₦airaland Forum

FIVE governors of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) led by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike have given the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar conditions he must meet before they can support him in the 2023 general election.

A highly placed source told Daily Sun that the PDP standard bearer is seriously under pressure to succumb to their demands few days after the flag off of campaigns by political parties.

The governors in Wike’s camp include those of Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Benue, Samuel Ortom; Oyo, Seyi Makinde and Abia, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Daily Sun learnt that following a meeting by the governors at the weekend in Enugu, there is renewed tension among leaders of the PDP over the protracted crisis in the opposition party in the run-up to the 2023 general election.

Our source confirmed that the resolve of Wike’s group that the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu must be replaced with a Southerner before they could participate in the PDP presidential campaign is unsettling a lot of party leaders.

He said that well meaning members of the party were mounting pressure on the PDP standard bearer to succumb to the demands of the G5 governors so the party does not prosecute next year’s election as a divided house.

This comes as the crisis rocking the opposition PDP over recent corruption-related accusations apper to have nosedived, as the national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu; national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; and deputy national chairman, North, Umar Damagum have been given a 48-hour ultimatum to resign or face legal action.

The threat followed a resolution by the Forum of PDP candidates and aspirants, which passed a vote of no confidence in the three officers.

They’ve also petitioned the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party on the unanimous demand of candidates for the resignation the above-mentioned officers.

The candidates who gathered and held brainstorming session in Abuja, also alleged that the leadership of the party extorted several aspirants during the congresses, primaries and national convention of the party. It claimed after primaries, the leadership swapped the names of candidates with the names of persons who did not win.

They pointed out that these “underhand actions of the leadership of the party are largely responsible for the nullification by the courts of the governorship primaries in Zamfara State and all primaries held in Ogun State, while noting that many more are still pending in Court.”

Chris Ogbu, who presided over the session as the Forum Coordinator and House of Assembly Candidate, also read the communiqué. He was flanked by Dauda Yusuf, the Forum’s Secretary and former governorship aspirant as well as several other members.

He demanded Ayu, Anyanwu and Damagum step down immediately or sacked by the party within 48 hours or face legal action to force them from office which will commence on Wednesday.

The candidates/aspirants said that by Ayu allegedly sharing money paid as nomination forms instead of utilising it for the prosecution of the historic 2023 election of the party, was very provocative and indicting on the image of the party.


•Crisis’ll soon be over –Jibrin, ex-BoT cºhair

The immediate past chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin has said the ongoing intra-party crisis in the party should be seen as a normal family matter, which would soon be resolved.

Jibrin, a Second Republic lawmaker however, advised members of the party not to see themselves as above the provisions of the Constitution of the party, adding that every member must respect and obey the Constitution.

In a statement, yesterday, Jibrin called on members of the party to put aside their political differences to work for the victory of the party in the forthcoming general elections.

“All organs of the party must therefore create oneness and greatest positions of the party. All our elders, leaders, youths and all women of the party must talk with one voice and must never create any division from now on, and within the NWC.

“It is important that PDP remains calm and strong; talk with one voice, and remain focused to follow the path and objectives of the party. And to make sure all the elections are won in 2023, especially winning of the Presidential Election, and encouraging, voting for Atiku Abubakar to become the President of Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, a source close to the Wike camp told Daily Sun that the five governors at their Enugu meeting insisted that there is no going back on the sack of the national chairman as a condition for their participation in the PDP presidential election.

Also reacting to the development, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee ( NEC), who is pro- Ayu told Daily Sun that Wike and his men are unrelenting in the demand that the national chairman must be replaced before they would support Atiku in next year’s elections.

The NEC member added that the former vice president has not said Ayu should not be replaced but that due process must be followed.

The Enugu meeting came on the heels of a meeting between Wike and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja, last Thursday, where the former president reportedly appealed to the Rivers governor to reconsider his stance on contentious issues.

The five governors, as well as other notable leaders of the party have been on warpath with the PDP, in the aftermath of the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively.

Repeated efforts to resolve the crisis have failed, with the Wike camp withdrawing from the PDP Presidential Campaign Council pending the removal of Ayu as national chairman.

Last week, five loyalists of the Rivers governor in the PDP National Working Committee ( NWC) returned over N100 millon paid to them as housing allowance by the party leadership. A move, inside sources said is part of a grand plot to pile pressure on the national chairman to vacate office, ahead of the 2023 polls.

By Dayo Johnson, Akure


The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reportedly struck a last-minute power-sharing deal with the Southwest to shore up support for its presidential candidate, Abubarkar Atiku, in the region.

A top member of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, who spoke with Vanguard in confidence, said that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in a new regime of concessions, “has agreed that Southwest should produce the next Senate President.

“Also, to give further bite for a possible inroad into the southeast, the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has been zoned to the region.”

Recall that the new development is coming on the heels of the boycott of the inauguration of the Presidential Campaign Council by prominent leaders of the PDP from the Southwest.

Also, there is the alleged financial scandal in the party with the return of funds by some National Working Committee members. Read it HERE.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, who is the only PDP governor from the southwest, alongside other influential leaders, had stayed away from the unveiling of the council which coincided with the launch of books in honour of Atiku.

The source, a former member of the party’s NWC, admitted to Vanguard that the coincidence of the two developments, boycott of the campaign Council and the return of the funds, was disturbing to the party.

According to him, “to say that the issues are not disturbing is to be delusional; the coincidence was shocking and meant to destabilise us, but we will overcome.

“The national chairman had to cut short his medical leave and return so that the issues could be addressed because the development has really affected the southwest more.

“And quite frankly, Ayu, our presidential candidate and a few others have met over the weekend to review earlier power equations and permutations in order to strengthen weak areas.

“For instance, earlier before now, the plan was for the SGF to come to the southwest with the Speakership going to the southeast.

“But from all indications, the southeast power brokers within the party are more interested in the position of the SGF.

“Incidentally, those of us who believe in the Atiku Presidency is of the opinion that the party must review its earlier stance of zoning the Senate President slot to the northwest.

“So at it is now, it is the southwest that will produce the next Senate President because the earlier position of northwest would have empowered a section too much; there must be balance.”

A 42-year old married man, Talabi Oluwaseyi Samuel, fainted at the Ejigbo Magistrates Court premises in Lagos State as he was arraigned over his inability to pay N70,000 hotel bills and for sex with a lady for three days.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that Samuel sIumped, became unconscious and was heard saying that the hotel management has exposed his adulterous life as his wife would know he had been cheating her over the years.

The suspect, Samuel was said to have taken a lady, Becky Alaneme, to Mayoral Hotel located at Aminu Ajibade Street, Unity Estate in Idimu, lodged with her for days without paying both her service charge and for lodging accommodation and wanted to escape.

However, the hotel manager held him and contacted the Police at Idimu Division. He was subsequently arrested and detained at the station for interrogation over the conduct.

During interrogation, it was discovered that he was owing over N70,000 for the bills he had incurred and was asked to pay the bills and the lady, Becky, for her services. He refused and claimed that he had no money to settle the bills.

The Police equally made every efforts to resolve the matter and even asked him to contact his family but he refused to do so.

He was then taken to the Court to be arraigned for conduct likely to cause breach of public peace.

When the bus, which brought him to the Court was about the drop him, he shouted and slumped inside the Courtroom to the surprise of the litigants and Court officials present, who thought initially that he was pretending in order to escape arraignment.

He was on the floor of the Court room for several minutes when the Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. K.A. Ariyo, came to sit and ordered his remand in Police custody pending when he will be ready to be arraigned for the alleged offence.

By Joseph Adeiye


A number of people have reacted to a video showing Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, storming out of a dialogue between government officials and the executive members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Saturday.

The video shows select members of the House of Representatives and some government officials exchanging ideas with the ASUU representatives led by Emmanuel Osodeke, their president.

At a point, the dialogue became heated between Ngige and Osodeke. Ngige claimed that Osodeke had said that the APC government of Muhammadu Buhari failed tertiary institutions and the ruling party be voted out.

As Osodeke denied Ngige’s claims, the minister stood up and left the meeting before it reached a conclusion, and some social media users have criticised him for “assaulting” Osodeke as he left.

CLAIM: Ngige physically assaulted ASUU president while storming out of a meeting.

“Did you see Ngige, a Minister physically assaulting the ASUU President? As if it was not ridiculous enough for him to walk out of the meeting. So disgusting to watch!” Yemie Fash, a communications strategist, tweeted on Sunday.

Kawa Garba, a social media influencer, also claimed that Ngige slapped Osodeke.

“In a heated argument, Chris Ngige angrily slapped ASUU president & walked out of the negotiation table presided by the honorable speaker, House of Representatives, but social media is quiet, and nobody condemns it. Just imagine if it’s the other way around,” Garba wrote on Saturday.

VERIFICATION: FIJ reviewed the dialogue and confirmed Ngige left the meeting angrily. Ngige addressed Osodeke with the least affection possible and tapped him on his back thrice as he approached the open door.

CONCLUSION: Ngige tapped Osodeke on his back three times with an open palm. While Osodeke seemed to immediately resist Ngige’s touch, it was evident neither meant violence.

VERDICT: The claim that Ngige physically assaulted Osodeke at the dialogue is false and misleading.

by Christiana Nwaogu

The widow of Dickson Dike, the first outrider to the Commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who died in a fatal crash while attempting a stunt on Wednesday night, has been offered a compassionate appointment.

Announcing the proposed offer to Mrs Peace Adaeze Dickson Dike, mother of two children, during a condolence visit to the family of the late officer in Mararaba, Nasarawa State, the Civil Defence boss, Ahmed Audi, said the decision was to enable her replace and refill the void left by her husband.

The CG who also promised to shoulder all the burial expenses of the late Dickson, said he will ensure that his life Insurance and burial benefits are paid as quickly as possible.

He said, “I championed the payment of insurance benefits to personnel when I came on board as the Commandant-general in 2021 and Dickson’s case will not be an exception. Madam, please be comforted, we will try our best, we will not leave you alone but assist you during this trying period.”

