₦airaland Forum

Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry yesterday raised concerns, as President Muhammadu Buhari and top government functionaries expressed optimism that the government’s focus on the gas sector would boost revenue, job creation and address lingering environmental issues.

Menace associated with gas flaring and the multiplier health and environmental hazards, especially in the Niger Delta region, is expected to decline with progress on about $14.5b worth of gas projects as well a new Integrated Gas Handling Facility (IGHF) and LPG Units.

Government expressed the optimism as Buhari commissioned the IGHF and LPG Units built by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The facility will export gas and boost local utilisation of the resources.

Nigeria has abundant gas resources. The Federal Government disclosed in June that the country’s total gas reserves hovered around 203.16 trillion cubic feet (TCF), representing a marginal increase of 1.16tcf or 0.57 per cent from the 202tcf recorded in 2019. Another 600 TCF is reportedly unproven. These reserves make the country the largest in Africa and 9th in the world.


The reserves, though over three times higher than the nation’s crude oil proven deposit, have not translated to economic benefits. This is expected to change with a new drive by the current administration.

A $12 billion Nigeria LNG (NLNG) train seven gas project progressed this year. A critical pipeline infrastructure, the Ajaokuta – Kaduna – Kano pipeline, expected to be constructed for $2.5 billion is also ongoing. But stakeholders insisted the country would have done 10 times better but for avoidable bottlenecks.

Gas pricing mechanism, government’s undue involvement in the sector, cloudy fiscal and another harsh operating environment, poor implementation of existing policies, and other barriers have bedeviled the sector as the industry remained elusive to private investors.

As Nigeria acts slowly on developing the sector, emerging energy solutions, especially renewable energy and energy storage, are projected to keep reserves unharnessed across the world. A report by Wood Mackenzie had shown that over three-quarters of 77 per cent of new LNG supply are at risk.

With an existing gas master plan, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had earlier in the year declared that aggressive effort would be made to unlock revenue and economic potential of gas even as the government declared 2020 the year of gas.

SPEAKING virtually at the commissioning of the IGHF and LPG Units, Buhari said upscaling of the gas resources for domestic utilisation remained a priority, especially using the natural resources to spur industrial realisation, provide efficient energy for transportation and household use, while increasing exports into the international market.

He said key projects such as the AKK pipeline infrastructure, the train seven as well as the new NPDC project remained an indication of the government’s commitment.

Buhari noted that hundreds of jobs would be created, as the new plant would support an earlier policy on autogas.

He described jobs as critical to the growth of small and medium enterprises, towards creating direct and indirect jobs.

In his contribution, Sylva said the new project was part of a commitment to making revenue and harnessing gas resources in the country despite the challenges posed by COVID-19.

The development, he added, would address gas flaring, create strong cooking gas penetration, and address environmental issues for the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, said growing the resources would diversify energy sources, create wealth, and aid industrial development.

Gas, he stated, remained the next area of focus that would put the country in a position of advantage.

He said the corporation would optimize value from gas and ensure the expansion of domestic gas utilization.

The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, applauded the efforts to harness the resources and stressed the need to integrate local communities in development efforts.

BUT stakeholders in the sector expressed worries about the government’s commitment, among other issues. A former president of Nigeria Gas Association, Dada Thomas, while hailing the government’s effort, pointed out that the efforts might run into hitches if steps were not taken to attract private investors to unlock the potential of the domestic gas market.

Thomas, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Oil Limited, stated the need to reposition the sector, given the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the intense pressure from renewable energy.

“These are steps in the right direction. There is a need to improve the investment friendliness in the PIB. If they get that right so many things we fall in place,” Thomas said.

He, however, raised concern about contract sanctity, the disparity between naira and dollar, and failure of policies, adding that the country could perform 10 times better if prevailing challenges were addressed.

An energy expert, Michael Faniran, observed that one of the key reasons for failure in maximising the potential of gas was non-commitment to the implementation of well-articulated frameworks, strategies, and policies designed for the sector. “Some of these are the gas master plan, national gas policy, gas-based industrialisation blueprint, etc,” Faniran said.

Faniran stressed the need to implement gas-based industrialisation to position Nigeria as the undisputed hub of gas-based industry in Africa. This, according to him, will be underpinned by Gas Supply Assurance through the Domestic Gas Supply and Delivery Obligations, Upstream Non-Associated Gas Acreage, Structurally Competitive Gas Sector through a commercial and fiscal framework that promotes the attractiveness of the upstream gas sector to the investors and an efficient and competitive gas market through the right enabling laws, scalable infrastructure and others.

Former President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Abiodun Adesanya, noted that the country was in the right direction with the current drive but stressed the need to suspend royalty and tax for natural gas.

He, however, warned that the suspension should not mean zero royalty and tax to avoid mistakes that were hard to correct in the deep-water, especially the 1993 Production Sharing Contract.
Iledare said: “Nigeria has the timeframe to be able to adjust its way of thinking and know that the train is already moving more when it comes to energy transition dynamics. We are fortunate. We have gas, which is the transition fuel.”

Non-teaching staff in Nigerian Universities, on Wednesday, warned the federal government not to create another round of problems in the institutions with alleged imbalance in the sharing formula of the about N40bn Earned Allowances (EA) it is about to release.

This warning given by the three unions in institutions – Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), came few hours after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced suspension of its nine-month-old strike.

The workers, who vowed not to go back to their respective duty posts until the government corrected the imbalance, alleged that the government gave ASUU about 75 percent of the Earned Allowances, leaving 25 percent for the other three unions.

N40 billion conundrum

Daily Trust reports that part of the agreements the government reached with ASUU at Tuesday’s meeting was to release N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the revitalization of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion.

Reacting to the sharing formula of the N40bn, the President of NAAT, Comrade Ibeji Nwokoma said anyone thinking that the non-teaching staff unions in the universities would resume with the recent development was day-dreaming except the government corrected the imbalance.

He said the union was making frantic efforts to reach Directors and Permanent Secretary, Ministries of Education and Labour and Employment to draw their attention to the fresh brewing crisis.


“FG not ready for peace”

Also speaking, the President of SSANU, Comrade Mohammed Haruna Ibrahim said it appears the government does not want peace in the university systems, insisting that his union would not take the lopsided sharing formula.

He stated, “Honestly, I believe that this remains a rumour even though I know it could be true, I have seen 75 percent and 25 percent. But truly if it is that, we have stated in no uncertain terms that we will not take this kind of lopsided allocations again, because what is the scientific measurement used to give this money?

“We have stated before now that the least we can take is 50-50, they are not more in numbers. And even if they want to do something like that, maybe this is my own personal opinion, I may not insist on 50-50 but at least something reasonable. We have so many numbers.

“If they give for example 60-40, do you think the noise will be there? Government does not want peace if it is giving 75 percent to only one union and giving 25 percent to three unions, does it make sense?”

The Federal Government is yet to react to the raging controversy over an editorial by Financial Times suggesting Nigeria is on the brink of becoming “a failed state.”

The verdict came barely a month after an investigation by Cable News Network (CNN) which exposed the government’s alleged complicity in the shooting of unarmed protesters at Lekki toll gate during the nationwide #EndSARS protests in Lagos.

The respected newspaper x-rayed the heightened insecurity in the country manifest in banditry, kidnapping and terrorism before warning that “Africa’s most populous country is teetering on the brink.”

The publication wrote: “If the latest kidnapping turns out to be its work, it would mark the spread of the terrorist group from its north-eastern base. Even if the mass abduction was carried out by ‘ordinary’ bandits – as now looks possible – it underlines the fact of chronic criminality and violence.

“Deadly clashes between herders and settled farmers have spread to most parts of Nigeria. In the oil-rich but impoverished Delta region, extortion through the sabotage of pipelines is legendary.

“In its three remaining years, the government of Mr. Buhari must seek to draw a line in the sand. It must redouble efforts to get a grip on security.”

The editorial advised the President Muhammadu Buhari administration “to restore trust in key institutions”, including the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2023 elections. It insisted that the country deserved a “generational shift.”

“The broad coalition that found political expression this year in the #EndSARS movement against police brutality provides a shard of optimism,” the newspaper added, admitting that the country “has a relatively stable democracy” the youths could leverage “to reset the country’s narrative.”

The editorial continued: “Extortion is a potent symbol for a state whose modus operandi is the extraction of oil revenue from central coffers to pay for a bloated, ruinously inefficient political elite. Security is not the only area where the state is failing.

“Nigeria has more poor people, defined as those living on less than $1.90 a day, than any other country, including India. In non-COVID-19 years, one of every five children in the world’s out of school lives in Nigeria, many of the girls.”

The medium’s stance is a confirmation of the lingering concerns. The 2020 Fragile States Index has suggested that Nigeria is marked as more fragile with 97.3 points as against the global average, which stands at 65.58 points. The country had reached 103.5 points in 2016.

Recently, members of the organised private sector raised concerns about the rising level of insecurity, especially as it affects investments and food security. The insecurity has driven up the prices of food in northern states to an all-time high in the past few months.

Just on Monday, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, expressed anger over what he described as routine attacks on travellers and villagers by insurgents along the Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.

