₦airaland Forum

‘My house is filled up,’ popular pastor-philanthropist rejects boy dumped at his residence


The General Overseer of the Omega Power Ministry, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, has rejected a child abandoned at his residence, stating that his house is filled up.

Apostle Chibuzor who is also a traditional ruler, disclosed this in a post on his Instagram account on Thursday, stating that the mother should collect the child from the Abacha police station.

He wrote, “Please, the mother of this boy should go to Abacha police station to go and claim her child. My house is already filled up.

“The mother came this evening and dumped this beautiful child in front of my house and disappeared.”


He further clarified that he’s not rejecting the child, but due to the high number of people he supports and feeds, he suggests the mother place the child in a government facility or a motherless babies’ home.

He added, “I’m sorry, unlike me. I am not rejecting this child. I don’t reject children. I am only giving him to the government, not rejecting him.

“I am currently feeding more than a thousand people daily, and food stuff is increasing every day.

“So mama, go to Abacha police station and collect your boy. And take him to motherless baby homes. Thank you, and God bless you.”

Apostle Chibuzor is known for his extensive philanthropic work through the Omega Power Ministry Foundation.

The OPM Foundation is reported to run many free institutions, including a free school, a specialist hospital, a skill acquisition centre, among others to offer vital services to the underprivileged.

The Lagos State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service has made clarifications on the status of the controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky in its facility.

Bobrisky is currently serving a six-month prison sentence over abuse of the naira notes.

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court in Lagos, while sentencing the convict, on Friday, April 12, 2024, said the judgment would be a deterrent to others who are found abusing and mutilating the naira.

However, a new platform (not PUNCH) reported that the convict occupied a newly built VIP apartment in the Kirikiri correctional centre.

Meanwhile, the NCoS in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rotimi Oladokun, obtained by Punch Online on Saturday disproved the claims.

Oladokun noted that Bobrisky shared the same cell with other convicted inmates, adding that there were no en-suite or ‘one-bedroom flat’ style cells in the Custodial Centre.

The spokesman revealed that cell block infrastructure in the facility was built as shared buildings to accommodate multiple inmates.

The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian Correctional Service Lagos State Command has been drawn to some mischievous and misleading online publications.

“Without prejudice to NCoS right to seek legal redress for the libellous publication, outlined are clarification on the said issues.

“The convicted inmate, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju aka Bobrisky is currently serving a 6-month jail term for abuse and mutilation of the Naira note within the custody of the Custodial Centre in the State.

“The Convict is entitled to the reformative and rehabilitative platforms either educational and/or vocational training as provided to all inmates in custody.

“Idris has been allocated a shared cell with other convicted inmates. There are no en-suite or ‘one-bedroom flat’ style cells in our Custodial Centre as the cell blocks infrastructure are built as shared buildings, to accommodate multiple inmates.”

Oladokun further stated that the convict was remanded in a male Custodial Centre and observed all regulations and rules in place at the centre, especially concerning the dress code.

He added that Bobrisky wears male-designated correctional clothing for convicted inmates.

“Idris is being treated just as every other inmate without any special amenities or privilege accorded. All inmates are entitled to Family and Legal visits. These visits are monitored and regulated by NCoS. The Controller of Corrections, Lagos Command enjoined the general public to disregard the said malicious publication,” the statement added.

A source in the correctional centre had exclusively told our correspondent that Bobrisky was treated equally to other inmates in the facility.

The source who spoke on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the crossdresser was examined at the point of admission.

According to the official, the outcome of the examination revealed that the convict had no realignment of gender or genital organs.

Bobrisky was arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, April 3, 2024. According to the commission, Bobrisky was invited due to a video report of spraying new naira notes at the premiere of Eniola Ajao’s movie titled, ‘Ajakaju’, which was held at FilmOne Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos, on March 24, 2024.

He was convicted by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday, April 5, 2024, after pleading guilty to the charges of naira abuse levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC filed six counts against him, with the first four counts related to naira abuse, and the last two counts concerning alleged money laundering.

Before reading the charges, the EFCC prosecutor requested the court to dismiss counts five and six.

Bobrisky pleaded guilty to the four counts of naira abuse.

Before his conviction, he asked to be pardoned, adding that he was not aware of the laws binding the naira abuse and vowed to educate his fans on social media about it.

Supreme Court rules on 13 years suit against P-Square, awards N1m cost

THE Supreme Court of Nigeria has decided in favour of Mr Patrick Arueze in a breach of contract case against Peter and Paul Okoye popularly called P-Square and their brother Jude Okoye and they are to pay Arueze about N25 million.

Arueze invited them to perform in a show in Benin City in 2011 but the team did not show up and he instituted a suit against them in the Edo State High court presided over by Justice Esther Edigin as she then was, for a breach of contract.

Attempt by the Okoyes to reverse the judgment through a motion dated 3rd of October, 2016 was dismissed by the court.

