₦airaland Forum

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDRnX7IYEws?si=BN2SUPfFw_iA1rQc

The Federal Government has announced its plan to reform the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to make it a revenue-generating agency.

The Minister of Youth Development, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim, disclosed this while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.

Asked if there were immediate plans to increase the monthly allowance of corps members, the minister said the Federal Government was working on reforming the NYSC scheme to reflect the present realities of the nation.


“We all understand that resources are dwindling, even oil revenues are not as they used to be but we will find innovative ways of ensuring that corps members’ welfare is well-taken care of.

“When it comes to remuneration and looking totally at the holistic funding of the NYSC, we have announced a reform of the NYSC scheme itself. So, we want the scheme to go beyond that social programme of government to be that revenue-generating scheme and agency.

“The reforms which transform the NYSC into a revenue-generating agency and prepare the corps members for the job market and to be decently and gainfully employed or to be employers of labour through entrepreneurship and of course, perfect matching into primary assignment and all the support they need in that career path.”


She also disclosed that corps members were no longer posted to states deemed unsafe in the wake of worsening security conditions in the country.


“As an immediate intervention of the government and the NYSC as an agency, we have actually stopped posting corps members to the very unsafe states.

Barely 24 hours after it increased the Customs exchange rate to N1, 356.883 per dollar on Friday, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has Saturday morning once again jerked up the rate to N1, 413.62.

The new rate has since been reflected on the Customs trade portal. The increase was vehemently opposed by importers and Customs brokers when it first increased Customs import duty rate by 43 percent on Friday.

Describing the increase as devastating, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion for Private Enterprise, CPPE, Dr. Muda Yusuf said The drastic upward review of the exchange rate for the computation of import duty from N952 to N1,413.62 would have a negative effect on businesses across all sectors. This is a whopping 42.5% increase. This is like the last straw.

He stated that businesses are yet to recover from the shocks of the new round of currency devaluation resulting from the sudden unification of the exchange rate which has driven the official exchange rate to about N1400.

He said: “It is double jeopardy for the investors across all sectors especially those in the real sector. This action will further fuel inflation as production and operating costs get escalated. The vulnerable segments of the population will be further impoverished as cost push inflation gets exacerbated.

“CPPE appeals to the CBN to reverse this rate hike in the interest of the already impoverished segments of our society and the numerous businesses that are already on the verge of collapse.

“The shocks, disruptions and dislocations are of immense proportions. It is even worse that the rates take immediate effect. This is a policy action that is difficult to justify, especially in the context of the multidimensional headwinds that businesses are grappling with.

“The CPPE recommends that, going forward, the determination of the exchange rate for import duty computation should be treated as a fiscal policy matter and located within the remit of the fiscal authorities which is the finance ministry. This is necessary for proper alignment with extant fiscal policies.

Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, the National Coordinator of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders(NAGAFF) told our reporter that the apex bank is not yet done with its fiddling with the Customs exchange rate as it plans to increase it again soon to N1500 per dollar.

”I heard from the grapevine that the CBN plans to push the Customs exchange rate to as high as N1,500 per dollar. That is their target and they are going to do it soon” he claimed.

The agitated stakeholders were still discussing the impact of Friday’s increase before they were once again hit by yet another hike which commentators feared may lead to the collapse of the import business and difficulty of the Nigeria Customs Service to meet its N5.1 trillion revenue target for 2024.

An angry stakeholder who reacted to the latest increase said the development has portrayed the present government as insensitive.

He said: ” The whole situation has given away this government as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

“While we are still discussing the implications of Friday’s increase and how it is going to impact the lives of the ordinary Nigerians, this government went ahead to slam yet another increase.

“I don’t know why a government can be so cruel and insensitive the irate freight forwarder lamented.”

At least four policemen were killed and cache of ammunition carted away when suspected fighters of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked a police station in Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State.

ISWAP fighters reportedly stormed the police station at Gajiram town, Nganzai LGA and opened fire on the policemen on duty.

According to security sources, the invaders partially torched the station during the incident which happened late Friday.

”There was confusion in our town last night. The ISWAP fighters attacked the police station in Gajiram. They outnumbered and overpowered the policemen on duty.”

“We found four dead bodies of the police who lost their lives early this morning, Some policemen are yet to return as we speak,” a vigilante source said.

A top security source said the invaders had left the scene before the military reinforcement arrived.

“Yes, when we got the report, our troop mobilized and moved to the scene, but unfortunately the invaders had ran away,” the source said.

As of filling this report, the police are yet to issues statement on the incident.

Borno has come under multiple attacks from insurgents.

