₦airaland Forum

By Abdulyassar Abdulhamid


2022 has been an intriguing year with a mixed bag of good, bad and ugly events in Nigeria’s sociopolitical and economic space.

Part of those events are some criminal cases involving big personalities in the country. As the year winds down, Daily Trust highlights five big criminal cases that dominated many discussions in 2022.


Eno Ubi Otu

In August, 2022 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ‘arrested’ and grilled the Director, Finance and Account of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Eno Ubi Otu, over alleged diversion of over N25 billion tax remittances.

Otu’s arrest was part of a larger investigation of the forensic audit report of the NDDC.


Ahmed Idris

In July 2022 a High Court sitting in Abuja ordered the remand of the former Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) Ahmed Idris, in Kuje prison over his alleged involvement in the illegal diversion of public funds to the tune of about N109 billion.

The EFCC said Idris and his co-defendants are indicted on a 14-count charge of stealing and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N109.5 billion.

Idris was arraigned alongside Godfrey Olusegun Akindele and Mohammed Kudu Usman, and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

Idris was alleged to have received a gratification from one Olusegun Akindele, worth N15.1bn, in exchange for accelerating the payment of 13% derivation to the nine oil-producing states in the federation.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, thereafter suspended the Accountant General of the Federation over the allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he laundered over N80 billion.

The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, recently said the anti-graft agency had recovered over N30bn from the suspended AGF.


Stamp Duty

The alleged stamp duty controversy has continued to raise some dust with the federal government and the member representing the Kazaure, Roni, Gwiwa, Yankwashi Constituency of Jigawa State, Gudaji Kazaure trading argument on the matter.

During an interview with journalists in December in Abuja, Gudaji had said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and some other agencies were making efforts to frustrate investigations done to the recovery of N89 trillion stamp.

But the Presidency, through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, dismissed the allegation of the missing N89.09 trillion stamp duty, describing the Committee on the Reconciliation and Recovery of All Stamp Duties as illegal.

Shehu said: “In response to press enquiries on the issues raised in a viral video by Hon. Gudaji Kazaure, I wish to state as follow: In the first instance, the committee on the alleged loss of stamp duty funds he is talking about is an illegal committee, it was dissolved on directive of the President.

“Anyone familiar with our constitution will find it curious that a member of the Parliament is the secretary of an Executive Committee.”


Abba Kyari

In March 2022 the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) filed charges against suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Abba Kyari.

Kyari alongside six others were charged with drug trafficking.

Kyari was declared wanted by the NDLEA after it obtained a video footage of him negotiating a drug deal with its investigators, which led to his suspension.

The other defendants in the case are members of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector-General of Police, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu.

Others are the suspected drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.


Hushpuppi

Fraudster and social media influencer Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi, has been jailed for his role in an international fraud syndicate.

Abass, who flaunted his wealthy lifestyle on his Instagram page which had 2.8 million followers, was arrested in Dubai and flown to the US where the judge of a court in Los Angeles convicted him in November 2022 and ordered him to pay $1,732,841 (£1,516,182) in restitution to two fraud victims.

According to court documents in California, Abbas pleaded guilty in April 2021 to one count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering admitted to attempting to steal more than $1.1m from someone who wanted to fund a new children’s school in Qatar.

The document added that also admitted to “several other cyber and business email compromise schemes that cumulatively caused more than $24 million in losses”, the US justice department said.

Hushpuppi will serve his sentence of 135 months in a federal prison.

By NASIR AMINU


Africans say a mosquito may not have much to show, but it has a voice for humming songs. The brewing scandal started by Honourable Muhammed Gudaji is gradually becoming serious and can inflict serious damage on the Buhari administration.

Many think the legislator is disgruntled about losing an electoral seat and the figures he was spitting out are doubtful. However, one can learn a few things from his narrations. Those following the story with an open mind saw elements of truth when he presented evidence that Buhari appointed him to work as a secretary of the Presidential Committee to recover and reconcile all stamp duties from banks.

Eyebrows were raised when Garba Shehu decided to become the spokesperson of the CBN governor when he came out to debunk Gudaji’s initial comment. Those who thought it was just a storm in a teacup will begin to rethink it after the report that a Federal High Court in Abuja declined the Department of State Services (DSS) application to arrest and detain Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The CBN governor is being accused of atrocious crimes. Of course, this is not the first time this government has been involved in high scandals and in-house dramas. The country witnessed the episode between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura. There was an episode between former DSS boss, Lawal Daura and the former EFCC boss, Magu. The two military Chiefs, Lt Gen Buratai and Air Marshall Abubakar had their episode. Now, it is Emefiele vs Bichi. One wonders if we will ever see a more dysfunctional government.

Optimists may highlight that scandals in this government often fade away regardless of their significance to national security. In a few cases, there have been convictions, but mainly for those at the lower level of the food chain, while the big fish are ignored. Okupe’s case comes to mind. In cases where it will attract national interest, different creatures – snakes, monkeys, or termites – are brought into the conversation. In bigger situations, arson ends the discussion even if it involves environmental degradation.

In a political season like this, one wonders if they would survive this one. Gudaji’s exposé needs to be handled with utmost professionalism and maturity. Otherwise, it can have serious security and political implications for the country. For the objective mind, there are three things to note from this scandal.

First, Gudaji’s opinion of the president, which his spokespersons did not debunk, confirms that Buhari has a weak character, especially in fighting corruption. He said once Buhari trusts a person, he allows God to judge their actions even if it is questionable. It is contrary to what the electorate thought about Buhari before they voted him into office in 2015. Buhari would not have been voted in if people knew he had such weak leadership skills.

Second, the exposé confirms that the Buhari administration has a lot of ongoing suspicious activities that may infringe on national and economic security. The former Transportation Minister, Amaechi, highlighted the security funding lapse that could have mitigated the Abuja-Kaduna train attack. He also insinuated that the minister of petroleum, the president, should be responsible for stopping the oil theft in the country and accounting for the finances of the new NNPC. The finances of the NNPC are a very significant revenue stream to the country, especially when world oil prices have risen.

The latter brings us to the third point, the need for accountability in peculiar government agencies. The Buhari administration was voted to eradicate corruption, solve insecurity and revamp the economy. However, despite efforts, the evidence does not show a significant improvement.

Accountability lies at the heart of every democratic government. The current system displays critical weaknesses, but they can be addressed.

Looking back, when Sanusi Lamido made accusations of unremitted funds by the NNPC to the federation account, the government appointed PwC to do a forensic audit on the company. The current CBN governor has reported that NNPC has not remitted funds to the federation account throughout 2022. Buhari and the NNPC GMD also confirmed it. One wonders why the Buhari administration refuses to follow such a good practice.

Despite blowing the whistle, Emefiele has a strong questionable character. He is the same person who violated the CBN Act to contest for president under the ruling party. His dual foreign exchange regimes are allegedly involved in massive corruption cases. Recently, Emefiele said the Bankers’ Committee had raised the amount it planned to spend to rehabilitate the National Arts Theatre from $100 million to $200 million. Even Gudaji confirms what others have been saying – that Emefiele can make a billionaire overnight.

The call for accountability will likely fall on deaf ears as the administration has built a strong culture of secrecy that shields its ministers and senior public servants from scrutiny. The public should build on this story to ensure the government is held accountable in departments like DSS, NNPC, CBN and other departments under the ministry of defence and finance.

Holding these government representatives to account and sanctioning their poor performance is key to ensuring Buhari’s legacy of fighting corruption and insecurity and improving the economy becomes successful. With 23 weeks to go, it may be too late for him to take the credit, but at least the country will benefit in the long run.

Gudaji’s exposé includes some unfathomable figures, similar to what the dethroned emir did in 2013. It has the potential to open a can of worms in a season like this. The default outcome will be for it to fade away, but remember that anyone who thinks a mosquito is too small to make a difference have not spent the night with it.

By Funmilayo Fabunmi


The Chief Executive officer of Max Air, Bashir Mangal, is dead.

A statement made available by the media consultant to the airline said Mangal died in the early hours of Friday, December 23, 2022.

The statement read in part, “Inna lillahi wa inna Ilaihi rajiun, this is to announce the death of our beloved brother Alhaji Bashir Barau Mangal Vice Chairman/ CEO Max Air in the early hours of today Friday 23rd December 2022.May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus.”

Reacting to the development, the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the late aviation expert was known for his diligence in business and patriotism.

“I am saddened to hear of the death of Bashir Barau Mangal, the Vice Chairman and CEO of Max Air.

I knew Bashir as a man with a high entrepreneurial spirit, having come from a renowned Bangal family of Katsina, who are well known for their diligence in business and patriotism in nation-building.

“He distinguished himself in the aviation industry by maintaining standards that ensured comfort to the flying public and, by extension, was known to have brought smiles to those around him.

“On behalf of my family and my team, I offer my condolences to the Mangal family and pray for Almighty Allah to grant his soul eternal rest,” he wrote on his Facebook page on Friday.

Okechukwu Nnodim and OpeOluwani Akintayo


The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is planning to sign an agreement with independent oil marketers to ensure that the ex-depot price of petrol is N148/litre.

The National Controller, Operations, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mike Osatuyi, told The PUNCH on Thursday, that IPMAN was currently holding a series of meetings with the new Managing Director of NNPCL Retail, Hubb Stockman, who promised to supply IPMAN members products directly.

This came as the Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, said no matter how long people protest against the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, the scheme must be stopped.

Speaking on the agreement with NNPCL, Osatuyi said, “They (NNPCL) have now put IPMAN under him (Stockman) directly, and he’s a good guy. With the series of meetings we have been having with him, something good will come out of it, latest by January.

“We will get products directly from NNPCL and we won’t have to go through the depots. He’s a white guy, and you know whites don’t play politics. By that, prices of products will go down. But what we are asking for again, is consistency in product delivery to us, and let it not be a one-off thing.”

The Chairman, IPMAN Satellite Depot, Akin Akinrinade, had told The PUNCH, on Wednesday, that private depot owners kept increasing prices, as petrol was currently sold to them above N200/litre.

The PUNCH observed that filling stations belonging to NNPCL sold petrol at N169/litre, while major marketers dispensed the product at N170/litre, as IPMAN sold theirs at about N250/litre, depending on the location.

The queues for petrol grew worse in Lagos on Thursday, but subsided in parts of Abuja.


Petrol sells N270/litre

Petrol is now selling at between N260 and N270/litre in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.

The News Agency of Nigeria monitored fuel availability and price situation on Thursday in the state and reported that the cost of transportation had sharply increased in response to the hike.

The NNPC mega and mini retail outlets in Awka were closed to customers as they had no products, while only private marketers’ outlets were selling with few vehicles queuing up to buy petrol. Some motorists in the town expressed concern that the price of petrol had continued to rise without anybody coming to their rescue. They accused the marketers of arbitrarily hiking prices because Christmas and New Year celebrations are near.

NAN reports that fares for intracity shuttle had increased by 100 per cent as transporters now collect N200 for distances that cost N100 in the last.

Mrs. Jane Oranu, a civil servant who lives in Onitsha but works in Awka, said a one-way fare which was N300 now costs between N750 and N800.

Oranu said the increase in transport fare had put an additional burden on household finances.

She called on the Federal Government to intervene in the petrol price issue and save the masses from unbearable hardship.

In a reaction, Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community, blamed the price increase on cost of procuring products.

Anyaso, in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States, said marketers were now buying PMS at above N240 with N3 loading cost and N15 transportation per litre to their outlets.

“It is not our problem, the price we are selling is reflective of the ex-depot price which is N240, we pay N3 as loading cost and transport to our outlets with N15 that makes landing cost to be between N258 and N260.

