₦airaland Forum

There are indications that the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) may hit N320 per litre later this month as the Federal Government has concluded plans to remove subsidy on the product as part of the ongoing implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The Guardian gathered that the skyrocketing oil price, expected to hit $100 per barrel before the end of this year, will also push prices of petroleum products to a record high and worsen the spike in price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had last week disclosed that it spent a total of N905.27 billion on petrol subsidy in eight months amid rising global oil prices.

With the international oil benchmark, Brent crude, at $82.39 per barrel yesterday, the landing cost of imported petrol is expected to increase, jacking up pump price of petrol.

The price of diesel has already skyrocketed to N350 per litre, an indication that may further worsen plight of local manufacturers and businesses, which largely rely on the product for power generation in the face of erratic power supply in the country.

Amid plan to increase electricity tariff as part of the implementation of the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO), most stakeholders, who spoke with The Guardian, yesterday, feared increase in prices of goods and services, high inflation, foreign exchange challenges as well as poverty surge.

While President Muhammadu Buhari presented a borrowing dependent budget of N16.39 trillion to the joint session of the National Assembly last week, the current global energy crisis would have been a bumper harvest for oil and gas dependent countries like Nigeria, as current price increase already created a windfall of over $1 trillion revenue for international oil companies, but the lack of local refining capacity meant that import of products (aviation fuel, PMS, diesel, LPG and others) would erode projected gains.

While over N1.2 trillion has reportedly been expended on petrol subsidy alone since the Federal Government brought back the scheme through the back door despite no budgetary allocation in the 2021 budget, the current move to remove the opaque scheme may provide more money for budget implementation, but may worsen consumers’ plight.

The Federal Government had in March 2020 removed petrol subsidy after reducing the pump price of the product to N125 per litre from N145 following the sharp drop in crude oil prices. The NNPC, which has been the sole importer of petrol into the country in recent years, has been bearing the subsidy cost since it resurfaced.


Across key global economies, energy crisis has worsened the economic devastation caused by COVID-19, as worst hit countries like China and others in Europe prepare for a cascading situation ahead of winter.

Although, renewable energy has been on rise, most analysts have expressed pessimistic view whether the emerging option could enable consumers evade spiking bills.

Crude oil, which sold for less than $30 a few months ago, is trading for about $83 per barrel (brent), U.S. crude selling for about $79, trailing Nigerian crude that is exchanging for $82.

At about $83 dollars per barrel, the landing cost of petrol in Nigeria hovers around N290 per litre. Additional charges, including margins for retailers and wholesalers, transporters and equalisation standing at around N60 per litre would push the current pump price to about N350 should subsidy be removed.

While the Federal Government had last year increased electricity bills, there was a further slight adjustment to the tariff in September in the face poor supply.

Unknown to most Nigerians, they are now paying higher for electricity after the authorities quietly raised the tariff without notifying consumers of the product. The two per cent tariff adjustment confirms plans by government to withdraw its subsidy payment in the sector, which is well over N30 billion monthly.

Also, price of LPG, otherwise known as cooking gas, has risen by over 100 per cent in the past few months as 12.5kg is currently selling for between N7,500 and N8,000. This, marketers say might increase to N10,000 before December if the current crisis in the sector is not addressed.

The marketers have expressed concerns over the supply shortage, which is rocking the sector and has led to recent hikes in the price of the commodity, driving more Nigerians to seek alternative sources of fuel like charcoal, firewood, sawdust, among other energy sources whose prices have started rising as well.

Diesel, mainly used as alternative for power generation in the industrial sector and small scale businesses, has equally risen exponentially to about N350 per litre across fuel stations in the country.


Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had told journalists in Abuja last week that there won’t be an option to full deregulation of the downstream, a move that would increase the current N162 per litre pump price to about N350, which has already been canvassed by the 36 state governors.

This is coming as the NNPC yesterday appealed to tanker drivers to halt proposed plan to embark on strike given poor state of road network as well as increasing cost of diesel and vehicle spare parts.

Former Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, insisted that prevailing global energy outlook and the lack of preparation by Nigeria has posed a daunting task for projected improvement in Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

With the nation’s economy shrinking to historic low in a quarter last year due to the pandemic, the 2022 budget is proposing a growth of 4.2 per cent, which according to Amadi, may now become a tall order as unabating energy crisis would increase costs of production, “which may affect industrial capacity and productivity.

“There will also be negative impacts on small and medium enterprises in terms of escalating their costs of production. Generally, energy cost is about 30 per cent of the cost of production. So, a general increase in energy prices will be a major constraint to economic growth,” he noted.

Amadi noted that increase in electricity tariff remained imminent considering that gas constitutes about 40 per cent of electricity price.

An energy expert, Henry Adigun, noted that while the crisis may persist, the government should go ahead with subsidy removal, insisting that, “there is never a right time to remove energy subsidies. The right time is always yesterday.”

According to him, while the removal may be a difficult decision, the country is already in dilemma as government continues to borrow while losing money on petrol subsidies it could have channelled to other productive sectors.

Adigun said companies are already feeling the pain as inflation remained very high, disclosing that while any price increase would create chaos and spike prices, leading to inflation, it is necessary to take the bitter pill of removing subsidy now if Nigeria will survive tomorrow.


A former management staff at NNPC and Chairman/CEO of the International Energy Services Limited (IESL), Dr Diran Fawibe, noted that the country may have been caught up in energy insecurity, a development that remains debilitating for a country with so much energy resources.

“Nigeria should not be having an energy crisis if we have been managing our resources properly, because we have all it takes to have energy security. For example, we ordinarily should not be importing petroleum products if we have had appropriate policies and initiative, and tenacity of purpose,” Fawibe said.

He insisted that the country must find a way to remove subsidy, which he sees as a major barrier towards improving energy security of the country, otherwise, the nation may have to bear the brunt.

He lamented that the country has been unable to increase crude oil reserves years after setting a 40 billion barrel reserves and four million barrel daily production, adding that inability to think properly equally created the chaotic situation in LPG pricing despite the country’s 206 trillion cubic natural gas resources.

Fawibe decried that the country equally created uncertainties that did not encourage investors to step in and address the country’s energy crisis, adding that with many oil companies now switching from oil to renewable, the country faces a daunting challenge.

With a rapidly growing population and widening energy gap, the energy expert is calling for an urgent action that would create a holistic approach, especially in the area of investment to drive investors locally and internationally.

Fawibe said although the fiscal incentives in the PIA were commendable, government needs to engage investors and listen to experts’ advice, otherwise, the country would be suffering in the midst of plenty.

“We should be able to re-establish our position with oil to continue to gain international recognition. As leading oil producer and OPEC member, we gain international recognition but if we are losing in our homefront, then that kind of leverage and recognition will reduce and it is not good for the image of Nigeria,” he said.

Former President of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof. Segun Ajibola, noted that prevailing global energy situation would impact Nigeria negatively given the country’s dependence on import for the goods it ought to be exporting.

“We should be rejoicing if prices are high but there is a disconnect because we are importing. It is sad for us to pay more for the same products we have in abundance,” he stated.


“There will be cost-push inflation. Power is a major cost element in all businesses. They will pass on those costs to consumers. There is already worsening standard of living, this will further be impacted negatively. This is besides the issue of foreign exchange.”

He asked the government to apply caution and implement necessary policies that would douse the tension on foreign exchange, stressing that what becomes of the growing foreign exchange problem from the windfall of oil revenue depends on the approach the government would take.

Renowned energy scholar, Prof. Wunmi Iledare, said Nigeria’s energy crisis was coming from the failure to price energy appropriately.

Iledare said: “If you delay making choices and at the end of the delay you made bad choices, you live with the consequences. I hate to say we told you so. The solution is to adjust to the new reality and follow energy economics principles. No shut cut.”

He insisted that keeping energy subsidies is delaying the evil days. Stressing that the worst is yet to come if Nigeria continues “the Esau’s mindset in the governance of the energy sector institutions.”

Nigerian songs are not streamed globally but have also made up soundtracks in Hollywood movies.

The popularity of Nigerian music provided opportunities for artists to collaborate with their popular foreign counterparts, receive invitations to perform in concerts and even have their songs featured in international films.

However, there are a few Nigerian artists who have had their songs featured in popular films produced by Hollywood.

Here are the songs:

2baba- African Queen (Phat Girls)

2Baba (formerly knowns as 2Face), took Africa on a romantic journey with his African Queen in 2004 off his “Face 2 Face” album. The song drew the attention of everyone, including Hollywood.

In 2006, the track was featured in the film Phat Girlz. The music, which mixed well with the scenario, helped the film get off to a good start.

Davido – Assurance (Coming to America II)

In 2021, Davido had the internet talking after he made an appearance in the sequel to the iconic movie, “Coming to America”

The sequel, which was anticipated by many since when the first part was released in 1988, took 33 years for the producers to release part 2.

Davido performs his song “Assurance” in a scene of the movie as Eddie Murphy reprises his iconic role as Prince Akeem in the long-awaited sequel.

Wizkid – Daddy Yo(Pacific Rim Uprising)

Wizkid’s Daddy Yo‘ not only become a street anthem in Africa, but it also appeared on the soundtrack for John Boyega’s film Pacific Rim Uprising.

John Boyega, a British-Nigerian actor who lives in the United Kingdom and has appeared in a number of popular films, paid tribute to the 2017 hit song “Daddy Yo” in his film.

