₦airaland Forum

At least 45 bags with human remains were found in a ravine in the western Mexican state of Jalisco during a search for eight people reported missing last week, local authorities said Thursday.

“Forty-five bags with human remains have been extracted that belong to both male and female people,” the state prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

The gruesome discovery was made on Tuesday at the bottom of a 40-meter (120-foot) ravine in the municipality of Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, a large industrial hub.

The authorities had launched a search for two women and six men, all aged around 30 years, who had been reported missing since around May 20.

The missing person reports for each one had been made separately on different days, but investigators found that they all worked at the same call center.

The call center was in the same area where the human remains were discovered.

Forensic experts have yet to determine the number of victims or their identities.

Initial inquiries suggested the call center could have been involved in illegal activities, and local media reported that the authorities had found marijuana, a cloth and a cleaning rag with apparent blood stains as well as documents on possible commercial activities.

But relatives of the missing accused the authorities of seeking to portray the victims as criminals.

In recent years, human remains have been found in bags or unmarked graves in different areas of Jalisco.

In 2021, in the municipality of Tonala, in Jalisco, about 70 bags with the remains of 11 people were found.

And in 2019, the bodies of 29 people were found in 119 bags in an unpopulated area of Zapopan.

Another case that sparked numerous protests in Jalisco was the disappearance in March 2018 of three film students, whose remains were dissolved in acid.

Also in 2018, media reported that three Italians disappeared, allegedly handed over by police to the Jalisco New Generation cartel, to whom they had allegedly sold faulty machinery.

The Italians have not been found despite massive searches by state and federal law enforcement.

According to local media, in the first two months of this year alone, the remains of 33 people were found in five makeshift graves in the Guadalajara area.

The Jalisco New Generation cartel operates in the state and is one of the most powerful organized crime groups in Mexico, and is embroiled in disputes with other drug syndicates.

Mexico has recorded more than 340,000 murders and some 100,000 disappearances, the majority attributed to criminal organizations, since the launch of a controversial military anti-drug offensive in December 2006.

The President, Bola Tinubu, is currently meeting the Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, at the State House, Abuja.

Tinubu who arrived at the Villa at 10:53am on Thursday went straight into a closed-door session with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amao and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba.



Thursday’s meeting is the President first official engagement with the security helmsmen since assuming office on Monday.

Although the meeting’s agenda is not yet public, the meeting may feature briefings from each security chief to. keep the President abreast with the state of the nation’s security.

In his inaugural address on Monday, Tinubu had promised Nigerians that security would be top priority for his administration.

He said “Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security DOCTRINE and its ARCHITECTURE.

“We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.”

On Wednesday, The PUNCH reported that Tinubu received in audience the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa and Peng Qinghua, the Special Envoy of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

On Tuesday, he met the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Group CEO of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, Mele Kyari, amongst others.

The Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, on Thursday, allayed the fear of Nigerians on the rising prices of Premium Motor Spirit, known better as petrol across the country.

The NNPC boss said competition among major players in the oil sector would force down the price of petrol as against the upward trends that have caused panic in the country.

The PUNCH reports that queues returned to fuel stations across the country following the recent increase in the petrol pump price occasioned by the discontinuance of petroleum subsidy.

Earlier on Wednesday, the NNPC said it had adjusted the pump price of petrol to reflect the market realities. The agency, however, failed to state the new prices of petrol.

However, several retail outlets sold the product between 600 and N800 in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun and some other states.

Also, talks between the Federal Government and organised labour over the removal of fuel subsidy ended in a deadlock on Wednesday as they failed to reach a consensus following the hike in petrol pump prices to over N700 from N195 per litre by oil marketers.

Speaking on Thursday in an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Kyari said the removal of subsidy would allow new entrants into the market, a move he said, would aid competition and phased out monopoly.

This, he claimed, would ensure healthy competition which would ultimately lead to a downward review of pump prices of petroleum across the country.

He said, “The beauty of this (subsidy removal) is that there will be new entrants (into the market) because oil marketing companies’ reluctance to come into the market all along is the very fact of the subsidy regime that is in place.

“And that subsidy regime doesn’t have a guarantee of repayment back to the those who provide the product at subsidise price and now that the market is being regulated, oil marketing companies can actually import product or even if it is produced locally, they can buy and take it into the market and sell it at its retail price.

Therefore, you will see competition, even with NNPC. And by the way, by law, NNPC cannot do more than 30 per cent of the market going forward. As soon as the market stabilises, oil marketing companies are able to come in…

“Competition will definitely come in and the market will regulate the prices itself. Therefore, this is just an instantaneous price and within a week or two, you will continue to see different prices because of different approaches from major players, companies have different approaches to it and competition will guide that. Ultimately, you’d see changes downwards and it is very likely because efficiency will come in.

“As soon as competition comes in, people will become more efficient in their depots, in managing their trucks and in managing their fuel stations so that people can come to their stations. And it is showing already, right now, you will see motorists going to stations where they can have price differences, so this will regulate the market and on its own, the price will come down naturally and I don’t see any doubt about this.”

On why fuel stations hiked their pump price when they still have in stock already subsidised products, the NNPL boss said “This is the reality of the market. It applies to every commodity and not just petroleum.”

He added, “It could have been the other way round, prices could have collapsed downwards and those holding the old stock will have to sell at lower prices to arrive at market condition.

“It is not something serious or strange, this is a stock management issue and it is very typical, no one can do anything different about this.

“The prices we are seeing today at our station are the current price of the commodity. This means that prices in the market can go down at any time and of course, the market will adjust itself.”

The naira, on Friday, sold for as high as N632 per dollar at the investors and exporters (I&E) window amid increased demand.

The figure is the highest intraday rate ever recorded since the introduction of the window in April 2017.

The I&E foreign exchange (FX) window is the country’s official exchange rate window. It is the market trading segment for investors, exporters and end-users that allows for FX trades to be made at exchange rates determined based on prevailing market circumstances.

Data from FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, a platform where FX is officially traded, showed that the opening sale price for Friday was N463.75/$, but it declined by 0.18 percent to close at N464.51/$.

The highest spot rate for the day was N632/$ while the lowest was N410/$.

At the end of the trading day, the market recorded a total of $144.72 million transactions.

Meanwhile, checks by TheCable showed that the exchange rate between the naira and the US dollar depreciated to N775/$ at the parallel market on Friday.

A currency trader in Victoria Island, Lagos, who spoke to TheCable, attributed the depreciation of the local currency to a high level of demand for the greenback compared to supply.

Currently, Nigeria operates two FX markets: one is the official rate, while the other is the parallel/street market rate.

Although the parallel segment is more accessible to traders and businesses who need FX, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has consistently maintained that it represents less than one percent of forex transactions and should never be used to determine the exchange rate.

Recently, Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s new vice president, said removing petrol subsidy and ending the multiple exchange rate system are the top two issues which the administration of Bola Tinubu would have to face.

The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has congratulated Bola Tinubu on his swearing-in as president of Nigeria.

Tinubu took over the baton from Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, May 29.

The inauguration ceremony, which took place at the Eagles Square in Abuja, had African leaders and global organisations in attendance.

Although Biden did not attend the inauguration, he sent a nine-member delegation to represent him at the ceremony.

The delegation was led by the US secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia L. Fudge.

However, in a statement released by the White House, Biden congratulated Tinubu on his assumption of office.

“On behalf of the people of the United States, I send warm wishes to the government and people of Nigeria as they inaugurate a new president,” the statement reads.

“My administration has worked to strengthen ties between the United States and Nigeria, and I look forward to continuing this work with President Tinubu to support economic growth, advance security, and promote respect for human rights.

“The people-to-people connections between our two countries run particularly deep, nurtured by a vibrant Nigerian Diaspora in the United States. As we further deepen our partnership with Nigeria, I look forward to drawing even more on the ideas and energy of this dynamic connection between our countries.

“As Africa’s largest democracy and economy, Nigeria’s success is the world’s success. Elected leaders owe it to their people to show that democracy can deliver for their needs. And the United States will continue to work closely with Nigeria, as a friend and partner, to deliver a more peaceful and prosperous future for our world.”

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, in Abuja, took the oaths of office and allegiance as the 16th President of Nigeria with a vow that the country would not break up.

Tinubu in his inaugural address at Eagle Square also unveiled a series of steps he would take to position the country on the path of economic development, stability and prosperity.

Shortly after his inauguration, the President met with envoys from the United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Israel, Cape Verde, Somalia and Nicaragua at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The diplomats presented their goodwill messages and letters of support and solidarity to Tinubu.

Dressed in white agbada and buba with a green cap adorned with his trademark logo, the oaths were administered on the new President and the Vice President, Kashim Shettima by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as former president Muhammadu Buhari and his wife Aisha as well Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the new president, and other family members watched in admiration.

Several African heads of state, diplomats and representatives of foreign governments also witnessed the colourful ceremony which featured a march past by the armed forces as well as dances and other performances by the National Troupe.

African leaders present

African leaders who graced the inauguration included President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, Algerian President, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of Tanzania, Samia Hassan; President of the Republic of Congo Brazzaville, Denis Nguesso, President of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Embaló and his Liberian counterpart, George Weah.

Also present were the President of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye; the Transitional President of Chad, Mahamat Déby; the President of Niger Republic, Mohamed Bazoum; and President Nana Akufo-Ado of Ghana.

Delegations from Sierra Leonean and Qatar were also present. The Qatari team was led by the Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Representatives of the governments of the US, UK, Canada, India and others also attended the event.

Also in attendance were former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon, former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, serving and former governors, traditional and religious leaders, captains of industry and members of the diplomatic corps among others.

After handing over the reins of power to his successor, former president Muhammadu Buhari was driven in a black SUV to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport and flown in a Nigerian Air Force plane alongside his family to his hometown, Daura.

Addressing Nigerians shortly after taking over power, Tinubu urged his compatriots not to allow the opportunity for greater development of the country to slip away.

He stated, “Our constitution and laws give us a nation on paper. We must work harder at bringing these noble documents to life by strengthening the bonds of economic collaboration, social cohesion, and cultural understanding. Let us develop a shared sense of fairness and equity.

“The South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests are served when good comes to the North. The North must see the South likewise.’

“Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people. As your president, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all,” the President promised.

He said in its over 60-year history, Nigeria had endured hardships that would have made other societies crumble, but for its resilience and strength of its diversity, the country has remained intact.

“To the surprise of many but not to ourselves, we have more firmly established this land as a democracy in both word and deed.”

He said instead of disintegrating, Nigeria had continued to exist “as Africa’s most populous nation and as the best hope and strongest champion of the black race. “

Saying Nigerians were determined to keep the country united, Tinubu stated, “ As citizens, we declare as one unified people devoted to one unified national cause, that as long as this world exists, Nigeria shall exist. “

Speaking on the transition, Tinubu noted, “This handover symbolises our trust in God, our enduring faith in representative governance and our belief in our ability to reshape this nation into the society it was always meant to be.”

To advance the common vision of a better Nigeria, the President solicited the support of all Nigerians “to join me in making Nigeria a more perfect nation and democracy such that the Nigerian ideal becomes and forever remains the Nigerian reality.”

The president explained that though he fought hard to win the February 2023 election, the victory does not make him any more Nigerian than his opponents, who he pledged to relate to as compatriots.

“The outcome reflected the will of the people. However, my victory does not render me any more Nigerian than my opponents. Nor does it render them any less patriotic.

“They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore,” he affirmed.

He described the election that brought him to power as tough but fairly won and dedicated his victory to the country with a promise to do his best to advance its progress.

Economic policy

On the economy, the President said his administration would target a higher GDP growth and significantly reduce unemployment.

He promised to offer budgetary reform that would stimulate the economy without engendering inflation.

“Second, industrial policy will utilize the full range of fiscal measures to promote domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency.

