₦airaland Forum

He noted that due process would be followed to extradite Kyari following a request by a US court.

The Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said the decision to extradite the disgraced and suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Abba Kyari to the United States will be decided by the court.

He noted that due process would be followed to extradite Kyari following a request by a US court.

Malami revealed this on Thursday during an interview with Voice Of American (VOA), noting that though there is a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and the US, there are guidelines to be followed.

He said, “Yes, we have bilateral agreement between Nigeria and USA on extraditing anyone who commits any offence in any of the countries, be it Nigeria or United States but there are guidelines and the guidelines are when the country writes a letter to the foreign affairs ministry, and the foreign affairs will send to the minister of justice…so the court will give permission for extradition of any one to go and answer some questions in United states based on the allegations."

He explained that one of the countries can write the other if their citizen commited a crime in the other country, to ask for the extradition of the offender.

“I am not saying Abba Kyari will be extradited but the law will be followed judiciously before taking any action,” he said.

A pre-trial arrest and detention of Abba Kyari, for 10 days has been earlier requested by a United States District Court of California.

The papers filed in US court on April 29, 2021, requesting a 10-day pre-trial detention of Kyari on criminal grounds were signed by Acting US Attorney, Tracy Wilkinson and two other officials.

The documents say, “Plantiff, United States of America, by and through its court of records hereby requests detention of defendant (Abba Kyari) and gives notice of the following factors:

“Pre-trial detention requested (S 3142(e)) because no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure:

“a. The appearance of the defendant as required

“b. Safety of any other person and the community.”

German sportswear manufacturing giant, PUMA plans to sue the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The development comes as the sportswear manufacturer terminated a four-year contract it had with Nigeria in a letter dated Wednesday, August 4, 2021, and signed by the company’s director, Manuel Edlheimb.

According to reports, the AFN under the leadership of Ibrahim Gusau had entered into a controversial $2.76 million deal with PUMA on July 24, 2019, in Doha, Qatar.

The deal reportedly led to a major crisis that split the athletics body into two factions, with Gusau and AFN First Vice President, Sunday Adeleye accused of sidelining other members of the board during the signing of the deal.

The deal, signed by the Gusau-led AFN, was due to expire in 2022, Punch reports.

Part of the contract is that PUMA will supply apparel to all age categories to Nigeria’s Athletics team for four years at no cost.

In addition, gold medalists at the Olympic Games will earn $15,000 (N6 million), silver medalists will get $5,000 (N2 million) while a bronze medal will fetch athletes wearing the PUMA apparel at the games $3,000 (N1.2 million).

In the latest development, PUMA officials have got in touch with officials of Gusau-led AFN informing them of an intention to sue.

According to a source quoted by Punch, the sports ministry would be made a party to the suit “because they issued a memo granting AFN permission to seek sponsorship. PUMA sees AFN as a representative of Nigeria with that memo. It gave them confidence that AFN had approval. They also claimed that as of the time of signing the contract, the parties involved are recognised by law and FG, and there was no faction to warrant suspicion. They believe an administration is a continuum and the agreement has government backing..

This was confirmed by the AFN First Vice President, Adeleye while appearing on Arise TV as a guest on Thursday.

While displaying evidence and documents showing the FG’s approval for the federation to seek a sponsor, Adeleye said, “The contract is a non-disclosure one. It is between PUMA and AFN with FMYSD’s permission. We warned that this may lead to litigation and wrote to all parties involved, including finance and justice ministries.

“We are sure that PUMA will go to court on this matter. Their officials have called that they are sending documents from their legal department. We wrote the minister on the implications for Nigeria. This won’t make other companies deal with Nigeria.”

He also argued that Gusau-led AFN did everything possible to ensure that the image of the country is protected.

On why the kits were kept in a store, he said, “Our AFN has been barred from using the facility in the stadium and we needed to run the activities of the association. We have a store and office that we run. The constitution didn’t say our office should be in the stadium.”

Asked if he would take responsibility for the termination of the contract, Adeleye said, “We should be awarded because we are patriotic. The Federal Government asked federations to look for sponsors (before Sunday Dare). This contract precedes him. They are aware of the contract.

“We worked with instruction. We looked for a sponsor so that the burden can be taken off the Federal Government. The sports ministry should be sanctioned. We need a shake-up in the sports ministry.

“The problem is the minister and sports ministry under his administration. Our problems have never been this worse.

Federations have issues but not to this extend. Despite a court order, the minister is resolute in destroying some people. We gave the kits out, the ministry said they were not going to use the kits.”

The sports ministry’s had insisted that Nigerian athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will not wear PUMA because of the leadership tussle between the Gusau-led AFN board and the one being championed by the sports minister, Dare.

It was learnt that several efforts were made to give the athletes the PUMA kits, including shipping bags of kits with 40 items each to Tokyo through the Nigerian Embassy in Japan but to no avail.

Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) last year cleared Gusau and his vice president, Adeleye over corruption allegations levelled against them by the sports ministry.

The sports ministry in 2020 petitioned the DSS over the AFN’s partnership deal with PUMA to kit Nigeria’s track and field teams until 2023.

The DSS' response to the sports ministry’s petition, titled “Re: Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development (FMYSD), Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) and Alhaji Shehu Gusau”, dated September 3, 2020, and signed on behalf of the Director-General of the DSS by Bello Mustapha, was received on September 4, 2020, by the sports ministry.

In the letter, the DSS stated, “This Service (DSS) has thoroughly investigated the matter regarding the Puma deal. The under-listed findings were established:

“Athletics Federation of Nigeria entered into a valid contract with Dynamic Sports Solution Nigeria Limited.

“The AFN gave Dynamic Sports Solution Nigeria Limited the mandate to source for sponsors for Nigeria’s track and field teams on her behalf in a letter dated September 4, 2018, signed by Ademu A. Elijah, Secretary-General of the AFN.

“The AFN duly authorised Dynamic Sports Solution Nigeria Limited to deal with Puma on behalf of the federation in a letter dated June 23, 2019, signed by Patrick Estate, Head Marketing; and there is no evidence that Dynamic Sports Solution Nigeria Limited received money meant for AFN from Puma.

“In view, therefore, it is reiterated that the FMYSD and the AFN board should employ an internal mechanism to resolve the lingering dispute between them.”

The contract termination comes a few hours after a trending video showed Nigeria’s shot put medal hopeful, Chukwuebuka Enekwechi, washing his jersey ahead of his final game at the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The caption in the video indicated that the athlete was given one jersey for the competition.

“When you made the Olympic Finals, but you only have one jersey,” he wrote.

By Olasunkanmi Akinlotan

At least 11 trucks belonging to Dangote Cement were set ablaze Tuesday after irate youth descended on vehicles parked outside the company’s factory in Ibese, Yewa North local government of Ogun State.

Trouble started when commercial motorcyclists and transport unionists clashed over an alleged increase in riders’ tickets, from N600 to N800.

Witnesses said the crisis quickly degenerated into an ethnic conflict between the motorcyclists, who are mostly from the northern part of the country, and their southwestern colleagues at Dangote Junction in the community.

As of Tuesday, about seven people lay dead from the crisis, witnesses said.

‘Okada riders vs union’

When PREMIUM TIMES visited the scene of the incident in Ibese community on Wednesday, the carcasses of the burnt trucks littered the area as well as vandalised shops and other properties.

Hamzat Ibrahim, an indigene of the community, said the conflict began on Monday after a disagreement between a motorcyclist and a union representative trying to sell him a ticket.

“Hausas beat the union representative to a pulp and in retaliation, it became a full-blown clash between the Yorubas and the Hausas and many things were destroyed.

“The Hausas were shooting. Only God knows where they got guns from.

“After the whole fight, men in military uniform came to our town and started shooting. Our investigation showed that those soldiers are unknown.

“But an ID card fell off from one of those putting on the military uniform and the ID card showed that the bearer is a Dangote staff in the transport department, but we are still investigating.”

Adeyanju Awoso, a member of the House of Assembly representing Yewa North 1 State Constituency, said both the government and Dangote Cement are to blame for the incident.

“So many problems are confronting our people in Ibese, the way they are treating our people is very bad. Can you imagine that as big as that plant is, the largest in Africa, it doesn’t have a trailer park? Assuming it had a trailer park, their trucks that were burnt would not have been burnt.

“Our governor and Dangote himself need to address this issue urgently.

“Meanwhile, from the report I had, the youths in the community got angry after the military, who visited the community later yesterday (Tuesday) started shooting anyhow. Specifically, they killed an innocent man sitting in front of his house.”

Mr Awoso said he had informed the secretary to the state government as well as the governor’s chief of staff about the incident.

“I am also on my way to Eleweran now for us to have a round table discussion with the Commissioner of Police on the way forward and from there, we shall go straight to the scene of this horrible incident.

“Another reason why issues like this have continued to degenerate is because there is no traditional ruler in Ibese and this issue had been before the government for the past one year. Ibese needs a monarch and that should be installed as early as possible, so that little issues will stop degenerating.”

‘Under control’

PREMIUM TIMES was unable to get the reaction of the state Secretary of the Riders and Owners of Motorcycles Organisation (ROMO), Olalekan Sonaola. When contacted, he promised to respond later. He did not do so as of the time of publishing.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident. He, however, declined to speak on the number of casualties.

“The issue is currently under control. It was a minor struggle that had snowballed into a serious crisis,” Mr Oyeyemi, a deputy superintendent of police, said.

