Cash Swap: Old Banknotes Redeemable Only at CBN after Deadline, Says Emefiele
•Insists old N200, N500, N1000 no longer tenable after February 10
•Pledges no Nigerian will lose their money, seeks support
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, yesterday told holders of the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes that in line with the provision of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act, they would still have the opportunity to redeem the face value of their cash only at central bank offices nationwide after the February 10, 2023 deadline, when the currencies would have lost its legal tender status.
Also, the CBN governor assured Nigerians that nobody would lose their legitimately earned money due to the naira redesign project, saying the exercise was in the overall interest of Nigerians and the economy.
Emefiele said this during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of the CBN’s Cashless Policy and Extension of the Timeframe of the Currency Swap programme, held in Abuja.
Emefiele who was accompanied to the meeting by all the four Deputy Governors of the CBN, before responding to the questions thrown at him by the lawmakers, apologised for his inability to appear in previous summons.
He said he was on vacation and later on a trip to Senegal with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He told the parliament that the value of old naira notes of N200, N500 and N1000 would still be redeemed even after they have ceased to be legal tender after the February 10 deadline, at the CBN.
He said the redemption was in tandem with the law, precisely section 20 (3) of CBN act, noting the essence was to mop up the old notes in circulation.
While reeling out the steps taken by the central bank to ensure the effective distribution of the new banknotes, he disclosed that about N1.9 trillion of the old banknotes had so far been collected since the commencement of the exercise.
According to him, the currency redesign policy has so far recorded about a 75 per cent success rate given the fact that many of those in the rural and underserved locations across the 36 states of the country have had the opportunity of swapping their old banknotes for the new series of the banknotes.
He noted that one of the reasons for the naira redesign was to bring in the N2.7 trillion outside the banking system which is currently being held in people’s homes.
Emefiele explained, “Besides, the general practice across the globe and that practice is that every five to eight years, the CBN is supposed to redesign or do some form of changes do its currency.
“The reason is because CBN has to be in the position from time to time to have control of money supply in the country. Unfortunately, we have not had the luxury of carrying out this important aspect of our mandate in the last almost 19 years to the extent in 2015, the currency in circulation was N1.4 trillion. “In October 2022, currency in circulation had risen to N3.23 trillion. More than double in seven years. It’s very unfortunate that it more than doubled in eight years. Out of the N3.23 trillion, more than N2.7 trillion was outside the banking system. More than N2.7 trillion is held in people’s homes.
“What that does is that it makes our mandate of monetary policy very difficult. When we are not in control out of N2.3 trillion, what we see in the banking system is just about N500 billion. There is no how our law which you the lawmakers have made for us to carry out, our work can be effective and that is the reason.
“I thank the president that in 19 years, we have had an opportunity to carry out this important aspect of our mandate. We are grateful to him because he listened after we provided him the needed explanations about what we have been going through in the monetary policy.
“Now, the president graciously gave approval on October 6, 2022, and we had expected that around December 15, the currency circulation will begin, but we were lucky that we moved forward the circulation in November when the president launched the currency.”
Speaking further, Emefiele accused commercial banks of breaching the apex bank guidelines, with the way the new naira was being sprayed in parties.
He told the lawmakers that the apex bank was working closely with relevant agencies of the federal government to ensure full compliance with the CBN guidelines issued to the banks for the seamless distribution of the new banknotes.
While anticipating more benefits of the policy in the future, he appealed to Nigerians for their support, stressing that the naira redesign was good of Nigerians.
“I addressed the bankers on Sunday and I expressed to them my disappointment and in fact, the disappointment of the president, the disappointment of leaders in the country with the way this has gone on because many of us have unfortunately seen the new naira instead of being used for the purpose it was meant, the new naira is being used in parties, in celebrations.
“Some of them (bank CEOs) said well, maybe it’s money from the ATMs and I said no, money from the ATMs are already broken. They are in leaflets but what we saw being stamped on people at parties were packages of the new naira notes which means they had breached certain aspects of the guidance note we gave to them.
“And when I met President Buhari, I told him that we have met with the EFCC, the ICPC and NFIU and that we are now going to bring EFCC, ICPC, NFIU to join us in monitoring the flow of this currency to our people. I must say that I am even delighted that even yesterday, I read that the DSS has started that, which is what we want so that everybody knows that we are conducting this activity to the best of our ability.