Burna Boy- My Money My Baby(Queen and Slim)

Burna Boy was included on the original soundtrack of the upcoming American film ‘Queen and Slim‘ on November 15, 2019.

He made his appearance on the song ‘My Money, My Baby.’ The song lies at track 10 and strongly samples a Fela Anikulapo-Kuti classic. It’s no secret that Fela Kuti is Burna Boy’s hero and role model.

Davido, MC Galaxy, P-square- Queen of Katwe

Davido, MC Galaxy, P-square
Queen of Katwe is a 2016 American biographical drama feature film depicting real-life Ugandan Chess Player, Phiona Mutesi and her childhood experiences in Katwe, a slum of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

The soundtrack album for the movie had a lot of African artists on it. In the movie, Davido’s “Skelewu”, Mc Galaxy’s “Sekem” and P-Square’s “Shekini” were played.

Federal Government yesterday, said that the Nasarawa State capital, Lafia, has been connected to the national grid, first time since the creation of the state in 1996, a situation that made the government house to be without electricity for over 24 years.

In a statement, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), said that it has just commissioned 330/132/3kV, 2x150MVA and 2x60MVA transmission sub-station constructed in Lafia.

It will be the first time that the state capital, Lafia and its environments would be connected to the national grid since its creation on October 1, 1996.

According to the statement, the
Executive Director, Networks, Engineer IfeOluwa Oyedele who at the weekend led a team from the company on a pre-commissioning inspection visit to Akurba, Lafia where the station is located, said when energised, residents of Lafia and its environs would experience both social and economic boom as electricity supply will get a big boost.

“The project will enhance uninterrupted power supply. Before now, even the Government House, Lafia, could not run on electricity from the distribution network because the 33kV line that comes from Akwanga is grossly inadequate to power the state capital and its environs.

“Fortunately, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has already awarded the necessary distribution contracts that will ensure that as soon as the transmission substation is commissioned, the whole area would be lighted up” Head, Communications and Public Relations of the commission, Mr Emmanuel Ojor, said in the statement.

Ojor noted that while describing the construction as a ‘landmark project’ for the Buhari Administration, Oyedele said the project was being completed in record time.

“The project has tremendous local content built into it as most of the technicians and engineers who did the construction were Nigerians thereby increasing local capacity.

“Many factories, including heavy industries, are now springing up in Nassarawa State in anticipation of the commissioning of the transmission sub-station as they are now rest assured of adequate supply of electricity.

A youth leader of Akurba community in Lafia, Ibrahim Mohammed, said:

“What we have been watching on television and hearing about happening in other places is what we are now witnessing in our own community too”,

He disclosed that youths in the community have ensured that no harm came near any of the workers at the site and that no incidence of theft was recorded.

“The youths will now become gainfully employed with adequate supply of electricity.

A prince of the community, Ahmed Uba said: “We give God the glory. Most youths that are presently jobless will now be gainfully employed as welders, barbers and other small and medium businesses will now begin to thrive.”

Deputy Managing Director of AK-AY Elektrik, the contractor handling the project, Dr. Mohammed Gumi who thanked NDPHC for the confidence reposed in them gave the assurance that the project would be completely ready for commissioning within the next few weeks when connection to the national grid through the line-in, line-out will be completed.

The transmission substation has the capacity to deliver and meet 240MW of load demand.

It will also help to provide backfeed to FCT whenever necessary since FCT is being served from Shiroro and Geregu Power Stations.
The transmission substation is one out of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) aimed at improving transmission of electricity nationwide.

The Multichoice-owned entertainment TV channel, Africa Magic, has said it is considering making a film about the life of Mrs Aisha Buhari.

A statement on Wednesday in Lagos said this was disclosed by the Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Busola Tejumola, during a two-day Africa Magic Content Marketplace in Kano.

The statement read partly, “Africa Magic, the MultiChoice-owned movie and general entertainment channel group dedicated to telling African stories, is considering making a biopic of Mrs Aisha Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Africa Magic is committed to supporting producers to tell authentic stories by providing the platform and training support.”

Tejumola noted that the initiative created by African Magic will provide an opportunity for the North to tell their stories in a compelling manner.

Members of the Aso Rock cabal are pushing a third-term agenda for President Muhammadu Buhari and for the amendment of the Nigerian Constitution to allow the President to stay beyond 2023, Presidency sources have told SaharaReporters.

Section 137 (1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), provides that “a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections”.

A similar move was made about 14 years for former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which failed.

The so-called Third Term Agenda collapsed on May 16, 2006, when the Nigerian Senate threw out the Constitutional Amendments Bill. Obasanjo left office a year later on May 29, 2007.

Sources in the Presidency told SaharaReporters on Wednesday night that members of the Aso Rock cabal are in on it and that some of them who had presidential ambitions ahead of 2023 elections had been told to step down.

One of them is the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who had been eyeing the Presidency, as SaharaReporters had earlier reported.

The cabals comprising some members of the President’s extended family, friends, and some northern governors and leaders are described as the powers behind the throne.

The recent clamour by Northern elites has also been linked to the third-term agenda, with strong northern voices stressing that the region could retain the Presidency following Buhari's departure from office.

One of the sources added that Buhari is expected to visit Glasgow, Scotland; Paris, France, and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates before the end of 2021.

The source, however, did not disclose if the trips have anything to do with the President’s third-term agenda.

“Recently, members of the cabal with interest in Presidency were told to step down. Malami is now back as Kebbi State APC (All Progressives Congress) Governorship candidate after initially telling people he could run for President,” one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

“Also, the recent strong clamour for the presidency to remain in the Northern part of the country is as a result of this. Guess who they want to use to push the agenda? It’s the same person you know, the APC candidate in the November governorship election in Anambra, Andy Uba.

“Uba is expected to start the third term campaign when he wins as Anambra governor. He did it before for Obasanjo, paying off lawmakers in the failed third term campaign. He is the one being used by the cabals to do the dirty job again many years after."

“Buhari to visit Glasgow, Scotland, Paris, France and Dubai, UAE before the end of 2021 amidst strong rumour of third term agenda,” another source said.

This comes two years after an APC chieftain, Charles Enya filed a suit, seeking the amendment of the constitution to allow Buhari to get another term in office.

Enya, who served as Organising Secretary to Buhari during the 2019 general elections had filed the suit (FHC/AI/CS/90/19) before a Federal High Court in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State.

He asked Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, as well as the National Assembly, to remove constitutional clauses hindering elected presidents and governors from seeking a third term in office.

The APC member sought for possible expungement of both sections. According to him, “that section 137(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) restricting the president to only two terms of four years each, is inoperative by virtue of its discriminatory nature in relation to the executive and legislative branches of government in Nigeria, and therefore null and void and thus inapplicable”.

He also sought an “order of the court nullifying and setting aside Sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). And directing the first and second defendants to delete and expunge sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (as amended).”

A few days after, Buhari claimed he wasn’t going to make the mistake of attempting a third term.

“I’m not going to make the mistake of attempting a third term. Besides the age, I swore by the holy book that I would go by the constitution and the constitution said two terms,” the President had said during the APC NEC meeting on November 22, 2019.

CONTROVERSY has broken out at Oviri-Olomu community, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, over the compensation by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, for a fresh oil discovery.

Five families, including Edariese Efedjamah, Irevwiruemu, George Akanuota, Onakota and Ashe, claiming ownership of Evue/Igbighogho bushes in the community where oil was discovered, alleged that faceless persons, who claim to be leaders of the community, connived with the company to shortchange them.

At a press conference in Udu, they stated that only the five families should be paid compensation and allowed to enjoy the benefits accruable from the land.

A member of the Edariese Family, Elder A.P. Edariese said: “The five families have been grossly denied their rights to fair compensation for their properties destroyed on the land and denied all payments for loss of use of the land as well as their rights to be paid anything under the freedom to operate, both at the time of preparation for drilling and now that the company has moved into the land for drilling purposes.

“We are equally denied of our rights to job slots.

“The land is not owned by the Oviri-Olomu Community, Individuals and families own the lands. NPDC should respect the five families for decency, reasonable fairness and justice, and allow peace to reign supreme if they want to do business in the land.

“They imported strange names who have no mandate to lead or represent the community for negotiations against the cries of the five families. They refused to hearken to these long calls and cries.

“NPDC is hereby placed on caution, solemnly advised and warned never to do anything with impostors who do not have the mandate of the community to represent the five families in the acquisition of their land by NPDC for the new oil location that’s being developed.”

Edariese noted he and three others were allegedly held hostage at Wellington Hotel in Effurun, Uvwie local government area by a consultant and forced to collect N1,500,000 on behalf of his family

He said: “He threatened that if I love myself, I should collect the money. That if the lords in Oviri-Olomu community know he is dealing with me, he will be in trouble. I should accept the money.

“I accepted the money under duress. I had to sign the cheque. He said my family was fortunate because we got the larger sum and others got peanuts.”

Representative of George Akanuota family, Mr. Shedrack Akanuota, who corroborated the claims of Edariese, said: “Only five families own the land wherein NPDC is currently carrying out drilling works at the moment and not nine as it was mentioned and forwarded to them by some faceless persons.”

“They have sidelined us, yet operation is going on in this land. I do not know on whose permission NPDC has gone to carry out their operation.

“So, if they have negotiated with any group of persons before, they should know that they have negotiated with the wrong persons. NPDC need to correct it now.

