₦airaland Forum

chai

The Electoral Institute (TEI) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has that with all the indicators, the early warning signs indicate that there will be violence and it cannot be over looked. The TEI Chairman, Prince Solomon Adedeji Soyebi, said this on the sideline of a Round Table and Policy Dialogue on Kogi election theme “A successful Governorship Elections in Kogi: What are the Critical Issues?” organized by the institute on Monday in Abuja.

He also said that vote buying in November 16 governorship election in Kogi State would be discouraged by concealing all form of evidence of the votes cast by the electorates.

He said the event was INEC’s commitment to continuous strategic engagement with stakeholders on issues central to elections, electoral process, governance and democratic practices. Soyebi said that already, there were reports of violence and anticipated vote buying in the state, but the commission was working to curb all of them.

“What we will do is to discourage potential vote buying by increasing the sanctity of the vote, if you vote now, it is difficult for another person to see it. So, where there is no evidence of voting, there will be no corresponding money coming after it. We have said it consistently, vote buying is more of a criminal offence than an electoral offence, the security apparatus have been dealing with this and would continue to deal with it,”he said.

Speaking earlier, the TEI Director-General Dr. Sa’ad Idris, said the policy dialogue was a deliberate attempt of the commission through its research and training organ to interrogate by the way of policy dialogue, the commission’s preparedness for elections. According to him, the aim was to also interrogate to know areas that required urgent attention for instant improvement to ensure a successful credible and transparent governorship election in Kogi.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/govship-poll-early-warning-signs-indicate-possible-violence-in-kogi-inec.html

sad

melaye

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has insisted that it followed the law when its operatives recently demanded that an arriving passenger at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, with a N570,467 worth of bag, paid the Duty of N165,000. A statement by the Customs Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, on Monday, said the Nigerian passenger, Mrs. Udensi Adaeze Nwagboliwe, arrived onboard the British Airways Flight 083 and upon inspection, a Louis Vuitton bag and shoe she had bought was found to be over N50,000 – which is the maximum worth of goods allowed for arriving passengers freely without Duty payment.

Customs said the passenger failed to show receipt for the Louis Vuitton bag brand but claimed she bought it at the duty free shop at the point of departure

She could not also pay the Duty upon verification of the N570,467 worth of the bag, on the internet, by the operatives. “Consequently, appropriate duty assessment of N165,692 was made and given to her to pay into Federal Government coffer. “Since she could not immediately go and pay, a detention notice was given to her showing that the items will remain with the NC until she pays and brings evidence of payment before they will be released to her.” Attah said although many Nigerians were complaining about the N50,000 allowable amount, NCS will continue to enforce the extant law until the law is changed.

Customs said the woman had taken to the social media, claiming she was ill-treated at the airport on the bases of her gender and tribe. While calling on the public to ignore the claims, Customs said: “Since her attempt to evade duty payment by refusing to produce receipt could not work, it appears convenient to transfer reluctance to pay tax into unnecessary public incitement.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/customs-slams-n165000-duty-on-traveler-for-designer-bag.html

Youths in their hundreds on Monday, blocked the Minna-Bida and the Minna-Suleja roads in protest over the deplorable state of federal roads across the state. The two roads were the major entry points into the state capital. The placards bearing youths sat on the middle of roads leaving road users stranded.

They accused the Federal Government of neglecting federal roads in Niger State and called on the President to come to their aid. The protesters in some of their placards and banners called on President Muhammadu Buhari to save them. The youth claimed that people die every day in Niger part of country due to the deplorable nature of the road. Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest almost turned violent following the use of teargas by the police. However, the protesters regrouped immediately the impact wears off threatening to ground activities until 6 pm.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/youths-shut-minna-suleja-minna-bida-roads-over-deplorable-condition.html

Chai!

EFCC is a worst agency in Nigeria that is full of corruption!

The World Bank is willing to invest $510m, in three tranches, in the Lad Chad Basin to address insecurity, desertification and humanitarian challenges, among others. Nigerian Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, disclosed this yesterday in Washington DC at a press briefing on the sidelines of the 2019 World Bank/IMF meetings.

“The initial tranche is $170m but it is going to go into three tranches. And it is to help these four countries, Nigeria, Cameron, Niger and Chad to solve some of the problems that we have now within that region and these include; security. Of course, security is the business of government, but the reason we have security is the lack of economic activity.

“Part of the fund will be used to build common Infrastructure so there will be roads linking the four countries, it will also include providing support to the communities to enhance resilience and there will be livelihood support to the people in the four countries,” she said She said the Federal Government planned to raise its $3bn World Bank loan request for the power sector to $4bn. She said the loan would be used to finance transmission, distribution and offsetting pending obligations to the sector, adding that it would also help the government to end the subsidy regime in the sector. “And if we are able to expand the amount to $4bn, the additional $1bn is for the distribution network. So, it will help us to exit the subsidy that is now inherent in the power sector” she said. She said the government planned to issue naira denominated bonds to fund budgets. “We are contemplating such a bond.