“We are doing this for the good of Nigerians. We are doing this so that the Nigerian economy can be better than it is today and I am saying that we are beginning to see some of the benefits.”
Continuing, Emefiele said: “Inflation last month is not rising, not stagnating but somehow moderating. We are expecting that it will continue to moderate. The exchange rate to be stable and we are hoping that with this exercise, the naira can even get stronger.
“We know in the process that some will be hurt, I will say temporarily. But it’s a pain that I will appeal to all of us to please show some understanding because the overriding benefits to Nigerians is what we are interested in which is about making our economy stronger then combatting the high incidence of insecurity.
“Yes, we saw a few failings on the part of the banks and we appealed to EFCC, ICPC, NFIU; they are currently working with our officials nationwide to make sure that this process goes on seamlessly.
A Muslim bank Jaiz Bank is now the bank reaching out to the masses. Are you saying they too can't do business? They have their staff monitoring the ATMs to be sure cash is available for peoples on the queue. What about the other banks with Christian ownership, it is either they
are waiting for headquarter clearance or something of that nature of meaningless excuse? Let's be exemplary. Everything must not be business. How do you feel seeing the mint monies being wasted in parties but the average people who need them to buy food for their family can't.
A popular comedy skit maker, Murja Kunya, has been arrested by the police at Tahir Hotel in Kano.
The police arrested the Kano-based young lady while trying to book rooms for her guests who came from far and near for her much-publicised birthday bash.
In September last year, a Sharia court had written to the Kano State Commissioner of Police to arrest and investigate Miss Kunya alongside other TikTokers for ‘corrupting the morals of the society.’
Other TikTokers included in the letter are Mr 442, Safara’u, Dan Maraya, Amude Booth, Kawu Dan Sarki, Ado Gwanja, Ummi Shakira, Samha Inuwa and Babiana.
“Sequel to the complaint lodged by Muhd Ali Hamza Esq, Abba Mahmud, Esq, Sunusi I. Umar Esq, Abba, A.T Bebeji Esq, B.I Usman Esq, Muhd Nasir Esq, L.T Dayi Esq, G.A Badawi & Badamasi Suleiman Gandu Esq, I am directed by the presiding Upper Sharia Court Judge, Bichi Division Kano to write and kindly request you to conduct investigation against the above-mentioned suspects for proper action,” the letter read in part.
In November 2022, a Kano senior magistrate’s court sentenced two young men, Mubarak Isa and Nazifi Bala, to 20 strokes of the cane and 30 days of community service for making a TikTok comedy skit on the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Operators of Commercial Banks in the country have countered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over claims that the commercial banks have enough naira notes in their kitty but hoarding them.
The banks countered the CBN when their officials appeared before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the scarcity of the new notes and the January 31 deadline by the apex bank.
Hadiza Ambursa, an official of Access Bank, who represented the Managing Director of the bank said it only got 10 per cent of the money it deposited with the CBN.
“We are not getting the money as quickly as we want them. We only get 10 per cent of the money deposited. We are paying and collecting money. We are also loading our ATM,” Ambursa said.
Jimoh Garuba, the representative of Sterling Bank, said it receive allocation weekly from CBN but had no sufficient fund to meet its customers’ demand.
“As we speak, our Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is dispensing what we received which fluctuate most time,” Garuba said.
He said his bank received a minimum of N150 million from the CBN weekly to be shared among its branches in Abuja.
He further said in Kaduna, the bank received N150 million weekly which is shared among its branches across the 36 states of federation.
According to him, in Kano, “we received N100 million weekly and we can only dispense through ATM and not through the counter.
“If we are to go through the counter to dispense the money, the allocation will go in less down 10 minutes.”
He said the percentage of money received from the CBN varies on weekly basis, adding that it receive 80 per cent of what it deposited in Abuja and less than 10 per cent in Kano.
He said the reason the new designed note was not in circulation was a result of cashless policy of the CBN.
Arerepade Akagwe, the representatives of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), said the bank had taken 70 per cent of the old money it deposited with the CBN.