“NPDC should be cautious of themselves if they are going into communities for transactions to avoid any loss of lives and properties.

“I want NPDC to take note that they have transacted wrong businesses with wrong persons. They need to correct it.”

A representative of the Irhoremu family, Mr. David Irhoremu, who insisted that only five families owned the land wherein NPDC operates, said: “They are dealing with masquerades, who parade themselves to be representative of the community.

“NPDC is working contrary to the constitution of Oviri-Olomu community. They are operating outside the constitution.

“We want to advise NPDC to retrace their steps so that there will be no bloodshed and there will be no court matters.

“We are not against NPDC operating in our land. It is a welcome development that oil is being discovered in our land. But they should follow due process.

“They should come back to the landlords, there should be an MoU so that there will be peace in the land in the community.”

By Lami Sadiq

A clash between terrorists belonging to the Ansaru group and bandits has reportedly claimed the lives of at least 30 bandits around the Damari axis of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Multiple sources confirmed to Daily Trust that the two criminal groups started a battle for supremacy last week.

The report came three weeks after terrorists fleeing military onslaught in Zamfara State took refuge in Saulawa and Damari villages of Birnin Gwari LGA, where they hoisted their flag.

Following telecommunication shutdown in some LGAs of Kaduna, including Birnin Gwari, a resident, Samaila Yakubu, who spoke with Daily Trust from Zaria, said the crisis between the two criminal groups followed an order by the terrorists.

He said the terrorists had restricted bandits from abduction and invasion of communities.

Yakubu said the bandits had resisted the law, which led to a wrangle that claimed the lives of four bandits and one member of Ansaru group last Tuesday.

He said a tit-for-tat attack had ensued between the two groups which climaxed with the killing of about 30 bandits last week.

Also corroborating the incident, Hassan Ibrahim from Giwa LGA, said the terrorists had warned bandits to desist from rampant abductions, adding that the warning had not been heeded by the bandits which led to the clash.

Ibrahim said, “The killings between the two groups are ongoing but abductions are on a decline. The focus of the terrorists is now on how to get fuel and money from travellers.

“Two days ago, they ambushed my nephew along the Birnin Gwari- Zaria road on a motorcycle and they emptied his fuel tank.

“They then collected his phone and money he had on him and set him free. I believe the new security measures are working,” he said.

When contacted, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, asked for time to clarify the situation from the DPO in charge of the area but hours later, he did not respond to calls to his phone.

sapientia:
If he can run from his father till he leaves office

Imagine what his father can do to others who are not his son

We have monsters as politicians in Nigeria

By Ade Adesomoju



The United States government has gathered over 2,700 electronic files as part of evidence for trial in the $1.1million fraud case involving a top Nigerian police officer, Abba Kyari, a court filing has shown.

Other sets of investigative reports and “new discoveries” including documents obtained from foreign law enforcement agencies with over 6,700 pages are being processed by prosecutors, the document also says.

U.S. prosecutors along with three of the six indicted defendants in the fraud case have asked the U.S. District Court for Central California to postpone trial from October 2021 to 17 May, 2022.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the parties jointly filed the application on Friday, citing various reasons for asking for trial postponement.

Apart from the need for additional time by the defence lawyers to prepare for the case, U.S. prosecutors also asked for more time to process troves of documents, including those obtained from foreign countries.

According to the application, the U.S. government has already handed to the defence approximately 2.31 GB of data consisting of 2,707 electronic files.

The files contain, among others, exported chat logs, Cellebrite reports, WhatApp messages, audio recordings, and other social media content, it stated.

It added that prosecutors were processing approximately 6,773 pages of additional discovery expected to be produced in two weeks’ time.

“Defendants are charged with violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud); § 1956(h) (Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering); and § 1028A(a)(1) (Aggravated Identity Theft).

“The government has produced discovery to the defense, including approximately 2.31 GB of native data consisting of 2,707 files including exported chat logs, Cellebrite reports, WhatApp messages, audio recordings, and other social media content.

“The government is currently processing approximately 6,773 pages of additional discovery including investigative reports and documents received from foreign law enforcement agencies for production and anticipates those materials will be produced within approximately two weeks,” the document reads, in part.


Three ready for trial in May, Abba Kyari, two others ‘at large’

Three of the defendants – Rukayat Fashola (aka Morayo), Bolatito Agbabiaka (aka Bolamide), and Yusuf Anifowoshe (aka AJ and Alvin Johnson) – arrested in the United States and subsequently released on bail signed the application for their trial to be postponed to May 2022 along with their separate lawyers and U.S. prosecutors.

The U.S. Acting Attorney for the Central District of California and U.S. Assistant Attorney, Khaldoun Shobaki, signed the application on behalf of the U.S. government.

Ms Fashola with her lawyer, Edward Robinson; Ms Agbabiaka with her lawyer, Daniel Nardoni, and Mr Anifowoshe with his lawyer, Lakeshia Monique Dorsey, also endorsed the application.

But the rest of the three accused believed to be outside the U.S. – Mr Kyari, Abdulrahman Juma, and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent – “remain at large,” prosecutors say.


Fraud case, delayed extradition

All six defendants, including Mr Kyari, indicted in the case were co-conspirators in the $1.1million fraud coordinated by a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity, Abbas Ramon, better known as Hushpuppi, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) said in court documents released in July.

A Qatari businessperson was said to be the victim of the heist spearheaded by Hushpuppi between November 2019 and April 2020.

Hushpuppi, known for flaunting his wealth on his Instagram page, has pleaded guilty to various fraud activities including the $1.1million scheme in another case before the U.S. district court in Central California. He is now awaiting sentencing.

Mr Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police, allegedly played a role in the $1.1million scam by helping Hushpuppi to detain a disenchanted co-conspirator who wanted to warn the victim businessperson about the scam.

The former head of Intelligence Response Team of the Nigerian police, with pending U.S. extradition request against him, was suspended in the wake of the revelation of the charges against him and five others.

The report of a probe into the case commissioned by the Inspector-General of Police has been submitted, but its findings and recommendations have yet to be made public officially.

With the delay, speculations are rife that efforts are being made to cover up for Mr Kyari in a bid to avert his extradition to the U.S.


Trial may be separated

The application filed at the U.S. District Court of Central California stated that parties had estimated that six days would be required to conclude the three defendants’ trial.

Indicating that the trial of the available defendants may be separated from those of Mr Kyari and others still at large, the application states, “all defendants are joined for trial and a severance has not been granted.”

With no objection to the application from any of the parties, the judge, Otis Wright, is expected to grant the request to fix 17 May, 2022 for commencement of trial any time soon.

Personnel of the New York Police Department were deployed at the Nigerian House, Kudirat Abiola Corner, Manhattan, on Friday evening after members of the Yoruba Nation and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra protested against the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

A report by Tribune stated that the protesters shouted on anyone perceived to be a government official, giving the detachment of law enforcement officers a hard time to keep the crowd in check.

They were said to have hounded the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, one of his predecessors in office, Babagana Kingibe, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Abubakar, from leaving the premises.

The protesters were initially calm as they protested alongside pro-Buhari protesters on the opposite side of the road for most of the time.

The protesters accused those at the government building of being aiders and abetters of Fulani herdsmen who they accused of killing members of other tribes in the country.

It was learnt that Nigerian security agents and members of staff at the Consulate confronted the protesters, almost resulting in a brawl.

However, the police quickly arrived and created a wooden cordon around the entrance of the building.

They thereafter prevailed on the protesters to maintain their distance behind the cordon as they continued to express their anger at the state of the nation.

They carried banners with various inscriptions including: “Break up Nigeria to save lives, Buhari is a life patron of Fulani terrorists, Fulani pose an existential threat to indigenous sub-Saharan Africans”, “Fulani are terrorists, Free Sowore, drop all charges against him”, “Stop giving loans to the Nigerian government, End Fulani terrorism in Nigeria.”

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that two Nigerian groups with conflicting ideologies confronted each other in New York over the President's visit.

The groups had converged at the Nigerian House on 42nd Street, 2nd Avenue, airing opposing views about the issues of insecurity in Nigeria and its unity.

The One Nigeria group members carried placards on which were written, “Stronger together”, “Unity in diversity”, “Genocide in Eastern Nigeria plain propaganda”, “Nigerians want national unity, not secession”, “Nigerian Christians not targets of genocide or ethnic cleansing”.

They were, however, opposed by some anti-Buhari protesters who had been organising protests for days calling for a referendum to determine the fate of the country.

The protesters who are calling for self-determination alleged that the members of the One Nigeria Group were “fake” Nigerians hired to carry the flags and take pictures.

......Nigeria is ranked 114th in the global innovation index. We are lower than other African countries such as Kanya, Rwanda and Senegal. We are, in fact, ranked 14th in sub-saharan Africa. I think we should have this reality check and know where we are as a country. Let’s stop calling ourselves the Giant of Africa, because we are the giant with clay feet.......

.....“And we are surprised that industries are moving to Ghana. We are surprised that the Ghanaian President has become the leading President in Africa? We are not investing in education and human capital.

“We have a 68 per cent missing job requirement and the major areas being IT, communication and decision making. And the completion rate between entry into primary one and completing university is eight per cent, meaning that out of every 100 pupil who go into primary school, only eight come out of university. And out of those eight, nine percent, which is one of the eight will get job.

