done.”

Held in the UN House in Abuja, the round table saw the participation of top officials from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, UNODC, UNFPA, concerned NGOs, diplomats, and international communities including the Italian Ambassador, and representatives of the governments of Germany, Qatar and the USA.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa has disclosed that prison warders help Boko Haram members move money around.

Musa said the prison warders also help Boko Haram members carry out some of their criminal activities.

He disclosed this during the sectoral debate with Service Chiefs organized by the House of Representatives in Abuja on Tuesday.

Musa said during debriefing, some Boko Haram members in the North-East, confessed to how from the prisons they could plan operations and pass funds to the field through the help of some prison warders.

He said: “They passed funds across and we asked how. They told us they use some of the warders.

“We are not saying all of them are bad, but they use some of the warders’ accounts to transfer money and the deal is anybody whose account it is transferred, shared it 50-50. Those are the challenges.”

The Army Chief also lamented that the high dollar rate had hampered the purchase of relevant equipment needed to fight insecurity.

According to Musa, all the items procured are bought with foreign currency.

He added: “We don’t produce what we need in Nigeria and if you do not produce what you need, that means you are at the beck and call of the people that produce these items.

“For example, during the last regime, about $1 billion was set aside for defence procurement. Out of that amount, over $600 million was for the procurement of aircraft. So, the whole money had gone.

“So many times when people see that funds are being released to the armed forces, they think it is so much but by the time you convert them to dollars you do not get much.

“One precision missile for our drone costs $5,000. So imagine how many we would be able to use and how many we can procure. So, those are the challenges.”

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has said his eight-year administration might have been hijacked by a cabal.

Buhari said this while speaking in a recent interview with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

A cabal is a powerful political clique that runs the affairs of the country for their advantage at the expense of the people.

Speaking on the possibility of losing the grip of power to a cabal, the ex-president said the insinuations were possible.

Recall that the former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, first raised the allegation in 2016, but her husband played it down.

But when the question was asked again during the NTA interview, Buhari said, “it must have been.”

He, however, added that he was not sure anyone who breached the law was allowed to “walk away.”

About ruling the country, he said, “God gave me the opportunity to serve my country, but I did my best. But whether my best was good enough, I leave for people to judge.”

The former president also said he was too pre-occupied with local matters to be bothered with foreign issues as president. He said his biggest challenge was securing the country.

Buhari said he did not try to compete with Nigeria’s wealthy class by acquiring land, houses and cars during his time as Nigeria’s leader, explaining that it was the reason he was “living in peace” after exiting government.

He argued that some Nigerians attempted to set a trap for him by trying to ambush him with certain opportunities, but that he avoided the trap because he knew that once they knew he had been compromised, they would take advantage of the situation to milk the country.

State governors as well as former ministers and other officials, who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the political associates of President Bola Tinubu have launched an intense lobbying for appointment as Nigerian ambassadors to foreign countries.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress, National Assembly members and retired military officers were among those jostling for ambassadorial nominations.

Nigeria has a total of 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates abroad.

The desperate lobby for ambassadorial appointments commenced after the Federal Government recalled all the envoys from their posts on September 2, 2023.

The envoys were directed to return to the country on or before October 31.

On October 20, 2016, former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the nomination of 46 non-career ambassadors-designate in addition to the previous nomination of 47 career ambassadors-designate.

Earlier, there was controversy over the recall of ambassadors by Buhari’s government but his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, debunked the reports in a statement, saying only 25 career ambassadors, who had attained the retirement age and had been in public service for 35 years, were recalled.

He explained in a statement, “There was nothing like mass recall of ambassadors. What happened lately is that 25 career ambassadors, who attained the retirement age, or 35 years of public service in December 2018, were recalled.

“They were allowed to remain at their duty posts and given an extension, if that is the word, in view of the upcoming elections, which are now behind us.”

In January 2021, Buhari approved the posting of 95 envoys, comprising 43 career and 52 non-career ambassadors, to man the nation’s diplomatic missions.

Before the approval, the Senate had ratified their nomination in 2020.

The diplomats were deployed after they were confirmed by the Senate in accordance with Section 171(2) (1c) and subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution.

But the envoys were recalled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, on September 2, 2023.

The minister confirmed the development following reports that Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Isola, had been recalled.

But while clarifying the directive, Tuggar said the action was not a witch-hunt and that it applied to all career and non-career envoys.

The minister, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Al-Kashim Abdul-Kadir, had said, “Sequel to the enquiries on the letter recalling the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has reaffirmed that all career ambassadors and non-career ambassadors have been recalled on the instructions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

The Presidency later clarified that all the country’s United Nations permanent representatives in New York and Geneva were exempted from the recall.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the exemption was a result of the UN General Assembly, which was held between September 18 and 22.

Our correspondents could not confirm whether the recall order had been extended to Nigeria’s UN permanent representatives in New York and Geneva after the UNGA.

Foreign affairs ministry officials had yet to provide information on the status of the diplomats as of the time of filing this report on Friday.

Saturday PUNCH had reported that the Presidency had begun compiling the list of new ambassadors.

Pressure on Gbajabiamila, minister

Following the development, it was gathered that the jostle for the vacant diplomatic posts escalated with politicians and other interested individuals bombarding the President and his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, with requests for nomination.

Our correspondents further learnt that the foreign affairs minister and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Ambassador Olusola Enikanolaiye, had come under immense pressure from prominent Nigerians seeking appointments.

Sources disclosed that those who failed to get ministerial nominations were at the forefront of the rush for the ambassadorial positions.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said, “The President’s associates and state governors are intensifying their lobbies for career and non-career ambassadorial nomination.

“They are pushing the profiles of their candidates. They are jettisoning those with a year or less to retire and picking those with longer career years ahead.”

“The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Ambassador Olusola Enikanolaiye; and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, are under intense pressure from the lobbyists, including National Assembly members, APC support groups and party chieftains to be listed as ambassadors.

“Some of these lobbyists include past administrators, politicians, retired military men, unsuccessful governorship aspirants, and those who served as heads of agencies under Buhari, among others.”

When asked about the ratio of career and non-career diplomats that may be appointed, the source said, “Fifty-five per cent to 45 per cent.”

One of our correspondents gathered that the majority of the recalled ambassadors had returned to the country, while those who had yet to do so had formally handed over to the most senior officers at their diplomatic posts, while perfecting travel plans to return home as directed.

Confirming this, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “Most of the ambassadors are rounding off their tours of duty and heading back to Abuja. A good number of them have already returned.”

Similarly, a source in the Presidency said while some of the bigwigs in the APC and former governors had started submitting their curriculum vitae, some former ambassadors were also jostling to be reappointed.

While noting that the names of persons to be shortlisted remained confidential, the source added, “The Presidency didn’t extend it (ambassadorial appointment) for them (former envoys). Some of them are returning (to Nigeria) already.

“I don’t know anyone lobbying. I know that they’re working on it but I don’t know the specifics. People are submitting CVs.

“Different party leaders and stakeholders are pushing their interests. Even some of them (former ambassadors) are lobbying to be reinstated, so until the list is made official and published, anything can change.”


‘No political cronies’

However, a former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Prof Bola Akinterinwa, urged President Tinubu to desist from appointing ambassadors as a reward system for his cronies.

He said the President should consider appointing academic ambassadors who specialised in handling international affairs of the countries they would serve in, saying most political ambassadors usually pursue personal interests over national interests.

Akinterinwa said, “Political ambassadors are not interested in any national interest to protect abroad. The moment they are appointed, they look out for how to survive even after the tenure of the President who appoints them.

“Nigerian politicians do not place priority on the protection of national interests. If President Tinubu is not careful with the appointments and decides to reward his political cronies and friends, Nigeria will certainly be in trouble very shortly.

“If we are suggesting academic diplomats, I agree with that; there are many academic diplomats in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There can be a focus on the specialisation of those who have served in some countries if they meet the level of Grade Level 16 or 17; those are the people they should be looking out for.”

Speaking further, the former NIIA DG explained that anyone appointed as an ambassador without prior training as a diplomatic agent, or career ambassador was referred to as a “political ambassador.”

“Political ambassadors need diplomatic training to be able to perform diplomatic functions enshrined in the 1961 Vienna Convention. Most unfortunately, it is the political ambassadors that have always behaved in a manner considered not compatible with the status of diplomats,” he added.

By Ameh Ejekwonyilo


Olumide Akpata, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), says it is only by sheer luck that the Nigerian judiciary can produce a good judge.

Mr Akpata spoke recently at the International Bar Association (IBA) conference in Paris, France.

Addressing the gathering, the former NBA president noted that Nigeria remains the largest black nation on earth, adding that the country is confronted with a major problem he termed, “judiciary capture.”

Chidi Odinkalu, a law professor and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), shared Mr Akpata’s perspectives on his X handle on Friday.

In two short videos posted on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Akpata who is vying for the Edo State governorship election next year, was seen lamenting how Nigeria’s political class had emasculated the judicial system.

He was the NBA president between 2021 and 2022, before being succeeded by Yakubu Maikyau in August 2022.

