On April 29, Mubarak Bala, the President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, an affiliate of AAI, was taken into the custody of Kano police. Since then, they have denied him the use of a phone, denied his legal counsel access to him and have refused to reveal his whereabouts or the state of his health.

We do not know if any charges have been brought against him, but this action has followed allegations from the public about ‘blasphemous’ posts on social media. Although Nigeria is constitutionally a secular nation, the Northern districts, including Kano state, have been permitted to adopt Sharia Law.

In Nigeria, for non-capital charges, police are legally bound either to bring charges within 48 hours of arrest or to release the detainee. Furthermore, detainees have a legal right to reasonable access to their lawyers. All of these legalities are being ignored.

However, even without access to the detainee, lawyers can apply to a federal court under Fundamental (Human) Rights to seek an order for immediate release and a restraining order from further arrest.

Atheist Alliance International, https://www.atheistalliance.org, has conducted a fundraiser which has achieved over $2,000 and we have added a $1,000 donation from AAI funds. Together with appeals from other atheist, secular and civil rights organizations, this means that there are enough funds to meet immediate legal and other costs.

Humanists International (HI) has engaged the legal team for Mubarak. We are in contact with HI and will make contributions from our legal fund as soon as HI requests it. In the meantime, we are providing cash support for Mubarak’s partner and children. We have also offered the services of the very experienced lawyer who we use for actions in Nigeria.
In accordance with our Values, AAI will keep donors informed of how their donations have been spent. We are extremely grateful to our donors. Thank you so much!



Source:http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030871208?-395:737

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At the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the House asked Sanwo-Olu to introduce a co-chairman from the executive arm to represent the state’s COVID-19 Incident Commander before the parliament.
BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK MAY 08, 2020

The Lagos State House of Assembly has asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to account for expenses incurred from donations received in the fight against COVID-19.


At the plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, the House asked Sanwo-Olu to introduce a co-chairman from the executive arm to represent the state’s COVID-19 Incident Commander before the parliament.

“We must do what is right. The law says the executive will come forward to give account on what they have expended,” PUNCH quoted Obasa

Source:http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030852056?-395:737

A SX-listed Kogi Iron and its Nigerian subsidiary KCM Mining have started small-scale trial mining at the Agbaja Cast Steel project, in Nigeria.

The companies have appointed a local Lokoja-based civil engineering contractor to start the trial mining on a 30 m by 30 m by 5 m deep pit, owing to restricted availability of local officials for site sign-off on approvals, amid measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Lockdown of the federal capital, Abuja, has restricted business to within the Kogi state, while the Nigerian Mines Department is closed.

However, Kogi says that online administration has been successful to obtain government support and approvals.

The trial pit and stockpiles of overburden and iron-ore will be used for ore characterisation tests to support iron-ore reserve estimates and mining and beneficiation studies in the project’s feasibility study.

Kogi says the scope of work, completion schedules, costs and decision trees for key consultant groups have been revised and/or staged to enable progress on the feasibility study as early as possible, subject to funding.

Currently, Kogi is hosting one-on-one presentations with potential new investors, as well as using online funding platforms to progress funding finalisation for the project.

Additionally, Kogi plans to raise $8-million, or A$12-million, for the feasibility study over the next few months or as equity markets show signs of recovery.

“Covid-19 has challenged us all and remains a threat to society and business. Based on prudent measures and actions, I am confident that the company is now positioned to weather the immediate Covid-19 storm and to emerge to grow our cast steel business in Nigeria.

“It is especially pleasing that, under clear local management guidance and policies, our activities in Nigeria have progressed on small-scale trial mining with no direct Covid-19 impacts to staff, contractors and the community,” says Kogi chairperson Greg Boulton.
Source:http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030851237?-395:737

THE United State Government, has said aside the $311million Abacha loot returned to the Nigerian government last week, another separate $152 million was still in active litigation in the United Kingdom.

The $152 million cash according to the United States Mission in Nigeria, is distinct and separate from an additional $167 million in stolen assets also forfeited in the United Kingdom and France.

Speaking on the transfer of the funds back to the country, the US Mission on its verified twitter handle, @USEmbassyAbuja, explained that the transfer of the fund was an important first step in the disciplined implementation of the agreement between both countries.
Source: http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030849843?-395:737

The Nigerian economy attracted cross-border greenfield capital investment worth $10.2 billion in 2019, the latest report by fDi Market Intelligence, a research unit of London-based Financial Times has revealed.

The 2019 figure grew by 28% relative to what the country recorded in 2018 according to the report released on Thursday.

A greenfield investment is a category of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in which a parent company establishes a subsidiary in a foreign country by building it from scratch.

According to the report, foreign companies executed 73 FDIs in the country last year, making Nigeria one of the top 10 hubs for FDI ventures in Africa and the Middle East.

Read also: Sterling Bank’s first-quarter profit falls by N1.175bn

“FDI into Nigeria increased with regards to number of FDI projects and capital investment by 35 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively,” it stated.

Jacopo Dettoni, the Deputy Editor of fDi Magazine, noted that the size of greenfield FDI projects announced across the world was flat in 2019 relative to 2018 as their estimated capital investment declined by around 15% to $795.7 billion but remained above a total of $651.1 billion posted in 2017.

“FDI into renewable energy reached new highs in 2019, with total pledged investment estimated at $92.2bn, second only to that of oil and gas at $123bn.

“From a geographical standpoint, Africa attracted the highest ever volume of FDI projects as reform efforts in major economies both in North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa are paying dividends,” he said.

In the Middle East and Africa, FDI by number of projects increased by 38% to 1,746 in 2019, up from 1,261 while capital investment contracted by 16% to $115.2 billion.

“FDI into Africa by number of projects grew 49 per cent to 998, compared with a 12 per cent increase between 2017 and 2018, increasing its market share of FDI into the region to 57 per cent.”

“Egypt replaced South Africa as the second ranked destination by projects in the region, experiencing a 60 per cent increase from 85 to 136 projects,” the report stated.

Dangote Group’s plan to create a new phosphate fertiliser plant worth $2 billion was noted as one of the key investments in Africa with the potential of providing 2,500 jobs.

Henry Loewendahl, the Chief Executive Officer of Wavteq, projected a 40% drop in greenfield FDIs in 2020 considering the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Source:http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030843172?-395:737