“You can see that alternative to what is going on now is to be out of business but we have to remain in business to service our people, especially during this Christmas period. It is even affecting our businesses because our sales have dropped by about 50 per cent because customers are not buying, so we are calling on the federal government to supply products massively and directly to marketers and not through these private depot owners,” he said.

Anyaso urged members of the public to appreciate the role of marketers in the Southeast who were making efforts to make fuel available but explained that pricing is not within their control.

A 26 years old man, Adeyemi Babatunde, who reportedly killed a 46-year-old man identified as Obafunsho Ismail, for bashing his car has been arrested by the Ogun State command of the Nigeria Police Force.

The command confirmed this in a statement by its spokesman, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, saying the killer suspect was arrested on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, after committing the offence on December 8, and running away.

Trouble had started on the fateful day at about 8pm when the suspect, who drove a Lexus jeep with "Olu of Oya" customised number plate, hit the deceased's car from the rear and caused damage to the rear light of the said car.

The deceased, Obafunsho, was said to have come down from his car, and asked the suspect to come down for them to assess the extent of the damage in order to find solution to it.

Oyeyemi, however, disclosed that the suspect instead of coming down was busy making frantic efforts to run away.

"This infuriated the deceased who insisted that the suspect must come down, and he consequently sat on the bonnets of the suspect car in order to prevent him from escaping from the scene.

"The suspect, Adeyemi Babatunde, later came down and warned the deceased to leave the bonnet of his car if he didn't want to waste his life. He then went back to the car, drove on high speed which made the deceased fell down from the car, and the car ran over him.

"Not satisfied, the suspect also reversed the vehicle and ran over the deceased again to ensure that he actually died. After completing the act, he ran away with the vehicle."

The Command's spokesman stated he was later traced to his father's house at Idi-ABA area of Abeokuta where he was arrested by men of the State motor traffic Division, on the 20th of December 2022.

"The vehicle he used to commit the crime was also recovered to the station."

Oyeyemi said that the Commissioner of police, CP Lanre Bankole had directed that the suspect be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State criminal investigation department for further investigation and prosecution.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned against a money-lending app “MoneyMonger” malware used by hackers to blackmail unsuspecting people.

Mrs Hadiza Umar, Head of Corporate Affairs and External Relations of the agency, gave the warning on Thursday in a statement issued in Abuja.

Umar said that the malware campaign was aimed at blackmailing users into accepting their demands or risking having their private information in the public domain.

“Developing countries like Nigeria are a prime target for dodgy loan apps and this has created an avenue for hackers to exploit.

“Although none of the 33 apps used in the deceptive scheme has been distributed through the Google Play Store, they have been distributed through unofficial app stores like Smishing, rogue ads, compromised websites and social media campaigns.

“The campaign has reportedly racked up over 100,000 downloads,” Umar said.

She added that once the malware was installed, it harvests and uploads a wide range of private information from the victim’s device onto its server.

According to her, the collected data include GPS location, text messages, contacts, call logs, files, photos and audio recordings, among others.

Umar said that the information would be used to blackmail the victim into paying high-interest rates.

She cautioned that individuals should install up-to-date anti-malware applications on their mobile devices.

“Always download applications from trusted sources, and read reviews before downloading any app.

“Beware of what information the app collects from your device and do not click on suspicious links,” Umar warned.

For more enquiries, she directed individuals to reach the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) of the agency at cerrt@nitda.gov.ng,www.cerrt.ng or +234 817 877 4580. (NAN)

Oyo State Police Command under the leadership of the state Commissioner of Police, CP. Adebowale Williams on Thursday paraded ten suspected kidnappers terrorizing Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

The kidnappers were paraded alongside other suspects at the state Police Command Headquarters Eleyele Ibadan with military camouflage.

However, an undisclosed sum of money, AK Rifles, and some other ammunition was caught with the suspects.

By QueenEsther Iroanusi


The National Assembly has postponed the passage of the 2023 budget till next week due to ‘problems’ discovered in the budget.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, announced this at the start of the plenary on Thursday.

He said the lawmakers cannot pass the budget because it “came with some problems” that were discovered by the National Assembly Committees on Appropriations.

“The Appropriations Bill came to the National Assembly with some problems and when our Committees on Appropriations in the Senate and House of Representatives started to reconcile the figures of what has been done and what was presented.

“The problems became obvious and not easy to deal with and the Committees had to start a process of cleaning up the bill. That process engaged the Executive because the problem came from them. They (committees) only concluded that yesterday,” he explained.

Mr Lawan did not provide details of the kind of “problems” discovered in the budget.

He simply informed his colleagues that the committee secretariat was not able to finish processing the report. And that they cannot present it “today or tomorrow…nor Monday and Tuesday because of public holiday.”

“Consequently, we can only receive and consider the report on Wednesday 28, next week,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in October, presented the budget estimate of N20.5 trillion for the 2023 fiscal year.

During the budget defence sessions with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, some discrepancies like budget padding were recorded.

While Mr Lawan boasted that the ninth Assembly has done so much to pass the previous appropriations before the end of the year, he hoped that it would remain one of their cherished legacies.


More work

The Senate President also announced that the committee on finance will hold a public hearing on the Finance Bill on Thursday. The Finance Bill is the basis on which the budget is built.

“We had arranged that the committee will present its report on the finance bill hearing today. But that will not be possible,” he said. “We also received two communications from the Executive – supplementary budget and ways and means bill. The committee on finance and appropriations, water resources, works and housing will be processing the bills from today.”

The Senate thereafter suspended the plenary to allow the relevant committees to continue the legislative work on the reports.

Lawmakers are expected to reconvene after Christmas to consider and pass the 2023 budget and other necessary reports.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emeifile, has written to the House of Representatives, explaining why he will not be able to honour the invitation sent to him in person.

The letter sent to the House by the CBN governor was read by the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila at the plenary on Wednesday.

The Speaker informed the House that, in the letter titled “Invitation For Briefing” the CBN governor had explained the reasons for his absence and had constituted a team to come and brief the House because of the urgency and importance of the matter at hand.

Gbajabiamila said, “If you recall, the Central Bank was supposed to come on Thursday, and unfortunately the Governor was with the President in America, and he wrote to send his regrets.

“We invited him for yesterday, he wrote again that he was still out of the country, which was verified that he was.

“And the Clerk received a letter and we now invited him for tomorrow and his letter which was just received by the Clerk says, ‘We refer to your letter of December 20, 2022, on the above subject, inviting the CBN Governor to appear in person on Thursday, December 22nd. Regrettably, the Governor is out of the country on official engagements as well attending to some health challenges. He is therefore unavailable to attend the briefing.

“‘Giving the urgency associated with the briefing, the Committee of Governors led by Mrs Aisha Ahmed, Deputy Governor Financial Systems Stability is prepared to brief the House.

“‘Please accept once again the Governor’s highest consideration and very warm regards’.”


Reps react

Hon Olusegun Odebunmi (APC, Oyo) opposed the decision of the House to accept to be briefed by the CBN’s team, saying that the team should be referred to the appropriate House committee, not the whole House.

Odebunmi said, “Mr Speaker, if the House wants to consider the representative of the Governor to see the House, then I suggest that, you refer them to the committee of the House, then they can report back to the House.

“If we are now inviting the representative of the Governor to speak to the House, Mr Speaker, it will not augur well with the institutions of this House”.

However, the deputy Speaker, Ahmed Idris Wase (APC, Plateau); the Chief Whip, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno) and Jimoh Ibrahim Olajide (APC, Lagos) said the House should allow the team to brief it as it is not about the personality of the CBN Governor, but the institution and its policies.

The Deputy Speaker, Wase said, “We are not taking it personally, but in the interest of the nation, in the interest of our own country, whatever we are doing.

“And the CBN Governor is not alone, he is the head of an institution. So, if the remaining are coming on his behalf and they are sufficient, they will give us sufficient information, I think there is nothing bad about it.

“More so, he spoke about health condition which you and I don’t have any control over. Thank you.”

On his part, Monguno said, “Honourable Speaker, Honourable members, though human memory is momentary, if I can refresh our memory, yesterday, our resolution is to the effect that, the CBN Governor paraventure, if he is unable to come for one reason or the other, he can nominate, if he is still out of the country, he can nominate a competent official or a deputy Governor that can come and brief the House.

“Now he is still out of the country, he has nominated a deputy Governor to come and brief the House as per our resolution. So, what he has done is in consonance with the resolution that was passed by this House. So, we should allow the deputy Governor to come and brief the House.”

After the contributions, the Speaker ruled that the team from the CBN should be allowed to address the House on Thursday at 10am to address the issues at hand.

He said, “We will expect the team, the ‘Committee of Governors’ led by Mrs Aisha Ahmed, the Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability tomorrow at 10am to brief the House on the new cash policy as prescribed by the CBN Act. The briefing of the House, tomorrow, 10am.”

The House had invited the CBN Governor to explain the various policies recently introduced by the apex bank, especially the currency redesign and the cash withdrawal limit.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said the commission will need 100,000 vehicles and 4,200 to distribute election materials across the 176,846 polling units for the 2023 general election.
The chairman said the boats would be accompanied by Navy gunboats to ensure safety of the materials and its personnel.

Yakubu spoke at the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between INEC and the Road Transport and Marine Workers’ Unions yesterday in Abuja.

He said: “The signing of a revised MoU with the road and marine transport unions today is a demonstration of our determination to implement key recommendations of the review exercise in order to enhance forward and reverse logistics in our electoral operations.

“The 2023 general election will involve the nationwide deployment of over 1 million personnel and massive quantities of materials twice within a period of two weeks from our state offices to 774 local government areas, 8,809 electoral wards and 176,846 polling units across the length and breadth of our country. It will require over 100,000 vehicles and about 4,200 boats that will be accompanied by naval gunboats.

“This is a huge undertaking that must be accomplished in the next 66 days and we are resolute in doing so to give Nigerians a pleasant voting experience.

“Let me assure Nigerians that we are determined that all polling units nationwide will open at 8.30 a.m on Saturday, February 25, 2023, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and on Saturday, March 11, 2023, for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.”

He added: “In order to ensure that personnel and materials will be at the polling units on Election Day awaiting the arrival of voters, rather than the other way round, INEC requires large numbers of vehicles, including motorcycles, tricycles, boats and canoes in the riverine areas which cannot be met from its internal resources. It was for this reason that the commission signed the first MoU with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in January 2015.

“In order to expand the pool of our service providers to meet the requirement for the increasing number of vehicles, the MoU was reviewed in December 2018 to incorporate Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO). Over the years, the commission has come to rely on the partnership with the NURTW and NARTO to provide vehicles for the successful deployment of electoral personnel and materials.

“However, we did not incorporate the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) within the ambit of the MoU, a situation which has often resulted in logistics nightmare in the deployment and retrieval of personnel and materials to the riverine areas of the country. This oversight is now addressed by the revised MoU to include MWUN comprising sailors, dockworkers and those in related trades in our electoral logistics planning and delivery.

madamgrace:
The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization has carefully reviewed the onslaught on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and calls for restrain, given the sensitivity of his position to the nation’s economy.

This is especially on the backdrop of apprehensions that inordinately ambitious politicians that run activities with bullion vans and raw cash are out to destroy the nation’s financial institutions, particularly, the CBN, for their selfish political interests.

It is instructive to caution that the stability of the CBN as Nigeria’s apex financial institution is critical to the economic and social health of our nation and must not fall prey to corrupt politicians who are out to annex and control our national patrimony as well as resources for their personal ambitions.

Nigerians know the politicians who are desperate for political office as their "turn”, who see our nation and her citizens as an estate for sale, and who believe that their vacuity, many gaffes, manifest incompetence, incapacity for leadership and allegations of smelly past can be perfumed through the dispensing of corruptly acquired cash.