He described Dickson as a hero, who died in active service.

Recall that the late Dickson Dike, an Assistant Superintendent of the Corps 1, died at about 8pm on Tuesday night after he lost control while while displaying stunts before the CG’s residence, just after attempting a U-turn to join the rest of the convoy, but missed the brakes and ran into a concrete pavement beside the CG’s gate.

He was said to have died on the spot due to severe head injury he sustained, which also broke his neck.

The late Dickson Dike hailed from Udi local government area of Enugu State. He was born on October 23, 1989.

Audi, who wept profusely when he led some top management staff on the condolence visit to Dike’s widow , said, “Dickson was a very proud and committed Civil defender who didn’t joke with his job during his lifetime.”

Audi, in a statement by the Corps spokesman, DCC Olusola Odumosu, added that, “Dickson’s death has left many personnel of the Corps, admirers, colleagues, including top management staff, as well as myself in rude shock and disbelief. In fact, we can’t believe that he is no more.”

He described Dickson as a very intelligent, dedicated, hardworking, loyal and committed officer who occupied a very special place in his heart.

“Dickson was a very fine officer, he was dedicated and never said no to work anytime he was called upon, he loved his powerbike, he had passion for the job, he would be greatly missed.

“His humility, dedication and loyalty gave him a very special place in my heart, he was very close to my family, so, if there is anyone that is deeply touched by his death, it’s me,” the CG stated.

“He was a true hero and he died in active service, only God knows why he took him, nonetheless, we are with you in this struggle.

“We will take care of you and the children, we will extend our gestures to you to give you solace.

“I will ensure that his space is not left vacant, you are going to replace him and this will help you to continously fend for yourself and the children,” Audi told the widow.

The president of Civil Defence Officers’ Wives Association (CDOWA), Hajia Aishat Audi, who accompanied her husband, also comforted the deceased’s wife and assured her of support.

She said: “I know how it feels to lose a loved one, talk more of a husband, I want to encourage you to be strong because of these beautiful children and God will see you through.

“Yes, It is painful that he left this sinful world at a time when you needed him most but be rest assured that we will keep you and the children in mind.”

Responding, Mrs Dickson expressed appreciation to the NSCDC CG, who came in the company of his wife, and top management staff of the Corps, for the condolence visit and love shown to her husband even in death.

She said that the death of her husband has created a huge vacuum in her life and he will be greatly missed.

By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin

Police have recovered two decomposed bodies of ladies, inside the office of the Chief Medical Director of a government hospital in Kwara state.

One of the carcasses of the decomposed female bodies was found buried underground inside his office, while the other one was found inside a trash bin.

The suspected former Chief Medical Director of Kiama General hospital, Kiama in Kaiama Local government area of Kwara state, Dr Adio Adeyemi Adebowale now in Edo State has been invited vire the State police command and is now facing prosecution in Kwara state.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the suspect reportedly told the police during interrogation that the victim simply identified as Ifeoluwa was his girlfriend, and that he killed her and dumped her in a bush in Alapa in Asa local government area of Kwara state before it was later traced to his office.

The police following a series of investigations later led the suspect to his office in Kaima General hospital, where they found the office tiles to be freshly done, they suspected foul play and therefore removed the tiles.

The police investigation team and members of the community present were shocked to find the decomposed body of the CMD’s former girlfriend, Ifeoluwa buried underground after the tiles were removed.

Other items recovered in the detained doctor’s office include two telephone handsets found in the handbag of one of the ladies, all found in the doctor’s drawer.

There were also two female handbags, a female wig, a veil and a female pants found in the office

Vanguard also gathered, reliably that Ifeoluwa was declared missing by her relatives in the Tanke area of Ilorin, Kwara state since November last year before he was discovered buried inside the former CMD office.

The second kidnapped victim Nofisat Halidu found inside the trash bin, had been declared missing by their husband Mr Halidu in Kaima since November 22, 2021.

Contacted, Spokesman of Kwara State police command, Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the incidents.

Okasanmi said in a statement on Sunday that On assumption of office, Mr Paul Odama as commissioner of police Kwara State, while going through some petitions written by some citizens, a particular case struck the CP regarding a reported case of one missing lady by name Nofisat Halidu ‘F’ in Kaiama, Kaiama Local government area of Kwara State, on 21/11/2021.

“The CP immediately ordered the setting up of a high-powered investigation team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the State CID, to unravel the mystery surrounding the kidnap case and other unresolved cases before his assumption of Office.

“Based on the CP order, the investigation into the cases began on Friday, working on a lead provided by the arrest and confession of one Dr Adio Adeyemi Adebowale.

“Investigation of the cases are still progressing and we will bring the development to the notice of the public as soon as possible. After investigation, then follow prosecution “he stated.

By Bakare Majeed


Mark Gbillah, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Gwer East/Gwer West federal constituency of Benue State, says he has instituted a suit against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for listing him as the candidate of two political parties.

In the list released by INEC on 20 September, Mr Gbillah was listed as a senatorial candidate of the Labour Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party for Benue Northwest (Zone B) senatorial district.

Mr Gbillah, while briefing journalists on Friday at the National Assembly, said INEC erroneously listed him as the candidate of the two parties, despite withdrawing as the candidate of the NNPP as provided by the Electoral Act adding that he subsequently joined the Labour Party, where he participated in a primary election for his senatorial district.

He explained that he has instituted a case against the electoral umpire to address the duplication of his name on the lists of the two parties.

At the briefing, Mr Gbillah provided his resignation letter from the NNPP and his withdrawal as senatorial candidate from the party. Both letters are dated 5 July.

The lawmaker also presented an affidavit he deposed to at the Federal High Court, Abuja, stating his withdrawal as the candidate of the NNPP.

Furthermore, Mr Gbillah provided the report of INEC that monitored the primaries that produced Ako Francis as the candidate of NNPP for the Senatorial District.


Position of the law on withdrawal

The Electoral Act 2022 makes provisions for the withdrawal of a candidate and the conditions for such withdrawal.

Section 31 of the Act provides that “a candidate may withdraw his/her candidature by a notice in writing signed by him and delivered personally by the candidate to the political party that nominated him for such election and the political party shall convey such withdrawal to the commission not later than 90 days to the election.”

However, Section 115(1) (d) of the Act provides that any person who signs a nomination paper or result form as a candidate in more than one constituency at the same election commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment.”


I remain candidate of LP

Commenting on being a double candidate, Mr Gbillah said he cannot be responsible for the inability of NNPP to replace him as a candidate.

“While it is true that INEC’s publication on 20th September 2022 of the list of National Elections (Presidential, Senate and House of Representatives) candidates for the 2023 general elections indicated my name as the candidate for both Labour Party and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) for the Benue North-West Senatorial District Elections, this publication was erroneous and without my knowledge and I have since initiated necessary legal action against INEC and NNPP in order to correct this grievous error which is alleged to have occurred because of NNPP’S inability to upload the name of their replacement candidate to the INEC portal within the timeline provided by INEC,” he said.

Mr Gbillah disclosed that “Labour Party rescheduled senatorial primaries for Benue North-West Senatorial District held on 11th July 2022 where I was returned elected unopposed as the Labour Party candidate for the election.”

When contacted via text message, Rotimi Oyekanmi, the spokesperson of INEC’s Chairman, promised to get the position of INEC across to PREMIUM TIMES but had not done so at the time of filing this report.

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Chief Benson Udo Ekpo, Village Head of Ikot Akpan in the Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State.

Ekpo was arrested in connection with the alleged killing of cows belonging to Fulani herders by people in his community.

The spokesman for the state police command, Mr Odiko MacDon confirmed the arrest of members of the community but said he would not differentiate one arrested person from another.

MacDon added that the police commissioner, Olatayo Durosinmi had ordered an investigation into the matter.

MacDon, who spoke in an interview with journalists on Thursday, said, “We have received such reports that some cows were slaughtered in the community. Cow meats were found in some homes in the village. Some persons have been arrested. I don’t know whether the Village Head is one of them.”

“We also received a report that one person is missing. That is why police swung into action and arrested the people and they are in our custody. We have commenced preliminary investigation into the matter to ascertain all the allegations,” he added.

Vanguard reports that residents have denied killing the cows, adding they only chased away herdsmen and their cows from their community for invading farms and destroying crops, which the police command had allegedly ignored.

A youth leader of the community, Aniefiok Amos said the herdsmen invaded their community on Tuesday with their cows, destroying cassava, yams and other crops before some youths chased them out of the area.

Amos said, "On Tuesday, we saw herd of cows that invaded our farms in the Ikot Akpan village, destroying crops. All we did was pursue them and they ran to the neighbouring village. So what happened to the cows when we left them in another village, we don’t know.

"We have to protect our, farms and crops. But we were surprised as the police arrested our respected Village Head, Chief Benson Udo Ekpo for an offence he never committed. We learnt that other persons have also been arrested in the village in connection with the matter.”

Another youth, Abasi Akpakpan said the Village Head was wrongly arrested by the police.

He called for a thorough investigation into the matter but urged the police to release the village leader first.

Akpakpan advised the state police command to release the Village Head, saying, “We want the police to release our Village Head first and then continue with their investigation. They should also visit the farms the Fulani herdsmen destroyed with their cows and equally arrest them.”

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, did not transmit a protest letter to the party’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to withdraw the list of Presidential Campaign Council.

Secretary of the Campaign Council, James Faleke had on Friday last week released a 422-member list of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council with President Muhammadu Buhari as chairman.

But a letter purportedly written by the APC National Chairman said the list was not approved by the NWC and should be withdrawn.

Reacting in a statement on Thursday, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, said the party was united.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a ‘draft’ letter in circulation purportedly written by His Excellency, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of our great party, addressed to His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of our great party, expressing dissatisfaction over the recently released list of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

“To be clear, the ‘draft’ letter did not emanate from the party. An unsigned letter that marks itself as a ‘draft’ cannot and should not be attributed to its purported author.