As more southern states move to stem the herders-farmers crisis with the enactment of anti-open grazing law, there is palpable silence from the police hierarchy over its willingness to prosecute violators of the law.

Attempts to reach the police high command through the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CP Frank Mba, to clarify the Force’s position on the matter proved abortive, as his phone was not reachable.

When The Guardian got through to the police spokesman in Delta State, DSP Bright Edafe, he promised to clear from his Commissioner of Police before he could speak on the subject and declined to comment further on the subject. Delta is one of the states where the bill has been passed.
Also, the Lagos State police spokesman, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, declined to speak on the subject when reached.

However, a source at the Force Headquarters in Abuja told The Guardian that any policeman that enforces that law might earn the wrath of the Federal Government.

“Policemen are careful over these new state laws. That is all I can say,” he said.

Meanwhile, findings by The Guardian showed that herders still graze their animals openly in many states that have enacted the anti-open grazing law without being intercepted by law enforcement agents.

In Abia State where Governor Okezie Ikpeazu signed the anti-open grazing law on June 29, 2018, open grazing of cattle, sheep and goats were still practiced following its poor implementation.

The Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, however, stated that the enforcement of the law is vested in the hands of security agencies, particularly the police.

It could be recalled that on May 11, 2021, governors of the 17 southern states, after a meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, resolved to ban open grazing and the movement of cattle by foot in order to curb clashes between farmers and herders in the region.

The governors had observed that the incursion of armed herders, criminals and bandits in the southern part of the country has created a severe security challenge, such that citizens were no longer able to live their normal lives, including pursuing various productive activities, leading to threats to the food supply, general security and sometimes death.

Consequently, they resolved that open grazing of cattle should be banned across southern Nigeria via a law enacted by the state Houses of Assembly not later than September 1, this year.

Before the resolution was made, five southern states comprising Ekiti, Ebonyi, Abia, Oyo and Bayelsa had enacted anti-open grazing laws. However, the resolution prompted six more states in the region to follow suit. These include Rivers, Ondo, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, Osun and Lagos states. This brings the total number of states in the South that has so far prohibited open grazing in their jurisdictions via legislation to 11.

The Guardian gathered that Delta and Ogun states Houses of Assembly have passed the bill but their governors were yet to give their assent, while in Anambra State, the bill has scaled through the first reading.

Reacting to the development, last Tuesday, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State chided his southern counterparts that have signed the anti-open grazing bill into law, declaring that it was “not implementable.”

But the Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of Southern Governors Forum, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had in his quick response to the statement, accused El-Rufai of plotting to externalise banditry.

However, in an interview with The Guardian, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mallam Yusuf Ali, advised governors of states that have enacted the anti-open grazing law to be “scientific” in its implementation, adding that the politicisation of the issue was not good for the country.

Ali said: “Sometimes, we look at the symptoms and not the causes. My problem is all these furore, hews and cries; we have been living with ourselves for long on this thing. I think what we should look at is why suddenly, the problem of cattle herding has taken this dangerous dimension that now leads to banditry and kidnapping.

“We will not rather look at that; where did we get to this point and how did we start addressing it in a holistic manner? The average herder you see on most of the roads don’t understand this quarrel. You see those young boys, at what level did they start carrying AK-47? That’s the point we should look at! But we seem not to be addressing that.

“Even when you say you are creating ranches, when you go to places like the U.S. and UK, what they call ranches is exceedingly capital intensive. It means you confine the animals in one place, which means you must be able to graze enough grass and given the landmass that will sustain them come rain and shine. It’s not as simple as that. And then, what do you mean by creating grazing routes?”

The senior lawyer continued: “For the average Bororo person who believes the whole of the forest is their passable places, and with Nigeria having no borders, we don’t know herders who are from Nigeria or Niger, even those ones as far as Senegal who come through River Niger and Benue. It’s enough now to start commissioning people who are knowledgeable because we shouldn’t just look at now, we should look at the future.

“Today, we are battling with herders; tomorrow, we may start battling with fishermen. For instance, part of the problem that has exacerbated banditry is the drying up of Lake Chad. Lake Chad has lost almost 90 per cent of its waters. What do we do to address that? What do we do to ensure that there is a level of control at creating proper borders? And one of the easiest ways is these National Identity Cards. At least, let’s know those who are Nigerians so that we can also know those who are not Nigerians. But as it is now, everything is in flux.”

When asked about the enforceability of the anti-open grazing law, he added: “I have not said it will not work, but let’s wait. How do we even police these guys? If for example there are some people who are herding cows somewhere in Ife South or Oke-Ila that are the most extreme local councils in Osun State, how do you even know that they are inside the forest except farmers see them? I think we should be a little scientific about the way we attack the matter; I don’t like us turning all issues into political issues. Serious national issues, we just turn it to North and South; turning serious matters to tribal matters. That was why Yoruba people lost the June 12, 1993 struggle because it just became a Yoruba problem whereas it started out as a national problem. When you start to ethnicise and tribalise issues, you are on your own.”

Nevertheless, the Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Mr. Seye Oyeleye, has urged the southern governors to implement the anti-open grazing law to the letter to avoid being perceived by their people as mere toothless bulldogs.

Oyeleye urged other governors in the region to emulate Ondo State where Governor Akeredolu has been using the new security outfit of the state, Amotekun, to implement the law.

His words: “On the implementation of the law, I would refer you to what is happening in Ondo State, where the Amotekun is taking full charge of the implementation of the anti-open grazing law and thankfully the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, which is the recognised organisation of the herders have keyed into the law and has also agreed with the state government.

“I will be surprised if the Federal Government now says because it doesn’t agree with the law it would be using the police to lead the cattle herders. It wouldn’t do that unless it wants to lead us back to a state of anarchy.

“If the Federal Government is not happy with a recognised law passed by the House of Assembly of any state, what it can do is to go to court and allow the court to interpret the law. It is within the purview of a state governor, who is the chief security officer to ensure the security of his state. The governors have taken the bill to the Assembly and it has been passed into law.

“If the Federal Government goes to court and the court rules in its favour that is a different thing. If otherwise, it is the duty of the Federal Government to ensure that the herders comply with the laws.

“If the state governments are saying the activities of the herders are interfering with the livelihood of the people, then the Federal Government cannot stop whatever law passed to address the situation. After all they are not saying the herders shouldn’t rear their cattle but that they must operate within the ambit of the law.”

On the situation where some herders graze their animals openly in many states in the South despite the existence of the law, Oyeleye said: “One of the things we have advised the governors is to ensure that the law is implemented otherwise the people will see them as a toothless bulldog.

“Ondo passed the law and is now backing it up with its own security outfit and I am sure other states will emulate Ondo. To me, it is still early to say the law is not effective.

“For instance, in Osun State, herders are keying into the law. We need to be patience because a lot of information would still need to be passed across to the herders and so on. I expect the Federal Government to encourage the herders to obey the anti open grazing law.”

The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Lagos State House of Assembly, David Setonji, allayed the fear that the Federal Government might discountenance the implementation of the law, saying the country has a constitution, which is supreme.

In Osun State, the government has said that arrangements would be made to ensure that the anti-open grazing law is not breached.

Speaking in an interview, the Special Adviser to Governor Gboyega Oyetola on Civic Engagement, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, said the law banning grazing would be effective in the state, adding that the state had convoked a meeting to sensitise herders on the existence of the law so that no one would feign ignorance of it.

“The government is preparing a soft landing for them (Fulani-Bororo herders) in terms of where they will be grazing their cattle because there is a portion of the law that gives them the opportunity to acquire land certified by government for them to graze,” he said.

Also speaking, Special Adviser to Oyetola on Security, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, said: “Ranching is a process. We have met with them (herders); we will continue with the process because it has to be stage by stage.”

A RANDY couple had to be rescued by cops after flipping their car while they got revved up together.

The amorous pair were in the throes of passion in their tiny Toyota Yaris when they knocked the handbrake.

They ended up rolling down a hill and were left in the steamed-up motor after it flipped on its side.

Derbyshire Police shared pictures of the couple's antics on Twitter after rescuing them.

One shows the car on its side down a secluded country road hidden away from prying eyes.

The force tweeted: "At an undisclosed location in Derbyshire the couple occupying this Yaris had parked up and were strengthening their relationship.

"Whilst doing so the handbrake has become disengaged and it rolled down a hill before flipping on its side.

"No injuries. #DriveToArrive".

The bonking couple have now been mocked on social media with users quick to make jokes.

One said: "Please practice safe sex and leave handbrake on."

Another wrote: "Whoever came up with that one 'strengthening their relationship' brilliant!"

While one person said: "When I said let’s try a different position, this isn’t what I meant."

Despite the commencement of the harvest of food items in many parts of the country, prices of the commodities keep rising in major grain markets and cities across the country.

This, consumers said is taking a toll on their welfare amid palpable hunger and low income aggravated by inflation.

Daily Trust reports that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently said that inflation was generally going down in Nigeria but many citizens said they were yet to see any reduction in the cost of living.

Investigation showed that harvest of produce like maize, millet, melon, yam, sweet potato and rice has commenced in many parts of the country but this has failed to bring down the prices of the items as was usually the case in the past.

Observers believed that the ongoing harvest in many parts of the regions was expected to bring down the prices of the commodities but the opposite is the case.

Reports from major grain markets in the country indicated that merchants were already flooding the markets to mop up available produce; situation watchers said was responsible for the current price hike.

