₦airaland Forum

This includes about 200 deportations to Brazil and 46 people flown to Vietnam and Timor Leste. Regular flights continue to repatriate individuals to Albania, Lithuania, and Romania as well.

The United Kingdom (UK) government has deported 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians on a single flight, marking the largest deportation of individuals, the Home Office confirmed on Friday.

The deportations come amid a broader push by the UK government to intensify immigration returns, with 3,600 people sent back to various nations since the Labour government came to power in July.

This includes about 200 deportations to Brazil and 46 people flown to Vietnam and Timor Leste. Regular flights continue to repatriate individuals to Albania, Lithuania, and Romania as well.

Deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana are less common, with only four recorded since 2020, all carrying far fewer passengers.

The latest flight had more than double the number of deportees compared to previous ones.

The increased enforcement efforts coincide with reports that asylum seekers arriving in Diego Garcia, before the UK finalizes the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, may be sent to Saint Helena, one of the most isolated British territories in the Atlantic Ocean.

Among the deportees was a Nigerian man who, while being held at Brook House immigration removal center near Gatwick, attempted suicide before being deported.

His cellmate, who witnessed the incident, described being "very traumatized" by what he had seen.

Another individual shared: "I have been an asylum seeker in the UK for 15 years with no criminal record, yet the Home Office has denied my claim."

Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network, who was in contact with several people on the Nigeria/Ghana deportation flight prior to their departure, expressed deep concern: "We are appalled by the cruelty of these deportations, particularly the speed, secrecy, and lack of access to legal assistance. One detainee told us before being placed on the flight, 'The Home Office is playing politics with people's lives. We have done nothing wrong but seek help.'"

A Home Office spokesperson responded: "We have already launched a significant increase in immigration enforcement and returns to ensure compliance with the law, with over 3,600 removals carried out in the first two months of the new government."

iwaeda:
https://nairametrics.com/2024/10/19/nigeria-has-the-highest-number-of-people-living-without-electricity-globally-akinwunmi-adesina/

Commodities price jump 45.92% under Tinubu as small business owners lament downturn

The World Bank has released the Nigeria Development Update report, offering a bleak outlook on poverty in Nigeria, as it stated that over 129 million Nigerians now live below the national poverty line.

It released the report on Thursday in Abuja as Nigerians lamented the worsening hunger nationwide, and wondered when the country’s ballooning rate of inflation would slow down.

The global financial body’s report revealed that the over 129 million Nigerians who now live below the national poverty line represented a sharp rise from 40.1 per cent in 2018 to 56 per cent in 2024.

The World Bank report read, “With growth proving too slow to outpace inflation, poverty has risen sharply. Since 2018, the share of Nigerians living below the national poverty line16 is estimated to have risen sharply from 40.1 per cent to 56.0 per cent.

“Combined with population growth, this means that some 129 million Nigerians are living in poverty. This stark increase partly reflects Nigeria’s beleaguered growth record. Real GDP per capita has not recovered to the level it was at prior to the oil price-induced recession in 2016.

“The COVID-19 pandemic compounded this drop in economic activity. Moreover, growth is failing to outpace inflation: large increases in prices across almost all goods have diminished purchasing power.”

It added, “Multiple shocks in a context of high economic insecurity have deepened and broadened poverty, with over 115 million Nigerians estimated to have been poor in 2023. Since 2018/19, an additional nearly 35 million people have fallen into poverty, so that more than half of Nigerians (51.1 per cent of the population in 2023) are now estimated to live in poverty.”

The PUNCH observed that there was an increase from 115 million in 2023 to 129 million in 2024, which means that 14 million Nigerians have become poorer this year.

The Washington-based bank attributed this surge to inflation, poor economic management, and external shocks.

“Several shocks have contributed to this major increase and changing profile of the poor: the COVID-19 recession, natural disasters such as flooding, growing insecurity, the high cost of the demonetization policy in Q1 2023, high inflation, and low economic growth.

“Previous domestic policy missteps compounded the effects of the shocks, particularly rising inflation, eroding the purchasing power, especially of urban households, pushing many into poverty. The government is ramping up the cash transfer programs to support economically insecure households to help weather the crisis,” the report noted.

It further revealed that while poverty remained a rural phenomenon, urban poverty had grown significantly, with 31.3 per cent of urban dwellers now living in poverty, up from 18 per cent in 2018.