She said the bank collects money from CBN everyday and today isn’t an exception, adding that the directive from the CBN was not to issue the old notes from the counter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other banks in attendance such as Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), ECO bank, Lotus Bank and Fidelity agreed that they have collected 60 per cent of the old naira money deposited.
Lotus Bank for instance said in the last few weeks what it was receiving was insufficient, adding that it received an average of N40 million weekly and that was not sufficient because the customers are many.
Some of the lawmakers, however, queried the workability of the cashless policy, raising concerns about their constituents living in remote control.
The Chairman of the committee, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, said the bank operators’ appearance before the committee was not a witch hunt exercise but a fact finding on issues affecting the people.
“We need to know the actual facts regarding claims by commercial bank that CBN has not released new notes and the counter claim by the CBN that it has released same.
He berated the apex bank for giving deadline on the old notes, saying it is worrisome that a time the country wanted to hold election that it would consider changing the country’s legal tender.
He said the CBN should have contacted the parliament when it wanted to embark on such nature of changing the legal tender, because the leadership of the house is not happy about it.
According to him, changing of legal tender is not peculiar to Nigeria, it happens world over. But when the CBN wants to bring something sinister, we will blow the whistle.
“We are in a democratic government and no one can be greater than the institution of democracy.”
Live Video of Peter at the University of Abuja. It's ongoing now.
The Abuja Leadership Centre of the University of Abuja will today, Friday, January 27, 2023, feature the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, in a Leadership Townhall meeting designed to engage with the country’s leading political gladiators.
The centre’s director, Professor Philip Afaha, said in a statement, “On Friday, 27th January 2023, Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party will mount our podium to contribute to the ongoing conversations on the 2023 elections at the prestigious Social Sciences Auditorium of our great University.
“Peter Obi’s appearance follows the earlier townhall meeting which featured Mike Igini, Clement Nwankwo and Umaru Ndatsu.
“We’ve also written to all the presidential candidates to take advantage of our centre’s townhall,” it noted.
“The Abuja Leadership Centre is also poised to be the fulcrum for conversation on public governance and leadership in Nigeria.
“The centre is a fully funded leadership research and training hub in Abuja, first of its kind in Africa and tailored like the Harvard Kennedy School in the US and other top leadership institutes across the world. It currently runs Masters and PhD programmes in various leadership courses”, the statement added
The founder and senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre in Oregun, Lagos State, Pastor Sam Adeyemi made a triumphant arrival to the church over the weekend with his wife, Nike.
In 2020, the cleric and his sweet wife left the church. When the federal government imposed a nationwide lockdown because of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, they were on vacation in Canada at the time.
The Adeyemis stayed away from their Nigerian base when the travel ban was lifted. They are said to have commuted between Canada and the United States, where their kids attended school.
The Oregun church in Lagos typically has the clergy deliver sermons using a pre-recorded message that is shown from a screen.
The congregation celebrated as the man of God appeared and assumed leadership of the pulpit over the weekend.
Adeyemi was dressed in a straightforward white shirt and pants, while his wife was wearing an Ankara gown that reached her knees.
The congregation’s excitement about the clergyman’s return to his base in Nigeria caused them to shout nonstop for a few minutes.
Nigerian singer, Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has been nominated for her contribution in the 2023 Oscars as a songwriter on ‘Lift Me Up’, which is one of the soundtracks on Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Tems got a nomination in the ‘Best Original Song’ category alongside the co-writers of Lift Me Up - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler.
The nominations for the 96th Academy Awards Awards were released on Tuesday.
The winners will be honoured at the ceremony in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.