Dissatisfied by the decision, the artistes filed a motion of stay of execution at the Court of Appeal, Benin Division which was dismissed and they later issued a cheque through one of the commercial banks.

However, when the cheque was presented to the bank, the musicians instructed their lawyers to file a motion at the court of appeal Benin Division to stop the payment but the court dismissed the frivolous motion.

As the legal works continued, the Okoyes filed a motion at the Supreme Court seeking to appeal against the ruling of the Court of Appeal which dismissed their motion to stop the payment of the cheque they issued and joined the bank in the motion.


The opposing counsels faulted the decision as the bank was not a party at the court of appeal.

Justice Uwani Musa Abba-Aji agreed with the arguments of Mr. Patrick Arueze represented by a team of lawyers led by E. O. Afolabi, SAN, Dr. Samson Osage, Mrs Nosa Festus Ajayi, and others.

The Supreme Court however struck out the application of the applicants and awarded one million naira as cost for the application.

Speaking on the judgment, Afolabi told Vanguard that “Arueze got judgment against them and they now sent a cheque but when we wanted to cash they cheque, they went to court to stop it, the court refused, they went to the Court of Appeal which also refused their stay of execution, they went to Supreme Court and the lawyer now joined the bank who is not a party to the suit at the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court was not happy and awarded N1m cost against P-Square and their lawyer did not appear.

nonan:
Keyamo is funny but he's right. He's very proactive

1000Capacity:
Op I'm more intrigued by that back.
Can I please touch and follow

pongwa:
send your ĺocation make I come pay you small visit

pongwa:
na US go tell us wetin dey happen for our country. OP get emancipated sense

U.S. Says APC Supporters Attacked, Prevented Igbo, Non-Party Members From Voting During Lagos Gov Poll In Presence Of Police Personnel

The United States Government has analysed how supporters of Nigeria's ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), attacked and prevented supporters of opposition parties, particularly Igbo people, from exercising their voting rights during the Lagos State governorship election in March 2023.

In a report titled, ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’, the US Department of State noted that the recent 2023 general election in the most populous African country was characterised by irregularities and violent incidents.

The report mentioned that several observers who were present during the election opined that the results of polls largely reflected the wills of the voters despite voters’ intimidation and suppression in some parts of the country.

It says, “Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections: National elections were widely reported to have reflected the will of voters, despite technical and logistical difficulties, and some irregularities.

“Many independent observers assessed the results of the presidential, legislative, and state-level elections during the year reflected the will of voters, despite reports of voter suppression and vote buying, campaigning at polling stations, lack of ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.

“During the March 18 state election in Lagos, All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters reportedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, which Labour Party presidential candidate and ethnically Igbo Peter Obi won in the February 25 national election.

“Viral videos on social media showed APC supporters in Ojo threatening to attack ethnic Igbo voters presumed to be pro-Obi. In Eti-Osa, APC supporters also attacked journalists and, in some cases, shut down voting and prevented non-Yoruba voters from accessing polls.”

“They similarly destroyed property and physically blocked voters in Amuwo-Odofin. According to videos posted on social media, police officers were present but failed to respond to attacks. There was no evidence that alleged perpetrators were arrested or prosecuted,” it added.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, has disclosed that the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras helped traffic officers record over 850,000 violations in the state.

“The usage of the ANPR to capture other related traffic offences e.g. vehicle moving against traffic; the ANPR captured 856,680 violations from January 2023 to March 2024,” he stated.

He added that to reduce human interface, the Traffic Management Solution devices handled by the VIS officers captured 10, 421 violations between January 2023 and March 2024.

The commissioner disclosed this while giving reports of the ministry in commemoration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first year in office for a second term as governor.

Govt diverts traffic to check highway bridge
Sanwo-Olu took the oath of office for his second term as governor on May 29, 2023, promising in his inaugural speech not to let down Lagosians.

Giving an update at the government’s secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, on Tuesday, Osiyemi said in order to carry out daily monitoring routine checks through the use of ANPR technology for prescribed particulars violations, 53 of the ANPR cameras were installed at different locations in the state.

He also said traffic officers made use of hand-held devices for enforcement of regulations on rickety vehicles, overloaded vehicles, blacklisted vehicles, unauthorised/illegal and unregistered vehicles, etc.

Human rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, has denied reports making the rounds that he has appealed the conviction of popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky.

In an exclusive telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, Adeyanju noted that he’s neither an attorney to Bobrisky nor he filed an appeal on his behalf.

Adeyanju said, “I didn’t file any appeal on Bobrisky’s behalf. I am not representing Bobrisky on any matter.”

On Friday, April 5, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Bobrisky on a six-count charge ranging from abuse of the naira to money laundering.

The court, however, dismissed the money laundering charges but convicted him after he pleaded guilty to four counts of abuse of the naira.