Daily Trust on Thursday visited the Dawanau International Grain Market in Kano, where merchants were seen mopping up the grains.

Our correspondent in the state reports that at the commencement of the harvest a few weeks ago, farmers flooded the market with new grains, especially maize.

Some traders said the speculators were either mopping up the grains for storage or export to neighbouring countries.

A grain merchant at the market, Alhaji Wada Balange, told Daily Trust that at the commencement of the harvest, there was a drop in commodity prices but was short-lived because of a mad rush for the grain in the market, hence the rise in the prices.

Similarly, one of the merchants, who pleaded anonymity, told our reporter that most of them were fronting for multi-national agro companies, adding that there was a “silent ongoing competition between these agro companies and as such a huge demand for the commodity has been created.”

He said, “It is unfortunate that a huge demand has been created by these multi-national companies without any consideration to the plight of the common man. To be candid, we are all fronting for these companies, but it isn’t what we wanted to see.

“Farmers have done what they were supposed to do, but this is Nigeria, these companies are taking these harvested produce to either store them or export them,” he said.

Due to this development, it was gathered that prices of the commodities in the market had gone up as 100kg bag of new maize was sold for between N20, 000 and N22, 000 as against between N19,000 and N20,000 last year.

Similarly, a 100kg bag of beans was sold for N43, 000 yesterday as against N34, 000 same time last year and a 100kg bag of rice was sold for N57, 000 as against N48,000 last year.

A father of four children and a resident of Tsamiya village, Malam Hamza Tsamiya, attributed the current rise in prices of food commodities to the aftermath of COVID-19 lockdown.

“During the lockdown, agro-dealers found out that they can make a fortune by hoarding commodities and ever since then, we have not been experiencing the relief we hitherto enjoyed during the harvest period.”



In Benue, no reduction in prices

Reports from Benue State also indicated that prices of food commodities were yet to reduce despite the advent of the harvest season with new products flooding the markets.

Our correspondent who visited the Wadata Market in Makurdi, gathered from some traders that insecurity in most of the food-producing areas of the state and activities of middlemen were largely responsible for the situation.

A trader, Mbafan Moses, said farmers were already bringing their first set of harvests to the market, which should ordinarily force down prices of other competitive food items, but the products were not sufficient enough to meet the demands of buyers.

“In the past, we buy produce at reduced prices from farmers directly at this period but it is no longer so…

“The food items are also not sufficient for buyers and because of insecurity in some areas, we can’t access local markets. So, we have to wait for those middlemen to bring it to us.

“We buy the produce at high cost from them because of hike in transportation.

“Some of them complained that the commodities were also not available in the market because most of the farmers have fled from their villages.”

Bob Tor, who trades in grains, narrated that the prices of maize, millet and guinea corn had not reduced from what they used to be sold as a result of insecurity in the huge food-producing areas of the state.

“The areas such as Guma, Ado, Agatu, Gwer West, Logo, Ukum and Kastina-Ala, notable for grains, yam and rice production are heavily bombarded by insecurity.

“Farmers from these areas are in IDPs camps. That is why prices of these food commodities are yet to come down in Benue,” he said.

Tina Nyiyongo, a consumer, said the effects of the high prices of food items on her meagre resources could only be imagined.

The Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Benue State, Aondongu Saaku, said the major reason why the prices of food items were still high in markets was that some farmers were yet to start harvesting their produce and the insecurity bedevilling the state.

“Production this year was low because of insecurity and in some other places, those who have produced could not go there (farms) because the farms have been destroyed by enemies,” he said.



Lagos, Rivers hard hit

At the popular Agege Market in Lagos, a market survey conducted showed that the prices of foodstuffs were on the increase.

A trader, Mrs Juliet Chinedu, said, “In July, a ‘DeRica’ of rice was sold for N350 but now it is N450. It is the same for beans which a DeRica was N300 before. It is now sold for between N500 and N600, depending on the type of beans.

“We are not happy with the rise in the price of foodstuffs because our customers are unable to buy when they come to the market.”

Another trader, Mr Joseph Nnamdi, however, noticed a decline in the price of garri.

“As of last month, a paint of yellow garri was sold for N1, 200 while white garri was sold for N1, 000; but the price is coming down now as you can get white garri for N800 and the yellow one for N1,000. I want to appeal to the government to do more for the masses,” he said.

A consumer, Mrs Bankole Ayodele, said that people were not buying foodstuffs as much as they should because salaries had not increased but prices of foods keep going high daily.

A market survey carried out by our reporter in Rivers State showed that prices of foodstuffs were still on the increase despite the harvest season that had just begun.

A consumer in Mile One Market in Port Harcourt, Chikadibia Okwara, who spoke with our reporter said that the prices of foodstuffs had not changed despite the new harvest season.

“Nothing has changed in prices of foodstuffs since the new harvest season started. Many of us expected that since the new harvest has set in that the prices of foodstuffs will come down but that is not to be as everything is on the increase,” he said.

In Abuja, a 50kg bag of rice was on Thursday sold for between N25, 000 and N26, 000 depending on the brands and the market.

A 100kg of maize was sold for between N25, 000 and N26, 000 at Bwari Market, while sorghum was sold for N29, 000 and millet for N27, 000.



‘What government should do’

An agric economist, Mr Femi Adeogun, on Thursday, asked the government to check activities of middlemen in the agricultural production belt, who, he said, were partly responsible for the increase in prices across the country.

“Some of these men are doing it for some companies, which are into animal feeds and they are creating artificial scarcity in the market.

“Government should either regulate their activities or government should buy some of the produce and sell directly to the consumers through the national grain reserves,” he said.

He said the government should also find ways of increasing production outputs by linking farmers to farm inputs, finances and as well check insecurity, especially in the rural agrarian communities.

A retired agriculturist, Salisu Ibrahim, also advised the government to set up a special task force at strategic grain markets that will checkmate the activities of these middlemen.

He said although the scenario looked as if it was the farmers that were making the gains, “but it is the middlemen that are cashing in.”

A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, who craved for anonymity, frowned at the activities of the middlemen in the agricultural chain, adding that for long, they had been the cause of the artificial scarcity of farm produce across the country.

He said the situation was worse now that most of these merchants stood for the multinational companies, who collected the produce for either production or outright export.

He said the government would soon take definite action against what he called unpatriotic activities.

Worried by the recent damaging articles against the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), the leadership of the Alumni Association of the institution has written to the management of FUTO and issued a seven-day ultimatum within which the university is to reply on the circumstances leading to the recent appointment of Dr Isa Ali Pantami as a professor.

The association, in its letter signed by the National President, Ndubuisi Chijioke and forwarded to FUTO, expressed serious regret over an embarrassing article tagged FUTO – “Fraudsters University of Technology Owerri” targeted at destroying the reputation and image of their Alma mater.

He said that the association, rising from its NEC meeting on September 12, 2021, resolved to write to the university on the subject matter which was promptly done and by September 15, 2021, the letter from the Alumni was received by the university though without any response yet.

Chijioke said that where the FUTO management failed to respond or comply with the seven-day ultimatum, the Alumni association would be left with no other option than to act within the law and proceed with their next line of action.

According to him, the letter was set out to give the university the opportunity to explain the circumstance of the said appointment by way of specific questions asked regarding the process leading to the appointment.

The national president said that the association’s locus standi to ask the questions was grounded on the facts that the Alumni body is a key stakeholder in the university enterprise, while more legally, “the FOI Act permits the Alumni to ask for any information from a public institution or public servant regarding the operations, processes and decisions of such public institution.

“The Act is a law that requires full compliance by responsible parties and we, therefore, expect the university to respond to the 12 questions we have raised,” Chijoke stressed.

Chijioke pointed out that “providing these answers to the question should form the basis for further engagement, investigation or outright determination of what transpired and what options and pathway to follow to remedy this ugly situation.”

According to him, the university’s response would enable the association to determine “if this was a case of an individual or collective failure by the Governing Council or sheer negligence in their fiduciary responsibilities or a case of impunity by the chief executive of the university.

The national president said that the university’s response would enable the Alumni to determine how to approach or progress further action.

He said: ” FOI Act specifically requires the public institution to respond within 7 days to any request made to it. By the 22nd, it will be exactly 7 days after the University received our request. Failing to provide a response by the 22nd can only mean three things: 1) it has failed the first test on accountability and transparency. 2) it has defied an extant law requiring it to avail such information on request. 3) it sadly has something to hide about this action that has attracted general public opprobrium.”

Chijioke said that if the Alumni did not receive a response by the said date, after having given the University Management the opportunity to clarify itself, “it will then be appropriate to draw inference from the information available to the Alumni and then take further action”.

He said that the association “will take further actions which include a public statement updating the Alumni community on the actions so far and the no-response from the university as well as compel the university to provide the records and proceedings leading to this decision.”


He, therefore, urged all members to patiently wait for the seven days the law has granted the University to respond, adding that if they failed to respond, the association would be acting within the law to proceed with our next further action.

The national president pointed out that their letter asked 12 questions which are:

“To provide to FUTO Alumni Association National Executive Council the records of the proceedings of the University Governing Council meeting at which this appointment was made.

“To know the register of the Council members in attendance at the time this appointment was approved.

“The extant university and Nigerian University Commission’s procedure for the appointment of professors.

“Details of the advert for this professorial position.

“Details of the application(s) received for this position.

