₦airaland Forum

Idris Jere, acting comptroller-general of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), has ordered the service’s special taskforce to clear the backlogs of passport applications at Ikoyi passport office in Lagos.

Jere directed the taskforce to proceed to Ikoyi to ensure all existing backlogs of passport applications were cleared within one week.

NAN reports that Amos Okpu, NIS spokesperson, made this known in a statement on Saturday.

He said the taskforce had arrived in Ikoyi and had already commenced the clearance exercise.

Okpu said upon assumption of office, the acting CG promised to deepen the passport issuance reform efforts to ensure seamless passport issuance processes across issuing centres.

According to Okpu, Jere assured applicants who had been enrolled into the passport system in Ikoyi that the team had commenced issuance of notifications for collection to applicants whose passports were ready.

He further assured applicants that some drastic changes would be made in the station to improve the quality of service delivery.

The NIS boss appealed to prospective passport applicants to endeavour to visit the service’s website to apply and make payments for the passport categories of their choice.

“This is to avoid patronising anybody who will request applicants to make any cash payments for passports,” he added.

Barely 48 hours after he deployed ‘unrepentant’ fighters of his sect to join bandits in a forest in Kaduna State, the two major camps of Boko Haram Leader, Amir Bakoura Buduma, have been destroyed.

The camps, Kusulu and Toumboun Adashe, are located in the South West of Lake Chad.

They were destroyed by offensive bombardments carried out by fighter jets of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) air troops.

Dozens of the Boko Haram fighters, military sources, confirmed were killed, while those who survived sustained injuries.

The MNJTF aerial raid was aided by the collaboration of French forces.

The counter-insurgency operation at the terrorists’ camps took place on Wednesday, PRNigeria gathered.

It was, however, unclear as to whether Buduma, the self-styled Boko Haram ‘Ultimate Commander’, was affected by the military attack.

PRNigeria had reported that as the self-styled leader of the ‘unrepentant’ Boko Haram, Bakoura Buduma had appointed a deputy for himself.

While he operated from operated at a border area between Nigeria and the Niger Republic, some Buduma’s fighters were deployed to North-west and dominated a forest close to Rigachikun in Kaduna State.

A source told PRNigeria that the terrorists now rustle cattle and kidnap people to their den at a forest close to Rigachikun in Kaduna State.

The Boko Haram faction has been having a running battle with ISWAP in the North-East and Lake Chad region.

Apart from the massive surrendering of their members to Nigerian Troops, several other Boko Haram terrorists, under Mallam Hussain Izharouddeen, are also surrendering to Cameroonian military at Moroa province.

An angry mob on Saturday attacked the divisional police headquarters in the Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State and killed 13 suspected bandits whose corpses were burnt to ashes.

The bandits were said to be among those who invaded the area around 8pm on Friday, killing two persons, including a shop owner.

On Saturday morning, residents, mainly youths, gathered and joined police officers from the area to go after the bandits in their forest.

During the raid, 13 of the suspected assailants were nabbed in Tangaza forest and brought to the divisional police headquarters.

A villager said when they were brought into the town, residents followed the team to the divisional police station and demanded that the bandits must be killed in their presence.

“The youths were angry and despite pleas from the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) and the local government chairman, they insisted that if the policemen did not kill the bandits in their presence, they would burn down the police station,” he said.

The angry youths subsequently overpowered the police and killed all the suspects whose corpses were set on fire.

The spokesman for the Sokoto Police Command, ASP Sanusi Abubakar, confirmed the incident but did not go into details.

The Police Command in Delta has dismissed two of its officers, over assault on a civilian.

The spokesman of the command , DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Warri.

Edafe said the officers were Sgt. Felix Ebikabowei and Sgt. Ndubuisi Abazie, adding that until their dismissal, they were attached to the ‘B’ Division, Warri.

According to him , the Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, Mr Ari Ali had also ordered the dismissed policemen to remain in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department.

