The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has announced a planned reduction of ₦50 per litre in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) for consumers.

This development follows a new agreement between IPMAN and Dangote Refinery, as confirmed by IPMAN’s National President, Abubakar Maigandi, during an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

Maigandi, while speaking on Channels TV, disclosed that Dangote Refinery has set a price template of ₦940 per litre for depot purchases and ₦990 per litre for truck purchases for IPMAN members, a move expected to bring down petrol prices across the country.

Maigandi explained that with this arrangement, their members who currently sell petrol between ₦1,150 and ₦1,200 per litre will reduce the price by ₦50, depending on the location.

The price reduction is anticipated to provide relief for Nigerian consumers, who have faced fluctuating fuel prices.

He said, “Presently, we have been given two different arrangements on how to buy fuel from the refinery.

“There is the one that we can load the vessels and carry to our various depots at the rate of ₦940 per litre. Then for the depots, it is at the rate of ₦990 per litre.

“For instance, the current price in Maiduguri now is N1,200 per litre. So with these current changes, it may likely reduce to ₦1,150, which is a reduction of ₦50. So that’s ₦1,150. It may even be below that.”

Recall that on Monday, IPMAN announced that Dangote Refinery agreed to sell petrol to its members directly, which brought an end to Nigerian National Petroleum Company, which is the sole buyer of Dangote Petrol.

The development comes after Dangote Refinery announced that its gasoline is sold at ₦960 and ₦990 per litre for ships and trucks.

Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo and the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, were sworn in on Tuesday in Benin City.

Following his victory in the state governorship election held on September 21, 2024, Okpebholo officially took over from former Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Amid heavy crowd and security presence, Okpebholo, accompanied by his two daughters, took the oath of office and allegiance at 1:00 pm administered by the state Chief Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa.

Earlier, Idahosa, accompanied by his wife, mounted the podium to take the oath as the deputy governor of the state.

The governor later went ahead to inspect the guard of honour as well as a parade by the officers and men of the Nigeria Police.

Supporters of the party at the stadium cheered all through the oath-taking exercise meant to usher in the new administration in the state.

Speaking after his swearing-in, Okpebholo unveiled a five-point agenda for the development of the state.

In his inaugural speech, he pledged to prioritise security, infrastructure, healthcare, food sufficiency, and education.

The governor declared war on criminals, saying the era of incessant kidnapping and other violent crimes was over.

“Our citizens are a top priority for us. To achieve this, we shall implement programmes carefully outlined in my five-point agenda, designed to grow robust economic growth and improve the lives of our people.

“We will not betray this confidence you have reposed in me and the Deputy Governor, Rt. Honourable Dennis Idahosa,” Okpebholo said.

Bemoaning incessant cases of kidnapping and other crimes, the governor said his administration would be firm in dealing with criminals and improve the security of the state.

“For a long time now, our people have become victims of kidnapping and other violent crimes.

“To end this ugly situation, we will be firm in dealing with criminals and improve the security of our land, so that farming and other business activities will flourish again.

“The deplorable condition of our roads has made it difficult for people to move from one part of the state to another.

“Our policy to develop road infrastructure is targeted at constructing roads, drainages, and bridges to ease transportation for all.

“We shall immediately commence work to make the roads passable again.

“We are also ready to partner with the Federal Government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, those in the diaspora, and other stakeholders, to develop our state across all sectors,” he said.

The governor promised that the new administration would support small businesses and market women with soft loans.

“Our teeming youthful population will not be left out. We shall support them in acquiring relevant skills for self-empowerment.

“My administration shall immediately swing into action to recruit teachers and rebuild the deplorable classrooms.

“Tertiary education will be strengthened in many ways, too, to ensure quality education,” Okpebholo added.

He added, “Fellow citizens, my administration is ready to link communities that have not yet been connected to the national grid to ensure that they have electricity.

“Our traditional institution shall be given the necessary support to play their role as custodians of our rich cultural heritage.

“It is in recognition of this that my administration shall support the decision of the Federal Government to uphold the Oba of Benin as the exclusive owner of the returned artefacts, which were looted by British colonial forces during the Benin Massacre of 1897,” he said.

He promised to work closely with other arms of government to strengthen democracy and good governance in the state.

The governor also announced a panel of inquiry into the remote cause of the failure to inaugurate 14 members-elect of the House of Assembly in 2019.