“The National Chairman of our party and our presidential candidate maintain cordial and effective communication channels, and enjoy full liberty of open and frank conversations on matters of interest to the party and our presidential campaign. As such, an unsigned ‘draft’ letter of the kind in circulation is patently unnecessary and of no qualitative value to engagement between the party and the PCC.

“We will not be distracted by the wishes and actions of detractors that wait gleefully but in vain for some kind of crisis to erupt between the Party and the PCC. We stand united, as a party, in our resolve and commitment to execute a focused and issue-driven campaign to persuade Nigerians to renew our mandate in next year’s general election.”

Governor Akeredolu claims FG have granted AK47 permit to Katsina security outfit.
Fact-Check: Did the Nigerian Govt Approve AK47 for Katsina Security Outfit?

Claim: Ondo Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has accused the Federal Government (FG) of approving AK47 Rifle for Katsina based security outfit.

[b]Full Text: [/b]Reacting to a video showing newly inaugurated Katsina security outfit armed with rifles while parading and singing, Governor Akeredolu criticised federal government for running two systems by not approving sophisticated weapons for western security outfit (Amotekun).

Akeredolu noted that denying Amotekun the rights to legitimately bear arms is a repudiation of the basis of true federalism which he had been clamoring for.

“That Katsina was able to arm its state security force, with the display of AK47 means we are pursuing one country, two systems solution to the national question.

“If the Katsina situation conferring advantages on some, in the face of commonly faced existential threats, it means that our unitary policing system, which has failed, is a deliberate method of subjugation which must be challenged.”

The statement announced that the Ondo government, under the doctrine of necessity, “have decided to fulfil its legal, constitutional and moral duty to the citizens of the State, by acquiring arms to protect them.”

Verification: Investigations by PRNigeria reveals that the Nigerian Fire Arms Act (1990) provides that no person shall have in his possession or under his control any firearm or ammunition except such person has a license from the President or from the Inspector General of Police.

Similarly the Nigeria Police Force clearly states that “No license will be given or recognized in respect of prohibited firearms and ammunition except if granted by the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon the recommendation of the Inspector General of Police.”

The same goes for fire arm manufacturing, only the Inspector – General of police can grant a license to make and repair fire arms in Nigeria, however such persons must be duly documented and registered.

Meanwhile, a top Presidency official said that only the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) is authorised to issue licences for importation of sophisticated weapons and other controlled items.

PRNigeria, therefore, contacted the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on the matter and a source who pleaded anonymity responded as follows: “ONSA has never issued any End Users Certificate (EUC) to any state or group or private individual to acquire and import sophisticated weapons. Meanwhile, only statutory security forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are authorised to possess such highly graded sophisticated assault weapons.”

The source therefore referred PRNigeria to ONSA’s end-user certificate portal https://euc.nsa.gov.ng/ which provides access to members of the general public applying for End-User Certificate (EUC) for importations of controlled items and products into Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Katsina State police command has denied that the state vigilante was given the approval to obtain AK-47 rifles saying they were only trained to defend themselves against bandits who used the rifle to commit crimes. It emphasised that there is no member of the vigilante in the state that is using AK-47.

“The vigilantes were trained on other arms and combat maneuveres. It is not that they were given a license or that the federal government has approved that they should use AK-47 rifles. They were just trained on how to defend themselves,” the statement said.

Also, the Presidency has said none of Nigeria’s 36 states has its authorisation to procure weapons for their security outfits.

“Only the Office of the National Security Adviser can issue such authorisation, upon proper clearance by the President and Commander-in-Chief and as it is at this moment, no such approvals have been issued to any state government,” the Presidency said in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Conclusion/Verdict: Findings by PRNigeria reveals that the President and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in coordination with ONSA has never issued any End Users Certificate (EUC) to any state or group or private individual to acquire and import sophisticated weapons. Claims by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu that the Federal Government has approved AK47 Rifle for Katsina based security outfit is therefore FALSE.

Supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi under Youth in Diaspora Coalition on Wednesday promised to shock Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai by way of organising “Peter Obi one massive march” in Kaduna this Saturday.

El-Rufai had via his social media handle a few weeks ago doubted the possibility of the labour party flag-bearer to get up to 200 people to declare their support for him in the State.

Addressing newsmen on the sideline of the. distribution of branded aprons and sensitisation exercise for market women, men and youths in Sabo market in Chikun local government area and Station market in Kaduna South local government area of the state, leader of the group, Ms. Jemima Ebiega assured that all is set for the march in support of Peter Obi.

To her, men, women and youths from different parts of the state would be converging in Kaduna-South from where the march would kick start and then proceed to the heart of the city based on responses they’re getting from these groups of ‘supporters’.

“People are already tired because the economy is harsh on them and virtually all Kaduna residents have been grossly affected in one way or the other with insecurity problem in the State.

“We are distributing hundreds of aprons to traders and the essence of the material is to enable the market men and women to identify the LP logo during the election.

“You can see how happy these market people who are the real voters are when we share these aprons to them. This is a good omen for us ahead of our rally this Saturday.”, she said.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

Two persons were feared killed and many injured in a fracas between members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Iyana-Iba along Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The fight made many commuters scamper for safety.

The Nation learnt the fracas was due to the control of a newly created park by RTEAN members.

The park is tagged Under Bridge at Iyana-Iba in Ojo.

Vehicles and other properties have been destroyed by the warring factions.

According to a commercial bus operator, the fracas is between Goroso and Students factions.

“Goroso and Students are members of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN). The crisis is over who controls the new park created Under Bridge at Iyana-Iba, Ojo area. Many people have been injured and two persons dead,” he said.

According to him, commercial bus operators have stopped working to avoid damage to their vehicles.

Another commercial bus operators affirmed that it was a fight between RTEAN members.

“Those fight over new park are loyalists of Seyi Bamgbose (aka Students) and Kazeem Goroso. We can’t work now because some vehicles have been destroyed already,” he said.

A soldier attached to the Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment in Tungan-Maje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) for allegedly hiring out and selling guns to kidnappers.

City & Crime learnt that the operation that led to his arrest was carried out last week around Dankogi Park in Zuba in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in the area.

A vigilante source told City & Crime that the DSS from Gwagwalada office sought the assistance of the local security group in Zuba to arrest the suspect based on previous arms deal allegations against him.

“It was learnt that the suspect, in the first deal, had allegedly hired out a gun for a kidnap operation for N300,000.

“Then in the second instance, they contacted him for another deal and he demanded N200,000 which the kidnappers allegedly paid, but he failed to produce the gun.’’

The source said when the kidnappers, who have been in the DSS custody, made the allegation against the soldier, a sting operation was planned against him.

“So they contacted him for another deal to supply them with AK-47s to buy at the cost of N3 million.

“We went to the agreed site on the delivery day here in Zuba, and took position. He arrived at the scene in his car to present the arm, and that was the time we came out and caught him with the gun well wrapped.’’

The source further informed our reporter that an AK-47 rifle, as well as a fully loaded magazine with 30 rounds of ammunition, was found inside one of the safe compartments of his car.

“We drove him to our office where a document was signed with the DSS and handed him over to them,’’ the source added.

It was further learnt that army officials from the headquarters in Abuja met the vigilantes in their Zuba office the next day where they took their statement on how the operation was carried out.

Some retired military officers, on Monday, defied early morning downpour to stage the third phase of their protest at the headquarters of Ministry of Defence, Abuja.

The protesters lamented the non-payment of their Security Debarment Allowance, among others.

The aggrieved protesters, joined by some relatives of the deceased personnel, blocked access road to the Ministry located at Ship House on Olusegun Obasanjo Way in the Federal Capital Territory.

The military veterans under the aegis of the Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces and the Coalition of Concerned Veterans, accused the Minister of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi (Retd), of being insensitive to their plight.

Addressing reporters during the protest, spokesman of the Security, Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, vowed that they would not leave the ministry’s entrance until their demands are met.

He said they had already made arrangement to sleep overnight if the situation warrants.

“We are here alongside our wives and children, and the widows of late military personnel and veterans who died in service, some of whom died fighting Boko Haram terrorists. We’ll be sleeping over at this place until the Minister of Defence, Magashi accede to our demands,” he said.

On his part, the National Secretary of RMNAF, Roy Okhidievbie, who explained that the demonstration was to demand the payment of their security debarment allowance owed them by the Federal Government.

He accused the Minister of refusing to disburse the allowances despite approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We have had meetings with the Defence Minister, Magashi, but he appears to be headstrong, heartless, and unperturbed concerning the grievances of retired military officers, as he never paid nor showed any interest or concern to pay these allowances, especially the Security Debarment Allowance.”

“Interestingly, President Buhari-led administration has approved the payment of this allowance, but Magashi have refused to make disbursements,” Okhidievbie said.

Anna Nanven, whose husband, a Corporal, was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on a military barracks in Borno State, 2015, told our correspondent that she had only received one allowance disbursement since her husband’s demise.

Also speaking, one of the relatives of a deceased personnel, Mrs Nanven said, “My husband was a young man, a Corporal that was killed by Boko Haram terrorists during an attack on the barracks where he worked.

“I now live with his parents, and I bore five kids, three females and two males for him until his demise. The children are aged, 22, 20, 18, 15, and seven years old, and the two eldest, both girls, that are done with High School can’t afford going to the University because I can’t afford their school fee.

“I am pleading that the President, the Minister of Defence, and Nigerian citizens come to our aid. I and my five children are suffering and living in poverty because I can’t afford starting a business, and I have no job.”

Daily Trust had reported that the retired military men in January this year picketed the ministries of finance and defence, as well as National Assembly to press home their demands.

When contacted, the spokesman of the Minister, Mohammed Abdulkadir, directed our correspondent to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ibrahim Kana.

However, several calls to the mobile phone of Mr Kana were yet to be answered, and he was yet to reply to a text message sent to him as at when filing this report.

By Segun Adewole


A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said the introduction of the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the All Progressives Congress is a plan to further create divisions within the north.

