₦airaland Forum

The Senate has advanced moves to mandate the inclusion of 20% high-quality cassava flour in wheat used by all producers of edible flour in Nigeria or imported into the country, as a bill to this effect scaled second reading yesterday.

According to the Senate, the use of cassava in wheat can significantly reduce the cost of importation of wheat, which presently stands at over $38 (three billion United States dollars) per annum.

The Upper Chamber said that when the Bill on Cassava Four (Mandatory Inclusion in Four Production) 2023 (58 254) is read the third time, it would encourage cassava farming and create a sustainable market for cassava flour, just as it will also mandate the publication of regulations for the proportion of cassava flours about wheat to be applied in the process of making edible flour.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, the sponsor, Senator Saliu Mustapha, APC, Kwara Central, said, “The Bill on Cassava 4 (Mandatory Inclusion in Four Production) 2023 (58 254) was read for the first time in this hallowed chamber on Wednesday, 9th November 2023. The Bil seeks to provide a legal and regulatory framework for the mandatory introduction of high-quality cassava for inedible wheat flour production and its derivatives.”

Justifying the need for the bill, Senator Mustapha said, “Nigeria, being the world’s largest producer of cassava, has an annual output of over 63 million metric tonnes as of 2021, which represents one-third of the total output for Africa. Nigeria can take advantage of this high demand for cassava in both domestic and industrial use locally and in the industrial market, which is now used for new energy.

“Over the past years, successive governments since the return to democratic rule have attempted to put in place policy and legislation to encourage the inclusion of cassava in edible flour, realising its immense benefit and cost savings to the nation. The use of cassava in wheat can significantly reduce the cost of importation of wheat, which presently stands at over $38 (three billion United States dollars) per annum.

“The prolonged war between Russia and Ukraine had further increased the cost of wheat globally, thereby necessitating the need to seek alternative ways to reduce the cost of wheat and all its derivatives, especially bread, which is a major staple food for the masses in Nigeria.

“The continued importation of wheat has negative impacts on the Nigerian economy, causing trade imbalances, loss of foreign exchange, and fuelling food dependency.

Refineries: Nigerians deserve transparency in management of our national assets - LP
“This bill, when passed into law, will stimulate job creation in the agriculture sector and increase our market share of cassava earnings in foreign exchange.

“Some of the objectives of the bill include the mandatory inclusion of 20% high-quality cassava flour in wheat by all producers of edible flour in Nigeria or imported into the country.

“Encourage cassava farming and create a sustainable market for cassava flour.

“Mandates the publication of regulations for the proportion of cassava flours in relation to wheat to be applied in the process of making edible flour.

“Provide a tax regime and incentives for producers of mixed wheat and cassava flours and wheat importers who include cassava flour in imported wheat.

“The increasing demand for cassava-based products, both in domestic and international markets, creates prospects for market expansion and value addition. The passage of this bill will enhance the efficiency of cassava production and processing operations, as cassava is a choice crop for rural development, poverty alleviation, economic growth, and ultimately food security. It will further promote technological innovations and improve access to finance and market linkages that can stimulate the growth of the cassava processing industry and create avenues for entrepreneurship and employment of women and youths.

“It will also reduce the country’s food import bill. Enhance the utilisation of local crops, create opportunities for businesses and employment, and genuinely boost rural development. The passage of this bill is also in alignment with the 20% cassava flour inclusion policy initiated in June 2021 by the then Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, now renamed Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.”

The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL) has expressed confidence that Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will emerge as a unifying candidate for Lagos State in the 2027 governorship election.

Speaking at a press conference in Owerri, CONYL President General Goodluck Ibem asserted that Seyi Tinubu possesses the leadership qualities needed to gain support across political parties, including the Lagos State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Ibem emphasized Lagosians’ historical support for President Tinubu and his legacy, dismissing criticisms of Seyi Tinubu’s alleged governorship bid as unwarranted.

He cited President Tinubu’s track record of transformational governance and democratic principles, which he believes have shaped Seyi Tinubu’s readiness for leadership.

Reacting to the comments of the Lagos State PDP chapter rubbishing the alleged governorship bid of Seyi Tinubu as ” a family affair”.

Ibem expressed confidence that PDP and other parties will vote for Seyi Tinubu if he declares.

“We want to remind the PDP that the people of Lagos State love and appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which informs why they voted for him and his party the Alliance For Democracy, AD, in 1999 in Lagos State.

“The people of Lagos State rejected the PDP and embraced President Bola Tinubu and what he stands for.

“The PDP have never won the governorship election of Lagos State even when the party was in control of the federal government which confirms that Lagos people don’t accept or tolerate any form of imposition from any quarters but rather believe in true democracy.

“True leadership are sustained via transformational performance and Tinubu has proved to Lagosians that he came into governance to serve the people and not to be served by Lagos State as claimed by the PDP Lagos State Chapter,” Ibem said.

THE leadership of the National Assembly in compliance with section 2(1) of the Public Complaints Commission ( PCC) Establishment Act, has announced the appointments of Chief Commissioner and Commissioners for the Commission.

In a statement signed on Saturday by the Secretary, Research and Information , Dr Barde Umoru on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly , Alhaji Sani Magaji Tambawal , the new Chief Commissioner for the Commission is Alhaji Bashir Abubakar from Kaduna State .

According to the statement, Commissioners across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory are: Mr Ubong Uwah ( Akwa – Ibom), Hon Yusuf Abdullahi Ata ( Kano State ), Prince Olayisade Akintade Charles ( Ekiti), Abatcha Maaji ( Borno ), Falola Olanrewaju Jimoh (Kwara ), Dr Achi Ezeora Christian ( Ebonyi ) and James Ogaba Oche ( Benue State )

Others are ÷ Barr Edith Okoli ( Enugu ) , Adekunle Alao ( Osun) , Barde Usman Shehu ( Jigawa ) , Maryam Dalhatu Abdulmalik ( Adamawa) , Barr Ronke Binawari ( Bayelsa), Dr Owa . E . Owa ( Cross River ) , Mathew Uduaghan ( Delta ) , Bashir .M. Isah ( Katsina ) , Sama’il Salihu Bui ( Kebbi), Mirakinyo Akinuye ( Ogun ), Hon Nuhu Sabo ( Taraba ) , Hassan Garba Katuzu ( Yobe) , Sani Akilu Idris ( Kaduna ) , Madukwe E . E. ( Abia ) and Austin Aigbavboa ( Edo State )

Also appointed as Commissioners for the commission are: Bose Mohammed Bashir ( Gombe ), Oladeinde Abolarin ( Kogi), Olataun Rashidat Yusuf ( Oyo ) , Ernest Chima ( Rivers ) , Baba Ibrahim Mohammed ( Bauchi) , Mallam Mohammed Galandanci ( Sokoto) , Muoka Emmanuel Okechukwu ( Anambra ) Musa Dikko ( FCT), Mike Uzodimma ( Imo), Odunewu Hafeez Adekunle ( Lagos ) , Hon Kehinde Adeyemi Oni ( Ondo ) , Abbas Garba ( Plateau) , Amb Hamidu Ibrahim ( Zamfara ) , Mustapha Saidu Mahmud ( Nasarawa) and Abdulrahman Mohammed ( Niger State ) .

The statement added that inauguration date for the PCC Chief Commissioner and Commissioners designate , would be announced very soon.

Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies collectively raked in about N3.95tn revenue between 2019 and the first quarter of 2024, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

NBS data revealed an upward trajectory in revenue generation over the past five years, as the power distributors made N482.6bn in 2019, N526.8bn in 2020, N761.2bn in 2021, N828.1bn in 2022, N1.07bn in 2023, and N291.6bn in the first quarter of 2024.

Experts attribute this consistent growth in revenue to several factors, including ongoing tariff adjustments moving towards cost-reflective pricing, which has allowed the Discos to align revenue with the cost of providing electricity.

Additionally, the National Mass Metering Programme has increased the number of metered customers, reducing estimated billing and improving the accuracy of revenue collection.

The programme has also contributed to reducing Aggregate Technical, Commercial, and Collection losses that have previously plagued the sector.

Also, the enhanced regulatory oversight and the adoption of modern technology in billing and collection have streamlined processes, minimised revenue leakages, and improved collection efficiency.

However, despite this revenue growth, the Discos face significant challenges, including high unpaid bills, electricity theft, infrastructure deficits, and energy losses.

These issues have hindered the Discos’ ability to fully capitalise on the potential of Nigeria’s electricity market.

Reacting to this, the President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, questioned the efficiency of the Discos and called for urgent reforms.

He told our correspondent on Friday that despite the pre-privatisation commitments of the Discos to meter customers and the improved collection and billing efficiency, the power distributors had largely failed to meet their obligations.

“We cannot score the Discos more than five per cent. In terms of complaints resolution, they lack the software to track issues and have failed woefully in conflict resolution,” he said.

Olubiyo further highlighted the inadequacies of the Discos despite significant investments in the firms by the government and the Central Bank of Nigeria aimed at network improvements.

He raised concerns about the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Mass Metering Programme, accusing some meter vendors and Discos of conspiracy.

“Many of the customers listed as metered were not metered. The idea was to attach GPS coordinates to every metered point as a precondition for metering, but this was not done,” the NCPN president stated.

According to Olubiyo, the government’s ongoing intervention, which includes funding the importation and installation of two million meters annually using public funds, raises questions about the essence of privatisation.

He highlighted instances where governance or liquidity issues led to Discos being placed under receivership, with interim management teams appointed by the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

However, he noted that the effectiveness of these interventions was often undermined by internal politics and job insecurity among Disco management.

“We’ve seen board chairmen abruptly remove MDs in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and several other Discos,” Olubiyo added, emphasising the precariousness of the situation.

Olubiyo welcomed the recent empowerment of states to regulate electricity within their jurisdictions under the Electricity Act, describing it as a positive development.

“The migration of electricity from the exclusive to the concurrent list is a good omen,” he said. He urged the Federal Government to invest its 40 per cent equity in Discos and shift towards resource-driven energy solutions.

Reflecting on the power sector’s performance since privatisation, Olubiyo lamented the stagnation in electricity generation.