Bauchi gov kicks

However, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and the World Bank expressed opposing views on the effectiveness of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms at the launch of the Nigeria Development Update report in Abuja.

Mohammed criticised the policies, saying they failed to deliver the expected economic relief.

But the World Bank countered that the reforms, although painful, were crucial for Nigeria’s long-term stability and growth.

The Bauchi governor further highlighted the financial difficulties faced by state governments, stating that revenue allocations were insufficient to meet critical needs.

He said, “We should go back to the basics. Nigerians are not enjoying the regime at this time across board, not only the Federal Government, including the state and local governments. Therefore, the onus rests on you, the finance and the managers of the economy.

“We need to come up with a budget programme with economic policies that will reduce hardship. The money that we are sharing is not enough. The report spoke about employment, wages, and how many per cent of Nigerians are even employed. Most of our people live in the informal sector; we should look at how we can make them self-employed.

“The purchasing power has dwindled, these policies are not working and you know that.”

He complained that inflation was eroding the value of funds distributed through the Federation Account Allocation Committee, leaving state governments struggling.

“With all humility, please review your policies, they’re not working. Even the growing FAAC allocation is not enough because inflation is eating it up and the purchasing power of the people is dwindling, we are all living with these people and I can tell you we are at risk of being lynched because of your policies,” the Bauchi governor said.

On the issue of minimum wage, Mohammed disclosed that Bauchi State was still paying the previous wage of N33,000 but has set up a committee to consider the new wage implementation.

He pointed out that while some states can afford N70,000, Bauchi is prioritising sustainability.

“Some states can afford N70,000, some cannot. We in Bauchi State are paying the old minimum wage religiously. We’re looking at paying the new minimum wage as soon as possible,” he said, adding that infrastructure development remained a challenge after meeting wage obligations.

In his presentation, Alex Sienaert, the World Bank’s lead economist for Nigeria, said Nigeria needed more productive jobs as more employment did not translate to reduced poverty.

He also said that the increase in minimum wage would only impact about four per cent of Nigerians.

He noted, “The Federal Government of Nigeria increased the minimum wage, which will affect only a small share of the population. Raising the minimum wage directly affects only 4.1 per cent of working age Nigerians.”

He further stressed the importance of creating productive jobs to tackle poverty, noting that employment alone is not enough unless the jobs are well-paying.

The new World Bank report also noted, “Being employed, however, is no guarantee of being able to escape poverty. Many jobs are not productive and therefore remunerative enough to afford a life beyond poverty.”

It added, “Jobs hold the key to sharing the proceeds of growth. Since Nigeria has a young and growing population, the jobs that can harness the country’s potential ‘demographic dividend’ are needed now.”

Sienaert also dismissed claims that the institution seeks to keep Nigeria economically dependent.

“I’m in this position of having been the lead economist at the World Bank here in Nigeria on economic policy issues for two years now, and I just want to tell you that I’ve not seen any conspiracy within the World Bank or otherwise to keep Nigeria down,” Sienaert said.

He added, “The World Bank is here to help, I’m here to help. Our whole team is here to help. We’re here to provide advice and low cost financing in support of Nigeria getting its own house in order for its own sake.”

He pointed out that Nigeria’s fiscal deficit had shrunk from 6.2 per cent of GDP in 2022 to 4.4 per cent in the first half of 2023, thanks to reforms such as the removal of FX and fuel subsidies.

Meanwhile, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Ndiame Diop, urged the Federal Government to sustain its reforms, warning that reversing them would be disastrous.

Diop cautioned that “reversing these reforms would be detrimental and would spell doom for Nigeria.”

He acknowledged that the reforms are difficult but essential to stabilise the economy.

Diop also noted that the World Bank is willing to offer Nigeria more loans as well as technical assistance in support of ongoing reforms.

Answering a question about whether the World Bank will keep providing loans to Nigeria, Diop said “Yes, we do have in the pipeline for this fiscal year several projects financed by the World Bank. These are government projects, implemented mostly by the states.”

He added, “Nigeria is a very important partner for the World Bank. We have been providing technical support, but also financing. But what is really important is that our financing comes with technical support and implementation support, and really making sure things go according to plan.”

The police in Niger State have confirmed the death of a yet-to-be-identified man after an alleged marathon sex with a lady at the Paiko Local Government Area lodge in the state.

The spokesman of the police, SP Wasi’u Abiodun, confirmed the incident in a statement on Thursday.

Abiodun said the incident is being investigated pending the completion of a medical autopsy.

