The operatives of the Nasarawa State Police Command have confirmed the arrest of one Ogeh Bethel Chibuife, a fictitious National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, at the Magaji Dan Yumusa Orientation Camp in Keffi.

In a statement published on Thursday by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), DSP Ramhan Nansel, the arrest was as a result of a complaint submitted at the Keffi Divisional Headquarters through a NYSC Staff member.

According to the statement made available to New Telegraph, the suspect was located after a head count of all Corps members who were attending a week-long orientation exercise at the camp.

The PPRO explained that the suspect, who was determined to be an Ebonyi State University student in the Faculty of Management Science and Department of Public Administration, gained illicit entry into the camp.

“She confessed that she was supposed to have graduated in 2022 but had a lot of spillover courses, and in a bid to cover up the lies she’d made to her parents, she went to the market and purchased NYSC uniforms/other items meant for Corps members and sneaked into the Camp to take pictures and send to her parents before nemesis caught up with her.

“The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, CP Umar Shehu Nadada psc, mni hereby calls on all those nursing ambitions to toe the path of these fake corps members to have a rethink as the long arm of the law will catch up with them”, the statement added.

France star Paul Pogba has been given a four-year ban from football by Italy’s anti-doping tribunal after testing positive for testosterone last August, his club Juventus said on Thursday.

A spokesman for the club told AFP it had been notified of the decision against the 30-year-old World Cup winner, who had been provisionally suspended in September.

“We received notification from the tribunal this morning,” the spokesman said. Italy’s anti-doping body did not immediately respond when contacted by AFP.

Pogba announced he would appeal the ruling, which risks bringing a premature end to his career.

“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me,” he posted on Instagram.

Declaring the verdict was “incorrect”, he denied ever using performance-enhancing substances.

“When I am free of legal restrictions the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations”, he insisted.

“As a consequence of the decision announced today I will appeal this before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.”

The ban means Pogba will not be able to play again until the 2027/28 season, by which time he will be 34.

Anti-doping prosecutors had called for the four-year ban to be imposed on the former Manchester United midfielder, who tested positive following Juventus’s opening match of the Italian Serie A season against Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.

A month later a B sample confirmed the presence of testosterone, and he had been provisionally suspended since.

Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.

The ban could have been limited to two years if Pogba had been able to prove he was not at fault, or even just a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and (was) not related to his level of performance”.

Pogba, who returned to Juventus for a second spell in 2022 after six years at United, was a key member of the France team that won the World Cup in Russia in 2018, scoring in the final against Croatia.

His positive doping test came as he was trying to put behind him a difficult first season back at Juve, in which he struggled with fitness problems and made just 10 appearances, while also missing France’s defence of the World Cup in Qatar due to injury.

He made two substitute appearances for Juventus at the start of this campaign before being suspended.

Extortion attempt

Meanwhile Pogba, who was a youth player at Le Havre before a first move to Old Trafford aged 16 in 2009, has been troubled by off-field issues.

An investigation is ongoing in France into an extortion attempt against him in March 2022, which involved a break-in at his home in the Paris suburbs.

Two intruders allegedly held Pogba against his will demanding 13 million euros ($14.1 million at today’s rates).

Pogba’s older brother Mathias is one of the suspects involved in the case, along with childhood friends of the family.

His contract at Juventus, worth a reported eight million euros ($8.7 million) a season, runs until 2026.

However, he has been unable to train since the announcement of the positive test and Juve have suspended payment of his salary.

Pogba made just a handful of appearances in his first spell in England before becoming a star at Juve between 2012 and 2016.

In that time he won four straight Serie A titles and played in the Juventus side that lost to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final.

He returned to United in 2016 for 105 million euros, a world record fee at the time, and won the Europa League and League Cup in his first season back, playing under Jose Mourinho.

Pogba has won 91 caps for France, and played in the team that got to the final of Euro 2016 before their World Cup triumph two years later.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Capital Territory Command, have arrested three suspects who specialize in car snatching and robbery in Abuja and its environs.

The Commissioner of Police in the FCT, Ben Igweh, while parading the suspects, said operatives of the Command on February 16, 2024, at about 3:00pm, acting on credible intelligence, arrested three notorious and wanted car snatchers.

The arrested suspects are David Junior Godwin of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, who is the gang leader; Paul Taju of Gwagwalada, Abuja and Ali Shitu also of Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

The CP explained that the suspects are members of a four-man gang who specialize in inter-state car theft and snatching come into FCT, perpetrate their heinous acts and take the stolen vehicles to Port-Harcourt to sell.

He further said that on the twenty-third of February 2024 at about 2:15pm acting on credible intelligence, police operatives of the command from anti-fraud unit arrested two suspects, Abdullahi Yahaya of Nasarawa State and Gold Ebere of Jabi, Abuja, at a garden in Jabi, Abuja in possession of 36 bundles of fake $100 notes, totaling about $300,000.

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has lamented the free fall of the naira, saying the Federal Government printed too much money in circulation.

The governor stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

“I believe that the major problem we have is financial discipline. We are dealing with an economy where we printed so much money, at the last count, we will be nearing N30 trillion,” he said.