“Third, electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike. Power generation should nearly double and transmission and distribution networks improved. We will encourage states to develop local sources as well,’’ he maintained.

According to him, his administration would review all complaints by investors about multiple taxations and “various anti-investment inhibitions. We shall ensure that investors and foreign businesses repatriate their hard-earned dividends and profits home.”

He also mentioned his plan to make security a priority ‘’because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.”

To tackle unemployment, Tinubu reiterated the imperative of creating “meaningful opportunities for our youths”, as he pledged to honour his campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy.

Fight corruption, improve athletes welfare, stakeholders tell Tinubu
“Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus jobs and prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable,” he projected.

He revealed that rural incomes shall be secured by commodity exchange boards guaranteeing minimal prices for certain crops and animal products even as he will undertake a nationwide programme for storage and other facilities to reduce spoilage.

Tinubu promised to create agricultural hubs nationwide to increase production and engage in value-added processing.

Also, the livestock sector will be introduced to the best modern practices and steps taken to minimize the perennial conflict over land and water resources in this sector.

“Through these actions, food shall be made more abundant yet less costly. Farmers shall earn more while the average Nigerian pays less,” he noted.

The President commended the decision of the Buhari administration to phase out fuel subsidy which he said would save the country at a time of drying resources.

He noted, “We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.”

He explained that the nation’s monetary policy needs thorough house cleaning as he charged the Central Bank of Nigeria to work towards a unified exchange rate.

This, he said, would direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.

Tinubu said his administration would treat both new and old naira notes as legal tender, saying despite its intended merits, the controversial currency swap policy of the CBN “was too harshly applied given the number of unbanked Nigerians.”

He explained that his primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African sub-region and the African continent, promising to work with the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union and willing partners in the international community to end conflicts and to resolve new ones.

“As such, my primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African sub-region and the African continent. We shall work with ECOWAS, the AU and willing partners in the international community to end extant conflicts and resolve new ones.

“As we contain threats to peace, we shall also retool our foreign policy to more actively lead the regional and continental quest for collective prosperity,” he assured.

Describing Monday’s inauguration as the “proudest day of my life” Tinubu promised to “govern” and never “rule” Nigerians.

“Our administration shall govern on your behalf but never rule over you. We shall consult and dialogue but never dictate.’’

Envoys meet with Tinubu

Several countries on Monday formally presented their goodwill messages and letters of support and solidarity to Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The letters were presented to the president by the special envoys and heads of missions of the countries after his inauguration as the 16th President of Nigeria.

Among the countries are the United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, Israel, Cape Verde, Somalia and Nicaragua.

While congratulating Tinubu, the new UK High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, presented letters from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, King Charles and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.

The US delegation led by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Marcia L. Fudge, paid a courtesy call to Tinubu and had a brief bilateral discussion with him.

A statement by the media aide to the President, Tunde Rahman, disclosed that the South Korean delegation had bilateral discussions with Tinubu.

While delivering a letter of invitation from South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for Tinubu to visit that country soon, the delegation also sought to increase relations between the two countries.

The Saudi Arabian delegation similarly delivered a goodwill message from the Saudi Royal House to the Nigerian president.

A special envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida equally paid a call on the President and extended a hand of support and fellowship.

The statement read, ‘’In the same vein, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a delegation which met with Tinubu and expressed willingness to work with the country in the area of fintech.

‘’Others, who met with President Tinubu and pledged cooperation with Nigeria, included delegations from Brazil, Somali, Cape Verde and Nicaragua.’’

Biden pledges support

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has pledged his commitment towards working with Tinubu to strengthen ties between his country and Nigeria.

Biden stated this in a statement shortly after Tinubu’s inauguration on Monday.

Biden said the US would continue to work closely with Nigeria to deliver a more peaceful and prosperous future for the world, noting that ‘’Nigeria’s success is the world’s success.’’

The statement read, “On behalf of the people of the United States, I send warm wishes to the government and people of Nigeria as they inaugurate a new President.

“My administration has worked to strengthen ties between the United States and Nigeria, and I look forward to continuing this work with President Tinubu to support economic growth, advance security, and promote respect for human rights.

“The people-to-people connections between our two countries run particularly deep, nurtured by a vibrant Nigerian Diaspora in the United States.

“As we further deepen our partnership with Nigeria, I look forward to drawing even more on the ideas and energy of this dynamic connection between our countries. ‘’

Biden further stated, “As Africa’s largest democracy and economy, Nigeria’s success is the world’s success. Elected leaders owe it to their people to show that democracy can deliver for their needs.

‘’And the United States will continue to work closely with Nigeria, as a friend and partner, to deliver a more peaceful and prosperous future for our world.

“We shall reach out to all but never put down a single person for holding views contrary to our own. We are here to further mend and heal this nation, not tear and injure it"

Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today assume office as the 16th President of Nigeria. The man popularly known as Jagaban, the leader of warriors, has never hidden his ambition to rule the country. True to his conviction and the title bestowed on him by the Emir of Borgu in Niger State, the politician believes that power is not served à la carte.

In 2022, when he announced his desire to succeed Buhari, the old general whom he helped make President, he was advised to remain a kingmaker.

But he insisted, “I have made others king. It is time for me to be king” while adding the fact that his lifetime’s achievement was to be Nigeria’s President.

Not a stranger to politics, Tinubu’s political journey began in 1991 as a member of the Peoples Democratic Movement, the political group of the late Major General Shehu Yar’Adua (retd.).

Though disliked by many, his years of experience gained by understudying Nigerian politics and tactics over the years would later work for him. Notwithstanding the fact that not much is known about his early years, Tinubu aged 71 has remained one of the most relevant politicians from the political class of the 90s.

Tinubu was said to have returned to Nigeria in 1983 after a few years of studying abroad at the Chicago State University and a stint in Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, and GTE Services Corporation in the United States.

In 1992, Tinubu was among the new set of politicians who were cleared by the former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, to contest elections, and he was elected as the Senator representing Lagos West constituency in the Third Republic that lasted just for 22 months.

During his brief stint in the Senate, he led the Senate Committee on Banking, Finance, Appropriations and Currency. To date, he is still regarded as one of the most active senators during that period.

In 1993, when former military dictator, Gen Ibrahim Babangida annulled the June 12 Presidential election won by the late Moshood Abiola popularly known as MKO, Tinubu was among prominent Nigerians who kicked against the injustice and the move by the military dictator to perpetuate himself in office. Tinubu did not only physically participate in various peaceful protests against the annulment; he addressed many press conferences to condemn Babangida and made the office too hot for him.

Though the military dictator would later set up an interim government headed by a civilian, Ernest Shonekan, he ensured that a former coupist, Sani Abacha remained in Shonekan’s cabinet. For activists like Tinubu, there was only one solution and that was for Abiola to be installed as President.

By November 17, 1993, Abacha overthrew the interim government of Shonekan in a bloodless military coup. Despite numerous protests by pro-democracy groups, Abacha became ruthless and suspended the 1989 Constitution for a full-blown military government. He also disbanded the national and state legislatures, removed the elected civilian governors, and banned political activities.

In early May 1994, Abiola who ran his campaign under the theme, ‘Hope 93’ announced his intention to form a ‘Government of National Unity.’ A week after, the formation of the National Democratic Coalition was announced. The group, made up of politicians, retired military officials, and pro-democracy figures, was formed in an effort to coordinate and focus the various pro-democracy factions around four main demands: The military must leave political office; Abiola must be installed as president; a sovereign national conference must be held to debate the country’s future and the country must be restructured along truly federal lines.

The plan by Abacha to hold another election for the constitutional conference was resisted by the members of NADECO and former lawmakers who met secretly and issued statements calling on the dictator to surrender power to Abiola.

On June 1, Ameh Ebute, the former senate president, publicly announced the senators’ decision to reconvene. Tinubu, Ebute, many senators and members of the House of Representatives were arrested the following day and detained without charge for weeks. They were alleged to have committed treasonable offence against the state and Tinubu, on his part, was also accused of planning to bomb Ejigbo NNPC depot. They were later granted bail by the court after several weeks of being humiliated by the security agencies.

Though Tinubu fled the country because of threats to his life, he would later come back to Nigeria following General Abdulsalam Abubakar’s decision to hand over power to a democratic government. Tinubu returned to Nigeria in 1999 and joined the Justice Forum, a political platform for the progressives in Lagos and became one of the prominent members that formed the Alliance for Democracy. He was supported by members of NADECO, Afenifere and citizens alike. This gave him the base he needed to emerge as the Lagos state governorship candidate under the AD.

Tinubu in a landslide victory polled 814,000 votes to defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dapo Sarumi, who got 184,000; the candidate of All Peoples Party Nosiru Kekere-Ekun scored 122,000 votes. Tinubu won 19 of the 20 local councils. He also won a second term in spite of the offensive launched by then-president Olusegun Obasanjo. While other AD governors failed to get a second term, Tinubu was re-elected and continued to dictate the politics of the nation’s commercial centre.

Expectedly, his control of politics in Lagos and across his South-West region has not gone down well with his political opponents who have continued to question and scrutinise his pedigree, educational qualifications, integrity and other aspects of his life and political career. The ex-Lagos state governor’s chokehold on Lagos is a sore point for those who love to hate him.

In a bid to actualise his dream of ruling the country, the jagaban struck an alliance with retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari, a serial election loser. The alliance between Buhari’s northern bloc of the Congress for Progressive Change and Tinubu’s southern bloc of the Action Congress of Nigeria would later birth the All Progressives Congress and make Buhari the president in 2015 and 2019.

Fast forward to early 2022, Tinubu declared his intention to run for the presidency. In an interview with state house correspondents, he announced that he already informed Buhari of his intention. What Tinubu probably did not know at that point was that the race for the presidency was not going to be easy.

The odds appeared to be against him. Buhari whom he helped to become the president did not offer a word of endorsement or support. Not only that, the chairman of the party who was instrumental to its formation went ahead to endorse Lawan. Like a bolt out of the blue, Abdullahi Adamu announced that Buhari had endorsed Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party. However, the intervention of the APC governors and some other stakeholders gave Tinubu some respite. He subsequently won the party ticket but his choice of a fellow Muslim as running mate became an albatross. The nomination of Kashim Shettima, ex-Borno State governor, drew knocks from the Christian community and posed a grave challenge to his election success.

But if he thought winning the APC presidential ticket was the last internal party hurdle he would face, Tinubu was proved wrong by the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele’s naira redesign policy and the cash crisis that ensued across the country. The fuel scarcity which also hobbled businesses and threatened the February election also posed a headache for Tinubu. These issues were rightly or wrongly blamed on Buhari and some elements in the presidency were said to be opposed to Tinubu’s ambition. Though the CBN and Presidency denied that the policy was targeted at Tinubu, the South-West political kingpin in an outburst in Abeokuta, Ogun State alleged that it was intended to frustrate the electorate and prevent them from voting for him.

Tinubu who spoke in Yoruba said: “They don’t want this election to hold. They want to scuttle it. Will you allow them? They have started coming up with the issue of ‘no fuel’. Don’t worry, if there is no fuel, we will trek to cast the vote.

“If you like, increase the price of fuel, hide the fuel or change the ink on the naira notes, we will win the election. We will use our PVCs (permanent voter cards) to take over the government from them; if they like, let them say there is no fuel, we will trek there (polling booths).’’

Amidst fuel and naira scarcity, the 2023 Presidential elections were conducted on February 25, 2023. Despite the technical and logistics issues recorded during the polls, Tinubu defeated his opponents with a wide margin, scoring 8.7 million votes. He garnered over 25 per cent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 24 states constitutionally required and was declared the president-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission on March 1, 2023. Following his emergence as the winner, Tinubu and his running mate, Shettima were faced with a barrage of lawsuits filed by the opposition parties disputing the outcome of the election.