Bobrisky was on Friday, April 12, sentenced to six months imprisonment over naira abuse with no option of fine

It was, however, reported on Monday that the convicted crossdresser appealed his sentencing while urging the appellate court to set aside the six months imprisonment.

Internet Fraud Academy Proprietor Bags 10 Years Jail Term in Uyo

The Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentence of the proprietor of Uyo Cybercrime Training Centre, Ikemesit Edet ((a.k.a Hustle Kingdom HK).

He was jailed on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 after pleading guilty to two-count charges bordering on impersonation, love scam, hacking/editing of social media accounts and private criminal tutoring, upon his arraignment by the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC.

Count one reads: That you IKEMESIT EDET IK sometime in January, 2024 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court, being the occupier and a person concerned with the management of the premises situates and lying at No. 57 D-Line, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, did knowingly permit the use of the entire aforesaid premises as a CYBERCRIME ACADEMY, also known as Hustle Kingdom (HK) where you recruited ten (10) young Nigerians between ages 16-25 and taught them cybercrime techniques for perpetrating cyber crimes to wit: hacking, impersonation, and obtaining money by false pretence (Advance Fee Fraud) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 3 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 3 of the same Act.

Count two reads: That you IKEMESIT EDET IK between May 2020 and December 2023 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did take possession total sum of Fifteen Million Naira Only (-N=15,000,000.00) which you knew forms proceed of an unlawful act to wit: Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)\d) of the Money laundering (Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

Edet pleaded guilty to both charges preferred against him by the Commission, prompting prosecution counsel, Joshua Abolarin to pray the court to convict and sentence him accordingly. He also prayed that the court ordered the forfeiture of all exhibits recovered from him at the point of arrest. However, defence counsel Francis Ezike prayed the court to be lenient in sentencing the defendant.

After listening to both counsels, Justice Ojukwu convicted Edet and sentenced him to five years jail term on each count, with an option of fine of N2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) on each count.

The court also ordered that all recovered exhibits from the convict be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The exhibits include: 13 laptops, a gold- coloured Toyota Corolla, a Lexus Jeep RX 300 and about 3,080.25 square metres of land located at Ibiaku Obio Ndobo Village, Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Edet's journey to the Correctional Centre commenced on January 22, 2024, when investigators from the EFCC’s office in Uyo acted on intelligence and arrested 10 suspects at his Cybercrimes Training Centre at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo. All the suspects have been charged to court and convicted.

Moroccoguy:
How much una go pay make we do stop and search for their area, starting from Eliganza to Okun-Ajah.

The Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, led by Prof Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho, has written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, seeking a peaceful breakaway of Yoruba people from Nigeria.

The open letter, dated April 17, 2024, was signed by both Akintoye, Igboho and one Ola Ademola.

They called on the President to within the next two months set up a negotiation team to negotiate the exit of the Yoruba people from Nigeria.

The letter by the Yoruba Nation arrowheads came about a week after some armed agitators invaded the Oyo State Government House, attempting to hoist their flag on the premises of the state House of Assembly.

The agitators were subdued and 29 of them were last week taken before a magistrates’ court in Ibadan, which ordered that they should be remanded in the prison custody.

Both Akintoye and Igboho dissociated themselves from the violent action.

However, in their open letter made available to our correspondent in Ibadan on Sunday, the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, said, “We have the honour to send to Your Excellency this important letter on behalf of the many millions of Yoruba people at home in Yorubaland in Nigeria and in the Yoruba Diaspora in almost all countries across the world.

“We send this letter as a follow-up to our earlier letter, dated August 06, 2022, which we delivered to your predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his exalted position then as President of Nigeria.

“Since 2015, the Fulani have been killing widely among the other peoples of Nigeria, including us Yoruba, destroying farms, villages and other assets, kidnapping men, women and children, extorting large amounts of money as ransom from friends and family of the kidnapped, and repeatedly asserting their intention to seize the homelands of all the indigenous peoples of Nigeria for the purpose of turning all into a Fulani homeland.”

The group said in the Middle Belt, horrendous blood-letting was going on with many families forced into Internally Displaced People Camps while many of their villages were seized by the Fulani and renamed as Fulani villages.

“In our Yoruba homeland, our people are resisting somewhat better, but the Fulani attacks and killings and kidnappings are unrelenting and are coming daily, leading to horrific instability, and forcing most of our farmers to abandon farming altogether, thereby dooming Yoruba people to years and years of famine.”

It further alleged that an unofficial estimate showed that Fulani had killed as many as 29,000 Yoruba people since 2015 till date, adding that aforementioned reasons were enough for them to seek breakaway from Nigeria.

“All these actions by the Fulani are, to us Yoruba, a sufficient reason for our seeking to separate our Yoruba Nation from Nigeria. Most of us, Yoruba have no confidence in the ‘restructuring’ that some of our most respected Yoruba leaders (such as our fathers in our highly exalted Afenifere) are advocating.