“In 2013, the peak generation on the grid was 5,800 megawatts. As we speak, from 2013 to now, we haven’t even been able to hit 6,000 megawatts of electricity evacuation on the grid,” he pointed out.

He described the situation as “a decline or backward growth, progressing in error.”

On a more positive note, Olubiyo praised the recent licensing of companies like MTN and Honeywell to engage in Nigeria’s bulk electricity trading or captive generation.

He argued that off-grid generation and independent power plants, etc, were steps in the right direction to stabilise power supply, particularly for industrial areas.

This came as the Transmission Company of Nigeria, a Federal Government-owned firm that transmits electricity from power generation companies to distribution firms, announced that it had been grappling with funding shortfalls.

It said this has stalled the completion of 129 critical projects. TCN’s Managing Director, Abdulaziz Sule, who revealed this recently in Abuja, said the company was facing a funding gap of N637.37bn, out of a total required amount of N1.79tn.

Sule appealed to the National Assembly for intervention to address these challenges and ensure the timely completion of the critical projects. The funding gap, he noted, is delaying project completion and hindering efficient service delivery.

He said the company is dealing with other challenges including inadequate modern tools, port clearance issues, lengthy procurement processes, lack of spinning reserve, delayed donor-funded projects due to unpaid counterpart funding, and recent VAT and levy charges on offshore equipment.

In related power sector developments, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu announced recently that the cost of generating one kilowatt-hour of electricity was N120.

During an oversight visit by members of the House of Representatives, Adelabu explained that this cost was a key factor in the Federal Government’s high expenditure on electricity subsidies.

He emphasised that this figure does not include additional charges borne by power utilities within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry.

“Those in Band A are paying N209 while Band B is paying N65. The average cost of producing one kilowatt per hour of electricity was not less than N120 before we had the evacuation, wheeling, and distribution charges.

“So anybody paying N65 or N58 is paying way below the cost, and that is what the Federal Government is still subsidising,” Adelabu stated.

The minister also noted that varied energy consumption, especially during off-peak hours, affects the efficiency of electricity production.

To address this, he said the Federal Government is considering the introduction of a differential tariff system during off-peak periods to stimulate electricity demand and enhance energy access across Nigeria.

This differential tariff system, as explained by Adelabu, involves applying different rates based on usage patterns, demand levels, or other criteria.

In the context of electricity, it means charging different rates for consumption during different times of the day or based on the level of consumption.

Adelabu emphasised the need for greater trust and confidence in the national grid as a reliable power source, highlighting that many bulk electricity consumers, particularly industries, have shifted to using their captive power plants due to past trust issues.

“The majority of bulk electricity users, such as industries, are off the grid due to a lack of trust and confidence in the past. They now have their captive power plants in their industries, which is more expensive,” Adelabu stated.

He pointed out that the costs associated with captive power generation are significantly higher compared to grid electricity.

“The average cost of producing captive power is about N350 to N400 for those connected to gas lines. For diesel, it’s about N950, while petrol is about N550,” he explained.

To address this, Adelabu revealed the government’s strategy to encourage these bulk users to return to the grid by restoring trust and improving grid stability.

“Once consumers and industries see the trust, the confidence, and the stability we are giving, they would be encouraged and reconnect to the grid for a cheaper source of power,” he stated.

More details emerged on Saturday about how security agents rescued the 20 abducted medical students and seven others in Benue State.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that one of the suspected kidnappers was shot dead by the combined operatives, consisting of the military, men of the Department of State Services, and the police. Two suspects were arrested.

The 20 students, who are from the University of Maiduguri and the University of Jos, were travelling to Enugu for the Federation of Catholic Medical and Dental Students’ annual convention when they were kidnapped by bandits.

Their abduction generated an outcry, which made the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, order the deployment of tactical operatives and assets, including helicopters, drones, and tactical vehicles, to ensure the swift rescue of the victims.

One of the officers involved in the rescue operation said the team deployed both land and air assets to track the area where the students were found.

The source said, “The operation was coordinated by the National Security Adviser in Abuja. The kidnapped medical students were tracked down around Ajide forest in Ukwonyo council ward, Ado LGA of Benue State.

“You will observe that some helicopters had been hovering around in the past few days while officers, comprising the military, DSS, and the police were deployed.

”Luckily, we were able to get the spot on Friday while they (kidnappers) tried to shield themselves with the victims. But with massive pressure, they tried to escape and in the process, one of them was neutralised and two apprehended.”

Another source, who corroborated the account, told Sunday PUNCH that the students were immediately taken to Abuja.

“They should be reunited with their loved ones by Monday or Tuesday,” he added.

Sunday PUNCH learnt that the 20 medical students were taken to the National Intelligence Agency clinic for treatment.

A source said the students were undergoing medical checks alongside some youth corps members who were recently rescued from their abductors.

“The rescued students were taken to the NIA complex where they are undergoing medical screening following their traumatic experience in the hands of their kidnappers,” the source said.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the rescue on Friday night, stated that no ransom was paid. He noted that they were “tactically and professionally” rescued.

He said, “We confirm the release of our brothers and sisters and some other Nigerians, who had been in captivity since Friday, 23 August, 2024, in Ntunkon forest, Benue State, without any ransom paid. Contrary to some tweets and unconfirmed stories that some money was paid, no kobo was paid to release them. We commend the security agencies, locals, and ONSA for their commitment and resilience.”

We had lost hope – Parents

Reacting to the rescue, the parents of one of the students, Mr Donald Fagar, and his wife, Cecilia, said they thought all hope was lost.

Fagar said it was the second time their son, Kingsley, would be walking through the shadow of death, adding that each time, he escaped by a whisker.

According to the parents, the 500-level medical student of the University of Jos was attacked and injured on August 15, 2022, by hoodlums during a religious crisis.

Cecilia said, “I give God all the glory today because this is the second time my son will be passing through this same trauma.

“Kingsley almost lost his life two years ago on August 15. Again, this one also happened on August 15, so it’s by the grace of God that he is coming out.

“Since the news of the release, I have been receiving phone calls; friends, family members, and neighbours congratulating us as we look forward to welcoming our son home anytime soon.”

She added, “My son called me that they were being taken to Abuja and complained that his two legs were swollen from trekking from one location to another with the kidnappers all through the bush with nowhere to sleep as they were drenched anytime it rained.”

Sympathisers visit student’s home

Scores of sympathisers and well-wishers on Saturday thronged the Kukumu home of Paul Shantong, one of the 20 abducted university students who regained their freedom on Friday night.

One of the well-wishers, Hanatu Gyang, who said she and her family had been traumatised by the news of the sudden disappearance of Paul, described his release as a great relief.

Gyang said, “I’m a neighbour to Paul Shantong. Paul has a twin sibling and they are just two that his parents gave birth to. Since the news of his abduction filtered into this community, it was as if somebody died. It’s really a big relief to some of us because the thought of losing him, a medical student, to kidnappers, was unbearable.”

Another well-wisher, John Philip, said he and his two brothers visited Paul’s family to celebrate with them.

Paul’s mother, who spoke with our correspondent, expressed joy over her son’s release while thanking God for answered prayers.

She said, “I don’t know how to thank God for ensuring the freedom of my son and his colleagues. It was really a very bad experience for us during the period of his captivity; but we thank God for everything.

“I have not seen him because they were taken to Abuja before they will be released to rejoin their parents, but I spoke with him this morning, and he confirmed to me that indeed, he is no more with the kidnappers. I give God the glory for what he has done.”

UNIMAID students celebrate

Also, students of the University of Maiduguri expressed joy over the release of their eight colleagues, who were abducted alongside 12 students from the University of Jos.

The President of the Student Union Government of the institution, Muhammad Bello, said the rescue was a relief to the student community.

“We feel the essence of hope and renewed faith in the power of collaborative action,” he added.

On his part, the President of the University of Maiduguri Medical and Dental Students Association, Yakubu Abdul, said the student community was overjoyed upon the receipt of the news on Friday night.

He said, “Our students have been celebrating on social media and even physically. We are hopeful and can’t wait for them to be returned to us as soon as possible to continue with their academic programmes. We remain grateful to the security agencies and the Nigerian government for attending to our pleas and our cries.”

Similarly, a 400-level student from the Department of Petrochemical Engineering of the institution, Qanisat Musa, commended the security agencies and the government for exhibiting proactiveness and professionalism towards the safe return of their colleagues.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have countered attempts by drug cartels to capitalise on recent protests to expand their activities.

The agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in videos shared on X.com on Sunday.

According to Babafemi, the cartels had planned to take advantage of the protests to move their “markets” across land, sea, and air.

However, NDLEA operatives, armed with personnel, intelligence, cutting-edge technology, and sniffer dogs, were hot on their heels.

Sharing videos, he wrote, “The drug cartels thought they could take advantage of the protests to quickly move their ‘markets’ from all fronts: land, sea and air but #ndlea_nigeria confronted them in equal measure with personnel, intelligence, technology and sniffer dogs. Here are some of the results.”

Click the link below to watch the video:

https://x.com/MobilePunch/status/1822560459595063782?t=reKWwiTnvcg7Y8ERjuoZdA&s=19

Poland has denied that its nationals who were arrested by security operatives in Kano, Nigeria, waved the Russian flag.

The detained Poles were arrested on August 6 in Kano for allegedly displaying Russian flags during the #EndBadGovernance protest held by some Nigerians against economic hardship in the country. Also arrested were six Spanish nationals.

The spokesperson for the Department of State Services, Peter Afunanya, at a meeting of diplomats in Abuja, said the Poles were arrested “because of where they were found during the protests and for displaying foreign flags.”

However, the Polish foreign ministry denied the allegation.

The ministry, according to a Polish international news network, TVP World, said the six students and their lecturer did not participate in the protest but “merely took photos.”

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the students and their lecturer were on an exchange programme at the Bayero University, Kano.

The Poles were said to be students of African Studies at the Oriental Studies Faculty, University of Warsaw.

They left Poland for Nigeria on August 1 and were scheduled to return to their country early September.

The University of Warsaw Press Officer, Anna Modzelewska, said getting the students released was the top priority of the institution.