Drawing on his experience as president of the NBA, Mr Akpata recalled how flawed the recruitment process of judges is in the country.

“For a good judge to emerge out of that process is by fluke only; sheer luck with judicial appointment in Nigeria. It is ridiculous.”

Being president of the NBA conferred Mr Akpata with the statutory membership of the National Judicial Council (NJC), a body saddled with the responsibilities of recruiting and disciplining erring judges in Nigeria.

“While I was president of the NBA, what I found out was that there is a deliberate attempt on the part of the political class in Nigeria to capture the judiciary. And that has very insidious consequences for rule of law in Nigeria. It is deliberate and it is intentional. And it is achieving results for them.”

Without giving further details of his observations while being on the recruitment panel for judges, Mr Akpata described his findings as “bizarre.”

“Because the kind of people who show up as judges have no business being there.”

The recruitment process of judges in Nigeria has been controversial with many lawyers calling for reforms.

Recently, Mr Odinkalu, a vocal critic of the process of appointment of judges, wondered why heads of courts like the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola and the Presidents of the Court of Appeal and National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Monica Dongban-Mensem and Benedict Kanyip, respectively, would appoint their children or spouses as judges.

He also described the situation as “judicial capture.”

There are several retired and serving justices including politicians whose children and spouses currently serve as judicial officers across various courts in the court.


Public confidence in judiciary eroded

Referencing the burning of the High Court complex in Lagos State during the EndSARS protests in October 2020, Mr Akpata said the picture of a man holding a machete and clad in a judge’s robes – wig and gown – was a clear message to the Nigerian judiciary that justice was not being served from the courts.

“So, what we have is a total erosion of confidence in the judiciary.”

He said politicians, especially governors, pauperise judges by denying them their basic entitlements like official cars and accommodation.

Mr Akpata disclosed that “some chief judges kneel before the governors” to beg for funds.

Judicial unions in Nigeria have been demanding financial independence but to no avail.

Judges’ salaries are abysmally poor, a situation Mr Akpata said breeds corruption.

“When you know a man (judge) that knows the law but his judgement flies against the face of what the law should be, you know that there is something else motivating him or her.”

He said some judges were living above their legitimate income by sending their children to Ivy Leagues like Cambridge, Yale and Harvard.


Urges IBA to intervene

Mr Akpata asserted that the “IBA being the global body of the legal profession has a role to play in dealing with what I call ‘the judiciary capture.'”

He said what happens in Nigeria has wider implications for the world.

Responding, an official of the IBA whose name could not be ascertained from the video promised to consider Mr Akpata’s concerns.

“What I am going to commit to you is that the IBA will put our minds together on whether a statement on the situation should come from the IBA,” the IBA official said.

CBN derelicts responsibilities

An investigation by our reporter showed that generally, money lending falls under the realm of financial services the CBN regulates. While microfinance, commercial banks and finance houses are the digital lenders licensed by the CBN, loan sharks operate under the state’s money lender laws.

Section 57 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020, statutorily makes the CBN the primary regulator governing financial services, with the mandate to regulate banks and the business of other financial institutions, which include those solely operating electronically, virtually or digitally.

Invariably, this means the CBN is required to incorporate and also license fintech businesses, which loan sharks are part of, except those involved in pension fund management, collective investment schemes, insurance and capital market business.

Incidentally, these digital lending companies resort to state money lender licenses, not the CBN license as required by section 57 of the BOFIA Act. Currently, the FCCPC’s Digital Lending Guidelines 2022 oversees the registration of DMLs.

Section 163(1)(c) of the FCCPC Act empowers the commission to make regulations on administrative penalties, fees, charges or levies and other related matters.

However, there are no clear provisions or directives concerning penalties for non-compliance stated in the DMLs registration guidelines. This means that no penalty or sanction would be met on digital lenders who even fail to register with the FCCPC or when they compromise standard.

The CBN, through its spokesperson, Isa Abdulmumin, declined to comment on the question as to why these loan sharks are not licensed and regulated by the CBN, which is statutorily mandated as the primary regulator of all financial services in the country.

However, a senior management staff of the apex bank who spoke under anonymity said, “Unlicensed loan sharks are illegal financial entities, and the apex bank has repeatedly cautioned borrowers to avoid obtaining loans from them to avoid running into financial difficulties.”


Banker’s reaction

Hakeem Ikumogunniyi, Regional Manager, North, Cooperative Mortgage Bank, said Nigerians find loan apps advantageous due to the delay in processing bank loans which are highly collateralised and involve signing of bulky documents.

“One of the major reasons as to why people prefer loan apps to bank loans is the turnaround time. The turnaround time for a bank loan is extremely long and it involves signing a lot of documents before the loan can be granted. But the loan app has a lesser processing procedure although it is riskier,” he said.

“Because it is very easy to secure a loan online, those with urgent needs even if they’re civil servants, they’ll approach loan apps as it is tied to little or no collateral. That is why when a person defaults in repayment, they’ll use any possible means to get back their funds,” he added.

Ikummogunniyi, a seasoned banker with two decades of experience described both loan methods as good ways of accessing loans. He however said while loan apps bank on character and credit worthiness which is a British way of banking; conventional banks focus on collateral and proper documentation procedures.

Using forgery, impersonations and breach of privacy, Digital Money Lenders (DML), popularly called loan sharks, will go to any length to retrieve their funds from Nigerian loan defaulters. In this investigation, Daily Trust Saturday reveals how the largely unchecked and unregulated activities of loan sharks by regulatory bodies are pushing the country’s lower class to the edge.

Maryam Audu is paranoid, to the extent of blocking all calls from getting through to her phone. She has, in the last six months, faced mental and emotional torments in the form of message threats, harassing voice notes and ridicule before family and friends.

She is a victim of a vicious cartel of Digital Money Lenders (DML), who uses unconventional and illegal means of threats and harassment to torment loan defaulters into paying their debts.

Digital Money Lenders have earned the name of loan sharks in Nigeria for not only charging exorbitant interest rates but adopting threats and harassment to recover loans.

In response to a rising complaint over their savagery loan recovery techniques, the federal government, in March 2022, commissioned the Joint Regulatory and Enforcement Task Force (JRETF) to probe and clamp down on DML operators who violate the ethics of lending and individual data privacy.

The inter-agency task force included the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The operation led to the freezing of some DLM accounts and the FCCPC delisted over 30 loan apps from the Google Play Store.

Incidentally, despite these measures, Daily Trust Saturday investigations reveal that these loan sharks have continued to operate in open sight, with their activities having dire consequences on the mental and emotional health of borrowers.

In the absence of publicly available statistics on the number of digital borrowers in Nigeria, this newspaper gathered that due to its ease of accessibility and no collateral demands, thousands of low-income Nigerians are drawn to DMLs without fully understanding their modes of operation, debt recovery techniques and the illegal structures they operate on.

However, while the blame is mostly being pushed towards the lenders during conversations, some observers also questioned the rationale behind the borrowing, saying some Nigerians trapped in the saga also collected the loans under questionable circumstances, believing that they could go away with it.


Trapped in a circle of debt

Maryam Danladi, a widow and mother of two, who resides in Niger State, is one of many Nigerians lured by the ‘quick, easy and collateral-free’ offers made by digital money lenders.

Speaking with Daily Trust Saturday, she narrated how months of torment by agents of multiple DML operators pushed her into chronic depression that led to suicidal thoughts.

“I was considering suicide, but when I looked at my children, I thought if I killed myself nobody would look after them the way their mother would,” she said.

Maryam’s problem began when she sought financial assistance for the upkeep of her children and was unable to get help. When she bumped into a loan app advertisement for “We Credit” while surfing Facebook, she downloaded it; a decision she would later regret.

She explained that while advertising the loan facility, “We Credit” had indicated that they could lend her up to N200,000 to be paid within 90 days.

“But in reality, they gave only a week to repay after deducting a significant amount they called ‘service charge’.

“After registering, what I saw was a loan of N6,000 to pay back N10,000 within seven days. After a short while, they credited my account with N4,000 instead. They deducted N2,000 as service charge,” she narrated.

She added that when she couldn’t pay back within seven days, the embarrassment and insults from the lenders drove her to download two other loan apps to repay the first loan. This situation repeated itself over time, and in just six months, she was caught in the shackles of debt that has held her prisoner till date.

“That was how it started. Before I knew what I was doing, I was in the middle. You keep borrowing from one app to pay the other, and before I knew what was happening, I had downloaded about 11 to 12 apps,” she said, regretfully.

With an accumulated debt of N1,328, 122 borrowed overtime from about 12 apps, she now owes about N2,201,737 with interest.

Similarly, Roseline Audu, a civil servant, almost consumed a popular poisonous insecticide called Sniper to end her life due to humiliation from loan sharks.

“I was not far from being suicidal because I had entered my bathroom to drink the Sniper insecticide, but the smell was offensive to me,” she said, adding that the thought of leaving her children behind and the fear of putting her husband into a difficult position also deterred her from suicide.

“Every night, I cried, I lost weight, I couldn’t eat, and nothing was appealing to me,” she said.