“And our reason is that we know that restructuring cannot keep the Fulani marauders away from our homeland. Since, after restructuring, the Fulani would still be Nigerians like us, and would still have full citizens’ rights to come in large numbers, and with weapons and intent to kill and destroy and seize land, to our homeland.

“The Fulani elite seem to be saying in effect that they intend to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Tinubu, and that they would never accept any official action of his.

“We are acting for and on behalf of our 60 million Yoruba people of the Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo State, respectively, plus the Yoruba Local Government Areas of Kogi and Kwara State, and plus the Itshekiri homeland of Delta State, all together constituting the Yorubaland in Nigeria, hereby most humbly place our crowning request before Your Excellency as follows:

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall, within the next two months, but not later than June 15, 2024, inform us Yoruba Self-determination Movement that the Nigerian Federal Government has graciously agreed to our proposal for negotiation and that they have set up a negotiation team that will meet and have a dialogue with our Yoruba Nation’s negotiation team.

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall invite the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, to send observers to the negotiation meetings.”

It, therefore, promised to forward the list of its negotiation team to the governmPent as soon as it received a message in response to its request for the negotiation.

"Polygamy is the best because even in monogamy, men will still cheat on you. So it's better they have as many women as they want with your consent." Regina Daniels

"It's possible for a man to love more than 2 women at once. I live in peace with all my co-wives because our husband loves us all the same and none of us is jealous of the other. It's better to marry a polygamist who will have multiple women with your consent than marry a monogamist who will be cheating on you. But in all you do, don't marry a poor man." Regina Daniels

Beautiful 20 years old Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels who got married to a 70 years old young billionaire as a virgin advises her fellow women about marriage

Your comments on this ...

GanagiBitrus:
Some students will still fail exams.

kettykin:
I now see why some villages are chronically poor and helpless, someone donated a cow to your village, he has to come and feed it and milk it too, tufiakwa. Height of indolence

BREAKING: WPG, Parent Company Of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, EKEDC, Sacks Ex-MD/CEO, Tinuade Sanda With Immediate Effect

Sanda’s appointment with WPG Ltd was terminated in a letter signed by the company chairman, Charles Momoh and dated April 17, 2024.

West Power & Gas Limited, the parent company of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) has sacked the immediate former MD/CEO of the electricity distribution company, Ms Tinuade Sanda.

Sanda’s appointment with WPG Ltd was terminated in a letter signed by the company chairman, Charles Momoh and dated April 17, 2024.


The letter titled, ‘Termination Of Contract Of Employment,’ said Ms Sanda’s termination of employment takes effect from the date on the letter.

It reads, “We refer to your contract of employment dated April 1, 2022, signed between you and WPG Limited [the "Contract"].

“We hereby advise you that your services are no longer required and accordingly your employment with WPG Ltd is hereby terminated effective April 17, 2024, in accordance with clause 10.2 of the Contract.

“WPG Ltd is obligated to pay you three months salary in lieu of notice and hereby advise you that the due amounts have been credited to your account.

“You are requested to kindly return all company's properties (whether WPG or EKEDP) in your possession which will include but not limited to laptops, identity card, and status car upon your receipt of this letter.”

“We wish you all the best in your future endeavours,” it added.

On March 26, SaharaReporters reported that Ms Sanda had been suspended by EKEDP and directed to return to WPG, from where she had been seconded to the electricity company.

The suspension was in line with a directive of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to the EKEDP board to suspend with immediate effect all the workers of WPG Limited working with the company.

WPG is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which has a stake in EKEDP. The consortium of local businesses acquired a 60% stake and controlling interest in EKEDP (Eko Disco).

SaharaReporters gathered that the directive might be connected with the recent petition by some concerned staff members of EKEDP to the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima; Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for intervention in the alleged endemic corruption in the management of the electricity distribution firm.

Although the company had dismissed the allegation, describing it as unfounded, the accusers continued to push for external investigation.

SaharaReporters reported on March 18, that the Board of Directors and Management of the electricity distribution company had cleared all the staff members accused of corruption and other fraudulent practices.

The Board in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dere Otubu, titled "Eko Disco Management Cleared In 'Ghost Worker' Investigation," said that the investigation into the 'ghost workers' allegations had been concluded and findings indicated that the allegations of fraud, negligence, or conspiracy against some members of staff were unfounded.

However, in compliance with the directive of NERC, the Board Chairman, Otubu, directed Ms Sanda to leave her position as MD/CEO of EKEDP, as she was also seconded from WPG.

But reacting to the report, Director and Chairman, Legal and Regulatory Committee, Mr. Babor Egeregor, faulted the Board Chairman's letter suspending the MD/CEO and others on secondment, insisting that Ms Sanda remained the CEO of EKEDP.

Indeed, SaharaReporters learnt that following the directive, the MD/CEO, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Finance Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Auditor and Compliance Officer and others on secondment at the company handed over their handover notes to their subordinates as directed.