Modzelewska was quoted by TVP World as saying, “Freeing the UW [University of Warsaw] students is our priority. “We must do everything in our power for that to happen as quickly as possible.”

She added that information was being gathered on the charges against the Poles, disclosing that the University’s Rector, Alojzy Nowak, was in contact with the detainees.

The Polish government, through its Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, had on Friday pleaded with Nigeria to release the detainees.

On if they waved the Russian flag, he said, “I personally find this claim hard to believe. We are urging for their safe return home, where their loved ones are anxiously waiting for them.”

Efforts by our correspondents to speak with the Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching of the university, Professor Sławomir Żółtek, proved abortive. Calls put across to his phone number were not answered.

A former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, asked the Polish authorities to be patient.

He said, “The Polish government has to be patient and allow the investigation to be completed. The fact is that the security forces did not go to the school to arrest the students; they were picked up along the street during the protest and it is in the right place for the Nigerian government to investigate. It is only after investigation and they (Polish government) feel that the students didn’t get justice that they can intervene. Will they release the foreign students and not release Nigerians arrested?”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Omooba Ayoola, has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to release the six students and their lecturer.

Ayoola, who is based in Warsaw, begged Tinubu to use his good offices to facilitate the release of the students and their lecturer in the spirit of deepening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

In a statement on Saturday, Ayoola said, ‘’It is regretted that the Polish nationals were found at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

“However, these students are said to be in the country for academic exchange programmes and we should guide against what can hinder deeper academic cooperation in between the two countries.

“I, therefore, plead that in the spirit of deeper bilateral cooperation, President Tinubu should please passionately look into this disturbing issue and help these students to regain their freedom so that they can focus on their primary purpose of coming to Nigeria”.

The Department of State Services is investigating the alleged involvement of seven Polish nationals in the nationwide protests against hunger and hardship in Kano State.

The detainees, who were arrested on Tuesday in Kano, are being investigated.

The nationwide protest, which commenced on Thursday, August 1, was in response to the hardship being experienced by citizens in the country.

The spokesperson for the DSS, Peter Afunanya, confirmed the arrests on Wednesday while explaining that the action was part of routine security enforcement rather than a targeted effort against Polish citizens.

Afunanya stated this while responding to questions during a briefing with the Diplomatic Corps on Wednesday in Abuja, affirming that the DSS actions were conducted in line with democratic principles and respect for human rights.

“Seven persons were picked up from Kano because of where they were found during the protest and display of foreign flag in Kano two days ago.

“As a responsible security organisation, we owe it an obligation to do some verification and ascertain basic reasons and circumstances for some cases.

“They were picked by security enforcement because of where they were when the incident happened. It is not a targeted operation on behalf of the Director-General of DSS and Nigeria,” the spokesperson explained.

He also pleaded for cooperation in maintaining global stability, urging other nations not to allow their citizens to be used as instruments for undermining domestic peace in any country.

Afunanya added, “As the foremost domestic security organisation, we believe we have to work in sync with all of you who are men of goodwill.

“Our operations must be governed by democratic principles and protocol that emphasise freedom and human rights, and of course intelligence and security governance. We obey all of these whether we are dealing with Nigerians or foreigners.

“But we have a plea. In the course of the discharging of our duty, we also see that some Nigerians definitely would want to use foreign lands as lunch pads to attack domestic peace and stability. We plead that you do not offer your country to some person who may be deviant or have a terrorist inclination in today’s global pursuit. If anything happens in a country, it affects the others.”

He also noted that “Nigeria is a country with a large population and I believe that the support other countries will give will help us.”

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Professor John Obafunwa as the new Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, with effect from July 24, 2024.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, stated this in a statement titled “President Tinubu Appoints New Director-General of The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research” on Monday in Abuja.

According to the statement, Professor Obafunwa succeeds Professor Babatunde Salako, whose tenure expires on July 23, 2024.

The President also extended his appreciation to the outgoing DG for his service to the nation and wished him well in his future endeavours.

The statement added, “The President expects the new Director-General to bring his immense wealth of experience and qualifications to bear in this role to further drive the NIMR’s objective of leading research into diseases of public health importance in Nigeria.

“The President expects him to develop structures for the dissemination of research findings while providing the enabling environment and facilities for health research and training in cooperation with the federal and state ministries of health.”

Obafunwa qualified in medicine from the University of Lagos in 1980, following which he specialized in Anatomic Pathology (morphological study of diseases), graduating in May 1987.

He later sub-specialized in Forensic Pathology in Scotland in 1991 and obtained a law degree from England in 2004. He has a number of other academic qualifications and holds membership in various professional bodies in the UK, USA, and Nigeria.

Obafunwa had worked in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, and the UK before returning to Nigeria in November 2004 to take up an appointment as a Professor of Forensic Pathology at the Lagos State University College of Medicine.

He is a former provost of LASUCOM, Chief Medical Examiner for Lagos State, and former Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University. Before his appointment, he was the International Regional Advisor of the Royal College of Pathologists (UK) for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Obafunwa has authored several scientific publications and contributed chapters to textbooks. His research spans anatomic and forensic pathology, and he is currently involved in research in forensic entomology and taphonomy at the University of Nebraska, USA.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have uncovered illicit substances in Lagos.

The items – consignments of Cocaine and Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis – were concealed in incense candles, game packs, dry hibiscus leaves and ladies’, NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi said.

According to a Sunday statement, the hard drugs were meant to be smuggled in and out of Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA).

Babafemi said some suspects were apprehended


“A businessman, Abdulwahab Owolabi Alebiosu was on Thursday 18th July 2024 arrested at his Horizon Court, Lekki, Lagos residence after a consignment of 40 parcels of Loud weighing 20.30 kilograms hidden in packs of chessboards, scrabbles, checkers, and poker set, brought in from Canada on a British Airways flight was intercepted at the SAHCO import shed of the Lagos airport during a joint examination of the cargo with men of Customs Service,” the statement read.

“A search of his home also led to the recovery of more exhibits including some drug paraphernalia, such as a weighing scale, and cannabis potency test kit, while four vaping machines were recovered from his business premises on Admiralty Way, Lekki. A Mikano black truck with registration number FST 657 HP was also recovered from his house.

“In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the NAHCO export shed of the MMIA on Friday 19th July intercepted two jumbo bags going to Pakistan. The bags contained dried hibiscus leaves, dried bitter leaves and other food items, which were used to conceal four parcels of cocaine and 14 parcels of Loud, both weighing 1.360kg. Further investigations led to the arrest of a businesswoman, Eze Queen Ogechi who claimed she was sending the illicit consignment to Pakistan on the instruction of her brother, Eze Nnamdi Promise based in the South Asia country.

“Also at the Lagos airport, NDLEA operatives attached to Terminal II, Departure Gate of the MMIA, on Thursday 18th July intercepted a male Beninese passenger, Orobi Adoubi Amen, travelling with a bag containing some female native dresses. The suspect was going to Dubai via Accra, Ghana on an Air Peace Airline flight and a connecting flight to Dubai, UAE on Emirates Airline. A thorough search of the bag revealed eight parcels of Loud weighing 2.10kg were concealed in the ladies’ native wears. The suspect claimed he was given the consignment for a fee of N600,000 on successful delivery in Dubai.”

On his part, the NDLEA Chairman, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) commended anti-narcotics officers for the seizures.

He said that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country are well appreciated, urging them not to rest on their oars but continue to intensify ongoing drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts

A photo combination of Simon Ekpa and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State.


Enugu State Governor, Governor Peter Mbah, has accused a Finland-based Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, of murdering and terrorising residents of Nigeria’s South-East.


Ekpa, a self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the IPOB, has been allegedly linked to some deadly attacks and enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders in the region.

The governor who received members of the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence in Enugu, accused the Biafra agitator of being a “scammer” who has been “feeding fat” on the suffering of Igbos.

“It is surprising that the Finnish government allows this man to reside peacefully in their country and then perpetrate terrorism in Nigeria,” Mbah said.

“And I think this is something your committee may have to wade into and see how this guy can be repatriated and then be brought to justice.

“Through his (Ekpa) statements and his actions, a lot of people have died and he continues in that trajectory. So, this is a tragedy that we must all work as a country to end. He doesn’t represent the Igbo interest.”

According to the governor, his administration has ended the illegal sit-at-home situation in the state and will remain determined to ensure the safety of all residents.

He also called on young people in the South-east not to yield to Mr Ekpa’s antics and vowed that the state government would not be intimidated by the agitators’ threats.

“As you may also have noticed recently, they have continued to make attempts, particularly, that megalomaniac (Ekpa), who ironically resides with his family peacefully in Finland, a country where the rule of law reigns, but he encourages anarchy here and goad some of our youths to their self-destruction.

“This is also a business for him (Ekpa), pretending to be fighting for Igbo’s interest, but does not know anything about the Igbo or have their interest at heart,” he stated.

Deputy National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress Nze Chidi Duru, shares his thoughts with ADEBAYO FOLORUNSHO-FRANCIS, about the economic hardship in the country, President Bola Tinubu’s reforms, and the political crisis rocking Kano and Rivers states, among other issues

What’s your assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s government after one year considering the legal fireworks he faced after his election victory and the current hardship?

Well, challenging times, one will say. I also recognise that there was a legal challenge after the presidential election. That is to be expected in the history of elections in Nigeria, whether at the local government, state, or federal level. It is always anticipated that the opposition party will seek recourse in the law court. So, that was factored in. It is a very strong possibility that the party that lost the election may seek justice in court.

Having said that, our party has always recognised the fact that the current challenging economic environment has not in any way got better. But we do recognise when Mr President took over, he asked Nigerians not to pity him. It is an office that he craved, worked hard for it, and offered himself to provide leadership to Nigeria.

It is that leadership Nigerians are looking forward to. So, the past year has been a learning curve and helping the government to come to a determination on what needs to be done to steer the ship of the state in the direction that will address the immediate needs of the Nigerian people, put food on the table, shelter over their head, and of course, provide security and protection for life and property in Nigeria.

I think that it’s been tough times. But we hope that as we get into the second year, the building blocks that have been put in place will begin to show traction in the directions that Nigerians will see.