He said he and about 40 Christian leaders in the north are working to see that the ticket failed.

Lawal spoke during an interview on Arise TV, monitored by our correspondent on Wednesday.

He said, “The introduction of a Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC or same-faith ticket is a wicked plan to further create divisions within the north. We try as leaders of societies to live as brothers and sisters but this demonic proposition just came out of the blues.

“For all lovers of unity in this country, in the north in particular where we are most affected, this ticket must never succeed. We will make sure we defeat it in such a resounding manner that nobody in his right senses will ever think about it again at least in the near future for our political journey in Nigeria. So we are set on it and we are determined to kill it (Muslim-Muslim ticket). Our people are mobilised, and our people are ready for the election.

“I and Dogara alone aren’t the only ones involved in this. Indeed, we are leaders of groups of about 40 leading Christian politicians in the north. We started work on this years back when we suspected that if a Muslim emerge from the south as the candidate for any of the political parties, there is a risk that what has happened will happen.

“So, while we plan that same-faith ticket of APC should fail, we also believe that we should align with one of the leading political parties that has the chance of winning. Our strategy is that we will not just waste our votes because we want to protest the same-faith ticket of APC, we will like to partner with another group that is more sensible of the Nigerian situation and realised that Nigeria needs harmony, unity and peace.”

By Christopher Oji

Fraudsters have hacked into an old generation bank (namewitheld) stealing a whopping sum of N523,337,100.00 in one day.

Already, the police have cracked the gang that hacked into the bank and arrested two members of the ring. However,the police at Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), where the case is being investigated, said they have stepped up manhunt for other members of the syndicate who are on the run.

According Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), PSFU, SP. Eyitayo Johnson,the fraudsters hit the bank of N523,337,100.00 using the accounts 18 different customers accounts and dissipated same via Unified Payments Interface (UPI), Cash/ATM/POS/Withdrawals and e-transfers.

“The Legal Section of the Police PSFU, Ikoyi-Lagos; headed by CSP. E. A. Jackson, has successfully obtained an order of the Federal High Court siting in Lagos for the Preservation/Forfeiture/Attachment of a net sum of N523,337,100.00 fraudulently transferred by internet fraudsters who hacked a customer’s account domiciled in one of the Old-Generation banks and posted the funds into 18 different accounts in the same Bank before transmitting same to 225 other accounts in 22 banks/financial institutions.

” The coordinated cyber-attack was carried out during the weekend of Saturday April 23,2022, through Sunday April 24, 2022 to the early hours of Monday April 24, 2022 before business opened.

” In the course of the investigation, the sum of N160,287,071.47 has been recovered from different banks; with two suspects arrested, while operatives are following other leads in order to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate”.

He said the suspects would be charged to Court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Commissioner of Police, PSFU,Anyasinti Josephine Nneka, has advised banks and financial institutions on the need to increase their Cyber-Security Surveillance, conduct routine background checks on staff who have login privileges that could be compromised to make banks porous to cyber-attacks. She equally enjoins the public on the need to investigate sources of unexpected inflows into their accounts. Where such funds are found to have been wrongly credited, the recipient should cooperate with their banks and make conscious efforts to reverse/re-route same, as utilizing such funds is a criminal offence.

By Seun Adeuyi


The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday released the final list of candidates eligible to contest the 2023 Presidential election.

The commission had in June released the particulars of presidential candidates and their running mates.

But on Tuesday, INEC published the final list of the presidential candidates. The list contains names of the candidates and their qualifications.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presented Bachelor of Science degree, while his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima presented General Certificate of Education (GCE).

As displayed by the commission, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented Master’s degree, while his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, presented MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) degree.

While Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), presented Bsc as his highest qualification, his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, presented PhD.

Both Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and his running mate, Bishop Isaac Idahosa presented PhD respectively as their highest qualification.

The 36 state governors yesterday commenced a brainstorming session on how to improve their internally generated revenue (IGR) and block tax leakages.

Also, it emerged yesterday that states’ internally generated finances grew by 35 per cent from N1.31 trillion in 2019, to N1.67 trillion in 2021.

The governors also announced a new finance database that would enable them share information on tax reforms in order to improve their internally generated finances.

Addressing governors at a workshop yesterday, at “the 8th IGR Peer Learning Event and Launch of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Public Finance Database,” the chairman of the NGF and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said the essence of the workshop was to find ways to improve tax collection and subsequently improve states’ revenue.

This was just as the Southern Governors Forum yesterday said it received with great relief the news of the resolution of the 19 Northern State Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council calling for the immediate establishment of State Police to address the continued insecurity challenges in the country.

Continuing, Fayemi who spoke at the NGF workshop said: “We have seen total IGR of states grow from N1.31 trillion in 2019, to N1.67 trillion in 2021, and the share of IGR (as percentage of total recurrent revenue) grow from 31 per cent in 2019 to 35% in 2021. While this is good progress, we must not lose sight of the need to sustain and advance the momentum of reforms, considering the decline in FAAC receipts.”

He said the workshop brought back a nostalgic feeling, saying it reminded him of a collective decision they took as governors in 2019, to be deliberate with reforming the tax administrations to become more efficient and effective.

He said consensus reforms were focused on ending multiple taxation; professionalising and modernising revenue services as well as embracing a taxpayer-centric culture that leases taxpayers’ compliance and strengthen the existing social contract.

Fayemi said the pact birthed the State Action Plan for Revenue Generation (SAPRG), whose implementation progress the governors examined with the objective of highlighting what had worked and what they needed to do better to foster an enabling tax environment and administration that allows them to optimise their revenue potential as sub-nationals.

In view of this, the Chairman of the governors’ forum added: “Our pursuit to do things differently has benefitted from the relentless efforts of our state officials, technical assistance programmes within our secretariat and partners’ support.

“Your collaboration and support have ensured we stay the course of implementation, delivering far reaching reforms, which have yielded the results we see today.

“Our renewed effort must take into consideration the emerging dynamics surrounding private income in Nigeria today, including the devaluation effect of the rising inflation rate, structural transition in employment, business dealings and investments, driven by the evolution of technology.

“Beyond the laws and regulations we have passed, we must occasionally by policy respond to the fast-changing tax environment, if we must stay ahead of evasion and avoidance tactics, recognise the need to support our internal revenue services and continue to empower them with the necessary political support and financial resources required for them to execute their mandate effectively,” the Ekiti State governor explained.

On how to improve their revenue base, Fayemi said, “Broadly, we must seek out ways to expand the tax net and improve our taxpayers’ database. This will require ending the proliferation of taxpayers’ identification numbers and databases. It is pertinent we harmonise; leveraging a unique identification number as is global best practice.”

Accordingly, he said, “For us to achieve this, information sharing between jurisdictions must be seamless, not only between the tiers of government but also inter and intra-state. I would like to encourage the Joint Tax Board (JTB) in its pursuit for a plausible solution to this anomaly.”

On strengthening public acceptability of tax collection, he said, “we have improved the transparency not just around tax revenues, but the entire treasury. Today our budgets and audited financial statements are not just publicly available, but also in citizen-friendly versions.

“This will be supported by the NGF Public Finance Database which we will be launching today.

“A database that allows users to easily filter and analyse states’ fiscal data and information. We understand the need to build greater accountability, especially showing citizens the linkage between their taxes and service delivery.

“We are working with our revenue services and other MDAs to expand our tax-for-service initiatives in rewarding compliance while ensuring citizens know where we expend their taxes annually”, the chairman of the governors’ forum stressed.

Speaking further, the outgoing Ekiti State governor said, “I am optimistic about the tax reform journey and believe even within the time some of us have left, we can achieve a lot. As is often said, government is a continuum, so I trust those after us to continue in these reforms and many more, as may be necessary in guaranteeing the fiscal sustainability of our states.”

With this, he said, “I officially launch the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Public Finance Database – Nigeria’s first reference database for State-level public finance data.

“This database reiterates our commitment to fiscal transparency and accountability as well as our resolve to strengthen governance in the country. We welcome your continuous support.”.

In his speech earlier, the Director General of the NGF, Asishana Okauru, said the global finance database was Nigeria’s first open-source database of the fiscal data of the 36 state governments.

He further said the portal would host comparable annual data on government spending, revenues and financing in all states and would feature hundreds of performance indicators that measure the quality of public spending and the intersection of public financial management and service delivery in the country.

Okuaru said the technical sessions of the event would focus on the three primary tax reforms seen as essential for all states – the implementation of state Consolidated Revenue Codes (CRCs), autonomy for tax authorities and tax-for-service programmes.

“These reforms, when properly integrated in the tax administration system, are capable of scaling up effective organisational management, the quality of taxpayer services, taxpayer compliance and tax revenues,” he stated.

Southern Govs Hail Northern Counterparts, Traditional Rules on Call for State Police

Meanwhile, the Southern Governors Forum (SGF) yesterday said it received with great relief the news of the resolution of the 19 Northern State Governors and Northern Traditional Rulers Council to call for the immediate establishment of state police to address the continued insecurity challenges in the country.

The Northern Governors Forum had on Monday, September 12, 2022, met with the Northern Traditional Rulers Council in Abuja, and came out with a resolution calling for the establishment of state police to tackle security challenges in the region and the nation at large.

The SGF reacting through a statement signed by its Chairman, and Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, explained that the decision of the northern governors to support the call for constitutional amendment to reflect the current realities could not have come at a better time than now when the confidence in the capacity of the federal government to secure the country appears shaky.

The statement read: “All patriots must salute the courage of the 19 Northern Governors and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council for their stance at this crucial moment in the country.

“We, on our part at the SGF have continued to reiterate the fact of the incongruity inherent in an arrangement which purports to be federal, nominally, but whose observances stand at variance with the best practices espoused by climes considered advanced and progressing, amenable to nuances and adaptations which reflect and accommodate the yearnings for inclusion of the component units.”

The governors stated that they would continue to insist on the creation of state police as the only logical and pragmatic solution to the pervasive problem of insecurity in the land.