Full List Of Oscar Nominations 2023:
BEST PICTURE
All Quiet on the Western Front
Avatar: The Way of Water
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Triangle of Sadness
Women Talking
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - Tár
Ana de Armas - Blonde
Andrea Riseborough - To Leslie
Michelle Williams - The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST ACTOR
Austin Butler - Elvis
Colin Farrell - The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser - The Whale
Paul Mescal - Aftersun
Bill Nighy - Living
The Banshees of Inisherin
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Hong Chau - The Whale
Kerry Condon - The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis - Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu - Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson - The Banshees of Inisherin
Brian Tyree Henry - Causeway
Judd Hirsch - The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan - The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All at Once
BEST DIRECTOR
Martin McDonagh - The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
Steven Spielberg - The Fabelmans
Todd Field - Tár
Ruben Östlund - Triangle of Sadness
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Banshees of Inisherin - Martin McDonagh
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
The Fabelmans - Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg
Tár - Todd Field
Triangle of Sadness - Ruben Östlund
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
All Quiet on the Western Front - Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery - Rian Johnson
Living - Kazuo Ishiguro
Top Gun: Maverick - Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie
Women Talking - Sarah Polley
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
The Sea Beast
Turning Red
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
All That Breathes - Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed - Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov
Fire of Love - Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman
A House Made of Splinters - Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström
Navalny - Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany)
Argentina, 1985 (Argentina)
Close (Belgium)
EO (Poland)
The Quiet Girl (Ireland)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Applause - Tell It Like a Woman (Diane Warren)
Hold My Hand - Top Gun: Maverick (Lady Gaga, BloodPop)
Naatu Naatu - RRR (MM Keeravaani, Chandrabose)
Lift Me Up - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler)
This Is A Life - Everything Everywhere All at Once (Ryan Lott, David Byrne, Mitski)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
All Quiet on the Western Front - Volker Bertelmann
Babylon - Justin Hurwitz
The Banshees of Inisherin - Carter Burwell
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Son Lux
The Fabelmans - John Williams
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
All Quiet on the Western Front - James Friend
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths - Darius Khondji
Elvis - Mandy Walker
Empire of Light - Roger Deakins
Tár - Florian Hoffmeister
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
All Quiet on the Western Front - Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank, Kamil Jafar
Avatar: The Way of Water - Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett
The Batman - Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands, Dominic Tuohy
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White, Dan Sudick
Top Gun: Maverick - Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson, Scott R Fisher
BEST FILM EDITING
The Banshees of Inisherin - Mikkel EG Nielsen
Elvis - Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Paul Rogers
Tár - Monika Willi
Top Gun: Maverick - Eddie Hamilton
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Babylon - Mary Zophres
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Ruth E Carter
Elvis - Catherine Martin
Everything Everywhere All at Once - Shirley Kurata
Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris - Jenny Beavan
Best sound
All Quiet on the Western Front - Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel, Stefan Korte
Avatar: The Way of Water - Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Michael Hedges
The Batman - Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray, Andy Nelson
Elvis - David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, Michael Keller
Top Gun: Maverick - Mark Weingarten, James H Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
All Quiet on the Western Front - Christian M Goldbeck, Ernestine Hipper
Avatar: The Way of Water - Dylan Cole, Ben Procter, Vanessa Cole
Elvis - Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Bev Dunn
Babylon - Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino
The Fabelmans - Rick Carter, Karen O'Hara
BEST MAKE-UP AND HAIRSTYLING
All Quiet on the Western Front - Heike Merker, Linda Eisenhamerová
The Batman - Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, Mike Fontaine
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Camille Friend, Joel Harlow
Elvis - Mark Coulier, Jason Baird, Aldo Signoretti
The Whale - Adrien Morot, Judy Chin, Anne Marie Bradley
Avatar: The Way of Water
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
An Irish Goodbye
Ivalu
Le Pupille
Night Ride
The Red Suitcase
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
The Flying Sailor
Ice Merchants
My Year of Dicks
An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Elephant Whisperers - Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga
Haulout - Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev
How Do You Measure a Year? - Jay Rosenblatt
The Martha Mitchell Effect - Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison
Stranger at the Gate - Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
“I don’t have good news for those who feel we should shift the deadline; my apologies. The reason is because 100 days is more than enough for those who have the old currency to deposit it in the banks.” - Emefiele
The deadline for the old naira notes is 31st January 2023. The CBN governor, Emefiele has refused to extend the deadline. People are currently rushing to banks, ATMs to withdraw new naira notes.
As for me, I have never touched the new naira notes.
Share your experiences trying to withdraw new naira notes. How is it affecting your business, lifestyle?
At least 39 Catholic priests were killed by gunmen and 30 others abducted in the year 2022, says a new report by SBM Intelligence.
In the report titled “Attacks on Priests” released by the research outfit on Monday, 145 attacks on Catholic priests were recorded last year.
SBM Intelligence, a research organisation, compiles and analyses data about happenings in the country.