“They said the unions increased their tickets fee from N600 to N800 and that was how the crisis started. But how it then turned into Hausa and Yoruba crisis is what I don’t know.

“But, we are on top of the matter. The situation has been brought under control. Our men are still there as we speak.”

On Wednesday evening, Mr Oyeyemi reiterated that the situation in the community has been brought under control.

“We are monitoring the situation, our men are still on the ground there. In fact, the commissioner of police, Director DSS, commander of Amotekun, among others, have all visited the scene today and more peace has returned to the area,” he said.

An elderly woman identified simply as Anna has been killed by suspected herdsmen barely two months after the same fate befell her daughter and son-in-law.

Anna was among the eight people killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen at Okpokwu Mgbuji community in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Sunday.

It was gathered that Anna had recently buried her daughter, Chinyere Ede and son-in-law, Japhet Ede, who were killed in an earlier attack carried out by herdsmen in the community.

The couple were killed alongside two others on May 27, 2021, at Okpokwu Mgbuji and were laid to rest on July 22.

Trouble reportedly started when the herders were stopped from cutting down an economic tree to feed their cattle. The interruption led to heated arguments between the community members and the herders.

It was further learnt that the community members succeeded in pursuing the Fulani herders and their cattle from further destruction of the economic tree.

However, the herders later re-grouped in a calculated revenge mission, and attacked the community, killing several people.

Meanwhile, in an earlier report, Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Eha-Amufu, Rt Rev Daniel Nkemjika Olinya, had explained what transpired to Daily Sun.

He registered his concerns that herdsmen attacks in farm settlements in the affected Mgbuji community and its neighbours had been on the rise and the government had not done enough to end the attacks.

"This is the third time the armed herdsmen are invading the Mgbuji community this year, aside from indiscriminate kidnappings which we have lost count of. Most of the time, they invade the community, kidnap and kill the victims, many of them. The last attack before this Sunday’s attack led to the death of six people. Five of them have not been buried and, now they came again this time and killed eight persons," he said.

Suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who formerly headed the Intelligence Response Team, on Tuesday appeared before the Special Investigation Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, and was grilled for several hours.

SaharaReporters learnt that Kyari, who appeared before the panel headed by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, Joseph Egbunike, claimed he was innocent in the $1.1million Internet fraud perpetrated by serial fraudster, Abbas Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, and five others.

“Kyari has not admitted participating in the fraud yet. He admitted that he lived a large life and has a community of friends locally and abroad, but he is still insisting that monies did not pass between him and the fraudster. He was cross-examined till the evening hours. He would still be re-invited,” a top source disclosed.

“His defence seems weak before the panel but they are careful not to be quick in nailing him in the matter because of the boomerang effects,” the source added.

SaharaReporters had also last Friday reported that Kyari had assembled a team of lawyers to fight off his looming arrest and extradition by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States, which appears to be hell bent on his matter.

SaharaReporters had stated that Kyari was also lobbying the Nigeria Police Force starting with the Inspector-General of Police, and threatening to expose other top police officers who have benefitted from his largesse, should he be handed over to the FBI and extradited.

SaharaReporters had gathered that Kyari, whose links with serial internet fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, were becoming too evident to deny, warned that he would expose the “dirty jobs” he had done for past and present Inspector-Generals of Police as well as some political elites in the country, if they did nothing to stop his extradition.

“There was a stormy meeting on Friday at the Inspector-General of Police’s office between the IGP and police authorities and the FBI agents. Kyari on his part is threatening that many senior officers benefited from his ‘generosity’ and if he’s betrayed, he would expose them.

“He’s now got a team of lawyers. Abba Kyari is still being assured by the police hierarchy that he would not be extradited to the US. He has warned that if he is extradited, the current and past IGPs and members of the political elites he provided support for and assisted for dirty jobs will all be exposed," a top source had told SaharaReporters.

SaharaReporters reported that Kyari was given till next week to formally respond to the allegations till his extradition to the US would be decided by the police authorities.

SaharaReporters since Thursday in several reports on Kyari exposed how Hushpuppi claimed to have offered bribes to the top police officer, going by court documents that were ordered unsealed.

The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, had also issued an arrest warrant against Kyari for his alleged links to Hushpuppi, who is standing trial for various offences that include internet fraud and money laundering.

The court documents also outlined a dispute among members of the Hushpuppi conspiracy, which allegedly prompted him to arrange to have an individual identified as ‘co-conspirator’ Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, jailed in Nigeria by DCP Kyari.

The Inspector-General of Police has ordered an internal review of the United States’ authorities’ allegations against Kyari.

Tunde Bakare, serving overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church, says President Muhammadu Buhari should reshuffle his cabinet “rather than blaming those abusing or misusing power around the throne”.

Bakare made the comment during a sermon in his church on Sunday.

Last week, Bakare had accused Buhari of bad governance and dared him to come after him.

The cleric said his comment elicited a series of reactions from his associates and friends as well as “the high and the mighty”.

“The past one week has been a time of tremendous pressure on me from far and near, from the high and the mighty because of the message that was preached here last Sunday. Apart from my phone ringing non-stop, some took it upon themselves to visit us at home wondering what has happened to my professed friendship with Mr president,” he said.

“Truly, I appreciate the concerns of families, friends and associates, especially, those who have raised the tempo of prayers to a new and higher level because of their understanding of the season we are in and how deadly and callous the enemy can be. My family and I are grateful for the magnitude of the demonstration, your love and affection for us.

“Genuine friendship is very scarce in this falling world whereas false friends and true enemies are common friends. Nevertheless, it is my considered opinion that truth should not and must not be sacrificed on the altar of friendship. True friends are the ones that tell themselves the truth, no matter how bitter or unpalatable. That is what last Sunday’s message was and what today’s message is all about.

“Just maybe, we are convicted of our sins and we repent of them, we will spend less money on medication, we spend less money on medical tourism in other to have good health, maybe we live right, think right, talk right, lead right, God in his infinite mercies who first heal, can bring perfect health into the life of the president, just maybe.

“Rather than blaming those abusing or misusing power around the throne, it is incumbent on the head of government or leader to identify such men and show them the way out. That is why there must be a reshuffling of this cabinet and a change of that in 2021.”

Bakare said he had utilised every opportunity both in private and public to advise the president on good governance, adding that he will continue to do so.

Buhari and Bakare ran for the presidency on a joint ticket in 2011, and Bakare supported Buhari in 2015, but the two have since fallen out following Buhari’s refusal to heed Bakare’s repeated advice.

Sixty four days after the abduction of 136 children from the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, the state government has disclosed that it knows where the bandits and pupils are but it’s concerned about collateral damage.

It would be recalled that the government had on several occasions said it will not pay ransom to bandits or kidnappers.

However, Secretary to the Niger State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, has said that parents of the abducted children have begged the government severally not to apply its planned strategy as it could lead to some children being killed.

The New Telegraph had reported that the bandits have kept the students in 25 different locations pending when the balance of N4.6 million and five motorcycles would be paid.

It has also been reported that parents of the pupils and the school authority are struggling to raise about N3 million to buy the motorcycles demanded by the abductors, so as to secure the release of their wards.

According to Matane: “Although, the government wanted to use the special security corps it launched in mid-June this year to enter the forests and confront the bandits; but the parents of the kids begged that they would not like to lose any child.

“This type of operation as you know will end up in collateral damage. We know where those bandits are. We are monitoring their movements.”

He further disclosed that: “Even though the government is pained by the situation, it is the firm policy of the government not to pay ransom. But the parents came and begged us to.

We are assuring that the children will be brought back safely.”

A15-year-old boy, Emmanuel Nnaji, from Awala in the Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State has reportedly led the police tactical team to a hotel in the Orlu Local Government Area, from where attacks were planned and executed on Omuma community and Njaba Police Station in the state.

This was revealed by the Imo State police commissioner, Abutu Yaro, in Owerri on Monday while parading over 20 suspected members of the Eastern Security Network, the militant arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

The suspects were raided from the said hotel in Orlu.

The police commissioner added that seven females were among those arrested.

It was gathered that the said hotel was where a victim was beheaded by the suspects and the head placed along the road.

Also, the ESN members were arrested with the Nigerian Army camouflage uniforms, arms and ammunition.

The commissioner said, “Sequel to the recent attack on Omuma Police station and Njaba Police Station respectively, where the bandits were swiftly repelled by the ever-alert tactical teams of Imo State Police Command and the unfortunate loss of a Divisional Police Officer, the police arrested one of the bandits, Emmanuel Nnaji, 15 years, a native of Awala in Ideato South LGA of Imo State with bullet wounds and brought him to the station.

“On interrogation by the command’s tactical teams, the suspect gave a vivid description of a hotel located in Orlu as where they, the bandits stayed, planned and executed their dastardly act on the police stations.

“The owner of the hotel has been accommodating and assisting them financially. He then volunteered and led security forces to the location of the hotel. On arrival, the hotel and house were cordoned and searched exhibits were recovered from the arrested 26 suspects including seven females.

“It is on good record that it was in the same hotel that the head of a young man was severed and placed on the road close to the hotel premises. Presently, the investigation is ongoing and the suspects are undergoing interrogation.

“Recall that, in the same Orlu, some months ago during the peak of IPOB/ ESN attacks and killing of policemen, some innocent citizens were also affected and some police stations in the state were burnt.