He added that they would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.

Edafe explained that the duo had on Aug 12, assaulted one Mr Brodrick Omesan, a tricycle operator in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.

“On Aug. 12, after close of work, the officers conspired and engaged in Illegal duty on the Estate Roundabout, Warri.

“They accosted a Tricycle rider, one Omesan. An argument ensued between the policemen and the victim and they allegedly pushed and beat him up which led to serious injuries on his head.

“The victim was rushed to the hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.

“The CP immediately ordered the case to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department for discreet and unbiased investigation.

“Investigation later revealed that the two officers have a case to answer on the serious assault on the victim, who is still in critical condition.

“The CP again ordered that they should face the internal disciplinary action and the command provost was directed to try them for the offence of incivility to members of the public.

“Disobedience to lawful order contrary to paragraph E (iii ) first schedule of the Police Act and Regulations 370, paragraph F of Police Act and Regulations CAP P. 9 laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004.

“They were found guilty on both counts and have been dismissed from the force W.E.F Sept. 14, 2021,” he said.

Edafe said the CP condoled with the family of the victim and also assured the public of the command’s readiness to deal decisively with any erring officer.

He said the CP warned officers of the command against abuse of human rights , incivility to members of the public and unprofessional conduct in all areas.

Estranged wife to former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, Precious Chikwendu has dropped an heavy shade hours after he joined the All Progressive Congress Naija News reported that the former minister officially had dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC.

Fani-Kayode, whose move to the APC did not come as a surprise to many, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.

He was brought to the Villa by the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the APC, and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni.

According to the former minister, he was led by the Spirit of God in his decision and that he joined the APC to help for the unity of the country.

Fani-Kayode added that he was against anything that would cause the disintegration of Nigeria.

He revealed that he was instrumental in the exit of three PDP governors to the APC.

Hours after news of his defection made rounds, Precious took to her instastories to recall the advice her father gave her when she was just a little girl.

According to her, he told her that a “good name is better than riches.” and “a thief is never ashamed because his actions is always against his kinsmen”.

Read post; My father always told me the chi nwam “ezigbo afa ka ego” A good name is better than riches. Truly it is
Ifele adi ‘ghi eme onye ‘ori obu umu nna ya ka ona eme

The House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila has said that the House will soon take a report from the House Committee on Health Services aimed at representing the controversial Infectious Diseases Act Amendment Bill for debate.

In his welcome address marking the commencement of plenary after the annual recess, the speaker said “the House Committee on Health Services has embarked on a broad-based effort at public and private engagement and collaboration to produce final legislation that hopefully meets our country’s present and future needs..”

“The Committee will shortly present its report to the House, and I sincerely hope that our debate this time will be a marked improvement from what came before,” he said.

The regime of President Muhammadu Buhari has transmitted two executive bills to the National Assembly seeking to control the proliferation of arms and regulate the importation of explosives into the country.

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, disclosed this at plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Lawan said the bills, namely, Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill 2021 and Explosives Bill 2021, were accompanied by two separate letters dated August 26 and August 27 signed by Mr Buhari.

He said Mr Buhari in the letter on the explosives bill, said the request to consider the bill was following Section
58(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He said that the explosives bill 2021 sought to repeal the Explosives Act 1964 and enact the Explosives Act to regulate the manufacture, storage, possession, use, distribution, purchase, sale, transportation, importation, and exportation of explosives and for related matters.

Mr Lawan added that Mr Buhari in the second letter urged the Senate to consider the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Bill 2021 to curb the security challenges in the country.

The Federal Government through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced the building of more schools in Yobe and other parts of the North-east.

NEDC is a department of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

The Yobe government had provided land for the building of new primary and secondary schools in Potsdam, Buni Yadi (Gujba) and Gahsua (Bade) Local Government Areas.

The commission’s Managing Director, Mohammed Alkali, who made the disclosure on Saturday in Gasua, said that the initiative was meant to address the current problem of insufficient classrooms.