He added that there are ongoing efforts to locate his relatives for necessary arrangements, as no family member has been reached because he had no phone on him or any other means of identification.

According to the statement, “An incident of a suspected sudden death was reported at Paiko Division, that on October 15 at about 8: 50 pm, a yet-to-be identified male adult visited the LGA lodge with a lady, and thereafter, slumped and was rushed to a nearby medical facility in Paiko, where he was confirmed dead.

“The man reportedly slumped while putting on his trousers and died at a guest house in Paiko, the headquarters of Paikoro LGA of Niger State, where he had allegedly gone to see a commercial sex worker.”

“The guest house is located within the Paiko popular market, where traders, who usually come from far places, also lodge.

Onyezesinx:
Each passing day, a different story on petroleum. When will all these changes start making impact on the lives of average Nigerians?

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, has unveiled new regulations to simplify the process of obtaining petrol import licences and other operational regulations in the industry into a single document.

It stated that previous regulations, administered by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources concerning midstream and downstream operations, have been revoked.

The proposed 2024 Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Operations Regulations will enable the Authority to reduce the complexities of navigating and implementing numerous regulations in the petroleum industry.

The Managing Director of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, speaking at a stakeholder engagement on the proposed operations regulations on Tuesday in Abuja, said the event was in accordance with Section 216 of the Petroleum Industry Act, which mandates consultation with stakeholders prior to the finalisation of regulations under the Act.

Ahmed, represented by the Director of Distribution System Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, stated that the proposed regulations would consolidate 12 of the Authority’s earlier gazetted or published regulations.

He said, “The consolidation process has enabled us to address inconsistencies in the regulatory space; to foster further compliance with the PIA and the regulations made previously, and it also demonstrates our commitment to promoting ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Ukoha added that the regulations would be read alongside other regulations made by the Authority, including the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Fees Regulations, which provide for the prescribed fees for midstream and downstream petroleum activities.

“Once today’s work is completed, we will sit down with the Federal Ministry of Justice, who will review it, cross the ‘Ts’ and dot the ‘Is’, and then the appropriate government office responsible for gazetting regulations will publish it.”

It is expected that the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Fees Regulations, following a successful stakeholder consultation and the approval of the Honourable Ministers of State for Petroleum Resources, will soon be published in the Federal Government Gazette.

The Authority’s Legal Adviser, Dr Joseph Tolorunse, providing an overview of the 2024 midstream and downstream operations regulations, said the objective of the regulation was to consolidate all 16 drafted regulations and streamline them for ease of reference.

He said, “We discovered that having numerous regulations would be burdensome for the industry to follow, but when we consolidate the regulations addressing the midstream and downstream value chains, it will be easier for people to understand and refer to them.”

“The operations regulations govern companies in the midstream and downstream industries, covering activities related to the transportation, loading, and shipment of natural gas, as well as the issuance of licences, making them accessible to the public.”

He added that the regulations also outline fines and penalties for breaches of the regulations.

“The regulation is structured to capture some of the existing regulations and harmonise them. It includes the midstream and downstream code of conduct regulations, as well as regulations concerning licences, permits, and authorisations, and various aspects of the PIA,” he stated.

The national electricity grid collapsed again on Tuesday morning, following Monday’s earlier failure.

On Monday, the grid collapsed at about 6:18 p.m., plunging many into darkness.

Checks by our correspondent confirmed that power generation dropped from 3.87 gigawatts at 5 p.m. to 3.56GW at 6 pm., and then to 0.00GW by 7 pm. and 8 pm.

Various power distribution companies confirmed the development.
On Tuesday morning, the grid collapse occurred at 9:17 a.m.

By 10 am, grid supply had abruptly dropped to 0.00MW across all regions, plunging the entire nation into another round of total blackout.

This incident marks the second grid collapse in less than 24 hours, raising serious concerns about the stability of the nation’s electricity supply.

The Eko Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the system collapse, which resulted in a loss of power.

“Dear Valued Customer, kindly be informed that there was a system collapse at 09:17hrs, which has resulted in a loss of power supply across our network.

“We are currently working with our partners and hope for a speedy restoration of the grid. We will keep you updated as soon as the power supply is restored,” the company stated.

The spokesperson for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Ndidi Mbah, did not respond to messages and calls from our correspondent.

