₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government on Tuesday said in the next five years, the establishment of Ruga settlements in the country would stop open grazing by herdsmen and end herdsmen-farmers’ clashes across the country.

It explained that the establishment of Ruga settlements, which had been approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and had started in 12 states, would allow herdsmen to stay in specific areas, where they could graze their animals.

But all the five South-East state governors, Samuel Ortom (Benue); Darius Ishaku (Taraba) and the Ondo State Government have rejected the Ruga settlements, saying they would not give out their land for herdsmen’s settlements in their states.

Recall that the Federal Government had last year planned to establish cattle colonies for herdsmen, but many states kicked against them.

But On May 21, 2019, the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, announced that Buhari had approved the Ruga settlement initiative earlier in the same month.

“Just 10 days ago, President Muhammadu Buhari approved a programme called the Ruga settlement. We are going to build settlements where herders will live, grow their cattle and produce milk. The milk will be bought by a milking parlour thus preventing their wives from moving around with milk. This is especially to avert any conflict between the herders and the farmers,” Ogbeh reportedly stated.

Also, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Umar, while speaking on the sidelines of the West Africa Antimicrobial Resistance Workshop in Abuja on Tuesday, insisted that the Ruga settlements would attract investors to Nigeria.

The workshop was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. West African countries including Nigeria, agreed to collaborate to address the destructive effects of antimicrobial resistance on human and animal health.

Explaining how the Ruga settlements would work, he said many states had indicated interest in the programme.

Umar said, “The Ruga settlement is one of the very important things being done by the ministry and it is one of the best things that can happen not only to Nigeria but to most of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a concept that we developed to deal with internal security.

“We felt that to do away with herders-farmers’ conflict, we need to settle our nomads and those who breed animals. We want to put them in a place that has been developed as a settlement, where we provide water for their animals, pasture, schools for their children, security, agro-rangers, etc.”

He added, “We also felt that we need to develop cattle markets whereby you don’t need to be transporting animals through very long distances. We will also bring in investors that will set up modern centres where cattle breeders can slaughter their animals. When we do that, a lot of other things will come up.

“We are going to change their (herdsmen) lifestyle, take them away from our streets and from wandering in the bush and develop districts, hamlets and towns and definitely in the next five to 10 years you will never see a nomad moving about, wandering or kidnapping. And this will end all these security challenges.”

Asked when the programme would take off, Umar replied, “We have already taken off. First of all, we are starting with about 12 states and we have identified the required locations. In each and every state we are going to have at least nothing less than six locations which we will start with and will settle these people along with other people that are interested in rearing animals.

“The Ruga settlement will attract a lot of investments to Nigeria and it is our belief that in the next five years, each Ruga settlement will provide nothing less than 2,000 employment opportunities. We are collaborating with the cattle breeders’ associations in Nigeria.”

The permanent secretary stated that many state governments had indicated interest and were visiting the ministry to get details about the initiative.

He said, “Already state and local governments are buying into the initiative. Many states have indicated interest. They have been coming to the ministry and will like to join to ensure that we set up Ruga settlements in their states so that their nomads will have a place. Also, they will have cattle markets and modern abattoirs in their states.”

No land for Ruga settlement in Benue, Ortom tells FG

But Ortom said Benue State had no land for the Federal Government proposed Ruga settlements for Fulani herdsmen.

The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, explained that Ruga settlement policy was imposed on states during the National Council on Agriculture summit held in Owerri, Imo State, in April this year by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.

The governor further said the Benue State delegation reminded the summit that the state had a law on ranching which had phased out open grazing.

The statement added that few weeks ago, a director of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture with his team in Benue State informed officials of the state Ministry of Agriculture that he had received directives from the Ministry’s headquarters Abuja to establish Ruga which means ‘Fulani settlement’ in parts of the state.

The statement added that the director said three local government areas of the state: Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum had been selected for the Ruga settlements.