“That, the command’s tactical teams and Special forces, after a diligent gathering of technical intelligence, arrested one Boniface Okeke ‘Male’ age 57 years from Obor Autonomous Community in Orlu LGA of Imo State in connection with terrorism and attacks on security agencies and private individuals where several Police stations were burnt down and police officers killed in numbers.”

Nigeria's Embattled 'Supercop', Kyari Is A Billionaire With Posh Houses In Maiduguri, Sells Cars Seized From Kidnappers – Resident Alleges

[quote]A resident of Borno state has said that Nigeria’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari who is being investigated for the extent of his connection with suspected fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, sells cars he seizes from kidnappers and armed robbers in Maiduguri, the state capital.

The resident in a private message to a Nigerian academic and media scholar, Farooq Kperogi also claimed Kyari has enriched himself through proceeds of corruption.

According to the anonymous resident, Kyari is not a millionaire but a billionaire, who has more than 20 properties in a posh area in his state, Borno.

Kperogi said: “Na wa o. This is what someone from Maiduguri sent to my inbox in response to my column. It is unedited and unverified but interesting nonetheless: ‘Everyone in Maiduguri knew that Kyari is extremely rich, he gives out cars, monies and sells those he seized from the kidnappers and armed robbers at some selected car stands in Maiduguri and Abuja, as at now he's building a big plaza along Gombole Road near Giwa Barracks and bought the neighbouring plaza.

‘There's sign post he stood and snapped a picture where street was name after him, that's New GRA or Bama GRA he has more 20 properties there!

‘You can independently find out from those who knows him, he has properties to his named in lagos, abuja etc, I call him super rich, he surpasses IGP Kamseleem.

‘What those kidnappers were saying is very true, I developed interest on what he's doing when I read Evans interview where he said what Abba and his team took from his house was far beyond what they declared....he's not a millionaire but billionaire.

‘He moves in convoys when in Maiduguri and brazenly go round his properties.’"

SaharaReporters had reported how Kperogi also quoted a resident of Borno saying Kyari was building a mansion on Jemina Road of Damboa, with its gate made of glass and steel.

The resident alleged that the police chief offered N70 million to a neighbour who has a house behind his mansion “so he can have his house out of the way to enable him have straight access to the main road from this mansion.”

"Good evening Prof. Just reading your post on the Abba Kyari saga. It didn't come to me as a surprise. Kyari is so super rich for the job he does. He is building a mansion on Jemina road of Damboa, that house is something else. It is the first gigantic double-gated house I'm seeing in Maiduguri, the gate is made of glass and steel.

"He wanted paying (sic) of a neighbour who has a house behind him 70 million naira so he can have his house out of the way to enable him have straight access to the main road from this mansion. And with a couple of people who have told stories implicating him, and them being shut up, it doesn't come as a surprise at all,” Kperogi quoted the Borno resident as saying.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has recommended the immediate suspension of Kyari, who is also the Head of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), from the service of the Nigeria Police Force, pending the investigation of fraud allegations against him.

The IGP, in his letter to the Police Service Commission, dated 31st July, 2021, noted that the recommendation for the suspension of the officer, is in line with the internal disciplinary processes of the Force.

The United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, had issued an arrest warrant against Kyari for his alleged links to Hushpuppi, who is standing trial for various offences that include internet fraud and money laundering.

Hushpuppi has since pleaded guilty to the charges and, if convicted, risks a 20-year-jail term, three-year supervision upon completion of jail term and monetary restitution to the tune of $500,000 or more.

US court documents also outlined a dispute Hushpuppi had with a member of his gang, which allegedly prompted him to arrange to have an individual identified as ‘co-conspirator’ Kelly Chibuzor Vincent, jailed in Nigeria by DCP Kyari.

According to the affidavit, “Kyari is a highly decorated deputy commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who is alleged to have arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed at Abbas’ behest, and then sent Abbas photographs of Vincent after his arrest.

“Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment.”[/img]

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, on Friday, at the last minute, allegedly cancelled an appointment he gave to a Yoruba group, Ooni’s Caucus, on the alleged complaint that members of the group are “notorious critics” of the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

The Ooni’s Caucus, which was inaugurated at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on July 20, 2021, is made of many influential Yoruba persons and is being coordinated by a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Akin Osuntokun.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Osuntokun led about 14 members of the group to Alaafin’s palace for the alleged 11am appointment on Friday, but after waiting for about two and a half hours, the influential monarch sent words to them that he would not be seeing them.

According to a source, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, some of the group’s members who went to Alaafin’s palace with Osuntokun were a monarch, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao; a former presidential spokesman, Dr Doyin Okupe; a former commissioner in Osun State, Muyiwa Ige; a former Minister of Defence, Mrs Dupe Adelaja; a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Taiwo Lakanu, Oye Oyewumi, Sola Lawal, among others.

A former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is also said to be a member of Ooni’s Caucus, but he was not on the delegation to Alaafin’s palace on Friday.

The source, who is a member of the group, claimed that the group had through the Olugbon secured an appointment with Alaafin since Monday, and the same appointment was confirmed on Thursday, only for them to get to the palace and the Alaafin refused to see them on the claim that they were anti-Buhari and were also loyalists of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The source explained that the main purpose of the meeting was for the newly-inaugurated group to get Alaafin’s blessings and to possibly discuss the issue of the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho, who is currently being held and tried in Cotonou, Benin Republic.


The source said, “The Olugbon, a member of the caucus, was the one who booked the appointment, but he said the Alaafin said he didn’t want to see us because we’re notorious critics of the Buhari government.

“He (Alaafin) confirmed the appointment yesterday (Thursday). But when we got there today, he kept us waiting; after a while, he asked to see the Olugbon. He (Alaafin) didn’t come to see us; we were told he said he wouldn’t see us because we are notorious critics of Buhari’s government and that some of us are close to Obasanjo, who is also critical of the government.

“We were made to wait for about two and a half hours; he gave us an appointment for 11am; we got there at 11am and at about 1.30pm, that was when it was obvious to us that he wasn’t coming (to see us). But he initially asked to see the Olugbon, who went to see him for about an hour. When the Olugbon eventually came back, he said Alaafin would not see us, saying we are a group that is critical of the Buhari government and some of us are loyalists of Obasanjo.”

On whether the group’s mission to Alaafin’s palace was to discuss Sunday Igboho’s matter, the source said, “Of course, the issue (of Igboho) would come up but that was not the purpose of the visit. The issue of Igboho concerns all the Yoruba people but that was not our reason for going to him.”

On whether the group would try and book another appointment, the source said, “I don’t know; we were all surprised that a Yoruba oba can refuse to see his children on account of not wanting to be on the bad side of Buhari’s government. I would have thought that an oba is supposed to take everybody as his children, whether they are supporters of Buhari the All progressives Congress or the Peoples Democratic Party or whatever party.”

But when contacted by Saturday PUNCH, the Media Director to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaye, said the reason his principal did not see the group was because they did not have any prior appointment with him.

Durojaye said the Alaafin would be willing to entertain the group if they booked an appointment.

He said, “Those who came are men of honour and kabiyesi did not say he did not want to see them. He did not say he would not see them because they are critical of President Buhari or they are former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s men. Obasanjo himself is a friend of Kabiyesi, so you can see that what you were told was not what happened.

“Kabiyesi said he could not see them because they did not give him prior notice that they were coming. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to see them again. They can notify him and he will give them an appointment. You cannot just come and say you want to see him, there are protocols to follow and due process is always adhered to at Alaafin’s Palace.

“There was no rancour, no ill-feeling even when they were going; I was there and I saw them off to their vehicles. If anybody told you that kabiyesi said he didn’t want to see them because they are critical of government or they are Obasanjo’s men, that is a lie.”

Nigeria’s Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari says ‘bad belle Nigerians’ will wait forever to see him arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged bribe he took from a suspected fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abbas, alias Hushpuppi, who recently pleaded guilty in the United States.

Hushpuppi, who pleaded guilty to various charges, including money laundering, wire fraud, and felony, had said he used Kyari, a leader of the Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team, to jail a fellow fraudster Kelly Chibuzor Vincent after both were locked in a dispute presumably over how to share the $1.1 million loot received from a Qatari businessperson.

Vincent subsequently contacted the victim and informed the businessperson that they were being scammed by a syndicate involving him and Hushpuppi, a US court document read.

This elicited anger from Hushpuppi, who contacted Kyari to arrest and jail his rival over the dispute. Abbas said Kyari sent pictures of Vincent in jail and subsequently sent his bank account number to Hushpuppi to which a wire transfer should be made having done a good job as sent by him.

“Court documents outline a dispute among members of the conspiracy, which allegedly prompted Vincent to contact the victim and claim that Abbas and Juma were engaged in fraud. After this contact, Abbas allegedly arranged to have Vincent jailed in Nigeria by Abba Alhaji Kyari, 46, of Nigeria.

“According to the affidavit, Kyari is a highly decorated deputy commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who is alleged to have arranged for Vincent to be arrested and jailed at Abbas’ behest, and then sent Abbas photographs of Vincent after his arrest. Kyari also allegedly sent Abbas bank account details for an account into which Abbas could deposit payment for Vincent’s arrest and imprisonment,” the US Justice Department said in a statement.

But in his reaction on his Facebook page on Thursday morning, Kyari said he never demanded money from Hushpuppi, while stressing that “my hands are clean”.

Although he admitted to knowing about the money-related dispute, the DCP disclosed that it was based on the call that Vincent was arrested.