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In Bayo Onanuga's voice just Only 15, when hundreds die in South Africa and USA.

At least 15 bodies have been recovered after an attack by armed invaders on Ugboju community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Locals said many people were still missing after the invasion of the village on Wednesday evening by the assailants who had continued attacks on the area for two weeks.

A villager, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone, said the bodies were recovered Thursday morning, adding that the people were helpless over the situation.

He stated that before noon, more bodies might be discovered as search parties continued to comb bushes for missing persons.

Prince Inalegwu Adagole Simon, who hails from the affected village, narrated to our correspondent in Makurdi that the attackers besieged the community around 3pm on Wednesday.

[b]“It was around 3pm yesterday (Wednesday) those attackers came to my village and killed 15 persons. Some persons have been displaced from home. Before now, we had no issue with them (attackers),” [/b]Simon said.

The member representing Agatu constituency in the State House of Assembly, Godwin Edoh, also decried the fresh killings which he said happened on Wednesday.

Edoh said, “I’m frustrated as a representative of my people by their cries. I have forwarded all the gory photos of the bodies recovered to the WhatsApp lines of both the governor and his deputy.”

Spokeswoman of the police in Benue, Catherine Anene, said she was yet to receive information about the incident from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Agatu.

“Let’s wait for the DPO, I will confirm from him. As we speak, there are so many police teams deployed to Agatu,” Anene said.

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Fake News

The courts were used and settled the Matter

Kogi Ex-Governor, Yahaya Bello Cancels Okene Trip, Currently Hiding To Evade EFCC Arrest

The immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is currently in hiding and on Monday cancelled his trip to Okene town, in order not to “expose” himself to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) who are on the lookout for him, SaharaReporters has learnt.

Top government sources said Bello was still at the Government House, Lokoja, where he could enjoy the “protection” of his predecessor and godson, Usman Ododo, while other sources claimed his whereabouts are unknown.

SaharaReporters had on Monday reported that the EFCC concluded plans to probe Bello for alleged fraud and corrupt practices he was involved in during his eight-year tenure.

It had been learnt that the commission would invite Yahaya Bello for questioning to account for his eight years of administration.

SaharaReporters had reported how Bello’s tenure ended as the youngest governor in Kogi State last Saturday. He was succeeded by his party man, Usman Ododo.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on Tuesday, a top source said, “EFCC is currently after Bello. He was meant to go to Okene but when he heard of their presence, he cancelled it and is hiding in Government House, Lokoja currently.”

“He’s clearly attempting to evade arrest and he may have also left the Government House,” another source said.

It had been reported that Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos struck out the commission’s suit seeking the forfeiture of 14 properties belonging to Yahaya Bello as well as the sum of N400million linked to him, citing his immunity from prosecution under the 1999 constitution.

The Commission's notice of appeal had stated that Justice Oweibo erred in law when he dismissed the suit because the Respondent's immunity from civil or criminal proceedings during his tenure as governor of Kogi State does not extend to properties reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime traced to him.

It also stated that the court erred and caused a miscarriage of justice by refusing to bind itself to the Court of Appeal's decision in EFCC V Fayose (2018) LPELR 44131 CA and the Supreme Court's decision in Fawehinmi V IGP (2002)7 NWLR (PT767)606, on the proper interpretation of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution.

The EFCC also claimed that the learned trial court erred in law when it overturned a preservation order for properties reasonably suspected to have been derived from the proceeds of illegal activities, despite its findings that the Respondent failed to demonstrate the genuine origin of funds used to acquire the properties under the preservation order.

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, Justice Oweibo granted an interim forfeiture of the properties in Lagos, Abuja, and the United Arab Emirates, and also ordered the preservation of the sum of N400,000,000.00 (Four Hundred Million Naira) recovered from one Aminu Falala, which "is reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No. 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria."

Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, counsel to the EFCC, moved the application, stating that the properties, including "Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa lying, being and situate at, Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.", were reasonably suspected to have been derived from illegal activity.

The Nigerian Government has been asked to take actionable steps to end the endemic insecurity, mitigate further attacks by kidnap syndicates and terrorist groups, and, account for persons missing in these attacks.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on Monday, Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria under the auspices of the Civil Society Joint Action Group, Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, and, Nigeria Mourns, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating state of security across Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Group says its mass atrocities and fatality tracking across the country by Nigeria Mourns revealed that at least 2,423 people have been killed in mass atrocities-related incidents and at least 1,872 persons abducted between May 29, 2023 to January 26, 2024 under President Bola Tinubu.