The north-central was the worst hit with 12 killings while the north-west recorded nine deaths. The south-east and south-south recorded five deaths each while the north-east and north-west had four deaths each.
SBM said out of the incidents, 28 were perpetuated by kidnappers, three by herdsmen, two by the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), two by Boko Haram, and one each by bandits and mob violence.
“2022 was an awful year for the clergy. None in that group suffered more than Catholic priests, who at a point, were subjected to near-daily abductions with ransom demands set at an average of N50 million per priest,” the report reads.
“Although there were quite genuine fears that these abductions were targeted persecution of the Christian faith, the financial imperative in a holy abduction has somewhat eclipsed such concerns.”
RECENT ATTACKS ON CATHOLIC PRIESTS
On January 15, terrorists killed Isaac Achi, a priest of St. Peters and Paul Catholic Church in Kafin-Koro, Paikoro LGA of Niger state.
Achi was burnt to death at his residence in the early hours of the morning.
Wasiu Abiodun, police spokesperson in Niger, said the terrorists razed the building after failing to gain entrance into the priest’s residence and shot another priest who was trying to escape from the attackers.
Five days later, gunmen abducted Kefas Ishaya, the catechist of St. Monic catholic church in Kaduna.
While it may seem that the attacks have only become more prominent recently, they have been a matter of concern since the previous year.
In June 2022, Christopher Onotu, a Catholic priest, was abducted by gunmen in Obangede, Okehi LGA of Kogi state.
The gunmen reportedly broke into the priest’s rectory on a Saturday night before whisking him away leaving the congregation to know about the priest’s abduction on Sunday morning when they went to attend morning mass.
In November 2022, a Catholic priest, identified as “Father Kunat” was abducted in Kaduna metropolis following an invasion of his residence.
A month later, gunmen abducted Mark Ojotu, a Catholic priest of Otukpo diocese in Benue state.
Reacting to the development, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) expressed concern over the spate of attacks on Christian clerics in the country.
The association described the country as a “killing field” and called on its members to adopt self-defence against future attacks.
“The continuous killing, as well as kidnapping of Christian clerics in Nigeria, is alarming. This has to be stopped at all costs,” CAN said.
“Nigeria is becoming a killing field where Christian clerics and its members are slaughtered like chicken.
“The Christian community must rise up and come together to put to an end this insult. They should take up arms and defend themselves legitimately.”
Federal Inland Revenue Service makes history and realises N10 trillion in revenue collected for the first time ever. This is some N6 trillion more than the N4.9tn of 2020 and N4 trillion more than the N6.4tn of 2021.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) collected over N10.1 trillion tax revenue in 2022.
The Service made this known in its “FIRS 2022 Performance Update,” report signed by its Executive Chairman, Mr. Muhammad Nami and released, in Abuja, yesterday.
It said, “The FIRS, in the year 2022 collected a total of N10.1 trillion in both oil (N4.09 trillion) and non-oil (N5.96 trillion) revenues as against a target of N10.44 trillion.
“Companies Income Tax contributed N2.83 trillion; Value Added Tax N2.51 trillion; Electronic Money Transfer Levy N125.67 billion and Earmarked Taxes N353.69 billion.
“Non-oil taxes contributed 59% of the total collection in the year, while oil tax collection stood at 41% of total collection.”
The report indicated that it was the first time that the FIRS will cross the 10-trillion Naira mark in tax revenue collection.
It added that the N10.1 trillion was inclusive of the N146.27 billion which is the total value of certificates issued by the FIRS to private investors and NNPC for road infrastructure under the Road Infrastructure Development Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme created by Executive Order No. 007 of 2019.
The total sum also included tax waivers on account of various tax incentives granted under the respective laws, which amounted to N1.81 trillion.
The FIRS said that the feat was made possible the Nami-led management’s : administrative and operational restructuring; making the service customer-focused; creating a data-centric institution; and automation of administrative and operational processes.
It said, “The reforms introduced at different times from 2020 are gradually yielding fruits. By the close of 2022, the Service had fully restructured the administration of the Service for maximum efficiency and achieved internal cohesion such that all functional units are working in unison towards the achievement of set goals.