“We find the approach of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture not only as a gross violation of the Ranching law but also as an insult to the sensibilities of the entire people of Benue State.

“During the National Council on Agriculture summit which took place in Owerri, Imo State in April this year, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture attempted to impose Ruga settlement on the states but the Benue State delegation seized the opportunity to remind the summit that Benue State has a law on ranching which has phased out open grazing. No one at the summit put forth an alternative method of animal husbandry to counter the state’s presentation.

“The Government of Benue State is willing to support cattle owners to establish ranches as stipulated by the law prohibiting open grazing.

“We however wish to reiterate that Benue State has no land for grazing reserves, grazing routes, cattle colonies or Ruga settlements. The state only has land for the establishment of ranches.”

‘Imo govt won’t accept Ruga settlement for herdsmen’

Also, the Imo State Government said that it would not be part of the proposed Ruga settlements for Fulani herdsmen in all the states of the federation.

The Special Adviser on Media to the state Governor, Steve Osuji, who spoke to one of our correspondents in Owerri on Tuesday, said that no governor in South-East would accept such a proposal.

He said the south-eastern states would not rush to accept the proposal when none of the northern states had implemented it.

He said, “Certainly not. It is not about Imo State; no state in the South-East would accept it. We won’t rush to accept it when no state in the North has implemented it.”

Ugwuanyi backs S’East govs

Reacting, the Special Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Mr Louis Amoke, said the state was in full support of the South-East Governors’ Forum position on cattle colony.

Amoke added that the governors had made their position known that South-East had “no land for cattle colony, Ruga settlement, or in whatever nomenclature it is called.”

He added, “So the position of Enugu State Government is not different from the position of South-East Governors’ Forum.”

We ‘ll accept nothing other than ranching – Taraba Govt

Speaking in the same vein, Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, who spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Dan Abu, said the state would not accept anything except ranching.

Abu, who said ranching remained the best option in the resolution of the crisis, called on the Federal Government to key into the ranching policy as the best option in the resolution of the herders-farmers’ crisis.

“We have a policy on this issue already which led to the enactment of the open grazing and ranches establishment law. This policy remains the best practice the world over in animal rearing.

“We implore the Federal Government to key into the ranching policy for the overall interest of herders and farmers. For now, we will not accept anything other than ranching,” he said.

We don’t believe in Ruga settlement – Ondo govt.

Also, the Ondo State Government declared that it did not plan to have any other settlement for Fulani herdsmen because it had already established ranches in some parts of the state.

Speaking with one of our correspondents, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, said the ranches were established in Auga Akoko and Akunnu Akoko in the Akoko North-East Local Government Area of the state.

He said, “I am not aware of anything of such (Ruga settlement). However, we have made our position known about that. We have established cattle ranches at Auga Akoko and Akunnu Akoko for people to take their cattle to.

“So, rather than doing cattle rustling, the ranches were established for people to bring their cattle there. So, our position is that we don’t believe in creating anything of such, we already have our own ranches established, with the belief that the cattle there would be healthier and better.”

My administration determined to end killings – Buhari

In spite of opposition to the creation of the Ruga settlements, President Buhari said his administration was focused on ending the mindless killings resulting from the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the country.

He sought the cooperation of various leaders and the citizens to maintain peace while the government sought an end to the killings.

Buhari spoke in Abuja when a delegation from Nasarawa State visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The delegation, which was led by Governor Abdullahi Sule, had the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, a former governor, Mr Tanko Al-Makura, ambassadors, former ministers, traditional rulers and several other personalities from the state on the team.

The President stated, “In the last four years, you collectively put aside your political, religious and ethnic differences for the interest of stability and prosperity. We must continue to preach peace and understanding in your various communities.

“The incessant conflicts between herders and farmers are an age-long problem, this administration is determined to find lasting solutions to this problem. I implore all opinion leaders to help maintain peace while we are putting in place policies and permanent solutions.