“Details of the academic publications by Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami on which basis he was examined and offered this appointment.

“Details of all other publications by Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami

“The resume of Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami submitted in support of his application which details his academic records and work experience in the academia.

“The names of the examiners appointed and responsible for the assessments of Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami’s application and publications for the purpose of this appointment/promotion.

“The resume of all the professorial examiners of Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami for the purpose of this appointment.

“The report of the assessment by the professorial examiners of Mr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami.

“Any other information, documents or records considered relevant and useful on this subject matter”.

Alumni pointed out that the sad development was unacceptable and a great dent to their collective credentials while assuring to approach their engagement in such a way to give amble leverage to legally neutralise the ignoble action by the university.

The federal government says it is considering filing a suit at the supreme court to resolve the ongoing dispute about value-added tax (VAT) collection.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and some state governments are in a legal tussle over VAT collection. Rivers and Lagos state governments had enacted laws and called for decentralisation of collection, while some states want a centralised collection.

While the Lagos state government is seeking to join Rivers in the suit, the matter is currently pending at the supreme court.

Last week, the court of appeal directed states to maintain status quo on VAT collection pending the determination of an appeal filed by the FIRS.

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), told NAN on Wednesday in New York that the federal government would like the matter to be determined “once and for all”.

“But one thing of interest is the fact that the federal government had indeed taken cognisance of the fact that where there exists a dispute between a state and federal government, it is the supreme court that should naturally have the jurisdiction to determine the dispute between the state and the federation,” Malami said.

“And we are taking steps to consider the possibility of instituting an action before the supreme court for the purpose of having this matter determined once and for all.”

The AGF maintained that the FIRS would continue to collect VAT following the directive of the court of appeal.

He said that it was the FIRS that had been collecting the VAT before the dispute arose, over which the Rivers government approached the high court.

“The position of not only the federal government but indeed the judiciary is the fact that status quo associated with the collecting of VAT should be maintained,” Malami said.

“And as far as the judicial system is concerned, the status quo as at the time the parties approached the court, it was the Federal Inland Revenue Service that was indeed collecting the value-added tax.

“So with that in mind, the federal government has succeeded in obtaining an order that establishes the sustenance of the status quo, which status quo is that the Federal Inland Revenue Service should continue collection.

“This is pending the determination of the cases that were instituted by states, particularly the Rivers state government and the Lagos state government. The cases are being determined by the court.”

Some members of the house of representatives are currently stranded in the Aminu Kano international airport, Kano state.

The lawmakers were said to have arrived the airport to board an Azman airline flight, scheduled for 12:30pm on Wednesday, en route Abuja.

The lawmakers — members of the committee on petroleum upstream and petroleum technology development fund (PTDF) — visited Kano state for an oversight assignment.

The flight was reportedly delayed from 12:30pm till 2:30pm, then till 6pm.

The flight time was again moved to 9:45pm, after which the lawmakers were told that they would leave by 12:15am on Thursday.

Officials of the airline are said to have failed to address the passengers on the cause of the delay.

Lamenting the incident, Benjamin Kalu, spokesperson of the house of representatives, who is one of the passengers, said a meeting will be held with the ministry of aviation and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) on the matter.

“It is important the people we represent know where we are and the national assembly knows we are still stranded here. As we speak to you, nobody is at the counter to address us, not even the manager,” he said.

“We just came out to see the manager and other members are still inside.

“In the hall, a lot of Nigerians were left stranded. There are other Nigerians who are stranded and we are witnessing this firsthand and we are feeling it; some of the citizens are abandoned here.

“We are raising this call for common Nigerians. Sometimes, when citizens bring their complaints, it appears as if they fabricated it, but this one we are involved and we are seeing this for ourselves.

“We don’t know when we are leaving here, and we have shown interest to find out from the ministry of aviation and the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) what is happening to the aviation sector as soon as we return.”

Lawmakers at the airport include Rotimi Agunsoye, Henry Archibong, and Gboluga Tinboju.

Meanwhile, the airline is yet to officially comment on the cause of the delay.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, yesterday narrated how the petitions made by the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and Falana & Falana Chambers led to the investigation of a N765.6 million subsidy fraud against the Federal Government by an oil marketer, Abubakar Ali Peters. The EFCC had charged Peters and his company, Nadabo Energy Limited on a 21-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, diversion of Federal Government funds and forgery.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the defendants obtained said sum from the Federal Government as oil subsidy using forged documents on September 26, 2011. The EFCC alleged that the defendants obtained N761,628,993.84 from the FG under the Petroleum Support Fund for the purpose of importing 16,808,064 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) but fraudulently imported only 7, 953,962 litres and diverted the rest of the product and its proceeds for personal use. However, during his further examination-in-chief as PW2 (second prosecution witness), Bawa said that the Commission received a complaint from the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, in 2015 alleging fraud in the importation of PMS by Nadabo and another petition from Falana & Falana Chambers dated January 17, 2012.

Bawa, while led in evidence by the prosecutor, S.K. Atteh said that the petitions, which also included a complaint from a civil society group, formed the bedrock of the investigation into Nadabo Energy Limited. According to Bawa, who investigated the case as a then operative of the EFCC, told the court that a Special Team was constituted by the EFCC to probe the subsidy regime.

He said: “The first port of call was the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). “After meeting with PPPRA, the defendant was among many involved in importing petroleum. “Based on intelligence from PPPRA, we set out to get more intelligence. However, all the banks involved were written to, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the Debt Management Office (DMO), Nigerian Ports’ Authority (NPA), NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy and many other companies involved in dealing with Nadabo Energy Limited. “We invited all marketers to come forward with the documents they submitted to PPPRA.

“In this particular case, we wrote to him and his company inviting them to bring forward all documents submitted. “On 28th January 2012, he came to our office and I personally interviewed him. “The PPPRA was thereafter contacted to furnish the EFCC with the certified true copies of all documents submitted to it by the defendant.

“They responded in writing, attaching the documents submitted by the defendant. When we received it, we compared it with the ones he submitted to us and found out that he claimed that he imported 6,000 MT each with two Letters of Credit financed by then Spring Bank Plc which was not the case.” However, the prosecution, through the witness, tendered in evidence several documents as he further testified to the findings of the investigation he led into the alleged fraud. But the defence counsel, E.O. Isiramen raised objections to their admissibility.

By Alao Abiodun

It’s apparently not a good time for popular musician Davido especially with the web of deaths around him in the past few years.

The singer has been in the eye of the storm due to the trail of deaths involving his crew members and close associates.

Many fans are worried over the psychological and mental state of the Jowo coroner.

Some others called on the public to pray for the singer as he could be going through a lot especially with the series of ugly trend around him.

The singer has lost a handful of friends in the space of four yearsband at different times mourned the demise of his associates on social media platforms.

Davido has also been watchful. On June 6, 2021, a video showing a pastor prophesying that Davido would be poisoned by a friend went viral on the Internet.

The cleric had said: “I am telling you about one singer called Davido. They will poison him. I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him in my life.

“But they will put something inside his drink. He’ll be rushed to the hospital (and) he’ll be admitted. He’ll be unconscious.

“I’ve been dealing with it in prayers but the Lord says it will happen. And the person that will poison him is sleeping in his house.

“Somebody give the Lord a clap offering. Did he die? I didn’t see him die, but he will lose something in his body that will handicap him.”

In an apparent reaction to the prophecy, Davido tweeted, “God will expose and deal with any wickedness around me near and far. Amen. I’m blessed.”

Here is a list of crew members who have died in four years:

1. Fortunate Ateumunname Peter, popularly known as Fortune, was the Davido Music World (DMW) chief official photographer. He died in September 2021.

The photographer is the fifth member of Davido’s crew to pass away in four years in a controversial circumstance.

2. Uthman, also known as Obama DMW, died in June 2021. He was said to have complained of breathing difficulty.

3. Tagbo Umeike, died in his car parked in front of Lagos Island General Hospital.

He died on his birthday in 2017 after it was reported that he downed shots of tequila.

4. Olu Abiodun, also known as DJ Olu also died.

5. Tijani Olamilekan, aka Teejay, who has been the singer’s personal bodyguard for 11 years, also died after a brief illness in December 2020.

Former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Prof Segun Ajibola, has said that the naira is still strong within the Nigerian economy, adding that an average Nigerian can still feed with N500.

The Professor of Economics at Babcock University spoke on Wednesday on NTA ‘Good Morning Nigeria’ breakfast show monitored by The PUNCH.

Ajibola said, “The national currency is a reflection of the state of any economy. It encapsulates the strengths and the weaknesses of that economy.

“Over the years, we have seen (a) slide in the value of our national currency. In the 70s and 80s, almost 2$/N1, today we are talking of over N500 (per dollar).”

He said despite the downward trend, “Our naira is still very strong locally. With N500, an average Nigerian can still feed himself or herself today but when we look at N500 in terms of a dollar or a pound sterling equivalent, you can’t do anything with one pound on the street of London, you cannot buy anything meaningful with one dollar on the street of New York.

“Therefore, there is (a) disconnect between what the real value of our naira commands in Nigeria vis-à-vis outside.

“In economic parlance, we talk about purchasing power parity, what is the real value of the currency compared with the value of currencies outside that jurisdiction? We discover that our local currency as naira is still in a position to command some value within the country but outside the country, we have a problem.”