Kyari also denied that Vincent was ever jailed, adding that he was instead released on bail.

Replying to one of the comments on the post, the police boss asked those criticising him based on his response to produce the “papers calling for our arrest”.

He wrote in the post later deleted along with some other comments, “Hahahahaha indicted where, How? On social media abi. Let’s see the Evidence of the indictment or the Letter from the court looking for us. Many people who admire our clothes were connected to the designer, So this is an offense now? Or to arrest when their (sic) is a Complaint of threat to life is an offense?

“The bad belle people will wait forever to see us arrested or to produce the papers calling for our arrest. We will not be surprise (sic) if a Fake arrest warrant on us will start circulating later today.

“If FBI wants to hear from somebody working with any Government, they will send letter to the Government of that Country. Am sure that letter too can be fabricated and circulated on social media soonest too. Best wishes for the people waiting to see us arrested, Hahahahaha.”

fitzmayowa:
Angel is ready for jacuzzi...

By Ade Adesomoju


Three persons named along with a popular Nigerian police officer, Abba Kyari, as co-accused in a $1.1 million transnational cyber-fraud, have been arrested, new court documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES have revealed.

They are: Yusuf Adeyinka Anifowoshe (aka AJ or Alvin Johnson), Rukayat Motunraya Fashola (aka Morayo) and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (aka Bolamide).

Court documents showed that Mr Anifowoshe and Ms Fashola were arrested at their separate homes in New York, on July 22.

Another set of documents also showed that Ms Agbabiaka was arrested in New Jersey, and subsequently granted bail in the sum of $150,000.

The three are part of the six persons, including Mr Kyari, who will be facing three charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to engage in money laundering, and aggravated identity theft, at a U.S. District Court of Central District Court of California.

The court had, in its order unveiling the indictment on July 26, issued a warrant for the arrest of the Nigerian-based Mr Kyari, who has, in a Facebook post, denied any wrongdoing regarding the matter.


PREMIUM TIMES reports how the U.S. government described Mr Kyari as a “high risk defendant” in giving reasons for asking for an arrest warrant against him.

The two other co-accused, whose status cannot be immediately ascertained by PREMIUM TIMES are: Abdulrahman Juma (aka Abdul and Rahman), and Kelly Chibuzo Vincent, who is believed to be based in Nigeria.

Ramon Abbas, a former Nigerian Instagram celebrity, better known as Hushpuppi, who is believed to have spearheaded the scheme along with Juma, Chibuzo and others, has been in custody since his arrest in June 2020.

Hushpuppi, who was arrested in Dubai, the United Arab Emirate (UAE), and repatriated to the U.S. to face trial, recently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering involving the proceeds of the fraud and other schemes that have been uncovered against him by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The offence attracts maximum imprisonment of 20 years with full restitution and other punishments, his plea agreement he entered into with the U.S. government stated.


Arrests

On how Mr Anifowoshe and Ms Fashola were arrested, FBI special agent, Andrew Innocenti, recalled in an affidavit that the U.S. District Court of Central Carlifornia had issued warrants for their arrest on April 29, 2021.

He said the addresses of the duo were obtained “based on surveillance” before law enforcement agents visited their homes to execute the arrest warrant.

What appeared to be simultaneous operations were then carried out at their homes to effect the arrest warrants.

According to Mr Innocenti, law enforcement agents visited Mr Anifowoshe’s house at 2885 West 15th Street, #6C, Brooklyn, New York on July 22.

“On July 22, 2021, law enforcement agents went to 2885 West 15th Street, #6C, Brooklyn, New York. Upon execution of a search warrant at that address, a male came to the door,” Mr Innocenti said.

Mr Anifowoshe was promptly recognised “based on law enforcement agents’ comparison” to his known photo.

The special agent said further, “Law enforcement agents identified themselves to ANIFOWOSHE and asked for his name. ANIFOWOSHE confirmed that he was ANIFOWOSHE.

“Law enforcement agents obtained ANIFOWOSHE’s passport. The name and photograph of ANIFOWOSHE on the passport matched the ANIFOWOSHE for whose arrest warrant was issued on April 29, 2021 in the Central District of California based on law enforcement databases.

“The appearance of the individual who identified himself as ANIFOWOSHE matches the appearance known to law enforcement for ANIFOWOSHE wanted in the Central District of California.”

He said following the confirmation of his identity, “there is probable cause to believe that the defendant ANIFOWOSHE is the defendant ANIFOWOSHE who is wanted in the Central District of California”.


Law enforcement encountered Ms Fashola’s family members

Mr Innocenti’s account indicates that he partook in the arrest of Ms Fashola at her home at 48 Irving Street, Valley Stream, New York, where she was residing with family members.

“On July 22, 2021, I went to 48 Irving Street, Valley Stream, New York. FASHOLA’s family members answered the door,” the FBI special agent said.

The agents were admitted into the house after family members confirmed that she was in.

They were then led upstairs where Ms Fashola was at the time. This was immediately followed by an identity confirmation procedure similar to the one carried out at Mr Anifowoshe’s residence was carried out.

“I recognised the female upstairs as FASHOLA, based on my comparison of the female to a known photo of FASHOLA.

“Law enforcement agents identified themselves to FASHOLA. FASHOLA identified herself as FASHOLA,” Mr Innocenti said.

The suspect, according to him, also confirmed her identity during a custodial interview.

“In a custodial interview, I asked FASHOLA for name and her date of birth and FASHOLA provided her name and date of birth, which matched the date of birth for the FASHOLA whose arrest warrant was issued on April 29, 2021, in the Central District of California,” he stated.

The special agent added, “Based on law enforcement records, I know this to be FASHOLA’s date of birth.”

He also said her appearance “matches the appearance known to law enforcement for the FASHOLA wanted in the Central District of California”.

“Based on the foregoing, I submit that there is probable cause to believe that the defendant FASHOLA is the defendant FASHOLA who is wanted in the Central District of California,” he added.

Granted bail, to be taken to Carlifornia
Details of how the third defendant, Ms Agbabiaka, was arrested in New Jersey were not contained in the documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES.

But court records confirmed that she was granted bail by a magistrate judge, Jessica Allen, of U.S. District Court of New Jersey in Newark on July 22, 2021.

The bail bond was set at $150,000.

Mr Anifowoshe and Ms Fashola were similarly granted bail by Peggy Kuo, a magistrate judge of the Eastern District Court of New York in Brooklyn also on July 2021.

While the bail bond for Mr Anifowoshe was set at $300,000, that of Ms Fashola was set at $150,000.

The government has however applied to the courts for an order for the defendants to “be removed to the Central District of California so that they may be dealt with according to law”.


Case against Kyari, others

Mr Innocenti detailed how a Qatari businessperson was swindled of $1.1 million in a court document.

He said Hushpuppi, known for displaying his opulent lifestyle on Instagram, brought Mr Kyari into the scheme to arrange the arrest of a rival ringleader, Chibuzo.

PREMIUM TIMES’ previous report contains Mr Innocenti’s account of how Hushpuppi and Mr Kyari met in Dubai in September 2019.

Mr Innocenti said Mr Chibuzo, displeased with his cut of the proceeds of the crimes he was getting from Hushpuppi, had discouraged the victim businessperson from further making payments to other ringleaders, in his bid to hijack the scheme.

The FBI agent revealed that in line with Hushpuppi’s instruction, Mr Kyari, a Nigerian deputy commissioner of police, arrested and jailed Mr Chibuzo for about month.

Mr Kyari sent Mr Chibuzo’s photograph in custody to Hushpuppi, the federal agent said, adding that he “also facilitated payments from ABBAS to the Nigeria Police Force personnel, who arrested CHIBUZO.”

This, according to Mr Innocenti, was “to ensure CHIBUZO’s continued arrest, thereby preventing CHIBUZO from notifying the Victim Businessperson of ABBAS’ and JUMA’s fraudulent scheme and preventing CHIBUZO from hijacking the scheme for his own benefit.”

Mr Kyari was said to have told ABBAS that he would not allow Mr Chibuzo’s girlfriend to pay money to get Mr Chibuzo out of custody as he would have done for a “normal arrest”.

The decorated Nigerian cop was said to have later provided a Zenith Bank account into which Hushpuppi paid some money for effecting Mr Chibuzo’s arrest.

After Mr Chibuzo’s arrest, the special agent said, “JUMA and ABBAS convinced the Victim Businessperson to make the payments of $299,983.58 described above.”

“KYARI’s knowing involvement in the scheme allowed ABBAS and JUMA to continue defrauding the Victim Businessperson undetected and receive money obtained from the Victim Businessperson after it was laundered,” the document added.

Mr Kyari has, however, denied any wrongdoing concerning the case.

He said he only responded to a ‘distress’ call from Hushpuppi, who claimed Mr Chibuzo wanted to kill his family members.

He said Mr Chibuzo was arrested by his team and later released.

According to him, it was found out that Mr Chibuzo had no such murderous plan as alleged by Hushpuppi, but that the duo only had disagreement concerning money.

He said no one demanded money from Hushpuppi in handling the case.

The Nigerian police authorities on Thursday said it had commenced a ‘review’ into the allegations against one of its prominent law enforcement officers.

Leader of a gang of bandits, Dogo Najaballah has been killed in Dungun Muazu forest located in the Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Najaballah was killed on Wednesday in a fight that broke out between his gang and a rival gang of bandits in the state over issues relating to the marriage of a woman.