“I must commend the steadfastness, commitment and the enormous hard work of Al-Makura, who identified with our project from the word go. I wish him well in his new assignment.”

Speaking earlier, Sule thanked the President for the Federal Government’s projects Buhari brought to the state and the appointment of its indigenes into key positions.

On insecurity, the governor informed the President that one way the state had opted to fight it was through agriculture.

10 die, houses set ablaze in Taraba attacks

Meanwhile, no fewer than 10 persons were killed and several houses burnt in two separate attacks in the Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State on Tuesday.

The Caretaker Chairman, Wukari Local Government, Daniel Adi, confirmed this development in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Jalingo.

Adi said armed gunmen in army camouflage attacked Rafinkada in the early hours of Tuesday and set several houses ablaze.

He added that while the attack on Rafinkada was going on, another batch of the attackers blocked the Wukari-Takum Road at a forest close to Wukari and killed five persons.

Adi noted that a soldier was injured in the attack at Rafinkada and was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Wukari.

Local residents also said five persons were killed at the Takum junction in Wukari in what appeared to be a reprisal on Rafinkada.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH that two people in a vehicle he boarded from Zaki Biam in Benue State to Jalingo were removed by militia in Wukari and killed.

The eyewitness said three people were already killed according to information they gathered at the checkpoint where their vehicle was stopped along other vehicles.

“All the passengers were asked to come down and identify themselves. I don’t know who they were actually looking for. But two of the passengers were removed and taken away,” he said.

https://punchng.com/seast-govs-ortom-ishaku-others-reject-fgs-ruga-settlements-for-herdsmen/

Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, has asked justices of the Supreme Court to nominate six persons to the apex court. Ag. CJN, Mohammad In a letter dated June 11, Muhammad said the nomination was needed because there are currently only 15 justices on the bench of the apex court. ADVERTISING ADVERTISING Citing the constitution, Muhammad said there ought to be a maximum of 21 justices. He asked the justices to nominate eligible candidates for the position, not later than June 25.

“By the provision of Section 230(2) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution(as amended), the Supreme Court of Nigeria shall consist of the chief justice of Nigeria and such number of Justices of the Supreme Court, not exceeding twenty-one, as may be prescribed by an Act of the national assembly,” the letter read. “As there are 15 Justices on the Supreme Court Bench at present, it is necessary to take steps to fill the remaining six vacancies to make 21 Justices. “I shall be grateful if you could nominate suitable candidates for consideration for appointment as Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“In making your submission in respect of eligible candidates, you are requested to forward 10 judgments delivered in contested cases 2 years preceding the date of nomination in the case of Judicial Officers and l0 judgments obtained in contested cases 5 years preceding the date of nomination in the case of Legal Practitioners in Private Practice, certified by competent authorities.” “You are requested to comment on the suitability of the candidates nominated by you.

” Earlier in June, President Muhammadu Buhari asked the CJN to “initiate in earnest the process of appointing additional justices of the supreme court”.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/acting-cjn-moves-to-fill-vacant-seats-at-supreme-court/

The depreciation of the naira between 2004 when the last banking sector recapitalisation took place and now has cut the value of the capital of each Deposit Money Bank by about $175m.

The recapitalisation of the banking sector, which was done in 2005, required the banks to raise their capital base from N2bn to N25bn.



The exercise then saw the emergence of 24 Deposit Money Banks following the merger of some of them as well as the acquisition of many that could not raise the required capital.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja during the unveiling of his economic agenda for the next five years, the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, noted that the drop in the value of the naira to the dollar had weakened the capital of banks.

For instance, the apex bank boss recalled that in 2004 when the banks were last asked to recapitalise, the value of a dollar to the naira was about N100.

This, he explained, meant that the N25bn capital base of banks when translated into the dollar was about $250m.

However, due to the drop in the value of the nation’s currency which now exchanges for N360 to a dollar, the governor put the translated value of N25bn at just about $75m.