It is therefore important that those who are after the CBN and her Governor should be careful not to discredit the institution in the process as the consequential effect of such will be disastrous on our already ailing economy.

Our Campaign counsels such politicians to rather market their programmes to Nigerians, if they have any, and end their reprehensible hope on vote buying.

What is of paramount importance to us in the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization is the stability of the polity, economic growth as well as the wellbeing and happiness of Nigerians in the overall national interest.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan,
Spokesperson
Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization

The wife of a Lagos medical doctor accused of rape has told the court how he gave her sleeping pills in the night to be free to rape her niece.

Aderemi Faleye, on Monday, spoke before the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Ikeja, Lagos State.

Her husband, Femi Olaleye, is facing a two-count charge of defilement and sexual assault by penetration of his wife’s niece when she was 16 years old.

Her niece, the alleged rape victim, turned 18 years old in March.

The accused, a cancer advocate, was arraigned by the Lagos State government in November.

The doctor pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. He was granted bail but has yet to fulfil the conditions.

The witness and the defendant have been married for 11 years. They have two children together – a 10-year-old and a seven-year-old.


‘Sleeping pills’

Mrs Olaleye, a real estate entrepreneur, told the court that her husband gave her “junior aspirin” and Phenergan every night.

“My lord, Femi, most nights, gives me a small tablet,” she said.

“When I looked at this incident, I wept. How was this incident going on in my home and I did not know?

“Femi gives me medication every night and he claims that it is junior aspirin that will avert blood clots because I’m turning 50 years old soon.

“My lord, maybe a medical examination should be conducted on me. I want to believe that I slept my way through all his atrocities.

“Sometimes, he also gives me Phenergan, he will say I work so hard that Phenergan will help me relax my nerves.”


‘Sexual abuse’

The niece (name withheld) came to live with the family in December 2019, when she was 15 years old after her guardian, who was also Mrs Olaleye’s mother, died.

According to the witness, her husband raped her niece from March 2020 to November 2021 at their Maryland residence in Lagos.

“Femi has been sexually abusing her, He introduced her to pornography…and graduated to MouthAction,” she said.

She also explained how during MouthAction, he “released in her mouth.”

She further said that after she must have slept, he goes out of their bedroom around 2 a.m. to rape the girl, “almost on a daily basis,” in areas where the cameras do not cover.

Mrs Olaleye said her niece confessed to her aunt that he had anal sex with her in his study and threatened her that if she revealed it to anyone, he would kill her, his wife and the children.

While responding to questions from a state lawyer, Babatunde Martins, Mrs Faleye said the matter came to the fore when her children’s nanny reported to her that her niece had been rude.

“When I called her, she gave a long hiss. I disciplined her and told her to be respectful and peaceful,” she said.

When my husband came back from work, and his children told him what transpired, “he went into her room to pacify her.

“I told him that we ought to bring her up together. Instead, he yelled at me and said that the worst thing that I could say was that he was sleeping with her.”

She told the court that Mr Olaleye took the survivor to her aunt’s house.

“At my aunt’s house, my aunt told him that what happened was not enough to bring the victim to her house,” she added.

“After he left the victim in my aunt’s house, my aunt, who is a retired school principal and psychologist, asked the victim what happened and she confessed to her.

“My aunt called and told me what happened and she said I should not tell Femi about it so that he won’t hurt me.”

The mother of two said when her niece confessed in her presence, she immediately went to Anthony police division to report the matter.

Days later, he was arrested, she said.

The entrepreneur told the court that after her husband’s arrest, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) called her.

During the meeting with the DPO and his lawyer, “he broke down in tears and confessed that he had …sex” while being visually recorded by the police.

She said he signed an undertaking to stay away from her and the children, saying ” I don’t want him around my children, and home.

“I told his lawyer that if he could sleep with my niece that calls him daddy, he could sleep with our daughter.”

She told the court that after signing an undertaking, he sent apologetic WhatsApp messages and emails “that it was the work of the devil.”


‘Sex addiction’

She explained to the court that in December 2021, her husband checked into Grace Cottage Clinic, a rehabilitation centre in the Ilupeju area of the state.

She said the psychologist, one Ogunnubi, called her that her husband is suffering from sex addiction.

She told the court that the psychologist told her that if he isn’t “properly taken care of, my own child can be a victim.”

Amidst tears, she said when one Inspector Esther came to their residence for an on-site investigation, her daughter told her (the inspector) that she had seen her father UnCloth her niece.


Why I reported my husband

When asked why she reported her husband to the police, she described what he did as evil.

“I was raised to be a strong and confident woman,” she told the court.

“…I have a girl child…if this evil is not stopped, it will continue.”


Another witness

Shortly after Mrs Olaleye’s testimony, the family driver, Waheed Yusuf, was called to testify as the second witness.

Earlier in her testimony, Mrs Olaleye said that her driver once saw her niece vomiting sperm in their compound.

Mr Yusuf was called to the witness box but was later disqualified because he was in court when Mrs Olaleye spoke.

During court proceedings, other witnesses in the matter are usually asked to leave so that their testimonies will be independent of one another.

DESPITE complaints that several bank branches had run out of the small quantities of the newly redesigned naira notes allocated to them from their head offices as early as 12 noon on Thursday, Sunday Tribune can authoritatively report that large wads of the new notes have saturated party venues with hawkers charging N200 on N1,000. 

Sunday Tribune correspondents, who visited banking halls in several cities across the country, especially in Lagos and Abuja on Thursday and Friday, confirmed that there was limited supply of the redesigned notes as bank tellers mixed a few notes with the old ones for over the counter withdrawals while automated teller machines continued to dispense old bank notes. 

Further findings revealed that several bank branches were yet to get their new note allocations with many bank officials informing our correspondents that the new notes were still being expected. 

However, at a party in Ibadan, Oyo State on Saturday, a woman was seen freely hawking the newly redesigned wads of N200 bank notes unhindered. 

However, officials at some of the bank branches which still had the new notes told Sunday Tribune that each cashier was given N100,000 of the new N1,000 for onward disbursement to customers seeking over-the-counter payments, and that they don’t have the other denominations of N500 and N200 yet. 

Customers were also seen depositing the old bills over the counter, while cashiers were paying out more of the old naira notes at the bank branches. 

However, there have been viral videos showing market women who rejected the newly redesigned naira notes, calling them “yahoo money.” 

Although Sunday Tribune’s efforts to contact the spokesman of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr Osita Nwanisiobi, on Saturday, was unsuccessful, the apex bank had earlier clarified on its website under currency management, that it is against the law to sell currency banknotes. 

It added that while the CBN is responsible for the issuance of the Naira and kobo as stipulated in Sections 17, 18 and 19 of the CBN Act, it is the role of the Nigeria Police Force to work with the CBN and other security agencies in combating sales, counterfeiting and carry out sting operations to arrest, investigate and prosecute them accordingly. 

Nwanisiobi had in the past clarified that the CBN cannot be everywhere but can only work in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to arrest and hand over for to the judiciary for prosecution. 

“It is against the law for any individual or establishment outside the Central Bank of Nigeria, to print money or be in possession of counterfeit notes. Sections 20 and 21 of the CBN Act of 2017 reveal some of the abuse that could land Nigerians in Jail. 

“If you are caught and convicted of a counterfeiting crime, you may face up to five (5) years imprisonment with no option of fine (Section 20). 

“It is against the law to spray the Naira banknotes at occasions. It is against the law to write on banknotes and against the law to staple the banknotes as the pins can cause corrosion of the banknotes. 

“A person who tampers with the Naira note or coin is guilty of an offence, punishable by law (CBN Act Section 21) and it is against the law to reject the Naira (Section 20 subsection 5) « the CBN stated on its website.”

State governors are pitching their tent with those opposed to the N100,000 cash limit recently imposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

They believe the policy will hurt the economy and rural dwellers in particular.

They also fear that the CBN action may set the masses against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and could constitute an unpalatable exit package for him when his second term expires on May 29, 2023.

Consequently, they have resolved to send a delegation to the President to direct the CBN to review the policy, according to an investigation by The Nation. The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) met on Thursday in Abuja to deliberate on the matter and take appropriate decision. A source at the session said the governors also resolved to appeal to Buhari to retain the prevailing cash withdrawal limits in the country and extend the January 30th, 2023 deadline for the phasing out of the redesigned Naira notes.

“Our decision was across party lines. We were all united that the policy will adversely affect the poor in the rural areas which Buhari administration seeks to protect,” the source said.

He added: ”With likely job losses of about 1.4million by POS operators, there is no way the rural populace can survive this policy. It is like bringing down the ceiling on the economy.

“It is becoming ridiculous that some banks now issue out as low as N2,000 to a customer. Also, no matter how influential you are, banks may only give N200, 000 new notes under the table.

“As governors, we are closer to the grassroots more than the President. This policy may set the masses against Buhari. It is not a good exit package from a President who has enjoyed the confidence of the masses.”

Another governor also said: “We agreed to beg the President to have a rethink and retain the status quo cash limits to save the economy.

“Having tried his best to salvage this economy, no individual should ruin Buhari’s achievements with a stroke of the pen.

“The CBN policy is unpopular but those profiting from it do not want him to see the other side of the coin.”

A governor from the North-East said: “The NGF opted to send a delegation to the President to tell him our feelings and the implications of the CBN policy on the economy.

“For instance, we also recommended that the new notes should be in operation side by side with the old notes for about six months.

“There is too much confusion at the grassroots. It is just unfortunate that the CBN has led us to this level.

“In a country with low access to banks in rural areas and high illiteracy, how do you implement a cashless policy? Already, the middle class is gone and now some people somewhere are out to neutralise the poor class.

“The implication is that crime rate will be higher. Can we afford this? No.

“We want audience with the President. If possible, let the CBN Governor be there. We will lay all the cards on the table and what the nation should do to save the economy from collapse.”

Asked if the governors chose to gang up against the CBN because of lack of access to illicit funds for campaign, the source responded: “Not at all. Governors from all the parties opposed the policy at our meeting.”

“We are talking of the survival of a country; you are attributing our position to the 2023 polls which will come and go.

“After the 2023 polls, the political class can effect changes in CBN. So, at any point, those in charge of the apex bank cannot have the last laugh. There will be life after the elections.

“We believe that they have not told the truth to the President. The CBN’s action is anti-people but the President is pro-people. This is an indication that something is wrong somewhere.”

Some other Nigerians and institutions including the two chambers of the National Assembly had earlier asked the CBN to review the cash withdrawal limit policy immediately, citing the danger it portends for the economy and the generality of Nigerians.

On Friday the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN) sent a petition to President Buhari calling for the suspension of the policy to save 1.4million bank agents from losing their means of livelihood.

On the same day the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said in a statement that

CBN’s insistence on implementing the policy would lead to a catastrophic collapse of the informal sector of the economy.

The forum said while the CBN might mean well for the country with the policy, it “evidently failed to consider the unintended consequences of implementing it in the way they have planned; consequences that may be extremely grave.”

It said: “If the CBN insists on implementing this wholly unrealistic policy of restricting individual’s cash withdrawal from the banks to N20,000 per day and N100,000 for a week or N500,000 in the case of corporate bodies, it won’t be long before we suffer a catastrophic collapse of the informal sector of the economy. More than anyone, CBN knows that transactions in commodity markets especially in the rural areas are entirely cash based.

“The villager that brings to the market his chickens, beans, onions, goat or cows does not typically have a bank account or internet skills. Cash remains the overwhelming medium of exchange for much of the country particularly in the North. This should surprise no one as bank offices are largely unavailable even for people who are keen and have the skills to use them.