There have been proposals made to us, not just by the UK government, but by the Dutch Bank and the World Bank.” On the forecast by the IMF that global economic growth was projected to slow down from 3.6 percent in 2018 to 3.0 percent in 2019, she said the government was working to mitigate impacts on Nigerian economy. On the border closure, the borders would be opened when the Nigeria’s neighbours commit to best practices.

“The commitment that we had with these countries is that goods can come through their borders into Nigeria but in sealed containers where the Nigerian Customs can inspect and charge duties. But that is not what is happening. They allow containers to be opened and allow goods to be smuggled beyond the formal borders through illegal routes.”

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/insecurity-others-w-bank-to-invest-510m-in-lake-chad-basin.html

President Muhammadu Buhari will today depart Abuja for Sochi, Russia, to attend a three-day Russia-Africa Summit holding from October 23 to 26. The summit focuses on exploring and expanding opportunities in security, trade and investment, science and technology, and gas production, according to a statement yesterday by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Buhari will be accompanied by Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State and Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State as well as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; the Minister of Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite and the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.

During the summit, Buhari will meet with President Vladimir Putin of Russia to further strengthen relations in security, trade and investment, and building partnership that will enhance Nigeria’s huge gas potential, following Russia’s remarkable success in gas exportation.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/buhari-off-to-sochi-for-russia-africa-summit.html

drama

The police on Wednesday arraigned a 52-year-old herdsman, Mohammed Abubakar at a Badagry Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing 15 cows valued at N800,000. Abubakar, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of stealing and breach of public peace, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The Prosecutor, ASP. Akpan Nkem, told the court that the defendant committed the offences sometimes in 2016 at Ajara Avovipe area of Badagry. Nkem said that the defendant stole 15 cows valued at N800,000, belonging to one Mr Yayi Adetunji, the complainant. “Abubakar also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause breach of the public peace by refusing to produce the cows on request by the complainant, ” he said. The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 287 and 168 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Segun Aka-Bashorun, admitted the defendant to bail of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum. Aka-Bashorun adjourned the case until Oct. 29, for mention. (NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/herdsman-in-court-for-allegedly-stealing-15-cows.html

Dogon Dawa village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State is agog as the Nigeria Army is currently rebuilding the bridge linking the village to other states in the North-west, two years after its collapse. The 18-meter bridge, our correspondent gathered, was washed away by erosion in 2017 leaving residents and commuters stranded and unable to cross over during rainy seasons.

With the reconstruction of the bridge which links travelers to Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states, residents eagerly await its completion, in a few weeks to come, with excitement. A resident, Ibrahim Yakubu, described the reconstruction of the bridge as a relief, which he said, when completed, will make life easier for them. “When the bridge was okay it was taking me 10 minutes to get to my farm on my motorcycle, but since its collapsed, I have had to take the longer road which is about 30 minutes before I can get to my farm.”

He commended the army for brining succor to the community. Malama Aisha Yusuf, a mother of three, also said she was happy with the reconstruction of the bridge because it will reduce the cost of transporting herself and her three children to school and farm. “I never knew security agents also engage in service to communities like they are doing here. It has not been easy without the bridge because it doubled the prices of goods and services in our community.” She urged lawmakers and other government officials to key into such initiatives saying, it will go a long way in reducing the suffering of helpless communities in the state and the country at large.

The visibly overjoyed District Head of Dogon-Dawa, Alhaji Al-Hassan Al-Hassan described the intervention as a huge relief to his people. “It is a welcome development,” he said. Al-Hassan thanked the Nigerian Army and assured that the community will continue to give the army and other security operatives in the state necessary support to ensure peace and stability. The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division, Kaduna, Major General Faruq Yahaya, said the gesture is a demonstration of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to deepen civil-military relations.

The GOC, who was represented at the flag-off of the reconstruction by the Garrison Commander 1 Division, Brigadier General Jimmy Akpor, said the idea to rebuild the bridge was conceived when the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai came for an operational visit to the Army Super Camp in Kuyello. “The collapse of the bridge, located along the troubled Birni Gwari axis, has left the largely agrarian communities in difficulties as to how to move their farm produce.

“The COAS on 15th July was on his way to the Nigerian Army Super Camp in Kuyelo when he ran into this collapsed bridge and immediately directed the GOC in charge of the division to reconstruct the bridge. “Nigerian Army is fixing this bridge for the community as part of civil-military cooperation. We have constructed roads, fixed bridges across the country and this is just another one,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/excitement-in-b-gwari-village-as-army-rebuilds-collapsed-bridge.html

chai

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked the National Assembly to sanitize the Presidential Villa by probing allegations of illegal allotment of offices and apartments to unauthorized persons, “including scammers and corruption fronts” in the Aso Rock. The PDP, in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, specifically demanded the National Assembly to investigate the alleged abuse of office by President Buhari and apply appropriate sanctions following the alleged revelation that Buhari assigned official facilities in the villa to unauthorized persons that have no official roles in governance.

The party described the dirty public fight between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and President Buhari’s cousins, over rooms in the villa as disgraceful. It said the feud uncovered the alleged impunity, disorderliness and vanity that pervaded the Presidency, adding that the presidential villa had been turned into a house of comedy and an overcrowded quarters for illegal occupants.