Her nightmare with loan sharks began in May 2023 when she received a text message advertising a loan facility. After going through the Play Store to verify the app, she explained to Daily Trust Saturday how she proceeded with the registration and was offered a N6,000 loan.

“When you click on apply, instead of them to allow you select options, it will tell you loan approved automatically,” she added.

Roseline said her target was to pay as soon as she received her monthly salary. However, a slight delay in the salary disbursement led to a barrage of harassment, which made her download two other apps to repay one loan, a situation that continued over time.

“Before the seven days, I was like salary would soon come and I would pay. Unfortunately, my salary was delayed. In fact, on the fifth day, I started getting calls from their agents. If you argue with them, they will start harassing you.

“Due to constant insults, when a call comes in I start trembling. I went into depression and I couldn’t tell anybody. When the loan and interests accrued to N1million, I was helpless,” she said.

Roseline said she had borrowed about N1,500,000 from the DML operators but had already paid more than N3m to them due to high-interest rates. She, however, still owes a debt of about N400,000, which she said she hoped to repay to get back her life.

Ahmad, a student of one of the tertiary institutions in Bauchi, said he was depressed and nearly dropped out of school when he was boxed into a corner by one of the lenders.

“Let me be frank with you, when I collected the loan I thought they would not be able to track me, but I was wrong.

“What I collected wasn’t really much, but the loan increased more than 700 per cent within a very short period and the lenders kept threatening me.

“I really don’t know how they did it, but they succeeded in tracking my account. Whenever my parents sent me upkeep money they would withdraw everything. I kept it to myself and at the risk of sacrificing my studies.

“One day, I summoned courage and sent the account of my friend to my elder brother to send my upkeep. I think my brother suspected something and insisted I must tell him the truth. That was when I opened up.

“The money lenders are really dubious, but I also blame myself for thinking that I could shortchange them. I hope the government would put an instrument on ground to checkmate them because they are destroying the lives of many people silently,” he said.


How DMLs breach customer data privacy

Maryam, Roseline and Ahmad’s cases are part of a large case of harassment, bullying and breach of privacy by many loan apps.

In 2021, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) fined Soko Loan, a notorious loan shark, the sum of N10,000,000 for data privacy invasion of customers.

Checks by Daily Trust Saturday revealed that in May, Google updated its personal loans policy as a result of the increasing reports of offensive lending practices in Nigeria and Kenya, the two African countries with significant adoption of digital lending services.

As part of the changes, Google noted that personal loan apps would have no access to sensitive user data, such as photos, videos, contacts, precise location data and call logs.

Incidentally, these loan apps have remained adamant as they continue to breach users’ privacy by using customer contact lists and images to threaten them.

Daily Trust Saturday gathered that they pick numbers from customers’ contact lists to either call or send slanderous messages to the contacts with the aim of debt-shaming the defaulters.

Concurrently, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), which oversees the registration of DMLs and is tasked with ensuring compliance and protection of consumers from being exploited by lenders, in September shook up the digital money lending industry by delisting over 30 illegal loan apps.

Investigations by Daily Trust Saturday reveal that some delisted apps like Eagle Cash and Fly Pay have rerouted from Google Play Store to Android Package Kits (APK) file formats, using these websites to host their apps, offer loans, harass individuals and breach their privacy.

Our reporter reached out to the FCCPC, which currently oversees the registration of these DMLs by asking if it was losing the fight with these loan sharks and whether it was aware that the delisted apps were still active, but the commission failed to respond.

The head of the FCCPC Public Relations Office, Ondaje Ijagwu, had asked this reporter to forward the questions to him via WhatsApp, and when done, he failed to respond despite several promptings.

Findings show that to access customer data, app subscribers are requested to grant mobile app permissions to certain data points, like location, contacts and pictures. However, when DMLs get hold of these data, they send defaming messages to the contacts in a bid to embarrass the debtors.

Victims of these harassments say Apex Lending, Eagle Cash, Fly Pay, Cash Loan and Credit Wallet, are some of the notorious apps that have breached their privacies, as well as harassed borrowers.

Daily Trust Saturday reached out to Apex Lending, Eagle Cash, Fly Pay and Credit Wallet via their respective email addresses to get their reactions to these allegations but only Credit Wallet responded to the email.

Martha Olowe, the assistant Customer Service manager for Princeps Credit Systems Limited, the parent company of Credit Wallet, said they would only respond to the allegations when they received official emails from the victims and full details of the concerned customers were provided.

“The full details of the people concerned on the subject should be provided to validate the source of your information about our organisation. We would require an official email from the individuals concerned, giving their consent to discuss and divulge their personal information to balance your report as their investigator on this matter,” she added,

Roseline Audu described her experience with Apex Lending, an approved DML that meets the FCCPCs’ digital money lending requirements, as a nightmare.

A check on the data safety segment of Apex Lending on Google Play Store shows that the app states that it does not share user data with third parties and only collects personal information. But users said the contrary.

“When you install the app they ask for permissions. You can’t access the app unless you grant them permission. What they do is to download the customer contacts on the phone. That is what they use to harass people,” Roseline said.

She added that agents of Apex Lending had sent a screenshot of her contact list and threatened that messages would be sent to them if she failed to settle the loan.

In Maryam’s case, agents of Cash Loan took her WhatsApp profile picture, which had her two kids on it, engraved it with Rest in Peace (RIP), and sent her messages, asking for her preferred method of death.

All these are a violation of the governing principle of data processing as contained in the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation of 2019. Part two, section 2.1(2) of the regulation states that “anyone who is entrusted with personal data of a data subject or who is in possession of the personal data of a data subject owes a duty of care to the said data subject.”

Efforts were made and questions sent to the spokesperson of the Nigeria Data Protection Commissions, Itunu Dokunu, regarding the commissions’ action plan on loan sharks that breach customer data and privacy but he failed to respond to the questions.


Charging exorbitant interest, service rates

Maryam Danladi alleged that “almost all of the apps I have used charge between N3,000 to N6,000 as daily interest rates. In fact, I don’t even have the mind to open those apps again. I don’t know what the apps are reading now.”

Since a lot of these digital money lenders are headquartered in Lagos and governed by the Moneylenders’ Law of Lagos State, Cap M7 2009, the license is issued by the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs and Tourism.

Any DML based in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will be issued a license and certificate by a designated magistrate on a yearly, renewable basis, only after the application for a license is officially made at the Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Section 15(1)(c) of the Lagos State Money Lenders Law 2009 only allows ‘simple’ interest at the rate of 48 per cent (maximum) per annum for unsecured loans, just as in the case of digital money lenders. Charging higher interest rates is a violation that could lead to conviction and a fine of N600 in respect of such a loan.

An investigation by Daily Trust Saturday revealed that both Apex Lending, Eagle Cash and Fly Pay or Fly Kash flout this law. They capitalise on customer’s desperation to offer loans at high interest rates after deducting a significant sum from the loan amount as service charge.

Confirming this, Roseline had requested for a N150,000 loan from TLoan on September 16, 2023 to be paid on September 23, but she was credited with N105,000. A ‘service fee’ of N45,000 was deducted upfront.

Eventually, she would later be asked to repay N204,000. This means she is to pay N96,000, which is equivalent to 91 per cent of the loan she was credited with.

As part of its policy, Google Play Store does not allow apps that expose users to deceptive or harmful financial products and services. It states on the policy centre that “all financial apps must display their maximum Annual Percentage Rate (APR), calculated for their customers.”

Checks by Daily Trust Saturday revealed that despite Apex Lending having met all the requirements stipulated by Google and being in line with the Guidelines for Digital Lending 2022, their review section on the Google Play Store is flooded with negative comments by users.

Some of the comments described the app as a scam and fraud, while others expressed disappointment, accusing the DML of unscrupulous deductions.


How DMLs use forgery, impersonations to harass lenders

Fly Pay, one of the delisted loan sharks, has consistently impersonated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigeria Immigration Service by sending purported letters of loan escalation notice, travel ban and arrest warrants to loan defaulters.

While scrutinising the purported undated letters from the EFCC by Fly Kash, our reporter found red flags in the spelling of the organisation’s name. CRIMES, from the commission’s name, was spelt as CRIME, without the letters. One of the letters, which was purported to have been signed by Abdulrashid Bawa and delivered on September 29, 2023, came at a time he was incarcerated.

A second letter purportedly from the EFCC signed by Abdulkarim Chukkol, the director of operations, was also discovered to have been fake.

Findings revealed that Chukkol was the acting chairman of the agency at the time the letter was delivered, not the director of operations.

Daily Trust Saturday reached out to the anti-graft agency and its acting spokesperson, Dele Oyewole refuted the letters, saying, “I wish to place it on record that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission does not issue arrest warrants on loan defaulters. All documents flying around with all manners of information such as arrest warrant processing and all those claims being made are not from the EFCC.”

Oyewole noted that DMLs use such fraudulent ways of compelling customers to repay their loans. He said the commission would not allow anyone to use its name to make fraudulent claims as those culpable would be prosecuted.