Going by this, it, therefore, means that the value of the capital of each bank had been reduced by $175m.

Based on the number of Deposit Money Banks in the country which stands at 20, the total value of the capital base may have been eroded by about $3.5bn.

Emefiele said going by the huge developmental role the apex bank would want the banks to play in the next five years, it had become imperative to demand their recapitalisation.



Following the announcement of the recapitalisation exercise, Emefiele said the Committee of Governors of the CBN would meet to discuss the new policy.

The meeting is expected to discuss modalities for the recapitalisation exercise as well as approve the framework that would guide the implementation of the policy.

The CBN governor said during the unveiling of his agenda for the next five years that the recapitalisation of banks had become imperative as their current capital could no longer finance large transactions.

He said, “In the next five years, we intend to pursue a programme of recapitalising the banking industry so as to position Nigerian banks among the top 500 in the world.

“Banks will, therefore, be required to maintain a higher level of capital, as well as liquid assets in order to reduce the impact of an economic crisis on the financial system.

“Recall that it was Governor (Chukwuma) Soludo in 2004 that did the last recapitalisation we had. He moved the capitalisation from N2bn to N25bn. And I must commend those efforts because it resulted in positioning Nigerian banks not only in Africa but among the top banks in the world in terms of capitalisation.

“It also helps to increase the banking industry’s capacity to take on large transactions. And those are some of the things we badly need today.

“So if you relate N25bn with 2004 exchange rate which was about N100 (to a dollar), N25bn was about $250m. Today, if you relate N25bn at N360 (to a dollar) you will see that it is substantially lower than $75m.

“So what we are trying to say is that the recapitalisation has weakened and there is a need for us to say it is time to recapitalise the banks again.

“It’s a policy thrust which would be discussed at the committee of governors’ meeting and of course, the framework for the recapitalisation of Nigerian banks would be unfolded for the whole world in due course.”

Commenting on the development, the President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Dr Uche Olowu, said that there was no need for people to panic or have any fear about the financial system.

He said that the announcement of an intending capital increase in the banking sector was a welcome development.

“Ordinarily, in other climes, you continue to look at the risks that you will take because of the opportunities that you see in them. You ask them to recapitalise because of the opportunities that will come. We need to beef up the capital base.” he said.

He said that some banks were moving into the regional regions and needed to shore up their capital to beef up more confidence.

He stated, “Even with the latest International Financial Reporting Standard, it also affects capital. So it is important that they begin to address it based on their capital base.

“If you are raising your capital, it is based on the risk you are taking. Capital is a function of the business that you want to do. There is already a minimum capital, if you now feel you want to do more, it is a function of the risk you want to take.”

Providing more insights on his economic agenda which centred on five major priorities, the CBN governor said he would work closely with the fiscal authorities to achieve double-digit growth rate within the next five years.

He said during his second term in office, his first priority would be to ensure domestic macroeconomic and financial stability.

This, he said, would be followed by the need to foster the development of a robust payment system infrastructure that would increase access to finance for all Nigerians thereby raising the financial inclusion rate in the country.

The governor said his third priority would be to continue to work with Deposit Money Banks to improve access to credit for not only smallholder farmers and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, but also consumer credit and mortgage facilities for bank customers.

Emefiele said the CBN’s intervention support would also be extended to the youth population who possessed entrepreneurship skills in the creative industry.

During this intervention period, the apex bank boss said the CBN would encourage Deposit Money Banks to focus more on supporting the education sector.

On his fourth priority, he said the focus here would be to grow the country’s external reserves, adding that his fifth priority would be to support efforts at diversifying the economy through the CBN’s intervention programmes in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

“We are confident that when implemented, these measures will help to insulate our economy from potential shocks in the global economy.

“In my second term in office, part of my pledge is to work to the best of my abilities in fulfilling these objectives,” he added.