Regardless of the opposition to his victory, Tinubu will be sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th President at Eagle Square, Abuja, today. It remains to be seen whether he will overcome the challenge to his ambition of leading the largest country in Africa as he aims to revive in 2023 the hope that was dashed by the military in 1993.

BudgIT, May 29 Inauguration, has bemoaned the outgoing President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.) 8-year rule, lamenting that his reign plunged the country into high debt, increasing inflation and low growth.

In a report titled ‘The Economic Legacy of the Buhari Administration’ the organisation stated that the Buhari regime messed up the nation’s economy.

It said, “According to the Budget Office, between 2016 and 2022, the Buhari government raised total revenues of N26.67tn and expended N60.64tn, leaving a deficit of N33.97tn.

“The gaping hole was financed with FG domestic debt, which rose from N8.84tn as of December 2015 to N44.91tn as of June 2023, while external debt rose from $7.35bn in December 2015 to $37.2bn in June 2023.

“This excludes support provided by the Central Bank amounting to N25tn. Ultimately, President Buhari moved Nigeria’s debt profile from N42tn to N77tn. This has had attendant effects on debt servicing, which rose from N1.06tn in 2015 to N5.24tn as of 2022. In fact, under President Buhari’s administration, the debt-service-to-revenue ratio grew from 29% to 96%.”

On the country’s apex bank and its monetary policies which heightened people’s hardship, the group said; “During the administration of President Buhari, the Central Bank extended beyond its monetary policy remit, having a firm grip on fiscal policy with its outsized role.

“CBN policies increased the money supply from N18tn in 2015 to N55tn in 2023. While it provided unrestrained liquidity to the Federal Government, the apex bank abandoned its primary mandate of price stability.

“It continued to apply blunt tools by raising the Monetary Policy Rate from 12.5% in 2015 to 18% in April 2023. This did not taper the inflation rate, which has risen to 22.5%, while food inflation galloped to 24% as of April 2023.

“Food inflation has continued to rise despite over N800bn spent by the Central Bank on the Anchor Borrowers’ Program, which has been touted to have repayment challenges.”

On employment in the country, the group also said; “Unemployment rose from 10.4% in 2015 to 33.4% in 2020 under President Buhari’s watch as the clumsy exchange rate management—with a wide difference between the official and parallel market rates—made it difficult for businesses to thrive.”

“Buhari also prevaricated on the subsidy removal, which his administration spent at least N10tn to service. While Buhari’s government planned to have the subsidy removed as the price of crude rose; it failed to act and continued a wasteful venture that only required firm commitment to implement.

“While his administration wound up, it had the chance to seize another round of oil windfall with skyrocketing oil prices reaching $114 per barrel (April 2022) but with little incentive to do so, as CBN “printing presses” continued to flood the system with liquidity.

“Nigeria’s oil production slipped below one million barrels per day at a time when oil economies skyrocketed to an unprecedented fortune. The attendant effect is that the non-oil share of public revenues grew rapidly from 44.6% in 2015 to 59.4% in 2022.

“However, Nigeria’s spending was untargeted as several BudgIT analyses continued to show that the Nigerian budget performing below par, with agencies spending public funds without the mandate to do so, foreclosing any chances of fiscal consolidation.”

A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has said the president, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has set traps for the incoming successor, President-elect Bola Tinubu.

He disclosed this while highlighting the failures of the outgoing administration.

Sani, who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, said Buhari wanted his regime to look better.

He also accused Buhari of leaving behind a country without any economic direction.

He said in a tweet, “He led the country without any economic direction. He presided over a government that failed to secure the lives of Nigerians; 63,000 dead, three million internally displaced persons and 366,000 refugees in neighbouring countries.

“He failed to restructure as he promised. He granted waivers to the rich and impoverished the poor. He closed the borders for those who import bags of rice on motorcycles and permitted those who use the ships.

“He built magical pyramids that disappeared after three days. He left incomplete projects with huge debts to service for decades.


“He enabled, enriched and reinforced a cabal for eight years. He appointed and retained failures and rewarded them with extensions. He was weak in taking decisions and running away when it’s tough.

“He has no house in London but made London his home. He left behind record inflation, record devaluation, record unemployment, record fall in GDP, record figures of poverty and record plunder of state resources.

“He left behind a nation with 60 million people suffering from mental illnesses. He is leaving behind the health workers on strike. He set up traps for the next government in order to make his own look better.”

Uhuru Kenyatta, former president of Kenya, has advised Bola Tinubu, president-elect, to “overhaul” any “adversarial mindset” and reach out to those aggrieved by the results of the presidential poll to build a more unified Nigeria.

According to NAN, Kenyatta spoke on Saturday while delivering his speech as a guest speaker at the inaugural lecture preceding the swearing in of Tinubu as president of Nigeria.

He advised the president-elect to ensure his leadership encompassed all citizens, regardless of whether or not they supported him during the election process.

The former president of Kenya said Tinubu must surround himself with voices that challenge his own, adding that he will “lose nothing and gain everything by reaching out across the political, ethnic and religious lines”.

“The contest is now over. And the hard work of building a prosperous and unified Nigeria now begins,” Uhuru said.

“Upon assuming the office of president, you would be wise to transcend from the tactical politics of an election and assume your role as Nigeria’s vision bearer. This will demand a complete overhaul of the adversarial mindset that we, as politicians, are conditioned to embrace during the electoral process.

“As president, you must learn very quickly to lead those who do not love you and those who love you with equal passion and commitment because you are now the father of all.

“Your Excellency, when countries are in election mode, the people and their leaders are more divided than ever and boxed into their various sectarian and partisan interests. However, when you are the head of state and you take command of the country’s armed forces, you become the embodiment of the sum total of the many different ethnic groups and religions that make up your country, and you become the symbol of unity. Indeed, you have become the face of Nigeria.

“I encourage you to surround yourself with the voices of those who will counterbalance the hardliners that feel entitled to a piece of your office. You will lose nothing and gain everything by reaching out across the political, ethnic and religious lines.

“To those who may feel aggrieved by your victory in one way or another, please allow them to exhale and be part of your vision for a greater Nigeria.

“It is my hope and my prayer that the lessons from across the continent will give you the resolve to walk the difficult path of overcoming those three enemies.

“I started by mentioning the three enemies of nationhood negative ethnicity, religious discrimination and corruption. As your fellow African, I look forward to a Nigeria that emerges from this transition, ready to flex and fight for its rightful place on the global stage with both hands at the ready.”

Tinubu was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and he’s billed to be sworn into office on May 29.

However, major opposition parties during the election have gone to court to challenge the outcome of the election.

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, says President-elect Bola Tinubu’s victory in the February 25 presidential election was orchestrated by God.

Oloyede made the remarks on Friday, while giving a goodwill address at the 2023 Presidential Inauguration Public Lecture at the National Mosque, Abuja.

Citing a Yoruba phrase made popular by Tinubu, ‘Emi Lokan’ (meaning ‘it’s my turn’), Oloyede said God had endorsed the statement.

The phrase, which Tinubu adopted in his June 2, 2022 address in Abeokuta, Ogun State while pushing for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), became a catchphrase throughout his campaign and was referenced in his March 1 acceptance speech.

“When Asiwaju said, ‘Emi lokan’, Allah accepted it because Quran 15:5 and Quran 23:42 says no group can, on its own, hasten his own term and turn, nor can it be delayed by anybody. That is Quran 15:5. So, it is Almighty Allah who has said ‘Iwo lokan,’” he stated.

According to the Secretary General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the journey the new administration is about to embark on shall be a successful one for those at the helm and Nigerians at large.

“Having thanked Allah who has done this, I hasten to say that He grant our President-elect and his Vice President-elect a successful tenure in good health, sound mind, and divine guidance,” he said.

“May the almighty Allah who has granted Asiwaju — the meaning of Asiwaju is ‘the leader’ — the victory of power not to strip him of the garment of honour.”

Bola Tinubu, president-elect, says he is ready to dedicate himself to the service of Nigeria and Africa.

A statement from the office of the president-elect said Tinubu spoke on Saturday in Abuja at the inaugural lecture preceding his swearing-in.

Represented by Kashim Shettima, vice-president-elect, Tinubu restated his commitment to the ideals of democracy as the best form of government.

Tinubu acknowledged the merits of democracy, adding that “it surpasses the most perfect dictatorship in terms of justice, humanity, and productivity”.

“Distinguished guests, democracy is more than a system of governance; it is the very lifeblood that empowers a nation to flourish and thrive,” Tinubu said.

“We stand at the precipice of a new era, where the ideals of democracy will guide our path toward sustainable development.

“Democracy, my fellow countrymen, is not only a political system; it is a way of life. It embodies a distinctive code of thought and conduct, demanding the utmost integrity and self-improvement from leaders.

“Today, I stand before you, ready to dedicate my entire being to the service of our great nation and the African continent.

Tinubu said while democracy guarantees freedom, its survival hinges on the responsible and measured use of that freedom.

He added that democracy, as an ever-evolving concept, empowers the majority to express their will while safeguarding the fundamental interests of the minority.

“Our democracy is not an abstract ideal; it is a practical vessel that will propel our nation to new heights in every facet of our collective existence,” Tinubu added.

The President-elect pledged to utilise democratic institutions not only to safeguard political and civil rights but also to drive comprehensive economic reforms that engender broad-based prosperity, create employment opportunities, and unlock the nation’s untapped potential.

Also speaking, President Muhammadu Buhari noted that the inauguration lecture took participants on a journey of introspection on the imperatives of democratic governance and nation-building.

He added that the various challenges that confront the socio-political fabrics of Nigeria were also highlighted.

“We have learnt that democracy is not just a system of governance, it is a way of life,” Buhari said.

“True democracy is when the voices of people are heard. Our nation’s progress rests on inclusivity, unity and not leaving any citizen behind and ensuring every citizen enjoy the dividends of good governance.

“We must heed the lessons of this lecture and translate them into action. We must fight against corruption in all its form. We must remain united. Our diversity is our strength.

“We can overcome our differences and forge a common cause towards progress.”

Adeyemi Adeniran, the father of a student of Chrisland High School Opebi, Whitney, who died during the school’s sporting activities at Agege Stadium, Lagos State, on Thursday, told a High Court sitting in the Ikeja area of the state that he got to know his 12-year-old daughter was electrocuted through a group created on a social media application known as Snapchat.

In his narration to Justice Oyindamola Ogala, the deceased’s father said he was at work when his wife, Blessing, called and informed him that she was told that their daughter, who left home very healthy, slumped at the stadium and was rushed to the hospital.

Adeyemi said his wife told him that the principal of the school said Whitney was already regaining consciousness when they rushed her to the Agege Central Hospital.

He said, “I dropped everything I was doing, and proceeded to Agege. It took me 45 minutes to locate the place. When I arrived, I saw my wife and she told me to go inside and pray for my daughter, maybe she will wake up. When I got inside, I saw her lifeless body on a table in a small room.

“I went close to my daughter, raised her up to my body, shouted, tapped her to wake up, prayed but nothing happened. I asked for the doctor of the facility and knelt down before the woman (doctor) to do whatever she could do to wake my daughter but she said there was nothing to do and that she was brought in dead.

“I asked what happened to my daughter and the nurse said she slumped. She said she was already dilated and that she died at the stadium but she could not pronounce her dead because she is not a medical doctor. So I said you only brought her (here) to pronounce her dead, and she said yes.”

As he was engaging the nurse, Whitney’s father said the doctor in charge of the clinic informed him that they needed to wrap the corpse of his daughter, requested money and he gave her N15,000.


He explained that he informed some of his friends about the tragedy that befell his daughter, and they met him at the hospital and advised him to report at the police station.

While making plans to go to the station, Adeyemi said the doctor requested seeing him privately, and during the meeting, advised him not to waste time in burying Whitney’s corpse.

The bereaved father said, “She really persuaded me. She said I should bury her on time and not put her corpse in the morgue and bother to conduct an examination. I nearly agreed at a point, I don’t even know of any morgue.