“Even by the CBN’s reports, over 38 million adults in Nigeria do not currently have access to banking services with “women, rural dwellers, Micro-Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Northern Nigeria” being among the most disproportionately excluded. And despite its pious pretensions, it is on record that the CBN under the present management, apparently out of desire to safeguard the interests of the commercial banks, has done much to undermine and stifle the progress of financial inclusion in Nigeria.

By Emeka Obasi


Professor Yemi Osinbajo will as usual continue in his strides as Vice President with loyalty as password. He is also a pastor who reads about miracles, from Canaan in Galilee to Samaria. I see in President Muhammadu Buhari a good Samaritan.

I am not a prophet but somehow, visions come into my head. I also do not dream dreams like Joseph. Something tells me that Buhari may yet reveal everything about him. The president really belongs to nobody and is for everyone as well.

It has been interesting trying to unearth Mr. President. His second coming has been tough on many of us. Many of those who hailed him as Messiah in 2015 are no more regular guests anywhere around Abuja. They speak from different parts of the country, some in tongues.

In my research, I found out that Buhari is the best team player among all Nigerian leaders with military background. He turned out to be first among equals and not as dictatorial as some of his colleagues. This Daura man loves to delegate responsibilities.

Buhari remains the only military leader who did not promote himself and even promoted others to his rank. He was a Major General all through, from December 31, 1983 to August 27, 1985. And there was no such thought of elevation.

Tunde Idiagbon was appointed Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters as a Brigadier. Augustus Aikhomu became Chief of Naval Staff wearing the rank of Commodore. They became Two – Star generals, same rank as the Head – of – State.

And you may not believe it, some state governors were like Buhari, wearing the rank of Major General. Muhammadu Jega was governor of Gongola State, Abubakar Waziri was sent to Borno. Even Sani Abacha, announcer of the coup, was rewarded with the rank of Major General.

Lt. Col Yakubu Gowon became Major General about a year after assuming office, promoting himself above his seniors like Adeyinka Adebayo and David Ejoor. All of his governors were at least, three ranks below him. One of them, Alfred Diette Spiff was a subaltern, in Army lingo.

Murtala Mohammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida and Abdusalam Abubakar moved up to General. Abacha was already a general before taking over in 1993 and was the only Four- Star general in his time.

Buhari had one deputy, Idiagbon and he was an Army officer. The others either had more than one or preferred far junior or naval officers. Murtala’s tenure was so short. Abacha chose Oladipo Diya, a soldier but by 1997, the office was vacant as the Number Two stayed in detention.

Gowon began with Emmanuel Ekpo but later settled for Joseph Wey, of the Navy. Obasanjo overlooked two Colonels from the North – West and chose Lt. Col Shehu Yar’adua. Babangida moved from Ebitu Ukiwe to Aikhomu. Abdusalam went for Mike Akhigbe.

Buhari allowed Idiagbon a free hand and Babangida also commanded much space as Chief of Army Staff. Dodan Barracks was not all about one overbearing black beret. In the Buhari years, the Beret Boys were in charge, black, green or red.

Loyalty was all Buhari demanded and he got it from Idiagbon. It was therefore little surprise that when the Ilorin made died, many years after service, PMB was all tears. Today, one of the powerful personalities at Aso Villa is Tunde Sabiu, named after Idiagbon.

When a delegation from Idiagbon’s Kwara State visited in 2018, Buhari was blunt.” You do not have to be in uniform to be loyal. What I said long ago in 1984, is still valid today,” the president told them.

There was one secret police officer, Israel Njemanze, from Owerri. Buhari neither forgot no forsook him. Many did not even know that Mr. President was spending time in Owere Nchise. Njemanze had warned him of the Babangida coup in 1985.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo once ran as Buhari’s number two. The man died supporting Sai Baba. That means a lot to the man who chose him but lost and is today president. The Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) Board is Senator Majorie Okadigbo.

Lauretta Onochie is a die hard Buharist. Flog her, mob her, the woman can die for the president. She is Igbo, from Delta in the Southern part of the country. You cannot stop this woman, rejected by the voice of the people as an Independent National Electoral Commission stakeholder. Lauretta has become the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

Osinbajo is on my radar right now. The Buhari you think you know, may just surprise everyone including the Vice President. It is possible, not out of this world. The president could just retire from government in February 2023, after overseeing a free, fair, credible presidential poll and crown the Ikenne professor.

Osinbajo’s reward for loyalty could be president of Nigeria, for three good months. Buhari loves to share responsibility. And he tries to be different from others. That thing you think is too difficult for 100 politicians, the president will just sort it out.

This same Buhari crowned Chief Moshood Abiola, even in death, when three presidents before him shied away from that landmark recognition. Buhari is not supposed to be understood until you study his ways. He may not score 100 percent as a leader but he sure knows how to reward loyalty. I am a dreamer. Osinbajo is calm.

Tale after tale of confusion, scarcity and even rejection now surrounds the issuance of the new naira notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Reports from across the country yesterday showed that some Nigerians were cold in embracing the new notes with some traders and transporters refusing to accept them.

The notes are so scarce in some parts of the country including the capital Abuja such that banks are rationing them or still issuing the old notes.

Some traders told The Nation that they would stick with the old notes for now and watch events over the next few days and weeks.


Traders in many markets in Benin said they could not vouch for the authenticity of the new naira notes with which some people wanted to pay for wares.

Mrs. Uche Chukwuma of New Benin Market said she opted to keep collecting the old naira notes from her customers for now , to avoid regrets.

Another trader at Oba Market, Benin, Chief Ehis Osemwengie, said he decided to settle for the old naira notes, until he would be familiar with the new notes.

A Point of Sale (POS) centre operator at Mokola, Ibadan, Mr Tobi Adejare, said none of his customers demanded for the new naira notes.

Besides ,he said customers said they did not fancy the designs of the new naira notes which make it difficult to easily identify fake ones.

A tricycle rider at Sango,Ibadan, Kayode Omole said: ” I have no option than to continue spending the old naira notes pending the deadline given by CBN. I prefer the old notes to the new ones.”

A young lad hawking bananas on Gimbiya street Garki Area 11 refused to accept the new N500 note claiming that he was not sure whether it was genuine or fake.

In a viral video seen by one of our correspondents, a trader was seen rejecting the new naira note from a customer. She said the new currency is not a legal tender in the country.


Banks rationing new Naira notes in Abuja

Investigation by The Nation in Abuja yesterday showed that banks had to resort to rationing the new naira notes.

Bank employees in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja

confirmed to The Nation that they had received the new Naira notes but were being cautious in releasing them to customers.

The reason for the rationing, they said, was that the volume of the larger denominations of N500 and N1,000 was not enough to go round while many bank customers were not interested in carrying about large sums of money in the N200 denomination.

The bank staff said customers appeared cold towards the new notes.

A similar scarcity situation obtained in Ibadan where it was gathered that the new N1000 notes were more in circulation than the rest.

A source in one of the banks said: “The new notes are not yet enough. What has been introduced so far are the N1000 notes in most of the banks.

“Customers are not keen about getting it knowing they have till January. There is no rush.

It is being rationed so as not to be concentrated in the hands of a few.”

Some residents of Ibadan called for the extension of the deadline for the change of the old to new notes.

A trader at Bodija, Ibadan, Mrs Deborah Adekitan, alleged shortage of the new naira notes and urged the government to extend the one month deadline for the old notes to be phased out.

The Director Currency Operations of the CBN Ahmed Bello Umar had said that the apex bank would commence distribution of the new notes across the country from last Thursday.

“That doesn’t mean that it’s going to be immediate for us to start distribution because we don’t want to create panic or stampede in the way people want to collect the new notes,” he said.

The CBN has already prepared the minds of the banking public by warning that when the new cash withdrawal limit policy kicks in, fewer higher denomination currencies will be in circulation while lower denominations will be more prevalent.

It was also confirmed that most banks in Abuja are yet to configure their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to dispense the new naira notes.


Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) still dispensing old naira notes

Investigation also showed that most Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are still dispensing old naira notes across the country.

In Benin City, the capital of Edo State and its environs ATM machines were dispensing the old notes. Commercial banks also paid customers in the banking halls with the old notes.

Officials of some commercial banks, who loaded money into the ATMs in Benin yesterday, declined to comment on the development, while referring our reporter to their head offices in Lagos.

The situation was the same in Abia as commercial banks operating in the state were still issuing old bank notes to their customers.

Our correspondent who visited some of the commercial banks in the state yesterday reported that old naira notes were still being dispensed in commercial banks’ ATMs and over the counter by staff attending to customers who came to withdraw money in the banking hall.

This is against the instructions from the Nigeria’s apex bank (CBN) for banks to begin to pay their customers with the new notes.

Some of the bank customers who preferred anonymity told our correspondent at various banks visited, that they were disappointed that their banks were yet to adhere to the instructions of the CBN governor.

They claimed that their hope of having a feel of the new naira notes had been dashed.

Bank customers in Plateau State, were left frustrated for the second day running yesterday as most of the commercial banks in the state were still grappling with the non-availability of the redesigned Naira notes.


Cash Withdrawal Limit: POS Operators petition Buhari, NASS

The cash withdrawal limit policy issued by the CBN simultaneously with the redesign of the naira notes yesterday drew petitions from Point of Sale (POS Operators) in Nigeria and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).

The Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN) in a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly called for the suspension of the policy to save 1.4million bank agents from losing their means of livelihood.

The National President of AMMBAN, Mr. Victor Olojo, who addressed journalists in Abuja on the petition , said over 1.4 million people stand to lose their jobs if the policy is not suspended or reviewed.

The group specifically requested an upward review of the maximum withdrawal limit to N500,000 weekly for individuals and N3million for corporate organisations.

They added that their series of engagement with critical stakeholders would continue.

Olojo at the news conference said, “AMMBAN believes the cashless policy in its current state hasn’t provided for Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria adequately.

“Even as the CBN Governor made reference to the fact that Mobile Money and Bank Agents are spread across the country saying that that is one of the reasons why he strongly feels the country is ready for the cashless policy, the policy puts the jobs of over 1.4million agents on the line in its present state.

“This and many other germane reasons informed the decisions of the Association to engage the CBN, the National Assembly and other relevant stakeholders.

“This is to ensure that while we show support for the cashless policy of the government through the CBN, the policy should recognise the categorisation of Agents’ accounts as it does individuals and corporate entities.”

The group said it had interacted with the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Uba Sani, his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Nwokolo, on the matter.

He said: “they were all in agreement that owing to the high relevance of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in the successful implementation of the Cashless policy, there has to be categorisation of the accounts to be able to serve the Nigeria people especially in areas where there are no banks or basic infrastructure to enhance the usage of alternative channels of transaction.

“It is worthy of note that AMMBAN and her members have always been at the forefront since the inception of the Financial Inclusion drive in ensuring the achievements of the set goals.

“It is strongly believed that no success story can be told without the selfless efforts of agents who, against all odds, go to the creeks and hinterland in the drive to deepen financial inclusion goals as set by the CBN.”


Why cash withdrawal limit must be reviewed, by ACF

The ACF ,in its own reaction,claimed that CBN’s insistence on implementing the policy would lead to a catastrophic collapse of the informal sector of the economy.

Secretary General of the forum, Murtala Aliyu, in a statement said the CBN seemed to have glossed over the fact that transactions in commodity markets particularly in the rural areas are entirely cash-based

The statement: “The decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to kick start the long anticipated cashless payments regime in Nigeria with effect from January, 2023, is well justified, perhaps even well intentioned. Cash based economies are notoriously costly, inefficient and prone to attacks by evil people.