A copy of the letter addressed to the MD/CEO signed by the board chairman, dated March 25, 2024 and obtained by SaharaReporters, is titled: ‘Implementation Of NERC Directive On Seconded Staff.’

The letter read, “We have received a NERC directive dated March 21, 2024, which instructed Eko Electricity Distribution Plc inter alia, as follows: ‘EKEDC is hereby directed to ensure that all staff working for the utility are employed by the utility directly, bound by applicable service conditions that are applicable to the employees of the utility and paid through the utilities payroll.’

"The Disco is obligated to obey these directives due to the powers of NERC as stipulated in the Electricity Act 2023. In compliance with the above directive, all seconded staff from WPG Ltd are being released by Eko Electricity Distribution Plc and returned to WPG Ltd.

"You are hereby relieved of your role, office, and position at Eko Electricity Distribution Plc effective immediately and returned to WPG Ltd your Employer.

"You are further directed to hand over to the highest ranking staff of Eko Electricity Distribution Plc under you.

"We hereby record our appreciation of your valuable services and contribution to the growth and successes achieved by Eko Electricity Distribution Plc over the years as a seconded staff from WPG."

A source told SaharaReporters that those affected were discovered to have been operating with a ‘double standard’ on the job.

The Director of IT department, JP Attueyi, a WPG staff member also seconded to EKEDC, swiftly handed over to the most senior person in his department.

In his handover note, addressed to the IT Department and Temitope Odufuwa, dated March 25, Attueyi said it was in compliance with the directive of the chairman.

It partly read: "As you may be aware, I am a WPG staff seconded to EKEDC – WPG owns EKEDC. Today I got an email from the EKEDC Chairman saying that all WPG staff have been recalled back to the parent company effective immediately. As such, I will be handing over to Tope to run the IT department.”

"Please give him the necessary support as we navigate this period," he wrote.

tunjijones:
White lion don turn to white rat, hiding at the back of kitchen cabinet.

“The final collation of the results will be done thereafter,” the statement said.


The All Progressives Congress 2024 governorship primary committee in Ondo State has declared the Saturday primary inconclusive.

This is contained in a statement by the chairman of the committee, Governor Usman Ododo, on Sunday morning.

The statement said that a rerun election would take place in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government, with a total of 9,515 registered voters.

“Having received reports of the primary election from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of Ondo State, the Primary Election Committee has decided that the election will be conducted in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government, with a total of 9,515 registered members.

“We have validated reports that the exercise did not hold in the local government due to the late arrival of electoral materials and personnel as a result of logistics challenges.

“Elections in Okitipupa Local Government shall be conducted at noon on Sunday, April 21, 2024.

“The final collation of the results will be done thereafter,” the statement said.

Yoruba Man Employed By Ezeife Has Now Risen To Perm Sec In Anambra – Governor Soludo


Soludo disclosed that a Yoruba man from Osun State, identified as Adebayo, whom Ezeife employed in the state civil service has been promoted to permanent secretary by his government.

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has described the late ex-governor of the state, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife as a man who had a legacy of patriotism, fairness, and equity.

Soludo while speaking at the commendation service in honour of Ezeife held in Awka, on Friday, said the deceased lived a life of great principles and values.

Highlighting Ezeife’s leadership qualities during his tenure as governor, Soludo disclosed that a Yoruba man from Osun State, identified as Adebayo, whom Ezeife employed in the state civil service has been promoted to permanent secretary by his government.

He said, “A Nigeria where nobody asks you where you are from. Where anybody can live anywhere. Here in Anambra, in the true essence of that.

“It was under your leadership that you employed one Adebanjo from Osun State into Anambra civil service and today under my leadership, we not only recruited 5000 teachers, which we have citizens from about 18 states employed here but we have also promoted that same person Okwadike employed into the civil service as Permanent Secretary in Anambra State.

“That is what Okwadike was about and that is how we are living up keeping the touch light and keeping the banner flying.”

On his part, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, described the late ex-governor as the “hero” of Igbo land, following his great contributions and service towards the well-being of the people of the South-East geopolitical zone.

Iwuanyanwu said, “He served Ohanaeze Ndigbo in many capacities. He was the Chairman of the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Northern zone comprising Abuja and the 19 Northern states. He was a member of the Ohanaeze Presidential Advisory Council MOPAC. He was also a member of Ime Obi Ohanaeze.

“We are honouring him as the ‘hero’ of Igbo land because of his contributions to the growth of the region and the wellbeing of the people. He was a true nationalist who fought for justice and equity of all the people.”

Similarly, former governors Peter Obi, Senator Chris Ngige, Okwesilieze Nwodo of Enugu State and former Anambra deputy governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba, also described the late Ezeife as a nationalist who fought for justice and equity of all Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations.

