The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the arrest of five suspected kidnappers of a Swiss national in Abuja.

This is contained in a press statement released on Thursday by the Force Spokesman, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who detailed the activities of the force within the last two months.

The suspects who were identified as Emu Larry Chidiebere, 34, Samuel Balogun, 22, Williams Banjo, 28, Babatunde Femi, 30, and Nneka Opara ‘f’ 32 were accused of detaining the victim in an apartment between May 30, 2023 and June 2, 2023.

They reportedly collected a ransom of $2,000 before releasing the victim.

“The suspects took pictures of the victim and forwarded the pictures and threat messages to the girlfriend of the victim in Zurich, who eventually sent them the sum of 2000 dollars via Western Union on June 1, 2023,” the police statement added.

According to the statement, the police also rescued about 113 kidnap victims unhurt and recovered 350 illicit firearms and 4,055 ammunition, among others during the period.

The statement continued: “The Nigeria Police Force in its ongoing efforts to combat crime and criminality and curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the country has recorded several notable breakthroughs in the past 2 months, resulting in the arrest of 1,412 suspects for various violent crimes including 548 suspects for Armed Robbery, 242 suspects for Kidnapping, 365 suspects for Murder/Homicide, and 237 suspects for Rape/Defilement. Notably, 350 illicit firearms and 4,055 ammunition of various calibers were equally recovered from across the country within the period under review, while 113 kidnap suspects were rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.

“Prominent amongst these breakthroughs was the arrest of one Yusuf Ismael Isah aged 32, a plumber from Okene, Kogi State, by gallant operatives of the Force. According to investigations, he was part of the 7-man gang that launched a fatal attack on the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleiman, the Founder of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Auchi, on October 21, 2022, along Benin – Auchi road, wherein six (6) people, including 3 police officers, were gruesomely murdered.

“Intelligence revealed that the 7-man syndicate has been actively involved in kidnapping operations within Edo State and its environs and have carried out about 4 kidnapping operations between 2021 and 2023, before the gang was eventually busted by the Police.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspect upon his arrest in Ondo State include 5 AK47 Rifles, 2 K2 Assault Rifles, 180 Rounds of Live Ammunition, 4 suspected locally made IEDs, 1 pistol, and 4 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

“Additionally, the Police have sustained a continuous assault on the camps of some non-state actors in the South-East enforcing an illegal sit-at-home order particularly in Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi States. In Enugu, 4 suspects were neutralized following a gun duel with operatives of the Force on Friday 7th July, 2023 while 1 AK47 with 19 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and 2 Molotov cocktails were recovered.

“In Ebonyi, 17 suspects were arrested following a raid on the hideout of secessionist agitators on 5th and 6th of July, 2023, while 1 locally made revolver, 2 vehicle number plates and 3 live ammunition were recovered. Similarly, in Imo, police operatives arrested 26 hoodlums following the murder of a young man in their rampage, and successfully recovered 5 firearms, 66 live ammunition and several other exhibits.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, has reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to continually ensure the safety and security of all and sundry, while emphasizing that his administration will leave no stone unturned in the effort to suppress and decimate criminality and the heinous activities of non-state actors who cause pain, hardship, and sorrows to innocent law-abiding members of the Nigerian society.”

DSS said last night it had charged the top banker to court.

The Spokesman for the DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya, who gave the information in a statement on Thursday night, did not however give the details of the charges levied against Emefiele or the court in which the case is pending.

Afunanya said: “Sequel to an Abuja High Court Order of today, 13th July, 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

“The public may recall that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

“Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June, 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

“The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law,” the DSS said.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, has described provision of stomach infrastructure as the surest way to tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

Obi stated this in a statement via his verified Twitter handle on Thursday.

The Labour Party candidate stated, “The various governments at all levels to take deliberate steps to address the issue of poverty and youth unemployment because the provision of stomach infrastructure is the surer way to tackle insecurity.

“Also, urgent steps should be taken consciously and intentionally to ameliorate the hardship of the people,” he said.

Obi expressed worry over the issue of insecurity in the country, saying it is unacceptable for lives of Nigerians to be wasted over insecurity.

The former governor of Anambra urged security agencies to do more in securing the nation, saying Nigerians can not continue to be killed in their hundreds within their own country.

According to Obi, the implications of an insecure environment for development are far-reaching, as investors will not consider venturing into to a nation where their resources will not be safe and secured.

He urged critical stakeholders including, traditional, Christian, and Muslim leaders to continue pushing for peace among their people in the way and manner they conduct themselves.