“As a result of conducive environment created for staff, officers of the Service are pulling their weight on the global stage with international recognitions and awards;
“The Service had also automated most of the administrative and operational processes. A major leap was the full deployment of the TaxPro Max for end-to-end administration of taxes in June 2021. The module for the automated TCC went live 1st January 2023 while taxpayers had already downloaded over 1,000 TCCs this year without having to visit FIRS office.”
The organisation said that it had operationalised its data mining and analysis system thereby allowing for data-backed taxpayer profiling.
Nigeria’s superstar tennis player, Oyinlomo Quadre, is now a student of Florida International University in the United States of America where she’ll play College Tennis & continue with her studies. She’s been in the US since the start of 2023.
Sex Scandal: I Was Pregnant Three Times For Apostle Suleman; He Did Sleep With Me While I Was Still Bleeding – Nollywood Actress, Halima Abubakar Alleges
Nollywood actress, Halima Abubakar, has alleged that she was pregnant on three occasions for Apostle Johnson Suleman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International.
Halima had in 2022 called out Suleman on social media while claiming the pair once dated.
She added that the cleric also had sexual affairs with several actresses, including Shan George and Iyabo Ojo.
On Instagram, Halima said that her life was in danger and that the cleric should be held responsible for whatever happened to her.
"Please don’t worry about me. But you can hold Johnson Suleman responsible, just in case. You can’t do anything, though. Nigerians are aware. If anything happens, Johnson, it’s you,” she had posted on Instagram.
However, in a recent interview, the actress claimed the duo dated for six years.
In a now-viral clip of the interview, Halima was asked if she was ever pregnant for Suleman and why she did not keep the pregnancy, she said, “Yes, I was once pregnant for him. When I lost the baby, he was crying, you would think it’s real because he was shedding tears that I lost his child.
“It’s crazy. I got pregnant three times for him. The last one got me bleeding…I had to take tablets to stop it.”
On how long it took the bleeding to stop, she replied “For four years, I actually just came out since I have been in a long spiritual battle; the blood just stopped rushing, you won’t believe it.
“He was sleeping with me even while I was bleeding. That’s the dangerous part of it, and he was telling me he couldn’t sleep with any other person, that’s why.
“The whole thing took me unaware because I was naive and not a spiritual person. Even when I’m on my period, he does that (sleeps with me).”
This is not the first time Apostle Suleman will be involved in sexual scandal.
In 2021, Another Nollywood actress, Chioma Ifemeludike, claimed she was in a sexual relationship with the overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide.
The actress and producer, who has been in the Nollywood industry for nine years, had revealed that she had no idea that the man of God was quite prominent at the time she had an intercourse with him.
Chioma on her Instagram page recalled that the first deal of her encounter of romp sex with the man of God was sealed through a hookup by another lady, Linda Clems, noting that at the second time, she clearly recognised him because they exchanged numbers during the first romp and communicated thereafter.
In a video obtained by SaharaReporters, she added that her public confession came after her spirit continued to torment her, and she needed to make restitution for her sin.
SaharaReporters also in February 2021 reported that a former pastor of the Omega Fire Ministries, Mike Davids, accused Suleman, of sleeping with his wife.
He added he was ready to expose the truths behind Stephanie Otobo’s sex scandal.
The case of Otobo, a Canada-based singer, came up in 2017 and 2018 when she accused Suleman of sexual relationship – a controversial scandal that plagued the church and attracted the attention of Nigerians for months.
Davids in a video had noted that he and Suleman both knew how they got Otobo to come to the church in Auchi, and apologise over the scandal and how they persuaded her mother too. Davids had accused Suleman of sleeping with his wife, Faith Edeko, who currently heads an Abuja branch of the church.
He had said, “I left the church (Omega Fire Ministries) of my freewill. You were never the one who sent me out of that ministry. I was tired of your ungodliness as a leader. And that was the major reason I left that ministry. So, forget those manipulations and cheap lies.
“We all know the part I played in the Stephanie Otobo saga. You know as much as I do. How much involved I was in bringing that saga to a halt. I don’t even need to mention names. You knew how we got Stephanie Otobo to come to the altar and apologise to mama (Suleman’s wife) and brought Stephanie Otobo’s mother to Auchi.
“I am coming to that issue because you are pushing me to that extent, Apostle Johnson Suleman as much as I knew what happened. Thirdly, I am also aware that my account has been frozen. You have also released policemen to get me arrested.