Many are of the view that Nigerians are running out of patience. How much longer do they have to wait for the promised dividend of democracy?

I believe we’re saying the same thing, whether as a Nigerian citizen or as a member of a political party. We recognise the (economic) difficulty in the land and hope it won’t last. If anything, it would help to spur our leaders and the government in office, which incidentally is a party, to begin to work harder to ensure that they address the concerns of Nigerians. There is hunger in the land. That is not in dispute. There are difficulties and those difficulties are noticeable.

What Nigerians will like to see is that the government represents the interests in helping in a very holistic manner to address all of these challenges. Yes, the comfort zone that every government will always have within a few months or a maximum of one year in office, I think, has lapsed on May 29. After that, the citizens will start holding the government to task. We should be able to look at those issues and see how they can be addressed.

The party members and people in government are not different from Nigerians. We shop in the same market and stay in the same places as Nigerians who are not members of our party. In the end, what will give the party and Nigerians comfort to consider re-electing government into office will be if we meet the yearnings and aspirations of the average person on the street. It is a task that is before us and it is one that I’m confident that we should be able to discharge.

In the end, the people who will judge will be the Nigerian electorate. They will speak on how far we’ve performed based on the mandate given to us. What gives confidence is that Mr President is very much aware of the expectations of the person on the street. The minimum expectation will be that they need to be comfortable. They want a level playing field, food on the table and their issues to be addressed. Then, of course, more importantly, they need also to be proud of their country, Nigeria.

While the hardship continues, the opposition appears to be watching and taking notes. Are you not worried that the ongoing reforms of Mr President may be counter-productive?

If the opposition is playing their game, and I believe they are, they may spotlight where our government is not doing well. It will not be unexpected that they would like to exploit areas of weakness and may not want to address the areas of strength. Of course, that is the role of opposition and we welcome that. If anything else, it will help to put us more on our toes and show us where we need to do better and areas that we can continue to do well and improve on.

That, in my view, is why I always canvass that in any democracy, you need a very effective and efficient opposition in that environment to flourish because, at the end of the day, it is only the opposition that guarantees that governments in power are held accountable. Any government in power will only do those things that are pleasing to the general electorate because they are conscious of the fact that if you go for election and do not carry the masses along and do not do things that are in support or meet the expectations of the average person, you will lose the election.

So, that puts you on your toes to be aware, alert, and vigilant to do those things that meet the minimum requirements of citizens. That is very helpful. I do not see it as negative. I see it from an ethical perspective as a searchlight on our party and government to go back and take stock.

We need to listen to the opposition and see where they are headed. It helps us to improve our engagement with Nigeria. So, we are not in any way living in the cloud. We understand what is available. We understand what is at play and will do what is right to address those concerns.

What’s your position on the rumoured merger or alliance between the mega opposition parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party which seems to be gathering momentum?

On a very personal level, I am an advocate of the two-party system in Nigeria. The multiplicity of political parties is not helpful. If anything else, it makes it impossible for citizens and the electorate to hold political platforms accountable to their manifestoes and ideologies. But with the two political parties throwing different alternative views, it is easier for citizens to first understand the difference between Party A and Party B. More importantly, it is also easier for the two political parties to send their messages across and be able to educate the electorate on what they represent and what they intend to do if and when elected into office.

It is then also possible for the opposing party or the party in government to immediately own its ideology and manifesto and be able to quickly implement them. If they are not doing that, the other political party can spotlight that to the people. So, on a personal level, I welcome that engagement. My only hope will be that they come to a completion of that undertaking, in the sense that the major parties can fuse into an alternative platform to our party.

Having said that, we are very confident that as the APC, we will continue to be aware of the likelihood of the coming together of those two political parties and, of course, be in a position to address the issues that are on the table before us in a way that does not allow them to even have a stake in winning the presidency. Failure to do that will mean a certain death, in terms of losing the election, as it happened in 2015.

It will always be a warning to any party in government in Nigeria that it has happened before and may happen again. So, we are very conscious of that, and we are confident that given the time and place that we live in, we still have enough time to address the issues confronting the average Nigerian.

The last three months have been a turbulent one for APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, following a series of legal fireworks and aborted moves to remove him from office. What are you doing to address North Central stakeholders’ agitation?

I don’t speak for the North-Central and will not seek to speak for them. I know that a decision was reached at the last NEC meeting, where a re-basketing of office was done and the national chairman was moved from the North-Central to the North-West while the national legal adviser moved from the North-West to the North-Central. It was based on such arrangement that His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, was then elected as the national chairman of the APC.

Having said this, it is not impossible, and it should be expected that in the context of political power, parties, personalities, and institutions may not necessarily see things from one way. That’s what it is with human endeavour because it is from a different perspective. So, if there is a growing contestation on the part of the stakeholders from the North-Central, it should be expected in party politics that it could happen so long as they confine themselves within the ambit of the law.

It is more than welcome. What will not be welcome is if they resort to self-help in the activation of their expectations. As far as I can see within the rank and file of the APC, the position of the national chairman has been zoned to the North-West. It was on that basis that Ganduje emerged as the national chairman of the party.

If there will be changes to that, there is always a normal way within our party constitution that it can be done. Unless that is triggered and accepted by the party leadership at the highest level, the so-called agitation remains what it is, an agitation within the framework of democracy. We must allow democracy to flourish. The minority will have their say and the majority will have their way.

Many fear that the APC may lose Kano State again in 2027 over Rabiu Kwankwaso, Ganduje feud. Why is it difficult for the President to bring these former allies together?

We are aware that the APC is not in control of Kano State. If anything, else, the New Nigeria Peoples Party is the ruling party in the state and the APC is not contesting it. We are law-abiding citizens by the institution. The moment the matter was foreclosed and concluded at the Supreme Court, for the APC, it represents the finality of the decision. The APC had done everything that could be done to show that it respects the law and supports government across the country, whether it is an APC state or any other party that is in opposition.

There had not been any issue of the party at the centre, which is the APC, using its privileged position to undermine democratic institutions in states that are not an APC system. It is on that score that we also expect that in the interests of the overriding position that our party has expressed at the centre, the state should be seen to also act in a manner that seems to suggest accommodation of diverse views.

These diverse views speak to the issues around providing dividends of democracy for the citizens, guaranteeing security, and the provision of necessities of life as it should be. About the question of Kano State, we know there is a lot the government of that state can do for the citizens than to continue to engage in acts that will exacerbate the already tense situation, not only in Kano State but also in the larger Nigerian society.

We hope and pray that the (NNPP) government will recognise the hand of fellowship extended to the state by the government of the APC at the centre and realign itself to working for the benefit of its people and guaranteeing peace and security in Nigeria and not continue to instigate moves that will appear to be an interference in the other political party.

The President of Nigeria, specifically, is not the president of one political party. The moment His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was elected, he became the President of the Republic of Nigeria, and it will not be expected that he will begin to involve himself in inter-party issues so as not to be accused of promoting the interests of the APC against the larger interests of Nigerian citizens.

One way to go is when he is seen supporting APC engagements; he will be accused of being partisan. If he goes against the APC and supports another party, he will be seen to be doing anti-party activity. So, he is in a no-win position and that is why we call on the stakeholders to rise to the occasion and become statesmen in their areas of activity and only do such things that will be seen to promote good governance.

Again, is there an outside chance that both Kwankwaso and Ganduje can be appeased to reconcile?

I will not know. But being human and an optimist, one will believe that as statesmen, these are respected citizens not only in Kano State but also in Nigeria. The time is now for the government of Kano State to rise to the occasion and provide leadership in the state. It must ensure that whatever undertaking it takes will lead to providing governance for the people.

That is the minimum that the people of Kano State will expect and guarantee not to engage in activities that may harden the opposition and may trigger issues of unrest in the state, which will resonate beyond the frontiers of Kano State to nearby states, if not across Nigeria. Kano State is that important in the affairs of not only governance but more importantly, the economy to be allowed to degenerate to a level where we cannot guarantee the safety of property and life within Kano State.

I think that will always be a guiding principle, and I also believe that it will not go beyond what we are currently seeing. I think there will be some attempts by stakeholders and the two personalities involved to come to some measure of understanding that they need to work together for the interests of the people.

What are your fears concerning the fate of the 25 lawmakers in the ongoing crisis rocking Rivers State?

I believe in integrity and the political process. There is a plethora of cases that the law court has pronounced on people moving from one party to another when they hold the ticket of another political party. If there are doubts as to the fate of those who have moved from one party to another, we need to call up the decisions of the court both at the trial court and at the highest level, which is the Supreme Court.

The laws of our land are no respecter of persons, whether you are in the APC, PDP, Labour Party, or any other political party. Once you make a decision, you are then bound by the laws of the state. So, we are not in any doubt about what the position of the law is, and we think that the players have conducted themselves in a very admirable manner, in not taking to self-help in pursuing their grievances and expectations within the four walls of the law court. Whatever the pronouncement of the court, we will be bound by it.

So, you are not entertaining any fear or losing sleep over their issue.

I do not think that I am on a personal level, and I don’t think as a political party, we are losing any sleep in respect to that. If anything, else, the APC has continued to project itself as an institution that is bound by the law and respects the law. If there are decisions of the law court on any particular decision, the party has always obeyed those decisions. I don’t think Rivers State, or any other one will be different in this consideration.

With the biting economic hardship in the country, are you still optimistic that Nigerians will accept another Tinubu presidency in 2027?

In the life of a country, four years is like yesterday. It is from that point of view every political office holder or politician always knows that from the first date in office, the electorate and the citizens who elected you to office and those who did not elect you will begin to track your performance as a result of that. They can then take a decision one way or the other, whether or not to re-elect you. That is my opinion on the first part of the question.

Concerning whether we will be re-elected, as a democrat and in my personal view, we have always canvassed that unless His Excellency President Bola Tinubu will not contest, the APC government is bound to be represented by our candidate in 2027 to fly the flag for the simple reason that I want to bring up. Of course, there is the incumbency factor.

An elected person will always have the first right of refusal and there will be no need for anybody within the party to contest against an incumbent, whether it is at the local government, state or federal level if that person has an unexpired term. Therefore, he is bound to become our candidate in 2027. It is on that account that it is important for us as a party to be sure that the direction of the government and its policies will be such that will meet the expectations of Nigerians.