The former minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said, “In Ezeife, the Igbo man found him as one of those that told the story of a people. The sagacity of the late former governor placed him on the vanguard of unity and fairness.

“The issue of political equity and economic resourcefulness are still issues that need to be addressed in the Nigerian polity of today.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party Obi, on his part, said, “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere and Dr Ezeife fought for justice all through his lifetime and this is the same justice that we are still fighting for in Nigeria today.”

Ezeife, popularly called “Okwadike,” was Anambra State governor from January 2, 1992, to November 1993, during the aborted Third Republic, passed away at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, on December 14, 2023, at the age of 85.

South-West farmers, Miyetti Allah sign peace pact

Farmers and herdsmen in the South-West, on Saturday, signed a peace pact to end clashes between the two warring groups and promote food security for the benefit of all.

The Coordinator of Commodities Farmers Organisation in the South-West, Segun Dasaolu, and the President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Othman Ngelzarma, signed the peace pact on behalf of the two groups at a Commodities Farmers Organisation Summit, held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Saturday.


The theme of the summit is ‘Sustainable Food Production in South-West Nigeria: The Way Forward.’

Speaking separately while signing the agreement, Dasaolu and Ngelzarma said the step became necessary to ensure that peace reigns in the zone in particular and Nigeria at large.

Dasaolu said, “The summit focuses on ensuring that the South-West farmers return to the farm, and also to promote food security in the country. This summit brings together farmers and herders across the six states in this region. This is to allow them to proffer solutions to challenges faced by both groups and the need for the government to carry us along in providing support, policy formulation, and assistance.

“We have signed the peace pact to put a stop to farmers/herders clashes. The first step we are going to take is to identify who are genuine herders in the South-West. We have also agreed together to collect or collate data in that regard.”

Also, the President of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Ngelzarma, said, “Nothing works when there is no peace. So, we will work with farmers to promote food security in Nigeria. We will also work in collaboration with them to fish out kidnappers in the South-West zone in particular and Nigeria in general.”

A former Governor of Oyo State and the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, and the Iyaloja General, who is also the daughter of President Bola Tinubu, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo were among notable Nigerians who witnessed the signing of a peace pact.

Why 3,504 inmates on death row haven’t been executed, says NCos


The Nigeria Correctional Service has revealed that in 2023, there were no executions of inmates on death row across the custodial centres.

Disclosing this on Friday, NCoS spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, also said as of April 15, 2024, a total of 3,504 inmates were on death row, comprising 73 females and 3,431 males.

The former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had on July 24, 2021, urged state governors to sign death warrants of inmates as a means of decongesting correctional facilities nationwide.

Also in December 2023, the NCoS said it had 3,413 inmates on death row across their facilities in the country.


But speaking on Friday, Umar said, “The last execution was in 2016 in Edo State by the former governor, Adam Oshiomole.”

He stressed that while there had not been any execution in the past year, the option remained in the criminal justice system, pending the signing of death warrants by the executive.

He said, “The issue of the execution of death sentences is an international issue that is generating a lot of brouhaha. Presently, due to the advocacies of human rights groups and other civil society organisations, there is a moratorium on the execution of death sentences in Nigeria. Human rights groups are campaigning for the abolishment of the execution of death sentences around the world, and Nigeria is not an exception.

“There has been no inmate on death row that has been executed in the last year. However, that does not mean that the execution of death sentences has been expunged from our criminal justice system. It is still there in our statutes and books, but the executive must sign their death warrants before we can carry out executions, and this is not forthcoming in recent times.

“As of April 15, 2024, we have a total of 3,504 individuals in our facilities nationwide, consisting of 73 females and 3,431 males,” he explained.

According to him, rehabilitation and reformatory programmes were extended to these inmates, including skill empowerment and academic opportunities.

He said, “Just last Saturday, a good number of them graduated from the National Open University of Nigeria as graduates and postgraduate degree holders. Some of them, in the long run, actually change from their old ways and become well-behaved and industrious. Some of them who fall into this category are recommended by us for clemency or pardon.”

helinues:
Good.

As Bwala know the whereabouts of Bello, EFCC should invite him for some questioning and if he refused to attend the invitation honorary, he should be declared wanted.

So many goats would drink pap for this matter

"As president, I have been clear that ransoms stop. Resolution through payment only perpetuates the wider problem. This extortion racket must be squeezed out of existence. Meanwhile, the costs for perpetrators must be raised: They will receive not a dime, and instead security services' counter action," the president said.


President Bola Tinubu has again said his government will put an end to the payment of ransom to kidnappers in the country, vowing, “they will receive not a dime”.

The president stated in an opinion he authored and published in the currentt edition of Newsweek magazine.

It is titled, ” Ten Years Since Chibok—Nigeria Will No Longer Pay the Price.”

This article followed public outcry and remembrance of the 276 Chilbok girls who were kidnapped on 14 April, 2014 in Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists.