“In addition to this, we shall not fail to renew the call for the adoption of policies geared towards real devolution of powers to the federating units indeed. This is the surest path to peace and progress,” the SGF added.

The Federal Government has hinted at a possible rise in the pay of workers in public service as a result of the downturn in global economies.

The government agreed with Organised Labour that inflation has eroded the purchasing powers of workers who are on the N30, minimum wage.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige gave the hint while speaking at the public presentation of a compendium of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at 40 publication titled: “Contemporary history of working class struggles,” in Abuja on Monday.

The Minister said the adjustment had become imperative to reflect what was happening across the globe.

Ngige said: “The inflation is worldwide, we shall adjust the minimum wage in conformity with what is happening and much more important, the 2019 Minimum Wage Act has a new clause for a review.

“That adjustment has started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) because the stage they are at with their primary employers, the ministry of education, is a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), negotiations.”

The Minister added: “Under the principles of offer and acceptance, which is that of Collective Bargaining, ASUU can say let’s look at the offer they gave us and make counter offer, but they have not done that, if they do that, we are bound to look at their offer, these are the ingredients of collective negotiations.”

The Minister noted that labour created the wealth of any nation as well as the wealth of any family, adding that “if you don’t work, you won’t eat.”

President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo noted that Nigerian workers have been subjugated and oppressed by the ruling class.

He lamented that the current minimum wage of N30,000 couldn’t in the present economic reality pay workers transportation fare to work for a month.

“The value of the N30, 000 minimum wage has been eroded. It cannot take workers to work again,” he said.

Osifo, who noted that the labour movement in the country was one with the sole aim to protect the interest of workers, stressed that if not for the struggle of the founding fathers of the movement in the country, the story would have been different today.

The TUC boss also told the government to recognise the power of agreement.

Former National President of NLC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole advised labour to interrogate those jostling to be president in the 2023 elections on their policies and manifesto as it concerns the economy.

He carpeted Governors who have failed to pay the N30, 000 minimum because of a lack of funds.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors are mounting pressure o their Rivers State colleague, Nyesom Wike, to halt his agitation for the resignation of the national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, it was learnt last night.

The governors, sources said, are pushing for reconciliation between the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and Wike before the commencement of the campaigns on September 28.

The PDP Governors’ Forum Director-General, CID Maduabum, confirmed that the 13-member forum, which met last on June 8 in Abuja, would reconvene at the instance of Atiku.

It was also learnt at the weekend that former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has accepted to be Atiku’s emissary to Wike.

A party source said: “The quest for the PDP presidential to ticket by some of them, which was a legitimate aspiration, was the source of all these reactions and a chain of disruptive events that we have witnessed immediately after the presidential primaries”.

The source expressed optimism that the governors will succeed in convening the meeting because majority of them have accepted in principle to attend.

Maduabum, who confirmed the proposed meeting, said: “Yes, I can confirm to you that moves are being made in that direction and consultations are ongoing to ensure its fruition. We are positive that this will be achieved in a matter of days”.

Many party elders have blamed Atiku and Ayu for failing to take the appropriately steps at the right time to address the post-presidential primary crisis.

According to the source, the party chairman aggravated the crisis with his recent utterances against the governors, which dismissed them as children who were nowhere to be found when the PDP was being formed.

He said: “The national chairman did not help matters with some of his statements because these are the same governors who stood firmly by the party during turbulent times in the past.

“The PDP would have been smothered in the grip of Ali Modu Sheriff as national chairman way back in 2016. It took the bold initiative by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and a few of his colleagues to rescue the PDP from Sheriff’s suffocating grip.

“Most of the people who have taken over the party today, were either in the APC where they went to seek greener pasture, or they simply stood by and watched the degenerating situation from their comfort zones.

“The credit of rescuing the PDP and bringing it back to national reckoning once again, should go mainly to Governor Wike and some of his colleagues who fought the battle up to the Supreme Court to rescue the PDP from the clutches of political hyenas.

“Although Wike too may have his own faults and excesses with his unguarded statements, he has done more good for the PDP than harm. He was at the battle front during the crisis that threatened the very existence of the PDP at the time.”

Also faulting the party chairman’s role in the crisis, another party elder recalled how the crisis has threatened the hitherto cordial relationship between Wike and Benue State Governor Mr. Samuel Ortom.

According to the source, Wike gave Ortom a free hand to nominate a candidate from the Northcentral zone for national chairman ahead of the party’s October 2021 national convention.

The source said stakeholders in the zone had initially penciled down former Senate President David Mark for the job and the choice was about to be sealed before Ortom proposed Ayu for the position.

The source, who is a member of PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) said Ortom took it upon himself to persuade Mark to step down for Ayu. He added that the Benue governor also pleaded with former Senate President Bukola Saraki to accept the choice.

He added: “On three occasions, Governor Ortom made personal visits to Mark to plead for his understanding. Mark, who is not given to such mundane struggles, took things calmly and withdrew from the race.

“Ortom also visited Saraki to get his endorsement. Saraki’s initial objection to Ayu’s nomination at the time was not personal. He didn’t want any candidate from his Northcentral zone to become chairman because of his presidential aspiration then. But Ortom was able to get him to support Ayu in the end.”

The source further narrated how Ayu’s disposition after he became chairman almost strained the relationship between Wike and Ortom, with the Rivers Governor voicing his suspicions about Ortom’s complicity in the chairman’s growing antagonism.

“At a point, Governor Wike actually confronted Ortom at a location in Abuja, accusing him of conspiring with Ayu to sabotage him. Wike was visibly angry at his friend, accusing the Benue Governor of having betrayed him.

“It took the intervention of former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana; a former Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang; and a former Attorney General, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke to pacify Wike during that encounter. Although the two governors are still friends, it’s doubtful if they still enjoy the mutual confidentiality they used to share”, the source said.

Governor Ortom, who is one of the PDP governors loyal to Wike, has joined other stakeholders in moves to ensure the resolution of the crisis through dialogue.

The governor had said that despite the criss, the PDP still stood a chance of reinventing itself and winning the 2023 presidential election.

Ortom had also blamed the PDP leadership for failing to activate the party’s existing conflict resolution mechanism to resolve the rift between Atiku and Wike before the crisis degenerated.

The Federal Government has foregone N16.76tn in revenue to tax reliefs and concessions given to large companies between 2019 and 2021, according to findings by The PUNCH.

As of the end of 2021, 46 companies had benefitted from various tax incentives and duty waiver schemes while the requests of 186 companies were still pending.

These were contained in the tax expenditure statement (TES) reports in the Medium-Term Expenditure and Fiscal Strategy documents posted on the website of the Budget Office of the Federation.

The TES deals with revenue forgone on Company Income Tax, Value Added Tax, Petroleum Production Tax, and Customs Duty.

In the TES report for 2019, it was stated that the Federal Government had forgone revenue of N4.2tn from two main sources, CIT and VAT.

For CIT, the estimated amount of revenue forgone was N1.1tn while N3.1tn was for VAT.

The TES report read, “The most significant conclusion is the large size of Nigeria’s revenue forgone from just two of the main taxes, i.e., CIT and VAT. Nigeria’s non-oil revenue potential is at least twice its current [b]collections.

“The preliminary estimate of revenue forgone from CIT incentives and concessions in 2019 is N1.1tn; for contrast, 2019 CIT collections was N1.6tn. The preliminary estimate of revenue forgone from VAT policy choices and compliance gaps is estimated to be NGN 3.1tn and could possibly be more. It is worth reiterating that revenue forgone from Customs Duty, Excises, Petroleum Production Tax, Personal Income Tax and concessions under the Oil and Gas Zones legislation is still to be computed.”[/b]

According to the TES report, the figure for revenue foregone would likely exceed N4.2tn if there were sufficient data, especially from Customs Duty, Excises, PPT, Personal Income Tax and concessions under the Oil and Gas Zones legislation.

By 2020, the figure rose to N5.8tn, with majority of it coming from revenue forgone under VAT. A breakdown showed that N4.3tn was forgone under VAT; N457bn under CIT; N307bn under PPT, and N780bn under customs duty.

It was also noted that five countries accounted for about 86 per cent of total customs relief, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of total relief granted. Netherlands, Togo, Benin and India were the other top sources of supplies benefitting from the reliefs.

The total figure continued to rise in 2021, hitting N6.79tn, with revenue foregone on VAT accounting for most of it. A breakdown showed that N3.87tn was forgone under VAT, N548.40bn under CIT; N337.70bn under PPT; N1.84tn under customs duty; and N111.15bn under imports VAT.

For the three-year period, therefore, the Federal Government had to forgo a total of N16.79tn in tax reliefs, Customs duty waivers and concessions, according to an analysis by The PUNCH.

Under this figure, tax exemptions covered imported goods covered by diplomatic privileges, military hardware, fuels and lubricants, hospital and surgical equipment, aircraft (their parts and ancillary equipment), plant and machinery imported for use by companies in export processing zones, health and medical supplies to abate the spread of COVID.

Other exemptions included: reliefs on the presidential initiative on COVID-19 supplies, Import Duty and VAT on commercial airlines.

It was also noted that five countries accounted for about 92 per cent of total Customs relief with China accounting for nearly half of the total relief granted. Singapore, Netherlands, Togo, Benin Republic and India were the other top sources of supplies benefitting from the reliefs.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries of the tax reliefs and concessions included Dangote, Lafarge, Honeywell and 43 other major beneficiaries.

As of the end of 2021, 46 companies had benefitted from the tax incentive scheme while the requests of 186 companies were still pending.

They were beneficiaries of the pioneer status tax relief under the Industrial Development Income Tax Act with tax reliefs for a three-year period.

This was contained in the Q4 2021 PSI report released by the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission.

The pioneer status is an incentive offered by the Federal Government, which exempts companies from paying income tax for a certain period. This tax exemption can be full or partial.

The incentive is generally regarded as an industrial measure aimed at stimulating investments in the economy.