“Prior to that day, we played together, and she (Whitney) never complained of ill health. I started asking myself why I should bury my daughter in a hurry without knowing what happened to her.

“But she (the doctor) said the money and pain I will go through in the process of autopsy. I told her what other pain is worse than the death of a child and how much money will I spend to bring her back alive. I said I must get to know what happened.”

Adeyemi told the court that around 7pm on that fateful day, Whitney’s corpse was taken to the LASUTH, where a pathologist advised them to write a petition in a bid to get the autopsy done.

Narrating further, Adeyemi said he was persuading his wife to sleep when Whitney’s phone started making noise.

He explained that when the deceased’s sister, Amaka, used a password to unlock the phone, they discovered a school snap chat group called ‘Lagos Housewives.

The witness said some of Whitney’s colleagues, who sent messages to the group, said they knew the school would not tell them the truth, adding that one of the students revealed that his daughter was electrocuted.

He said, “The student wrote, ‘We are there, and we saw what happened, she was electrocuted.’ Another one said she saw Whitney on the iron rail close to the candy machine that she wanted to buy and that wire shocked her and she fell to the ground, started foaming in her mouth and one stupid man came and started putting water on her.”

The prosecution tendered the printed copy of the messages posted on the snap chat group and further told the court when the school management came for a condolence visit, they told the family not to go on social media.

While being cross-examined by the defendants’ counsels, Mrs Bimpe Ajegbomogun and Chief Richard Ahonarougho (SAN), the witness said his daughter was never a sickle-cell patient.

Elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information, Edwin Clark has called on leaders in the country to devote more efforts to the promotion of peace, saying lack of trust is breaking up the country by the day.

Clark stated this on Thursday at his private residence in the Asokoro District of Abuja at an event marking his 96th birthday anniversary.

The event was attended by the Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, ex-Edo State Governor, Oserheimen Osunbor, All Progressives Congress chieftain, Cairo Ojougboh, saw Clark in his elements, renewing his commitment to speak truth to power at all times.

The Ijaw leader told guests gathered to honour him that he stopped celebrating his birthday anniversaries when schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State were kidnapped in 2014.

On April 14, 2014, over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, were abducted by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect, from their hostels; a tragedy that sparked international condemnation with calls for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to swing into action and rescue them alive.

“I will always speak of what I know in defence of Nigeria. We cannot be one country by word of mouth. We must love and trust ourselves. It is a lack of trust that is breaking Nigeria today, Nigeria is divided but we must speak our minds. I am a Nigerian, but I won’t keep quiet when Nigerians are suffering. If Nigeria does not stand properly, there will be no unity, there will be no peace.

“I have worked for Nigeria for over 70 years, from the age of 25 or thereabout. I have served this country in various capacities. I must have offended many people, but I will always speak on any issue concerning Nigeria.

“I am not celebrating. I stopped celebrating my birthdays since the Chibok school girls were abducted in Borno State. It was very painful. Today, I am not celebrating, I am thanking God. I am not celebrating because I lost two younger brothers in the past. On October 13, 2020, I lost my younger brother, Prof John Pepper-Clark. In July last year, I lost my brother, Ambassador Blessing Clark who was Nigerian Permanent Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs. So, I no longer celebrate my birthdays,” he said.

The elder statesman who unveiled his memoir titled, “Brutally Frank,” at the event expressed his readiness to face litigations because of “What I wrote in this book.”

He continued, “This is a book, my memoirs that I have written. It contains everything and I titled it, ‘Brutally Frank.” I know some people would like to take me to court but I am waiting for them. I have spoken the truth and you can’t kill the truth. The foreword to the book was written by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.

In his goodwill message, Gov Diri saluted the courage of the nonagenarian for his deep sense of history, stressing that even at his (Douye’s) age, he could not boast of Clark’s athletic mind especially when dealing with datelines of important events.

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu on Thursday pledged to address the security and power crises, among other challenges confronting the country.

Tinubu who was handed the transition report by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), promised not to disappoint Nigerians.

He said this shortly after his investiture with the country’s highest national honour of Grand Commander of Federal Republic alongside the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima who was honoured with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger by the President.

The investiture ceremony took place at the State House Conference Centre of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as part of the lineup of events for the 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony slated for Monday.

The ex-Lagos State governor said he understood the honour conferred upon him and his VP-elect and the magnitude of the task ahead.

He appealed to Buhari to entertain “knocks” on his doors whether he retires to Daura or the Niger Republic.

He said, “I am a simple man who is the beneficiary of the support and goodwill of the people of Nigeria. The people have put their trust in us. You have done your part, Mr President.

“Now, that great duty descends on me. I understand the meaning of the honour given to me today and of the task that awaits.

“I must run this race and must do it well. On security, the economy, agriculture, jobs, education, health and power and in all other sectors we must make headway. The people deserve no less. In this, I shall disappoint neither them nor you, Mr President.’’

After performing the handover of transition documents and transferring the baton of service to Tinubu, the President said he was confident to leave Nigeria in “capable hands.”

He said the conferment of the national honours was in accordance with the Honours Award Act, 1963, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004 which mandates that Presidents/Heads of State receive the Honour of GCFR while the Vice Presidents are awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.

“Today, with the authority vested in me, as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I have conferred the National Honour of GCFR on His Excellency Bola Tinubu and that of the GCON on His Excellency Kashim Shettima respectively,” he said.

Buhari said he had run a good race and finished his course as Nigeria’s leader for the past eight years.

“I am confident that Nigeria is in capable hands as we embark on this new chapter. I have run a good race. I have finished my course. It is now time for another to take up the baton. Once again, I congratulate President-elect, Bola Tinubu and Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima on their well-deserved investiture,’’ he said.

Buhari lauds regime

The outgoing President left a note of advice for the incoming administration saying, “As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, let us not forget the immense responsibilities that come with leadership. The challenges facing our nation are significant, and the President and Vice President have to address them with courage, wisdom, and compassion.’’

He also noted that the transfer of transition documents aligns with Executive Order No. 14 (2023) which he signed to avoid a repeat of the transition hitches his regime suffered when he came on board in 2015.

“To avoid a repeat of our 2015 experience, I signed Executive Order No. 14 of 2023, which establishes the legal framework for conducting presidential transitions at the federal level.

“The Executive Order establishes the Presidential Transition Council chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Ministerial Transition Teams headed by the Permanent Secretaries.

“The primary responsibility of these two ad-hoc bodies is to ensure that every piece of information that will help a new administration get off to a speedy start is made available in a usable format and promptly,” he explained.

Earlier, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council, said the work done by the Buhari regime would give the Tinubu administration a “strong foundation” to perform its mandate.


At the event was the First Lady Aisha Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Ministers, the spouses and children of the President-elect and Vice President-elect, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, several state governors, traditional rulers, amongst others.

Meanwhile, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday, recorded heavy passengers as dignitaries and guests began arriving for the Monday inauguration of Tinubu as the President.

Top hotels in Abuja are also experiencing an influx of guests with many of them fully booked ahead of the ceremony.

Checks at the airport indicated that the terminals witnessed high air passenger traffic as many moved to beat airline delays and other issues.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria confirmed the high influx of passengers into the NAIA and attributed it to the forthcoming inauguration of the president-elect.

FAAN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, NAIA, Oluwakayode Adeyeoluwa, told The PUNCH that the agency was prepared to receive those coming for the inauguration but pleaded with passengers to cooperate with the authority.

Asked if the recent increase in passenger traffic into the Abuja airport could be attributed to the forthcoming inauguration of the President-elect, he replied, “Of course, people are coming in and going out, but the inauguration is a good reason to suspect that the high influx, for now, is due to what is forthcoming. So you are not far from the truth, for I don’t think there is any other thing happening in Abuja.

“However, at the same time, when the weekend approaches, people travel more. But I must note that coincidentally the inauguration is coming just after the weekend.”

Adeyeoluwa said the airport authority was well prepared to manage the situation and urged air travellers to be law-abiding when using the NAIA, stressing that the facility would see a lot of activities in the coming days.

“We appreciate them using the airport and we appreciate their understanding. We want to say that as they can see, things are improving by the day at the Abuja airport, as facilities are being upgraded to accommodate the increasing need for it.

“However, at the same time, we want to solicit the cooperation of passengers, new car parks have been created, and the toilet facilities at the departure terminals have been increased. So the management is doing all that we can to see that passengers get the optimum seamless service that we can give to them.

“So the passengers should please understand and cooperate with us in terms of abiding with the rules at the airport, especially the traffic rules. Some people will come to the airport and park where they are not supposed to park. You don’t park (your car) in front of the terminal. You can drop off a passenger but not park there and wait,” Adeyeoluwa stated.

The spokesperson for Dana Air, Kinsley Ezenwa, disclosed that the airline has been recording increased passenger traffic.

Ezenwa noted that the inauguration ceremony may have contributed to the volume, noting that the rise in air passengers had been on a steady increase before the inauguration ceremony.

“Yes, we have been getting it for the past month and it’s been very good. Inauguration might have added to the percentage though but it’s been on a steady rise long before the inauguration,’’ he added.

In preparation for the visiting dignitaries who included heads of government and diplomats, this newspaper gathered that the Federal Government had booked all the top hotels in Abuja for the accommodation of guests.

It was learnt that some of the luxury hotels had been booked since March.

Security sources confirmed that police counter-terrorism units and undercover operatives would be stationed at the hotels where the visiting dignitaries would be accommodated.

As part of the preparation for the inauguration, the Federal Secretariat and some other public buildings in the FCT are wearing a new look.

One of our correspondents who visited the Federal Secretariat on Thursday observed that ministries, departments and agencies were being painted.

Federal secretariat

For instance, the building hosting the Ministry of Health and Education has been repainted with new boards mounted on the building.

Refurbishment of the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Ministries of Youths and Sports Development, Science and Technology among others, were also ongoing on Thursday.

Also, several missing manholes were being replaced in the city centre.

As part of the security measures, police and Nigeria Air Force helicopters were seen hovering above the Federal Capital Territory on surveillance.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, confirmed that security had been beefed up across the country in preparation for the Presidential inauguration ceremony slated for May 29 at Eagle Square, Abuja.

He added that the police had been working hand-in-hand in collaboration with all levels of government, the private sector, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and other security agencies to ensure the safety and security of all citizens; and have a laudable and seamless inauguration ceremony on May 29, 2023.

Baba made the revelations on Thursday during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.

He said adequate personnel had been detailed to protect the Presidential Villa, provide security at and around Eagle Square and man the borders, seaports, and airports, while others will equally be deployed to man the entry and exit points of the FCT and other critical government installations.

According to him, since the announcement of Bola Tinubu as president-elect, specific plans had been formed for the inauguration ceremony, as contained in the operation order, which will provide enhanced protection while allowing guests, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to witness the event.

Baba stated, “Since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections and the announcement of the President-elect, security has been beefed up throughout the country. We have formed specific plans for the inauguration ceremony as contained in the operation order, which will provide enhanced protection while allowing guests, well-meaning Nigerians, and the international community to witness the event.

“We work hand-in-hand and collaborate with all levels of government, private sectors, the Nigerian Armed Forces, and other security agencies to ensure the safety and security of all citizens; and have a laudable and seamless inauguration ceremony on May 29, 2023.

Police warn

“The Nigeria Police Force is mobilising its operatives to provide a comprehensive security arrangement. Adequate personnel have been detailed to protect the Presidential Villa, provide security at and around Eagle Square, to man all the Nigerian borders, seaports, and airports, while others will equally be deployed to man the entry and exit points of the capital city, Abuja, and other critical government installations.

“Amongst these operatives are men drawn from the NPF Special Forces, Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Anti-Bomb Squad, FIB-Intelligence Response Team, Special Tactical Squad, NPF Medical, NPF Mounted Troops, and K9, among others.