About 91 of the girls kidnapped during the administration’s of President Goodluck Jonathan, are still in captivity.

President Tinubu said when in March this year, 137 children were tragically taken from a school in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, the shadow of Chibok laid ever present.

According to him, Nigerians and the world asked why after the passage of a decade was such an atrocity still happening.

He said this time, unlike Chibok, the girls and boys were brought back a fortnight later, the security and intelligence agencies deployed immediately to rescue them.

“Nevertheless, legitimate concerns over kidnappings persist in Africa’s most populous country. Success in Kaduna has brought families relief and praise for the military, yet the government bears no illusions: The scourge of kidnappings must be routed once and for all.

“It begins with recognising the changing nature of the threat. Boko Haram translates to “Western Education is Forbidden” and reflects an ideological impetus as jihadi insurgents opposed to the very idea of a Nigerian state.

“Today, Boko Haram are splintered, and mass abductions are primarily the work of criminal gangs. There is no ideology here: kidnapping has become an illegal industry rewarded with ransoms. Within days of the Kaduna attack, the abductors were demanding 1 billion naira ($600,000).

“Nothing was paid. As president, I have been clear that ransoms stop. Resolution through payment only perpetuates the wider problem. This extortion racket must be squeezed out of existence. Meanwhile, the costs for perpetrators must be raised: They will receive not a dime, and instead security services’ counter action,” the president said.

This is the second time President Tinubu would vow not to pay ransom to kidnappers.

In March, PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Tinubu directed that ransom would not be to the kidnappers of 137 students in Kuriga, Kaduna State.

The president spoke through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.

“Mr President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by government to any of these criminal elements. I think it’s important that this be put out there,” the minister said.

Ten years ago today, 276 girls were abducted in the night from their school in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria. The attack by Boko Haram pricked the conscience of the world. From London to Washington, protesters held placards reading #BringBackOurGirls—the hashtag the girls’ families had posted to pressure their idle government into action. It would take almost three weeks for then-Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan even to make a public announcement. Critical time had been lost.

When this March, 137 children were tragically taken from a school in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, the shadow of Chibok lay ever present. Why, Nigerians and the world asked, after the passage of a decade was such an atrocity still happening?

This time, unlike Chibok, the girls and boys were brought back a fortnight later, the security and intelligence agencies deployed immediately to rescue them. Nevertheless, legitimate concerns over kidnappings persist in Africa’s most populous country. Success in Kaduna has brought families relief and praise for the military, yet the government bears no illusions: The scourge of kidnappings must be routed once and for all.

It begins with recognizing the changing nature of the threat. Boko Haram translates to “Western Education is Forbidden” and reflects an ideological impetus as jihadi insurgents opposed to the very idea of a Nigerian state. Today, Boko Haram are splintered, and mass abductions are primarily the work of criminal gangs. There is no ideology here: kidnapping has become an illegal industry rewarded with ransoms. Within days of the Kaduna attack, the abductors were demanding 1 billion naira ($600,000).

Nothing was paid. As president, I have been clear that ransoms stop. Resolution through payment only perpetuates the wider problem. This extortion racket must be squeezed out of existence. Meanwhile, the costs for perpetrators must be raised: They will receive not a dime, and instead security services’ counter action.

But compressing the kidnap for ransom market only addresses the pull factors. If we are to avoid funneling the same people into other crimes that cause normal Nigerians to feel insecure, we must address the push factors: poverty, inequality, and a paucity of opportunity. Criminal gangs can find easy recruits among those without either a job, or the prospect of one.

Some 63 percent of Nigerians are multidimensionally poor. They are bearing the economic consequences of a failure by successive governments to get to grip with the Nigerian economy. Fiscal and monetary albatrosses have grounded the country’s flight, when surging demographics demand high economic growth to just maintain current standards of living.

A decades-old fuel subsidy was exhausting paltry public finances. By 2022, the cost had ballooned to $10 billion—more than the government’s combined spending on education, health care, and infrastructure in a budget of $40 billion. Currency controls that artificially propped up the naira deterred investment and led to shortages of foreign exchange. For decades we have been financially ransoming ourselves. When my government took office last May, we faced a pile of debt obligations.

Just as with kidnappers, we had to be tough with the economy. Unsustainable market distortions had to be removed. As expected, floating the naira caused it to plunge. Given Nigeria is a net food importer, the average shopping basket has consequently risen in price. The removal of the fuel subsidy, in a country where many businesses and households rely on generators for power, has also had far reaching effects. These reforms have caused pain across Nigeria; they are still painful. Yet there is no better alternative: These and other difficult reforms are necessary to arrest the economic rot that lies at the heart of insecurity.

Green shoots are now visible. In the first quarter of this year, foreign currency inflows have almost matched those for the whole of last year. A multi-billion forex backlog at the central bank has been cleared, giving foreign investors’ confidence to invest in Africa’s largest economy, safe in the knowledge they can repatriate earnings. The naira has begun to stabilize after its initial downward trend and has made huge gains against the dollar.