“A huge amount of time and money is needed to print the currency and a lot more still to steer it through the system. The currency notes themselves have a shelf life after which they have to be replaced. Cash is the lifeblood of the underworld: difficult to trace and quite convenient for terrorists, money launderers, smugglers, vote buyers, etc.

“So, yes, the less cash available for all these criminals as the CBN is trying to achieve, the better for law abiding citizens. That said, we do need to remember that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. CBN officials may have the best of intentions while contemplating this policy but evidently failed to consider the unintended consequences of implementing it in the way they have planned; consequences that may be extremely grave.

“If the CBN insists on implementing this wholly unrealistic policy of restricting individual’s cash withdrawal from the banks to N20,000 per day and N100,000 for a week or N500,000 in the case of corporate bodies, it won’t be long before we suffer a catastrophic collapse of the informal sector of the economy. More than anyone, CBN knows that transactions in commodity markets especially in the rural areas are entirely cash based.

“The villager that brings to the market his chickens, beans, onions, goat or cows does not typically have a bank account or internet skills. Cash remains the overwhelming medium of exchange for much of the country particularly in the North. This should surprise no one as bank offices are largely unavailable even for people who are keen and have the skills to use them.

“Even by the CBN’s reports, over 38 million adults in Nigeria do not currently have access to banking services with “women, rural dwellers, Micro-Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Northern Nigeria” being among the most disproportionately excluded. And despite its pious pretensions, it is on record that the CBN under the present management, apparently out of desire to safeguard the interests of the commercial banks, has done much to undermine and stifle the progress of financial inclusion in Nigeria.

“Thanks to the decisions taken by the CBN, Nigeria, today, despite its size, has the dubious record of having the lowest financial penetration in all of Africa, perhaps in the world. Under the circumstances, the CBN will do itself and the country a world of good if it invests more efforts at addressing these challenges. It should start by ensuring that various financial institutions are created in sufficient numbers and in all parts of the country.

“It should allow a level playing field for a wide range of financial providers and encourage partnerships between them. Furthermore, the CBN must enforce strict regulations that protect people’s money. It must inform, encourage and prepare the public adequately for the transition.

“Until the CBN is able to address these challenges substantially, a preemptive move or a”frog-jump” into a cashless payments system, however well intentioned, will only land us into a bottomless pit.”

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has defended the absence of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, from rallies and town hall meetings of its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Bello was appointed as the National Youth Coordinator of the PCC by Tinubu on September 18.

The appointment, which was officially conveyed in a letter that carried the signature of the APC candidate, stated that the governor was chosen because of his impressive political achievements and exemplary leadership.

Tinubu also expressed strong conviction that Bello would conduct an effective, message-driven campaign that could lead them to victory in the 2023 presidential election.

But three months after he was appointed, the youngest governor in the country has failed to turn up in any of Tinubu’s rallies and town hall meetings.

This has forced critics and some aggrieved loyalists of the presidential candidate to conclude that the governor may prove to be a bad apple in the cart if his lukewarm attitude to Tinubu’s campaign is anything to go.

“We understand that he was appointed as national youth coordinator to help galvanise support for Tinubu in Kogi and other states in the North-Central region. But what we have been seeing from him so far is unimpressive.

“He only goes about calling himself ‘White Lion’ but not participating in all the rallies. Even that young Seyi Tinubu has done more than him in terms of youth mobilisation in the last two months. He has not justified his inclusion in the PCC at all,” an APC member told our reporter.

When asked for reaction, chief spokesman for the APC PCC, Festus Keyamo, dismissed the report, saying that it was obvious many people did not understand the effort Bello had put into the campaign.


According to him, the governor’s absence from most of the rallies did not connote apathy.

He said, “I spoke with Yahaya Bello yesterday and I can say he is one of the best strategic planners we have. With what he has set now, by the time he explodes, Nigerians will know.

“You know he heads a very strategic department and he is more than ready for the campaign 100 per cent.”

The Director of Media and Publicity for the Tinubu-Shettima PCC, Bayo Onanuga, also threw his weight behind Bello.

Onanuga admonished the media to desist from making a mountain out of a mole hill, adding that the Kogi governor was due to make an appearance at the APC youth rally in Abuja on Saturday.

“You journalists are always looking for negatives. It is not true. Why don’t you wait for the youth rally to know if he will be there? That should also clear any doubt about his commitment to Asiwaju’s mobilisation campaign.

“Bello is the leader of the youths, hence I will implore you to wait for their planned rally in Abuja. People should understand this campaign is driven by so many forces. Yahaya Bello being the head does not mean that you will see him everywhere. That is not the way it ought to be run.

“Tinubu was spotted in Kaduna some days ago, he was seen again in Niger State yesterday. Yet there are people doing campaign for him in many other parts of the country simultaneously. He doesn’t have to be in all of them.

“The youths are being mobilised from all parts of the country. Bello doesn’t also need to be seen physically in many of rallies being organised for youths. You journalists should fathom this before rushing to conclude that someone is not committed to a cause or showing apathy.”

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Sergius Ogun, has said marketers are paying in dollars to transport petroleum products within Nigeria despite the Federal Government’s order against the practice.

Ogun, a member of an ad-hoc committee on petroleum downstream, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

He was speaking on the persistent fuel scarcity in the country which has lasted for months.

The Department of State Services, last week, gave a 48-hour ultimatum to oil marketers to make the product available to Nigerians but there are still long queues at filling stations across the country with many of them reportedly selling for as high as N300 per litre.

Similarly, The House of Representatives on Tuesday asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to end the current petrol scarcity crisis within seven days.

While speaking about the ultimatum, Ogun said: “I think this is doable in seven days. The challenge really is that there is a shortfall in supply. The suppliers were not willing to give the refined product because NNPC was owing them.

“The mother vessels that bring the refined products are in Lagos and the daughter vessels are going there to take. You charter those daughter vessels with dollars. They said it used to be about $30,000 but now it’s about $60,000.

“Also, the NPA takes their docking charges in dollars, NIMASA takes their fees in dollars.

“I actually heard that there was a memo from the Villa by the late Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President, who met with the then Minister of Transportation and other government agencies and directed that they should start taking their tariffs and fees in naira but he was ignored.

“These people [marketers] are going to the black market to buy dollars, because CBN is not giving them dollars, for these transactions with government agencies within the country.

“Now you are wondering why there is scarcity. NNPC is broke. They are not remitting money to the federation account, and they don’t have money to pay suppliers. They can’t deny this. If they deny, just ask them to bring their stock record for November, December 2020, November, December 2021 and this year.”

He said the Federal Government should dredge the river down south for the mother vessels to take the refined petroleum products close, adding that this would reduce the landing cost.

Ogun also said the president must be firm enough to dislodge the cartels in the oil sector who are driving the prices of the products high for their own selfish gains.

Leadership of some northern groups involved in commercial activities between the North and South East zone have directed commodity traders and truck drivers to shun the zone over incessant killings of their members by members of the outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

Coordinator of the Northern Consensus Forum, Dr Auwal Abdullahi Aliyu, told Daily Trust that they have declared 3 days warning strike due to the constant killing of the northerners in the South East, adding that not less than 100 northerners were murdered in the zone within last week.

He said the strike action became necessary so as to stop northern youths from taking laws into their hands in retaliation for continued killings.

Aliyu said the strike, which began on Thursday (yesterday) has started yielding positive impact adding that they have notified security agencies and all state governors in the North and those in the affected zone.

Movement of supply trucks is said to be halted on major routes since the commencement of the boycott order with prices of food items soaring in major towns in the South East and the South South zones.

“We have blocked the roads linking the North to the East ranging from Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara and Plateau state among others, and the truck drivers are cooperating with us, “ he said.

Daily Trust had reported how the gunmen had killed at least 24 persons within three days as they went about enforcing a stay-at-home order declared by a factional spokesperson of IPOB, Simon Ekpa.

The Public Relations Officer of the Arewa Progressives Forum for 17 states in Southern Nigeria, Malam Badamasi Muhammad told Daily Trust that most northerners living in the villages of the South East have relocated back to the North over fear of the incessant attacks. He said only few people who are living in major cities remain, though they also live in panic.

He said most of those who are still in the South East are there because they have no other options.

“The main reasons why we and others are still here is lack of sufficient opportunities in the North and some of us are used to living in the South East. Many were born and brought up here, many don’t have any other thing to do in the North. Some will prefer to stay here due to the level of the poverty in the North, but as I am talking to you, many have vacated and moved back to the North.

“We used to have many of our people in the villages of South East before; mainly petty traders, those selling beef skewers, cobblers, etc. All have now left due to the activities of the Biafra agitators. It is getting worse these days,” he said.

He expressed happiness with the order to stop commodities from the North getting to the South East, saying it will save the lives of those involved.

“We are very happy with this measure. It’s an action that will send messages to the governors and traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the zone. Our members are being murdered daily. Happily, the federal government has been taking action by deploying huge security formations within the cities, these killers need to be arrested and brought to book. If a young man will make a tweet and will be traced by security men and arrested, what stops the same security agencies from tracing these killers?” He asked.

Another resident of Imo State, Muhammed Abdulkadir, told Daily Trust that the killings of northerners in the South East is getting worse on a daily basis. “As I am talking to you, even yesterday (Wednesday) many of our people were killed at Idiato, along Onitsha-Owerri road. The victims were truck drivers and their boys who were conveying noodles, floors and other commodities. Also, some bus passengers were intercepted and killed, they were burnt along with their vehicles.

“I was involved in preparing the dead bodies for burial. We took the wounded ones to hospitals. The Imo State governor had been assisting us with some funds to bury the victims, but it seems he is even tired of it lately,” he said.

The Sarkin Hausawa of Enugu, Alhaji Haruna Sulaiman, who said both him and his father were born in Enugu, bemoaned the ongoing tension while urging the northerners in the South East to always abide by the order.

“Our people should always stay at home whenever there is a sit-at-home order. I have been advising those living in the villages and remote areas to vacate, even me, I don’t go to such areas. I have friends who usually invite me for their occasions, but when I know it is a village, I don’t go, I will just contribute and give them money for the weddings. The precautionary measures are necessary and our people should understand and be careful” he said.

On the boycott order by some northern groups, the Sarkin Hausawa said it will be of help to a certain level as it will draw the attention of leaders to their predicament. “With the strike, even those who are not aware of the current situation, will now know, and maybe it will resolve the issue. But it will also affect us; any northerner you see in the East, he is here for business or working as labourers, so the strike will also affect us” he said.


Prices of perishable goods other food items soar

Some residents of the region told Daily Trust that the price of perishable goods and other food items usually supplied from the northern part of the country have risen.

A resident of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Mukhtar Muhammed, told Daily Trust that the price of perishable goods and some food items have shot up less than 12 hours after the boycott announced by the truck drivers and traders bringing goods from the North to the East.


Sit-at Home: Umahi declares war on IPOB leader, Ekpa

The governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, yesterday declared war against the faction of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) loyal to Simon Ekpa.

IPOB under the command of Ekpa recently declared a five-day sit-at-home during which people were killed and property destroyed during enforcement.

The headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, Imo State was on Monday attacked by gunmen suspected to be members IPOB and its affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Three gunmen and two policemen died in the attack.

Umahi, who spoke on Thursday in Abakaliki, the state capital, during a Christmas party organised for widows and elders in the state, sought stakeholders including local government chairmen and monarchs to give valid information of places including forest in their respective locations where the group members are hiding.

“Another thing I wish to tell you about is the unknown gunmen. So I’m asking the stakeholders in local government to give us information about the people in the forest, we are going to enter and flush them out. We need to mount surveillance at night in villages and everywhere because we have declared war upon these people.