IF anyone still doubted that criminals have overrun parts of Nigeria, the audacious bandits that stormed Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, on December 11 and ferried away over 300 boys erased all such illusion. The kidnapping was spectacular in itself; the fact that the terrorists struck in a town a mere two hours’ drive from Daura, where the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was vacationing, demonstrated the brutish and nasty conditions into which the country has sunk, the helplessness of the leadership and rising power of non-state actors.

The Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, was right when he said, “Nigeria is facing the worst security challenge in its history.” Yet, as the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, affirmed the Buhari regime “refuses to accept that, as indicated several times over, that the nation is at war.”

Its execution is brazen. The Kankara raid was the third mass kidnapping of students by assorted terrorists. Boko Haram had blazed the trail in 2014 (before Buhari) when it abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State. It repeated this feat in 2018 when it raided another school in Dapchi, in Yobe State, making away with 110 more teenage girls, later returning all but Leah Sharibu, who had refused to renounce her Christian faith.

The recovery of the 344 Kankara boys a week later, as pointed out by Oby Ezekwesili, a former Minister of Education, offers no cause for self-congratulation. Instead, Buhari should act on the summation of Soyinka that Nigeria is at war with itself. As the boys returned, bandits struck again in Mahuta town, Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina, capturing 80 students of an Islamic school returning from prayers; they were rescued by police and local vigilantes. In Borno, terrorists killed five soldiers and kidnapped 35 civilians, including children and women. This was after butchering over 70 rice farmers, ISIS style, in November in a village near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Another gang ambushed the Emir of Kaura Namoda, killed police and civilian guards and took the monarch and several other victims away. Two words describe Nigeria on Buhari’s watch: failed state.

Designated as a form of human association distinguished from other social groups by its purpose, the establishment of order and security; its methods, the laws and their enforcement; its territory, the area of jurisdiction or geographic boundaries; and finally by its sovereignty, a state that cannot defend its members fails a fundamental raison d’être of statehood.

No area is safe: in the North-West, governors confess to have lost control. The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, lamenting the massacre of 76 persons, said bandits operate in daylight, impose levies on residents and run a loose administration in swathes of territory. From Niger to Plateau to Benue and Kogi states, tracts of North-Central territory have become killing fields. Highways are hunting grounds for roving bands of murderers and kidnappers, the rural areas are ungoverned territory where criminals have carved out mini fiefdoms. The South-West has also become increasingly insecure. Farmers are attacked and killed; kidnappers and robbers prowl the highways and raid homes. In the cities, violent street gangs rob, vandalise and engage in turf wars and reprisal killings.

In the South-South and South-East regions, kidnappers, herdsmen, cult gangs, pipeline vandals, illegal oil bunkerers and political thugs reign supreme. The Nigerian Security Tracker tallied over 40 persons killed, 35 kidnapped amid rapes, arson and random acts of violence in the last week of November. In the first six months of 2020, said Amnesty International, 1,126 persons were killed mostly in the rural areas where “the authorities have left communities at the mercy of rampaging gunmen.” According to Dataphyte, over 70,000 Nigerians have been killed; terrorist insurgency killed 37,500 between 2011 and 2020, displaced 2.5 million and created 244,000 refugees. “Nigeria has one of the world’s worst kidnap-for-ransom with 685 kidnaps reported in the first quarter of 2019 alone. Between June 2011 and March 2020, Nigerians paid about $18.34 million as ransom,” it added. The Global Terrorism Index 2020 ranks Nigeria as the third most terrorism-impacted country with Boko Haram/ISWAP, Fulani militants and bandits listed among the five most deadly terrorist groups. Nigeria is ranked 14th on the 2020 Fragile States Index.

The result has been devastating. Apart from displacement of millions, some of whom are refugees in neighbouring countries, social life has been disrupted, travelling is hazardous, adding to the cost of living and the economy is battered. Already home to the world’s poorest, the World Bank projects that the number of Nigeria’s extreme poor will rise to over 100 million by year end as farmers are evicted from the land; storage and transport are beset by insecurity.

Despite the dire situation, the government has been clueless, rudderless and flat-footed. The President, his security chiefs and regime apologists downplay the existential threat to national survival. The National Assembly responds with nonsensical moves to create a Peace Corps, Hunters and inchoate resolutions. The security services are overwhelmed, short on effective intelligence-gathering, coordination and quick response capability. They appear more preoccupied with regime preservation, silencing peaceful protests and social media than countering the evolving security challenges and the ever-adaptable criminals imposing parallel authority across the country. No one is safe, military convoys and camps are attacked, police stations razed, soldiers and police officers are kidnapped, ransom is paid to recover military officers, police and traditional rulers who have been killed in numbers. Governors, lamely tagged as chief security officers of their states, are paying ransom for kidnapped family, aides and other citizens.

Yet, the 1999 Constitution states among others that the security of lives and property shall be the overriding objective of the state. Built on a fraudulent foundation, the federation is crumbling under the weight of its internal contradictions. Successive Nigerian leaders have failed abysmally in the task of nation building and modernisation. Instead of wedging the plural society together through scientific and empirical strategies, they were preoccupied with pretences and hypocrisies of “One Nigeria.” But more than 100 years after amalgamation and 60 years of independence, Nigeria remains one of the most disunited and fragile countries on earth. Ethnic loyalties are stronger than a sense of common nationhood. The centralised policing system anchored on a unitarist constitution in a natural federation, religiosity, poor governance and the elevation of politics above national interest add to the toxic matrix that continues to tug at political stability and economic growth. Reaching consensus on what to do even when confronted with existential threats has proved intractable.

The buck stops primarily on Buhari’s desk. He should initiate fundamental reforms to save the country from criminal gangs. Instead of continually wailing about their lack of control over security agencies, the state governors should work urgently with NASS, the state legislatures and mobilise popular support to invoke the doctrine of necessity to quickly authorise state policing. As Theophilus Danjuma, a former Defence Minister, reminded all, any further delay in effecting local policing will mean more deaths and possible implosion. This should be followed by immediate amendments to grant states fiscal autonomy and resource control. The nexus between poverty and criminality has been established; unless states are able to operate as autonomous viable economic units that can promote productivity and job creation, instability and criminality will persist.

The Northern state governments especially should understand that education, productive activities and justice are the ramparts of security. Their preoccupation with religion, obsession with power, neglect of education and relegation of economic programmes have created one of the world’s most wretched spaces; the Cato Institute says it accounts for 87 per cent of the country’s poor. All states should in the meantime, strengthen their statewide and local vigilance systems and continue to support federal security agencies. There should be greater international cooperation, especially in the northern states with the large borders and ungoverned territories where governors and federal officials admit that many of the terrorists — jihadists, bandits and Fulani vagrants — are not Nigerians.

Today’s law enforcement and military operations are driven by effective intelligence and cutting edge technology. Terrorists are adaptable, chameleonic, easily blend with the population and engage in an asymmetric war; the state must stay ahead of them through intelligence, ICT and by tracking financial transactions. Much more work needs to be done in addressing the official and unofficial social, political and economic structures that sustain these high levels of lethal violence in Nigeria.

The Federal Government is painstakingly exploring multiple sources and cheaper but effective COVID-19 vaccines. Chairman, Technical Working Group for the therapy, Dr. Bassey Okposen, who dropped the hint in an exclusive interview with The Guardian in Abuja, said besides the COVAX facility spearheaded by Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) where 92 countries, including Nigeria, are eligible for support, attention is still being focused on other pharmaceuticals around the world.

He added that Nigeria was in touch with the governments of Russia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supplies. Okposen, who doubles as Director, Disease Control and Immunisation at the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), said: “These are opinions that we are exploring. If we want to buy as a country, it should be vaccines that have been tested, effective and not very expensive. Some of them are very expensive. The Moderna is about $33 per dose, and one person needs two doses. So, you know what that means when you multiply by the population. It will amount to billions of naira.

“The other protein vector virus vaccines would be of advantage considering that the cold chain storage requires 228 which is what our routine vaccine cold chain storage requirement is, and it makes for easier maintenance aside affordability. Something like AstraZeneca costs about $4 per dose. So, for the two doses, it will be about $8.”

He continued: “But if you are going for mRNA vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer, you are looking for minus 70 Degree Celcius cold chain and the prices are high. But for those very high-risk health workers, we are targeting that supply from GAVI and then, we will acquire some cold chain space to make sure they are properly kept for sustainability. But for the larger volume, we will be preferring something like AstraZeneca where the storage temperature is like the one we are using for our routine vaccines.

“So, efforts are on to see that as soon as vaccines are allocated for the COVAX facility, Nigeria is among the first countries to benefit, while following up on other alternative sources to bridge the gaps.”

The chairman explained that for 2021, the COVAX-GAVI partnership would supply 20 per cent of the population requirements of all eligible 92 nations, while the Nigerian government was aiming to buy at least 20 per cent of the treatment to achieve 40 per cent reach even as additional 20 per cent would be procured for 2022.

Okposen suggested that government had concluded plans to roll out about 84 million doses next month, adding that his team was perfecting things to ensure swift and wide distribution when the time comes.

“The Technical Working Group has been inaugurated, and they meet every Wednesday. We are targeting to introduce the vaccine by January 2021. We have had series of meetings with the GAVI team,” he added.