Equally, Daily Trust Saturday reached out to the Nigeria Immigration Service to ascertain if the travel ban letter Fly Pay sent to Roseline was approved by it, and the public relations officer, Aridegbe Adedotun, described the letter as forged and devoid of all of their security features.

“I want to say emphatically and categorically that this letter didn’t emanate from the Nigeria Immigration Service. It is forged. We have our security features in all our letters. It was surprising when we saw it,” he said.

Adedotun added that the service is currently investigating the matter to ensure that those involved are brought to book.

Lagos State Government said it has recorded no fewer than 340 cases of wives beating their husbands to submission, in the last year.

Executive Secretary, of Lagos Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, made the disclosure in a quarterly report of the agency.

She said the incidence of reports of domestic violence from males also increased in the last year.

Vivour-Adeniyi disclosed that 340 male reported cases of domestic violence perpetrated against them by their wives between September 2022 and July 2023.
She expressed worries over the trend, saying the agency “Is currently handling the cases with the aim to find amicable resolution.”

Commences monitoring of safeguarding, child protection implementaton

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government, through the Joint Task Force on Implementation of the Executive Order on Safeguarding and Child Protection has commenced monitoring and assessment across the six education districts in the state.

Members of the Joint Task Force comprise of top level representatives of Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State Safety Commission, State Universal Basic Education Board, Child Protection Network and Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.

According to Vivour-Adeniyi, the monitoring exercise which began on October 31, 2023, at the Lagos City College, Sabo-Yaba, has so far engaged over 200 schools in Education Districts 4 and 5, while over 90 schools have been visited to ascertain and measure compliance in those districts.

“On-the-spot assessments were conducted at the schools to confirm the practical implementation of the policy and identify strengths and areas for improvement.

“The aim of the monitoring exercise is to ascertain the level of adoption and implementation of the Executive Order across all six education districts in Lagos State,” Vivour-Adeniyi.

On the engagement, representative of the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mr. Kamaldeen Akodu, elaborated the need for schools to put precautionary measures in place to ensure a safe learning environment.

Similarly, representative of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr. Jubril Yakub informed school administrators of the essence of the exercise, highlighting the fact that it is not punitive in nature rather corrective.

There is no respite yet for the nation’s currency as the naira recorded the biggest fall in recent times exchanging for N1,105 at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approved official market.

The currency depreciated by over N200 within hours after it opened earlier in the day at N830. However, the fall would not last as the currency bounced back, closing at 841.14 yesterday.

According to Reuters, the sharp depreciation of the currency yesterday brought “The official exchange rate within touching distance of the parallel market rate.”

At the parallel market, Daily Trust reports that dollars opened at N1,135 and closed at N1,150 to N1,200.

One of the Bureau De Change (BDC) operators at a popular market in Lagos, Alhaji Hassan Sabo said, “Today we are buying at N1,100 and selling at N1,150.”

Asked on the prospect of the rate dropping, he said, “It cannot come down like that because the dollar is not available, some are not even selling at the rates I just gave you. It might even go up tomorrow.”

A capital market analyst, Samuel Showunmi said the government should return to multiple exchange rates to push the dollars into the market through the BDC.

“What we are seeing now with the banks is currency racketeering within the banking sector as well,” he said.

60-year-old Farouk Sanni has emerged as the best graduating student in the Department of Sociology, University of Ibadan.

Farouk Sanni, a retired banker, who said he felt accomplished with studying sociology in his quest to understand why people behave the way they behave, said he had read accounting at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife as an imposed course by an uncle.

Alhaji, as fondly called, the best graduating student, narrated his experience at the 75th convocation ceremony at the University of Ibadan.

According to him, he took up the challenge to stay healthy and pursue his quest to understand human behaviour after retiring from UBA and had to write JAMB to be admitted to study sociology.

Sanni, who bagged eight awards as a result of the feat, said he wrote JAMB with his child, who is now studying law at the University of Ibadan.

He said: “Studying in a class where you have those who are of the same age as your children can be very challenging, but I was magnanimous to accommodate what happened. Some called me Daddy, some called me Mr Sanni while some will even say “he may be a daddy but he is not my father”. I experienced a lot of things, but as an old person, I was able to remain focussed.”

Speaking on the feat of Mr Sanni, Dr Oludayo Tade a lecturer in the department, said the best-graduating student had a chair which he tied to a tree where he read under a tree in the faculty of the social sciences.

He said: “This 60-year-old man, Mallam F. K. Sanni graduated with FIRST CLASS in Sociology, University of Ibadan as the best student in his set, and with that won 8 awards.”

“He has two undergraduate children in UI at the moment. Until he graduated, he picked and dropped his two children at lecture halls, and most of the time, I met him reading under the tree on Saturday and Sunday.”

“On Ileya day, I saw him at the usual reading space under a faculty tree, where he had brought a chair tied to the tree to use whenever he came around to read. I asked him jokingly: Alhaji ni Ojo Ileya, he said Oga, I have bought everything they needed for them oooo. Staying with them will distract me, Sir.”

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-General Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun have failed to honour the invitation to appear before the House of Representatives today.

They were invited to appear today as part of the Sectorial Debates introduced by the House Pursuant to Order 17, Rules 1(3) of the Standing Orders of the House.

The Service Chiefs were to meet the parliament on their constitutional responsibilities to ensure the security of lives and property as well as the territorial integrity of the nation.

However, the service chiefs as well the IGP sent in representatives who were sent back by the House on the ground the heads are to appear in person.

The representatives were introduced into the Chamber after a motion by the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo) which was seconded by Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano).

But after the self introduction by the representatives of the service chiefs and the IGP, the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, objected, saying that although the representatives were competent in their capacities, they would be allowed to speak on behalf of their principals.

He said, “Mr Speaker, I want to move, that Chief Executives, be it private sector or public sector, they must come in person. I want to pray that we don’t break this sacred tradition of our House less we be taken for granted.

“I therefore move that this sectoral engagement be suspended until the leaders of the agencies that we invited who are our friends, who are working for Nigeria, people we are proud of, come. They should come to address us, take our questions and explain certain things to us.”

After the Deputy Speaker’s motion which was seconded by Nnolim Nnaji, the Speaker, Abbas Tajuddeen, put the motion to a voice vote and was adopted by the House.

He said, “Our dear brothers, you have heard from the House in an emphatic manner, that this House does not encourage, does not accept representation particularly at this high-level engagement.

“We thank you for coming. Please convey our message to your service chiefs, that we understand the tight schedules they have and we are willing to make an adjustment to reschedule this engagement to Tuesday next week for them to appear in persons.”

Recall that, in anticipation of the meeting with the service chiefs today, the Speaker had on Wednesday instructed that the Order Paper for today be made light to give more time for the interaction.

Spokesperson of the House, Akin Rotimi Jr, had in a statement earlier last week informed that the ‘Sectoral Debate’ Series were introduced by the House to provide political appointees and key government officials an opportunity to brief members of the House of Representatives about the policies and programmes of their respective MDAs.

The inaugural session was earlier scheduled to commence on Thursday, November 9, 2023 with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Dr. Olayemi Cardoso and his deputies but was postponed.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is leading by a significant margin in results of the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kogi State so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Usman Ododo, candidate of the ruling party, has won in 11 LGAs, Muri Ajaka, his Social Democratic Party (SDP) rival has won in six, while Leke Abejide of African Democratic Party (ADC) has won in one LGA.

So far, Ododo has polled 409,450 votes, Ajaka has had 208,503 while Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has polled 41,925 votes.

Below are the LGAs announced so far:

Okehi

APC 53,0623
PDP: 2,722
SDP: 153

Yagba East

APC: 7,096
PDP: 2,615
SDP: 312

Ijumu

APC 10,524
PDP: 6,909
SDP: 356

Mopa-Muro

APC: 5,077
PDP: 1,562
SDP: 253

Adavi

APC: 101,156
PDP: 1,005
SDP: 268

Ofu

APC: 5,245
PDP: 293
SDP: 28,768

Koton Karfe

APC: 14,769
PDP: 2,974
SDP: 8,441

Bassa

APC: 9,519
PDP: 3,605
SDP: 7,543

OMALA

APC: 2,902
PDP: 832
SDP: 18,160

Olamaboro

APC: 5,572
PDP: 1,376
SDP: 22,173

Ankpa

APC: 8,707
PDP: 3,654
SDP: 43,258

OKENE

APC: 138,416
PDP: 1,463
SDP: 271

Dekina

APC: 9,174
PDP: 499

SDP: 47,480

Ajaokuta

APC: 23,211
PDP: 483
SDP: 8,869

Aliko Dangote says the Dangote refinery has secured a license to refine more than 300,000 barrels of Nigerian crude per day and will begin to process petrol “soon”.

Dangote said this in an interview on Saturday in Riyadh on the sidelines of the Saudi-Nigeria business roundtable.

“We don’t want to start our refinery with foreign goods, we want to start with the Nigerian crude,” the billionaire told Bloomberg.

“We’re more than ready and you will see our gasoline products soon.”

The 650,000 barrel-a-day refinery was supposed to start production by the end of July but missed that target.

Speaking on the commencement of operations of the refinery, Dangote said the refiner will start producing “very very soon”.