“We are going to disclose secret phone numbers to call, just call and tell us where they are in the forest; we are going to flush them out,” he said.

Umahi, who said that the South East governors had earlier through their forum, opposed the operation and movement of IPOB, lamented that some individuals had been aiding the group.

“We are reaping the fruits that we sow. When this thing started in the name of Biafra. I am the chairman South East Governors’ Forum. The governors stood against it but a lot of people silently went behind to encourage it.

“Every criminal today says he is IPOB or ESN. Now we have another known as Ekpa bandits. Is this the kind of Biafra that we deserve, to be killing ourselves?”

The Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council of All Progressives Congress (APC), James Faleke, has asked Nigerians to ignore messages from his Facebook account demanding money from people.

Mr Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, in a statement on Thursday, said his Facebook account was hacked and cybercriminals are using it to demand money from people.

The lawmaker disowned the perpetrators of the crime, who are asking unsuspecting Nigerians to pay the sum of N18, 500 to access the empowerment fund from the PCC.

He said: “I have been inundated with reports from several Nigerians about the activities of some unscrupulous elements who hacked my official Facebook account, to extort unsuspecting Nigerians.

“According to them, these individuals requested that the intending beneficiaries should pay the sum of N18,500 into a designated account.

“One of the individuals behind this fraud is also sending messages to unsuspecting victims using the name of a certain Dr Lukman Johnny with phone number 08147136835, and who is said to be a staff of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Abuja,” he said.

Mr Faleke shared a sample of the message which reads; “Dr Lukman Johnny on 08147136835 tell him I directed you. He is the director in charge of the empowerment fund in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture here in Abuja, he will guide you on what to do.”

He said there is no empowerment scheme by the APC campaign council that requires beneficiaries to pay any money.

“I, therefore, wish to put on record that I am not aware of any empowerment fund being allocated or distributed to any individual or group of persons by Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, or by myself.

“At no given time did I initiate such a scheme and will not subscribe to any form of dubious activities of fraudsters.

“While I urge Nigerians not to subscribe to the antics of these criminals, I also wish to appeal to all and sundry to track and report the activities of the criminals to relevant security agencies near them and ensure that they are apprehended and prosecuted,” Mr Faleke said.

Embattled former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday told Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was responsible for his travails at the London Court where he had been in detention over alleged organ harvest.

The Senator who has been in custody in London over an alleged organ harvest told the Federal High Court that the EFCC wrote a letter to the London Court which made the foreign court refuse to admit him to bail.

Ekweremadu’s allegations were contained in an application he filed before the Nigerian court seeking an order of the court to set aside interim order granted in favour of the Federal Government for forfeiture of his 40 properties in the country and outside the country.

The ex-Deputy Senate President in the application by his counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), claimed that the forfeiture order was granted to the Federal Government in error because the EFCC suppressed information and facts in respect of the properties.

Specifically, the detained Senator alleged that the EFCC fraudulently obtained the forfeiture order for the government by concealing information that the investigation on the 40 properties started as far back as 2008.

Among others, he alleged that the EFCC was fully aware that he was in detention in London when the application for forfeiture of the properties was filed and argued.

He said that the anti-graft agency deliberately refused to disclose to the court that he was in London detention and would not be able to counter the forfeiture request.

Ekweremadu, therefore, prayed the court to set aside the forfeiture order and stay proceedings in the matter until he resolves his ordeal before the London Court.

However, counsel to the EFCC, Silvanus Tahir (SAN), denied that the commission was behind Ekweremadu’s ordeal.

While admitting that EFCC wrote the London Court based on a special request, he said that it was a normal routine for anti-graft agencies to exchange information that would be of help to one another.

Tahir did not oppose the request for a stay of proceedings till Ekweremadu fully resolve his matter before the London Court but however, vehemently opposed the request for setting aside the forfeiture order.

Justice Ekwo after taking arguments from parties fixed January 25 next year for ruling in the matter.

The Court had on Friday, November 4 ordered interim forfeiture of 40 landed property linked to Ekweremadu in some parts of the country and outside the country.

Justice Ekwo issued the order following an ex -parte motion filed and moved by Ibrahim Buba, lawyer to the EFCC.

The Judge, who granted the motion, ordered the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order of the property in a national daily within seven days.

He had directed anybody who has an interest in the forfeited property to indicate within 14 days of the publication of the interim forfeiture order why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The affected properties included 10 property in Enugu, three in the United States of America, two in the UK, one in Lagos, nine in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates and 15 located in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has said millions of northerners who have obtained their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are selling them to politicians for less than N2,000.

A statement yesterday by the Director Publicity and Advocacy of NEF, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said the electorate and especially women, were being deceived to sell their PVCs for less than N2,000, an action he described as a ploy to disenfranchise some Nigerians in the North.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said politicians were buying PVCs from registered voters to harvest their Voter Identification Numbers (VIN) ahead of the elections

NEF said irrespective of which party or candidate they support, northerners must vote in next year’s election, as “this is the only way our region can reverse its current fortunes and circumstances.”

Part of the statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed what the public has been aware of in the last few weeks. This is the widespread and targeted buying of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in many parts of the North and a few other parts of Nigeria.

“Northern Elders Forum (NEF) had followed this worrying phenomenon, advising community leaders and major stakeholders on the dangers of disenfranchising large numbers of citizens. We have also undertaken our own investigations, which prompted this public warning.

“Thousands, or possibly even millions of northern voters, particularly women, are being made to surrender their PVCs for a pittance, in most instances not more than N2000.

“In some instances, they are told their cards will be returned to them after they are processed for additional payments as poverty relief. No cards are returned.

“Our investigations suggest that this is an aggressive and blatant voter suppression attempt to reduce the voting power of the North.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday, said politicians are doing everything possible to get into the Commission’s server or manufacture BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System).

BVAS is an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters.

The Commission reiterated its resolve to make the 2023 general election free and fair, adding that there would be simultaneous accreditation and voting on election days.

INEC's Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Achumie Chuka Rex, stated this at a two-day workshop for civil society organisations on Voter Education, organised by Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) supported by USAID.

Fielding questions from participants, shortly after delivering a paper titled: "Technology And 2023 Election Commission", Achumie revealed that INEC is working round the clock to ensure that the integrity of its server is maintained during and after the elections.

He said, "There is no room to hack into INEC sever," adding that "politicians are doing everything possible to get into INEC server or even to manufacture BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) but unfortunately for them, INEC is three steps ahead of their plots".

Allaying fears of a network problem that would make BVAS work effectively in rural areas, he said that BVAS was built on a dual basis - "online and offline".

Delivering his paper, Achumie said, "At the moment, Nigerians are gradually bidding farewell to the dark days when the voter register was infested with foreign names and those days when election results were announced while voting was still ongoing. … the 22 innovations introduced by the electoral management body, including the IREV and BVAS, have enabled the country move light years away from its electoral debacle

"Recent revelations by Professor Mahmood Yakubu show that the Commission has conducted 105 elections using the IREV, while it has uploaded 32,985 (99.13%) out of a possible 33,275 results, having recorded 100% upload rate in the just concluded Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.

"Apart from voting, results management is easily the most critical aspect of election administration. While voting is an open and public activity, result management is usually run by a few election officials, mostly outside the glare of the public. Thus, there is a need to promote transparency in this in the best possible way.

"Other innovations that seem to have enhanced the system include biometric voter registration, computer-based registration of voters, online pre-registration, the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) with chips, creating online portals for candidates, observers and political party agents, amongst others, which have all gone a long way in standardising Nigeria's election management system," he said.

He expressed optimism that with the introduction of various technologies into the country's election management, which has boosted citizens’ confidence in the process, citizens’ participation in the elections will "hit at least a 50% voter turnout mark".

From Romanus Ugwu and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja


The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) have come under criticism over its face-off with Thisday newspaper/ Arise Television.

The PCC and Thisday Newspaper/Arise Television have been engaged in brickbats over reports by the media organisations. Altercation between both parties climaxed when the board of the media organisation issued an editorial on Monday alleging that Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake of the APC-PCC asked that two of the’ reporters found to be critical of the APC’s candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, be sacked.

Onanuga and Alake have, however, described the allegation as baseless and false and labelled the proprietor of Arise and ThisDay, Nduka Obaigbena, a blackmailer.

A member of the ruling party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told Daily Sun that the rift was mis-timed and mal-handled.

“I am not particularly impressed with the handling of the development. Even if there should be such face-off, this is not the right time for it. The campaign is ongoing and instead of concentrating on soliciting votes from the electorate, they are busy engaging in a needless battle with the media. All I want them to know is that the media outfit have nothing to lose. It is our candidate that has everything to lose,” the NWC member argued.

Also reacting, the Atiku/ Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation slammed the APC-PCC for allegedly resorting to bullying the media.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, it said the APC campaign council should rather explain the allegations surrounding its presidential candidate. It stated that Tinubu having joined the presidential contest must be prepared to explain himself to Nigerians, including the media which has the basic constitutional responsibility to seek information on behalf of every Nigerian.

The Atiku/Okowa campaign council alleged that the APC presidential candidate and his handlers were attempting to play the victim so as to divert public attention.

“It is reprehensible and unmistakable sign of culpability that Asiwaju Tinubu and his campaigners have desperately resorted to bullying, intimidating and harassing media houses and journalists with a view to silence and stop them from questioning Asiwaju Tinubu…

“Indeed, Asiwaju Tinubu has shown that he does not possess the qualities of the leader Nigerians are yearning for at this critical time of our history.

“Our campaign urges Asiwaju Tinubu to note that his diversionary tactic and attack on the media will not stop Nigerians from raising the necessary posers. Tinubu should therefore fold his ‘agbada’ and respond to the media and Nigeria on the issues at hand.

“He should provide answers to allegations of certificate forgery, perjury, treasury-looting, continued fleecing of Lagos State as well as inconsistencies in his name, educational qualification, ancestry, and reported link with narcotics. This is in addition to Tinubu’s many gaffes, his constant claim of credit on the achievements of others as well as his reported plot to incite violence in the 2023 general elections by directing his supporters to grab, snatch and run away with power. These are questions which Asiwaju Tinubu, having brought himself out, must submit to a public probity by the Nigerian media,” it stated.

In a separate reaction, Atiku, in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, accused the APC candidate of shying away from public scrutiny and using proxies to answer questions.

According to him, of all the 18 presidential candidates, Tinubu was the only one that has refused to subject himself to a media interview.

He accused Tinubu of using crude and outdated tactics to muzzle free press and in the process deflect media interrogation.

“Rather than be bold enough to subject his ideas to public scrutiny, the APC presidential candidate and his team have been cleverly dodging dialectic public conversations. He continually argues that he doesn’t need physical strength to lead Nigeria but only the mental capacity.

“However, his refusal to publicly display this ‘intelligence’ and articulate his thoughts should worry every well-meaning Nigerians who are still suffering from the seven-year misrule of the All-Progressives Congress that has brought poverty, inflation and unemployment to an unprecedented height, but the truth is, whether Tinubu and his media team likes it or not Nigerians will ask all the tough questions including questions about Tinubu’s age, his health, his certificate, his state of origin, the source of his wealth, Muslim-Muslim ticket and many more; and there is nothing they can do about it!”

The Centre for Anti Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) and Rule of Law, Accountability, and Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), shared different views on the issue. While CACOL said Tinubu was not under any legal compulsion to appear at the Arise News Town hall meeting, RULLAC said that courtesy demands that he must appear for the meeting.

Executive Director of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, described the development as unfortunate, stressing that it should not have degenerated to its current level. He blamed the faceoff on APC’s wrong impression of the media outfit.