It added that under President Buhari’s second term alone (2019 to 2023), at least 24,816 Nigerians lost their lives, and at least 15,597 persons were abducted.

The Group called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently fulfill the constitutional imperative of safeguarding the lives of all citizens by declaring a state of emergency on kidnapping and other forms of terrorism.

Other demands by the Group to the President include Enhancement of the country’s security infrastructure by conducting an audit of the responsibility matrix within security agencies and departments of government; Bolster capabilities and deployment of technology to effectively address the evolving challenges of insecurity; Prompt prosecution of the 400 sponsors of terrorism arrested under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The Group also wants the prosecution of those responsible for the misappropriation of the $460 million earmarked for the provision of CCTV cameras in the Federal Capital Territory; Implementation of more decisive measures to promptly secure the release of all abducted victims; Creation of a register of victims of abductions and other forms of mass atrocities among other demands.

Vice President Kashim Shettima said corrupt governance was responsible for the crises of insecurity and banditry in the Northern part of the country.

Shettima stated at the 10th Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Foundation lecture and award hosted by Borno State governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum in Maiduguri Saturday.


The vice president, represented by his special adviser on Political Affairs, Hakeem-Baba Ahmed, said Sardauna has left a legacy of accountability, fairness and probity, which the current leaders defied.


He identified corruption by leaders as one of the root causes of insecurity, saying, “The leader cannot engage in corruption if he wants to stand above the common thief, the bandit and the kidnapper.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, also blamed corruption as the reason why the country is not getting things right, while calling those in the position of leadership to provide good governance.

The guest speaker, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, called on the policy makers to address abuse of power and insecurity challenges facing the country.

According to him, the reason why Sardauna is being glorified is the value of teamwork, resilience and commitment to the provision of qualitative education, agriculture, and infrastructural development.

The chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya noted that good governance is the only way out of the insecurity in the region and the country as a whole.

Emeritus professor Umaru Shehu, Aisha Muhammed Nahuce, Professor Deborah Eniho and Adams David Baiki were among those that were awarded by the foundation.

The 11th Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture is to be hosted by Bauchi State in 2025.

The Chairman, Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele has debunked news making the rounds that the committee would recruit area boys to enforce the payment and collection of taxes.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Oyedele was quoted to have said that area boys could be trained for tax collection and paid decent salaries for doing so.

“We’re also thinking about how you bring all stakeholders on board because at the end of the day, if you stop the livelihood of anyone, whether they are earning it legitimately or not, you can create crises that would be difficult to manage but once you bring everybody in, maybe we need to train those area boys and touts, give them uniforms and then they’ll be the ones to ask you to show the evidence on your phone, right?

“And then they get paid a decent salary. And if you give them the skills, some of them will on their own, move on from that job to something else, right? So, our strategy is let’s think about what’s best for our country and get all stakeholders to align. We do think that all the stakeholders including the government want the best for their country and we just need to make them see that big picture and then come along with us. That’s the plan that we have”, Oyedele was quoted to have said in the interview with Channels TV.

However, in a statement on his social media account on Saturday, Oyedele said he was quoted out of context.

According to him, the area boys in question were already doing the job of enforcing tax payment and collection, so they could not be recruited to do a job they were already engaged in.

He said, “You cannot recruit a person to do the job they are already doing, whether they are legally engaged or otherwise. We have over 40 taxes and levies which States and Local Governments are authorised by law to collect across Nigeria including road taxes on trucks, buses and bicycles, wheelbarrows, kiosks and shop levies.

“In many cases, area boys are engaged to collect these taxes which they often do through crude, unorthodox means and harassment.”

He added that despite the enforcement, the taxes paid yield a meagre revenue as against what is expected.

“Painfully, these taxes yield very little revenue to the government despite the huge burden they place on small businesses, artisans and transporters. We propose to eliminate many of these taxes and harmonise a few of them that may be appropriate and devise a civil means of collection using mobile phones”, he noted.

Setting the records straight, he explained what he meant about the area boys being engaged in tax collection and enforcement.

“The issue I addressed during my interview on Channels TV, which has been sensationalised and taken out of context, was how to get the buy-in of those who currently collect these taxes (and benefit from doing so beyond whatever they are being paid officially). I did not mention any words like recruit or employ. You can watch the extract here …

“My thought on it beyond the legal aspect was to consider the social dimension and find a practical solution that has a high chance of success. The idea being that the government could train the collectors to behave in a civilised manner and pay them decently so that it is comparable to what they currently make.

“Their new role will be to drive and monitor compliance. The payers will pay less and be treated with dignity. Government will earn more, and society will benefit – a win-win outcome for everyone”, he submitted.

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