Speaking on strategies to achieving these priorities, Emefiele said the CBN would implement its agenda under various initiatives.

This, he noted, would enable the bank to achieve macroeconomic stability, exchange rate stability, financial system stability, financial inclusion, access to credit, lending to MSMEs, consumer credit and mortgage lending among others.

Macroeconomic stability

In the area of macroeconomic stability, the CBN governor said, “We intend to leverage monetary policy tools in supporting a low inflation environment while seeking to maintain stability in our exchange rate.

“As a result, decisions by the Monetary Policy Committee on inflation and interest rates will be dependent on insights generated from data on key economic variables.”

Working with other stakeholders, he said the bank intended to bring down the cost of food items, which had considerable weight in the Consumer Price Index basket.

He said, “Our ultimate objective is to anchor the public’s inflation expectation at single digit in the medium to long run.

“We believe a low and stable inflationary environment is essential to the growth of our economy because it will help support long term planning by individuals and businesses.

“It will also help to lower interest rates charged by banks to businesses thereby facilitating improved access to credit, and a corresponding growth in output and employment.”

Exchange rate stability

In achieving exchange rate stability, Emefiele said the apex bank would continue to operate a managed float exchange rate regime in order to reduce the impact which continuous volatility in the exchange rate could have on the economy.

He said, “We will support measures that will increase and diversify Nigeria’s exports base and ultimately help in shoring up our reserves.

“While the dynamics of global trade continues to evolve in advanced economies, Nigeria remains committed to a free trade regime that is mutually beneficial but particularly aimed at supporting our domestic industries and creating jobs on a mass scale for Nigerians.

“We intend to aggressively implement our N500bn facility aimed at supporting the growth of our non-oil exports, which will help to improve non-oil export earnings.”

He said the CBN would launch a Trade Monitoring System in October this year which is an automated system that would reduce the length of time required to process export documents from one week to one day.

Financial system stability

On financial system stability, the apex bank boss said the CBN would continue to improve its onsite and off-site supervision of all financial institutions, while leveraging data analytics and in-house experts across different sectors, to improve its ability to identify potential risks to the financial system as well as risks to individual banks.

Development finance

Emefiele said in keeping with the recent Presidential Directives, he intended to boost productivity growth through the provision of improved seedlings, as well as access to finance for rural farmers in the agricultural sector, across 10 different commodities namely rice, maize, cassava, cocoa, tomato, cotton, oil-palm, poultry, fish, and livestock/dairy.

“We believe these measures will help to boost not only our domestic outputs but also improve our annual non-oil exports receipts from $2bn in 2018 to $12bn by 2023,” he added.

Financial inclusion

In the area of financial inclusion, Emefiele said over the next five years, through initiatives and policy measures such as the Shared Agent Network and the payment service banks, he intended to broaden access to financial services to individuals in underserved parts of the country.

Source: https://punchng.com/cbn-plans-fresh-banks-recapitalisation-as-capital-base-weakens-by-3-5bn/

See his brand of drink " Trophy" He surely has one

Will not be surprised if this hits the front page.

The Presidency on Friday clarified the Federal Government’s position on the Almajiri system, saying that while proscribing it remained an ultimate goal, there was no immediate plan to ban the system.

The Presidency stated that in pursuing the objective of ensuring that every Nigerian child had compulsory basic education, the government would consult relevant authorities widely before taking a decision on whether to ban the Almajiri system or not.

In a statement by Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, the Presidency noted that the reactions trailing the President’s speech at Thursday’s meeting of the National Economic Council were needless, as he had yet to pronounce a ban on the system.

It said, “Indeed, the Federal government wants a situation where every child of primary school age is in school rather than begging on the streets during school hours. At the same time, we don’t want to create panic or a backlash.

The National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno ( retd.), while briefing State House Correspondents after the NEC meeting on Thursday, had said that the government would eventually ban the system.