He said: “The paranoia and bias of the APC and its PCC may not be unconnected with the perception of Arise News and ThisDay media as pro-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Prince Nduka Obiegbena is closely associated with several PDP chieftains, and Dr. Ruben Abati, an anchor at Arise News, was a deputy governorship candidate to Buruji Kashamu under PDP in Ogun State.

“Rufai is also known to be hard and unrelenting in the way he asks his questions, almost as if he is engaged in a debate, and not presenting a programme. So, the fear is there that Arise News and ThisDay Newspapers are working for the PDP.

“The same perception could be held against Bola Tinubu, who also owns media outfits if this had happened the other way.

“I think the press should be professional in their work. Arise News should also know that there is no law that makes it compulsory for a politician seeking elective office to appear for a debate before a private television station. Arise News should have sought and got the consent of Bola Tinubu before announcing that he would be at the Town hall meeting.”

However, Executive Director of RULAAC, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the APC has no right to dictate to the management of Arise News and ThisDay Newspapers, who among their staff to sack.

He also insisted that the presidential candidate of the party and other candidates for elective offices should subject themselves to public scrutiny by appearing for Town hall meetings and debates.


Nwanguma advised the APC to write officially to Rufai Oseni and Shaka Momodu if it had any allegation against them.

Also, reacting to the development, rights activist and former second vice president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Monday Ubani, commended ThisDay and Arise for standing up for their staff if the allegation that they were asked to sack the reporters were anything to go by.

For the president of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, both parties should consider the interest of the country.

“Politicians will always play politics but journalists must at all time exhibit a high level of professionalism such that they shouldn’t be seen as taking side with any party. Both parties should just resolve whatever issue they have and work together for the good of the country because they need each other. This confrontation is not good for the country. The journalists want to report but they must be seen as civil and professional. The media house as an organisation cannot thrive without politicking and politicians also cannot survive without the media. In fact, democracy, which all of us are fighting for, cannot thrive and survive without the media. Journalists must not been as serving any personal or parochial interest; they must be professional in their reportage.”

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation has apologised to the international community “for the shame and embarrassing outing” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu at Chatham House.

Spokesman of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, rendered the apology at a news conference in Asaba on Tuesday.

Aniagwu said the apology became necessary following the “ignoble and mendacious show of shame” put up by Tinubu and his handlers at a global stage like Chatham House.

He said by his action, Tinubu denigrated the office of the president that he seeks to occupy and had brought immeasurable shame on Nigerians.

“As a party and as a Presidential Campaign Organisation, I want to on behalf of my principal, Atiku Abubakar to apologise to the international community that, that kind of disgrace is not who we are in Nigeria.

“For us in PDP as a political party, beyond the fact that we have continued to engage with different stakeholders and Nigerians across all works of life, our presidential candidate and his running mate are still very much ever ready to interface with Nigerians wherever they are in terms of their geographical location, or the ethnic group they belong or the class that they find themselves that we will continue to do so.

“In line with our party motto, we are quite convinced that power belongs to the people and that they represent the sovereign and as such, we will not take for granted the rights of Nigerians to scrutinise our candidate, the rights of Nigerians to continue to ask questions as to what we are putting on the table.

“Beyond the fact that our candidate has come up with his policy document titled “My Covenant With Nigerians” that it is a covenant with Nigerians which embodies policy priorities that the Atiku-Okowa government will deploy for the purpose of adding value to the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

Aniagwu who is Delta State Commissioner for Information, said Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, would continue to seek more ways for additional input from Nigerians for the purpose of enriching the discuss, and “our desire to have a country that works and works for all of us.

“I am happy that you have continued to monitor developments in our country. Yesterday we were in Lafia and today our presidential train is in Jos, where and where has the APC been to apart from the disgrace that was visited on all of us at Chatam House?

“We needed to render this apology so that our children will not go for an international examination and think that it is the right thing to do to distribute examination questions for others to answer for them.

“Nigerians at any given time can stand their ground on any issue, so we are making this apology on behalf of the APC since they have not appreciated the shame they have brought to our wonderful country,” Aniagwu stated.

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Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital Communications, Bashir Ahmed, tweeted images of infrastructural facilities on Thursday, December 8, alongside a picture of the All Progressives Congress Presidential (APC) Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and a text portraying Tinubu’s achievements when he was Lagos State governor.

Ahmed, who shared the post on his official Twitter handle, @BashirAhmad, ascribed the images toTinubu’s legacy projects.

One of the images contained a quote which read, “I built a modern state that could be a country on its own. I have led an administration that was so prudent from N600m IGR to N58bn a month. That’s a record nobody else can brag about.”

The text which was alluded to have been taken from Tinubu’s interview with the BBC during his visit to the Chatham House, London, had so far garnered about 3,000 likes, 1,000 retweets and comments.

Verification

Daily Trust subjected the image to a verification using Google Image Reverse Search which showed the original location of the image to be Bundaran hotel, in Jakarta Indonesia.

Indonesia, is a country located off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

The image tweeted by the presidential aid suggested that it emanated from Lagos to show how Tinubu transformed the state infrastructure wise.

Daily Trust findings revealed that Bundaran Hotel Indonesia or Bundaran Hotel is strategically located in the heart of Jakarta, right in the center of Jakarta’s main avenue.

The hotel serves as a gateway for visitors of Jakarta. The roundabout features a round pond with fountain.

Verdict: The image is misleading.

Conclusion: Checks by Daily Trust indicated that the image depicted as Tinubu’s infrastructural project in Lagos is misleading as it was traced to Indonesia not Lagos. As such the claim is false and misleading.


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Claim 2: In the second image, Tinubu also claimed to have tamed the surge from the Atlantic Ocean which would have destroyed Lagos.

The statement reads, “I have treated and tamed the Atlantic Ocean surge in Nigeria that would have perished many people in Lagos.”

Verification

Checks by Daily Trust that the Tinubu-led administration in Lagos embarked on reclamation of lands submerged by water. However, that move has been criticised by environmentalists who observed that water path has been encroached, hence increasing incidences of flooding in the state.

In fact only recently, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) raised the alarm that Lagos and other coastal cities that are less than one metre above the sea level could be submerged by 2050 if the surge from the Atlantic Ocean continues.

NCF’s submission corroborates a projection made by the United Nations scientists working on climate change, who after extensive studies predicted that there is the likelihood of the world’s oceans rising by one metre between 2030 and 2050.

Consequently, cities like Lagos that are less than one metre above the sea level are under threat of submergence.

Further checks by Daily Trust also showed that the Lagos State Government two years back worried by the high incidence of ocean surge on its coastline, reportedly earmarked N36 billion to tackle the surge.

The funds, Daily Trust learnt, were meant for the construction of 18 groynes (sea breakers), at intervals of 40 meters between Goshen Estate and Alpha Beach estimated to cost N2 billion.

Verdict: False

Conclusion: The surge from the Atlantic Ocean has not been tamed and Lagos still experiences flooding coming from the ocean.


Claim 3: In the third image posted by Ahmed, Tinubu said, “The infrastructure renewal of Lagos is excellent.”

Verification: Infrastructure is one the major benchmarks for measuring development anywhere in the world. To verify the claim, Daily Trust sought to ascertain the status of Lagos state among cities of the world to see if its infrastructure and other indices of living are “excellent” as Tinubu claimed.

According to a data compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (The EIU), Lagos State has been ranked 139 out of 140 in the list of worst liveable cities in the world in the first quarter of 2021. This makes Lagos the second-worst city to live in the world today.

According to the data, Lagos is only next to Damascus, Syria as the worst city to live in the world, and worse than Algiers (Algeria) and Tripoli (Libya).

In ranking the cities, the report focuses on five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

The EIC explained that “the concept of liveability is simple: it assesses which locations around the world provide the best and worst living conditions. Assessing liveability has a broad range of uses, from bench-marking perceptions of development levels to assigning a hardship allowance as part of expatriate relocation packages.”

“City officials and urban policymakers can use the rankings to benchmark target cities against the top-ranked cities. The ratings can help them to understand the gap between target cities and the best-ranked cities across different categories. This in turn should help to frame policies and target investors,” it added.

It is also worthy of note that Lagos is dotted by slums, many of which lack basic infrastructural facilities.

Verdict: False

Conclusion: Relying on verifiable data which ranked Lagos as one of the worst cities to live in, it can be concluded that the assertion that Lagos has an ‘excellent’ infrastructure is false.

A Director at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Olalekan Onikoyi, has been accused of ordering his househelp to unleash dogs on his wife, Mrs. Emily Onikoyi at their home in Fadeyi Street, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The Guardian learnt that the couple has been having unending marital issues for years and that the man recently served his wife a divorce letter.

In disturbing pictures sent to The Guardian, the woman was seen with injuries and being attended to at the hospital.

Narrating what happened, the son of Mrs. Onikoyi, Enajero Darlington Eguriase, said: “They have about six dogs in their compound, the dogs are under the custody of one boy named Clifford. The boy is like an errand boy in the compound, and is neither related to the man, nor to my mother.

“Both husband and wife have crises in their marriage, and there have been cases of domestic violence. The man has served my mother a divorce letter, and the court has invited him several times, but he refused to appear. They have not been living as husband and wife.

“My mother had gone for prayer in the morning, so immediately she entered the compound, upon hearing her voice, Clifford released the dogs on her. There’s a video where the dogs are attacking her.

When The Guardian contacted Onikoyi on phone on the matter, he said: “I work for the Federal Government. Public servants don’t talk anyhow. I work for the Federal Government. The person who gave you my number is aware, everybody is aware, even in Abuja. I will not want to talk. I have given the person that contacted you my lawyer’s number, if he is interested. I know that as a journalist, you people like to be objective. This case is before the police; they are carrying out a detailed investigation. If I send the Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) to you, you will abuse the person who gave you my number, but as a public servant, I will not talk to everybody.”

But, the accused in a text message to a relative of the wife said: “ I have known my wife since 1998 and nothing like this ever happened. Why now? What for?
“The dogs have been with us in the house for over two years. It was a mistake that happened at home and I took her to the hospital immediately for treatment before she was forcefully removed from the hospital by her family from Delta State.”

Also, counsel to the husband, Oyedotun Olajide, who spoke to The Guardian, said: “If there is any information you want, you can come to my office and we will talk about it.”

It was learnt the matter was reported at lgbogbo Police Station, lkorodu, Lagos.

When The Guardian reached out to spokesperson for Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, on the matter, he said he was yet to be briefed on the case.

Regardless of widespread criticisms against limitations placed on cash withdrawals by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its cashless policy, the Governor of Katsina State, Bello Masari, has said all the governors were in support of the policy.

Masari said this Saturday in a chat with newsmen after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at his Daura country home.

According to him, the policy would bolster the nation’s economy.

On why the governors have not said anything about the policy, he said: “What is wrong with it except one who stockpiles millions in his house and is afraid to bring it out.

“It will help the economy. Now, all the money has not been in the banking sector. The Central Bank Governor said that they have mopped over N1 trillion into the banking sector which was stashed in soak-ways and other places.

“We believe by the end of the transition to the new currency, the remaining trillions will be back in the banking sector. I think it is very good for the economy.”

Stakeholders in the petroleum downstream sector may have to go back to the drawing board as the recent intervention by the Department of State Security has disrupted market trends that has seen the pump price of Petroleum Motor Spirit steadily rise above the official price of N179 per litre.

LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that economic sabotage by marketers is what led the DSS to make an unprecedented intervention in the supply chain of PMS and getting the commitment of several outlets to sell around the clock.

The product is heavily subsidized and the federal government has budgeted more than N3trn for subsidy payments in the 2023 budget. Oil marketers are however still insisting they bear a significant part of the costs in selling PMS at a subsidized rate.