The director further stated: “NPHCDA, being the agency in charge of vaccines in the country, traditionally, has the New Vaccine Introduction Strategic Team, and usually, whenever there is any new vaccine to introduce, the team reviews the guidelines.

“The New Vaccine Introduction Strategic Team that we have was further expanded to bring in all stakeholders. We have the Federal Ministry of Health, NPHCDA, NAFDAC, NCDC, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, NOA and the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

“We also have donors and partners. The donors include GAVI, World Bank, CDC, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID. The partners are WHO, UNICEF, among others.

Dana Air passenger on Sunday went violent destroying the airline’s check-in systems and other equipments while also allegedly attacking the station manager at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The passenger, Dr. Chike Okogwu, a person with Disability (PWD) was seen in a viral video destroying facilities at the airline’s counter in a fist of anger.

Okogwu had taken to his Twitter handle @chikeiq on Monday morning to narrate his experience, saying he was denied boarding despite meeting all the conditions.

“This is indeed the height of discrimination against persons with Disabilities in Nig. I booked a 7:20PM flight from Abj-Lag which was rescheduled to 9.05PM.

“I got my boarding pass only for DanaAir to say a new policy forbids carryn us with wheelchr,” he wrote on his Twitter page.

Dana Air reacts

Kingsley Ezenwa, spokesman of the airline said, “To put the issue into proper perspective, the said passenger (a PWD Person With Disability) who we regard as Special Passengers at Dana Air, got to our counter yesterday, 20th December 2020 at about 8pm for his flight and when our Duty Manager noticed him in the midst of the upsurge of passengers, approached him and politely explained to him that as a matter of policy, comfort and safety of our guests, we do not carry Special Passengers at night while offering to check him in first, on the 7am flight the next day.

“The said passenger blatantly refused the offer and went violent on the Duty Manager causing her injuries in the process.

“This same passenger also went further to destroy our check-in systems, chairs, Covid-19 Protective glass shields and weighing machines at our counter in Abuja. ( We have our video evidence).


https://cms.dailytrust.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/IMG-20201221-WA0027-768x575.jpg
Dana Airline reacts as passenger goes violent, destroys check-in systems


“Dr Chike Okogwu has enjoyed the luxury of flying with us for many years even as other airlines have totally refused to even sell tickets to him as a result of his reputation of verbally attacking able-bodied staff assigned to assist him whenever he is flying.

“Apart from this reason why other airlines avoid him, Dr Chike knows that Dana Air is among the few airlines that accepts Persons with Disability with a policy which we expect them to follow strictly in their own interest and in the interest of safety.

“While we acknowledge and regret the frustrations of our guests at this time and working round the clock to resolve the undesirable issues our guests are experiencing, we wish to state without an iota of doubt that Dana Air has never, and will never as a brand; discriminate against ANY passenger no matter the circumstance.

“Dana Air will also not tolerate any acts of violence against any of her staff, passengers or property and as a law abiding corporate citizen of Nigeria, we urge Dr. Chike Okogwu to be civil in his engagements as everything we do at Dana Air will always be in the interest of safety.”

The House of Representatives has said it will take disciplinary measures against one of the lawmakers, Kingsley Chinda, who called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Chinda is the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, House of Reps Caucus, and is representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State.

The House Majority Leader, Ado Doguwa, during plenary on Monday, said Chinda was not representing the position of the PDP caucus of the House as he claims and is acting alone.

He also noted that the President's decision not to honour the House was due to the utterances of the lawmaker calling for his impeachment, and concerns that the President would be embarrassed If he honoured the invitation.

Chinda, in a press release on December 7, called on Nigerians irrespective of political party, tribe, or religion to compel their representatives to commence the impeachment process against the President.

The lawmaker's call for impeachment is not unconnected with the rising cases of insecurity being witnessed across the country.

However, House spokesman, Benjamin Kalu, described Chinda's call as the "opinion of a single member of the opposition party in the house."

He said calls for impeachment were not logical as the President is yet to appear before the House to explain what his administration is doing to address the security issue.

"If this call came past president's visit for the failure to dialogue well enough in securing solutions or due to his inability to put our positions to use, it would appear logical.

"Unfortunately, this call is not only illogical, but it also appears as a tool mischievously thrown up to disrupt the agenda of the coming visit with all it sets out to achieve in the spirit of nation-building which remains the mantra of the 9th Assembly and is considered a joint task," Kalu added in a report by ChannelsTV..

From Agaju Madugba, Katsina and Molly Kilete, Abuja

Controversy, yesterday, dogged the reported fresh abduction in Katsina State as the military and the police gave contradictory account of the number of persons rescued and how the operations were undertaken.

While the police authorities pegged the number at 84, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said 39.

Both, however, agreed that the incident took place in Mahuta village, Dandume Local Government Area.

The onslaught came barely two days after kidnappers released 343 students of Government Secondary School in Kankara who they held for six days.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, yesterday, explained that on Friday, December 19 at about 10 pm, a distress call was received by DPO Dandume that some Islamiyya students of Hizburrahim Islamiyya numbering about 80 returning from Maulud occasion celebrated at Unguwan Alkasim village, Dandume to Mahuta village, were accosted by bandits who had already kidnapped four persons and rustled 12 cows from Danbaure village, Funtua Local Government Area.

On receipt of the report, the DPO led Operation Puff Adder, Sharan Daji and the vigilance group to the area and engaged the bandits in a gun battle.

“Subsequently, the teams succeeded in dislodging the bandits and rescued all the 84 kidnapped victims and recovered the 12 rustled cows.

“Search parties are still combing the area with a view to arresting the injured bandits and recovery of their dead bodies.”

In its own account, the military, in a statement by Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, said: “Troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in conjunction with police and local vigilante deployed at Dandume LGA of Katsina State received a distress call at about 11:30 PM on 19 December 2020 from locals at Mahuta village that suspected bandits were moving with unconfirmed numbers of Islamiya children mostly girls and rustled cattle. The children were returning from Maulud programme at Unguwar Al-Kasim village at Dandume. In reaction to the distress call, troops quickly mobilised to the scene, laid ambush and blocked bandits’ route along Daudawa-Kadisau and road Sheme Mairuwa and Unguwar Audu village.

“While patiently waiting for the bandits at the ambush and blocking position, troops established contact with bandits and engaged them. During the fierce battle, troops superior fire power forced bandits to abandon the children and the rustled cattle thereby forcing the bandits to flee in disarray into the forest.

“Troops, thereafter, searched the general area and rescued the 39 kidnapped girls in addition to the recovery of eight rustled cattle. The victims have been reunited with their families while the recovered cattle handed to the owners.

“Troops has dominated the general area with aggressive patrol to forestall further occurrence.”

Regardless, Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has expressed fear over rising insecurity, describing the situation as perplexing.

He was particularly concerned that measures being adopted by government are not working, thus reawakening the consciousness of the Federal Government to their constitutional responsibility of security and welfare of the citizens.

Archbishop Kaigama, in his Homily, at Our Lady, Queen of Nigeria Pro-Cathedral, Abuja, challenged the government to show more closeness to the people and a keen sensitivity to issues of security and welfare, while the Church continued in its responsibilities of fervent prayers.

He urged Nigerians, particularly those traveling for Christmas celebration to be cautious and careful with their movements, with strong reminder to rising insecurity across Nigeria.

“Dear friends, traveling during this holy and festive period should be done withmaximum vigilance and great caution.

“Apart from the bad roads and the actions of reckless drivers, criminals heighten their diabolic activities to make life unbearable for people this period. Also, remember that COVID-19 is still like the roaring lion, looking for people to devour. Let us collectively take appropriate measures to curb its spread.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has flagged-off construction of 600 housing units for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Katsina State.

National Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants And Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRML), Basheer Garba Mohammed, performed the ground-breaking ceremony at Batagarawa, near the Katsina city centre at the weekend.

He said the “Resettlement City” would also have a number of facilities including, primary healthcare and education centres, security outposts, worship houses, skill acquisition centres, markets and adjoining farmlands for use by the occupants.

With the development, the well over 60,000 identified IDPs in Katsina State may have to scramble for the 600 two-bedroom spaces when the projected is completed towards the end of 2021.

Similar projects, according to the Commission, are also being executed in Zamfara, Edo and Borno states.

“Based on displacement data available to us at the Commission, displacement figures for Katsina State as at October 2020 was 61,418 persons.

“The president has released funds for the take-off of this project and construction has started in some states.

“In Katsina State, despite efforts by the state government and Federal Government to reduce the hardship faced by Internally Displaced Persons, there still remains a growing demand for accommodation given the recurring nature of displacement, which has placed thousands of IDPs living in host communities around the state.

“Without fear of any contradiction, Katsina State has witnessed extreme violence which has led to tragic displacement of thousands of people and the destruction of property worth hundreds of millions of Naira.

“Attacks on communities have led not only to the displacement of individuals but also the dislocation of civil authorities and other components of daily life, like schools, hospitals, and agricultural activities.”

Mohammed had earlier at Batsari, in Batsari Local Government Area launched the Project Reliance, a programme being executed by the Commission in collaboration with the CBN.