Okpebholo names new appointees

The governor appointed Dr Cyril Adams Oshiomhole, son of the former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, as the Commissioner for Health-designate.

In a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, on Tuesday, the governor also appointed Musa Ikhilor as the Secretary to State Government and a former member of the House of Representatives, Samson Osagie, as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice-designate.

Cyril’s academic journey began at St. Anne’s Primary School, followed by Command Secondary School.

He later pursued higher education at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Medicine and Surgery.

He enrolled at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, where he obtained a Master of Science in Public Health, majoring in Environmental Health, Toxicology, and Disaster Management.

His academic pursuits continued at Harvard University, Boston, where he underwent postgraduate training in Clinical Research and at Queen Mary University, London, where he studied Gastroenterology.

Ikhilor was born on the 6th of August 1980 at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo State.

He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained an LL.B in 2008 (Second class Upper Division). In 2009, he obtained a B.L. (Second Class Upper Division) at the Nigerian Law School and was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

In 2017, Ikhilor proceeded to acquire his Masters degree in Telecommunications Law (LL.M) from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He has over 11 years of experience in legislative drafting, parliamentary administration, lawmaking procedures and processes, constitutional drafting and amendment, and general legislative governance issues working in various capacities at the National Assembly.

In 2019, he was appointed a Consultant to the House of Representatives on the review of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he had been closely analysing and reviewing matters on gender equity, human rights, strengthening institutions of government and creating efficient and transparent processes and systems to deliver good governance.

Also in 2019, he was appointed as Senior Special Assistant and later Special Adviser to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who also doubled as the first Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.

In May 2022, he was assigned to act as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives when the substantive Chief of Staff resigned to contest in the 2023 parliamentary elections.

In June 2022, Ikhilor was appointed by the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Notary Public.

He is active in business, corporate legal practice and social works where he serves as the Managing Partner of Springfield Legal Consult and as the Executive Director and Board of Trustees member of Amana Legacy Foundation.

“In addition to these roles, he also provides consultancy services to several private and public sector entities. He is married and union blessed with children,” the statement read.

Itua said Osagie, the nominee for Attorney-General, is a private legal practitioner, having been called to the Nigerian Bar on March 22, 1995.

He is also the current Vice President of the African Bar Association (West Africa).

Born on November 11, 1967, Osagie hails from the Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

He was a two-term member of the Edo State House of Assembly and also the House of Representatives where he rose to the position of the Minority Whip.

He has been involved in intensive legal practice across Nigeria and the African continent.

He holds a first degree in Law from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, a qualifying Certificate for Law practice from the Nigerian Law School, and triple Master’s degrees in Law, Public Administration and International Relations.

He also bagged a Doctorate in Political Economy and Development Studies.

He has been a legal adviser, solicitor, and consultant to many corporate organisations and development partners.

Tinubu congratulates Okpebholo

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday extended his heartfelt congratulations to Okpebholo on his inauguration as the Edo State governor.

Tinubu conveyed his felicitations through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

The statement is titled “President Tinubu congratulates Senator Okpebholo on Edo governorship inauguration.”

In his message, the President urged Okpebholo to diligently work to enhance the living standards of the people of Edo State and make a significant impact during his tenure.

Reflecting on the transition, the President noted that after eight years under Obaseki’s administration, Edo State was rejoining the ranks of the All Progressives Congress.

“He emphasised the importance of Governor Okpebholo justifying the confidence placed in him and the APC while fostering true democracy and effective governance in the state.

“The President encouraged Okpebholo to empower the legislature and other vital government institutions throughout his administration, underscoring that a robust and independent legislature is essential for achieving democratic good governance,” the statement read.

Expressing concerns, Tinubu lamented the previous administration’s attempts to undermine the legislative branch, which hindered its effectiveness for much of its tenure.

Additionally, Tinubu commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for the successful conduct of the Edo State governorship election and encouraged the commission to strive for even greater excellence in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election, scheduled for November 16, 2024.

The President celebrated this milestone as a new chapter in Edo State’s democratic journey and rejoiced with the people of Edo for this momentous occasion.

As Okpebholo and Idahosa were sworn in, Tinubu assured Nigerians that the nation’s most challenging economic period was now behind them.

In his address, Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, celebrated what he termed “democracy in its truest form,” stressing the significance of the popular will in shaping Nigeria’s political landscape.