He had stated, “The group I spoke about on illiteracy is the Almajeri. Ultimately, government will have to proscribe this Almajiri phenomenon.

Source: https://punchng.com/no-immediate-plan-to-ban-almajiri-system-presidency/

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday re-arraigned an American, Marco Antonio Ramirez, before an Ikeja Special Offences Court for allegedly defrauding three Nigerians of $1,229,800 under the pretext of securing America’s Green Card for them.

Those allegedly defrauded by the American and his companies are: Ambassador Godson Echejue, Abubakar Umar Sodiq and Olukayode Sodimu.

The American was re-arraigned before Justice Mojisola Dada on an amended 12-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining under false pretence.

The accused was arraigned alongside his companies, U.S.A Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP and U.S.A Now Capital Group.



Ramirez and co-defendants were first arraigned on June 22, 2017 before Justice Josephine Oyefeso on a 16-count charge but pleaded not guilty to the alleged offences.

Following his plea, he was admitted to bail for $25,000.


Midway into his trial, his case file was transferred to Justice Dada, making his trial to start de novo (afresh).

During proceedings yesterday, Ramirez again pleaded not guilty to the amended 12-count charges brought against him by the EFCC.

EFCC’s prosecuting counsel, N. S. Oweize, asked the court for a trial date.

The defendant’s lawyer, Ademola Adefolaju, who did not oppose the prosecutor’s request, prayed the court to let his client continue with the bail terms earlier granted him by Justice Oyefeso when he was first arraigned.

When the judge asked the accused if he had fully complied with the bail term, Adefolaju confirmed that his client had fully complied with the bail terms.

The lawyer said his client had also been visiting EFCC’s office, as directed by the court.

Following his submissions, Justice Dada granted the request of the defence.

She held: “Since the defendant has not breached any of the bail terms granted by my brother judge, the defendant is hereby allowed to continue with the terms.”

The judge adjourned the matter till October 7, 8, 9 and 10 for trial.

Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/efcc-re-arraigns-american-over-1-2m-green-card-fraud/

As commission ‘unintentionally” summons Sanusi’s wife over alleged misappropriation of N3.4bn Kano—A High Court sitting in Kano, has again, ordered Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II to maintain status quo in respect of the earlier interim order issued against the governor on May 10,2019.

According to a report by News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on May 10, the court through the ex-parte application by the applicant, Rabiu Gwarzo, had restrained Ganduje and all other respondents in the case from appointing or recognising any purported emir under the Kano State Emirs Appointment and Disposition Amendment Law 2019, pending the hearing of motion on notice. The tragedy of abandoned N5bn Cardiac and Renal facility in Lagos(Opens in a new browser tab) In his ruling, Justice Nasiru Saminu, ordered that all the parties in the suit should maintain status quo pending the hearing of motion on notice. The matter was later adjourned till July 15,2019 for hearing. Earlier, counsel to Ganduje, the former Attorney-General of Kano State, Ibrahim Mukhtar, urged the court to vacate the order since it was issued over 20-days-ago and had expired. Court restrains Ganduje, anti corruption commission from taking action against Emir Sanusi(Opens in a new browser tab) “An exparte order has seven days life span under, Section 39 sub section III and Section IV grants the court power to extend the life span of an exparte order.

” The counsel to the applicant, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, objected to the oral application to vacate the order, by informing the court that the application should be accompanied with a written address. Meanwhile, Emir Sanusi’s wife was ‘unintentionally’ invited for questioning in relation to a fraud probe, an official said on Thursday. The Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji, told the News Agency of Nigeria that when the commission realised it invited Mrs Sanusi, it withdrew the invitation and that of 29 others PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how an initial report by the commission indicted Sanusi and the Kano Emirate Council of misappropriating N3.4 billion.