According to him, the problem in primary and secondary schools in the North-east region is due to activities of insurgents.

Mr Akali said that insurgency and other factors had made the region highest on the poverty index and lowest in literacy rate and highest in poverty.

The managing director added that the destruction of schools by the insurgents had disrupted primary and secondary education in the region.

“Widespread poverty coupled with insecurity, has rendered an estimated 600,000 young people unable to go beyond the primary or secondary school levels.

“As such, millions of the out of school children in the region remain uneducated, justifying the need for massive intervention in the development of school infrastructure.

“Consequently, the commission resolved to construct three composite mega schools or upgrading of existing ones in each states of the region, thus making 18, one in each of the Senatorial District.

“We are also going to complement the physical structure with soft support like teachers’ training, curriculum and upgrade,” he said.

In his remarks, Governor Mai Mala Buni, commended the commission’s gesture, adding that it was “timely and desirable” and was in line with his government’s policy on education.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Yusuf, Mr Buni appealed to members of the community, local government authorities and the emirate council to take ownership of the projects.

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday committed the bill on open grazing to the committee on agriculture after it scaled second reading.

The House also read for the first and second time the state’s Value Added Tax bill and asked the committee on finance which is handling it to report back on Thursday.

Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, described the ‘Prohibition of Open Cattle Grazing Bill’ as timely and one that would ensure harmonious relationships between herders and farmers and protect the environment of the state and the southwest zone.

The Speaker also suggested that the bill should make provision for the registration of herders and prepare them for ranching.

“Allocating parcel of land is not enough but there should be training of those who would go into ranching,” he said noting that ranching is expensive and required adequate preparation.

Concerning the bill on VAT, Obasa said it would lead to “increase in revenue and increase in infrastructural development.

This is in line with fiscal federalism that we have been talking about.”

Obasa said the VAT law when passed, would help the state meet challenges in its various sectors. He also urged the Lagos State government to do everything legally possible to ensure the judgement of a Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, is sustained even up to the Supreme Court.

He lamented a situation where about N500 billion is generated from Lagos State while N300 billion is generated from other southwest states and paltry amounts are disbursed to them in return.

“It is an opportunity for us to emphasise again on the need for the consideration of true federalism,” he said.

Speaking earlier on the bill on open grazing, Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1), lamented the havoc that herdsmen had caused in the southwestern zone.

According to him, farmers have continuously become afraid to visit their farms thus causing shortage of food. He also said many farmers had become indebted as they now find it difficult to pay back loans they secured.

He said it was lamentable that cattle roam the streets causing accidents and embarrassing people.

He advocated for stiffer penalties for herders caught carrying firearms.

His position was supported by Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 2) who said open grazing in the 21st century is an aberration.

Joseph said the bill would ensure peaceful coexistence, reduce crime and help to guide the activities of herders.

On his part, Olumoh Saad Lukeman (Ajeromi-Ifelodun 1), suggested that the high court should be made to handle cases from the enforcement of the bill when passed or that the state should establish special courts for such purpose.

Gbolahan Yishawu, in his contribution, described Lagos as a cosmopolitan state and, as such, having to see cattle in the
streets is worrisome.

He expressed support for the bill because, according to him, it would give a level of security to the state and help reduce economic losses. He added that Lagos has 250 hectares of land in Ikorodu and another 750 hectares on Epe for ranching.

Tobun Abiodun (Epe 1) said it was common to see cattle going to school as if they want to learn while Hon. David Setonji (Badagry 2), recalled “a time we went on oversight function in a school here in Lagos. We were embarrassed by cattle. We had to wait for the herder to move the cattle before we embarked on our oversight function.”

Setonji suggested a collaboration between men of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police in the implementation of the law when passed and assented to.

Other lawmakers who contributed during plenary include Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, Hon. Rasheed Makinde and Hon. Sanni Okanlawon.