For weeks, the naira had maintained its downward trend, selling at over N500/$ at the black market while the naira traded around N412/$ at the I&E forex window which is the only official rate recognised by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Concerned, the CBN in July had stopped selling forex to Bureau De Change operators and asked legitimate travellers to approach the banks to access cheap forex but the banks have been inundated with fake demands.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had said that the BDCs defeated their purpose of existence to provide forex to retail users and had become wholesale and illegal dealers.

Also, Emefiele, last Friday, said that the Federal Government would track the owner of Aboki FX, an online platform that gathers and displays parallel market rates in Nigeria, and stop the operations of the website in the country.

The apex bank governor also accused the owner of the website, a London-based Nigerian, Oniwinde Adedotun, of “speculative activities on the naira”, adding that he has to explain how he obtains his rates.

This is based on the rate of the rise of the naira on the parallel market which is currently trading at over N570/dollar.

Aboxi FX subsequently said it would no longer provide daily updates on foreign exchange rates for now and hoped that the naira would stabilise.

Speaking on the activities of speculators on the naira, the CIBN former president said speculation is common in any market.

“The problem today is that our currency, the naira, is subject of speculation, here and there, and you have speculation in any kind of market when there is dichotomy between demand and supply,” he said.

Ajibola stated that the black market came into being because the official market is unable to meet the demands of Nigerians for forex

According to him, the demand for the naira has grown because Nigerians’ appetite to consume “anything imported is insatiable”.

He said, “Speculation is as old as mankind…We will always have speculators because the demand is even immeasurable”. He, however, urged the CBN to work and earn the trust of Nigerians and make citizens believe the apex bank’s rate –the I&E forex window– more than speculators.

“There is no authority that can meet up that kind of demand for the dollar but the authority has the power, has the firepower to simmer down the impact of the speculators.

“So, the disconnect we have now is: as a country, we have not been able to control the activities of the speculators such that foreign exchange users look up to the speculators for what is likely to be the ruling rate at any point in time compared with what should be the case; where the authority (CBN) should be trusted more and the users look up to the authority for what should be the value, the exchange rate of the naira at any point in time,” the CIBN ex-president said.

Ajibola further lamented that though Nigeria imports so much, the little produced in the country is not acceptable in the international market.

The don urged the Federal Government to strengthen non-oil exports through giving of incentives and enabling environment to those in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors, noting that the appreciation of the naira against the dollar could be achieved through a vibrant exportation industry.

A man identified as Ahmad Sagir who was known to be a strong supporter of the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa, died on Sunday after falling from a moving vehicle in the governor's convoy.

The convoy was heading towards Bajoga/Funakaye Local Government for an official duty when 30-year-old Sagir popularly called Khalifah fell off.

Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya
He reportedly died on the spot after suffering from a skull fracture.

It was learnt that the governor immediately disengaged the ambulance in his convoy to take Khalifah straight to the state Teaching Hospital Gombe for better medical attention where he was eventually confirmed dead by the doctors upon arrival to the hospital.

The Director-General (DG) Press Affairs Government House, Ismaila Uba Misilli in a statement, said the governor described the young party faithful as “a respectful, hard, working and promising fellow who was known for his die-hard support for APC and Governor Yahaya’s project.”

The governor was said to have suspended all his engagements for the day in honour of the deceased who has since been buried according to Islamic injunctions.

The spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, says the world would learn from the Buhari regime how to overcome economic recession in times of a pandemic as the president speaks at the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

In an interview with Channels TV on Monday night, Mr Adesina said, several countries attending the meeting, unlike Nigeria, were yet to recover from the pandemic-induced recession.

He said, not only did Nigeria recover, that the economy “recorded a GDP growth of 5.01,” and that Mr Buhari was going to teach the rest of the world how it was done.

The president’s spokesperson added that his principal “would talk about security. He would talk about the girl child, SDGs, and so many things.”

Mr Buhari departed Abuja on Sunday for New York to participate in the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened on September 14.

The theme for this year’s UNGA is “Building Resilience Through Hope – To Recover from COVID-19, Rebuild Sustainably, Respond to Needs of the Planet, Respect the Rights of People and Revitalise the United Nations.”

Rochas Okorocha, senator representing Imo west, says his vision for a united Nigeria is driving him crazy.

Okorocha spoke on Monday during a media chat with the federal capital territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).

The FCT NUJ hosted the former governor of Imo state to commemorate his forthcoming 59th birthday.

Responding to a question on whether he would run for the presidency in 2023, the senator said: “I don’t have the ambition to be president but a vision to have a united Nigeria and that is driving me crazy.”

The senator called on women to fight for power, stressing that they are the more intelligent gender.

“African woman is so great but we treat her as if she is a second class citizen meant to serve the man but they don’t understand that a woman is first a man before becoming a woman,” he said.

“A woman is an extra man; she should have been called a man but because she has a womb that is why she is called a woman.

“They see farther than we can see and they understand better. If all women are empowered and there is financial sustainability for women, we can’t have insurgency.

“Insurgency is as a result of children taken out of their mothers because she doesn’t have the resources to keep them.

“So, women must be given a place of importance and position. But what I understand is that women want to sit and beg for power. Power is not given, power is taken.

“Women must rise and if you don’t start contesting for president they will not give you a reason to run for governor.”

Commenting on the alleged marginalisation of the south-east, Okorocha said all the Igbo need is a level playing ground.

“An Igbo man does not need anything from you,” he said.

“Just give them a level playing ground. The Igbo are loud, Nigerians should understand this.”

The former governor said Nigerians have been “managing each other” since the 1914 amalgamation, adding that the country needs a “national spirit” that will foster unity.

“Nigerian was a hurried arrangement for returns to London,” he said.

“We are together but we are not together. We took over power from the colonialists without direction.”

About six months after it was declared missing, the Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet marked NAF 475 is yet to be found.

SaharaReporters had reported how the fighter jet went missing on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in the insurgency-ravaged Borno State in Northeastern Nigeria.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet had said the fighter jet lost contact with the radar in Borno State earlier that day.

Gabkwet said the plane disappeared while on an interdiction mission in support of ground troops. He said the mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.

“The loss of radar contact occurred at about 5:08 pm on 31 March 2021,” he had said.

“Details of the whereabouts of the aircraft or likely cause of contact loss are still sketchy but will be relayed to the general public as soon as they become clear. Meanwhile, search and rescue efforts are ongoing.”

A few days later, Boko Haram terror group released a video showing its fighters shooting down an aircraft thought to be the NAF 475 alpha jet declared missing.

In the video that is about seven minutes long, the jet was seen flying low to the ground while the insurgents shot at it.

However, Gabkwet dismissed the video, adding that there was an ongoing search for the missing fighter jet.

“The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to some videos being circulated on Social Media, as well as media reports drawn from there, alleging that the NAF Alpha Jet aircraft, which was reported missing in Borno State on 31 March 2021 after losing radar contact, was shot down by terrorists. One of such videos, in particular, began with sporadic shooting by several terrorists, including underage children on motorcycles and vehicles. It later skipped abruptly to a scene depicting an aircraft exploding mid-air, supposedly as a result of enemy action. Another part of the video showed a terrorist, who, while standing by the wreckage, claimed that they had shot down the NAF aircraft.

“Although the video is still being thoroughly analysed, it is evident that most parts of the video were deliberately doctored to give a false impression that the aircraft was shot down. For instance, the video clip failed to show the correlation between the sporadic shooting, which even from casual observation was obviously aimed at ground targets, and the sudden mid-air aircraft explosion. In addition, it is almost impossible for an aircraft to have exploded mid-air, in the manner depicted in the video, and still have a good part of its fuselage, including its tail, intact. Indeed, an explosive impact of that nature would have scattered the debris of the aircraft across several miles,” he had said.

Speaking exclusively to SaharaReporters on Monday, the Air Force spokesperson said different rescue operations are ongoing in order to ascertain the whereabouts of the fighter plane.

“If there is anything new, actually I will tell you. We are still searching for the jet, if there is any new information, you will be the first person to know. No information on its whereabouts now, the search is still ongoing. It’s a continuous process,” Gabkwet told SaharaReporters.

Asked about the fate of the pilots and their families, he said, “There is a difference between absence without leave and missing in action, they are protecting our nation and got missing. Ours is a process that takes up to seven years in this kind of situation. The pilots are still part of Nigerian Air Force till date.”

Attorneys-general of the 36 states have sued Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), over the alleged failure of the government to remit funds generated from stamp duties into state accounts.

The states are arguing that they are the sole authority to collect stamp duties and not the federal government.

This is coming at a time where there is conflict between some states and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over the collection of value-added tax (VAT).

A federal high court in Port Harcourt had placed a restraining order on the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) from collecting VAT in Rivers and directed the state government to take charge of the duty.

Following the court judgement, Lagos asked FIRS to stop issuing demand notices for VAT payments in the state.

In the suit filed before the supreme court on August 24 and marked SC/CV/690/2021, the state attorneys are asking the court to determine whether or not “having regard to the mandatory provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) the plaintiffs (all the state attorneys) are not the sole authority to administer and collect stamp duties on all transactions involving individuals/persons within their respective states?”

They also asked the court to determine “whether having regard to the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria read in conjunction with the provisions of Section 163, items 58 and 59 of the Second Schedule part I and items 7 (a) and (b) of the second Schedule part II and other provisions of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the defendant (Malami) could claim, retain, distribute or in any other manner deal with the monies or sums collected as stamp duties on individual persons transactions within the respective states of the plaintiffs without reference to, concurrence of, input or agreement of the plaintiffs?”