“Project Reliance is a programme geared towards establishing everyone who has lost their home, their livelihood and those who have sought refuge outside their homes in Nigeria.

“Every selected beneficiary of Project Reliance will have the opportunity to choose from more than 50 various skills.

“The applicant will also receive training, a starter pack and start-up capital to become self-reliant.”

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

Workers in the nation’s Communications industry under the aegis of Private Telecommunications and Communications Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PTECSSAN, weekend rejected the two weeks deadline given by the Federal Government to telecommunications operators to block subscribers’ lines that failed to link them up with the National Identification Number, NIN.

PTECSSAN in a statement by its President and General Secretary, Opeyemi Tomori​​​​​​ and Okonu Abdullahi, respectively, contented that it was impossible to achieve the deadline, saying “to register about one hundred and seventy million Nigerians that are yet to be registered within two weeks is a tall order that can never be met with the present encumbrances in the present approach of registering people.”

The union asked the federal government not to punish Nigerians for its ineptitude, lamenting that “We are disturbed by the insensitiveness of the federal government in this press statement. We are forced to believe that, as usual, the government wants to punish Nigerians for her own ineptitude.

At this point in time that there is pervasive hardship in the land brought about by banditry, terrorism, thuggery and increasing high cost of living occasioned by the government’s hike in electricity tariff and fuel pump price, we do not expect the government to impose a new and an avoidable hardship on Nigerians through this directive.

“Rather than issuing a deadline and threats on linking up the NIN to SIMs, what we believe the government should do is to address the bottlenecks encountered by Nigerians in the process of registration which have prevented majority of them from obtaining their NIN.

Is the government aware that it is only about forty-three Million Nigerians that have been able to obtain NIN since its introduction over seven years ago? To expect Nigerians to register and obtain NIN in order to link it up with their SIMs within two weeks what they could not obtain for these number of years beats our imagination.

“Nigerians have suffered immensely trying to obtain the NIN to no avail. Stories told by those that have registered are not pleasant. Some were leaving their homes for the registration centers as early as 4am daily for weeks before they could register. While those that could not withstand the rigor part with monies to hasten things up for them.

“We implore the government to withdraw the directive because it was not well thought out and is highly unachievable. To register about one hundred and seventy million Nigerians that are yet to be registered within two weeks is a tall order that can never be met with the present encumbrances in the present approach of registering the people.

“By giving two weeks to Nigerians that have not registered to do so will surely add more hardship on them. The Government is practically telling them to abandon their businesses and whatever they are doing that bring incomes for them within that long period of time.

“Also, with the second wave of COVID-19 in the country Nigerians will not be able to storm the registration centers without contracting the virus.

Furthermore, we are in the Yuletide period during which a lot of Nigerians travel across the country to celebrate with their families to ask them to register at this time is as good as putting paid to their festivities.

“In the light of the above we implore the government to rather shift its focus on getting more Nigerians registered seamlessly. Registration centers should be brought closer to the people. By this we are suggesting that there should be at least two registration centers in each of the wards throughout the federation.

“If and when all remaining Nigerians have been able to register and obtain their NIN they need not be bothered to link their NIN’s with their operators, the government through the National Identification Management Commission, NIMC, and Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC, should liaise with the telecoms operators to synchronize the NIN with the subscribers’ SIMs after all, the operators still rely on the NIMC to authenticate NIN provided by subscribers before they can link them up to their SIMS.

“We understand the importance of having a comprehensive database for the country and at the same time having NIN linked with SIMs we implore the government to adopt the best of approaches in putting them in place. All these can be done without necessarily causing hardship to Nigerians.”

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A 40-year-old jealous lover, Etifa Obukulubu, who set ablaze his estranged girlfriend and a pastor ablaze at the Igbogene area of Bayelsa State in October, narrated to newsmen yesterday that he caught both of them on a bed having a romp.

Obukulubu, who was among 45 suspects of various crimes paraded by the Bayelsa State Police Command, said he acted in anger after peeping through the window to see the pastor on top of his girlfriend.

The Guardian had first reported how the pastor, working with the New Baptist Church and a female assistant were burnt to death when Obukulubu set the home of the pastor on fire over suspicion of infidelity.

Narrating to newsmen at the police command, the estranged lover said: “It was due to anger that I carried out the arson. We have been dating for four years and this year, between October 30 and 31, I realised that my girlfriend was always going to the pastor’s house each time I was not at home.

“When I found out the affair between the pastor and my girlfriend, I became angry and all I could think of at the time was to set them ablaze. It was anger that made me set them ablaze. I caught them red-handed sleeping on the bed after I peep through the window,” he said.

Among those paraded were five suspects arrested over their involvement in the last month invasion of the country home of the former governor of the state, Seriake Dickson, and killing of a police inspector at Toru Orua community of Sagbama Local Government Area.

Also paraded was a 41-year-old worker of the state Ministry of Education, who was arrested over alleged rape of a lady that just completed her mandatory National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

The Commissioner for Police, Mike Okoli, while parading the suspects, said though crime could not be totally eradicated in the country, the police were on top of their game to checkmate and arrest perpetrators of such crimes.

He said due to intelligence gathering and investigations, the police arrested the five suspects that invaded the home of the former governor in search for hidden money purportedly kept in a church in the residence.

Okoli also said the command would have no mercy for suspects involved in rape and child defilement.

On the repeated cult clashes in Yenagoa, the state capital, the police boss confirmed the arrest of two leaders of rival cult groups known as the Greanlanders and Bobos.

Some irate youths have burnt down Igboukwu police station, Aguata local government area of Anambra state, following the shooting of motorcycle rider by police in the area.

Daily Trust gathered that there were some altercations between police operatives and motorcycle riders over some impounded motorcycles as a result of the recent restriction on movement of motorcycles beyond 9:pm in the State.

According to the spokesman for the Anambra state police command, SP Haruna Mohammed, the situation degenerated into a chaos which led to an accidental discharge that hit one motorcycle rider and burning down of Igboukwu police station by irate youth.

Meanwhile he said the state Commissioner for police, CP John Abang has appealed for calm and ordered for detention of police men involved.

According to him, the CP has ordered for full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and he assured the public that “justice would be done in the case and the outcome of Police investigation shall be made public in due course.”

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri


Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, on Tuesday, said it was not true that the court intentionally froze accounts of promoters of the recent #EndSARS protest.

Justice Tsoho stressed that contrary to media reports, the court froze accounts of some corporate entities the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, accused of sabotaging the country’s economy.

He spoke during a special court session the High Court held to mark the commencement of its 2020/2021 legal year.

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, had in a speech its National President, Mr. Olumide Akpata, presented at the event, slammed the court for freezing bank accounts of some persons that allegedly played key role during the #EndSARS protest.


The NBA President, whose speech was read by Mr. Yusuf Kadiri, said: “I must remind us of the dwindling hopes of the common man in the Judiciary.

“Following the #Endsars protests, this Honourable court was involved in the press, in a rather uncomplimentary manner on account of freezing of bank accounts of individuals and organisations believed to have bankrolled the process”.

Reacting to NBA’s statement, Justice Tsoho, said that contrary to media reports, the CBN, approached motions to freeze the bank accounts, three months before the protest.

According to the CJ: “Three months before the protest, the CBN kept bringing applications almost in their hundreds based on what they call deliberate resolve to ruin the economy through money laundering.

“So if it was the #Endsars people that were involved in the activities under cover, then it is unfortunate for people to begin to call and vilify the court, making damaging allegations against the court.

“If steps were not taken at that time, the Nigerian economy would have collapsed, that is to say about three months ago, the dollar would have exchanged far above N500”, he added.


Giving account of activities of the high court in the last legal year, Justice Tsoho, disclosed that a total of 10, 464 cases were brought by litigants in a period of 10 months spanning between September 2019 to June 2020.

Out said the cases comprised of 2, 851 civil cases, 2, 599 criminal cases, 3, 049 motions and 1,965 fundamental rights applications.

The CJ further disclosed that the total number of cases disposed of during the last legal year was 8, 585 cases, adding that a total of 123, 513 cases are still pending before the court.

Meanwhile, the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, BOSAN, in a statement it presented at the event, said attacks on courts by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protests, should be blamed on sluggish justice system in the country.

The body of SANs, in its speech that was presented by Chief J. K. Gadzama, SAN, said: “It is easy to dismiss this as the work of hoodlums, but it is worthwhile to consider that it signals a general and growing disenchantment with the entire justice architecture.

“The man on the street is not particularly concerned with the caseload of the judge or magistrate; all he knows is that the system is sluggish. He does but understand or appreciate the necessity of procedural rules; but he feels it very keenly when a hearing on the merits is truncated on purely technical grounds. These are only a few of this disenchantment”, BOSAN added.

Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja



After December 30, 2020, all Subscriber Identification Modules that are not registered with valid National Identification Numbers on the network of telecommunications companies shall be blocked, the Federal Government has declared.

It was gathered in Abuja on Tuesday that the declaration was part of resolutions reached during an urgent meeting of key stakeholders in the communications industry that was convened by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

The spokesperson of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde, said in a statement issued in Abuja that the meeting was convened following the earlier directive on the suspension of new SIM registration by network operators.