Oil Marketers

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has for months being warning of an imminent increase in the price of PMS and has also faced accusations of hoarding the product to force the increase.

National Operations Controller of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Mike Osatuyi, had recently claimed there has been an increase in depot prices from N165 per litre to N177 and N178 in Lagos, and subsequently, in other parts of the country.

Dismissing accusation of hoarding, marketers have also claimed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company doesn’t have enough stock at hand, which is largely responsible for the scarcity being experienced in most parts of the country.

But the lingering fuel scarcity has been linked to economic sabotage on the part of some major oil stakeholders, LEADERSHIP Sunday investigation has revealed.

This is despite the confirmation by the NNPC on Friday that they have about 1.9 billion litres of fuel at the depot currently.

Highly placed security sources, who spoke to us about the situation, said the problem is actually from the depot down to the marketers and even the fuel stations.

LEADERSHIP Sunday also learnt that the understanding reached between some marketers and the head of Nigeria’s secret police may hinder the resolve of the marketers to forge a common front and make their preferred price the new normal.

The sources explained a situation where some marketers are made to buy fuel at different prices from the original ex-depot prizes and this has led to the difference in pump prices of fuel across the country.

The sources also said another act of economic sabotage is when fuel stations hoard the products and sell secretly to black marketers, who buy at higher prices thereby creating economic problems for motorists, who queue for hours just to get fuel.

All these may have prompted the directive by the Department of State Services (DSS) to oil marketers on Friday that fuel scarcity must end in 48 hours.

The DSS also warned that it will raid all fuel stations and quizz any marketer hoarding fuel, which has led to the lingering fuel scarcity across the country.

This is the outcome of a meeting between the Department of State Services and the NNPC limited, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other major stakeholders in the oil industry.

This is just as IPMAN has threatened to shut down fillings stations across its jurisdictions if federal government failed to address their various challenges affecting day to day business activities of their members.

Addressing journalists at the IPMAN House, Ibadan, Oyo State, after the general meeting of the association, Alhaji Bukola Mutiu, chairman, IPMAN, Ibadan Depot which covers the entire Oyo, Osun and some parts of Kwara and Ondo States, stressed the need for federal government to address all issues affecting members of the association to avert total closure of filling stations by their members.

Bukola said, “At the meeting that we had this morning, we’ve concluded on some certain issues, we are tired of federal government through NNPC, PPMC because they denied us of our rights, as a registered marketers under PPMC, NNPC Ibadan depot

“We are being denied from paying directly into the NNPC purse to get our supply of petroleum products, especially petrol to our various stations. Over six months now we have been denied payment into the NNPC portal, which has led us to go to private depots to buy petrol at outrageous prices.

“As at today, on the 8th of December 2022, the prevailing prices at all the private depots in Lagos ranges from N215/liter to N233/litre without trucks and other expenses, ” he said.

While highlighting the demands Bukola said, “At our meeting today we resolved as following:

“Because of the masses we would have decided to shut down our stations immediately but because of end of the year which entails travelling of the masses, people will travel to celebrate the festive period with their loved ones, we still want to re-emphasize that if government do not do the needful by allowing us to pay into the NNPC portal as marketer to get the official rate of N148:17kb/litre, starting from next week, we will shut down all our stations in Oyo and Osun states.’’

The DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya said the service is ready to take action against any filling stations or marketers, or oil stakeholders who reneged on the agreement reached at the meeting, which would see the disappearance of fuel queue in the next 48 hours.


DSS Gives Marketers 48 Hours To End Fuel Scarcity

The DSS said this was necessary because the Service can not sit back and watch the current scarcity of fuel despite the obvious availability of the product, which could lead to economic sabotage and threat to nation.

The DSS however got commitment from several outlets in the Federal Capital Territory to stay open for 24 hours and sell PMS to motorists.

Filling stations in Abuja, FCT that will operate 24 hours from December 9, 2022. They include NNPC mega stations in Zone 1, Airport Road, Jahi and Zone 4, AA Rano stations in Garki, Katampe, City Gate, Mpape and Nyanya.

Other marketers to sell 24 hours include Danmarna, AYM Shafa, Ardova, Shema and Salbas.

Outside of the FCT, Lagos and Rivers, LEADERSHIP Sunday investigation showed that there is virtually nowhere that PMS sells for less than N240 per litre. The few outlets selling at N179 per litre are owned by the NNPC.

In Niger state, a litre of fuel sells between N179 and N290. Independent marketers, who own most of the stations however sell between N230 and N290 per litre.

Residents of Ekiti State have been groaning under the scarcity of petrol and the increasing fuel pump price of the commodity in the last three weeks or there about.

Before the latest development, major petroleum market were selling between N175 and N180 per litre.

Independent marketers across the state were selling the commodity N195 and N225 per litre.

But since the commencement of the present fuel scarcity, the independent marketers are now selling between N240 and N300, while the major marketers stick to N180 per litre.

The average price of fuel in the state at the moment is pegged at N270 per litre as directed by the special task force set up by the state government to look into the issue of fuel scarcity in the state.

The northeast has been one of the hardest hit regions by the scarcity of petroleum products. Queues of vehicles in some petrol stations are gradually resurfacing in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital

An investigation carried out by Leadership Sunday showed that, in most of the petrol stations where the product is available, a litre is sold for above the official pump price of N185. It is sold at an average of N270 per litre.

In neighboring Gombe, the price of petrol is on the rise in even as the commodity is extremely scarce. Currently, the commodity is sold from N275 to N280 per litre in several filling stations in the state.

In Adamawa state, it is no different as petrol station visited by our correspondent showed motorists are paying through their nose. A litre of petrol is sold at N270.00 as motorists spend night on queue waiting to get the commodity at NNPC filling stations at government approved price.

Fuel plump price in Borno State varies on individual marketers. In some of the petrol stations visited in Maiduguri, the state capital, prices are fixed between N290, 280 and 270, while the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC ) sells at N189.

The same thing is happening in parts of the northwest. The situation at present has stations above the official price. And the pump price in Kebbi state is the same in other states in the part of the country.

Most of the popular filling staions visited by our correspondent, like A. A. Rano, Zumunchi, Shafa and Total along President Muhammadu Buhari way in Birnin Kebbi metropolis are selling at N280, N260 and N215 per litre respectively.

A litre of fuel, where available within Sokoto metropolis is sold at an average cost of N270. At the outskirt, it is sold for N300 a litre.

According to findings LEADERSHIP Sunday, the price of PMS may be highest in the outskirts of Kaduna, where a litre of PMS is as high as N350 in some stations. In Kaduna metropolis, many fueling stations were selling a liter of petrol at N250, while others at N230 per litre to motorists.

In Akwa Ibom, the price of PMS is pegged at N250 per liter and N240 by major marketers like NNPC, Forte Oil, Rain Oil and others, forcing transport operators to jack-up fares by 100 percent. Checks by our correspondent revealed this at the weekend.

The pump price of premium motor spirit (PMS) in Rivers State sells between N179 and N240 in different filling stations across the state.

While outlets operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) sell at N179:00 per litre, private filling stations sell at between N180 and N240 per litre.

Tinubu had been captured on sessions where he struggled to reply coherently to questions amid reports that he was “very tired and exhausted.”


The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has “quietly” returned to Nigeria from London, the United Kingdom, and cancelled his trip to the United States.

Tinubu had been in the UK since last Saturday where he addressed the Chatham House, London in controversial circumstances, among many other engagements.

Tinubu had been captured on sessions where he struggled to reply coherently to questions amid reports that he was “very tired and exhausted.”

SaharaReporters learnt on Saturday that Tinubu was back to Nigeria but there were no airport ceremonies or photographs released to the public about his return from UK.

“Tinubu has secretly returned to Nigeria. The campaign team did not release any airport ceremonies or photos to the public. This could be due to fatigue on the ailing candidate. Tinubu returned home by 3am this morning (Saturday) without fanfare,” a top source told SaharaReporters.

The APC presidential campaign council had claimed that Tinubu would be embarking on a trip to UK, US and two other countries to campaign.

However after an outing to the UK, Tinubu returned to Nigeria without the usual fanfare.

SaharaReporters had during the week reported that Tinubu was set to embark on foreign trips from December 4.

According to his campaign team, the essence of the trip was for him to meet global leaders regarding his presidential aspiration.

This had been disclosed in a series of tweets posted last Monday by the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

There have been concerns over Tinubu's presidential bid considering his health challenges.

Unconfirmed reports had said in February that Tinubu took a long time to get off the aircraft when he visited Niger State, and that he had to be assisted to get down.

There were also allegations that he had to visit the toilet many times on the flight back to Abuja, which is about 20 minutes.

SaharaReporters had reported that Tinubu, amidst his ambition to succeed Muhammadu Buhari, spent over four months patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the United Kingdom where he underwent several surgeries.

He was flown out of the country some days to Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France.

The APC leader returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after a month absence from Nigeria.

He also went for a medical check-up on Thursday, June 10 to France and was conspicuously absent from the one-day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State.

Tinubu, amidst death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15.

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021.

On August 9, the APC leader had another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, the United States.

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

Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

In August 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he underwent a second surgery in the United States.

Upon his return in October, Tinubu confirmed that he underwent surgery on his right knee as well as rigorous post-surgery physiotherapy on the said knee during his medical trip abroad.

A vice-president of the EU has been arrested as part of a corruption probe linked to World Cup holders Qatar, it was announced on Friday.

Belgian police arrested Greek socialist MEP Eva Kaili, 44, one of the vice-presidents of the European Parliament, in Brussels on Friday evening, a source close to the case told AFP.

The arrest, in connection with an investigation into corruption implicating World Cup hosts Qatar, follows the detention of four other suspects earlier on Friday, said the source.

This is said to include Ms Kaili’s partner Luca Visentini, 53, who is the current head of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Kaili, who is the partner of one of the four people arrested earlier today, was detained for questioning by the police, the source added.

It is understood that all four of those originally arrested are Italian citizens or of Italian origin.

Belgium’s federal prosecutor announced the earlier arrests after 600,000 euros in cash was discovered when police raided 16 addresses raids in the capital Brussels.

The prosecutors did not specify the identities of the suspects or name the country involved, saying only that it was a ‘Gulf’ state.

But a source close to the case confirmed press reports that it was focused on suspected attempts by Qatar to corrupt an Italian Socialist who was a member of the European parliament from 2004 to 2019.

The State Security Service, SSS, at a meeting with oil marketers and other stakeholders have resolved to address the challenges of fuel scarcity and lingering queues at filling stations within 48 hours.

The Public Relations Officer of SSS, Dr Peter Afunanya said this on Thursday in Abuja while briefing newsmen at the end of a meeting with petroleum distribution stakeholders.

He said the meeting was attended by representative of the SSS, NNPC Limited, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and other stakeholders.

Mr Afunanya said part of the resolutions reached was that the NNPC would provide fuel at normal and affordable official rate to all marketers.

He said the meeting also resolved that marketers who operate depot would work on a 24-hour basis to ensure adequate supply of fuel in the country.

According to him, it was also agreed that the SSS will ensure protection and provision of security to all marketers and their products across the country while moving oil products.

Mr Afunanya said the DSS would take action against any filling station, marketer or oil stakeholder that reneged on the agreement reached at the meeting.

He said the meeting was called to address the challenges of fuel scarcity, adding that the DSS would not sit back and watch the current scarcity persist despite availability of the product.

The DSS spokesman said the lingering fuel scarcity could lead to economic sabotage and threat to national security, if not properly handled.

He said plans were concluded by the SSS to raid all fuel stations and quiz any marketer found hoarding petroleum products.