“Nigerians can now see why it has become difficult for our nation to witness any stability or progress under the Buhari Presidency and why the Buhari-led Federal Government has been bedeviled by confusion, infighting, policy flip-flops, statutory violations, promotion of violence, ingrained corruption and administrative indolence while millions of Nigerians wallow in poverty and neglect. “Nigerians and the world can equally see why no one expects the Buhari Presidency to articulate any progressive idea or proffer and implement any solution to the myriad of economic and security problems it caused our nation; they can now see why there is no hope in sight and why compatriots are daily agitating for a new order. “Our party notes that our dear nation has suffered enough disgrace from the Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP therefore, charges President Buhari to immediately apologize to Nigerians for his failures and be ready to vacate office for more competent hands, since it has become obvious that he is leading our country to nowhere. “The party however, urges Nigerians to remain calm as such provocative and disgraceful developments will soon come to an end with the retrieval of our stolen mandate at the Supreme Court,” the PDP said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/probe-illegality-in-presidential-villa-pdp-asks-national-assembly.html

bad market for them

CHAI

Up PDP

The recent outbreak of yellow fever in Bauchi State has killed 22 persons so far. The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency yesterday confirmed six new deaths after the 17 previous recorded. The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rilwan Muhammed, said that no fewer than 143 suspected cases of the disease were recorded out of which 24 cases were confirmed and 22 dead.

Muhammed said 10 out of the 22 victims were rangers working with the Yankari Games Reserve, adding that all the cases were from Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state. He noted that only 79 percent coverage was recorded in the ongoing immunization campaign against the vector that carries the disease.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/yellow-fever-death-toll-hits-22-in-bauchi.html

Parents of the six students and two teachers of Engravers College, Kakau Daji, Kaduna, who were kidnapped on 3rd October, 2019, have blamed the Kaduna State Government over the continuous captivity of their children in kidnappers’ den. It could be recalled that the kidnappers forced their way into Engravers College, Kakau Daji, Chikun local government area of the state around 12 am on Thursday, October 3 and abducted six girls and two teachers who were just returning to the school after a break.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, leader of the team, Chukwuemeka Paul Adindu, said they have done the bidding of the kidnappers, but the kidnappers made a u-turn based on the reaction of the state government over the development in the media. According to Adindu: “We are the parents of the six girls and two teachers kidnapped at Engravers College, Kakau Daji and we are here to let you know that they have not been released because of misinformation in the media that the State Government was on top of it.

“The government said they were doing everything possible to bring our children back which happened only on the paper. We, the parents and staff of the college do not know anything about government negotiating with the kidnappers. “The kidnappers are still calling and threatening us because of the pronouncement made by government that made them go wild and said they are waiting for the government.” He clarified that the families were the one making efforts to get their children, saying: “The school is a private school and government is not negotiating.”

He further decried that they had been struggling to see how to secure the release of their children, stressing that there was no involvement from the government. “It is only we the parent that are suffering. We don’t look like people government is helping. They should please, released our children. “We have tried our best as parents to do all we can. We did as we were told, but up till now, they have not been released to us and what they are holding-on to is the government pronouncement which is making them demand for more,” he said.

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-government-responsible-for-continuous-captivity-of-our-children-parents-of-abducted-schoolgirls.html

This dwarf sef...

hmmm

sarki

The Muslim Rights Concern has condemned the abduction and conversion to Christianity of nine children from Kano, urging the Police to quickly prosecute the suspects. MURIC Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, in a statement on Monday, charged parents to be security conscious and for Muslims not to allow the incident generate animosity between them and their Christian neighbours. A

According to him, the nine children were rescued by the police on Oct. 11 from Anambra where they were taken and allegedly sold as slaves. “The children were abducted in Kano and taken to Onitsha in Anambra State. “Kidnappers have taken over the house of God. The phenomenon of kidnapping for Christ has now rented the air. We are shocked to our marrows.

“It is such a big shame that some Christian fanatics will live among us only for the purpose of abducting our children, converting them to Christianity and selling them into slavery,” he said. The director who said that not all christians were involved in the criminal behavior, urged Muslims faithful not to allow the incident generate animosity with their Christian neighbours. “We therefore appeal to Muslims throughout the federation to dispassionately separate the wheat from the chaff. “This Kano 9 incident should not be allowed to generate animosity between them and their Christian neighbours.

“Nonetheless, Muslim parents should be security conscious particularly around their children. “Mallams in charge of Islamiyyah schools and madrasahs all over Nigeria are urged to do head-counting before the commencement of classes and immediately after. “Muslim children should be given security tips. For instance, movement in groups should be encouraged while residents should heighten their vigilance. “We appeal to the security agencies to provide adequate security around Islamiyyah schools and protect Muslim children from Christian abductors. The Kano 9 culprits must face the full wrath of the law,” Akintola said.(NAN)

Read more: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/muric-seeks-justice-for-9-kidnapped-kano-children.html

aayah

What is wrong with using naira?

hmmm

Presido...better days ahead

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