He said the refinery’s first priority is to supply petrol to Nigeria before exporting to elsewhere, including the West African region.

Dangote said the 650,000 barrel-a-day facility — which is expected to produce 27 million litres of diesel, 11 million litres of kerosene and 9 million litres of jet fuel — will receive crude from other producers in Nigeria, as well as the country’s state oil company.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited is expected to allocate six million barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery in December 2023.

Meanwhile, during the week, the national oil company had announced the introduction of the Nembe crude oil grade to the market.

The Nembe crude stream is expected to be managed and marketed by a joint venture between NNPC and Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company.

The Kano Hisbah, under the leadership of Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, has announced plans to facilitate marriages for TikTokers in Kano, along with providing support for their business endeavors.

This initiative was unveiled during a meeting convened by the Hisbah to offer guidance to TikTokers on improving their moral values.

At the onset, Murja Ibrahim Kunya, a TikToker known for her controversial content that frequently stirs debate in Kano state, and other popular tiktokers, were invited to the Kano State Hisbah Command’s headquarters for potential rehabilitation on Monday, November 6th, 2023, at 4 pm.

The invitation issued by the Deputy Commander-General of Hisbah, Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen encouraged the attendees to bring their educational and business certificates, ensuring their identities remain protected by covering their faces.

The primary purpose of this gathering is to offer support to those interested in receiving assistance from the state’s governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.

The Tiktokers in overwhelming numbers attended the meeting dressed in full traditional regalia and covering their faces with Niqabs.

Speaking while unveiling the scheme the Commander-General of Hisbah board Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, said “We are willing to give you all the necessary support to live a sustainable life, those of you that have fiancees or are interested in marriage we promise to organize a grand wedding and take responsibility for all the expenses.”

He also advised the popular TikTokers Murja Kunya and others in attendance on how to improve their morals.

Sheikh Daurawa said that all TikTok users who need capital support, should write a business plan and submit it to the Hisbah board, if they are satisfied with the information they have provided, the Kano government will support them with capital.

This initiative, which has gained approval from Kano Governor Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, is designed to assist youth in the region and promote moral growth.

The TikTokers responded positively to the offer and engaged in discussions with senior Hisbah officials.

To demonstrate their commitment to this endeavor, the Hisbah provided N2,000 transport fare to TikTok participants in these discussions.

This surprising partnership between TikTokers and the Kano Hisbah is a unique and unexpected move aimed at empowering the youth and enhancing moral values within the local TikTok community.

The federal government has begun implementation of a 40 percent automatic deduction from internally generated revenues of federal universities and other partially-funded institutions.

The policy of 40 percent auto-deduction of gross IGR is in line with the Finance Circular with reference number FMFBNP/OTHERS/IGR/CRF/12/2021 dated December 20, 2021.

The circular limits the annual budgetary expenditure from IGR of the partially funded federal government.

The information was contained in a letter that was issued by the accountant-general of the federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, to the universities titled ‘Implementation of 40% automatic deduction from internally generated revenue of partially funded federal government institutions.’

The letter on implementation of the policy dated October 17, 2023 and addressed to vice-chancellors of universities was approved by the minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun.

It was signed by the director of Revenue & Investment in the office of the Accountant-general of the Federation, Felix Ore-ofe Ogundairo.

Ogundairo said, “I am directed to inform you that the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy (HMF&CME) has approved the implementation of a 40% auto deduction from the Gross Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of all Partially Funded Federal Government Institutions in line with the Provision of Section 62 of Finance Act, 2020 with effect from November, 2023.

“Agencies/parastatals to not more than 50% of their gross IGR and the remittance of 100% (hundred percent) of the remaining 50% (fifty percent) to the Sub-recurrent Account. While all statutory revenue lines like Tender Fees, Contractor’s Registration Fees, Disposal of Fixed Assets, Rent on Quarters, etc shall be remitted 100% (hundred percent) to the Sub-recurrent Account.

“Consequently, all partially funded Agencies/Parastatals must align their budget requirements and ensure total compliance with the provision of Section 62 of Finance Act, 2020 and Finance Circular, 2021.”

The federal government had hinted that it was granting universities full autonomy to explore sources of financing their activities.

The minister of Education, Tahir Mamman disclosed this in Abuja. The aim is to grant full autonomy to the universities as part of the government’s effort to create new means of funding tertiary education.

Already, controversy is trailing the policy which approved 40% auto deduction from the Gross Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of all Partially Funded Federal Government Institutions and payable into the federation account.

A letter addressed to some institutions from the office of the Accountant-general of the Federation, which was obtained by LEADERSHIP showed that the minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the Economy has approved the implementation of 40% auto deduction from the Gross IGR of all partially-funded federal government institutions.

The letter was addressed to some federal universities and other institutions across the country.

However, LEADERSHIP estimates that federal universities such as the University of Abuja, which approximately generate up to N1.4 billion yearly, will be remitting to the federation account an amount within the range of N560 million or more when the 40 percent.

It would be recalled that during the review of financial records and documents by the Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) in February 2022, the committee observed that the university generated the sum of N2,413,787,645.48 internally in 2016 and 2017.

Although as of the time of filing this report the authorities of the university of Abuja failed to provide us with the latest IGR of the institution when contacted, the yearly revenue generated internally in the University, according to the committee, was N1,463,097,604.13 in 2016 and N950,690,041.35 in 2017.

However, key players across the education sector have kicked against the policy, saying it will strangulate their activities and also deprive them of embarking on major infrastructure and critical projects that would put the institutions at par with its counterparts elsewhere.

The president of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, who confirmed that the union has seen the memo, said it was really unfortunate and one of the contradictions inherent in the perception and operations of tertiary education institutions.

He said, “It is a contradiction because the government clearly views these institutions as revenue generating agencies/agents of government.

“Yet the same institutions are dying of paucity of funds and dilapidated infrastructure. The same institutions cannot meet basic needs and obligations to keep them running.

“Of course, it will adversely affect the operations of the institutions as it will further pauperize them and demotivate them too.”

Ezeibe urged the government to relook the students’ loan scheme, stressing the need for a robust conversation on the direction of the education system in Nigeria.

“How can you give loans to the students to pay their fees, collect 40% of the fees immediately from the same students through this ridiculous policy and refuse or reduce the funding of the same institutions on the basis of the fees paid by the students? This will cripple the loan scheme as the institutions will continue to suffer,” he added.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), zone C, has described the decision as dangerous to the tertiary education system.

The coordinator of NANS Zone C, Comrade Anzaku Shedrack, who spoke in an interview with LEADERSHIP, said academic institutions may have only one option left to charge more fees in order to boost the IGR, thereby increasing the number of school dropouts.

Hs stated: “Federal government that does not adequately fund universities is now demanding 50% of what the universities generate from IGR.

“It’s simply madness. Universities are merely managing to survive; recently they introduced some fees/charges to enable them function. Now government wants equal share from the little collected. Two things will happen automatically:

“Universities will not be able to function well (UniAbuja receives a meager N12m monthly subvention from government with which to operate. N12m!). After remitting 50% of IGR to government there will be only little left with which to operate: pay for light, water and diesel; do maintenance of hostels, classrooms, lecture theatres; buy consumables for laboratories and workshops, pay impress, pay allowances for casual workers, etc.

“The only option left is to charge more fees in order to boost the IGR. This way, students and their parents will suffer; some will certainly drop out.”

According to him, the directive by the minister is dangerous, counterproductive and hence unacceptable.

When contacted, the Bursar of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, Gozie Egwuatu, said the institution remits to the federal government every kobo that accrues from the statutorily approved internally generated revenue (IGR) 0sources.

He named such statutory revenue windows from where IGR accrues to the federal government to include tendering fees and charges on hiring of the university’s properties.

He also said the institution does not have students’ loan scheme.

The UNIZIK bursar revealed that the only charges students pay to the university are for their personal services which the institution runs for the students at a cheaper cost compared to what they will pay if they were to go and get such services for themselves.

He said such services include medical care and laboratory services, adding that the amount charged by the institution is normally arrived at between the university management and parents of the students.

The Bursar stated that due to the rising costs of virtually every service nationwide the university has been finding it difficult to provide such services at the agreed levies.

Egwuatu stated that in line with the policy of the federal government for all its institutions, “tuition is free” for the students in the university.

He lamented that the federal government was not giving any subvention to the university for overhead expenses, saying “it has been difficult for us in running the university “.

Meanwhile, efforts by LEADERSHIP to get the estimated derivable annual revenue of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) proved abortive, as neither the vice Chancellor, Prof Mohammed Ahmed Abdul’azeez, nor the varsity PRO Zailani Bappa agreed to respond to his request.

The varsity’s PRP said Sunday was not a working day, and that he should let him be in office to access the revenue figures of the university.

But the Student’s Union Government president of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, Sen Wakili Dauda Abdulrahman, said that the policy of deducting 40% from the revenues (IGR) accruable to the ATBU, Bauchi, can have several implications for students and the student union.

On the impact of revenue deduction on student services, Abdulrahman explained that such a significant reduction in university revenue could potentially affect the quality of services provided to students, especially in the areas of facilities, infrastructure and academic resources.