The members of the other conflicting group reportedly killed him, according to The Punch.

Some residents in the nearby communities told the newspaper that the rival gang was not happy with Najaballah's interference in the marriage which resulted in the fiasco.

Members of the slain leader's gang, however, unleashed terror on the rival gang and killed three of their members.

A resident on Thursday said, "Since Najaballah was killed yesterday (Wednesday), we have been careful when going to the area for farming. Some of us have even decided not to go there for farming until tension goes down there as the bandits behave irrationally."

The source revealed that Najaballah's corpse was buried in the forest on Wednesday.

The Presidency has explained what it believes is the reason behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s incessant trips to the London, United Kingdom, to get medical treatment and meet his foreign doctors.

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president, Femi Adesina, said his principal had used a medical team for over 40 years. He noted that hence, there was the need to continue seeking medical help from them.

President Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari had gone to UK under the guise of attending a virtual conference that other leaders would be joining from their countries due to the effect of COVID-19 restrictions.

Buhari, according to a release on Monday, travelled two days ahead of the two-day event that will end on July 29 and that is virtual; because he will be principally attending to his medical needs during the trip.

Speaking on a Channels Television interview, Adesina stated that why Buhari visited the UK each time for his medical needs.

“President Buhari has been with the same doctors and medical team for upward of 40 years. It is advisable that he continues with those who know his medical history; and that is why he comes to London to see them. He has used the same medical team for over 40 years. Once you can afford it, then stay with the team that has your history,” Adesina said.

When asked if the President would pilot the nation’s affairs from the UK, the presidential spokesman said there is no vacuum within the seat of power.

He explained that the Constitution empowers Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to act as President if President Buhari is not back to the country within 21 days.

“The nation is running, there is a vice president who will attend to critical issues. There is no vacuum and a constitutional amendment has sorted that out,” Adesina explained.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Buhari travelled to London to participate in the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE) 2021-2025.

According to the GPE organisers, only the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, would host the event live with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while other leaders were advised to join online as part of worldwide measures against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After the Summit, the President will spend a few days for an earlier scheduled medical check-up. He is due back by second week of August, 2021,” Adesina had said in his release.

This comes a few days after SaharaReporters exposed how the visit was planned “secretly” to avoid rampage or any "embarrassing protest" against the Nigerian President in London.

Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho), standing trial in the Benin Republic has told the court that he fled Nigeria to avoid being killed.

The Yoruba Nation agitator, who was arrested on July 19 with his wife while attempting to travel to Germany, has been charged with illegal entry into the Benin Republic.

He is also explaining his mission in Cotonou, the Benin Republic capital.

The court ruled that he should be relocated to prison from police custody.

Igboho’s lawyer, David Ibrahim Salami, told The Nation in Cotonou what transpired at the Benin Court of Appeal on Monday where the agitator appeared before three judges.

He was in court from 7:30 am till about midnight.

Salami, a Professor of Law in a Beninoise University, said: “While defending himself on the criminal allegations put on his head by Nigeria, Igboho told the judges that he had never been tried for any crime in his life.”

According to Salami, Igboho said he had neither been invited to any police station nor any formal charges brought against him as a result of his agitation for the separation of Yoruba nation from Nigeria.

He explained that he was only trying to free ‘his people’ from the atrocities of killer-herdsmen, which made him incur the wrath of some powerful individuals in government.

“When the judge asked him how and when he entered the Benin Republic, who housed him and who took him to the airport, Igboho told the court that his coming to the Benin Republic was to flee from his traducers who wanted to kill him in Nigeria.

“He stressed that he spent less than one day in Cotonou before attempting to travel to Germany,” Salami added.

The lawyer spoke further: “What amazed me is the fact that the judge was explicit that Igboho’s continued detention is not as a result of his issues with Nigeria, that he is being sent to prison because of infractions committed here in the Benin Republic.”

Salami said Igboho was sent to prison to allow investigation into how he came into Cotonou and why.

Salami said no date had been fixed for the continuation of trial because the authorities would need time to investigate how Igboho entered the country.

He said Benin Republic law allows Igboho to be admitted to bail pending the outcome of the investigation.

On why the trial is behind the curtain, he added that it is when investigations are concluded that the judgment can be read in the open court.

Igboho, according to the lawyer, showed discomfort as a result of bruises he suffered when the Department of State Services (DSS) attacked his residence on July 1.

As a result, Igboho was allowed to sit throughout Monday’s court sessions instead of standing before the judges.

As a prison inmate, he will be entitled to medical services if there is a need, unlike when he was in police custody.

Salami said Igboho’s trial, which began from an extradition request from the Nigerian authorities, is now centred solely on whether or not he broke the laws of the Benin Republic.

The primary task now is to establish whether the embattled activist entered Cotonou through legal or illegal routes, and what his mission was meant to achieve, the lawyer said.

Salami said the Nigerian authority had not filed any papers against Igboho.

“We have also not seen any written complaints from Nigeria being placed before the court. It is a case between the Benin Republic and Sunday Igboho – nothing more,” he explained.

Explaining why Monday’s proceeding was prolonged, Salami said it needed to be so because the trial is being handled by three judges whose functions and powers are different but complementary: prosecution judge, investigative judge, and judge of liberty or detention.

He said the matter before the prosecution judge office did not commence until 2 pm. Reason: the enormity of tasks the prosecutor’s office needed to handle. The trial then moved to the investigative judge by 3 pm, lasting till around 6pm.

It was the judge of liberty or detention, who took over from his investigative colleague at night that ruled that more time is needed for the court to establish the true reasons behind Igboho’s coming to the Benin Republic.

Like hundreds of Igboho’s supporters who came to show solidarity on Monday, his wife, Ropo was also in court.

Throughout the day, she was seen entering and coming out of the special room where her husband was kept in the court. She had earlier been released and her German passport released to her.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has banned the sale of dollars to Bureau De Change operators (BDCs).

Godwin Emiefele, governor of the bank, announced the ban at a press briefing which held after a meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee of the bank, on Tuesday.

He said the N5. 7 billion allocated to BDCs had become unsustainable as $20,000 is allocated to over 5500 BDCs, amounting to $110million per week.

Emiefele said BDC operators have become a conduit for illegal financial flows.

He also said the CBN will no longer continue registration of new BDCs and current allocation will be channeled to commercial banks.

All commercial bank branches will create a separate desk for sales of forex.

Three students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, have escaped from their captors.

Daily Trust gathered that the students escaped from the camp where they were kept on 19 July, 2021.

An aunt to one of the students, who simply identified herself as Funmi, confirmed this to Daily Trust on Monday.

According to her, the three teenagers had spent 5 days roaming inside the forest before they finally met another herder who directed them out of the forest.

It was also gathered that one of the escaped students who could recall his father’s phone number borrowed a phone to call home before his father went to pick them up.

“The children were found around Kasuwar Magani on Sunday evening hours after 28 students of the school were released by the bandits. It was the school management that called my in-law to inform us ,” she said.

Two other students had escaped from the camps before they were recovered by the police.

The Senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Assembly, Shehu Sani, has alleged that security chiefs are funnelling funds meant for prosecuting the war against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements, into building their personal business empires.

Mr Sani stated these on Sunday when he featured in AIT ‘Talk Show’ programme monitored by PM News.

The former lawmaker lamented the lingering security challenges in the country, saying citizens were being massacred daily because security agents and government of the day had become hopeless and helpless.

According to him, the level of killing was too high for government to talk about providing infrastructure rather than looking for ways to end wanton destruction of lives and property.

The senator said banditry activities and kidnapping in Nigeria have become a business enterprise for some elements, such that ransom being paid by the victims got to them directly.

“From what I am seeing, it has become a business for some people in Nigeria.

“Billions upon billions are pumped into banditry and terrorism as ransom and there seems not to be an end in sight and from the side of government, hundreds of billions are being pumped into defence and security apparatus, and it’s still not solving the problem.

“The Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed made a recent disclosure that she has released N1.3 trillion in 28 months to the Nigerian Army during the last Service Chiefs, different from special approvals and allocations which they have been going to the President to get.

“From the beginning till date, security allocation has been the highest in our national budget.

“How can we be pumping millions of dollars without commensurate results? How can we be confronting bandits who are just using AK47, motorcycles and their phones and still be difficult? They are not that sophisticated.

“We need the political will, we need to unite as a country, we need to adopt technologies that will make it impossible for bandits to operate. Nigeria’s defence budget is fifty times higher than Niger Republic, yet, Niger is safer than Nigeria.

“Our security agents before the coming of the new Service Chiefs, what do they do? They’re all establishing Universities in their villages.

“Now security agents are building hotels and shopping malls and business units. Is that what security agencies are supposed to do? To build hostels, shopping malls and building of Universities?”

He said the Niger Republic is safer than Nigeria, wondering how the country wasn’t able to effectively secure her borders despite its huge population and resources.

Mr Sani explained that Algeria was bigger than Nigeria in landmass yet they were able to protect their borders, adding that government should be brutal on bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements.

He revealed that Kaduna State had become renowned for banditry activities than anywhere else in Nigeria, even as bandits and kidnappers control 21 Local Governments out of 23, leaving two in Kaduna metropolis.

Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, fled Nigeria to Benin Republic to avoid being killed, a monarch close to the Yoruba rights activist told The PUNCH.

The monarch said Igboho was “forced” to leave the country, noting that the agitator was ready to continue the fight against killer herdsmen.