“The NPF has also deployed all its serviceable helicopters and highly efficient drones for aerial surveillance in Abuja and its environs. All NPF serviceable water cannons and Armoured Personnel Carriers will as well be deployed in strategic places around the capital city.”

Baba noted that police officers and other security operatives will be located along routes to and from the inauguration grounds.

The police will also be taking rigorous safety measurements around the persons entering the venue, which include screenings and searches.

The personnel will also take charge of traffic control in collaboration with the protocol subcommittee of the transition committee to have a seamless traffic flow.

The police will also be taking rigorous safety measurements around the persons entering the venue, including carrying out screenings and searches.

In line with the outlined activities to commemorate the inauguration

the ceremony, there will be Juma’at prayers on Friday (today) at the Central

Mosque, Abuja, Church Service on Sunday at the Ecumenical Centre and fireworks show at 12:01 am on Monday at the City Gate, Abuja.

The force further advised Nigerians not to panic due to the fireworks show.

It warned individuals who do not have any business around the vicinity during the ceremony to steer clear of the venue.

The IG noted, “The police wish to equally inform the general public that there will be diversions in the following areas – Goodluck Jonathan Expressway by Court of Appeal, Deeper Life Junction, Bond/Total Filling Station, POWA/FCDA Junction, Finance Junction by ECOWAS/Women Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eagle Square ( Phase 1 & Phase 11), Kur Muhammad Way/National Mosque, Abia House, NITEL Junction by Ademola Adetokunbo, Gana Junction/Transcorp, Bayelsa House by Federal High Court, Aso Drive, Ceddi Plaza, NNPC Twin Tower, and NNPC/NBS.’’

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed that the inauguration ceremonies at the state level had been catered for, adding that the IG has directed Command Commissioners of Police and other security agencies to carry out heavy deployments to fortify venues of the inauguration ceremonies in their various states.

In preparation for their new roles, the Nigeria Police Force has conducted a three-day induction course for officers appointed as chief security officers, Aides-de-Camp, and orderlies to newly-elected state governors and other Very Important Persons.

The 71 participants were trained on their duties and responsibilities in carrying out protective services in their different postings.

Adéjobí said, “The induction course catered to 53 CSOs and ADCs, as well as 18 Orderlies. The training similarly covered the Rules of Engagement and Standard Operational Procedures to apply in various simulated situations as well as specific policies and etiquettes for strict adherence.

He said, “Seasoned officers with a wealth of experiential knowledge, led by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, were on the ground to coordinate the course.

“The IG emphasized the role of professionalism and commitment in effectively carrying out these specialized policing services and charged the officers and men to continuously develop themselves for efficiency.”

In a fresh alarm, the Department of State Services has disclosed that some elements were planning to disrupt the handover ceremonies in some parts of the country.

According to the service, the plotters intended to undermine the efforts of the security agencies as well as cause panic among the citizens.

In a statement on Thursday by the spokesperson for the service, Peter Afunanya urged citizens to adhere to the laid down protocols for the events across the country.

It partly read, “The Service is, however, aware of plans by subversive elements to disrupt the programmes in parts of the country. The aim is to undermine security agencies’ efforts at ensuring peaceful ceremonies as well as creating panic and fear among members of the public.’’

‘’Based on these, citizens, the media, and civil society organisations are advised to adhere strictly to security and civil protocols during the events.”

The court of appeal has ordered Ambrose Owuru, presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) in the 2019 elections, to pay a fine of N40 million for filing a frivolous suit to stop the inauguration of Bola Tinubu, president-elect.

Jamil Tukur, the justice who read the lead judgment of a three-member panel of the court, held that Owuru committed a gross abuse of the court process by filing a frivolous, vexatious and irritating suit to provoke the respondents.

Owuru had filed the suit in April challenging the outcome of the 2019 elections.

He asked the court to declare the president’s seat vacant and swear him in as the authentic winner.

In the suit marked CA/CV/259/2023, Owuru urged the appeal court to prohibit President Muhammadu Buhari, Abubakar Malami, the attorney-general of the federation and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), from going ahead with Tinubu’s inauguration.

He argued that he was the winner of the 2019 presidential election and had not spent his tenure.

Owuru maintained that Buhari has been usurping his tenure of office since 2019 because the supreme court has not determined his petition challenging the election’s outcome.

However, in its judgment on Thursday, the appellate court held that the appellant’s grievances against the 2019 presidential election were not only strange but uncalled for because they had been pursued up to the supreme court and were dismissed for want of merit.

The appeal court held that Owuru’s bid to resuscitate the case that died in 2019 was aimed at making the lower courts go on a collision course with the supremacy of the apex court.

The court ordered the appellant to pay N10 million each to President Buhari, the AGF, INEC and Tinubu — the first to fourth defendants in the suit.

Carol Monaghan, a member of the UK parliament, has kicked against the country’s new immigration rules for foreign students.

The Home Office, on Tuesday, announced that international students would no longer be able to bring family members with them from 2024.

The UK also said overseas students would be stopped from switching from the student visa route to a work visa until their studies have been completed.

Speaking at parliament on Wednesday, Monaghan said the students and their families made valuable contributions to the UK, contributing £40 billion to the economy in 2022.

She said the international students enrich the UK society as they have skills which have proved useful across key sectors.

“With labour shortages in healthcare, STEM, IT, to name a few, how can the minister fail to recognise that this policy will aggravate these? I’d like to ask the minister, what assessments have been carried out on the economic impact of this change on the university sector?

“The reality is that many students who come into the UK look beyond their studies and want their families to be part of their experience.

“Without a way for overseas students to bring their families, many will opt to go elsewhere and any drop in international students numbers will cause further harm to universities that are already facing financial difficulties.”

Meanwhile, universities across the UK had also opposed the country’s new immigration rules.

The Universities UK International (UUK), a body of universities, had said the move was a threat to the country’s global success as a top destination for international talent.

“International students make an invaluable contribution to our universities and to the UK’s economy. Building on the government’s explicit commitments and ambitions, which were clearly set out in the international education strategy, we have seen significant growth since 2019,” Jamie Arrowsmith, UUK director, said.

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, says an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air, the proposed national carrier, will arrive in the country on Friday ahead of the commencement of operations.

In an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, Sirika said the aircraft will be unveiled in Nigeria’s colours (green and white), in fulfilment of all the promises made by the administration in the aviation sector.

He said the actualisation of the vision was due to the unwavering resolve of the current administration.

“On Friday, in two days, the Nigeria Air airplane will land in Nigeria, as part of the processes to commence operations,” he said.


“We would, on that day, unveil the aircraft with delivery and everything in Nigeria colours, belonging to Nigeria Air and we will proceed to do the retrofit and bring back those airplanes.

“So, we have achieved a lot of what’s in the roadmap. The only item that is missing on (sic) my table is the aerotropolis. Even that, the groundwork has been done. All the airports (the four of them) are free zones. They are free zones to allow you to come in there and take advantage of what a free zone is.

“And that of course will enhance and boost the aerotropolis, which is the airport city. Abuja is sitting on 12,000 hectares of land, courtesy of Mr. President and that is why you would see this huge aerotropolis.”

News of the arrival of the aircraft comes amid disagreements by stakeholders over the ownership stake of the proposed national carrier.

Last year, a federal high court in Lagos prohibited the federal government from selling the shares of Nigeria Air to Ethiopian Airlines — a judgment that ultimately halted the commencement of operations.

But the minister, in recent months, had consistently insisted that the national carrier would fly before the end of the current administration.

Sirika, in March, April, and earlier this month, announced that Nigeria Air will commence operations before May 29 and “nothing would stop it.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says 98.5 percent of eNaira wallets have not been used even once.

In its recently released working paper titled ‘Nigeria’s eNaira, One Year After’, the Bretton Woods institution took stock of the first year of the eNaira —the first central bank digital currency (CBDC) in Africa.

President Muhammadu Buhari formally launched the digital currency at the state house in Abuja on October 25, 2021.

The IMF said despite the laudable undisrupted operation for the first full year, the CBDC project has not yet moved beyond the initial wave of limited adoption.


The fund said the take-up of the eNaira by households and merchants has been slow.

The IMF described the public adoption of the eNaira as “disappointingly low” due to the levels of wallet downloads and transactions.

The fund said as of end-November 2021, the total number of retail eNaira wallets amounted to about 860,000 — a figure equivalent to just 0.8 percent of Nigeria’s active bank accounts.

“The retail wallet downloads saw a few weeks of initial surge before tapering off. More specially, it only took 25 days for the number of downloaded wallets to reach 500,000 units—but going from there to 600,000 units took another 63 days; and to 700,000 units yet another 143 days,” the paper reads.

“As of end-November 2021, the total number of retails eNaira wallets amounted to about 860,000. This is just 0.8 per cent of Nigeria’s active bank accounts.

“Merchant wallet download has reached about 100,000 in end-June, which is about one eleventh of the number of merchants with Point-of-Sales (POS) terminals—which enables credit or debit card payments.”

On transactions, the IMF said most wallets appear to remain inactive except for a limited window of weeks of activity surge.

The institution said the average number of eNaira transactions weekly were carried out only by 1.5 percent of downloaded wallets.

“The average number of eNaira transactions since its inception amounts to about 14,000 per week—only 1.5 percent of the number of wallets out there. This means that 98.5 percent of wallets, for any given week, have not been used even once,” the paper further reads.

“The average value of eNaira transactions has been 923 million naira per week—0.0018 percent of the average amount of M3 during this period. The average value per one transaction has been 60,000 naira.”

The IMF said network effects suggest the initial low adoption spell would require a coordinated policy drive to break it.

“The eNaira’s potential in financial inclusion requires a strategy to set the right relationship with mobile money, given the former’s potential to either complement or substitute the latter,” the institution said.

“Cost savings from integrating CBDC—as a bridge vehicle—in the remittance process may also be substantial.”

Ibrahim Oloriegbe, chairman of the senate committee on health, says Nigeria needs a law that mandates employers to provide adequate nutrition for workers.

The senator spoke on Thursday in Lagos during the launch of a campaign promoting fortification compliance and workforce nutrition in Nigeria.

The advocacy campaign was sponsored by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) in collaboration with the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and E-Health Africa.

Oloriegbe said the country lacks laws mandating companies to ensure their employees are nourished, adding that workplace nutrition should not be optional.

He added that the law is needed “if we want to have productive workers and a booming economy”.

“When we talk about advocacy, that means we target the government to institute policies that would promote food fortification and companies’ compliance with it. And we have companies adopting workforce nutrition,” he said.

“We do not have a law yet that says employers must provide good nutrition for their workers — it is just optional now. But we do need it if we want to have productive workers and a booming economy.

“There should be at least one meal per day for workers in the workplace. So, there should be a law which says that if you have a certain amount of workers part of the package should be food in the office.

Oloriegbe said Nigeria has two million acutely malnourished children and the deficiency can be food fortification with micronutrients.

“In Nigeria about 32 percent of under-five children — that is 32 out of 100 — have malnutrition. And we have about two million severe acute malnourished children in Nigeria. This is high because we have conflicts across the country,” the senator said.

“All these security challenges are one of the major reasons for malnourishment in Nigeria. Because of that, farmers are not able to farm and traders cannot trade. Those that suffer most are the children and women.”

‘NUTRITION CRISIS’

Auwal Rafsanjani, executive director of CISLAC, said Nigeria is “facing a serious nutrition crisis”.

He added that there is a need to spotlight the crisis and proffer lasting policies to effect necessary change.

“As you know, Nigeria is facing a serious nutrition crisis. Millions of Nigerians are undernourished, and many more are overweight or obese. This has a devastating impact on health, productivity, and economic development,” he said.

“Food fortification is a proven way to improve nutrition and health. It is a simple, cost-effective intervention that can be used to add essential nutrients to foods that are commonly consumed by large populations.