The products or companies eligible for this pioneer status are those that do not already exist in the country.

These companies included: Dangote Sinotrucks West Africa Limited, Lafarge Africa Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Jigawa Rice Limited, and Stallion Motors Limited.

Others included: African Foundries Limited, Royal Pacific Group Limited, Kunoch Hotels Limited, Princess Medi Clinics Nigeria Limited, Medlog Logistics Limited, and Masters Liquefied Gas Limited.


Economists back waivers

Economic experts have stressed the role of tax waivers in driving economic growth but questioned the transparency and objective rate of the Federal Government in granting the tax waivers.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr Johnson Chukwu, explained that what was forgone could not be seen as revenue leakages, describing it as delayed gratification which would enable the Federal Government to achieve long-term higher revenues.

He added, “Tax is a fiscal tool and fiscal tools are used to stimulate economic activities or discourage certain harmful or inappropriate economic activities.

“I won’t call the amount as losses unless those tax concessions were not granted with an objective motive and national interest.”

He stressed that there were benefits that would accrue from granting these waivers, noting that they would stimulate the economy.

The Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, also noted that there was nothing wrong with waivers if they were in line with tax policies.

He noted that tax incentives were necessary to encourage investment and the establishment of some pioneer businesses.

He said, “The whole idea of incentives is to grow the economy. When you are growing the economy, you are not only looking at revenue, you are looking at employment and multiplier effects. In the medium to long term, you will get this revenue by the time you are able to grow these investments. It is inappropriate to see it as revenue loss unless the incentive policy itself is discriminatory.”

He stressed that the process should be transparent and seen as an effort by the government to grow the economy.


Waivers discriminatory — Experts

However, some experts are of the opinion that tax reliefs and waivers granted by the government were discriminatory, noting that some of the processes were not transparent enough.

A former President of the National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr Sam Nzekwe, said there was a need for the process of granting certain tax reliefs, import duty waivers and concessions to be transparent.

He said, “The issue here is how transparent it is. The problem we have is who and who are given the tax waivers and how transparent they are. It is good to give tax waivers, especially to pioneer industries to enable them to start.”

For a professor of Economics at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Uche Nwogwugwu, such waivers were naturally discriminatory.

“They fulfil an economic theory that says that the rich man should not be taxed so as to provide jobs for the poor man. If the rich were taxed, the poor would not get jobs, that is what they are applying, which is a negative economic theory.”

He wondered why companies would be selected to benefit from such humongous tax waivers when the country’s revenues were seriously leaking.

He further questioned why the small and medium-scale businesses, which were the real job creators in the economy, were not provided with waivers.

“The SMEs created 59 million jobs as of 2017, which was around 80 per cent of the employment in the economy. The majority who created these jobs were micro businesses, which made up 99 per cent of SMEs group. Many of them are looking for just as little as N50, 000 to expand. Why is our government not looking in this direction?” he queried.

However, the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, noted that tax incentives were crucial in driving investments when properly targeted.

He said, “Tax incentives are not necessarily bad. They can be applied in a manner that benefits the overall economy by encouraging investments in critical areas.

“However, incentives must be properly designed and targeted to be meaningful while the government must periodically review incentive schemes to ensure they are still relevant and provide value for money. For instance, the N16tn tax for the last three years includes VAT exemption on basic food items which is necessary given the level of poverty and rising food inflation.”

He further urged the government to close the non-compliance gap, leverage technology and tax intelligence while ensuring tax harmonisation to boost tax revenue.

“To improve revenue from taxation, the government needs to focus on closing the non-compliance gap, leverage on technology and tax intelligence, while ensuring tax harmonisation both in terms of reducing multiple agencies to a single revenue agency per level of government as well as harmonising multiplicity of taxes,” Oyedele added.


Nigeria ranks low

Nigeria is not in the right fiscal shape as exemplified by its poor tax revenues. The country earned N6.4tn in taxes in 2021, according to the Federal Inland Revenue Service. This represents about $15.433bn.

“The FIRS, in the year 2021 collected a total of N6.405tn in both oil (N2.008tn) and non-oil (N4.396tn) revenues as against a target of N6.401tn,” a statement released by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, in January 2022, had said.

“Non-oil sector contributed 69 per cent of the total collection in the year, while oil sector’s contribution was 31 per cent of the total collection.

“The Service issued certificates for the sum of N147.8bn tax credit to private investors and the NNPC for road infrastructure under the Road Infrastructure Development Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme created by Executive Order No. 007 of 2019,” he added

However, this number was dwarfed by the revenues that accrued to Africa’s second-largest economy in the same year.

South Africa collected $107bn (R1.56tn) in tax revenues in 2021, which was a 25 per cent increase in tax revenues from the 2020 figure, according to the South African Revenue Services.

Personal income tax contributed 35.5 per cent to the figure, while VAT had a 25 per cent share. Similarly, CIT contributed 20.7 per cent while customs duties’ contributed 3.7 per cent, the revenue agency said.

Following the resignation of former Inspector-General of Police Musiliu Smith as the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), real reasons that led to his exit have begun to surface, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.

Although the management, through the spokesman of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, told reporters that Smith resigned on “health ground,” findings by Daily Trust on Sunday, however, revealed that accumulation of a wide range of issues led to his ouster.

Ideally, Smith, who was inaugurated on July 25, 2018, alongside other commissioners, was supposed to lead the commission till July 24, 2023 to complete his five-year tenure in line with the laws that established the organisation.

Other commissioners appointed in 2018 alongside Smith and Ogunbiyi include Lawal Bawa, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (full-time commissioner, North West); Mohammed Najatu (member, North West); Braimoh Austin (member, South South); Rommy Mom, a lawyer (member, North Central) and Dr Nkemka Jombo-Ofo (member, South East).

This newspaper had exclusively reported how Smith was forced to resign during a board meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, after which he was directed to hand over to commissioner 1 and the next in hierarchy, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (retd).

Ogunbiyi, who retired from the Supreme Court, had since assumed office in acting capacity. She is expected to hold sway pending when President Muhammadu Buhari makes a substantive appointment for the commission.

One of the multiple sources who confided in Daily Trust on Sunday said the board meeting discussed the possibility of amending the PSC Act to remove a section which states that a retired Inspector-General of Police be appointed to chair the commission.

“Immediately the meeting started, one of the commissioners said the defining characteristic and mission of the commission was that it is a civilian oversight body, external to the police. This requires the PSC to be independent and impartial. It cannot be either of these if it is headed by a retired Inspector-General of Police.

“This mission is destroyed by appointing a recent or former IGP as chairman of the PSC. After thorough deliberations on these issues, a commissioner advised Smith to step aside, after which another commissioner moved a motion, and he accepted,” the source had said.

With the new development in the commission, where ‘a new lease of life’ is expected to be witnessed, Daily Trust on Sunday spotlights seven controversies that brought an abrupt end to the erstwhile chairman’s five-year tenure.

The controversies are of two main headings, which are: effective application of the commission’s constitutional mandate and issues of the internal running of the commission.

Recruitment

At the peak of several attacks, crimes and other security challenges in 2018, stakeholders, as well as Nigerians, called on President Buhari to inject more manpower into the force.

Shortly after Buhari’s approval during the Federal Executive Council meeting to recruit 10,000 constables every year for four years, the recruitment exercise ran into troubled waters when the police insisted that it had the mandate to recruit.

But the PSC also stood its ground, insisting that it was constitutionally empowered to conduct recruitment for the police.

The insistence by the police, according to members of staff of the PSC, amounted to a usurpation of the commission’s mandate and “blatant and shameful disrespect of the constitution.”

The exercise soon became a subject of litigation, with the police under a former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu winning the first round at a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The ruling of the High Court was later set aside by the Court of Appeal, which declared that the Police Service Commission was constitutionally empowered to conduct the recruitment of police constables.

Promotion scandal

Despite the existence of policies for the processes leading to the promotion of men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), checks showed that the commission continued to abdicate its responsibilities to the police under the Smith-led administration.

The development, according to some commissioners who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday anonymously, resulted to complaints of sharp practices and lopsidedness of opportunities in the NPF.

Checks by our correspondent showed that of all the government employees in Nigeria (including the armed forces and other paramilitary organisations), it is only the personnel of the NPF that do not sit for promotion examinations because there is no law to that effect.

On June 30, this newspaper reported how “undue” promotions given to Ayoola Oladunni and Usman Shugaba, the aides-de-camp to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the First Lady, Aisha Buhari respectively, caused disquiet within the Force.

Both Messrs Oladunni and Shugaba were allegedly promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) from their previous rank of Chief Superintendents of Police (CSP) with the recommendation from the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, without much input from the PSC.

In lucid term, the duo were promoted two steps ahead of their colleagues who joined the Force as ASP. They have remained on the rank of DSP or SP since they joined the Force. This misdemeanour, according to officials of the PSC, is not unconnected with the lackadaisical attitude of the Smith-led administration.

Dismissal of police officers

Recently, Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba dismissed some officers of the Force over misdemeanours capable of bringing the force into disrepute.

The Nigerian Police Force had in July dismissed an officer, Richard Gele, who was justifying extortion in a video clip that had since gone viral on the social media.

The IGP also approved the dismissal of a police officer in the Cross River command, Liyomo Okoi, after he was recently filmed in a viral video beating a civilian with a cutlass on July 31, 2022.

The developments, according to some officials, are some of the main reasons other commissioners and members of staff raised the eyebrow against the erstwhile PSC chairman.

They alleged that the commission had totally abdicated its responsibility in that regard for the police, saying it is only the commission that is empowered to discipline erring officers of the force in line with the 1999 constitution as amend.

Non-regular meeting

In the same vein, some commissioners who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday explained that during the reign of the former IGP as the commission’s boss, their meeting was not up to five times.

The official said, “I don’t think our meeting was up to five times during the tenure of the immediate past chairman. Ordinarily, we are supposed to meet regularly in order to iron out some pertinent issues, but such never happened.