The former governor noted that the more insecurity bewilders Nigeria, the less likely the nation will be able to woo investors over to help develop the country.

He stated, “The rising insecurity in the country leading to mindless bloodletting, particularly in the North Central zone of the country, and the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East are all becoming very worrisome.

“The violent attacks in the North Central states of Benue and Plateau lately took a new twist with high records of kidnapping, arson, and loss of human lives. According to the 1st Quarter Mass Atrocities Casualty Tracking Report, over 1230 Nigerians were killed, 79 of them security operatives, with over 600 abductions in the first quarter of this year alone.

“With what has been happening in the North Central and Zamfara state lately the figure as of today will be mind-boggling even far more than the deaths recorded in Russia/Ukraine ongoing carnage.

“It’s unacceptable that hundreds of innocent lives will continue to be wasted in Nigeria needlessly through communal clashes, bandits, and kidnapping activities. The situation in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau states has raised a lot of anxiety because of the number of lives and properties lost with very little resistance from security operatives.

“Also disturbing is the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East region over the Sit-at-Home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive.

“What is going on in the South East therefore is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud, with all hands being on deck, security agencies, and the people alike.

“The South East Governors are to be commended for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace but there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in our approach to reducing the suffering of innocent people.

“Security agencies should take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents because the country cannot just be spilling the blood of innocent citizens. We as a people through our various governments should up our value for human lives in the way and manner we respond to issues that touch lives.

“The implications of an insecure environment for development are far-reaching because no investor will consider going to an area where their resources will not be safe and secured,” he said.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) to commence remittances pay-out in both Naira and foreign exchange to beneficiaries.

It has also directed that the Investors and Exporters’ (I&E) window foreign exchange rate should be used in determining the exchange rate for Naira pay-outs.

In a circular referenced: FED/FEM/PUB/FPC/001/004 issued by the Director of Trade and Exchange. Dr. Ozoemena Nnaji, dated July 10, 2023, the apex bank said the decision was in furtherance to an earlier circular dated November 30, 2022 with reference number: FED/FEM/FPC/01/011 which provided guidelines on the payout policy of diaspora remittances to beneficiaries.

The November 30, 2022 circular introduced the payment of dollars to beneficiaries of diaspora remittances through the designated bank of their choice and with unrestricted access to their funds.

According to the new circular, the Naira payment was only an option, in addition to United States Dollars and E-Naira in receiving Diaspora remittances.

The Circular reads in full, “Further to the circular referenced FED/FEM/FPC/01/011 dated November 30, 2022 in respect of the above subject, the Central Bank of Nigeria hereby announces Naira as a payout option for receipts of proceeds of International Money Transfers.

“Accordingly, all recipients of Diaspora remittances through the CBN-approved International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) on the attached list shall henceforth have the option of receiving Naira payment in addition to USD and e-Naira as payout options.

“For the avoidance of doubt, IMTOs are required to pay out the proceeds using the Investors’ & Exporters’ window rate as the anchor rate on the date of the transaction. The regulation takes effect immediately.”

Recall that CBN had, mid last month, announced the unification of all segments of the Nigerian forex market by collapsing all windows into the Investors & Exporters (I&E) window.

The move was considered part of the new administration’s efforts to improve liquidity and stability in the market by attracting foreign investors into the Nigerian economy.

Further the apex bank stopped the RT200 and the Naira4dollar remittance schemes, last month.

Under scheme introduced in 2021, the CBN, through commercial banks, paid diaspora remittance recipients the incentive of N5 for every USD1 remitted and collected by designated beneficiary.

The Naira4Dollar scheme was to incentivise remittances from Nigerians in the Diaspora and was indeed considered successful, as encouraged more remittances and a steady foreign exchange inflow into the country. The RT200 which comprised a set of plans, policies, and programmes was designed to increase the nation’s earnings exclusively from non-oil exports to $200 billion in foreign exchange repatriation, within the next five years.

The news of the N500 billion palliative proposed by President Bola Tinubu to cushion the effects of the petrol subsidy removal has continued to generate mixed reactions.
On Wednesday, the President wrote to the House of Representatives seeking approval for N500bn to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal.

In a swift response, the House on Thursday approved the request, calling for proper utilisation of the funds for the purpose it was meant for.

The President announced petrol subsidy removal during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023, in response to claims that the subsidy regime favoured the rich more than the average Nigerians, among other reasons.