If it is not, as a party, we will be challenged at the next election and may likely witness a repeat of what happened in 2015, which no party member will like. Therefore, our party will need to rise and begin to ensure these policies address the existential needs of Nigerians and support them as well as to create employment and put food on the table. More importantly, they must allow Nigerians to flourish in their chosen fields. If these are done, the guarantee of re-election is there.

The Debt Management Office is offering three Federal Government of Nigeria bonds valued at N300 billion for subscription at N1,000 per unit.

According to the DMO in a statement on Friday, the first offer is an April 2029 FGN bond valued at N100 billion, at interest an rate of 19.30 per cent per annum (five-year re-opening).

The second offer is a February 2031 FGN valued at N100 billion, at an interest rate of 18.50 per cent per annum (seven-year re-opening).

There is also the May 2033 FGN bond, valued at N100 billion, at 19.88 per cent interest rate per annum (nine-year re-opening).

They are offered at N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of N50 million and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter.

“Interest is payable semi-annually, while bullet repayment (principal sum) is on the maturity date,” the DMO said.

It said that for the re-opening of previously issued bonds, successful bidders would pay a price corresponding to the yield-to-maturity bid that clears the volume being auctioned, plus any accrued interest on the instrument.

According to the DMO, FGN bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria and are charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.

“They qualify as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act.

“They qualify as government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act, and Personal Income Tax Act for tax exemption for pension funds amongst other investors.

“They are listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited and FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange,” it said.

It said that all FGN bonds qualify as liquid assets for liquidity ratio calculation for banks.

The Lagos State Government has announced a 90-day traffic diversion for motorists on the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge, which will commence on Monday, July 22, 2024.

According to a statement issued on Thursday, July 18, 2024, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi stated that the diversion is due to the deplorable state of the asphalt pavement and expansion joints on the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge.

Osiyemi noted that the diversion would be done in two phases — the Ojota bound lane and the Yaba/Ojuelegba/Maryland bound lane, respectively. At the same time, alternative routes had been mapped out for each phase of the repairs.

The statement read, “For the first phase of the repairs, motorists heading to Ojota from Maryland/Yaba will be diverted into a counter flow on the lane inbound Maryland while motorists heading to Yaba from Ojota will continue their journeys on the same lane.

“Alternately, motorists from Berger, Magodo and Tollgate along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway are advised to go through the Alapere/Ogudu axis inward Gbagada/Anthony Oke Bridge to descend the ramp and access Ikorodu Road to continue their journeys.

“Motorists coming from Ikeja, Oregun and Kudirat Abiola Way are advised to use the Opebi Link Bridge to connect Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way inwards Sheraton through Maryland to access Ikorodu Road and navigate their ways.”

The statement also added that “motorists from Jibowu are advised to use the Ikorodu Road Service lane by Mobil Fuel Station/Bertola Engineering Equipment Company to access the Gbagada/Ogudu axis to continue their journeys.”

However, if the motorists “miss the turning by the Mobil Fuel Station and Bertola Engineering Equipment Company, they can also use Theodolite to link Anthony Oke Ramp and join Ikorodu Road again to access the Town Planning Way inward Gbagada/Ogudu/Alapere axis to proceed with their journeys.”

“Motorists from Jibowu heading to Ikeja, Magodo, Berger and Lagos Ibadan Expressway can use Maryland inwards Mobolaji Bank Anthony to link Sheraton/Opebi to Allen Avenue/Obafemi Awolowo Way and access Nurudeen Olowopopo Road to continue their journeys.

Alternatively, after going through the Opebi Link Bridge, they can also make use of Kudirat Abiola Way to access Ikosi Road inwards Mobolaji Johnson Avenue/7up to connect Nurudeen Olowopopo Road and access their desired destinations,” the statement read.

While explaining the second phase of the repair works, the commissioner noted that “motorists inward Maryland/Yaba from Ojota will be diverted into a counter flow on the lane inbound Ojota while motorists from Maryland will continue their journey on the same lane.”

For the alternative routes, motorists “from Berger, Magodo and Toll Gate can use Alapere inwards Gbagada to link the Anthony Oke Ramp to connect Ikorodu Road and access their desired destinations. Similarly, motorists coming from Ikorodu/ Ketu can utilise the Ojota Ramp Bridge to link Alapere and continue their journeys as explained above.

“Motorists from Ikeja, Oregun and Kudirat Abiola Way are advised to use the Opebi Link Bridge inwards Mobolaji Bank Anthony/Sheraton and come out at Maryland to enter Ikorodu Road and continue their journeys.”

“The aforementioned alternative routes for motorists heading to Ikeja, Magodo, Berger and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from Jibowu during the first phase are also available during the second phase of the repairs,” the statement explained.

The Commissioner appealed to the public ” to cooperate with the interventions put in place during the repairs” as he assured that traffic management personnel would be on the ground to ensure a steady traffic flow.

Igbo elders have asked Igbo living in other parts of Nigeria to shun the planned nationwide protest against hardship from August.

A statement by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro on Tuesday said the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, has cautioned against the protests due to historical antecedents where Igbo people have suffered disproportionately in the aftermath of major protests and riots.

Isiguzoro said the Igbo usually bear the brunt of any major protests nationwide where their lives and properties are destroyed across Nigeria.

The elder highlighted several past events, including the 1978 “Ali Must Go” protests, the 1989 anti-SAP riots, the 1993 June 12 protests, the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests, and the 2020 EndSARS protests, where the Igbo reportedly faced significant losses of lives and property.

The statement said, “First and foremost, the prevailing security challenges in the Southeast region pose insurmountable obstacles to the safe conduct of protests and riots.

“In recognition of this reality, any nationwide protest scheduled within the Southeast is hereby revoked, with a clear directive that the Igbo will not partake.”

Isiguzoro added that forcing such protests risks exacerbating the existing security dilemmas in the Southeast, creating opportunities for criminal elements and external Igbo detractors to exploit the situation and instigate further chaos.

“Secondly, the fear of Igbo once again being perceived as sacrificial lambs in the forthcoming nationwide protests is a legitimate concern.

“In this regard, Ohaneze Ndigbo calls upon Igbo residents in the 19 northern states and southwestern regions to boycott the looming protests for their safety and security.”

The Zone A Federal Operations Unit of the Nigeria Customs Service in Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, announced that it intercepted 150 cartons of bulletproof jackets worth N1.687bn.

Addressing journalists in Ikeja, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the unit, Kola Oladeji, said the contrabands were intercepted along the Ijebuode-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.

Oladeji explained that each carton contains 10 packs of the jacket, adding that these contrabands were seized in June.

He explained that under Schedule 4 of the Customs Common External Tariff, the importation of all kinds of military wares by individuals was under absolute prohibition.

“An end-user certificate is required for the importation of controlled items and products into Nigeria and it comes from the Office of the National Security Adviser,” Oladeji said.

Oladeji vowed that the unit was working on credible intelligence to get the importers of these contrabands.

“These seizures were unique because it was a breach of security, no end-user-certificate.

“Because you get the certificate before you can bring your cargo and if you bring it after importation we will arrest you,” he said.

Oladeji said the unit also intercepted kilograms of cannabis sativa and expired drugs within the period under review.

“Our dedicated officers also intercepted 989kg of cannabis sativa and 5,229 cartons of expired drugs,”

According to him, some of the interceptions took place at various times and locations within states in the South-West.

“Other items seized include, 343,750 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, 7,150 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 32 units of used vehicles, 120 bags of sugar, 3,560 cartons of poultry products,” the Oladeji said.

He stated that four suspects were arrested in connection with the various offenses, “including violating import/export guidelines, concealment, wrong classification, smuggling, and contravening policy directives,”

He disclosed that the cumulative duty paid value of the various intercepted goods amounts to N3.6bn.

Oladeji said the unit also recovered the sum of N62m as revenue for June 2024 through documentary checks and the issuance of demand notices on consignments that were found to have paid lesser amounts than the appropriate duties.

He urged Nigerians to provide the service with useful and timely information that would lead to the arrest of illegal importation of military wares, illicit drugs, and counterfeit goods.

“Importers and licensed agents are also urged to make sincere declarations, adhere to existing import and export guidelines, and avoid the risk of losing their goods,” he said.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, said on Thursday a new curriculum would be introduced for secondary schools nationwide by September 2024.

Tahir made this known at the ongoing 2024 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board policy meeting in Abuja.

“We are working hard to ensure that a new curriculum is introduced for secondary schools by September,” Mamman said.

Mamman noted that the exercise has been on for the past year and a stakeholders meeting will be held on August 6, 2024.

“It is our plan that by September, this programme will be implemented in all schools, public and private,” the minister said.

Recently, the National Senior Secondary School Education Commission decried the deplorable state of senior secondary schools in the country and called for collaboration to overcome some of the challenges bedevilling the secondary level of education in the country.

The commission listed some of the challenges confronting the sector, including infrastructural deficit, unqualified teachers, obsolete curriculum, and deplorable libraries and laboratories.

It was also noted that plans were ongoing to introduce a new curriculum.

Cryptocurrency exchange, OKX, has announced plans to discontinue its services in Nigeria, citing recent changes in local laws and regulations.

The exchange, in a statement sent directly to its users on Wednesday, said this decision was based on its ongoing assessment of policies in the markets it serves.

“We are discontinuing OKX services in Nigeria after recent changes in local laws and regulations.

“From August 16, 2024, our customers will no longer be able to open any new positions or access any services on the platform, with the exception of withdrawals and closing/redemption of open positions,” the statement read.

The company said from August 16, users “will only be able to withdraw your assets; you will not be able to deposit or transact otherwise.”

“While your funds remain secure and accessible in your account, we highly encourage you to withdraw them to your private wallet or your accounts on other third-party platforms by 12:00 am (PST) on August 30, 2024.

“After August 30, 2024, you will have to reach out to our customer service teams for any account related actions. We strongly encourage you to withdraw or transfer funds prior to this date, as remaining balances may be subject to further restrictions in accordance with our Terms of Service along with local laws,” the statement concluded.