Shettima leads delegation

Vice President Shettima led the Federal Government delegation to grace the inauguration.

Shettima was joined by governors across the country, who were elected on the platform of the APC.

The governors included AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Bassey Otu of Cross River, and Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto, among others.

The National Chairman of the APC, Dr Umar Ganduje and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, were also part of the ceremony, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin.

Other dignitaries included the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, among many others.

Parliament calls for youth inclusion

The Edo State Youth Parliament has urged Okpebholo to include youths in his government.

They promised to support the new administration in building a prosperous and inclusive future for the people of the state.

The Chairman of the State Youth Parliament, Fawaz Muhammad, at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, congratulated the governor and his deputy, expressing confidence that this would be the beginning of a new era of impactful leadership in the state.

He also expressed the parliament’s readiness to support the new administration in achieving its set objectives for the people of the state.

He said, “The Edo State Youth Parliament is calling on the new governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to include youths in his government, as they are ready to support the new administration in building a prosperous and inclusive future for the people of the state.

“We congratulate the governor and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa. We are confident that this will be the beginning of a new era of impactful leadership in the state.

“We believe that under your leadership, Edo State will experience significant advancements in youth development, education, economic empowerment, and community welfare.

“We are confident that this administration will bring hope, opportunity, and progress to every young person in Edo State.

“In this spirit, we humbly encourage your administration to prioritise youth inclusivity within the cabinet and in policies that impact our state.

“By engaging the perspectives and energy of Edo youths, this administration has the unique opportunity of fostering a more innovative, united, and dynamic state.”

Obaseki in Lagos, aide says

An aide to Obaseki has denied claims in some media outlets that the former governor has fled the country.

The aide, who craved anonymity, told The PUNCH that Obaseki was in Lagos on Sunday, where he was hosted by friends and business associates.

He also stated that the governor, in a broadcast on Monday night, spoke to the Edo people, thanking them for the support they gave him while he was in the saddle.

He noted that the former governor was passionate about Edo and he would always be a regular feature in the state.

He said, “There is no truth that the former governor has fled the country. There is no need for him to do that. His friends hosted him in Lagos on Sunday and he spoke to the Edo people in a broadcast on Monday.

“It is mischievous to say that Obaseki has run away from the country. He will remain in Nigeria and still support the Edo people.”

The Nigerian military has identified Lakurawa as a relatively new terror group infiltrating Sokoto and Kebbi states via the Niger Republic after the recent coup in Nigeria’s neighboring country.

However, investigations by Premium Times  reveal that Lakurawa, an al-Qaeda-linked organization, has been active since before last year’s Niger coup.

Last week Thursday, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters acknowledged Lakurawa as a fresh threat worsening insecurity in the North-west.

“Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-west,” said Edward Buba, a military spokesperson, at a press briefing. “This sect is known as Lukawaras, the Lukawaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel, particularly from Mali and Niger Republic.”

Buba, a major general, also claimed that Lakurawa emerged from Mali and Niger following the breakdown of military cooperation between Niger and Nigeria after last year’s coup.

Following the military’s recent classification of Lakurawa as a new threat, multiple narratives have emerged on social media about the group. While some link them to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahel (ISGS), past research contradicts this affiliation.

A 2022 study by Murtala Rufa’i, James Barnett, and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz notes that Lakurawa militants reject the Boko Haram label, preferring terms like Mujahideen or Ansaru—associating them with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Nigeria.

Similar to Ansaru, the Lakurawa group pledges to protect local communities but often targets military sites and civilians perceived as threats. Ansaru operatives, potentially sharing Lakurawa’s ideology, are thought to operate in parts of Kaduna, such as Birnin Gwari, indicating a spread of jihadist influence into the troubled North-west region.

The study by Rufa’i and colleagues links Lakurawa to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda branch formed in Mali in 2017 by merging four extremist groups from the region.

Rufa’i’s 2021 research details how Lakurawa was initially brought into Sokoto State in 2017 by local leaders from Gudu and Tangaza LGAs to help control escalating bandit threats from Zamfara State.

“Zamfarawa bandits crossed from their strongholds in Zamfara to attack locals in various communities in Tangaza and Gudu LGAs, as well as eastern Sokoto,” Rufa’i notes. He adds, “The Islamic sect [Lakurawa] began with fewer than 50 local youth in 2017 but has since grown to over 200, mainly young men aged 18–35.”