“This issue of recruitment is not supposed to get to this level where workers in the commission would paralyse our activities before attending to their grievances in that regard.

‘”There are many decisions management members were supposed to have made, which were affecting the commission before now, but we didn’t make it because of the former head’s body language. The good thing is that everything appears to have come to an end.”

Amendment of PSC Act

Stakeholders in the commission appeared uncomfortable with some parts of the PSC Act, especially the part which states that a retired Inspector-General of Police should head the agency.

Checks by Daily Trust on Sunday showed that in 2017, prominent among the recommendations of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms was the amendment of the PSC Establishment Act of 2001.

Pages 61 to 71 of the document as obtained recommend that the chairman of the PSC should not be a retired police officer.

Several reasons were given for this recommendation, chief of which is the obvious inability of a former police boss to dispassionately handle the affairs of the commission and the personnel of the police, whom he worked with prior to his retirement.

Alleged fraud and non-completed office complex

Speaking with reporters at a press briefing last week, the chairman of the Joint Union Congress, PSC chapter, Adoyi Adoyi, said workers suspected that funds meant for the completion of their office complex had been mismanaged by the Smith-led administration.

Although Daily Trust on Sunday could not independently verify Adoyi’s claim, he, however, referred our reporter to the permanent site of the commission, located in Jabi in Abuja Municipal Area Council.

He said one of the reasons they passed a vote of no confidence on Smith was because of non-completion of the building despite huge funds earmarked for the project.

“It is quite unfortunate that members of staff from some departments were directed to resume work at the commission’s headquarters in Jabi some weeks ago, but they were turned back by the site engineer, who claimed that the organisation had not fulfilled the essential financial commitments,” Smith said.

Staff welfare

Virtually on a daily basis, workers in the commission lament neglect by the management under the leadership of the erstwhile chairman.

Speaking on the matter, Adoyi said, “As a responsible union, we make bold to state that all the conditions necessary for continuous working harmony have been breached by the management; hence our resort to continue with our agitation until our earlier agreements are fully implemented.

“Following from the above, therefore, the union and the entire staff do hereby serve a notice of indefinite strike to the management, beginning on August 29, 2022.”

PSC to shortlist police job applicants next month

Meanwhile, the management of the PSC says its portal for the application of police constables is still running till September 26, after which the new management will shortlist successful applicants.

Ikechukwu Ani, the spokesman of the commission, in an interview with our reporter on Friday, explained that the recruitment was being done in line with the laws of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

“The portal is still running. The exercise is being done as scheduled. The shortlist will be done after September 26 when the portal must have been closed,’” Ani said.

Scores of armed bandits belonging to the notorious Bello Turji camp have been eliminated, PRNigeria reports.

The bandits were killed during a ‘surprise raid’ by the air troops of Operation Forest Sanity in Zamfara State.

The ‘surprise attack’ of the military troops was carried out by two Nigerian Air Force, NAF, fighter jets, upon receiving credible intelligence..

According to a defence intelligence source, the NAF jets rained their missiles at Fakai area, believed to be the residence of the dreaded Turji, as part of the military counter-offensive operation currently going on in Shinkafi axis.

“At the moment, we can’t give the actual casualty figure,” the source told PRNigeria.

By Salim Umar Ibrahim

The mother of Ummakulsum Sani Buhari, the 23-year-old Nigerian who was killed by her Chinese lover, has broken her silence.

Daily Trust had reported how the victim was killed at Janbulo Quarters in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State on Friday night.

The deceased, who was popularly known as ‘Ummita’ attended Kano School of Nursing and Midwifery. She was buried around 10am on Saturday, according to Islamic rites.

Speaking on the unfortunate incident, the bereaved mother said, “She was my daughter; he (the Chinese man) always comes around wanting to see her and she has been refusing. This time around when he came, he kept knocking on the door. When I was fed up of him hitting the door loudly, I opened the door and he pushed me aside and got in and started stabbing her with a knife.

“I started shouting and people came running. We rushed her to the hospital but before we arrived, she was dead. It happened around 9.30pm. We were at home with her two younger sisters when it happened. Her brother was out and her father is dead. It was raining then, people were indoors and couldn’t hear me shouting until when someone came and tried going in through the window.

“I want the authorities to see to this criminal act. It was long since their love affair ended. She got married and later got divorced. That was when he came back to her life, pressing that he must see her. He used to come in although we don’t like it but he doesn’t understand. We used to chase him out. When I attempted informing the police, my children would refuse and say let’s not take the matter public.

“The man that came to her aid and went through the window; he was the one who caught him and brought him out. He ran off and they chased him and brought him back. He is now with the police. She was my eldest daughter but she has two elder brothers.

“He understands that she doesn’t want to see him. When he calls, she doesn’t pick up. That’s when he decided to invade. He knocked at the door for almost an hour. She was the one who asked me to go and send him away after which he pushed me away upon opening the gate.

“He went straight to her room. He knows where the room is because he used to come in. In most cases, it’s her brother that used to send him away. They first met at Shoprite when she went to buy perfume and they exchanged phone numbers. That’s how they started making out on calls.

“When she got married, they separated until when she was divorced. Her husband suspects they were chatting with him on phone although that was not what led to the failure of her marriage. Of course, she told him that she was going to marry him, but because her paternal uncles saw issues coming, they refused and I agreed with them,” she concluded.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Kano, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa confirmed the incident and promised to provide more information later.

By Linus Oota, Lafia

The Gidan Angalu community in Toto Local Government Area, Nasarawa State was thrown into shock penultimate Tuesday with the ‘resurrection’ of a native doctor at the point of burial two days after he was certified dead.

Fifty-nine-year-old Godwin Ugeelu Amadu had been confirmed dead by doctors at a private hospital at about 6 am on September 5, 2022, following which he was covered up and wheeled into the mortuary as doctors and family members awaited the arrival of his Abuja-based eldest son, Mr. Jacob Amadu.

Since the deceased native doctor was said to have left an instruction with his children that he must be buried not later than three days in the hospital before burial and he must not be embalmed with Formaline, arrangements were said to have been made for his burial two days later.

To the utter shock of Amadu’s children, relatives and sympathisers, however, the native doctor rose from the casket he was kept in as arrangements were being made to take his corpse to the graveyard, causing the crowd that had gathered for his burial to run in different directions.

The ‘resurrection’ of Amadu two days after his ‘death’ turned him into an overnight celebrity as people came from far and near to confirm what had happened.

Sharing his experience in an interview with our correspondent, Amadu, who said he has abandoned his career as a native doctor to become an evangelist, recalled that before his sickness and eventual ‘death’ on September 5, he had enjoyed good health and fully attended to patients who came from far distances to his village.

But sometime in July, he began to feel pains in his chest and legs. He said his legs were swollen and he tried treating himself as a native doctor but there appeared to be no improvement, prompting his two eldest children based in Abuja and one of his daughters based in Lafia to rush him to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi.

At the hospital in Keffi, he was admitted for two weeks after which he was discharged and certified fit. But a week after he returned home, he developed severe chest pain.

He told his children who had gone back to their stations not to take him to the hospital again and also told them repeatedly not to keep his corpse longer than two or three days before burial.

With his condition getting worse, however, his children defied his instruction and returned him to a private hospital in a nearby community where he could get preliminary attention before he would be transferred to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi where he had been treated before. There, doctors battled to save his life before they thought he had given up the ghost and prepared him for burial.

Also speaking with our correspondent, the eldest son, Jacob, who said his father was declared dead while he was travelling from Abuja to see him on his sick bed in Nasarawa State, said: “I got to the hospital at about 10 am on September 5 and the mortician at the hospital wheeled out the trolley containing my father and unveiled his face for me to see, and it was indeed my father.”

“We advised the hospital not to embalm him because he actually told us repeatedly not to embalm him when he dies and to bury him immediately rather than keep his corpse inside a room.

“So we hurriedly left for the village to mobilise young men to help dig his grave so that we could bury him the second or third day as he had wished.

“On September 7, we brought his corpse to the village in a casket to bury him and sympathisers around the community were crying while others assembled in different locations discussing the sad event of his passing.

“While his body had been displayed in an open roof where he normally attended to his patients as a native doctor, the children brought the casket and put his body inside, preparatory for his burial, but he suddenly rose from the casket.

“We were in the village when we suddenly saw the casket shaking and eventually fell and my father woke up to the surprised of many people in the village. A lot of the men and women who had gathered ran away, believing that it was his ghost.

“I summoned courage as a man to walk up to him and got a seat for him to sit on. He was not talking.

“I later held his hand and led him to the bathroom. He had a bath and after a few hours, he requested for food. He ate and then relaxed. “In the evening of the next day, he started talking a little and on the third day, he tried to narrate his experience.”

In an interview with our correspondent one week after he ‘resurrected’, Amadu said he could not fully recollect all that transpired during his struggles in the throes of death except that he was writhing in pains at one moment, felt relieved moments later and found himself in another world.

Amadu said: “I thank God that he has given me life again after tasting death. It is a miracle that God gave me a second chance and I think I will dedicate the days he has given me to live again to worship him and preach his gospel.

“My journey to heaven was a tranquil one. I feel very confused about what God has done to me. All I can remember for now is that I lost my memory when I was sick, but people later gathered in my village to mourn my passing.

“The cloud opened up and I saw something like a giant golden satellite suspended in space. I wouldn’t know whether this is what the bible calls heaven, but there I was greeted by a 75ft tall angel who stood in front of the gate.

“The angel had a beautiful sword and wore something like golden hair. As I looked round, I discovered that there were two other angels behind him holding pamphlets and books containing the words of God.

“The three angels had a brief discussion among themselves and later allowed me into the city of heaven.

“On entering the city, I met a childhood friend who died 22 years ago. His name was Choko Aguma. He was the one who took me round the city where everybody was committed to worshipping God.

“He indeed asked after so many people but I told him I lost touch with some, that some were still alive while others had died long ago.

“About 450 yards from what looked like the throne of God, I was captivated by the sign on the outside that read ‘Unaccounted blessings and Mercy of God’.