He stated that at the meeting, the need to consolidate the achievements of last year’s SIM registration audit and improve the performance and sanity of the sector was exhaustively discussed.

The NCC said stakeholders agreed that urgent drastic measures had now become inevitable to improve the integrity and transparency of the SIM registration process.

The commission outlined decisions taken for immediate implementation by all network operators to include the afirmation of the earlier directive to totally suspend registration of new SIMs by all operators.

It added, “Operators to require all their subscribers to provide valid National Identification Number to update SIM registration records.

“The submission of NIN by subscribers to take place within two weeks (from today December 16, 2020 and end by 30 December, 2020). After the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks.”

The NCC stated that a ministerial task force comprising the minister and all the CEOs (among others) would serve as members to monitor compliance by all networks.

“Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license,” the commission stated.

It urged the general public to ensure that their NINs were captured in their SIM registration data, adding that all inconveniences which might be occasioned by this directive were deeply regretted.

The meeting had in attendance the chief executive officers and management of the NCC and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

Others include the National Identity Management Commission, as well as the CEOs and management staff of all service providers in the industry.

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt

About eight persons were feared dead Tuesday morning following a stampede that occurred at a Pitcoin office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was gathered that the unfortunate incident, which happened at about 7:30am, at Rumudara Town, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, was caused by a stampede.

Thousands of Pinkcoin members, an online blockchain digital assets designed for giving charity, were said to have gathered at the scene to collect some palliatives.

A source, who gave her name simply as Blessing, claimed that Pinkcoin invited everyone who registered with them in Obio/Akpor LGA to come and redeem their Christmas palliatives,

But the management of the charity outfit was said to have failed to control the crowd of persons, who struggled to gain access to the office.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said he was monitoring the situation.

The ongoing stifling of foreign exchange (forex) will lead to mass shutdown of firms in the New Year with attendant job losses, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has warned the Federal Government.

Also, the association pointed out that the country’s business environment is becoming more hostile and unbearable due to escalating exchange rates, forex scarcity, COVID-19, multiple taxes and border closure.

Acting Director-General of MAN, Mr. Ambrose Oruche, in an interview with New Telegraph, said one of the issues affecting manufacturing presently and its members was the continued border closure by government with its dire consequence on trade.

He noted that the manufacturing sector had been ‘near death’ situation before COVID-19 set in, adding that, currently, manufacturers were finding it difficult to access forex to import raw materials and machineries, which could lead to dire consequences in the new year if not quickly addressed by the Federal Government.

The MAN acting DG cited an example of one of the manufacturing companies, which had placed order for raw materials since March and only got the supply in November 2020. He said: “Before December 2019, when Coronavirus hit Wuhan in China, the manufacturing sector in Nigeria was in ‘near death’ situation.

The sector was neglected by the government. It is a sector that creates jobs and contributes between eight per cent and 9.5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The Nigerian economy already had underlying ailments and COVID-19 only worsened it. So many suppliers abroad refused to sell raw materials to the manufacturers. “It has not been easy for the manufacturing sector.

They create their own water, build roads to their factories and, if possible, they would build their ports. It will be difficult for so many companies to come back after Christmas, because no forex, and they need replacement of spare parts etc.

“I want to appeal to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to prioritise forex to the manufacturing sector, to be able to bring in needed raw materials and machineries. “And efforts should be geared towards the production of raw materials locally,” he added.

Oruche called for improvement in infrastructural development as in other climes, saying “it takes between 24 and 48 hours to clear consignments at the ports.” Speaking on the country’s recession, the MAN boss emphasised that government must remove all multiple taxes levied on manufacturers, and all the ministries that are visiting factories with all form of charges should be cautioned. According to him,

“For us to come out of recession as a country, government must remove all multiple taxes levied on manufacturers, and all the ministries that are visiting factories with all forms of charges should be cautioned. “Government should encourage manufacturers by formulating policies that is investment friendly.

“The government should grant tax holiday to manufacturers during this period of general economic hardship if we must come out of recession.

They should think of incentives to manufacturers and not exploiting or punishing them with levies and taxes.

“Government should make low single digit loans available with less bureau cracy if the country must experience growth. “Lifting tax burden of the manufacturers will help in creating more employment, thereby lifting jobless youths out of the street.”

In addition, the Federal Government should encourage manufacturers by way of formulating policies that is investment friendly, especially granting tax holiday to manufacturers during this period of general economic hardship if we must come of recession.

He, however, advised that government should think of incentives to manufacturers and not exploiting or punishing them with levies and taxes.

Also, they should make low single digit loans available with less bureaucracy if the country must experience growth. “Lifting tax burden of the manufacturers will help in creating more employment, thereby lifting jobless youths out of the street,” Oruche said

Governors of the 36 states of the federation have resolved to stop contracting collection of taxes to consultants, saying the huge commission being paid out to contractors would help swell the states’ internally generated revenue (IGR).

Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is also the governor of Ekiti State, said yesterday the planned review of the policy on revenue collection by states was part of reforms being considered to boost the financial outlook at the sub-national level.

Many states, notably Lagos, have contracted their revenue-collection duties to consultants despite having internal revenue collection agencies.

This has resulted in the loss of internally-collected revenue in the form of commission to the contractors.

Fayemi, at the sixth Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) National Peer Learning Event in Abuja, also listed other reforms being planned by the states.

He said: “Other reforms being implemented by state governments under the SFTAS programme and as detailed in the “COVID-19 Response for Tax Authorities” issued by the NGF Secretariat and endorsed by us at the forum earlier this year include: ending the contracting-out of tax collections and assessments.”

According to him, another resolve of the governors is to increase collaboration among the internal revenue service, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and local governments; roll-out of tax-for-service initiatives; scale-up of cashless payments; and the deployment of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to support effective land administration and property taxes.

He said this year has presented the states with a perfect storm of difficulties to deal with, from a health pandemic to the second economic recession in five years.

He explained that at the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the forum worked with the federal government, international partners and the private sector to deliver the necessary response needed to contain the virus and ease out its impact on the lives of the citizens.

These, he said, include the set-up of intervention funds, roll-out of social investment programmes, distribution of palliatives, initiation of tax incentive programmes to protect and support livelihoods and businesses.

“Unfortunately, the decline in oil prices that followed the global lockdown and the social unrest, which echoed the demands of the #EndSARS protests, further worsened the country’s economic and social conditions for months. This exacerbated the already vulnerable fiscal environment for governments at both the national and sub-national level.

“Other accompanying trends have included rising inflation rate, degrading exchange rate and growing unemployment,” he added.

Fayemi said the governors worked together to reflate the economy, adding that the need to improve government revenues to adequately service planned expenditures cannot be overemphasised.

He said 2020 half-year year-on-year IGR performance reported a negative growth of 11.7 per cent for the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

However, he stated that despite the overall decline, some states recorded positive growth, adding that three states in this category are Ebonyi, Gombe and Yobe, which recorded more than 50 per cent in growth.

He said the three states would have experiences to share with their other colleagues.

On the new finance bill, Fayemi said: “At the federal level, a new finance bill is being proposed to provide a legal framework that underpins many of the reform recommendations to stimulate the economy and deliver an effective but friendly tax system.

“The forum is actively engaging with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning on the provisions of the bill, especially those impacting state taxes and jurisdiction. It is important that the bill services the interest of all and not a few.”

At the state level, the governor said they planned to professionalise their internal revenue services to be taxpayer-centric and responsive to the new normal of digitalising tax administration.

He added: “The world’s trade and financial market are going digital and we must adapt or be left behind. We are not canvassing or proposing for new taxes to be introduced but emphasising the need for our internal revenue services to be more strategic, innovative and pragmatic in administering those taxes, fees, levies and charges that have been legally prescribed for collection across various jurisdictions.”

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, quoted global analysts as saying that Nigeria remains the fastest growing economy in Africa.

She said business and economic indicators anticipated that the country’s path toward economic recovery would commence in the fourth quarter of 2020.

She said: “Overall, economic analysts have predicted that the global economy will recover in 2021, especially with the positive outcomes of the race toward the discovery of a vaccine. For Nigeria, economic analysts forecast that the economy will experience positive growth in the first or second quarter of 2021.

“Going forward, the impact of COVID-19 on the economic and fiscal revenue outlook for 2021 presents a significant opportunity for states to strategise and reposition your fiscal revenue management systems for this era called the ‘new normal’. Fiscal reforms are important now, more than ever, to mitigate against current and future risks, bearing any future pandemics or other global crises.”

She said the federal government has embarked on a fundamental strategy that comprises wide-ranging reforms in its tax policies and administration in the last few years.

For instance, she pointed out, the Finance Act 2019 and the Finance Bill 2020 have brought significant changes and consolidation to tax administration and management in the country.

The minister explained that the Finance Bill 2020 seeks to achieve the promotion of fiscal equity; reform domestic tax laws in alignment with global best practices; introduce tax incentives; support MSMEs and raise revenues for the government.

“Some of the key provisions of the bill include: tax relief for companies that donate to a COVID-19 relief fund; a reduction of 50 per cent in the minimum tax rate from 0.5 per cent to 0.25 per cent of gross turnover for financial years ending January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020; an exemption from tertiary education tax by companies with turnover of less than N25 million; among others,” she said.