RedEnergy:
Solomon was never a Christian. Solomon was a Jew and his religion was Judaism, not Christianity. Judaism and Christianity are 2 different religions. Christianity didn't exist until Jesus came. Jesus is the founder of Christianity. A Christian is someone who practices Christianity. Solomon never practiced Christianity, he practiced Judaism. Christianity came from Jesus, who was himself a Jew that practiced Judaism but brought and taught a new way of life different from Judaism and that new way of life is Christianity.

There are many good things to celebrate about Abia State, e.g., Abia has stayed constant in WAEC performance…Abia has always been among the top three states with WAEC pass rates. Enyimba of Aba won Nigeria’s first and only Champions League Cup twice.

“Aba-made” goods, i.e., SME manufacturing in Abia, Nigeria, have not died off; instead, they have been resilient and have survived, even without government support.

Abia was the first State in Nigeria to have a privately owned, independent gas-fired IPP, the Geometric Power in Aba. Abia also has a vibrant non-oil economy with palm oil, Cassava, and Cocoa (yes, Cocoa, Abia is the fifth-largest cocoa producer in Nigeria).

All these achievements have come not because of direct government policy in Abia State or the South East region.

Abia is blessed to have Aba, perhaps the largest SME cluster in Sub-Saharan Africa, which can generate enough Internally Generated Revenue irrespective of crude oil price remittances. Yet, how many government-approved industrial estates are in Aba?

Aba is a residential town overtaken by manufacturers, unplanned, unsafe for SME manufacturing.

We have a few ideas for the State and Region.

Get a Plan
Call in the technocrats, agree, and publish a 20-year plan to identify Abia States’ critical competitive advantage and build on it. Abia State was part of the defunct Eastern region that, in 1964, was rated as the fastest-growing in the Third World by the UNDP. The road map should have a clear target to make Abia the most significant state economy in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2041. That’s an apolitical goal and it is possible with vision, action, and responsibility. The private sector base in Abia already exists; thus, the Government of Abia must see itself as a business enabler via business-friendly policies.

Make it easier to do business in Abia
In the latest edition of the World Bank Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, Abia ranks 16th in starting a business in Nigeria, 34 in registering property, and 32 in enforcing contracts. Not good enough. Making Abia the num

Brand your success
There is no “Abuja made” in Nigeria, just “Aba made.” Own that brand, work it, set standards, drive it, monetize it. Such a slogan should be accompanied by clear policies to attract SMEs to Abia.

Pass clear business-friendly tax laws; take infrastructure, allow SMEs to pool together, raise capital stock, and invest in basic infrastructure. They can claim it back in PAYE tax credits. If an SME builds a solar farm and generates power to light up a street, give that as a tax credit back to the SME. If a state locates its manufacturing in Abia from another state, reduce their PAYE. Compete.

Don’t forget to go “smart”
Fix up Aba, from the simple widening of roads, street numbering, open space green areas, and public sanitation to more ambitious goals of providing superfast broadband in Aba. Abia State got approval for a $200 million AfDB facility for Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) in Abia in 2017. That’s funds to link Aba to rural areas and it should drive commerce.

Build new modern industrial clusters in Abia
If Cross River, without oil, could build Tinapa, why can’t Aba with 13% crude oil derivation fund earnings not build a modern industrial cluster with warehouses, offices, roads?

These infrastructure plans can be financed by the State issuing a diaspora bond to Nigerians living offshore. The
State should provide the land and title as equity.

The CBN policy on foreign exchange transactions presents an opportunity to the State. Abia has an active diaspora,
draw up a remittance policy to enable that diaspora to send cash to relatives living in Abia or in the southeast. It should be possible for a citizen in Austin, Texas, to Pay USD to say Bank of America/Abia account in Dallas, and the Abia government pays Naira cash in Nigeria.

The Abia government can build up large USD deposits, which it can deploy to importers at a profit to the State government. The State foreign reserves can be used to import items on the “CBN Import restriction list.”