Talk of macroeconomics might seem remote from the challenge of insecurity. But without the fundamentals in place, it is impossible for an enabling environment where the private sector thrives, jobs are created, and opportunity is spread across the country. It is how we ensure children can go to school without fear.


For any who may have doubted our direction, it should now be clear. There will be no more ransoms paid—not to kidnappers, nor toward those policies which have trapped our people economically. Nigerians, and their economy, will be liberated.

Bola Tinubu is the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

*What’s heartbreaking about Africa



The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has explained why it advised Nigeria to remove fuel subsidies, adding that the subsidy regime was robbing the poor for the rich.

The Director of the African Department of the Fund, Mr. Abebe Selassie, provided insights into the organisation’s position, at the ongoing Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC. According to him, the Fund had provided robust content and how the poor could benefit from the policy in the provision of social safety nets.


His words: “Subsidies are about resource allocation internally within Nigeria. So Nigerians, the people of Nigeria pay for these subsidies.

“And what’s the reason why we counsel against such generalised subsidies is very simple. It tends to be highly regressive, meaning the benefits of such you know, fuel subsidies tend to accrue to the rich and segments to reach out to people and the poor people.

“So it’s people that are driving these large cars, with big houses are wanting to see subsidised fuel. They’re the ones benefiting relative to the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria.

“So you know, not only people paying for the subsidies Nigeria, it’s the poorest segments of society that actually are losing out and resources could instead, of course, be used to improve conditions for poorer people instead of accruing to rich people.

“That’s why subsidy reform is important. We applaud the government for the steps government took to reduce the extent of subsidies. I think as oil prices have become volatile, the level of subsidy has also moved up and down. “But I think you know, the direction of travel, I think, to remove the subsidies and use the resources to provide social protection for the most vulnerable households.”


Mr. Selassie revealed that the IMF has provided the sum of $58 billion to African countries since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and pledged it would do more.
The IMF chief cautioned African countries against commercial loans for the purposes of refinancing because of the current rate hike in most economies.

He advised that instead, countries South of the Sahara that have debt service challenges should look inward for domestic resource mobilization, which would be easier to deal with. The Director criticised the practice of discriminatory tax exemption to some companies and not extended to others.

Nigeria still paying fuel subsidy - Isa Yuguda
These special favours to some companies, he observed reduce the effectiveness of governments to optimise tax revenue..

Positive developments in Africa
“Mr. Abebe said that after four challenging years and multiple shocks, Sub-Saharan Africa’s economy appears to be on the mend.

“We expect economic growth to rise to 3.8 per cent in 2024, from 3.4 per cent last year. After peaking at almost 10 per cent in late 2022, inflation has nearly halved to around 6 per cent in the early part of the year thanks to decisive action by central banks.


“This includes slower food price increases, a positive development for a region where the cost of crises has been acute in recent years. In addition, fiscal consolidation efforts are starting to pay off, with the median public debt stabilizing at around 60 per cent of GDP, halting a 10-year upward trend.


“And with global financial conditions easing, a few countries have been able to return to international markets, ending a two-year hiatus. These are encouraging signs.”
The Missing Chief said, however, “ the region is not out of the woods yet. Far too many countries still face a funding squeeze.

What’s heart breaking about Africa- IMF MD
Also, IMF Managing Director, Mr. Kristalina Georgieva, described as “heart-breaking”, the situation in which African countries spend large amounts of their revenue on debt servicing.

Her words, “African countries spend on average, 12 percent of their revenue on on debt servicing. This is more than double from the Las decade. They were at 5 percent a decade ago.

“What is heartbreaking is that in some countries, the debt payments is up to 20 per cent of revenues.

“What does that mean? It means that what could have gone to education, health, for investments in infrastructure and jobs is being sucked away by debt servicing. The ground for public capital to come in.

“We know that part of the reason is that interest rates are quite high. So what does it translate into for authorities in Sub-Sahara Africa?

“First, we see that those who have worked on public finances, to clean clean the ground for private capital to come in are doing better.

“When you have a tax/revenue of 26 per cent like Cote d-Ivoire, you can bear the debt burden. When you 12 per cent to GDP you cannot.”

The MD said that the IMF’ major peg of interaction with member countries in the region was focusing on the mobilisation of domestic resources, improving public spending and mobilising local savings with which to achieve growth prospects.

She added that African countries must keep their eyes on inflation because that problem remains unsolved.

Ms. Georgieva noted that Africa was blessed with huge potential, with huge a youth population that was earger to work and that its leaders should allow Africa’s resources to work for Africans.

Good01:
USA of now or before?

Relax, North Korea is waiting for any shit from USA

North Korea Tests Hypersonic Weapon Following U.S. Navy Ballistic Missile Intercept Test