The Federal Government has repatriated a total of 190 Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to a statement by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), signed by its Director General, Director, North Central Zone, Bashir Garga, on Tuesday, the returnees were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 5:57 am, by a combined team of government officials led by NEMA.

NEMA said the returnees have been profiled and documented by the relevant agencies, and sensitized to “behave with decorum and responsibility” on their return to Nigeria.

“The federal government urges all Nigerians, wherever they may be, to act as exemplary ambassadors of their country, upholding the fundamental values of patriotism, rule of law, decency and integrity.”

It would be recalled that in October 2022, FG repatriated a total of 542 from UAE.

Nigerians Can Obtain UAE Visas
Meanwhile, the Federal Government said it has reached an agreement with the UAE to allow Nigerian passport holders to obtain visas for travel to that Arab nation starting July 15, 2024.

The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday when he briefed State House correspondents following the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

“Following successful talks and extensive, mutually beneficial negotiations between the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an agreement was reached allowing for the resumption of travel to the UAE for Nigerian passport holders,” he said.

“This agreement includes updated controls and conditions to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa.

“The resumption of visas will be effective from July 15, 2024.”

The minister added that Nigerians wishing to learn more about the updated visa conditions from the UAE can visit the country’s website.

The announcement comes more than two years after the UAE suspended visa issuance to Nigerians following a period of protracted diplomatic row with Africa’s most populous nation.

It also comes about two months after UAE national carrier Emirates Airlines announced the resumption of flights to Nigeria. The airline said in May that its daily Lagos-Dubai flights would resume from October 1, 2024.

Donald Trump received a hero’s welcome Monday as he entered the Republican National Convention arena with a bandaged right ear in his first public appearance since being wounded in a weekend assassination attempt.

Hours after winning the formal nomination to be the Republican presidential candidate and announcing right-wing Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, Trump marched into Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum flanked by aides and waved at supporters on the opening day of what is expected to be a triumphalist gathering.

Trump, who is due to give a formal acceptance speech on Thursday, took his seat to the sound of country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic hit “God Bless the USA” without delivering any remarks but appeared markedly moved by the rapt ovation he received from a packed venue.

“It was absolutely amazing. I mean, just thinking what he’s been through, and to come here today because he really cares,” Illinois delegate Susan Sweeney told AFP on the convention floor.

It was the second huge moment of the day for the Republican crowd, which erupted into cheers earlier as Trump announced Vance, just 39, as his vice presidential pick, rewarding a one-time harsh critic who has become one of his most uncompromising supporters.

While Trump, 78, is increasingly confident of a shock return to the White House — despite multiple legal problems and two impeachments clouding his first term — President Joe Biden is reeling from weak polls and Democratic concerns over his health.

The standard-bearer for a new kind of populism that has come to the fore under Trump, Vance is also one of the least experienced VP picks in modern history.

But he embraces the ex-president’s isolationist, anti-immigration America First movement and is even further to the right than his new boss on some issues — including abortion, where he embraces calls for federal legislation.

– Strong polling –

He initially made his name with the 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” a best-selling account of his Appalachian family and modest Rust Belt upbringing that gave a voice to rural, working-class resentment in left-behind America.

Turning his back on previous Republican opposition to Trump, whom he once said might be “America’s Hitler,” Vance reinvented himself and ultimately won the ex-president’s endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Senate race, launching his meteoric rise.

Some 50,000 Republicans descended on the shores of Lake Michigan for the four-day convention, four months before election day.

The gathering comes with the country reeling from a botched attempt by a gunman to kill Trump at a rally in Butler, western Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The attack — which killed one bystander and left Trump with a bloodied ear that required a bandage — was expected to dominate proceedings.

Leading in multiple polls, despite being convicted in his hush-money criminal case in New York, Trump is exuding confidence.

At 81, Biden meanwhile is facing calls from his own side to quit the race over concerns around his age.

His campaign released a statement saying the Trump-Vance agenda would “take away Americans’ rights, hurt the middle class, and make life more expensive — all while benefiting the ultra-rich and greedy corporations.”

– Message of unity –

Trump told the New York Post he had “prepared an extremely tough speech” about Biden’s “horrible administration” to deliver at the convention.

As some Republicans — including Vance — sought to blame Democrats’ anti-Trump rhetoric for the attack, Trump said he had torn up that version in favor of one he hopes will “unite our country.”

Still, that means him having to rein in the instinct to settle scores — demonstrated by his cry for supporters to “fight” in the seconds after Saturday’s attack.

A diminished figure after his 2020 election loss and a subsequent riot at the Capitol by his supporters, Trump has spent much of the last four years reshaping Republican politics.

Installing loyalists including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump atop the Republican National Committee, the billionaire has effectively crushed dissent within the party.

He scored another victory Monday as a judge dismissed one of the criminal cases against him, concerning accusations he endangered national security by holding on to top secret documents after leaving the White House.

Analysis of data on the admissions conducted for the 2022/2023 admission session in Nigerian universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions of learning revealed that 88 institutions conducted admissions outside of the Central Admissions Processing System popularly referred to as CAPS.

According to JAMB, admissions conducted outside CAPS are illegal, null and void.

JAMB had in 2017 introduced the Central Admissions Processing System where all tertiary institutions upload the admission status of candidates offered admission in the institutions.

CAPS has centralised and automated admission processes between candidates and their chosen tertiary institutions.

In 2020, JAMB warned institutions to stop offering admissions to candidates through their own portals.

The board described the practice as a flagrant abuse of the automated Central Admissions Processing System.

In April 2024, the board noted that it would no longer condone illegal admissions conducted outside of the CAPS.

The board in a bulletin warned candidates to desist from accepting admissions offered by the institutions without going through it.

In the statement titled, ‘Cessation of illegal/irregular admission’, JAMB reiterated that all applications of admissions to first degree, national diploma, national innovation diploma and the Nigeria Certificate in Education into full-time, distance learning, part-time, outreach, sandwich, etc., must be processed only through JAMB.

In a report tagged, ‘Compiled assessment of institutions on compliance with the 2022/2023 admission guidelines’, the board noted that it scored institutions who complied fully with admission guidelines 10 points; those with partial compliance, five points, while those institutions who failed to comply were awarded zero point.

Under the section for the conduct of full admissions on CAPS, our correspondent observed that 88 institutions failed to comply.

Some of the institutions are the University of Uyo, University of Abuja, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Yaba College of Technology, Plateau State University, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Coal City University, Crawford University, Crescent University, Ebonyi State University, Rhema University, Borno State University, Chrisland University, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu University.

The Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt has upheld the fine imposed on popular Nigerian On-Air Personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, also known as Daddy Freeze, for committing adultery.

A High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had on February 18, 2021, ordered Daddy Freeze to pay the sum of N5m for committing adultery with one Benedicta Elechi.

He was ordered to pay the money to Paul Odekina, who was married to Elechi at the time the adulterous act was committed.

“The sum of N5,000,000 is awarded against Ifedayo Olarinde (the 2nd Cross Respondent to the Cross Petition) as damages for depriving the Cross Petitioner of the amiable consort of his wife (Petitioner/1st Cross Respondent) and for injury suffered as a result of his adultery with the Petitioner/Cross Respondent,

The court also dissolved the marriage contracted between Paul and Benedicta due to her adulterous act with Daddy Freeze.

Not satisfied with the High Court’s judgement, Daddy Freeze approached the appellate court for redress.

Daddy Freeze’s main grounds of appeal were that Odekina did not attempt to serve him personally before applying for substituted service, which violates Order 7 Rule 2 of the Rules of the Trial Court.

He also held that the purported service by substituted means i.e., by courier was not effective as shown in the affidavit of service, adding that the non-service violates the twin pillars of the principle of natural justice.

In the Certified True Copy of the judgment, dated June 26, 2024, and obtained by our correspondent on Friday, the three-man panel of Justice Abubakar Talba, Danlami Senchi, and Hannatu Balogun dismissed Daddy Freeze’s appeal for lack of merit.

The court ruled that if the appellant wanted to overturn the trial court’s judgment due to non-service, he should have filed a counter-affidavit against the affidavit of service and then sought to set aside the trial court’s judgment.

It partly read, “Affidavit evidence can only be countered by a Counter Affidavit. As such, I found the procedure adopted by the Appellant alien to our jurisprudence.

“Where the Appellant wants the judgment of the trial court to be set aside for non-service, he ought to have approached the trial court by filing a Counter affidavit against the affidavit of service he seeks to set aside and consequently set aside the judgment of the trial court. Thus, as it is in the instant appeal there is nothing filed by the Appellant to counter the affidavit of service of the Process Server filed in

“Hence, therefore I resolved the sole issue for determination against the Appellant and in favour of the Respondents. The appeal therefore lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed

“Accordingly, the judgment of the Rivers State High Court in Suit No. PHC/403MC/2012 delivered on the 18th February 2021 by J. Akpughunum, is hereby affirmed. I make no order as to costs”.

According to the CTC of the judgement, Ola Faro and Ikobah Hilton appeared for the appellant while N.A. Naenwi and Wilcox Abereton (SAN) represented the first and second respondents respectively.

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has said his level of appreciation for his political benefactor is the reason he is restrained from taking certain actions.

The governor was replying those tagging him as an ungrateful politician in the wake of the crisis between him and a former governor of the state now the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Fubara stated this when he hosted on courtesy visit the Stakeholders of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality, including the leadership of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers, and others at Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The Ikwerre Ethnic Group, made of four Local Government Areas of Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, Emoji and Ikwerre, is the ethnic group of Wike.

Governor Fubara assured that despite the political events in the state, he will not throw caution to the wind, but will continue to show respect to people for what they are.

The clarification came following the swearing-in of Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara who was screened and confirmed as a commissioner by the Victor Oko-Jumbo-led assembly on Monday.

The swearing ceremony was held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt at about 5 pm.

Giving his charge after the oath-taking ceremony, Governor Fubara defended his recognition of the Oko-Jumbo-led assembly, insisting that it is the lawfully recognised legislative arm.

Governor Fubara, however, expressed his disappointment with the police for not doing enough to unravel the facts about the bomb explosion in Port Harcourt some weeks ago.