“So what happens with ways and means is that the quantum of goods that you have available in an economy does not increase with the quantity of money that you print.”

Consumption To Production

During the interview, the governor, who is a member of the Labour Party (LP), said the nation must move from consumption to production for the economy to recover.

He condemned the situation whereby Africa’s largest economy imports virtually every product, saying it piles much pressure on the foreign market.

“The issue of production versus consumption, if the economy must recover, we must move to production.

“That does not necessarily mean we will reduce consumption; what it means is that we will be consuming what we produce, to the extent that we are importing virtually everything. You keep piling pressure on the foreign exchange market,” he said.

The Senate, on Thursday, directed the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to recruit a minimum of 10 candidates from each of the 774 local government councils in Nigeria.

The directive, according to the Upper Chamber, should form part of its annual recruitment processes.

The resolution was reached as a result of a motion moved by Sen. Emmanuel, Udende Memga representing Benue North East, on the need for the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force, to adhere to the Federal Character Principle in the recruitment of constables in the Nigerian Police Force.

The Upper Chamber also directed the Committees on Police Affairs and Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

This is as a bill for an act to establish the National Assembly Budget and Research Office, scaled second reading on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

If eventually passed, the bill sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau Jibrin, will provide the National Assembly with objective, timely and non-partisan analysis needed for economic and budget decisions.

The Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, has lamented the condition the state was in when he took over reins of power last May, saying that it was left in a very bad shape by his predecessor, Okezie Ikpeazu.

When asked if he met the state in bad shape, he replied, “Absolutely, very, very bad shape, but I am not complaining. I have folded my sleeves and I am just dealing with what I met here.”

The governor was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.

He said that while he was not totally against debts, his grouse was that he did not see what the money borrowed by his predecessor was used for.

“My worry is not really about debt, it is about what the debt is used for. If you inherited a debt profile of N34.4 billion by May 29, 2015 and eight years later you ran that debt to about N192.2 billion; I really can’t see anything that you have done with the money, salaries were not being paid, pensioners were being owed, infrastructure was decaying, the place go into ruins, schools were run down completely, hospitals were dilapidated.

“So, the issue is where did the money go? If I am going to take debt, it is going to go into regenerative expenditure. But when you are taking loans and you are running the state into debt, just for consumption, you are not investing in the state; you are not paying salaries; that’s actually what I was talking about.”

On tax collection, Governor Otti said his administration has cleaned up the system by driving away miscreants from collecting taxes for the government.

He said that they have made it a duty that collection of any revenue cannot be made in cash.

“As a government, we do not patronise touts and we have also made it clear that people in Ariaaria market can only pay through the designated banks. Cash payments are no longer allowed. You do not pay for any revenue by cash, you can only pay through the banks,” he said.

Otti also reassured the people of Abia of delivering rail project which is one of the projects he promised during his campaign. He said the government has been in a discussion with a Chinese company and that the discussions are going well.

Former Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuka, has challenged the federal government of Nigeria to try the ingenuity of Nigerian youths by giving them 24/7 power supply in one whole month, and see what they could do with their brains.

In a monitored broadcast yesterday, the erstwhile DG of NOA who spoke on ‘State of the Nation’ decried the level of profligacy and insensitivity of political leaders in the country which is evident in the current unprecedented economic hardship ravaging the entire country.

Dissatisfied with the poverty level in the country, the American- based Physician recalled his experience as the DG of NOA, and how he was ousted out of office by act of corrupt system and persons who are bent at destroying Nigeria.

“On assumption as DG of NOA, I was told that workers don’t receive January salary till after April, and I asked why, I was told it was the status quo, that workers’ salary were use for investment (without their consent) by one person, but I told them I won’t do such wickedness. And I delivered”

Chukwuka affirmed that leadership is not for everyone but for serious minded persons with sacrificial hearts, and not for kleptocrats, gerontocrats nor for kakistocrats. “Nigeria’s endemic problem didn’t start today but from the time of Shagari, and as it is we can’t come out corruption today. What we have are politicians who buy houses in UK, US, Canada with public funds.

The medical expert posited that Nigeria doesn’t deserve any person above 55 to be president given what he called in medical terms ‘decrescendo cognitive level’, adding that age of a man or woman affects his productivity.

“We (55 years above) don’t have that cognitive ability again. A good actor leaves the scene when the ovation is loudest. We’re in decrescendo level. Old men have nothing to offer. Look at all Nigerian leaders, old men throughout.

“I served four governors in Anambra, I don’t have a plot of land in Akwa, I was in Abuja as DG of NOA, I don’t have a plot of land in Abuja, that was not what I came for. But I didn’t last in office because of some people’s selfish interest, but before my exit, I ensured accountability and transparency”

He maintained that the Nigerian governance system does not help the common man, but was skewed to favor the rich and a section of the country. “What we have is over- bloated government and over- bloated expanses.

“I summarized Nigerian problems in 5 I’s thus, Indiscipline, intolerance, impatience, insincerity and injustice, but there was no time for me to start tackling them from NOA, because they removed me after 1 year and some months” he bemoaned.