Power supply was distributed across several distribution companies (DisCos), with Abuja allocated 44MW, Benin 35MW, Eko 62MW, Enugu 40MW, Ibadan 85MW, Ikeja 72MW, Jos 10MW, Kaduna 15MW, Kano 20MW, Port Harcourt 23MW, and Yola 11MW.

Speaking to our correspondent about the repeated collapses, the Executive Director of the Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Princewill Okorie, expressed regret that the grid continues to collapse despite the increase in electricity tariffs.

Okorie lamented that unmetered customers would still be charged for the period of the collapse, questioning what the government is doing to prevent such incidents.

Abdelhakim Al-Shalmani, President of the Libyan Football Federation, has tendered his resignation.

According to The Libya Observer, Al-Shalmani’s resignation was announced during a regular meeting of the Federation’s General Assembly on Sunday.

“I do not want to be part of the failure in Libyan sports,” Al-Shalmani stated.

While expressing gratitude to his colleagues, he forgave those in the sports sector.

“I thank all members of the General Assembly, and I forgive everyone from all segments of the sports sector,” he added.

The resignation comes at a time when the Super Eagles of Nigeria are accusing the Libyan football authority of “inhumane treatment” upon arrival in the country ahead of the second leg of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

The team which was stranded at Al Abraq International Airport for over 16 hours without assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, is currently heading back to the West African country.

Meanwhile, the Confederation OF African Football (CAF) has vowed to investigate the incident and take appropriate action.

In a statement, it said, “CAF has been in contact with the Libyan and Nigerian authorities after it had been informed that the Nigerian National Football Team (‘’Super Eagles’’) and their technical team were stranded in disturbing conditions for several hours at an airport that they were allegedly instructed to land by the Libyan authorities.

“The matter has been referred to the CAF Disciplinary Board for investigation and appropriate action will be taken against those who violated the CAF Statutes and Regulations.”

The Nigeria Football Federation has decided to pull the Super Eagles out of Tuesday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.

This follows a frustrating 12-hour ordeal at Al Abraq International Airport in Libya, where the team has been stranded since their arrival on Sunday afternoon.

The PUNCH reports that the Nigerian delegation was en route to Benghazi for the crucial qualifier when their chartered aircraft was dangerously diverted mid-flight to Al Abraq, a small airport typically reserved for hajj operations.

The unexpected diversion left players and officials stranded without any assistance from the Libyan Football Federation, which failed to provide transportation.



In a statement on Monday, the NFF detailed the chaotic situation, explaining that the team remained at the airport for over 12 hours, unable to reach their hotel in Benghazi, which is three hours away.


“The Nigerian delegation for Tuesday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier against Libya is still at Al Abraq Airport, 12 hours after landing. The chartered ValueJet aircraft was, strangely and in a dangerous manner, diverted to the small airport just as the pilot was completing his approach to Benghazi Airport,” the NFF stated.

The NFF further noted that the fatigued and frustrated players have now resolved not to play the match.


The NFF, supporting the players’ decision, is now arranging for the team to fly back to Nigeria, effectively pulling them out of the fixture.

“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer, and NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” the statement concluded.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerian leaders to judiciously use the country’s abundant resources to develop the nation.

Speaking at the Methodist Archdiocese of Abuja’s 40th anniversary celebration on Sunday in Abuja, Obasanjo emphasised that Nigeria had all it needed to thrive.

Obasanjo echoed the sentiments of Methodist Prelate Dr Oliver Aba’s message, emphasising the importance of appreciating God’s blessings.

“As God created other nations, endowing them with resources, He similarly blessed Nigeria with numerous resources for growth.


“Just as Egypt has the River Nile, Nigeria has the Rivers Niger and Benue, plus crude oil, fertile soil, and other natural resources.

“I firmly believe God didn’t create Nigeria to struggle. He has given us everything we need; it’s our duty to appreciate Him, especially since many countries lack what Nigeria has,” he said.

Obasanjo urged leaders, clergy, and citizens to pray for the country’s healing, acknowledging that Nigeria’s current situation isn’t God’s fault.


“We’ve squandered God’s gifts, but if we humble ourselves and seek Him, He will heal our land.”

President Bola Tinubu, represented by Mr Nyesom Wike, commended the Methodist Church Nigeria for its commitment to social justice, education, and humanitarian outreach.

In his goodwill message, Tinubu praised Methodist Church Nigeria for its pioneering role and impactful vision.

“I celebrate the 40th anniversary of Abuja Archdiocese, a testament to the church’s enduring spirit of faith, community, and service in Abuja and 183 years in Nigeria.