“You have 48 hours to ask those who are blocking my account to unblock it. You will not like what is going to follow.”
In January 2018, Otobo accused Suleman of impregnating her and breaching a promise to marry her.
She claimed she had sex romps with the pastor in Italy, New York and Nigeria.
Otobo said she had pictures of the pastor exposing his private parts, evidence of which it said would emerge in court.
In March 2017, SaharaReporters also released a report on how Suleman, who was at the center of an adultery scandal, gave a $76,000 brand-new Mercedes-Benz 450 GL to Nollywood star Daniella Okeke in 2016.
Ms. Okeke was previously named by Otobo, Apostle Suleman’s estranged lover, as being one of the other women in his life.
For her part, the actress in 2016 proudly displayed the Mercedes-Benz SUV GL 450 on her Instagram page in front of a brand-new house where she parked it.
After her name was revealed by Otobo at a press conference covered extensively by SaharaReporters, some Nigerians invaded Ms. Okeke’s Instagram questioning the source of her wealth given that she had not featured in any prominent movies in recent years.
The more inquisitive among them took advantage of a new website for vehicle registration in Lagos State which unveils the ownership of any vehicles by its number due to a bug on the web page, and discovered that one of Okeke’s most prized possessions, the posh Mercedes-Benz car, was registered to “Apostle Suleman Johnson.”
Governor Charles Soludo has been appointed as the chairman of a six-member committee set up to engage the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The role of the committee is to address anomalies in the country’s monetary management and financial system.
Soludo was given the assignment after all the governors had a virtual meeting with the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday night.
The former CBN governor will carry out the task with governors of Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Borno, Plateau, and Jigawa states as members of the committee.
After the meeting with Emefiele, the governors said while they were not opposed to the objectives of the Naira redesign policy, the apex bank should consider the peculiarities of households and states, especially pertaining to financial inclusion and under-served locations.
“We, the members of the NGF, received a briefing from the Governor of the CBN, Emefiele, on the Naira redesign, its economic and security implications including the new withdrawal policy.
“Governors are not opposed to the objectives of the Naira redesign policy.
“However, we observe that there are huge challenges that remain problematic to the Nigerian populace.
“In the circumstances, governors expressed the need for the CBN to consider the peculiarities of states especially as they pertained to financial inclusion and under-served locations.”
The governors expressed resolve to work closely with the CBN leadership to ameliorate areas that required policy variation, particularly the poorest households, the vulnerable in society, and several other Nigerians that were excluded.
The governors also resolved to collaborate with the CBN and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) in advancing genuine objectives within the confines of the laws.
They, however, insisted that the recent NFIU Advisory and Guidelines on cash transactions were simply outside the NFIU’s legal remit and mandate.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NAIRA REDESIGN POLICY
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes into circulation and will phase out the existing bills as legal tender on Tuesday, January 31st, 2023.
Here are a few things you should know as you prepare for this transition:
Can I exchange my old Naira notes for the new currency? NO There is no currency exchange program available and you can only get the new Naira notes when you withdraw cash from your Zenith Bank account(s). All old 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes must be deposited into an existing or new Zenith Bank account.
What do I do with the old 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes in my possession? You must deposit all old 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes in your possession into your Zenith Bank account on or before January 31st, 2023. They will have no rnonetary value after this date.
Must I deposit the old Naira notes at the Zenith Bank branch where my account is domiciled? No! You can deposit all old 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira notes into your account at any Zenith Bank branch nationwide, on or before January 31st, 2023.
Is there a limit to the amount or value of old Naira notes I can deposit? NO There is no limit to the amount or value of old 20t0, 500 and 1,000 Naira.
Will I have to pay any excess cash deposit charges? NO The Central Bank of Nigeria (CNN) has implemented a waiver of the excess cash deposit charge nationwide, for all old 200, 500 and 1,000 Naira note deposits on or before January 31st, 2023.
How do I get more information or make enquiries? Simply contact Zenith Direct on +234 1 278 7000, by email on zenithdirect@zenithbank.com.
Business › Old Banknotes Redeemable Only At CBN After Deadline - Emefiele by nlfpmod(mod): 4:54pm On Feb 01, 2023