He claimed that the relevant authorities were silent because the suspects in the attack were not his supporters.

“I’ve not been hearing anything and I’m wondering, after how many weeks now, the Nigeria police are still not able to come out and make a statement about the attempt by someone – who I don’t know what his name is – tried to detonate dynamite in front of Hotel Presidential,” Fubara said.

“I’m still wondering why it doesn’t happen. But if it’s maybe any other thing that has to do with us, they will say they should even charge the person for terrorism.”

The Rivers State governor recalled how his supporters were arrested and charged with terrorism for crimes they did not commit.

But Fubara said he will continue to rely on God’s grace and protection to govern the state.

US President Joe Biden, under intense scrutiny over his fitness to serve, accidentally introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russian strongman Vladimir Putin at a NATO ceremony before correcting himself.

“Now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” Biden said on Wedneday.

Biden quickly corrected himself, saying, “I’m so focused on beating President Putin, we’ve got to worry about it.”

Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a couple (name withheld) attempting to sell their two-year-old son to travel to Canada.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.

Hundeyin said that the couple, aged 28 and 22, were apprehended on Tuesday while trying to sell their child off.

He stated that around 2.45 p.m. on Tuesday, the Isolo Divisional Police Officer received information that the couple went to Isolo General Hospital and expressed their intention to sell their baby boy.

“Upon receipt of the information, operatives from the station moved swiftly to the hospital where they were about to sell their child.

“The baby’s age is two and he has been rescued. Upon interrogation, the couple confessed that they decided to sell the baby to enable the man to travel to Canada for a greener pasture.

“However, the investigation is ongoing,” he said.

The Anambra State Local Government Service Commission said it had discovered over 427 ghost workers earning salaries from the state government without being staff members.

The Chairman of the Commission, Vin Ezeaka, disclosed this to journalists in Awka, the state capital, on Friday.

Ezeaka said the commission also discovered that about six senior employees at the various local government areas forged their certificates purportedly to have been issued by the Imo State University.

According to him, among the ghost workers include 59 staff of the commission who had died a long time ago, 40 others who had retired and are still on the payroll of the commission, and about 11 others living abroad are on the payroll of the state government.

He said, “The discovery was made during a staff personnel audit launched to sanitise the local government system in the state. In the process, a startling revelation of over 427 workers were discovered to have been on the local government payroll without being staffed.

“Out of the 427 ghost workers uncovered, 59 were staff of the commission who had died a long time ago, 40 others had retired and are still on the payroll of the commission, while about 11 others are staff living abroad whose names were still on the payroll of government.

“Others were some staff members of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe. We discovered 59 deceased staff who are still receiving salaries, 40 retirees also receiving salaries, and above all, we discovered 222 workers on the payroll who nobody could identify as workers in any of the 21 LGAs and we have many of them living abroad and still receiving salaries.

“So we wrote to the Joint Account to remove them from the payroll. Some of them have come to voluntarily retire, but we refused because you can’t cheat the government and want to retire.

“We are going to finish our investigation and those we caught in this unholy act will face the full wrath of the law in accordance with civil service rules.

“Apart from this discovery, made at the end of May 2024, something dramatic happened, we descended on the certificate racketeering cartel within the local government system. We set up a committee that came up with reports of people with suspicious certificates working in various local government areas of Anambra State and we then set up a screening committee that indicted so many of them.

“Those indicted were identified and we started investigating the certificates they presented to the committee and went as far as going to the universities whose certificates they brandished and out of the 20 persons who tendered Imo State University certificates, we screened 14 so far, where we discovered that six out of the 14 were fake certificates.

“So we have dealt with that aspect also. It is our duty to sanitise the system in line with the mandate given to us by the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo so that the genuine workers who sacrifice their time and energy can get value for their service and not looters who do not contribute anything to the development of Anambra state.”

The commission chairman further disclosed that the ongoing local government and certificate verification was not for any witch-hunt, but purely to sanitise the system, adding that even senior local government staff, including deputy directors and treasurers, were also sacked for fake certificates.

Ezeaka said those working with forged certificates in the LGA system in the state had been given a grace period to come and voluntarily report themselves or be sacked when the amnesty would elapse.

A popular tap-2-earn app, Tapswap, powered by TON Blockchain, has said the token allocation to users has been postponed to quarter three of the year.

The app, which required users to repeatedly tap the icon in the centre of the Telegram Tapswap bot screen to mine coins, recently gained momentum among Nigerians tapping on their phone screens in pursuit of financial earnings and has amassed over 50 million users since it launched on February 15, 2024.

The management said it decided to move the share-to-token exchange event scheduled for July 1st to the third quarter to better serve its players.

In a series of threads created on X, on Monday, to share what it described as ‘bad and good news’ for its players, the management said it is in active talks with tier 1 exchanges around the world to price the highly ranked game from the prey of scammers and leaders in web3 industry who are moved by the successes the game had attracted.

“We’ve got some bad and really good news for you at the same time: our team has decided to move the date for the Shares-to-Token exchange event. You might wonder, what’s good about that? Just FUD?

“Not exactly. The whole point is that you’ll benefit from this. Let us explain how:

Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz around Tapswap, especially about listing on tier 1 exchanges, a massive drop, and more. And it’s no surprise: the project has become one of the major players globally, ranking at the top. This kind of attention attracts not just scammers but also leaders in the web3 industry.

“So, not all rumours are just rumours. The Tapswap team is actually in active talks with tier-1 exchanges!

And they are thrilled with you – our community! Isn’t this what we’ve been tirelessly working towards together?”

The management further reiterated its effort to devote a high level of attention to the task, which requires much more detailed work on tokenomics and the right launch strategy.

“However, this success comes with some ‘inconveniences’. This level of attention requires much more detailed work on tokenomics and the right launch strategy. And that means extra time.

“But know that this is all to ensure that our launch in Q3 is fair and, more importantly, profitable for all of you who stand by us no matter what,” it added.

Tapswap, however, charged its players to be happy about the bigger news in the future while appreciating the support and feedback gotten from them.

So, as you can see, there are plenty of reasons to be happy about this change. And very soon, we’ll give you some even bigger news about our future, tier 1 partnerships, and the drop itself!

We really value your support. And we truly listen to your feedback, so don’t forget to share it in the comments. Together, we’ll keep reaching higher and higher levels!

The PUNCH reports that Tapswap postponed its token launch date, which was scheduled for July 1st, indefinitely.

This was disclosed by the Head of Communications of the gaming firm, John Robbin, on June 20, 2024.

Before the aforesaid disclosure, it announced that its coin allocation date would be July 1st after it couldn’t establish a date in May because of too many bot accounts that they are working on separating from the authentic gamers.

According to Robbin, the method of token allocation has not yet been ascertained, stressing that the processes cannot be communicated before the allocation.

“The token launch was postponed from July 1. The new date will be communicated.

“We will allocate a significant part of the tokens to the community to retain the tappers. We want you all to be part of the tapswap community.

“We need a token airdrop to be a win-win for all of us. We have started communicating with many exchanges and platforms,” he said.

Nigerians, including young and old, have been obsessively tapping on their phones, with some asserting that they are waiting for the tokens to be allocated to buy cars and houses of their choice from the many taps they have accumulated.

In a viral clip, a Keke driver was seen tapping away on his phone with one hand while simultaneously steering his moving vehicle and transporting passengers.

Another viral video showed several traders in Northern Nigeria tapping vigorously on their screens.

The sixth prosecution witness, Idi Musa, in the trial of Ismaila Mustapha, (a.k.a Mompha) on Monday, told Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos how N35bn was found in two bank accounts linked to the defendant.

The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had, on January 12, 2022, arraigned Mompha alongside his company, Ismalob Global Investment Limited, on an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of proceeds of criminal conduct, laundering of funds obtained through unlawful activity, failure to disclose assets and property, possession of documents containing false pretences and use of property derived from unlawful act.

One of the counts read, “Ismaila Mustapha, Ahmadu Mohammed (at large) and Ismalob Global Investment Limited, sometime in 2016, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to conduct financial transactions to the tune of N5,998,884,653.18 with the intent of promoting the carrying on of specified unlawful activities to wit: obtaining by false pretence.”

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

On September 22, 2022, Justice Dada had ordered that the trial of Mompha would continue in absentia after he jumped bail.

At Monday’s proceedings, Musa, an investigator with the EFCC, while being led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, S. I. Suleiman, narrated how he knew the first and second defendants in the course of investigations into the alleged criminal activities.

He told the court how the commission had received intelligence from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, informing it that the first and second defendants were into cybercrime in the United States of America, USA.

In his testimony, he said, “Sometime in 2019, we received intelligence from the FBI, USA. The letter was addressed to the commission, informing us that the first and second defendants were involved in cybercrime, otherwise known as Yahoo Yahoo.”

According to him, in the course of the investigation, some letters were written to two major banks requesting the account statements of the second defendant linked to the first defendant.

In his further testimony, he told the court that “The account statements were received and analysed.

“During the analysis, we discovered a heavy flow of N30bn through the account of the first defendant (Mompha) in one of the banks and about N5bn in another bank account.

“Letters were written to the FBI, and the Special Fraud Unit of the vommission, regarding the defendant’s claim that he was into Bureau De change business, in view of the volume of these transactions.

“A letter was also written to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and other relevant agencies.”

He also told the court that the investigation revealed that the first defendant did not reside in Nigeria and that efforts to reach him proved abortive.

The witness said, “A letter was written to the Nigeria Immigration Services, on October 16, 2019, to arrest the defendant anytime he was seen in the country.

“On October 18, 2019, the first defendant got information that the Commission was looking for him, while he was in Nigeria. So, he quickly got to the airport and boarded a flight in order to jet out of the country to evade arrest.

“The team got the information through the NIS officers at the airport. By then, Mompha had already boarded the flight. So, they had to call him to come down and he was immediately arrested. He was subsequently handed over to the EFCC by the immigration officers.”

When asked about the findings regarding the defendant’s bank account, Musa said over N30bn was discovered, adding that “he told us that he was into Bureau De Change business. But investigation showed that he was not.