The NGX market capitalization witnessed a notable surge, as the value of listed equities soared by N390 billion, reaching N54.71 trillion by the close of the session.

This follows a loss of N700 billion reported in the previous day’s trading as investors reacted to the outcome of the MPC. The gains posted today suggest investors may be having a rethink as some stocks became attractive following the sell-offs.

In terms of drivers, the positive performance of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) was primarily fueled by significant gains in the banking sector, with all FUGAZ banks experiencing increases in their market worth. 

The NSE experienced a modest upswing, reversing the previous bearish trend, with a gain of 714.28 points in the NGX All-Share Index (ASI), settling at 99,980.3 points. 

Trading activity demonstrated improvement, with a total volume of 542.95 million shares traded, marking a notable increase of 146.72 million shares compared to the previous session’s volume of 396.23 million shares. 

Moreover, the total trading value saw an uptick, with shares worth N8.697 billion changing hands, indicating a 49.28% increase from the N5.83 billion recorded in the preceding session. 

Market Indices  

Here are the market Indices for today’s trading session    

• NGX All-Share Index: 99,980.3 points    
• Previous ASI: 99,266.02 points 
• % Day Change: +0.72%      
• % YTD: +33.71%     
• Market Cap: N54.71 trillion     
• Volume Traded: 542.95 million units     
• Value: N8.697 billion     
• Deals: 9,650 

Top Gainers   

• GTCO: +10% to close at N39.60 
• NEM: +10% to close at N6.60 
• JULI: +10% to close at N3.41  
• UBA: +10% to close at N22.55 
• CHAMPION: +9.97% to close at N3.42 

Top Losers 

• TIP: -10% to close at N1.80 
• SUNUASSUR: -10% to close at N1.71 
• ETERNA: -9.81% to close at N14.25 
• CWG: -9.76% to close at N5.55 
• MORISON: -9.58% to close at N1.51 

Top Traded Stocks 

In trading activity, UBA led the pack with a volume of 93.71 million units exchanged, closely followed by TRANSCORP with 54.08 million units, JAPAULGOLD with 34.34 million units, STERLING with 28.49 million units, and FIDELITYBK with 27.09 million units.  

SWOOT and FUGAZ Update 

FBN Holdings has re-entered the SWOOT category, showing a slight 1.27% uptick in its market value, while GTCO and Zenith Bank also experienced gains in their share prices.

• Conversely, stability persists among AIRTELAFRI, MTNN, BUACEMENT, BUAFOODS, DANGCEM, GEREGU, SEPLAT, and TRANSCOHOT. 
• In the top-tier banking segments, both UBA and GTCO saw significant 10% increases in their market values. Access Holding, Zenith Bank, and FBN Holdings recorded rises of 9.74%, 7.86%, and 1.27%, respectively, in their market worth. 

[Nairametrics]

Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, on Thursday, said Nigeria should break up if the path would solve the country’s challenges.

Soyinka said this at the PUNCH Newspapers’ 50th-anniversary lecture held in Lagos.

Delivering his lecture titled ‘Recovering the Narrative’, Soyinka said Nigeria should decentralised for Nigerians to enjoy the country more.

The lecture, which was delivered by the Nobel laureate, is part of the weeklong activities marking the 50th anniversary of PUNCH.

The elder statesman said decentralisation would allow governance to get closer to the people, adding that it was high time for leaders to stop taking Nigerians for a ride.

“I know the fear. The fear is collapse, break up. That’s been the excuse given by several regimes. But suppose the nation is breaking up informally, in other words as a fact rather than as a theory. Then, and you better just address this. Come straight on and see exactly what happened. What is wrong with general representatives seeing them and saying this is the protocol of our association, Anything outside of it? Anyone who does not want to accept these protocols, abide by these protocols and manifest these protocols in the act should take a walk. I have no problem at all.

“We live in what is known as the nation beginning as a vast football field is ending up as a ping pong table. If that is going to restore dignity to citizens. If that is going to guarantee three square meals a day then so be it. One of my favourite expressions with people is “Let nations die, that humanity may live.”

He explained that while Nigerian politicians know the importance of restructuring, they change their tune when they get to power.

He said, “What do you mean by restructuring? Well, I don’t even like the word restructuring. I use, I prefer expressions like reconfiguration and decentralisation. Everybody can grasp that, decentralisation. And those who lead, recognise the necessity of it. They recognise the importance, almost the inevitability of it until they get into power, yes, that’s the difference.

“It’s about time, I think leaders stopped taking this nation for a ride, you know, we must decentralise. Security, you know, has become a burden to bear. From all corners of the nation, that is the crime.

“Decentralised so that government can come closer to the people, and productivity can really be manifested as a product of citizens, not simply as a manna from heaven.”

Founded in March 1973, PUNCH, Nigeria’s foremost newspaper, clocked 50 on March 18 last year but its board of directors moved the 50th-anniversary celebration to this year because the anniversary month fell within an election month and year.

The 50th anniversary is being marked with the 40th anniversary of the passing of PUNCH founding Chairman, the late Chief James Olubunmi Aboderin, who died on February 28, 1984, at the age of 50.

[DailyTrust]