“Although adults spend more than half of their active hours of the day at work, the workforce is particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. Workers who are not getting the nutrients they need are more likely to be sick, less productive, and more likely to have accidents. This can have a significant impact on the economy.”

Afolabi Wasiu, president of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, and Gbenga Ogunmoyela, president of Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI), also spoke at the event.

Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian billionaire businessman, says the Dangote Refinery will supply its first tranche of petroleum products to the market by July.

The businessman spoke on Monday prior to the official commissioning of the 650,000 barrels per day (BPD) integrated refinery project located in the Lekki free trade zone area of Lagos state.

“Our first products will be in the market before the end of July, in the beginning of August this year,” he said

Olusosun community, to many residents of Lagos, is synonymous with an infamous landfill site that sprawled beside it. An eyesore that takes their waste but produces nothing than a belly-turning stench. An area so dim, its only brightness comes from the constant fire incinerating the mountain of rubbish dumped there.

At least, that was the popular narrative until the community coughed out a scrawny go-getter called Victor Osimhen.

On Thursday, his goal earned Napoli its first Serie A title in 33 years. The Mediterranean city of Naples sang Osimhen’s song in a tone of wonder, almost identical to that of Diego Maradona. As the city skyline bubbled and shimmered from fireworks above, thousands of fans below wore facemasks in honour of the Nigerian whizz-kid. A cold-blooded marksman at the peak of his unlimited power.

With 21 league goals already, all the African scoring records in Serie A lay dead behind. Yet, he still has five more games to go.


Osimhen scores as Napoli win first Serie A title in 33 years
Osimhen scores as Napoli wins first Serie A title in 33 years

A SCAVENGER’S PARADISE



Olusosun dumpsite

Olusosun community squats underneath the smelly shadow of the dump site like a subjugated younger sibling. The area lies just a few kilometres from Ojota, and its odour is the welcoming warmth that heralds travellers coming to Lagos through the Berger axis to the state.

The landfill is a rolling hill of dirt, decay and dung that receives at least 10,000 tons more daily; its stretch claims over 40 acres of land, offering daily feeds for scavengers, flies and vermins.

The Kudirat Abiola Way separates the behemoth of decomposition from the little portion of the neighbourhood where Osimhen was raised.

Crossing over the road, one walks gingerly into the sloppy, muddy road of Moshalashi lane, which snakes into an alley of nameless streets where houses meld into one another like cancerous cells.


The house Osimhen grew up in

After a few twists and turns and probably losing the sense of direction, the filthy road halts at the concrete flooring off Anisere Close. The plastered floor is divided by a tiny line of drainage which washes debris past the front of the house where Osimhen grew up.

A two-storey building crammed into a space for a house half its size. The house’s recent cream and brown coating fails to hide its age as cracks decorate the central pillar and damaged water pipes crisscross its surroundings.

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It is almost impossible to believe the crouching building is where one of the best footballers in the world at the moment once laid his head; with the alley, reeking of urine and the buzz of flies.

A STAR RAISED BY THE WHOLE NEIGHBOURHOOD


Baba Mosilimot (Aka Maintain): a former neighbour and street brother of Osimhen

Osimhen’s story has some chilling episodes, ranking it beyond the reach of the grass to grace cliche.

He lost his mother so early that he does not recall the year any more. Patrick, his father, lost his job too, and the children began to shoulder their own responsibilities. Osimhen was the last child, but he could hardly boast of the convenience generally bequeathed to the youngest one.

The family of eight surrendered one of their rented two rooms to manage cost. They squeezed themselves into the single-room apartment and hoped for better days.

His was a harsh childhood which taught him the value of labour, sweat and community. Without a mother, his neighbours stepped in and rendered their bits to his survival.

Risikat Bello, a former neighbour, said Osimhen was the son of all the mothers in the alley. He was diligent and willing to render help, and the women rewarded him with stipends.

“He was a good boy growing up. We all in the neighbourhood used to send him on errands. His elder brother was a newspaper vendor at Ojota and the whole family was working; People around here would send him on errands and reward him with cash,” she told TheCable.


Risikat Bello, a former neighbour of Osimhen

Bello added that one of the women was Mama Oshodi, her late mother-in-law. She said Osimhen was always available to help the woman in her old age and gladly ran errands regardless of the stress.

“I remember Mama Oshodi, my late mother-in-law, used to send him to buy kerosene. Even errands that I would not be willing to go for the woman. Victor would go at any time,” she said.

“He used to help another woman, Iya Chi-chi, who sold uncooked rice and beans. Victor used to help her carry the bags from her supplier. Sometimes, when he failed to run the errands on time, the woman would threaten to seize his football boots as punishment.”


Olusosun bus station

Baba Muslimot, another former neighbour and street brother popularly known as Maintain, said Osimhen’s perseverance and determination to eke his way out of penury with his power spurred him to become the footballer’s mentor at a very young age.

“I was coaching a team in Egbeda then. But I used to visit Osimhen’s team training at Olusosun Primary School. So, one day, I decided to bring my team over to face the team here. He performed really well in that game and even scored three goals,” Baba Muslimot said.

“From then, I often recruited him into whichever tournament my team would play in. He was very determined and showed a hunger for success. Even when he didn’t have money for transport, I’d tell my wife to give him, and he would come and join my guys in training. He used to keep his boots just on the roof of the house here before the building was renovated.”

A FIGHTER, HUSTLER AND DREAMER


Olusosun Primary School: The stadium where Osimhen started his football career

Amidst the struggle for survival, Osimhen found hope in football at a very young age. He and a couple of friends enrolled in a cadet football club in the neighbourhood called Peric Academy.

For kids groping through the darkness of poverty, sports remain the brightest lights on the other side of the tunnel. Osimhen was no exception. He knew the height football could elevate him beyond, even when only a few saw it.

Victor Abel, a former academy mate, said Osimhen’s grubby appearance while growing up made some people dismiss his talent and chance of success in life.

“One thing about destiny: you can not say never. No human being knows tomorrow,” Abel told TheCable.

“When Victor was growing up, he faced a lot of challenges. He could easily be written off based on his appearance — and say he would not amount to anything. But God works in miraculous ways.”


Abel, a former academy mate of Osimhen at Peric FC

Industrious Osimhen was juggling football with street hawking. He spent noons battering through defenders in training and the evening darting after speedy cars with sachets of cold water in Lagos traffic.

“It was hard for the family, but they were hustlers. They were all working, from the firstborn to the last. From selling sachets of water to construction work,” Baba Muslimot added.

However, stipends from menial jobs, although enough to put food on the table of the large family, were too lean to afford the luxury of sports. Football boots were expensive, at least for him, and Osimhen had to find another way around the lack of a good one. He and a host of friends would climb to the crest of the Olusosun landfill, scavenging for dishevelled shoes they could wear to play the game they love.

However, Osimhen’s determination and hunger for success wavered at a point, and it took the intervention of Baba Muslimot before it was refocused.

“There was one time he stopped playing football,” he said.

“He was running errands for a ‘Baba Ijebu’ agent, and the work took him off football for a bit.”

Shortly after, Osimhen was called up to the U17 national team camp headed by Emmanuel Amunike, former Super Eagles forward.


Where Osimhen used to hangout with friends. Now, a burial ground

With over 4,000 players from all over the country awaiting to show their talent on the pitch of the FIFA Goal Project in Abuja, Amunike gave each group of players 30 minutes to make an impression.

However, when Osimhen’s group filed out, the coach was tired and waved them off the pitch after just 15 minutes.

Between that minute and the next, a football career that would be the envy of many seemed to have been snuffed out.

But a room of darkness cannot arrest the brightness of a golden hub. An assistant coach had noticed the doggedness and street-sharpened litheness of Osimhen during the drab match. He informed Amunike of the boy’s hunger. Osimhen was called for another round of trials, and he proved good enough to make the Golden Eaglets’ team that won the U17 World Cup in 2015.

Osimhen was not just a squad member. He was a vital cog in the team’s steamrolling machine. He scored a record ten goals, claiming both the golden boot and silver ball for the competition held in Chile.

Olusosun was agog, and the community knew the boy it took under its wings a few years ago had matured and would set out to conquer the world.

But Osimhen had to battle another spell of hardship to adjust to the cut-throat world of professional football.

He rejected big European clubs like Barcelona, Arsenal, Juventus and the instant glamour and money they promised. He joined VfL Wolfsburg, a thoughtful decision focused on personal growth. However, his time at the Volkswagen Arena was anything but a misadventure.

In his first season, the Nigerian suffered an injury on his right knee, and it took three surgeries to amend. Shortly after, a shoulder problem also took him out of action.

The club became impatient and farmed him out to FC Charleroi in Belgium, and in the quietness of the Belgian Pro League, he scrapped together his baulking limbs.


The alley leading to the house where Osimhen grew up

Osimhen reconnected with the fighter of a child he was in the streets of Lagos, and before long, his reinvigoration attracted Lille to pay $12 million for him in 2019. He scored 18 goals and was awarded the season’s Prix Marc Vivien Foe, the prize awarded to the best African player in the French league.

The performance was enough to prompt Napoli to splurge a club-record fee of €70 million on Osimhen in 2020, making him the most expensive African footballer.

A few months into the biggest move of his career, Osimhen’s injury problem popped up: he dislocated his shoulder while playing for the Super Eagles in an African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification game against Sierra Leone.

The injury sat him on the sidelines for two months. His problem compounded after he contracted COVID-19 following another visit to Nigeria. The season ended with a paltry ten goals, and questions were raised about the balance of his price tag and talent.

The following season, misfortune struck yet again. After scoring nine goals in the 14 games of the season, Osimhen suffered multiple facial fractures after a nasty clash of heads against Inter Milan in a Serie A match in November 2021.

From the impact, one of his eyes came out of its socket, according to the surgeons, and it required titanium plates and screws. Osimhen returned from the injury but was only able to add five goals to his total for the season.

Osimhen loudly sought an injury-free season and got just that in 2022 and 2023.

He formed an almost telepathic partnership with Georgia’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia; they scythed through defences to the Serie A title and got Napoli to the quarter-final in the UEFA champions league.

A GIVING HAND


Osimhen with Baba Mosilimot and other former neighbours during his last visit to the community

Former neighbours sang the songs of Osimhen’s generosity since he struck stardom. The 24-year-old elevated his family and close friends away from the slum and constantly extended his generosity to former neighbours.

“He never forgot his root. If he were somebody else, with the level of hardship he faced while growing up, he would ignore everybody else after success. But he is not like that. He is generous and kind-hearted,” Baba Muslimot said.

Bello added that on each visit to Olusosun, Osimhen doled out money and aid to the community.

“After the stardom and all, he never belittled our little contributions to his life. Each time Victor returns to the community, he gives us money. He does not give us small money, huge figures,” she said.

A COMMUNITY EXCITED ABOUT ONE OF ITS OWN


A banner on Anisere street congratulating Osimhen on winning the Serie A league

In celebration of the Serie A win, banners and murals are flying over the walls of Olusosun in vicarious excitement for one of its very own.

“The entire people of Olusosun congratulate you on your Scudetto de Italia. God’s mercy will never depart from you. Congrats champion!!!” One banner read.

A giant-size mural of Osimhen in the Eagles regalia could be seen beside a placard of memorabilia made by the community elders. Above it sat an illustration of Osimhen’s boot with the tagline: “Olusosun to the world”.



Another banner reads: “Congratulations on your success. The golden boy of Olusosun. The Glory of Olusosun. More Wins, many more goals.”

INSPIRING THE NEXT OSIMHENS


Osimhen, the ‘Golden boy of Olusosun,’ Lagos, Nigeria

Osimhen’s success has been a source of inspiration for the younger generation of kids.

Baba Muslimot said the Napoli’s striker’s achievements have shown children from the neighbourhood that there is another way to succeed aside from crime. He added that parents are more willing to allow their wards to pursue their football dreams.