“The Methodist Church has significantly contributed to our nation’s development through social justice, education, and humanitarian efforts, transforming lives nationwide.”

Tinubu commended the church’s peace and unity promotion, urging continued dedication.

“As leaders, we acknowledge our responsibilities and commitment to overcoming obstacles. I call upon you to persist in your compassionate mission, as united efforts are crucial to addressing our national challenges.”


In his message, “Our Appreciation and Gratitude to God,” Methodist Church Prelate Dr Oliver Aba, emphasised the importance of appreciating God amidst challenges.

Citing Luke 17:15-17, he referenced the 10 lepers healed by Jesus, with only one returning to thank God.

Aba noted Nigeria’s challenges required divine intervention, urging calmness and faith.

“Everyone has a reason to seek God. Nigeria, calm down; there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We have a promised land to look forward to.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the service honored notable figures with the Knights of John Wesley award, including Obasanjo, Gowon, Tinubu, and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, Goodluck Jonathan, George Akume, and Godswill Akpabio.

Badadvisor:
Cultists not gun men. Eiye and buccaneer dey war currently. He's buccaneer and Eiye dropped him when they spotted him drinking ogogoro in their hood. He's said to be former buccaneer number 2 man.

If you like no stay away from cultism. Na low self esteem boys and low lives dey run that package.

Some suspected gunmen, Saturday afternoon, killed a councilorship candidate, Adeyinka Adeleke, in the Jide Jones area of Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The victim was said to be the All Progressives Congress Councillorship candidate for Abeokuta South Local Government Ward 15 in the forthcoming November 16 Local Government elections.

PUNCH Online gathered that the assailants stormed the area in a tinted car while shooting sporadically.

Our correspondent learnt from a source privy to the incident that the gunmen attacked Adeleke, shot at him and left him in the pool of his blood.

A video of the incident which surfaced online showed the lifeless body of Adeleke while sympathisers’ voices were heard in the background wailing.

An anonymous source told our correspondent that the incident created palpable tension in the area as residents scampered for safety.

The source said, “Some gunmen killed the All Progressives Congress councilorship candidate for Ibara Ward 15, Adeyinka Adeleke, today.

“The gunmen came in a tinted car, shot him, and hit him with stones till he died. There was tension in the area as people were scampering for safety.”

Another source, who sought anonymity, narrated that the assailants arrived in a tinted car from which one of them stepped out, shot Adeyinka at close range and later smashed his head ensuring that the victim was dead.

The deceased was said to have been a transport union worker in the Panseke area of Abeokuta during his lifetime.

“The Killing happened around 2 pm, it took everybody by surprise… No one knows if it is a cultist attack or not. The people in the area are already locking their shops, everywhere is tensed up now, it is so sad,” the source said.

A senior police officer in the area confirmed the incident to our correspondent while stating that the family took the corpse away.

The police source said, “Yes, the incident happened. His family decided to take his body for burial.”

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, was yet to respond to messages sent to her line as of the time of filing this report.

Petroleum marketers can now directly lift petrol from Dangote Refinery without the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) acting as an intermediary.

This shift marks a significant change in fuel distribution, confirming speculations that NNPC is no longer the sole off-taker of Dangote Refinery products.

In a statement on Friday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who also chairs the Naira-crude sale implementation committee, provided an update on the ongoing naira-based crude purchase and product sales initiative.

The committee held its second post-commencement review meeting on October 10 to assess the progress of the initiative.

“The committee is pleased to report a successful transition of operations in line with the directive issued by the Federal Executive Council.

“This directive has established a robust framework for local production and distribution of crude oil and refined products for local consumption in naira,” the statement said.

“With this mechanism now in full operation, along with the commencement of local production, we are well-positioned to transition to a fully deregulated market for all petroleum products,” it added.

Moving forward, Edun’s statement emphasised that “petroleum product marketers are now able to purchase PMS directly from local refineries without the intermediary role of NNPC”.

“Marketers are encouraged to initiate direct purchases from refineries on mutually negotiated commercial terms, which will promote competition and improve market efficiency,” the statement said.

This is expected to promote competition and enhance market efficiency.

The government, Edun noted, is optimistic that these measures will lead to a more competitive market, benefiting Nigerians in the long run.

InfoGuru118:
https://news360ng.com/breaking-pdp-faction-name-atikus-ally-yayari-ahmed-as-acting-national-chairman/