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to ascertain whether or not they are “entitled to 85% of all stamp duties collected on electronic money transfer levy, on electronic receipts or electronic transfer for money deposited in deposit money banks and financial institutions, on any type of account to be accounted for and expressed to be received by the person to whom the transfer or deposit is made in the plaintiffs’ respective states”.

Among other reliefs sought and should the issues above be resolved in their favour, all 36 states through their attorneys-general are praying the court for a declaration that they “are the sole authorities entitled to administer and collect stamp duties on all transactions involving individuals within their respective states”.

“A declaration that the defendant is not entitled to collect, administer, or keep the proceeds of any stamp duties on transactions involving individuals within the respective states of the plaintiffs or any manner interfere with the Plaintiff’s right and authority in the administering the provision of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,” they prayed.

“A declaration that the plaintiffs are entitled to all the sums of money collected by the defendant as stamp duties through whatever source or means in their respective states from 2015-2020 and thereafter till the time of the judgment of this honourable court with respect to individual persons’ transactions.

“A declaration that the plaintiffs are entitled to 85% of all stamp duties collected on electronic money transfer levy, on electronic receipts or electronic transfer for money deposited in deposit money banks and financial institutions, on any type of account to be accounted for and expressed to be received by the person to whom the transfer or deposit is made in the plaintiffs’ respective states.”

The plaintiffs also want the court to issue an order directing Malami to account for and pay back all monies and collected by way of stamp duties on individual persons’ transactions within the respective states of the Plaintiffs from the period 2015-2020 and thereafter till the time of the judgment.

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendant to pay over to the Plaintiffs all the sum of monies amounting to One Hundred and Seventy Six Billion, Sixty Seven Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N 176,067,400,000,00) representing ascertained and admitted collected stamp duties on individual persons’ transactions within their respective states for the period of 2015- 2020 and thereafter till the time of the judgment of this honourable court or any other sum as the plaintiffs may be found entitled by the honourable court.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant by himself, privies, agents or any persons by whatever name or how so ever called from appointing anyone for the purpose of collecting Stamp Duties on individual persons’ transactions within the respective states of the plaintiffs henceforth.”

No date has been fixed for hearing yet.

HILLARY ESSIEN


Anew U.S. prosecutor has been assigned to take over the multimillion-dollar fraud case involving Olalekan Ponle, aka ‘Woodberry’.

Court documents from the Northern District of Illinois showed that John R. Lausch, Jr would take over future proceedings of Woodberry’s case from Assistant U.S. Attorney Melody Wells of the Northern District of Illinois.

Woodberry’s last court date was before Judge Robert W. Gettleman in August, when his lawyers Michael Nash and Tom Durkin applied for an extension to file pre-trial motions.

The next session is set for November 4.

Mr Ponle had been arraigned on a separate charge in Chicago in July. He was arrested in Dubai alongside Hushpuppi and charged in a U.S. District Court in Chicago with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

In July, the U.S government applied for a motion of dismissal without prejudice granted by Mr Gettleman.

A complaint had accused Mr Ponle of orchestrating “business email compromise” schemes to defraud several U.S.-based companies.

The court documents stated that “the schemes resulted in attempted or actual losses to victim companies in the tens of millions of dollars, including a Chicago-based company that was defrauded into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2 million.”

The jury’s eight-count charge of wire fraud still holds, meaning Mr Ponle stands to forfeit, to the U.S. government, any property derived from proceeds in his offences.

By Zahraddeen Yakubu Shuaibu
Former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has complained that he has not been paid his pension entitlements for six years.

Kwankwaso also said the state government did not build house or office for him, which is provided in a law that every former governor should be provided either an office or a house as one of his benefits.

He made the allegations in an interview with BBC Hausa servic.

The former governor said he is the only one who served as governor in the state and did not enjoy the benefits.

However, Kwankwaso said it was likely because he was part of the opposition that made him be treated in that manner.

“If I were with them, I would have to be paid my benefits or my monthly pension. And I agree it happened because I am part of the opposition. So let them go and enjoy it,” Senator Kwankwaso said.

My name forwarded to EFCC for sabotage

The former governor said in early 2021, his name and those of nine other people were forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), alleging that it was done to tarnish his image.

He added that he was ready to answer any invitation from the EFCC whenever they do so.

“I thank God, in my 30 years of been in politics nobody has ever complained that his five naira has been stolen or get lost, nobody.”

Kwankwaso also expressed his displeasure over the security situation in Nigeria.

He said he was amazed at what the government was saying about security and the results that were obtainable physically.

“I am surprised with the manner that the government of the day is handling the security challenges and the outcomes.

“Some Communities in Katsina State that share border with the Niger Republic are pleading with Nigerien Army to rescue them.”

The recently sacked Minister of Power, Engineer Sale Mamman, was aware of the fate awaiting him 24 hours before he was fired, The Nation gathered on Friday.

President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have personally informed Mamman of his imminent sack on Tuesday after inviting him to the Presidential Villa.

Buhari, according to Mamman’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Aaron Artimas, even gave the ex-minister the option attending the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday where news of the sack was broken.

Mamman, however, chose to stay away from the meeting.

Artimas said there was a mutual relationship between the President and the ex-minister which made Buhari personally pick him without lobbying from anyone and which also led to the President telling him why he had to be dropped.

Artimas was said to have been dropped to pave the way for the strengthening of the cabinet and alleged tension in the ministry.

Asked to confirm whether the ex-minister collapsed as reported in some newspapers (not The Nation), Artimas dismissed the reports as fake.

He noted that his principal had over stressed himself on his return from Chad and did not sleep for up to eight hours.

Mamman’s blood pressure, according to his aide, rose and he became a bit ill but never collapsed.

His words: “It is the wicked fake news as usual because Nigerians are becoming vindictive and making conditions extreme for people we don’t like having issues with.

“The true story is that on Tuesday evening, the President himself called the minister to the Villa and informed him personally of his intention to make changes and that he (Mamman) would be affected by the changes for the reasons they discussed between them.

“And the minister accepted in good faith and thanked the President for giving him the opportunity.

“And the President told him that he was doing it because he wanted to strengthen the government and reduce some tension within the ministry.

“The President had singlehandedly appointed him because nobody lobbied for Sale to become minister.

“So, he felt that as his own son, if there is anything, he can have a mutual discussion.

“When he got home, he was tensed because when he went to Chad and he came back, he had been ailing a little bit, he had not rested.

“So, he took drugs and went to bed.

“When he woke up, his body was ailing. His sugar level had gone up. Maybe it had been long he had eight hours sleep.

“And the doctor yesterday had to bring down the sugar level.

“So, if you go to his house now in Maitama, you will see him there.

“Yesterday, I insisted he should grant interview, he granted Hausa service interview.

“So there was nothing like collapse. He heard about his removal before everyone else. At least, the President honoured him with that prior information.

“The President even gave him the option whether he would attend the Federal Executive Council meeting that day or not so that he would make the announcement after the meeting. He said he would not attend. These are the facts.”

The visits to the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, in London, United Kingdom, by South-West governors, Rotimi Akeredolu and Kayode Fayemi, among others were to “make amends” with the ailing party leader.

SaharaReporters learnt that the governors also by the visit tried to convince Tinubu that he needed to “rest” from his much sought after 2023 presidential ambition due to his health condition.

SaharaReporters had on August 26 reported that Akeredolu of Ondo State and his Ekiti State counterpart, Fayemi, visited Tinubu in London.

The two governors among other discussions reportedly touched on political events in the country and the clamour for the South-West presidency in 2023.

Asides Fayemi and Akeredolu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Tinubu’s godson, had first visited the APC National Leader in July.

“So many people visiting Tinubu are trying to making amends with him out of sympathy for the severity of his ill health. (Former Governor Ibikunle) Amosun was never in talking terms with him before now. (Kayode) Fayemi went to the US and reached out to Asiwaju people to make amends too,” a top source stated.

“Most of them by the visits are also mocking Tinubu and confirming that his presidential ambition is practically over. The Tinubu camp is still upset with the media team of (President Muhammadu) Buhari for exposing Tinubu’s illness to the world,” the source added.

Political supporters and godsons of the APC leader continue to troop to London on a solidarity visit - the latest being the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Also, a former National Legal Adviser of the APC, Dr. Muiz Banire visited the former governor of Lagos to express solidarity with him and to wish him quick recovery.

SaharaReporters had on August 12 reported that Buhari visited Tinubu in London after his (Tinubu) second surgery at that time.

Tinubu had been seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he underwent a knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, US.

The APC chieftain, it had been learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

SaharaReporters had also reported that sources close to Tinubu said he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

SaharaReporters had on July 31 reported that Tinubu, who has had several medical trips this year alone, had a surgery about two weeks earlier and could be billed for another one.

The APC National Leader has been off official and party functions in the country for a while, amidst talks that he is being positioned for the 2023 presidency to succeed the incumbent repressive regime of Buhari.

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons. He had a surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed to SaharaReporters at that time.

Pictures showing bullet-ridden vehicle driven by my little brother, Jide Sowore, when he was murdered on Ore-Benin highway this morning on his way to Benin City from school where he was studying Pharmacy at Igbinedion University in Okada!