These are titbits on how to benefit from the palliatives:

1. You must be on the ‘national social register’ – The former Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed in the last administration had explained that there is a social register which will be used for the electronic transfers of the funds.

The palliative will be provided to the ‘most vulnerable members’ who have been identified, registered and contained in a national social register which had been developed by the Ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development.

The National Social register as of the end of January 2022 has captured over 46 million Nigerians.

2. Although the modality to be adopted by the Federal Government in the implementation of the new programme is yet to be fully outlined, these cash transfers are for poor and vulnerable people in both rural and urban areas in Nigeria.

3. Vulnerability is the degree to which a population, individual, or organisation is unable to anticipate, cope with, resist, and recover from the impacts of disasters. It is determined through evidence-based assessments and will be consistent with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

This determination is in line with the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) adopted by Nigeria, which identifies multiple deprivations at the household and individual level in health, education, and standard of living, used by the country to assess vulnerable populations.

4. Children, adolescent girls, women, the elderly, unemployed, malnourished people, and those who are ill or with pre-existing health conditions or disabilities are particularly vulnerable.

Members of the House of Representatives are demanding raises in their salaries and allowances, citing the removal of fuel subsidies and the state of the economy.

During a meeting on Tuesday, July 11, which included an executive session during plenary, some lawmakers expressed their concerns regarding their salaries and allowances, prompting the need to address the issue and alleviate tension.

During the meeting, some lawmakers raised their grievances about the delay in receiving their salaries and allowances, which led a few of them to resort to taking out loans.

However, speaking anonymously, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting said the discussion solely revolved around the need for a salary increase rather than the issue of delayed payment.

The lawmaker explained that they conveyed to the Speaker, Tajudeen Abass, that their current salaries and allowances were no longer sufficient to meet the demands of their positions, necessitating a review.

“So nobody talked about any money or whether we have been paid or not,” the lawmaker explained.

The source said the focus was on the economic challenges resulting from the fuel subsidy removal, which has led to skyrocketing prices of goods and services in the country, according to NAN

The news agency also stated that the source disclosed that Abass did not make any promises regarding the salary and allowance review, as such matters can only be accommodated through the proper budgetary process.

The speaker, according to the anonymous legislator, told his colleagues that their request for a review of their salaries and allowances was not in the 2023 budget.

The source emphasised that given the country’s situation, they understood why the speaker could not make immediate commitments, stating, “We all know the situation in the country; we are all facing the same problem.”

The Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) is responsible for determining the salaries and allowances of public officials and had proposed a 100 per cent increase.

However, the approval of such an increase is pending the president’s decision and inclusion in the budget.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu submitted a communication to the House of Representatives on Wednesday, July 12, seeking an amendment to the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.

The proposed amendment aims to allocate ₦500 billion for the provision of palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

President Tinubu stated that the requested amendment was necessary to ensure the government’s ability to provide support and relief measures to alleviate the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the appointment of the nation’s service chiefs and the Chief of Defence Staff appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

This follows the conclusion of their screening before the lawmakers at the Senate Chamber.

During the screening which was held behind closed doors, the security chiefs briefed the Senate on their career progression and pledged to meet national expectations of ensuring security and defending the nations’s territorial integrity.

The Service Chiefs Are:

Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff

Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff

Rear Admiral E. A Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff

AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff

It would be recalled that President Tinubu had in a letter on Tuesday to the legislators, urged the Senate to screen and confirm the CDS and Service Chiefs nominees for substantive appointments.

Ifeanyi Ubah, the lawmaker representing Anambra South Senatorial District has said that South-East leaders are planning to meet President Bola Tinubu for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Kanu has been in detention for over 2 years which has fueled attacks in the Southeast.

According to Ubah, Kanu's release will help reduce insecurity in the South-East geopolitical zone.

“There is a resolution that we are going to meet with the president and we will tick his leniency and see if it is going to be possible to plead with him to have Nnamdi Kanu released,” Ubah said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday.

“We have taken that position and for also some of us in the Senate, we have our caucus, we have also taken that position.”

The lawmaker noted that Kanu’s release is part of the discussion to put on table once they are able to get into talks with the President.

He maintained that there is a connection between releasing the IPOB leader and the state of security in the South-East.

Ubah also said that Kanu is not in support of sit-at-home, adding that he has said it publicly in one of his appearances in court.

Further speaking, the lawmaker divorced Kanu’s agitation from the sit-at-home, lamenting that the recent surge of the sit-at-home order is stunting the growth of the economy of the zone.