Ahmed explained further that the Finance Bill 2020 will amend extant laws in order to facilitate and strengthen revenue mobilisation and growth in 2021.

She listed the laws to be amended as the Capital Gains Tax Act, Companies Income Tax Act, Personal Income Tax Act, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, Customs and Excise Tariff, Etc. (Consolidated) Act, Value Added Tax Act, Federal Inland Revenue Services (Establishment) Act, Nigerian Export Processing Zone Act, Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Act, Fiscal Responsibility Act, Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, and the Public Procurement Act.

Some of the other ongoing initiatives of the federal government, she said, include the Integrated Revenue Monitoring System; the implementation of the National (Single Window) Project; and the full nationwide adoption of the Joint Tax Board – TIN.

“With these initiatives, we seek to chart a new course for the tax system while addressing tax encumbrances for individuals and businesses in Nigeria,” she said.

Earlier, the Director-General of NGF, Mr. Asishana Okauru, said given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments at both the national and sub-national levels suffered revenue shortfall and contraction in their tax base owing to the decline in business activities.

He said governments have been compelled to increase public spending to mitigate the impact of the pandemic by setting up testing and treatment centres from scratch and implementing targeted responses in public health, security, public works, social safety and other stimulus-targeted interventions, including tax relief for individual taxpayers and businesses.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has administered drug addiction tests on no fewer than 250 candidates of political parties, saying that some of them have been found to be having symptoms of drug abuse.

Recall that the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC, had scheduled elections across the 44 local government areas for January 16.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano on Friday, The NDLEA Commander in Kano State, Dr Ibrahim Abdul said the candidates were from 19 of the 44 local government areas of the state.

Mr Abdul said the screening of the candidates for the positions of chairman, deputy chairman and councillors was in compliance with the state government’s order to ensure that no drug addict would be elected into any public office.

“I am glad to inform you that Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje had sent names of his appointed commissioners, assistants and advisers for similar screening before confirming their appointments.

“The Emirate Council has also been sending traditional title appointees for screening; therefore, we are always ready to screen any appointee sent to us.

“We have so far screened over 250 candidates both for the chairmanship, deputy chairmanship and councillorship positions.

“We found some of them with symptoms of drug abuse, we will not tell you their names or local governments.

“At the end of the exercise, we will write to the appropriate authorities for further actions,” the commander said.

Abdul appealed to residents of the state to continue to give the command the needed support to reduce drug abuse to the lowest level.

Fredrick Nwabufo


Nigeria is an exceptionally intolerant country – religion-wise. In fact, the country is next to Iran on the religious intolerance threshold. You could get killed, threatened, hounded, harassed and victimised for going against the religious orthodoxies. The two major religions in Nigeria – Christianity and Islam — bubble with the most fanatical of followers who elect themselves ‘’defenders of God’’. In their inquisition, death is the penalty for every perceived breach of the holy canons. There is no other way.

Over the years Nigeria has been on the US watch-list for religious intolerance. I must say, this problem has always been with us, but perhaps it became accentuated with the divisive propensity of the Buhari administration. The blacklisting of Nigeria by the US for violations of religious freedom cannot be argued otherwise. The reasons given by America for its decision are germane – if considered dispassionately.

One of the reasons on which the US situated its action is tolerance for religious violence and support for egregious religious violations by the Buhari administration.

“The secretary and really the world have great concern about what’s taking place in Nigeria at this time, and a number of terrorist groups are organising and pushing into the country. We’re seeing a lot of religious-tinged violence taking place in that country and indeed in West Africa. It’s an area of growing concern about what’s happening, in particular the tension that’s taking place there between religious groups. And it’s often the religious affiliation is used to try to recruit and inspire violent acts,” Samuel Brownback, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, said.

“You’ve got expanded terrorist activities, you’ve got a lot of it associated around religious affiliations, and the government’s response has been minimal to not happening at all. A number of cases – there have not been criminal cases brought forward by the government. The terrorism continues to happen and grow, in some places unabated.’’

That the Buhari administration harbours religious zealots is indubitable. Bashir Ahmad, personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, did not cloak is religious zealotry and extremist complexion when he declared his support for death against blasphemy.

These are the words of an aide of Nigeria’s president which he wrote on Twitter: ‘’I can’t pretend or keep silent. I support the death penalty for BLASPHEMY. That’s my belief and I do not and will never support #saveKanonine.’’

It is clear that the government at the highest level is tepid about issues of religious extremism. The Buhari administration could well be peopled by sympathisers of extremism. We must not be hypocritical about the US blacklisting of our country. We are an extremist nation. One singer in Kano is still in the gulag for alleged blasphemy awaiting a tragic end. What has the Buhari administration done in the case of this singer despite the global outcry for his release? Nothing!

Yet, Lai Mohammed, minister of information, claims the government ‘’protects religious freedom jealously’’. Where is the freedom when people are threatened with death for allegedly going contrary to the religious grain? Where is the freedom when an actress, Rahama Sadau, who wore a beautiful dress in a photo shoot, was threatened with death for alleged blasphemy for simply wearing a nice-looking dress? This actress was even reported to the police. How tragic! Where is the freedom when Hisbah, the religious police in Kano, go from house to house looking for sinners; arresting people in hotels and destroying alcoholic drinks? Where is the freedom when a religious law subsists in a country that touts itself as secular?

Let us cut out the bull-crap and face up to the truth. We are an extremist nation. We create the environment for extremists to rise and thrive; a system where a law within the law allows death for blasphemy will fecund extremism. Those holding up death for blasphemy are only pushing the agenda of Boko Haram. How are they different?

The US also cited the government’s vapid response to issues of religious violence, particularly as regards Boko Haram as one of its reasons for giving Nigeria the hammer. Let us chew on this fact. Is the Buhari administration’s decision to rehabilitate and release terrorists into the civil population while an insurgency is still raging not a declaration of sympathy for them and other religious extremists? The government put an extremist label on itself by this deliberate effort.

Let me make it clear, religious extremists abound in Christianity as well. Why we are not having violent fundamentalism is because one pastor, general overseer or bishop has not given his adherents their marching orders. We could, perhaps, have a bigger problem in our hands when Christian fundamentalists bear firearms. So, extremism is not limited to one religion.

Nigeria is an extremist nation. It incubates and nurtures extremists – both Christians and Muslims.

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Angry youths, on Monday, destroyed the house of Benue State chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Abba Yaro, over the sudden death of one of his domestic workers.

Daily Trust reports that the rampaging youths smashed windows as well as parts of the building in which the APC chairman inhabits with his family while also destroying cars and air conditioners in the premises.

Witnesses said that the youths were angered by the circumstances which led to the death of a security guard who works in Yaro’s residence.

It was learnt that the deceased was electrocuted while trying to cut down a branch of tree allegedly touching the high tension wire passing through the house.

Some residents of the area told our correspondent that the body of the deceased was found early Monday morning dangling from the tree, a sight which provoked the youths.

But the APC chairman has denied knowledge of how the sad incident occurred, saying he was awoken by the noise of people and that upon enquiry, he was told that one of his security guards, who tried to cut down a branch of tree having contact with high tension electrical wire, was electrocuted.

“When I asked the other security man, he told me that he warned the man against going to cut the branch of tree that was touching high tension wire and that the man said he knew how he would cut it, only for him to be electrocuted.

“We were in the process of sorting out things when youths came in their numbers, pulled down the gate and entered the house and destroyed it. You can all see all that were destroyed,” he said.

Yaro, however, said that the prompt intervention by Governor Samuel Ortom’s visit saved his family members from being attacked by the mob.

Governor Ortom, who visited the scene, condemned the destruction of the house by the irate youths as he appealed to them not to take laws into their hands whenever anything goes wrong.

He stressed the need for people to allow the relevant enforcement agencies to handle such situations.

From Molly Kilete, Abuja

The saying that what a man can do a woman can do better certainly rings true for Talatu Imram, an indigene of Shinkafi, in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. She had been trafficking weapons for bandits for seven years and got paid after every successful trip.

A divorcee with seven children to show for her failed marriages, Talatu, who lives amongst the bandits in Zamfara State, was having a field day until she was arrested by men special task squad, Abuja after one of her major sponsor was picked up.

Looking very sharp and full of life, Talatu changes husbands like clothes as she moved from one bandit to the other. Until 2019, she was married to a bandit who was killed by the security forces.

In this interview, Talatu, who spoke in Hausa language, talked about how her sojourn in the dangerous job. She said:

“I am 40-years-old and a divorcee. I was arrested through one of the men popularly known as Orujeje that usually gives me weapons to ferry for him to other states in the north.

I was arrested at Nassarawa State where I ran to by the police, who I heard were looking for me after the they arrested Erujeje. I have been in the business of transporting arms because I live amongst the bandits; that is what I do to survive and take care of my seven children. I have been married several times and was married to bandits. One of them was shot and killed by the security forces last year but I later married another and divorced him, so I am single now.

“I have been married severally and divorced severally because I hate to suffer and the moment my husband begins to make me suffer, I will divorce him and move on with life.