“The kids from here are on a new level of determination. Even parents are receptive to their kids choosing football. Victor has been a good reference point. He has shown them that there is another way out of this place beyond crime and all that. When you go there now, you’ll see ‘young Osimhens’ trying to emulate him,” Baba Muslimot said.

Abel said he is one of such younger boys in the community.

“Osimhen is an inspiration to me, although I am a defender and he’s a striker. His success motivates the younger ones,” he said.

In Osimhen, Olusosun, a community beside an eyesore that Lagos residents do not want to see, has produced the superstar that the whole world doesn’t ever want to stop seeing.

A lady, Olufunmilayo Brioluwa, has been arraigned by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly assaulting a police officer in the Ogombo area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the development in a post on Twitter, said following the arraignment, Brioluwa was remanded to the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.

The post read, “Somewhere in Ogombo yesterday, she (Brioluwa) assaulted a police officer. She was arraigned today and has been remanded to the Kirikiri correctional facility till June 6 when the case comes up again in court.”

Attached to the post include a picture showing Brioluwa firmly holding the uniform of the policeman.

An original copy of the court document was also attached to the post

The Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it is set to supply 300,000 barrels of crude oil to Dangote Refinery.

Mele Kyari, NNPC’s group chief executive officer (GCEO), NNPC, spoke on Thursday at the Nigeria oil and gas opportunity fair.

The event was held at the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) conference centre in Bayelsa state.

The Dangote Refinery, a 650,000 barrels per day integrated refinery project, is scheduled to be inaugurated on May 22, 2023.

“The NNPC saw the strategic interest of doing business, and we will be supplying 300,000 barrels of Nigerian crude to Dangote Refinery from NNPC. That is a marketing opportunity,” Kyari said.

Meanwhile, the NNPC GCEO said Nigeria must focus on gas production, adding that the country must begin to expand its gas footprint.

With that, he noted, the country will begin to achieve the industrialisation it seeks.

“The only way this industry can become the catalyst and fuel for that is for us to build gas, and we are focused on domestic gas, as we are also looking for gas that can go to other countries. We are focused on domestic gas,” he said.

“Everyone is talking about domestic refining. We see what we are doing. We don’t talk about it. We will keep lamenting till we all will see.”

Kyari also the security situation in the Niger Delta is the industry’s main obstacle.

But he assured that the NNPC had risen to the challenge through its collaboration with government security agencies, which is paying off.

“Production last year was at 1.1 million barrel per day. In March, we hit 1.67 million bpd. We have suffered some operational issues in the last 23 weeks, but we know that we will achieve our objectives of recovering production,” he said.

“Then, if we can come back and put their money into new ventures because no one is putting in money now. This is very simple because no one is going to produce oil for someone who did not contribute unless it is guaranteed.

“This is the reality. That is why [I] took the front line and decided that we will contend with the security situation.

“We are glad with the progress we have made now. There is a clear connection between energy and poverty. We are talking about climate change and energy transition. So, we need to provide a cleaner source of energy.

“There is no country that is developed without energy. Industralisation is guaranteed with energy. No industry works without energy.”

Kyari added that industrialisation and prosperity can come to Nigeria when issues bordering energy are addressed.

Bola Tinubu, president-elect, says the death of Subomi Balogun, founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), would create a vacuum that would be difficult to fill in the banking industry.

Balogun passed away on Friday morning in London after an illness. He was 89 years old.

The president-elect, in a statement on Saturday, described Balogun as a giant among men for his trailblasing and pioneering role in investment banking in Nigeria.

Tinubu said the founder lived a life full of many accomplishments and achieved what many considered impossible when he pioneered investment banking in Nigeria.

He added that Balogun was a “giant among men who changed the course of history and lived life on his own terms as a reputable investment banker”

“The news of the death of Otunba Subomi Michael Balogun in London yesterday was indeed a sad one. Even though he lived to an advanced age of 89, we didn’t expect that he would leave us at this time,” Tinubu said.

“From a lawyer who joined the western region ministry of justice and later as parliamentary counsel at the Federal Ministry of Justice, he moved to Nigerian Industrial Development Bank to start a banking career that blossomed into pioneering merchant banking in our country. What started as First City Merchant Bank in 1979 transformed into First City Monument Bank, one of the most admired banks in Nigeria today.

“While we mourn the exit of this great man of purpose, we cherish and celebrate his great achievements, his philanthropy and the many lives he positively impacted. We appreciate and commend his huge contributions to the growth and development of our country.

“I commiserate with the immediate family of this illustrious son of Nigeria, Governor Dapo Abiodun, His Royal Majesty Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, the government and people of Ogun State and the entire christian community in Ijebuland. May God grant Otunba Subomi Balogun eternal rest.”

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), some outgoing ministers and governors have embarked on last-minute appointments, investigations by Saturday PUNCH have revealed.

Our correspondents also observed that Buhari and his ministers awarded contracts worth over N3.7tn in the dying embers of his regime.

The appointments and contracts were awarded between March 20, 2023 and May 14, 2023 after the conduct of the presidential and governorship elections, which produced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as President-elect and a total of 28 governors out of which 16 newly elected governors will take over from their predecessors, who will complete their constitutionally approved second term in office.

However, some of the outgoing governors made last-minute appointments in the period under review.

On May 17, 2023 Buhari appointed Paul Harris Ogbole (SAN), former member of the Board of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and ex-Chairman, Otukpo Local Government Council of Benue State, as a member of the Council for Legal Education for a period of four years.

On May 11, the President approved the appointment of a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Garba Baba-Umar, as a Senior Security Adviser on International Police Cooperation and Counter-terrorism in the Office of the Minister of Police Affairs. According to a statement issued by the Presidency, the appointment was made to enable “Umar complete his nationally beneficial tenure as an executive member of the INTERPOL.”

Two days after, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced the appointment of a Benue monarch as the Pro-chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa state.

Earlier on May 5, 2Buhari re-appointed the members of the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.

On May 3, the President, in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of 12 nominees of the governing board of the North East Development Commission.

The day before, Buhari re-appointed Abike Dabiri-Erewa as the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission. The President also asked the Senate for the confirmation of six federal commissioners for the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission on the same date.

The Minister of Environment, Muhammed Abdullahi, also announced the appointment of a new coordinator for the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project on May 2.

A month earlier, Buhari through the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, appointed a new director for the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.

He also re-appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Bello Maigari, and the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, on March 24, while a new DG for the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency was appointed on March 21.

In Kaduna State, the outgoing governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who will be succeeded by his party man, Uba Sani, appointed 15 new judges on April 25. The judges included seven state high court judges, five Sharia Court of Appeal judges and three Customary Court of Appeal judges.

In Benue State, the outgoing governor, Samuel Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party, who will be succeeded by Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia of the APC, swore in a new Chief Judge for the state on April 11. The governor also appointed five new permanent secretaries.

In Sokoto State, the outgoing governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who lost to the APC, swore in 23 permanent secretaries and 15 director-generals for state-owned agencies on May 2.

Earlier on April 14, the governor had appointed 23 caretaker chairmen for the local government councils in the state.

In Cross River State, the outgoing governor, Ben Ayade who will be succeeded by his party man, Bassey Otu, appointed five new permanent secretaries into the state public service on May 4.

In Abia State, the outgoing governor, Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP, whose party man lost to the candidate of the Labour Party, Alex Otti, appointed a new rector for the Abia State College of Health on April 14.

The outgoing governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, approved the appointment of a provost for the state College of Health Technology on April 5, 2023.

In Kano State, the outgoing governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, appointed a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, as the pro-chancellor and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Moshood Balogun, as the chancellor of the state-owned Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education. The Olubadan had earlier decorated Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat, with chieftaincy titles.

The appointments by Ganduje were announced on April 3, 2023.

In Katsina State, the outgoing governor, Aminu Masari of the APC, on May 8, appointed a new manager for the state-owned football club, Katsina United.

The governor also appointed a new vice-chancellor for the state-owned university on May 10, 2023.

The outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, appointed a total of 149 new village heads on April 30. According to him, the new village heads were appointed to work alongside the incoming administration for stability in the state.

In Taraba State, the outgoing governor, Darius Ishaku, appointed a new caretaker chairman for one of the local government areas in the state. The appointment took effect on April 11.

N3.7tn contracts awarded

Analyses by our correspondents revealed that over N3.7tn worth of contracts were awarded between March 20 and May 14, 2023.

During the Federal Executive Council meeting held on March 23, the sum of N453.90bn was approved for the acquisition of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line under construction.

The FEC also approved N5,157,265,770 for the construction of 192 flats for officers and men of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency and $984.7m for the procurement of maintenance equipment for the Nigerian Railway Corporation on the same date.

During the FEC meeting held on March 29, 2023, various contracts worth N210bn were approved for provisions of various infrastructure, including free Internet services at 20 of the nation’s airports, 43 higher institutions and 20 markets across the country. A breakdown of the contracts showed that N95.98bn was for various road projects, while N59. 78bn was approved for the continuation of the ongoing Ogoni clean-up.


The FEC also approved N41.4bn for the construction of a centre of excellence for environmental restoration in the Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The minister added that the council also approved N18.3bn for the construction of a specialist hospital for the people of Ogoni in Rivers State.

On April 5, two contracts worth N15.3bn for the supply and installation of information and communication technology components and digital assistance devices for the 2023 population census were approved. There was also the approval of N3.3bn to build a new training facility for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

An e-Customs modernisation project worth at least N142.24bn was awarded by the FEC on April 20 amid reports of an existing court order restraining it from proceeding with the project.

On the same date, it was revealed that a total of N11.93bn was okayed for Customs aircraft and zonal offices, while the Ministry of Education obtained the sum of N2.8bn for the construction of senate buildings and purchase of ambulances. The FEC also approved the sum of N1.86tn for the linkage of roads in 11 states of the federation.

Similarly on April 20, 2023, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented a couple of memos for which approvals were obtained. The first one was for the award of a contract for the procurement of a Cessna Caravan aircraft EX208B by the Nigeria Customs Service in the sum of N3.45bn inclusive of 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax with a delivery period of 12 months.

The ministry further disclosed that the sum of N45.9bn was approved as augmentation for the cost of contracts for the construction of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation’s head office buildings in Abuja and Lagos, including its training institute in Lagos.

On May 10, 2023, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu announced that the sum of N449.9m had been approved for the engagement of consultants for the development of master plans for 17 airports, while N3.4bn was approved for the construction of the Abuja airport’s runway.

The FEC also approved a fresh sum of N129.8bn for various projects in the Ministry of Niger Delta, particularly the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme on the Ogoni clean-up on May 11.

On May 13, the sum of N647.7bn was announced by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission for two power plants in the country.

Similarly, the Minister of State for Transportation, Adewole Adegoroye, on May 18, 2023, noted that FEC approved three port development projects for Ondo, Lagos and Delta states.

Adegoroye, who spoke excitedly about the three memoranda approved for his ministry by council, said the approvals were for the expansion and development of the Snake Island Seaport in Lagos, Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, and the Burutu Seaport project in Burutu, Delta State.

According to him, the projects would be executed through concession to private investors for 45, 50 and 40 years, respectively, at no cost to the Federal Government.

He explained that while the investors would be investing $974,185,203.66 in the Snake Island Port project, those for Ondo Multipurpose Port project would be spending $1,480,465,253 and $1,285,005,818.40 on the Burutu Port.

CSOs, analysts speak

Speaking with our correspondents in Abuja, political analysts and civil society organisations flayed the move by outgoing executives to award last-minute contracts and make new appointments.

A political analyst, Dr Busari Dauda, noted that the approved amount would only add to the challenges to be faced by the incoming government, adding that it was wicked to allocate such amounts at this last minute.