According to the monarch, there was a division among Igboho associates before he left the country.

While some said he should stay back to fight, others, especially his kinsmen, aligned with the thought that he should leave the country.

The respected monarch said Igboho did not leave the country immediately the Department of States Services raid his home as insinuated.

He said, “He didn’t want to leave for Benin Republic. He preferred to face the battle in Nigeria but we felt the manner DSS raided his house and killed people was dangerous for him. We actually forced him to flee because of his safety. They went as if they were directed to either kill him or bring him alive.”

When asked if asking Igboho to flee would not affect the self-determination agitation, he said, “Yes, we want Yoruba Nation, but not at the expense of anyone’s life. There would not have even been an agitation if the government lived up to their responsibilities.”

On the choice of Benin Republic, he said, “We have Yoruba-speaking people there. We have monarchs who still have ancestral traces to Nigeria. The Ooni and Alaafin still have a strong influence on some of their monarchs and we are of the belief that it was the best option. The monarchs gave him all the support he needed and we appreciate that.”

When asked how Igboho crossed Nigeria border to Benin Republic, he said, “Eledumare (God) did it.”

Igboho is currently facing charges on immigration offences in Benin Republic after he was arrested on Monday, alongside his wife, Ropo. However, his wife has been released.

Following the bloody raid on Igboho’s Sooka residence, the Department of State Services also arrested and detained 13 of Igboho’s associates, adding that during a “gun duel,” it had killed two of Igboho’s supporters later identified as Adogan and Alfa.

DSS had presented seven AK-47 rifles allegedly recovered during the raid on Igboho’s house on July 1, as well as three pump-action guns, 30 fully charged AK-47 magazines, 5,000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, five cutlasses, one jack-knife, one pen knife, two pistol holsters, a pair of binoculars, a wallet containing $5, local and international driving licences in his name, ATM cards, a German residence permit No. YO2N6K1NY bearing his name, two whistles, 50 cartridges and 18 walkie-talkies.

Others were three charm jackets/traditional body armour, two laptops, one Toshiba and one Compaq laptop, Igboho’s passport and those of his aides.

By Ekaete Bassey


Activist Deji Adeyanju has explained the probable consequence of the grandiose ceremony and excessive money splash at ‘Oba’ on the billionaire business man, Obi Cubana.

After the glaring ‘show of wealth’ by the nightlife boss and his numerous associates at the burial ceremony/carnival of his late mum, Deji Adeyanju warned Obi Cubana to slow down on his open display of opulence to avoid ending up in jail.

The activist joining those questioning the source of business mogul’s wealth said he may end up in jail like Hushpuppi based on how he is spending money.

Deji Adeyanju wrote:“This was how some of us kept asking what Hushpuppi was doing that he was throwing money up and down but we were called names and insulted. Today, he is in an American jail.

“Hushpuppi once made several videos mocking me that I am jealous of him. That I should focus on politicians, activism and allow him to enjoy his money. Today, how far? We cannot watch you guys negatively brainwash young people and say nothing.”

In a more recent post, the activist claimed the socialite will now be closely watched by top security agencies with keen interest whenever he travels out of the country.

According to Adeyanju, the Cubana Group boss money show during his late mum’s funeral has now necessitated his dishing out series of explanations.

The activist implied all that may befall the businessman henceforth is self-inflicted as he didn’t have to put himself in the ‘trouble-spelt’ spotlight.

He wrote: “If Obi Cubana had acted responsibly last week, he won’t need all these explanations now.

“Every time he’s travelling abroad, he will be watched as a “Person of Interest”.

“The financial and security world exchange intel.

“He didn’t need to draw so much attention to himself.”

The manpower deficit in the Nigeria Police Force may persist as the recruitment of 10,000 constables to bridge the gap has been stalled, an investigation by New Telegraph has revealed. President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 ordered the recruitment of 10,000 as police officers annually. The directive is aimed at boosting the force’s manpower, which is considered to be less than 400,000 personnel, in a country of over 200 million people. Highly-placed sources, who spoke in confidence with New Telegraph, said the Police Service Commission (PSC) had yet to receive a presidential directive for the 2021 recruitment.

This was as it was further gathered that even the 2020 recruitment process had yet to be completed, owing to an ongoing legal tussle between the PSC and Force Headquarters over who has the constitutional mandate to recruit. The stalemate is happening in the face of worsening insecurity, occasioned by insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and other forms of violent crimes across the country. Speaking on the development, a senior official said: “What I can say confidently is that the commission is waiting for Presidential approval to begin the recruitment process.”

He added that the commission “may likely complete the 2020 recruitment that was stopped halfway, and which was affected by the Appeal Court judgement restoring the powers of the commission to recruit constables”. He explained that the commission was not part of the 2020 exercise, which was stopped as a result of litigation. Another senior officer, who spoke in similar vein, gave assurance of possible completion of last year’s exercise. He said: “You know that the case is in court, and they are trying to look for an out-of- court settlement.

“However we have not heard from court or from any other quarters. That’s where we are now. “But there was an assurance that they will soon resume the former (last year’s) exercise that was stopped. “They must complete that one, because they were on the verge of completion when they stopped.” Efforts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CP Frank Mba, for comment did not yield any result as he failed to pick calls to his phone.

Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed the termination of the appointment of the embattled Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Bala-Usman.


Buhari disclosed this on July 12 in an affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in a suit brought against him by the Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited, Asu Beks, and two others.

In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/485/2021, the plaintiffs had filed a suit challenging the powers of Buhari to constitute the NPA Board and appoint the Executive Directors without recourse to the NPA Act, PUNCH reports.

They also claimed that Buhari prematurely reappointed Hadiza Bala-Usman six months to the expiration of her tenure.

The affidavit, which was filed as Buhari’s preliminary objection to the suit was signed by Agan Tabitha of the Civil Litigation Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, on behalf of Buhari’s counsel.

Buhari argued that “the alleged reappointment of the third defendant (Hadiza Bala-Usman) upon which this court is being called upon to adjudicate, has since been terminated by the first defendant (Buhari) and the instant suit overtaken by the event of that termination.”

He also argued that the plaintiffs lack the locus standi to bring the case and the Federal High Court has no jurisdiction to hear the matter.

Consequently, Buhari urged the court to dismiss the suit as it has become purely academic.

“We submit that it is clear from the Plaintiffs’ affidavit, the questions for determination as well as the reliefs sought. It is obvious that the Plaintiffs neither suffered any injury as a result of the act or omission of the 1st Defendant.

“It is also evident that the claim against the Defendants is that the court should declare the alleged action of the 1st Defendant re-appointing, nominating and setting up of board of NPA illegal as it contravenes sections 2 and 10 NPA Act Cap N126, LFN 2004, even without stating that they have suffered any personal damage beyond any other person as a result of the said appointment.

“It is our submission that the Plaintiffs here do not possess the requisite locus standi to institute this action. Locus standi denotes the right of a party to institute an action in a court of law,” he argued.

The plaintiffs in the suit are Asu Beks, Tompra Abarowei, and Miebi Senge as first to third plaintiffs respectively.

The first to fourth defendants are Buhari, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Hadiza Bala-Usman, and the Chairman NPA Board, Emmanuel Adesoye, respectively.

The matter is before Justice Tujjani Ringim of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

SaharaReporters had reported how Bala-Usman lied to her superiors and sabotaged the plan by the Nigerian government to decongest Lagos ports by dredging the Calabar Port, among other such professional misconducts.

SaharaReporters learnt that Usman lied to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Senate about the recommendations of a committee she had set up to investigate the dredging project at the Calabar Port.

Her lies have cost Nigeria lives, billions of naira and jobs as Nigeria continues to rely on Lagos ports with its attendant congestion and other problems, it was also gathered.

For instance, widespread congestion at the Lagos ports costs Nigeria $55 million (about N20.8 billion) daily, according to a 2020 report by Dynanmar, a Dutch consultancy firm.

According to sources in the industry, Usman consistently lied to Osinbajo, Chairman of the Presidential Task Team on the Apapa gridlock, tasked with the job of decongesting the Lagos ports, that dredging the Calabar Port was not viable.

The project is under Calabar Channel Management, a joint venture operation between a consortium led by Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited and the Nigerian Ports Authority.

Following allegations that money was paid for dredging at Calabar Port with nothing to show for it, Usman set up a committee to investigate three allegations: One, that Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company Limited did not follow due process in carrying out the job; two, that dredging Calabar Ports is not viable and must not be done; and three, that work was not done on the site by the company.

The report of the committee along with other documents sighted by SaharaReporters indeed prove that work had commenced at Calabar Port and that it was viable, but Usman ignored the report of the committee and insisted that the job must be stopped.

The spotlight had been on Ufuoma after she wore a controversial shirt with the inscription “aggressive malpractice brought me this far” during her signing out parade.



The spokesperson for the University of Benin, Benedicta Adeola Ehanire, has said there is no report yet from the panel set up to investigate a 400-level student, Peace Ufuoma, who is under probe for alleged exam malpractice.


The spotlight had been on Ufuoma after she wore a controversial shirt with the inscription “aggressive malpractice brought me this far” during her signing out parade.


Speaking with SaharaReporters, Ehanire debunked reports circulating online claiming the institution had asked Ufuoma, to rewrite her exams from 200 Level.

There had been reports on Wednesday that the student was asked to rewrite all her papers from her level two till the end of level four.