“The agitation is different, we are talking about sit-at-home which is really deteriorating the economy of the southeast region. The agitation is a political issue about the inequities in how an Igbo man is seen in Nigeria,” he said.

Ubah also said that the South-East leaders are as well considering engaging with the government of Finland to probe sit-at-home crusader, Simon Ekpa.

“We also need to look at the young man that is in Finland that is causing all this problem and see how we can diplomatically engage the government of Finland and show them that he is not really giving a good service. Even though we don’t know if he has taken the nationality of Finland,” he said.

Last week, the Senator had warned Ekpa to carry the sit-at-home crusade to his home state of Ebonyi and leave Anambra State alone.

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi has portrayed the sit-at-home directives in the south-east as the handiwork of a criminal enterprise.

This was contained in a statement posted on his official Twitter page on Thursday by the former Anambra governor, Peter Obi.

He said the sit-at-home orders are not issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), while calling on security agencies to take urgent steps to deal with the heightened insecurity and crime across the country.

Obi also commended south-eastern governors for their efforts in curbing criminal activities in the region, and called for more strategic and intelligence-driven approaches to reduce the suffering on citizens.

“The situation in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau state has raised a lot of anxiety because of the number of lives and properties lost with very little resistance from security operatives,” Obi said.

“Also disturbing is the continued disruption of business and social activities in the South East region over the Sit-at-Home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive.

“What is going on in the South East therefore is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud, with all hands being on deck, security agencies, and the people alike.

“The South East Governors are to be commended for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace but there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in our approach to reducing the suffering of innocent people.

“Security agencies should take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents because the country cannot just be spilling the blood of innocent citizens.

“We as a people through our various governments should up our value for human lives in the way and manner we respond to issues that touch lives.

“The implications of an insecure environment for development are far-reaching because no investor will consider going to an area where their resources will not be safe and secured.”

Obi called on religious, traditional leaders and stakeholders to continue pushing for peace among their people, and called on governments at all levels to take urgent steps to address the widespread poverty and youth unemployment in the land.

“Therefore, I will like to urge critical stakeholders in these areas, traditional, Christian, and Muslim leaders to continue pushing for peace among their people in the way and manner they conduct themselves,” he said.

“The various governments at all levels should also take deliberate steps to address the issue of poverty and youth unemployment because the provision of stomach infrastructure is the surer way to tackle insecurity.

“Also, urgent steps should be taken consciously and intentionally to ameliorate the hardship of the people.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said 12m families will get N8, 000 over a period of six months to ameliorate the hardships faced by Nigerians as a result of subsidy removal.

In a letter to the House of Representatives read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Tuesday, Tinubu said it was support to enable poor and vulnerable Nigerians cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.

The letter was for approval of additional financing for the national social safety net programme scaled up by the National Assembly.

He said this would have a multiplier effect on about 60 million individuals.

In order to guarantee the credibility of the process, he said digital transfers would be made directly to beneficiaries accounts.

Recall that Tinubu requested for approval of a loan facility of $800million from the World Bank to finance the National Safety Net Programme of the Federal Government.

In the letter sent to the Senate, the President said the $800million loan facility is intended to be used to support poor Nigerians and will be disbursed to poor households across the country.

He said the facility is an extension of the unconditional cash transfer being implemented by the Federal Government.

Tinubu’s letter of request for the $800million World Bank loan, reads in part: “Please note that the Federal Executive Council led by President Muhammadu Buhari approved an additional loan facility to the tune of $800 million to be secured from the World Bank for the National Social Safety Net programme. Copy of FEC’s extract attached.

“You may also wish to note that the purpose of the facility is to expand coverage of shock responsive safety net support among the poor and vulnerable Nigerians. This will assist them in coping with basic needs.

“You may further wish to note that under the conditional cash transfer window of the programme, the Federal Government of Nigeria will transfer the sum of N8,000 per month to 12 million poor and low income households for a period of six months, with a multiplier effect on about 60 million individuals.

“In order to guarantee the credibility of the process, digital transfers will be made directly to beneficiaries’ accounts and mobile wallets.

“It is expected that the programme, will stimulate economic activities in the informal sector, and improve nutrition, health, education, and human capital development of beneficiaries’ households.

“Given the above, I wish to invite the Senate to kindly grant approval for the additional loan facility of $800 million to be secured from World Bank for the National Social Safety Net Programme.

“While hoping that this submission will receive expeditious consideration by the Senate, please accept the assurances of my highest regards.”