The SUG president told LEADERSHIP: “If the university faces a revenue shortfall due to this deduction, they may consider raising tuition fees to compensate for the loss. This could directly impact students by making education more expensive.”

According to him, financial strain on students such as tuition fee increase can place a financial burden on students, making it more challenging for some to afford their education.

“The deduction of 40 percent from the university’s revenues (IGR) can potentially affect students’ loans and would negatively pose repayment challenges. Higher student loan amounts can lead to greater debt burdens upon graduation. Students who have taken out loans may find it more challenging to repay their loans due to the increased debt load”.

On students’ union, funding and budget, the SUG president said a reduction in university revenue may lead to budget constraints, which could impact the funding allocated to student union activities and initiatives, hence limiting the ability of the student union to organize events, programmes, and services for the student body.

Abdulrahman further explained that a decrease in funding might affect the quality and availability of services and resources that the student union can provide to the student body.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the payment of N25,000 for workers and N15,000 for pensioners as wage awards in the state.

The governor said the payment will be for six months at an additional N2.2 billion to the wage bill of the state.

Makinde made the disclosure in the company of labour leaders including Comrade Kayode Martins (NLC), Comrade Bosun Olabiyi (TUC), Comrade Olaonipekun Oluwaseun (JNC Public Sector) while addressing workers at the entrance of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Other government functionaries including, Special Adviser (Labour Matters), Comrade Adebayo Titilola-Sodo, the Executive Assistant to the governor, Reverend Idowu Ogedengbe among others also accompanied the governor during the address.

The workers had stormed the Governor’s Office as part of a decision taken during a Congress on Monday to ensure the issue is resolved once and for all.

Makurdi—No fewer than 22 persons have been killed in Chito and Tyo Akosu communities of Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State, following a rival gang fight and attack on a drinking spot.

It was gathered from sources in the area that the gang supremacy fight, which erupted, weekend, in Chito Community between the notorious criminal armed groups, known as ‘Chain Gang’ and ‘Full Fire’, left about 15 persons dead, while several others sustained gunshot wounds.

One of the sources said that the killings at Tyo Akosu settlement was perpetrated by armed men, who stormed a drinking spot in the village and opened fire on unsuspecting customers at the bar.

He said he could not readily confirm if the attack at Tyo Akosu was an extension of the Chito fight, but noted that the suspicion among the locals was that the supremacy fight was fast spreading in the communities of the council.

One of the sources explained that “It all started on Friday afternoon, during a fight for supremacy between kingpins of crime in Ukum council. They are known as Chain and Full Fire gangs, with their operational base located in the council.

“Both groups are looking for each others necks. Full Fire employed the services of another banditry group to help kill the Chain gang, which got wind of the plan and laid ambush for them.

“They opened fire and killed all of them. Some persons claimed that 10 pereons were killed in the bloody fight while others said they counted 15 bodies.

“”But it was an internal fight for supremacy among gangs and not a communal crisis. In fact, the locals ran away because they feared for their lives. They feared that in the course of the reprisal, they might be affected despite being innocent.”

It was gathered that after the Chito bloody fight on Friday evening, a gang of armed men Saturday evening stormed the drinking spot at Tor Akosu village and opened fire on the customers at the bar, killing seven persons and injurying several others.

He said: “Though we cannot say for sure that it was an extention of the supremacy fight but we cannot rule it out because we cannot tell who belongs to whatever groups anymore.

“Ukum has become something else, we are all living in fear as we speak because we cannot tell who is who among our local boys,” he said.

Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene said she was yet to receive information on the incidents.

By Qosim Suleiman


The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has said the newly appointed Resident Electoral Commission (REC) from Akwa Ibom State, Etekamba Umoren, will not be sworn in until the tenure of the current REC from the state, Monday Udo-Tom, expires in January.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, and the spokesperson to the INEC Chairperson, Rotimi Oyekanmi, disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES in separate responses Friday and Saturday.

Mr Olumekun corroborated Mr Oyekanmi when he said: “The new REC can only assume duties after the expiration of the tenure of the current REC whose term expires later,” Mr Olumekun said.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Oyekanmi said it would be unusual for two RECs from the same state of origin to serve at the same time.

He then sent a further clarification that the tenure of the newly appointed REC from Akwa Ibom would only take effect after the tenure of the current one ends in January next year.

“The tenure of the current REC from Akwa Ibom State will expire in January next year. The tenure of the new REC from the same Akwa Ibom State will only take effect after the end of the tenure of the current one,” he said in a text to our reporter.


‘Good practice’

Mr Oyekanmi added that the current appointment of RECs ahead of the expiration of the other’s tenure could be a good precedent.

“With the benefit of hindsight, this is actually good practice,” he said on Saturday. “It is better to have a REC-in-waiting than to allow a reigning REC’s tenure to expire before scrambling to appoint a new one.”

Two years ago, the 9th Senate Committee on INEC stepped down the nomination of Lauretta Onochie as INEC national commissioner from Delta State on the grounds that there was no vacancy for the role as of the time of her nomination.


Tinubu’s illegal REC appointments

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how President Bola Tinubu goofed with the appointment of Mr Umoren as REC from Akwa Ibom state when the current REC from the state, Mr Udo-Tom has at least three months to the end of his five-year tenure. Mr Udo-Tom currently serves as the Delta State REC as INEC regulations don’t allow RECs and National Commissioners to serve in their states of origin.

This newspaper also found that Mr Umoren’s nomination and subsequent confirmation by the Senate was illegal as he was a member of Mr Tinubu’s political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a long-time ally and loyalist of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

This is contrary to Paragraph 14, Item F of the third Schedule of the 1999 constitution which specifically dictates that partisan persons shall not be appointed to the electoral commission.

Yet, Mr Tinubu and the 10th Senate under Godswill Akpabio defied the constitutional provisions to nominate and confirm Mr Umoren and Isah Shaka, the REC from Edo State.

Two other RECs, Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos) and Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers), are found to be long-term allies of Mr Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

A Nigerian doctor, who goes by the handle Maxvayshia on social platform X, has recounted how a soldier discovered that his wife allegedly committed paternity fraud following a medical emergency involving their 10-year-old son.

According to Maxvayshia in his tweet Friday, upon admission, he discovered that the child presented with some physical features likened to those of sickle cell patients.

The doctor continued saying his suspicions were later confirmed after the genotype test ordered showed that the child carries the SS genotype while the soldier is AA.

His tweet read, “Just this afternoon, I admitted a 10-year-old child who had a few physical features of a sickle cell child. Index of suspicion made me order a genotype test with the knowledge of the Mother who brought him in. The test result showed the child to be SS.

“Father, a soldier, was informed and immediately reacted sharply, saying he is AA. He said he had run the test several times. He came down from his station to our facility.

“He insisted on carrying out genotype testing again at our facility. He is AA. It has been a hectic day".

The statement further informed commuters in the state that starting “from Monday, November 6, 2023, transport fare will return to the pre-2nd August 2023 rate.”

The Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government has made a U-turn and announced the cancellation of the 50% discount on public transport in the state and reversion to the old rates from Sunday.

The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LMATA) announced the cancellation of the discount on Saturday.

“The 50% rebate in transport fare in the regulated transport system in Lagos ends on Sunday,” LMATA said in a statement.

The statement further informed commuters in the state that starting “from Monday, November 6, 2023, transport fare will return to the pre-2nd August 2023 rate.”

Recall that Governor Sanwo-Olu in August announced a 50% reduction in prices of public transport services including the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT), Standard routes, First and Last Mile, Rail and Ferry to cushion the harsh effect of fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government.

The subsidy removal has forced average Nigerians into economic frustration, hence, the Lagos State government and some other states across the country took the decision to introduce relief packages to cushion the effects of the fuel removal.

Lagos state government had in its part introduced a 50% rebate on transport fares across the state.

But the state government which in October said the rebate package saved commuters N1.9 billion in eight weeks on transport costs has announced the end of the discount, although hardship and effects of the fuel removal is still biting hard on the people.

Senegalese forward Sadio Mane has become the new owner of French Championnat National 2 club, Bourges Foot 18.

The Al-Nassr star completed the takeover of the club on Tuesday and has now been confirmed the majority stakeholder of the French outfit.

The news was announced by Bourges mayor Yann Galut during a press conference held at the club’s headquarters on Wednesday.

“I confirm the official arrival of Sadio Mané as a partner of Bourges Foot 18”, Galut said during the conference in which Mane participated by video.

“I would like to send him my warmest greetings. It is an official arrival in the presence of Cheikh Sylla, president of the club.

“Sadio Mane has humanist values, he is close and he has a desire to have a social project.”

According to Senegalese media Taggat, Mane has already convinced his countryman Moussa Konaté (Forward) who played alongside him during the 2018 World Cup in Russia to join the club as his first signing after his takeover.

Mane becomes the latest footballer to buy a club after N’Golo Kante invested in Belgium third-tier side Royal Excelsior Virton.