The report also alleged that the school management is of the opinion that Peace Ufuoma be used as a scapegoat to tell every student of the University of Benin that examination malpractices are not allowed within her walls.

However, speaking with SaharaReporters, Ehanire said the report was not true.

She said, “The current report online is fake. The University is following due process; panels have been set up to investigate her claims and the panels are yet to submit their report to the management who will consider the report. It is not something as straightforward as people are portraying it to be. The University is following due process."

SaharaReporters recalled that last week, the Department of Microbiology, University of Benin constituted a committee to probe the results of the female student, who marked her graduation in a controversial shirt.

A video had gone viral on social media which featured the young lady, Peace Ufuoma, wearing a shirt that reads “aggressive malpractice brought me this far.”

In a meeting on Tuesday, July 13, the management of the institution begun investigating all the results of the lady and a report is to be given within a week.

The memo sighted online was signed by the department's head, S.E Omonigho, and directed to one Prof I. O Enabulele to head the committee.

An All Progressives Congress Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, has condemned the invasion of the residence of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, by the Department of State Services, saying it was done without due process.

The senator noted that what differentiated democracy from autocracy or dictatorship was for the government and the people to stay within the ambit of the rule of law.

Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi
Adetunmbi stated these during an interview with Arise Television on Wednesday monitored by SaharaReporters.

He said, "Our country and indeed any decent democratic state should stay within the ambit of the rule of law. That is what defines democracy from autocracy or dictatorship. It is about the rule of law.

“It is not good to invade a person's house without due process. The only thing I can say is that let the law take its course. Where there is an infraction; that is why we have court; let the court intervene. Let the people go to court and seek redress and enforce their right according to the law.”

He urged the Federal Government to involve governors in any activity that concerned the security of their states.

“Another issue is; whatever happens between law and order in any given state in the country, involve the governor of such state. That is why the governors are the Chief Security Officers of their states. They should not be sidestepped in doing things.

“The law is robust enough. This will save us from all these conjectures and conspiracy theories that derail the main subject and focus on tribe, religion or region. That is not where we should be.”

The Eid-el-Kabir celebration in Daura, Katsina State, came with a little surprise – a traditional title for son of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Yusuf, the only son of the president, was in Daura with his father to observe the sallah holidays, but he got more than the usual Sallah treat.

The Emir of Daura, Farouk Umar Farouk, conferred the title of Talban Daura on the young Buhari, as announced by a presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu.

But the honour came with a gaffe – the emir perhaps forgot that he had conferred the same title – Talban Daura – on another person, also linked to the president.

In 2019, visiting president of Guinea, Alpha Conde, was turbaned the Talban Daura by the same emir.

“I confer on you the title of Talban-Daura for accompanying our son, President Buhari to observe Eid-el-Kabir celebration in the ancient city of Daura.”

“Talban-Daura is a title given to a great person like President Conde, we indeed thank you for the visit,” Farouq had said at the time.

Buhari was represented at the August 2019 ceremony by Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State who thanked the emir on behalf of the president.

By Muideen Olaniyi
The National Economic Council (NEC) Thursday received and discussed the initial report of its Ad-Hoc Committee interfacing with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the complete deregulation of the downstream sub-sector of the industry, and appropriate pricing of petrol.

Laolu Akande, the spokesman of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in a statement issued after the meeting presided over by his principal, said observations and comments were made and it was resolved that an updated version would be submitted by the Committee inclusive of observations raised and an updated report be made to the National Economic Council for further action.

Akande said the Council also noted that the Federal Government was working out modalities of providing Autogas conversion kits, and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)/ Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), mass transit buses to major cities nationwide as cheaper alternatives to PMS/petrol for transportation and fuel.

He said the council received updates on the FG Budget Support Facility to States as the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning informed the Council that with the agreement reached on the matter with the CBN providing a bridge financing facility to the States, deductions from State Governments will now commence from July.

The presidential aide said NEC urged State Governments to take proactive and necessary mitigative measures in addressing the envisaged 2021 flood disaster in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while encouraging relevant Federal ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to take necessary actions.

Ahead of next week’s Sallah festivities, the council urged strict adherence to the COVID-19 response guidelines across the country, after receiving a regular state performance report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

According to the report, the Coronavirus positivity rate has gone up in the country just as 3 cases of the Delta variant have now been detected.

The NCDC, therefore, urged the Council to ensure the sustenance of effective COVID-19 response nationwide, while improving public health awareness, adherence to public health, and social measures.

The NEC Ad-hoc Committee interfacing with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 led by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Governor, while briefing the meeting, said State Governors will continue to monitor the situation for the next one week to see if there will be need for an emergency Ad-hoc committee meeting on the situation.

The Council also received an update on cholera cases in some parts of the country.

The House of Representatives adopted pay-as-you-go and a price slash for DSTV and other cable satellite operators in the country.

The House considered and approved recommendations of the Ad–hoc Committee on Non–Implementation of Pay–As–You–Go and sudden Increment of Tariffs plan by Broadcast Digital Satellite Service Providers.

The Chairman of the Committee and member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency, Rep Unyime Idem, had earlier laid the report before the House and was considered during Wednesday’s Plenary in Abuja.

The House called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency expedite action on implementing the content of the National Broadcasting Code and the Nigeria information Policy of 2014.

The House noted that this would trigger healthy competition in the industry, adding that the entertainment industry had a wider spectrum with limitless job and wealth creation opportunities for the teeming youths.

The House stated that the visible absence of competitors in the industry was tacit approval of monopoly by the present operators. The House suggested that timely application of government regulatory intervention measures already articulated would revolutionise the industry and meet the people’s yearnings for Pay-as-you-go, Pay-Per-View and price reduction.

According to the recommendation, our extant laws that moderate operations in the industry is to be fine-tuned to meet the 21st- century regulatory laws of the industry that is dynamic as the entertainment industry.

The House noted that the National Broadcasting Commission saddled with the responsibility of licensing and regulating the activities of service providers must also have the power to moderate in the protection of consumers to guard against exploitation.

The House stated that there was little or nothing a regulator could do if he was handicapped by laws that were not properly tailored to the needs of the society.

Furthermore, the report stated that price increase and reduction have always been contentious issues for producers and consumers in the business world.

The House also listed the factors responsible for the hike in subscription fees as the recent increment of VAT by 2.5 per cent by the Financial Amendment Act of Jan. 13 2020, and the fluctuating foreign exchange rate in the country that affects the cost of content.

Other contentious issues listed are broadcast equipment, experienced hire and technical infrastructure, increase in bouquets for a wider choice, inflation on the cost of production and need to maintain the workforce.

They identified the need not to throw many young Nigerians who are gainfully employed by pay-tv into the labour market.

Lionel Messi’s plans to leave Argentina were put on hold on Tuesday after the Barcelona star’s private jet was halted amid a bomb scare.

The 34-year-old briefly returned to Rosario on Monday following Argentina’s Copa America triumph at the Maracana after an Angel di Maria strike clinched the nation’s first major trophy since 1993.

Messi was due to jet off for Miami, Florida to spend some time on holiday with his family, but his flight was delayed after a man claimed to have left a bomb in his suitcase.

Islas Malvinas International Airport was evacuated immediately and emergency protocols were put in place, with all flights grounded.

The incident was swiftly resolved but the emergency resulted in a major backlog of flights leaving the airport, including Messi’s.

Fresh facts have emerged about a recent show of shame by security operatives at the National Assembly who fought over a cash gift from Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum.

It was reported that the Department of State Services (DSS) and police were involved, but top security sources confirmed yesterday that those involved were from the office of the Sergeant-at-Arms.

In some of the video clips, over 10 security operatives were seen struggling to pick some naira notes sprayed by an aide to the Borno governor.

The source revealed the identity of some of those captured in the video that has gone viral.

A fight had ensued last Wednesday among personnel of the Sergeant-at-Arms’ office over the sharing of the cash gift allegedly given to them by the visiting governor.

The capacity of many households to purchase daily and essential needs are becoming tougher, going by the erosion in the value of incomes due to high inflation and stagnated earnings, especially among low and middle-income earners. This development is forcing many to depend on loans, families and friends for sustenance.

With about 50 per cent rise in the inflation rate from 9.01 per cent when the Buhari administration took over in 2015 to 17.93 per cent recorded in May 2021, compared with a 40 per cent rise in the minimum wage from N18,000 in 2015 to N30,000, which many states are finding difficult to pay, many Nigerians today are struggling with hunger.

They lamented that their monthly take-home pay could no longer take them home considering the high cost of commodities in the country. Presently, many Nigerians with limited access to loans, due to lack of collateral are becoming dependent on the fast-growing collateral-free digital lending or loan apps to access emergency funds and cater for personal expenses within a short period.

However, a requisite to accessing loans via these platforms come with the provision of personal information such as BVN, house address, and debit card details including its PIN. Most often, the loan apps, if granted permission, have access to the applicant’s phone contacts and other sensitive information on the applicant’s mobile device.

Consequent to fulfilling the requirements, one is only able to request an instant loan ranging from as low as N2,000 and as high as N500,000 within minutes depending on the financial capacity of the company, interest rate and applicant’s creditworthiness calculated by the company.

With defaults on the rise, it is becoming common practice for contacts of the loan beneficiary to receive terse messages from such firms reporting cases of defaults.