“So I can comfortably confirm to you that I went to heaven and not hell fire, and I have returned successfully with the courage to preach the gospel till the end of my life.

“I have given my life to God. He is real.

“While in heaven, I was told how my children struggled to save my life when I fell sick. I was equally told about my activities as a native doctor, all the events leading to my death and how preparation for my burial was ongoing when Christ appeared and raised me up from death.

“I was told that Christ woke me up because if I was taken to the grave in the casket covered with sand, it would be very difficult for me to come back because I would lack the strength to pull out of the graveyard.

“I woke up and I felt cold. I came out of the casket gently and people who came to console my wife and children started running instead of coming to rescue me.”

Amadu added: “I thank God because I know He heard the prayers of my children who had wished that I stay up to 86 years to see them become influential and responsible members of the society, where the entire community look up to them. Thank God Almighty, their faith has brought me back to life.”

He described the land of death as peaceful, quiet and tranquil.

“The place is filled with myriads of angels who are very tall, and there is light everywhere. There is no darkness as the angels were talking about Jesus Christ all the time, from morning throughout.

“It is about what the bible says about Jesus Christ and everyone there is committed to the bible and its teachings by the angels, and this notion convinced me to change completely and return to Christ as my personal saviour.

“I am no more a native doctor and I believe Jesus Christ is the way. He can heal and wake up the dead. “While in the cool city of heaven, I saw alot of my childhood friends, age mates and some of the girls I ‘toasted’ while growing up who died so many years ago.

“Some could not recognise me because I had become very old. They are all there enjoying life to the fullest.

“I saw Juliana, Abawa, who were my girlfriends. They now share gospel words in the city. I also saw Abunagu, Tongee Thomas, Ishaya Again who were my aged grades. They were very happy to see me join them in the cool city.

“They asked after so many people who I know had died but were not in the city, probably they are on the other side. “I look for my father and mother but didn’t see either of them; maybe they are also on the other side.

“There, food is served free and in large quantity. Heaven is indeed an interesting place and I wish I never came back to the world.

“But now that I am back in the world I will dedicate the rest of my life on earth to the service of God.”

Recalling the experience, his wife, Mrs Salomi Amadu, said she was shocked that her husband came back to life after two days.

She said: “Initially, I was scared of going close to him. That made my eldest son to spend some time with us in the village to make sure that we are not afraid. “But gradually, we are recovering from the shock to relate with him

“What is most encouraging is that he prays all through since he resurrected. He is a complete man of God, though I have not started sleeping with him in the same house and he has not requested for it.

“But it is okay. We thank God that he is back, this time as a man of God. That is what I can say for now.”

Amadu’s younger brother, Philip Amadu, said it was actually a mystery to everyone in the village. “In fact, some people don’t believe it till now, but we are here monitoring him alongside his eldest son to see what further miracle God will do.

“This is a man who was dead. This kind of miracle is strange to us, but I can’t say anything more for now.”

His eldest son, Jacob, also said he would not comment on the matter until further developments occur.

He said: “Personally, I don’t even want the public and the world to know about this development because a lot of people will read different meanings to it.

“It will draw attention to this small community, so I wouldn’t want to talk much about it.

“Even me, I am scared. I saw my dad’s dead body at the hospital. I personally bought his casket and saw them take him into the casket. His coming back to life at the peak of his burial arrangements shocked me completely. I am speechless.”

September 16, 2022

Press Statement

Atiku travels to Europe on business

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar will travel to Europe this afternoon on a business trip.

He will be travelling immediately after his meeting on Friday in Lagos, with the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) alongside the PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

Today's trip is in continuation of an earlier business trip of 3 weeks ago.

At the conclusion of his European trip, the former Vice President will also use the opportunity to visit his family in Dubai.

His trip is for business and family purposes and has nothing to do with medicals as being insinuated in some quarters.

Signed:
Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and Vice President of Nigeria, 1999-2007
Abuja.

By Seun Adeuyi


An auto mechanic, Chuks Ikenna, committed suicide on Thursday morning at his residence at Dwakoro area in Suleja LGA of Niger State after he discovered that his girlfriend was pregnant for another man.

A resident, John Adeleye, said, “Chuks found out his lover had cheated on him and was pregnant. He was devastated by the news. There was confusion over who the father was.

“He jokingly told people that he would kill himself because of the incident, but they never took him seriously. An empty bottle of otapiapia was found beside his corpse, as well as a suicide note.”

Effort to get Ikenna’s girlfriend’s reaction proved abortive as she was said to be devastated by the incident.

A health worker at the Suleja General Hospital confirmed the incident, adding that his remains had been taken to the morgue.

By Ben Ezeamalu


About nine lawyers have urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to stop a rally by the Labour Party supporters tagged ‘#ObiDatti23 Forward Ever’ planned for 1st October in Lagos.

The lawyers specifically asked the court to restrain the party’s candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, one Julius Abure, and their loyalists from holding the rally, until the hearing and determination of their suit.

The plaintiffs include Adedotun Ajulo, Salamatu Suleiman Lewi, Hakeem Ijaduola, Ogunbona Akinpelu, Owolabi Oluwasegun, Mogbojuri Kayode, Wuyep Mantim Nadom Esq., Dimimu Mabel, Kolawole Salami – all lawyers; and Wale Lawrence.

The 1st to 10th defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1729/2022 are Mr Obi, LP, Mr Baba-Ahmed, Mr Abure, the Inspector-general of Police (IGP), Commissioner of Police (Lagos State Command), Director-General (Department of State Services), Lekki Concession Company (LCC) Limited, Attorney-General of Lagos State and The Governor of Lagos State.

They filed an ex parte motion before a judge, Daniel Osiagor, through their counsel, Dada Awosika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs argued that the rally will cause the breakdown of law and order in Lagos State, reminiscent of the 20th October 2020 #EndSARS rally in which lives were lost and properties were destroyed across the state.

They also stated the aftermath of the chaos will result in post-traumatic stress disorder for them and the public.

They also urged the court to restrain Mr Obi and his party as well as their loyalists from further planning and promoting the rally.

They further sought an injunction preventing the rally from going ahead as well as the organisers from using the Lekki Toll Plaza or any other space within Lagos State.

The judge, Mr Osiagor, directed the plaintiffs to put all the defendants on notice.

The judge made the order following Mr Awosika’s application.

He adjourned the hearing of the substantive motion till 23rd September.

The Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, on Wednesday morning, locked out civil servants working in the Government House, Calabar for coming late to work.

The governor, who was in the office before 8am, ordered the Chief Security Officer to lock the gate and not allow any one coming after 8am to enter the premises.

As of the time of filing this report, several workers who were locked out, were seen hanging around the entrance gate of the state Government House while others moved towards Chieftaincy Affairs office.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, said on Wednesday that over 400 out of 541 Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies are to be scrapped as recommended by Stephen Orosanye-led Presidential Committee on agencies’ rationalisation.

Olamilekan, who made the declaration on the second day of the ongoing interface between the committee and heads of MDAs on revenue drive for the implementation of the proposed N19.76trillion 2023 budget, said Orosanye panel recommended the retention of 106 of the MDAs.

According to him, revenue generation was the most critical factor being considered by the Federal Government before retaining 106 MDAs or scrapping 400.

The Lagos West senator made the assertion after the Director General of the National Bio-safety Management Agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, had made a presentation to the committee on low revenue generation by the agency.

The DG, in his submission, said only N2million had been generated by NBMA this year as against the N5 million it usually generated on yearly basis, noting that out of the N2 .5billion appropriated for the capital budget this year, only N1.3billion was released.

The senator, who became furious by the report, told the Biosafety Management Agency boss that it was unacceptable for an agency spending N500 million a year outside capital projects to be remitting N5milllion into government coffers.

He noted that the time for such low revenue generation by any government agency was over, as those not meeting up would be scrapped as recommended by the Orosanye panel.

He said, “There is no way of stopping the implementation of the Orosanye panel because of the economic situation at hand in the country.

“The government needs revenue for impactful budget implementation, particularly in the area of project execution, and can no longer afford to be dolling money to MDAs without corresponding returns on yearly basis.

“We in the Senate are in support of the implementation of the Orosanye-led panel report to save the economy from self-inflicted bleeding.”

The anger of the committee climaxed after a submission made by the Managing Director of Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority, Engineer Buhari Bature Mohammed, who said out of the N7 billion collected from the government as funding for the year 2022, only a N7million revenue was generated.

The committee consequently agreed that the Orosanye report should be applied on agencies with yearly low revenue generation.

Adeola further threatened zero budget allocation in the year 2023 for any agency whose accounting officer refused to honour the ongoing interface on revenue generation.

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari, failed to appear before the committee as directed on Tuesday by the Chairman.


Senate has no legal backing to invite us – NNPCL

Meanwhile, the NNPC Limited, in response to the invitation from the Senate, said that since the agency was now a limited liability company by virtue of provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, the Senate had no legal backing to summon it for any form of appearance.

The NNPC response was sent to the Senate Committee on Finance through the Clerk to the National Assembly, Architect Amos Ojo Olatunde.

But in his reaction to the letter, Adeola said that NNPC was 100 per cent owned by the Federal government and it could be invited at any time to appear before the lawmakers for any explanation.

Adeola gave the reaction when the General Manager, Public Affairs, NNPCL, Garbadeen Muhammad, appeared before the Committee at the Interactive session on 2023-2025 MTEF/FSP projections.

He added that the law passed by the National Assembly only empowered the NNPCL to be an active participant in the oil industry.

He said, “Your liaison officer told the clerk of the National Assembly that you are now a limited liability company and that you cannot be appearing before the Senate.

“We will summon you and invite you at any hour we need your attention. You are a limited liability company by our law. We changed your status because we wanted you to be an active participant in the oil industry.

“Call your liaison officer and correct the impression. It is owned by the Federal Government and you remain accountable to the Federal Government. There are potent issues you need to address.”