The emirate however, denied any wrongdoing by Sanusi and other indicted persons and secured a court injunction to stall the investigation. Most Nigerians believe Sanusi was being victimised by the Kano State Governor, Umar Ganduje, for allegedly opposing the governor’s re-election bid. Speaking on the probe of the emirate council, Magaji said the commission had withdrawn the letters of invitation issued to about 30 people. He explained that the commission found it necessary to withdraw the invitation following the discovery of the name of the wife of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi, on the list of those invited for investigation, saying it was not intentional.

Inviting the Emir’s wife “The commission recently invited more than 30 people to appear before it but one of the wives of the emir was found to be a beneficiary of medical assistance, which was one of the expenditures the commission was investigating, “The issue of the emir’s wife and any other person, apart from the District Heads, we don’t know them. “It didn’t even come over to any one of us that the emir’s wife will be among those to benefit from medical assistance. “Nobody expected the wife of the emir to be among the beneficiaries of the medical assistance. I want to state that we don’t know that the wife of the emir was among those invited,” an official stated. The chairman, therefore, urged for the cooperation of the emirate council to conclude the investigation and advised the public to disregard any insinuation aimed at frustrating the probe.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/06/maintain-status-quo-court-orders-ganduje-emir-sanusi-2/

Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna

The Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna Diocese, Most Rev. Mathew Ndagoso-Manoso, has lamented the lack of government presence in some communities in Borno State, saying that some communities depend on Boko Haram for essential services.

Ndagoso-Manoso spoke at a church service conducted at the Our Lady’s Parish in Kaduna to mark the beginning of the Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests’ Association.



The AGM, holding at the Catholic Social Centre in the state capital, has the theme, ‘The Imperative of Good Governance for a Secure and Prosperous Nation.’

The Catholic archbishop urged the priests to discuss frankly security challenges in the country.

While noting that the theme of the AGM was apt, the bishop lamented the disturbing insecurity in the country.

This, he said, was due to the lack of the presence of government and good governance in certain parts of the country, particularly the North-East.

“Insecurity starts from where there is absence of government. The absence of government in certain parts of the country has brought us to where we are today. Our problem has always been the management of resources of the land,” he added.

He claimed that Boko Haram had taken advantage of the lack of government’s presence in the North-East to render essential services to communities in the area.

This, he said, portend danger for the country against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s fight against terrorism.

He said, “Something is happening right now whether the government knows or not; it is that the splinter group of the Boko Haram is providing services to communities in Borno.



“They are collecting taxes because of the absence of government. This is dangerous.”

Catholic priests drawn from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory are currently meeting in Kaduna over rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry and general insecurity in the country.

Source: https://punchng.com/bharam-faction-providing-services-to-borno-communities-catholic-archbishop/

Let no pastor tell us the devil is powerless because he isn't.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan zonal office, on Monday arraigned one Paul Afolabi before Justice Patricia Ajoku of the Federal High Court, Ibadan Judicial Division, on four counts bordering on obtaining property under false pretences.

Afolabi, who allegedly operated under the name, William Sharon, was arrested in Ibadan by EFCC operatives after receiving an intelligence report dated May 10, 2018, alleging that he and other suspects were members of a syndicate formed to dupe people on the Internet.



The petitioner had accused Afolabi and his accomplices of using fake information to obtain Itune GiftCard and Amazon cards from foreigners.

The offences, according to the EFCC, run contrary to Section 1(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Related Offences Act, 2006, and are punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.

Afolabi pleaded not guilty to the charges as they were read to him.

Following his plea, the EFCC counsel, Lanre Abdulrasheed, prayed the court for a trial date and an order to remand the defendant in prison custody.

The defence counsel, Ololade Animasahun, however, filed a bail application on behalf of his client, which the EFCC lawyer did not oppose.



The presiding judge adjourned the matter till July 3 for a ruling on the bail application and fixed the commencement of trial for September 30.

He also ordered that the accused be remanded in prison till the court would decide on his bail application.

Source: https://punchng.com/efcc-arraigns-man-for-obtaining-property-by-false-pretences/