By Philip Shimnom Clement


The federal government has announced plans to automate transactions in the entire foreign exchange market in order to close wide arbitrage and punish naira speculators.

Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, made the revealation at the first panel session of the 29th Nigeria Economic Summit (#NES29) in Abuja, on Monday.

According to him, all dealings in the foreign exchange market – from the official to the parallel market where huge arbitrage has consistently occurred – would be thoroughly monitored, adding that offenders would be fished out and punished.

He also disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed two executive orders last week.

“One of them is an executive order that allows forbearance for all the cash in the economy to come in and formally boost the money supply legally.

“There’s another executive order that allows domestic issuance of foreign currency issues so that it will allow incentive to provide that foreign exchange for whatever source,” he said.

The minister said a plan to revamp the foreign exchange market would be unfolded.

He admitted that Nigeria’s foreign exchange market was not functioning effectively due to illiquidity, saying that the government was prepared to do everything required to change the status quo.

“Foreign exchange market will be simplified and reformed such that all legal and legitimate transactions will fall within the purview of the authorities and in the formal foreign exchange market. Anything outside that will be illegal, a criminal offence and will be punishable,” Edun said.

As part of activities to mark the World Air Traffic Controllers Day, celebrated globally on October 20, Nigeria made history by having an all female Air Traffic Control (ATC) Crew taking charge of all its control units nationwide including Area, Approach and Terminal Control.

The initiative was the brain child of senior female Controllers, with the first female Controller in Nigeria, Mrs. Hauwa Danboyi, taking it up to get management approval.

DGM, Air Traffic Management (ATM), Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Mrs. Kate Nnanna-Ibemgbo, chaired the Planning Committee which made the epoch-making event a reality.

The event was to promote inclusion and diversity in the ATC profession, as well as celebrate women working in the profession.

Mrs. Nnanna-Ibemgbo said: “We thought to come together and pool our individual strengths to achieve a collective strength and do what we know would project the core values of ATC in Nigeria. We also thought to show the inclusion in our profession. So there is synergy between the male and the female counterparts

“So today it is an all female crew across the country simultaneously to show our unity in action. We thought it wise to come together and do something that would show the trajectory of how things happen in other climes.”

DGM, Technical Evaluation and Manpower Development (NAMA), Mrs. Doris Ekeada, said: “This day makes me very proud because when I joined ATC in 1998, we were six, but now we are almost 50. So I am very proud that we have enough ladies to take charge of all the positions across the country today. It shows that what a man can do, a woman can also do.

“ATC is a male dominated profession and because of all the challenges involved and the stress. And so we need to celebrate ourselves for thriving in this profession despite the other many responsibilities we have.

“I will tell the upcoming generation that there is nothing they cannot accomplish, the sky is just the beginning. ATC is a proud and great profession.”

A First Officer with Air Peace, Mrs. Atinuke Stanley-Kafu, spoke on the uniqueness of this important milestone. “It just means that times are changing and it is very inspiring for me. Even on normal days when one or two ladies are on the radio, it’s very respectful to hear another woman on the other side doing her thing and doing it excellently well. And I think this is an opportunity for other women who are coming into the aviation industry to be inspired as I have been inspired by other women who were there before me. This is an amazing day for all of us,” she enthused.

The celebrations ended on a high note with the ladies encouraging each other to gear up for bigger responsibilities with a commitment to keep inspiring the next generation of ladies and girls not just in aviation, but across other professions.

President Bola Tinubu has promised to honour all the foreign exchange obligations that Nigeria has entered into through forward contracts.

Forward contracts are financial agreements where two parties agree to exchange a specified amount of one currency for another currency at a predetermined future date and exchange rate.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiated agreements with Nigerian businesses to sell forward contracts, which essentially promised the businesses a fixed amount of dollars at a predetermined price in the future. These contracts allowed the businesses to open Letters of Credit (LCs), which are a form of payment guarantee issued by banks on behalf of the importers.

With the assurance of receiving the promised dollars from the CBN, the businesses utilized these LCs to import goods from foreign suppliers. The expectation was that when the goods arrived, the CBN would release the dollars to the importers, allowing them to fulfill their payment obligations to the suppliers. This system ensured a smooth flow of imports and facilitated international trade for Nigerian businesses.

However, since February 2023, the CBN has been unable to fulfill its promises and has not provided the businesses with the dollars they were allocated under the forward contracts. As a result, there is now a significant backlog of approximately $3 billion owed to these businesses. This means that the businesses are unable to fulfil their obligations to their foreign suppliers, leading to disruption in the supply chain and potentially damaging their relationships with international partners.

The consequences of the CBN’s failure to meet its commitments are not limited to domestic businesses alone. Foreign investors also have a substantial backlog of approximately $10 billion owed to them by the CBN. This impacts the confidence and trust of foreign investors in the Nigerian economy, potentially deterring future investments and harming economic growth.

Moreover, the shortage of foreign exchange liquidity resulting from this failure has forced the CBN to suspend various transactions. These include payments for school fees and Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) applications, causing inconvenience and financial difficulties for individuals who rely on these services.

Overall, the CBN’s failure to fulfil its promises has had significant financial consequences for the businesses involved, leading to a backlog of owed payments and disruptions in international trade relationships. This has also negatively impacted the broader economy’s stability, with suspended transactions and a potential decrease in foreign investor confidence. Resolving this issue and restoring trust in the CBN’s ability to honour its commitments will be crucial for the recovery and growth of the Nigerian economy.

To address this huge Forex backlog, President Bola Tinubu at the 29th edition of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) announced that “consistent with our commitment to enshrining fairness and the rule of law in our country, this government will uphold the sanctity of every legitimate contract.

He said: “Specifically, as it relates to foreign exchange obligations of the government, all forward contracts that the government has entered will be honoured and a framework has been put in place to ensure that these obligations are met in due course.”

Tinubu also disclosed that a framework has been established to ensure that the government meets its foreign exchange obligations as stipulated in the contracts.

An official of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who was at the event said, “This framework will likely include policies, procedures, and financial resources to ensure the obligations are met as agreed upon.”

The president in his address to the NESG, said there must be consumer credit, adding that the scheme would have to come to effect as soon as possible.

He said: “I task my team and my colleagues to build this programme and develop it now. We cannot talk about anti-corruption when you have to look for cash to buy a car when there’s no mortgage for homeownership.

“Where do you expect a civil servant to have N3 million or N5 million for housing without corruption? If you don’t change and plan the welfare of your judiciary and you ask them to be fair, render justice with mercy, with a hungry stomach.

Tinubu noted that Nigeria aims to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2026 and $3 trillion within this decade through sustainable and competitive growth.

He said the private sector is crucial to achieving this goal, and that the government is seeking collaboration and support from industry leaders to realize this vision.

He said public-private partnerships and successful models from the past will be utilized to ensure a prosperous Nigeria for all.

Tinubu said: “The private sector is encouraged to bring their ideas, leadership, and capital to build a hopeful future. I am confident that by working closely with all of you in the private sector, financing our $3 trillion National Infrastructure Stock can be achieved in 10 years and not in 300 years.

“Building megacities in every geopolitical zone of the size and scale of Lagos must not take us another six decades. We can do it in one decade. A fully networked and connected Nigeria by rail, gas, fibre optics and road network can be constructed in less than 20 years. Establishing thriving Industrial zones in every part of Nigeria is possible before 2030.”

Speaking about the need to stimulate the economy, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disclosed that “by January 2024, the new student loan programme and consumer credit schemes will have come into effect. New and affordable homes will also be built at a record pace. We have all felt the pain of these reforms; soon, we shall begin to reap the rewards. It is my hope that this Summit will deliberate and proffer yet more solutions to complement the programmes mentioned above.

The Borno State Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (RRR), Ibrahim Garba, was found dead Saturday in his guest house located in the 777 housing estate in Maiduguri.

His body was found alongside that of a yet-to-be-identified woman who was discovered unconscious and later died at the hospital where she had been taken for treatment.

The corpses of the two are currently at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital where an autopsy is being conducted to ascertain the cause of their death.

The Borno State Government has confirmed the commissioner’s death.

The governor’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, issued a terse statement expressing the state’s shock and grief.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum “received the news with intense shock and profound grief,” Mr Gusau said.

He further noted, “The Governor mourns alongside the late commissioner’s family, other loved ones, friends, associates, and members of the state executive council.”

Mr Gusau also confirmed that the Borno State police command has begun an immediate investigation into Mr Garba’s death. He added that the state police commissioner had visited the house in Maiduguri where Mr Garba was found.

The spokesperson was silent on the yet-to-be-identified woman. The statement did not provide details on the circumstances surrounding the commissioner’s death but offered prayers for his forgiveness and peaceful afterlife.

Further information about the incident was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Borno State Command, Kaminu Shatambaya. However, Mr Shatambaya did not provide details about the incident or the identity of the woman.

“It was a tragic loss but for now, we are all at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital waiting for the autopsy result before any official statement from the police can be issued,” he commented.

Mr Garba, a key figure in Governor Zulum’s administration, was previously the Special Adviser on Special Projects before he was appointed commissioner of RRR at the start of Mr Zulum’s second.