“We have already concluded investigations in that regard. The offences border on money laundering, operating BDC without a licence before a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos.”

He also told the court that a report from the FBI’s forensic analysis revealed that Mompha’s iPhone was used to send account details to a United Arab Emirates telephone number, which he used to search for Swift Codes of a bank.

“Upon his arrest, all the properties recovered from him were registered with the Exhibits Section in the EFCC office.

“Most of the properties were released to him on bond, except his iPhone 8 which is still with the commission.

“The items are proceeds of crime because when he was given the Assets Declaration Form, he did not include those items,” he added.

The prosecution then tendered both the first defendant’s statement as well as the Asset Declaration Form.

They were admitted in evidence as exhibits P5 and P6 by the court.

Consequently, Justice Dada adjourned the case till Tuesday, October 8, 2024, for the continuation of trial.

The Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chike Olemgbe, on Tuesday, announced the suspension of four members for an alleged plot to impeach the speaker.

The suspended lawmakers included Ahiazu-Mbaise, Samuel Otuibe; Ezinihitte-Mbaise, Henry Agbasonu; Okigwe, Chidiebere Ogbunikpa and Oru-West, Dominic Ezerioha.

The Speaker said the decision to suspend them was taken at the executive session.

The Speaker also announced that all standing Committees belonging to the suspended members have been retrieved from them.

PUNCH gathered that during the plenary, the Speaker made minor reshufflement on the standing Committees.

Some of the suspended members present during the announcement declined to speak to newsmen.

The Federal Government on Thursday said the disbursement of N150bn loans to micro, small and medium enterprises and manufacturers would commence by the end of July.

It also disclosed that 60 per cent of the proposed one million beneficiaries of the Presidential Conditional Grant had received a financial grant of N50,000 without repayment obligations in the 774 local government areas of the country.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, revealed the latest information in a post via her official X handle on Thursday.

In December 2023, the Federal Government unveiled the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme as part of the Presidential Palliatives Programme aimed at supporting businesses to navigate the economic crunch caused by government policies.

The fund dedicates N75bn to MSMEs and another N75bn to the manufacturing sector.

The minister noted the government is well aware of the current business climate and created the fund to help Nigerian businesses navigate the harsh economic conditions.

She said, “To all applicants of the Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme who are yet to be paid, thank you for your continued patience. The disbursement process is still ongoing, and we have allocated about 60 per cent of the 1 million grants.

“You can track the number of beneficiaries per LGA paid so far on grant.fedgrantandloan.gov.ng/learn-more/dis.

“We are also at the final stages of vetting for the MSME and Manufacturing loans. Applications remain open, and disbursement will begin by July ending.”

She thanked applicants of the Conditional Grant Scheme who are yet to be paid for continued patience, stressing that her team have worked tirelessly to ensure this process is fair and accurate.

Reacting to complaints by aggrieved applicants, she explained that the selection was not based on who applied first but on random computer-generated selection.

She stated that the ministry had hoped to complete all 1 million disbursements by now; however, the process has been delayed due to issues such as incorrect or missing data, duplicate applications, and spurious entries.

Last month, The PUNCH exclusively reported that the government had disbursed a total sum of N20.11bn to 402,283 beneficiaries to their bank accounts via their Bank Verification Number.

The minister added, “It’s important to note that almost 4 million Nigerians applied for the Palliative grant of 50k, but only 1 million beneficiaries can be accommodated.

“This means not all applicants will receive the grant. The selection is not based on who applied first; everyone has an equal chance but by random computer-generated selection.

“While Mr. President may launch other social intervention programs in the future, there are no immediate plans at this time.

“The teams in my office and BOI have worked tirelessly to ensure this process is fair and accurate. Testimonial videos are already being shared, showcasing how the grant has positively impacted lives and we will share many more.”

She added, “We have prioritized accuracy over speed to ensure every Nigerian who applied has a fair shot. We had hoped to complete all 1 million disbursements by now but the process has been delayed due to incorrect or missing data, and duplicate and spurious applications, which we have had to meticulously clean up to ensure eligibility and validation.

“Finally, it is your right as citizens to criticise and hold the government accountable. However, we encourage constructive feedback without resorting to abuse or bigotry. Personal insults and hate speech are not likely to aid your applications and will not be tolerated. Together, we can build a more prosperous Nigeria. Thank you once again.”

The Federal Government, on Thursday, approved the disbursement of N12,911bn through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

The amount represents the 2023 fund for one quarter, to be utilised in the third quarter of 2024.

This is according to the 2020 BHCPF guideline, pending the review of the new guideline.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this at the 7th meeting of the BHCPF Ministerial Oversight Committee in Abuja.

In March 2024, the Nigerian government authorised the disbursement of N25 billion through the BHCPF across the states of the federation

The allocated funds were earmarked for direct facility financing and workforce incentives across states.

Available data from the BHCPF and the Africa Health Budget Network shows that from 2019 to 2022, funds disbursed through BHCPF summed up to an estimated N89 billion.

Only 7,250 out of the 35,514 Primary Healthcare Centres in the country are currently benefiting from the BHCPF, according to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.

Pate said that in line with Nigeria’s Health Sector Renewal Initiative and President Bola Tinubu’s approval for a Sector-Wide Approach, urgent comprehensive reforms were being undertaken to improve BHCPF.

“A sub-committee set up by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare during the 5th Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting in late 2023, is leading these reforms.

“Key developments include: Ongoing review of the BHCPF Guideline, with proposed reforms for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) already approved in March 2024.

“A thorough assessment has revealed significant flaws in the implementation of BHCPF, prompting all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to commit to immediate corrective measures.

“The MOC has approved the release of ₦25 billion to key health agencies to prevent disruption of services while awaiting the new guideline by the third quarter of 2024,” he explained.

He said that these reforms aimed to better align resources and improve health outcomes, such as increased antenatal coverage, skilled birth attendance, immunisation rates, and overall health insurance coverage in Nigeria.

The Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, said that two memos were submitted and approved by the MOC.

“The first memo, jointly presented by the NCDC Gateway and EMT Gateway, outlined proposed reforms.

“These reforms focus on programmatic improvements at both state and national levels, as well as fiduciary interventions to ensure proper resource utilisation.

“The second memo focused on the disbursement of N12.9 billion across all states for the third quarter, following a previous approval and disbursement of N25 billion for the first two quarters,” he said.

Nigeria losing experienced health workers to developed countries, minister laments
Aina said that these reforms and disbursements were part of ongoing efforts to implement the Sector-Wide Approach and government reforms, aimed at improving coordination and resource efficiency across various gateways.

He stressed the need to improve the quality of primary health centres across states, utilising resources from both state funding and external sources like World Bank loans.

“We have conducted assessments with the National Health Insurance Authority and states to identify facility gaps and prioritise improvements.

“The focus now is on working closely with each state to sequence the refurbishment of these facilities, starting with those most urgently in need of support,” he said.

Also speaking, the Director General, NHIA, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, said that the meeting was to ensure visibility into how funds were utilised, promoting openness about the allocation and expenditure of resources.

Ohiri said that it was an atmosphere to hold stakeholders responsible for their actions and decisions regarding fund usage, involving peer review and scrutiny from various sectors, including government, empowerers, and civil society.

“Serving as a platform to address challenges and constraints in implementing healthcare initiatives, aiming for collective resolution and proactive steps forward,” he said.

He said that these elements underscored the importance of effective governance and collaboration in achieving the goals of BHCPF.

He disclosed that approximately 2.7 million Nigerians were now insured under this initiative, ensuring they have access to a minimum package of healthcare services at primary healthcare centres without out-of-pocket expenses.

“We are working with the NPHCDA to improve healthcare quality in facilities, making sure services remain affordable and covered under health insurance.

“The initiative has spurred states to contribute their resources, with 25 states funding their own health insurance programmes to support the poor and vulnerable, expanding coverage beyond federal efforts,” he disclosed.

He said that since the last 6th MOC, additional states have begun implementing their health insurance funds, accrediting multiple facilities to provide comprehensive care at the primary healthcare level.

He said that these achievements highlight the programme’s impact in enhancing healthcare access and affordability across Nigeria, driven by collaborative efforts between federal and state entities.

NAN reports that the federal government established the BHCPF in 2014, under Section 11 of the National Health Act, to provide funding to improve access to primary health care.

BHCPF was designed to be financed from not less than one per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federal government and other sources, including donors’ contributions.

The Fund provides a Basic Minimum Package of Health aimed at increasing the fiscal space for health, strengthening the national health system, particularly at the PHC level, and ensuring access to healthcare for all.

Georgia stunned former champions Portugal 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the knockout stage at Euro 2024 —- their first-ever major tournament.

The match was settled by an early Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strike and a Georges Mikautadze penalty kick.

The win, albeit against a largely second-string Portugal who had already made it into the next round, represented the greatest result for Georgia.

This was since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.



But there was nothing undeserved about the way Willy Sagnol, a former Bayern Munich and France defender, and his side claimed a third-place finish in the tournament’s Group F.

It was a win that had now set them up for a last-16 meeting with three-time Euro winners Spain.

Georgia’s win also means that England will line up against Slovakia, Romania take on Netherlands and Portugal face Slovenia in the round of 16.

Hungary, who had been in contention for a spot in the next round, were edged out.

The tournament debutants took the lead in the second minute when Kvaratskhelia, the Napoli winger, raced away after a careless pass by Antonio Silva.

He then powered a low shot past Diogo Costa in Portugal’s goal.

This was as he sought to become the oldest goal scorer at a Euro tournament at the age of 39.

But Georgia defended as if their lives depended upon it and sought to catch Portugal on the break.

In the 53rd minute, Silva compounded his earlier error by committing a foul in the penalty box which led to an award of a penalty kick after a VAR check.

Mikautadze, who had provided the pass for Kvaratskhelia to open the scoring early on, steered his kick past Costa, making him the top scorer at Euro 2024 so far with three goals.

Ronaldo was booked in the first half for arguing and he cut a frustrated figure when he was substituted after the break, kicking out at a water bottle.

Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili made late saves to keep Portugal at bay in the final minutes.

At full-time, Georgia’s squad and coaching staff sprinted onto the field to celebrate in front of thousands of their fans.