The State wants to invest in an airport; this is good but not urgent. The State should focus on partnering with Anambra State to build a railway from Onitsha to Aba. Julius Berger has confirmed it can bring in any container from any port in the world to the Warri Port. The Anambra state Shippers Association has adopted Warri Port as its destination port of choice. Abia State should get investors to build bonded warehouses in Onitsha. With the rail link, imports can come from China to Warri then to Aba; similarly, cassava exports can go from Aba to Onitsha to China. Abia’s taxes from this port, rail carriage, and increased commerce will be bigger than 13% oil derivation.

Bottomline
Abia and other States will do well to discover their competitive advantage and build local economies from that point.

While the post has used Abia State, these opportunities for Regional synergies and taking advantage of the diaspora are open to all States in Nigeria. Economic development has to start from the cottage industries in the States. The States must prioritize Local Direct Capital and enable commerce, not just tax it.

TheHulk616:
we still need 2 defenders and midfielders, not 220m mbappe.

Skyfornia:
A guy you met online He took your picture while you were sleeping
Okay... continue

TheHulk616:
Why remove vinicius for fraud hazard

TheHulk616:
Alaba played very well today
Courtois 10/10 Militao 10/10 Alaba 10/10 Carvajal 10/10 Guti 10/10 Valverde 10/10 Isco 8/10 Casemiro 10/10 Benzema 10/10 Vinicius 10/10 Bale 10/10

Fraud Hazard 0/100 Asensio 2/10 Rodrygo 10/10 Vasquez 10/10

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, has said President Muhammadu Buhari will announce the audited financial statements of the Corporation for 2019 and 2020.

The GMD disclosed this to the House of Representatives Committee on Finance at the ongoing interactive session on the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework on Wednesday in Abuja.

He hinted that the audited report will be good news to Nigerians, a statement that elicited applause from the members of the committee.

The state-owned oil company has a record of not releasing its statements of account, until last year when it released its first audited financial reports in 43 years.

“Mr Chairman, this is not the good time to make this announcement. Mr President will make the announcement himself. I can confirm to you that we have the audited financial statement of not just for 2019 but we have for 2020. It will be good news,” Mr Kyari said.

James Faleke, the chairman of the committee, stated after the disclosure, “You have made profit now, you have made our day.”

The companies covered in last year’s reports published on the corporation’s website included the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Warri Refining & Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC), Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Kaduna Refining & Petrochemical Company (KRPC), Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), Nigerian Products and Marketing Company Limited (NPMC), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC).

The others include the National Engineering & Technical Company Limited (NETCO), Nigerian Gas and Marketing Company Limited (NGMC), Duke Oil Services (UK) Limited, Duke Global Energy Investment Limited, Duke Oil Incorporated, NNPC Retail Limited, National Petroleum Investments Management Services (NAPIMS), The Wheel Insurance, NIDAS Shipping Services, NIDAS UK Agency, and NIDAS Marine.

All the refineries posted losses while only the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) posted profit, according to the report.

He noted that the country will be a net exporter ofpetroleum in the post-Petroleum Industry Act and coming onboard of the Dangote refinery and other refineries undergoing rehabilitation.

“In post-PIA, absolutely, NNPC will be done with the importation of PMS, but not just PIA. By the time we are done with our refineries and Dangote comes on, nobody will import petroleum into the country.

There will be no need for it anymore. It won’t happen. We will become net exporter,” he said.

Defending the $57 per barrel oil benchmark in the MTEF, Mr Kyari said the current $70 pre barrel is subject to the law of demand and supply.

He argued that the $57 per barrel was arrived at based on historical trends of prices in the international market.

“Price growth is to be moderated by the lingering concerns over COVID-19, increased energy efficiency, switching due to increased utilisation of gas and alternatives for electricity generation.

These are reflected in the Medium Term Revenue Framework,” he said.