Oil marketers say mixing ethanol with Premium Motor Spirit can crash the price of petrol across the country to N49 per litre, as the country is experiencing its scarcity in some parts of the country,

Saturday PUNCH made the findings on the sideline of the BusinessDay/Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria Policy Intervention Series on Alternative Fuel in Lagos.

According to the marketers, ethanol blending in petrol was an avenue for significant savings both on the part of the Federal Government and consumers.

The Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Clement Isong told The PUNCH at the workshop that, “We all know that everyone is currently complaining of the high price of petrol, however, blending ethanol with petrol is one of the ways to bring down prices by up to N49 per litre. This practice can also support local farming and agro-processing industries, particularly using abundant resources like cassava.”

Ethanol is a volatile, inflammable, clear liquid with a distinctive odour and the chemical formula C2H5OH. It is the main type of alcohol drinks, but ethanol in its pure form is not fit for human consumption. Most fuel contains ethanol, commonly 10 per cent. This helps both supply oxygen to the fuel and reduce emissions. Ethanol also increases the octane number in fuel, and this helps to keep cars healthy.

The Federal Government is reviewing and expanding the National Social Register to accommodate pensioners and ex-servicemen under its Conditional Cash Transfer scheme.

It is also removing beneficiaries who have excited the poverty line.

Saturday PUNCH gathered that the government was also taking out dead beneficiaries from the register and would disqualify those without National Identification Numbers and Bank Verification Numbers.

It was further gathered that payments would be made directly to the beneficiaries by the Central Bank of Nigeria and not through consultants, as the first batch of bulk payments would begin next week for five million households.


The Conditional Cash Transfer scheme is part of the National Social Investment Programme of the Federal Government, which is a project created to change the lives of millions of Nigerians living in extreme poverty, upgrade their standards of living and improve the economy.

In commemoration of the 2023 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Tuesday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu launched the disbursement of N25,000 to 15 million households for three months as a social safety net intervention.

The aim is to mitigate the impact of the recent fuel subsidy removal and help eradicate poverty across the country.

Providing further details on the initiative in response to inquiries by Saturday PUNCH, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Rasheed Olanrewaju, stated that the cash transfer scheme had been reviewed and expanded.

Asked if the Federal Government would use the old register used by the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration to transfer the money, he stated, “We are using a verified expanded register that has pensioners and veterans, as well as other vulnerable persons who were not captured.”

Confirming the position of the minister’s media aide, the National Communications Manager, National Social Investment Programme Agency, Jamaldeen Kabir, stated that beneficiaries who had exited the poverty line were being removed from the register.

Kabir said, “What he (Olanrewaju) told you is very correct, because the register is being expanded. First of all, it has to be verified so that those who are out of the poverty line will be removed from the old register.

“Those in the register, are they still within the poverty line or have they exited the line? The expansion will also include the wives of fallen heroes and pensioners.”

On when the cash transfer would begin, Olanrewaju stated that though bulk payments would commence from next week, some of those who had been verified had already started receiving payment alerts.

“The cash transfer (scheme) has been launched and once a household is verified, they get paid. The batches begin this month, next week to be precise; however, verified people have started receiving alerts,” he stated.


Also commenting on when the cash transfer would begin, Kabir said, “Actually, when the programme was launched at the Presidential Villa three days ago, some beneficiaries were presented with some cheques.

“So, before this month ends, the beneficiaries in the first phase will receive theirs, and this phase caters to five million households. So, we are expecting those five million households to receive money in the months of October, November and December,” Olanrewaju added.

On how many ghost recipients had been discovered, the minister’s aide stated that a lot of measures had been put in place to make the scheme credible, such as the introduction of the NIN and BVN.

“They may not be ghosts, but we have put in place many controls to make the process credible and clean. First, we looked for the NIN and BVN to match with in-person verification and biometrics. The process is from the CBN to the beneficiaries; there are no middlemen,” Olanrewaju stated.

Asked to state the number of dead recipients, he replied, “We have struck off many names following the verification. The final figure will be out in weeks; it may run into millions.

“Some are dead; some are no longer in that category (of the poor) and some could not be identified at locations given, so wait till we get the compilation ready,” he added.

Asked to state those involved in identity theft, he said, “All these will be determined when the final report is out. For now, we will pay those fully verified and the names will be pasted in communities.

“Fifteen million households amount to about 62 million individuals, with an average of five persons per household.”

The humanitarian ministry stated that the determination of the Federal Government to eradicate poverty was in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which has poverty eradication, food security, economic growth and job creation as priorities.

At the launch of the cash transfer scheme on Tuesday, Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, enumerated various steps his administration had taken to ameliorate poverty in the country.

These, according to the President, include providing the policy framework and road map for poverty alleviation, developing humanitarian response and expanding the National Social Register to capture Nigerians living below $1.95 per day.

Other steps include restructuring of the National Social Investment Programme and repositioning it for quick and efficient delivery that is transparent, as well as partnering with the World Bank Group and other development partners to implement conditional cash transfers and business grants, among others.

The ministry stated that the government was also investing N100bn in the purchase of 3,000 units of 20-seater Compressed Natural Gas-powered buses for cheaper transportation.

It further stated that there was an investment of N200bn to cultivate 500,000 hectares of farmland to improve food security.


The ministry added, “The release of 2,000 metric tonnes of grains from the strategic grains reserves to households across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The distribution of 225,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers and seedlings to farmers, who are committed to the nation’s food security.

“The release of N75bn to support 100,000 small and medium enterprises and start-ups. Renewed Hope Shelter Programme for the poor, refugees and internally displaced persons targeted at one million households.

“Business grants and loans for vulnerable market women, farmers and traders to expand their business, targeted at two million beneficiaries, among other interventions from various ministries through a multi-sectoral approach.”

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, recently stated that all stakeholders, including the private sector players, development partners and other nations, should support Nigeria in its drive to eliminate poverty.

She stated, “The cardinal goal of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is to give the poor and vulnerable Nigerians a new breath of hope, which is also in line with the SDG target”

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not relent until vulnerable Nigerians are completely pulled out of poverty by 2030.”

Edu said the conditional cash transfer was a proven way to alleviate poverty, as it would give households the financial support to start micro and small enterprises, provide basic health care and food, keep their children in school and attend to the immediate needs of the households.

She stated, “Mr. President, during the October 1, 2023, national broadcast, announced this intervention; we have gone through a thorough and rigorous process of verification for the National Social Register, giving us the lead way to begin payments.

“The beneficiaries are drawn from across all states in the country plus the Federal Capital Territory and it is being done in a transparent manner that is traceable and verifiable.

“Beyond this, the government will be providing low-cost shelter for the poor and internally displaced persons as a form of providing that cover for them.

“Several other interventions, including the rural vocational skills intervention, will be carried out on a country-wide scale. All of these are targeted at the various dimensions of poverty across the country.”

The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has reported what it called a minor fire outbreak at the cooling tower of Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State.

In a statement posted on its X handle (formerly Twitter) and signed by the NNPCL Management Friday night, the oil company said the fire outbreak, which ocurred at about 3pm on Friday afternoon, was put out after about 30 minutes, adding that the incident will not affect the ongoing refinery rehabilitation project and delivery schedule.

“This afternoon, at about 15:02hrs, there was a minor fire incident at the cooling tower of Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC).

“The fire which occurred as a result of ongoing welding activity at the top of the cooling tower will not affect the refinery rehabilitation project delivery schedule.

“NNPC Limited safety officers at the Refinery acted immediately and put out the fire at about 15:30hrs; normalcy has since been restored.

“NNPC Limited will continue to adhere to the best safety standards in all its business operations,” the statement said

The house of representatives has asked the federal government, state and local governments to ban Queen Primer, a textbook used in primary schools.

The green chamber passed the resolution at plenary on Thursday after the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sulaiman Gumi, a lawmaker from Zamfara state.

Gumi said the textbook “subtly introduces the terms — ‘gay’, ‘eros’ — that communise sexual perversion and immoral behaviours”.

He said the textbook exposes children to terms inappropriate for their age.

The lawmaker described it as “unlawful, unethical, highly immoral and antithetical to child upbringing”.

The house asked the federal government to place a “total ban on the local production, importation and use of any educational material” that contains words that teach or promote “lesbianism, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT)” in schools across the country.

The house also asked the ministry of education, Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council, and the Education Research Council (ERC) to “carefully vet and censor” the contents of educational materials used in nursery and primary schools in the country and ensure that they are “appropriate and devoid of any connotation of pervasive culture”.

‘ALIEN NORMS’

While moving the motion, Gumi said there is an “influx” of foreign educational materials that promote and teach “certain morals” that are “alien and inimical” to the nation’s norms and values.

He said there’s a need to “instil and protect” moral values in children and society by resisting behaviour which violates the country’s laws.

The nation’s anti-gay law prohibits gay relationships and same-sex marriage. Persons convicted face up to 14 years in jail.

It is also prohibited to have a meeting of homosexuals, or to operate or attend a gay club, society or organisation. Public show of same-sex intimate affection is also outlawed and offenders may be jailed for up to 10 years.