“I am among the women that usually transport arms for kidnap groups in Zamfara and I get paid at the end of every trip. I have been in the illegal arms trade for over seven years now.

I have made plenty of money but I cannot now say this is the total amount of money that I have made because they usually pay me the money it bits. Sometimes they pay me N20,000 after every trip and I use the money to take care of my seven children. I have seven children from my previous husbands.

“How I transport the weapons to wherever they want me to deliver them is very simple without being detected by the security men on the road. Before I embark on any of such trip, my boss, Orujeje, usually sends money to me to go to the markets and buy box. After buying the box, I will then go to the market again and buy babies clothes and those items that they usually ask pregnant women due for delivery in the hospital to bring. When I return from the market, I will first dismantle the AK47 riffles and lay them neatly inside and use the belt to tie it so it doesn’t shake during the journey because of bad road. After that, I will then fill the box with the baby items neatly inside the box, close and ready to go.

Because of the security situation in our state, there are many military and police check points and they usually ask everyone in the vehicle to come down for search each time we get to where they are stationed. I have always dodged this process because each time they ask me what I have inside my box, I will tell them it’s women stuff and quickly open the box for them and when they see pad, pants and children’s clothes they will ask me to close the box and that is how I have evaded being caught by the security agencies these seven years that I have been in the business of transporting illegal weapons for bandits and other criminals.

Barely 24 hours to the well publicised matriculation ceremony of the Eastern Palm University, Ogboko, the Imo State Government, has sealed up the University shutting down all activities therein.

The University which was built by former Governor Rochas Okorocha in his hometown Ogboko, during his administration, is said to have been established under a PPP arrangement that gave Senator Rochas Okorocha a vast controlling share of the University.

The University billed to hold her matriculation ceremony Saturday 5th December 2020, was shut down by a combined team of security agents and officials of the Ministry of Education led by the Commissioner for Education, Prof. B. T. O. Ikegwuoha thereby abruptly ending all academic activities and weeks of preparations by matriculants.

According to eyewitnesses, government officials had stormed the University premises at a time the University management was getting set to interact with new intakes, their parents and friends. One of the sources said: “the commissioner of Education had walked to the Vice Chancellor’s office where he conveyed to him government’s position on the institution. Contacted, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. B. T. O. Ikegwuoha confirmed the development.

He affirmed that he led a team of official from his ministry to seal the Eastern Palms University which he confirmed belongs to Imo State government and not to the former Governor. When asked if the move was as a result of any subsisting court order, he said there is no encumbrance or dispute on ownership of the school as the facts available to the government shows that the school was built with state fund on a land acquired using instruments of government.

“Why should we go to court to take over what belongs to government,” Ikegwuoha queried. Meanwhile, effort to reach the Registrar of the Institution, Mr. Ernest Onuoha proved abortive as he did not pick his calls or return same.

It would be recalled that few months ago, some landowners from Ogwume, Obiohia, Umuchima, Ogboko, Umueshi filed a lawsuit against Senator Rochas Okorocha, the Eastern Palm University, and the Imo State Government asking Governor Hope Uzodimma to either return ownership and management of the University to the Government or return their ancestral lands upon which the University was built, to them.

....Ben: She wants to ruin my life

...Ifeoma: He should divorce me legally

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It is not the best of time for former Super Eagles striker Benedict Akwuegbu and wife Ifeoma, whose 18-year old wedding is on the brink of collapse. Taiwo Alimi interviewed the couples and captured the most recent feud about to end it all.

What started off as a dream union between two love birds; the then Super Eagles’ new kid on the block, Benedict Akwuegbu and his wife Ifeoma, has become a subject of nightmarish acrimony, discord and mud-slinging.

The 18-year old marriage got fractured eight years ago leading to the couple’s separation. And both have been living quietly apart until Ben attempted to marry again.

Ifeoma is raising hell over Ben’s second attempt at marriage while still legally wedded to him. Nevertheless, Ben claimed he has severed all ties with her and going ahead to remarry.

The young Ben had hit it big with the Nigeria senior national team from 2000 and was touted to step into the boots of goal king Rashidi Yekini. He was also doing well at his Austria club; Grazer AK.

The world was at Ben’s feet when he met Ifeoma, a ravishing 16 year-old daughter of a close family in Jos-Plateau State where the Akwuegbus were bred and buttered.

Though his siblings-all 10 of them- kicked against the union, Ben defied them and took his bride to Austria, while his parents carried out the traditional rite to solemnize the marriage at home-the local way.

Bride price was exchanged and the first few years were blissful for the young couples. In quick succession, three children came-two boys and a girl. By 2006, Ben’s form had dipped significantly as he neared the end of his career.

At this point, a sharp disagreement shattered the peace in their homes. Ben, who had gotten the Austria permanent stay card, preferred the family stay in Austria while his wife wanted the family to move back to England citing a mutual agreement between them upon marriage.

When Ben did not yield, Ifeoma took their children and moved to London while Ben stayed back in Austria-occasionally coming to see them.

That created more cracks and a breakdown of affection. With no love lost between Ben’s family and his wife, the cracks became bigger overtime. Currently, they have turned sworn enemies.

For eight years, Ifeoma confirmed they have lived apart. “At first he used to stay at our London home whenever he was around, but later stopped. He stopped paying for our flat in London too and stayed with his sister who also lives here instead,” Ifeoma said.

All hell, however, broke loose last week when Ben unveiled his wedding invitation to another woman-Ruth Fuki Damla in Nigeria. The wedding was to take place in St Monica’s Catholic Church, Rantya, Jos-Plateau State on December 5, 2020.

Angered by the turn of event, Ifeoma kicked against the wedding saying it is unlawful as she’s still married to Ben.

She traced the genesis of their failed marriage to an incident that happened in Abuja-Nigeria eight years ago.

“This marriage began to fail when Ben decided to put his siblings ahead of his wife. My husband locked me out of our Abuja home because of her sisters. When I confronted him, he said his family comes first. I lost all respect for him. I had to move abroad to keep my sanity.”

What is left of the union is accusa tions and counter accusations. The once love birds now throw mud at each other.

“She wants to ruin my life. She was in the union to ruin me. She does not care for my family. She has not spoken to my mother for 18 years. I am just her passport to go to Europe. She left me to go to the U.K once and returned when she could not secure stay permit. I forgave her and took her to Austria and immediately she got her papers she left me for U.K again. I was devastated and for many years was depending on siblings and friends to fend for myself. I sold my properties because of her. She destroyed my career. It was so bad I did not have a place to stay. For five years I was living in my sister’s house. Ifeoma left me in Austria and took our children to U.K to live as a single parent. She left me for 10 years,” Ben said.

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Reacting to the allegation, Ifeoma said: “I left Austria with our children more than eight years ago. We had an agreement that when he is done with football, and the children have grown we would go back to U.K, so that our children can go to proper English school. But, when his football was not making sense again, I told him, but, he was not forthcoming. Each time I muted the idea he would have an excuse. So, I left with the children. For a while, he would come to visit but stopped coming after a while. I heard that he was staying with his sister in London but will not come home. So, we have been living separated for more than six years.”

Ben further accused her of filing as a single parent in the U.K and having extramarital affairs: “Ask her why she filed as a single parent to the U.K government if she is still married to me? She has been collecting benefit from government and dating other men? Ask her if I’m lying?

Her reaction: “I’m still bearing the name of my husband; I am known as Mrs. Ifeoma Akwuegbu so how can I have filed as a single parent? He has been telling people that I’m with other men, which is not true. It is because he has another woman and is looking for a way to discredit me. I am a qualified nurse and I work and earn money to take care of our children. Is it the 50 or 100 Dollar that he sends that will take care of us? Every month I pick bills of over 3000 Pounds.”

Ben also claimed that he has severed all ties with Ifeoma. “Last month my parents met with her parents and severed our marriage traditionally. They have been to their house asking for the bride price to be returned. We have done the right thing by telling her family we are no longer interested and they should return the bride price. In the first place, it was my parents that paid the bride price on her, not me. I am moving on with my life. I have suffered because of this girl. I have a woman in my life. I am happy with her and ready to marry her legally. I have a right to do what makes me happy. It is now that she’s waking up to stop me from doing what will make me happy. I’m going ahead with the wedding,” he said.

Responding, Ifeoma said: “All I want him to do is to divorce me officially. He has to do it legitimately before marrying another woman. It is because of her he abandoned his wife and children, so I don’t have any problem with that. I am ready to give him a divorce and then we can share the property. That is all I want. I don’t know what he is saying about bride price, his parents did not meet with my people. My parents said some people they don’t know came to the house claiming they are from Ben. They are not his parents. Is that how to go about divorcing your wife?”

With the couples at each other’s throat, event took a turn at St Monica’s Catholic Church, Rantya in Jos-Plateau State-the church wedding Ben and Ruth.

The Nation gathered that the officiating Reverend Fr. Wukari purportedly declined performing the joining together when he found out about Ben’s first marriage. The family quickly secured another minister, Monsignor Obidiegwu to wed them. However, that too also failed.

Monsignor Obidiegwu told The Nation on phone that the wedding won’t hold in his church. His words: “The wedding will not hold because Benedict has not produced enough evidence to support his divorce claim. He wanted me to do it but he could not produce the divorce paper so, my church will never do what he’s asking for. The wedding will not hold.”