MEANWHILE, the number of people who did not have enough food to eat rose steeply during the pandemic to include almost a third of the world, according to a new United Nations (UN) report published yesterday. Five UN agencies said the number of people without access to healthy diets grew by 320 million last year to nearly 2.37 billion people– more than the increases in the previous five years combined. The number of people who went hungry grew by about 161 million last year to 811 million.

The report by five UN agencies – the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) – said the effects of the pandemic on nutrition were still being counted, but levels of impaired growth and development among children are expected to increase because of the pandemic. An estimated 22 per cent of children under five are considered to be stunted.

Gilbert Houngbo, President of IFAD, said enough food was being produced to feed everyone and the crisis was a failure in the food system. “It is clear that, unfortunately, the pandemic continues to expose weaknesses in our food system, which threaten the lives and livelihoods of people around the world, particularly the most vulnerable and those living in countries affected by conflict, climate change and inequality,” he said.

Houngbo said that even when enough food was produced, crises such as the pandemic could affect regional and international trade, which is especially damaging for countries reliant on imports.

ACCORDING to the Nigerian Living Standards Survey (NLSS) report by the NBS in 2020, the number of Nigerians that are poor have been estimated to be 82.9 million, meaning 40.1 per cent of Nigerians are classified as poor by national standards.

The NLSS report also recorded a poverty line of N137,430 for each person per year, translating to an average of N376 per day. The situation is worse considering that more Nigerians now live on less than one dollar a day, which translates to about N500 per day.

In its COVID-19 National Longitudinal Phone Survey (NLPS) for January 2021, the NBS reported that when households were asked to indicate their income sources between August 2020 and January 2021, and how the income they received from each applicable source compared to the same period a year ago (August 2019 to January 2020), 38 per cent of the households reported income loss (decrease).

Looking across different income sources, income losses were most widespread for remittances from family members within the country (46 per cent of households that had such income); followed by assistance from non-relatives within the country (42 per cent) and non-farm family business (41 per cent).

Though the minimum wage was adjusted to N30,000, many governors have failed to meet the obligation, while those in the private sector have not had it better, as incomes were revised lower due to the impact of the pandemic on many businesses.
Currently, many Nigerians are underemployed and unemployed, thus raising concerns about the country’s rising dependency ratio, as the situation has further mounted pressure on disposable incomes.

A comparison of the prices of some foodstuffs between 2015 and 2021 showed that a bag of rice (foreign) was N10,500, but now N30,000, while a bag of local rice that was N6,000, now sells for N22,000.

A basin of garri in 2015 was N3,000, but now N11,000; cup of beans in 2015 was N30 now N120; an average tuber of yam in 2015 was N200 now N1,000; sizeable frozen fish in 2015 was N100, now N800. Across the board, the prices of foodstuffs in this present administration have drastically increased.

For instance, a worker, whose monthly income was N50,000 in 2015 could comfortably purchase some commodities and still have little savings, but the reverse is the reality presently, especially now with dwindling incomes. At between N18,000 and N30,000, many workers can barely spend on feeding, transportation, energy consumption, and other amenities, with little savings.

The Guardian findings showed that most employers have not done salary appraisals for many years, while some are not ready or willing to increase salaries any time soon, despite quantum efforts put in by the employees to keep the organisations running at optimal capacity.

Those who spoke with The Guardian noted that they have not had it good since the past five years when this administration came on board, expressing regrets that the change mantra promised by Muhammadu Buhari during his campaign period is not commensurate with current realities. They argued that with the rise in inflation and even devaluation of the Naira, their salaries could no longer sustain them.

For instance, Nigeria’s inflation rate since 2013 to date had grown from 8.48 per cent to 17.93 per cent in May 2021. In 2013, the inflation rate stood at 8.48 per cent while it dropped to 8.06 per cent 2014. In 2015, when this administration took over, it shot up to 9.01 per cent with a yearly change of 0.95 per cent and had continued to rise exponentially.

Giving a breakdown, in 2016, inflation rate rose sporadically to 15.68 per cent with about a 6.67 per cent increase from 2015. In 2017, it stood at 16.52 per cent with about a 0.85 per cent increase from 2016, while in 2018, the inflation rate significantly dropped to 12.09 per cent with about -4.43 per cent from 2017.

In 2019, it stood at 11.40 per cent with a yearly change of -0.70 per cent when compared to 2018, while in 2020 and 2021 as at May, the inflation rate stood at 13.2 per cent and 17.93 per cent respectively, which analysts believed may drop to an average of 17.0 per cent in 2021, with increases on both core and non-core levels over 2020.

Using the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market (IFEM), $1 as of June 2021 was about N404.19 but in June 2015, $1 was equivalent to N196.92.

Comparing the rate than at N196.92 and N404.19 to $1 now, with a minimum wage of N18,000 and N30,000, respectively, showed that Nigerian workers are at the receiving end, with low purchasing power and high cost of commodities.

A worker, who works in the factory department of one of the manufacturing firms in Lagos told The Guardian that their monthly take-home is not up to the minimum wage. The worker, who craved anonymity for fear of being sacked said they receive daily pay of N1,400 for a 12-hourly job, running from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., which when summed up monthly stands at N28,000. On the job, he said they run two shifts, where many youths rushed in large numbers to be among those that would be selected for the day’s job.

Another female factory worker and a graduate, Nkechi Obi, from another organisation, said she earns N900 daily for a six-hour shift. She said due to the low wage, most of them are forced to work two shifts intermittently to make more money to meet up with family needs.

She said: “I am a graduate of Business Administration from one of the federal universities. I have not been able to get a good job offer since I graduated in 2019. I had to take the factory job to meet up with some financial needs. The work has not been easy because most of the time, I engage in two shifts as the wage is so poor and nothing to write home about. I pray I get a better offer because the factory job is already taking a huge toll on me.”

The Guardian investigation also showed that many private schools are underpaying their workers below the minimum wage. Already, the N30,000 minimum wage is supposed to be for Grade Level 1 Step 1 workers, which is meant for the unskilled workers like cleaners or gatekeepers, but such are paid to graduates and some with second degrees, where a Master’s degree worker earns about N25,000 as salary.

Not left out too are the banking sector and other financial institutions, where the majority of the personnel operate as casual workers. The workers are denied good pay, pension, gratuity and other allowances.

The United Nations (UN) reviewed the poverty line from $1.25 per day to $1.90 per day, and this is worsened by the rising cost of living and declining purchasing power in Nigeria. Standard of living, according to experts, is the quality of life being lived by a particular set of people — their level of wealth, comfort, material good and access to the basic necessities of life.

While living standards, according to the World Bank, are measured by income and expenditure, in Nigeria’s case, real income has dropped over the past 12 months with the massive fall in the value of the Naira and rising unemployment.

Already, the income and consumption of Nigerian households had remained unstable due to the impact of COVID-19. With prices of goods and services taking a flight, the standard of living for Nigerians has evidently dropped with the cost of living far-reaching.

Economists are of the view that the rapid decrease in the domestic value of the currency has put a severe strain on domestic households in 2021 as their real disposable incomes vapourised. They urged that the government needed to stimulate private consumption to encourage growth since the government’s spending has not translated into higher incomes for the average worker and, therefore, average private consumption remains depressed.

A labour expert and President of the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), Segun David, said the socio-economic situation in the country vis-a-vis COVID-19, workers’ welfare and N30,000 national minimum wage amid rising inflation, made some employers, especially during the peak of COVID-19 to do many things that were inimical to the growth of workers.

He said: “For instance, a lot of companies downsized arbitrarily and indiscriminately, while some even went ahead to reduce the salary of workers. Now that things have improved reasonably, those salaries were not reversed.

“Also, we saw where a majority of companies declare huge profits than they usually made in recent past. But most of them to date have not done salary appraisals and yet they are declaring huge profits. These profits, if I may say, part of it was got as a result of suppression of workers, because some of them did not increase salary, some employees were retired and there were no replacements, they froze promotions and in all these, they counted them as profits, not even considering the workers that worked for them to make these profits.”

In all these sufferings, there was an initial plan recently by the Federal Government to slash the salaries of workers in the country, which was immediately kicked against by organised labour. President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, said NLC was shocked at a statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, on the plan to reduce the high cost of governance by cutting down on workers’ salaries.

He described Nigerian workers as miracles strutting on two legs, who are only surviving by hair’s breadth. According to him, it is in public knowledge that the multiple devaluations of the Naira in a short time, and the prevailing high inflation rate in Nigeria, has knocked out the salaries earned by Nigerian workers across the board.

He added: “It is most unthinkable that the government would be contemplating to unilaterally slash the salaries of Nigerian workers at this time. The question to ask is which salary is the government planning to slash? It certainly cannot be the meagre national minimum wage of N30,000, which right now cannot even buy a bag of rice.”

“We urge the government as a social partner to quickly respond to the demands by labour for an upward review of salaries of all Nigerian workers. Nigerian workers demand an increase in their remunerations and allowances.”

President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Quadri Olaleye, who noted that the Nigerian economy was challenged on many fronts, also said employers could conveniently pay and increase salaries if they could cut down on their ostentatious lifestyles.

Noting that before the N30,000 minimum wage was finally passed into law in 2018, the last time salary was negotiated was in 2011, meaning that for almost eight years there was no wage increase.

Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Dr. Timothy Olawale, said the economy currently grappling with the worst economic growth, having experienced two recessions within the last five years in the country’s history, was currently affecting many employers with regards to salary payment capacity. He maintained that unless crucial economic reform and political will are demonstrated, the situation might continue to get worse.