He said, “I think the current government is deliberately building up obstacles for the government that is coming in. Remember that the Federal Government had promised to remove oil subsidy in June and implement an increment in the salaries for lecturers and medical doctors after it would have handed over to the incoming administration.

“Why are they putting all the challenges on the new government that is coming in? It is somewhat wicked to begin to approve projects for a government that is coming in with a lot of baggage.

“It is likely that those projects will be stalled because if you don’t have an idea of what you are doing and you call me to carry it on, I would have to rethink before doing anything, so it’s likely that the projects are stalled.”

The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, queried why the government waited till the last minute before approving the projects, noting that the analysis had proved the laziness and lack of seriousness in the current administration.

He stated, “This analysis has exposed the laziness and lack of seriousness of the Buhari administration.

“They had more than seven years in power to do innovative programmes and projects that can bring about growth and development, and alleviate poverty and secure the country, but that was not done and suddenly there is a rush to start projects and considering the way and manner Nigerians operate, the new administration will likely abandon some of the projects, which will lead to wastage.

“The Buhari administration is encouraging public waste. A sustainable project should not be done at the last minute and without a proper plan. I think the approval is just to fund the pockets of some people.”

However, another political analyst, Jide Ojo, did not see any wrong in the approvals, stating that projects would be completed if genuine since governance is a continuum.

Ojo said, “Foremost, governance is a continuum and if it is for approval of the budget, there are still about 35 days to the end of this administration and a lot can still be done.

“I believe that nothing is wrong with the projects and amount approved, but whether FEC is mandated to award contracts every Wednesday legally is what I think is debatable.

“If the contracts are not inflated or used to siphon public funds out of the government treasury and are going to be applied, nothing is wrong with that.”

Another analyst, Olaseni Shalom, described the appointments as “political compensation.”

He said, “Those appointments are nothing short of political compensation for loyalists and apparently had nothing to do with competence. This also shows that we run a big government where we have more than necessary offices just to put more pressure on the government and the cost of running the government despite the economic hardship in the country.

“I would have advised the incoming administration to reduce the cost of government, but it is most unlikely as political appointments and offices are mainly for rewards and compensation for political loyalists rather than for the effective management of the government.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the N21 billion presidential wing of the State House Medical Centre.

The facility spans a total floor area of 2,485 square meters and will serve as a specialised intensive care centre for president, vice-president, their immediate families and VIPs.

The hospital incorporates state-of-the-art medical technology and houses several specialised departments to be staffed by a team of medical professionals.

It features five consultation rooms dedicated to various specialties, including respiratory, cardiology, ophthalmology, and general consultation.
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Speaking with journalists at the inauguration on Friday, Aisha Buhari, the first lady, said the facility will eliminate the need for the president and his family to travel overseas for medical care.
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The first lady said she came up with the idea of the VIP wing six years ago after her husband’s protracted stay abroad for medical treatment.

She said with the facility in place, presidents and their family members may only fly in medical experts to assist their colleagues in the country.
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Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says he regrets supporting the process that produced Aminu Tambuwal as speaker in 2011.

Gbajabiamila spoke on Wednesday at a meeting with reps-elect organised in Abuja.

The speaker said he supported the “house project” that “installed” Tambuwal at the time — but he now regrets his decision.
He told the members-elect not to go against the decision of the party on the zoning formula for the leadership of the house of representatives.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had nominated Tajudeen Abbas and Benjamin Kalu as the preferred candidates for the position of speaker and deputy.

Gbajabiamila said the party is supreme and the lawmakers’ loyalty to the APC should not be in doubt.

“I stand before you here as a testament to what party loyalty and consistency can do in your life. I have a story to tell and I am sure everybody has one story or the other to tell. My story may not be unique. I came here on the platform of a party,” he said.

“We don’t have independent candidacy in Nigeria. It’s not in our constitution or laws. Perhaps, one day, we will get to that point. But my core belief is that if you come here on the platform of a party, there is a saying all over the world that your party is always supreme.

“You will disagree with your party just like people will disagree amongst family members, but at the end of the day, the party is an organised structure. Let no one kid you. I am here to offer advice. I have been the pioneer leader of what they call the house project at one time when we installed Tambuwal as the speaker. I regret it.”

In 2015, Yakubu Dogara was elected speaker of the house — a move that was against the preference of the APC.

Gbajabiamila was the preferred candidate of the ruling party at the time.

The party successfully got its way in 2019 when Gbajabiamila was elected to the number four position in the country.

The speaker said nominating a candidate to lead the house should not be seen as an imposition.

“Nobody is compromising the independence of the legislature. The last person that will do it is me. But the fact that your party says this is where we are going, it doesn’t mean you are compromising the independence of the legislature,” he said.

“Many of us are new here. People will talk to you. They will cajole you, and say all sorts of things in flowery and romantic language but at the end of the day, we have to be mindful of one thing. The party we represent has its leaders. The governors from the states, whether we like it or not, are very powerful. You can do your bidding today. I share these things just to advise from my own experience.

“In 2015, I ran for the speakership of the house of representatives. The party nominated me. The whole world was sure that I was going to win that race. We lost by about six votes. A few of our party members worked against me and combined with the PDP at the time. Four years later, I ran again and won that election with 284 votes, the highest in the history of the Nigerian parliament.”

The United States Government has said that no American citizen was affected in a Tuesday attack on its Consulate staff convoy along Atani, Osamale Road in Anambra State, Nigeria.

The US National Security Council Spokesperson, John Kirby said, “I just got informed about a whole lot before coming out here to talk to you all. Just looks like a US convoy vehicle was attacked.”

”What I can tell you is that no US citizens were involved and therefore there was no US citizens hurt. But we are aware of some casualties perhaps even some killed,” he said on his YouTube channel.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, Tobechukwu Ikenga also said no US citizen was in the convoy though four persons were killed in the attack.

“The Joint Security Forces have embarked on a rescue/recovery operation in Ogbaru LGA, following an attack on a convoy of staff of U S Consulate today 16/5/2023 by 3:30 pm along Atani, Osamale Road,” he said in a statement.

“The hoodlums murdered two of the PMF operatives, and two staff of the Consulate, and set their bodies and vehicles ablaze. Also, the arsonist/murderers on sighting the responding joint security forces abducted two Police operatives, the driver of the second vehicle and took to their heels. No U S citizen was in the convoy.”

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks in Anambra. In recent times, there have been targeted assaults on security and government facilities and high-profile people or organisations in the state.

A group known as Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) says it will hold “massive” peaceful protests across Europe against the “imposition” of leaders on the 10th national assembly.

The group says the protest will begin in London, the United Kingdom and spread to other major cities in Europe.

The APC had nominated Tajudeen Abbas, a lawmaker from Kaduna and Benjamin Kalu, a member from Abia, as its preferred candidates for the positions of speaker and deputy respectively for the 10th house of representatives.

The ruling party also picked Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) as well as Barau Jubrin (Kaduna) for the positions of senate president and deputy respectively.

However, the party’s resolution has been met with pushback from other hopefuls, while some stakeholders have called for a review of the decision.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Collins-Maxwell Abe, the group’s convener, said the APC’s decision is undemocratic.

Abe said Nigerians in diaspora have been left in shock by the party’s action which has sent a wrong signal about the incoming administration.

He said while the group believes in the leadership qualities of President-elect Bola Tinubu, the party’s zoning decision is an imposition and should be reviewed.

Abe said there is no democracy in the world where legislative leaders are handpicked by certain individuals or groups, adding that such rights are exclusive to parliamentarians.

“We have been left in shock with the latest happenings in the polity back home. Nigerians delivered a mandate to Bola Tinubu because they believed in his capacity, strength of character, and purposeful leadership,” the statement reads.

“For us in the diaspora, we saw the incoming leader as an upright man who will break away from the norm. However, the early signs have been the reverse.

“That is why we are joining other Nigerians to strongly reject the purported zoning of the national assembly leadership. It is not done. Even if a consensus is to be proposed, it is done after proper consultations.

“We are, therefore, using this medium to urge the president-elect to retrace his steps. It is too early for him to start committing blunders, especially with some Nigerians still having mixed feelings about his emergence.

“To show our displeasure at this brazen act, we have finalized plans to hold massive protests across Europe, starting from London, United Kingdom. We will do so to draw the attention of the international community.

“It is, however, not too late for Tinubu to make amends. Let the legislators pick their leaders. That is our plea.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the families of the four people killed by gunmen at Ogbaru LGA of Anambra.

TheCable reported on Tuesday that gunmen attacked a convoy conveying staff of the US consulate.

Ikenga Tochukwu, police spokesperson in Anambra, said the “hoodlums murdered two of the PMF operatives, and two staff of the consulate”.

In a statement on Wednesday, Garba Shehu, the president’s spokesperson, said Buhari is saddened by the killings of the police officers and the staff of the US embassy in Nigeria.

“I was very sad hearing about the killing of the embassy staff and our policemen accompanying them. In this difficult time for the families of those killed, the American embassy and the Nigeria Police force, NPF, I extend the nation’s condolences over the very sad incident,” he said.

He said the president is equally “pained about the gruesome deaths” of villagers in communities in Plateau and Benue states, adding that the security agencies are committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice.

“He is deeply pained to learn about these gruesome deaths and expresses sincere condolences to the families of the victims,” he said.

“He is equally been briefed about the tragic killing of several persons in the Bwoi District of Mangu Local government area of Plateau state, as well that of several villagers in Adaka village in Makurdi local government and in Ijaha community of Apa local government area of Benue state.

“We share the grief of the American embassy, the Nigeria Police force and our communities in Plateau and Benue and remain committed to fishing out the perpetrators of the attacks and bringing them to justice. May God give their families the strength to bear the unfortunate losses.”

Alfred Alabo, police spokesperson in the Plateau, confirmed the killing of more than 30 persons in an attack by gunmen on Tuesday.

Last month, gunmen invaded two communities in Benue, killing 14 residents and two soldiers.

The Presidential Election Petition Court, today (Wednesday), adjourned till Friday, May 19, the pre-hearing of the petition by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, against the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

Meanwhile, factions of Obi’s party clashed in court, just as a factional Chairman, Mr. Lamidi Apapa, was taken into protective custody by security operatives attached to the Court of Appeal in Abuja, venue of the Presidential Election Petition Court.

Apapa was mobbed by youths that were at the court to witness proceedings in the petition that Mr. Obi filed to challenge the outcome of the presidential election held on February 25.

Shortly after the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel adjourned the petition till Friday for continuation of the pre-hearing session, Apapa, while stepping out of the courtroom, made attempt to address the media.

He positioned himself before the waiting cameras, after Peter Obi’s lead counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), finished speaking to newsmen on what transpired during the court session.

Just as Apapa was getting set for questions, a group of youths that identified themselves as “Obidients”, pushed him away from the cameras, insisting that he lacked the right to speak for the party.

In the commotion that ensued, with Apapa being pushed back and forth by the aggrieved youths, his ‘Agbada’ was torn even as someone snatched his cap from his head.

It took the intervention of armed security operatives to pull the factional LP, who appeared helpless, away from the mob.

He was subsequently taken into protective custody by policemen attached to the court.

As at 12:29pm when this report was filed in, Apapa was still with the security operatives.

Court drama

Earlier, a mild drama played out at the court after Apapa attempted to announce himself as a representative of the party.

He had, immediately the main door to the court room was opened, made his way to the line of chairs reserved for dignitaries and the petitioners.

Obi was already seated by the time Apapa attempted to take possession of one of the seats but was blocked by members of the party led by a man that was identified as the LP’s National Youth Leader.

When the factional LP Chairman noted that despite his spirited effort he would not be allowed to sit close to Obi, he relocated to the line of chairs reserved for members of the public.

It will be recalled that Apapa is currently entangled in a legal dispute with executives of the party that conducted the primary election which produced Obi as flag-bearer.

He had earlier directed all the lawyers representing Obi to report to him for briefing.