Asked if the church would join the new couple together upon receipt of divorce paper, he answered: “There is no way we can do it. Benedict said the matter is before the court. Besides, there must be no objection to the marriage from any quarters.”

The Council of Ulamas in Kano state has denied endorsing the National leader of All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition.

The State Council Chairman, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, made the clarification while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Sunday.

Recall that Bola Ahmed Tinubu was in Kano on Friday where he attended a wedding Fatiha of Sheikh Muhammad Bn Usman’s daughter.

Khalil, who expressed surprise with media reports on the endorsement of Bola Ahmed Tinubu 2023 Presidential bid, said such a story could cause disaffection among the Islamic clerics as they have diverse political allegiance and views.

He said, “Bola Tinubu was in Kano to attend wedding Fatiha of Sheikh Muhammad Bn Usman’s daughter, a political gathering at Mambayya House by Buhari Supporters group and to reciprocate the visit of some Muslim groups across Nigeria that visited him and the Oba of Lagos after the EndSARS protest in Lagos over the loss of lives and properties.

“Some Muslim organisations including clerics from Kano visited Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Oba of Lagos after the EndSARS protests in Lagos where he was commended for the support he accorded Buhari that led to his emergence in the 2015 general elections.”

He noted that an elated Tinubu said, “I am so overwhelmed with this visit as I never expected it, hopefully, I am going to return the visit.’’

Khalil added, “He was subsequently notified about the wedding of Sheikh Muhammad Bn Usman’s daughter which he promised to attend.

“Hence during the visit, Tinubu expressed willingness to visit the Ulamas which was practically impossible for him to go from house to house.

“There and then some of the clerics that were part of the visit to Lagos were assembled and Tinubu came with governor Abdullahi Ganduje. It was there one of the clerics, Shehi Shehi lauded Tinubu for the support he gave Buhari in 2015 which led to his electoral victory, noting that we would always appreciate you and return your gesture.

“So, it is funny for the media to now report that Ulamas in Kano endorsed Tinubu, some of the Ulamas are not even in support of APC, while some even in APC have their solidarity for others.”

A cross-section of elders in the country under the aegis of Coalition of Nigeria Elders for Peace and Good Governance (CONEPAGG) has flayed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen.Tukur Buratai’s statement warning officers of the Nigerian Army against embarking on a coup to change democratic government in the country.

They said on Saturday in Abuja Buratai’s alarm was his imaginary thought aimed at diverting Nigerians attention from the failures of the service chiefs and to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari from sacking them.

A statement jointly signed by Engr. Zana Goni, National Coordinator; Prof. Adebola Adeboye, Coordinator South West; Dr Ugwuanyi Emeka, Coordinator South East; Sheik Ibrahim Mohammed Coordinator North West; Barrister Peter Shima, Coordinator North Central; Hajiya Zainab Bulama Coordinator, North East; and Dr Solomon Dagogo Coordinator of South South respectively.


According to them, Buratai’s warning was unnecessary since the Nigerian military has shown all allegiance not only to President Muhammadu Buhari but the entire constitutional orders in the country.

They said that his coup warning was meant to deceive the president into believing that the service chiefs were his saving grace so as to prevent any possible sack over their inabilities to secure the country against insurgents, armed bandits, kidnappers among other adversaries.

The Chief of Army Staff, had while decorating the 39 newly promoted Major Generals, said he was aware that some generals were being approached and his eyes are on them.

He vowed that the Nigerian Army will never tolerate any agent of destabilization bent on scuttling the current democratic dispensation.

“Democracy has come to stay. We will not tolerate any agent of destabilization. The years of military misadventure in politics have never carried us anywhere. It is over,” Buratai had warned.

However, the elders urged the president to ignore the service chiefs’ antics through the army boss, tasking him to go ahead to relieve them of their positions before the country is completely overrun by adversaries.

The elders also urged the National Assembly not to pass the 2021 Budget pending before it until the President implements the resolutions of the two chambers of the legislature that demanded the sack of the security chiefs.

“Buratai’s coup warning is distractive and diversionary meant to attract attention from the seat of power at a time the whole of Nigeria is calling for their removal.

“Nobody is planning any coup, as a matter of fact, Nigerians are happy with democracy. They are only fed up with insecurity and want all the service chiefs sack who despite their seeming failures, have failed to honourably resign from their offices,” they said.

They added, “While we appreciate his right and authority to warn his officers against engaging in any act inimical to the growth and sustenance of democracy in our country, we must say that Nigerians and all its security services have moved beyond coup.

“The alarm by the Chief of Army Staff is imaginary, with desperate intent to divert attention of not only the President But also Nigerians who have all seen the clear failures of the security chiefs and have all come out with a resolve that they be shown the way out immediately.”

The elders regret that: every time there is a call for removal of service chiefs,they always come up with one false story or the other basically on operation just to divert Nigerians’ attention and buy time from the Presidency.

“The president must as a matter of urgency, replace them with younger officers with the zeal and commitment to perform,” the elders said.

By Aisha Cole/Abuja

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has announced the fares on the the new Lagos-Ibadan train service, which would begin operations by January, 2021.

Amaechi made the announcement disclosure during the inauguration of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA) in Abuja on Friday.

Amaechi said: “I have received the mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari to inaugurate the Lagos/Ibadan rail project by January 2021 which will make Nigerians see the way the standard gauge railway looked like.

“Today I approved the charges on passengers from Lagos to Ibadan. We just transfer how we charged from Abuja to Kaduna.

“We charge N3,000 per Economy seat, N5,000 for Business class and N6,000 for First class, the same is applicable to Lagos to Ibadan.

“It should have started running by now before Mr President inaugurates it by January.”

The minister said that the ministry would collaborate with CIOTA to enable them achieved their objectives.

He said that CIOTA role was critical to the growth of transportation in Nigeria, adding that the country had advanced a lot in the area of transportation.

Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), says the institute has begun the process of making transportation a professional sector in the country.

Dr Bashir Jamoh, the National President and Chairman of Council said the move is to ensure that the sector achieves the global best standards and practices.

He said the institute would draw up a curriculum to keep the professionals abreast of developments in the transport sector.

The Federal and Lagos State governments have said 795 houses might be demolished to pave the way for the construction of the proposed 37-kilometre Fourth Mainland Bridge.

The two authorities said a lot of efforts had been made to reduce the number of affected structures from about 9,000 to less than 800.

This was even as the state government assured that owners of the affected property would be adequately compensated, despite the prevailing economy circumstances.

It said all stakeholders would be satisfactorily considered in the execution of the project.

Speaking at the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Stakeholders’ scoping workshop with the Federal Ministry of Environment in Lagos, Environment Minister Mamoud Abubakar said there should be sincere commitment on the part of Lagos State government on the compensation for owners of affected properties.

The minister, who was represented by a director in the ministry, James Kolawole, explained that though the project would have about 16 alignments, but the best had been selected.

“There was an alignment that will affect about 9,000 structures along the corridor, but we have reviewed it and gone for the alignment that will affect about 795 houses, instead of the one that will take more houses. It is an ongoing thing on how best to minimise the negative impact,” he said.

The State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development said the bridge, which will connect Lagos and Ogun states, will pass through Abraham Adesanya in Lagos and Sparklight Estate near the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State.

A town planner in the ministry, Mr. Abayomi Omolola Amos said the alignment of the project had been carefully designed to reduce the number of houses that should be demolished.

The Federal Government said the proposed bridge will boost economic growth and enhance international trade.

Abubakar said the Lagos State government had been working on the project for about four years and had made several representations to the Federal Government.

The minister, whom spoke through Kolawole, said the project would enhance commerce and international trade to improve the people’s livelihoods.

He congratulated the state government on the laudable project, while stressing the need to take cognisance of both positive and negative impacts of the project on stakeholders.

According to him, doing this will ensure all issues are addressed to avoid compromising the comfort of future generations.

“For us as a ministry, we are happy with the positive impact, but there is need to resolve the negative aspects: what we need is sustainable development,” he said.

The management of Arik Air has relieved 300 members of staff of their appointments.

This was announced in a statement by the airline on Friday.

It blamed the sacking on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

The press statement was titled, “Arik Air management declares 300 staff redundant”.

The company explained that a redundancy package would be provided for the affected workers with the help of the aviation unions.

The statement read in part, “Arising from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to the constrained ability of the airline to complete heavy maintenance activities and return its planes to operations, stunted revenues against increasing operational costs, the management of Arik Air (In Receivership) has declared 300 staff members redundant to its current level of operations.

“The leadership of the impacted unions has been contacted to negotiate a redundancy package for the affected staff.”

The airline added that over 50 per cent of its workforce of over 1,600 staff have been on furlough in the past six months.

In a separate statement also forwarded to our correspondent by its Public Relations and Communications Manager, Banji Ola, the airline apologised to passengers whose travel plans were disrupted by the protest carried out by the National Union of Air Transport Employees on December 3, 2020.

The picketing disrupted operations in Lagos and prevented the airline from processing passengers at the Murtala Muhammed Airport Domestic Terminal 1 and 2.