A traditional leader from Balle, a Gudu LGA village, described the Lakurawa as Malians who speak Arabic and Fulfulde, stating that they were initially invited to secure local communities.

“The District Head of Balle in Gudu Local Government, together with the District Head of Gongono in Tangaza, collaborated with Alhaji Bello Wamakko, former Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association chairman, to hire Lakurawa from Mali to counter Zamfarawa bandits,” the leader shared in a 2021 interview.

Community leaders who enlisted Lakurawa contributed to their expansion by providing cash, cattle, logistical support, and weaponry for their efforts, according to Magajin Balle, as documented by Rufa’i.

In 2018, when reports surfaced of armed Lakurawa presence, local police dismissed it, attributing their arrival to access to water for herding.

Cordelia Nwawe, then Sokoto State police spokesperson, reported sightings of the group in forested areas of Gudu LGA and nearby villages but downplayed their intentions.

Lakurawa’s violent turn began when its members killed a Tangaza district leader who had initially supported them, claiming the leader’s son held funds belonging to the group.

The group soon began imposing their ideology, collecting “Zakat” from herders and policing local activities, even punishing music and dancing.

Escalating attacks on military bases in border areas prompted joint military action by Nigerian and Nigerien forces in late 2018, briefly curtailing the Lakurawa’s activities, though locals continued to report sightings.

Traditional and community leaders who had once supported Lakurawa ultimately turned against the group as their actions diverged from their initial purpose. Despite providing intelligence to authorities, limited media attention on these efforts impeded broader public awareness.

Nigerian authorities’ inability to fully address the Lakurawa threat allowed the group to re-emerge in 2021, this time aligned with bandits and some Fulani communities in opposition to the outlawed Yan Sakai vigilante group.

The recent coup in Niger and the breakdown of joint military operations between Nigerian and Nigerien forces appear to have emboldened Lakurawa further.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, on Tuesday, attributed the country’s epileptic power supply to corruption within the power sector.

He said the commission initiated a probe into the sector, adding that what it uncovered during its investigations would make Nigerians shed tears.

Speaking during the visit of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, Olukoyede lamented that contractors awarded projects to supply electrical equipment often opted for substandard materials.

He said this practice was a major cause of frequent equipment failures, outages, and grid collapses.

Olukoyede said, “As I am talking to you now, we are grappling with electricity. If you see some of the investigations we are carrying out within the power sector, you will shed tears.

“People who were awarded contracts to supply electricity equipment, instead of using what they call 9.0 guage, they will buy 5.0.

“So, every time you see the thing tripping off, gets burnt, and all of that, It’s part of our problems.”

He also stated that during its investigations, the commission discovered that in the last 20 years, capital project implementation and execution in the country were not up to 20 per cent.

He said the country could not achieve infrastructural or other forms of growth under such conditions.

“We discovered that in the last 15 to 20 years, we have not done up to 20 per cent of our capital project implementation and execution.

“And if we don’t do that, how do you want to have infrastructural development? How do you want to grow as a nation?

“So our mandate this year is to work with that directorate and with the National Assembly to see if we can meet up to 50 per cent of execution of our capital project for the year.

“If we do 50 per cent, we will be fine as a nation. The lack of implementation of this capital project, capital budget, is one of our major problems in Nigeria.

“If we can tackle that effectively, we will make progress as a nation. So we are doing everything to see how we can achieve that with your support.”

The anti-graft boss said the commission received over 17,000 petitions, adding that over 20,000 cases were currently under investigation.

He said, “We have several cases filed in court, apart from the conviction, running to thousands.

“In the last year, we have received over 17,000 petitions in EFCC. And right now, as I’m talking to you, we are investigating over 20,000 cases.

“Between last October and now, we have opened over 4,800 new cases. And what is our staff spread? We are less than 5,000 and now, with the additional responsibility of over 700 MDAs, 36 states, 774 local governments, and all of that.”

The Chairman of the committee, Obinna Onwusibe, called on the EFCC to collaborate with the judiciary to expedite the trials of suspects and reduce the number of inmates awaiting trial.

He said, “At this point, let me add that recently, on oversight visits to the maximum and minimum correctional centres in Kirikiri, Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year, and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied.

“It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the judiciary to improve and ensure that the administration of criminal justice works in collaboration for an effective and efficient system that will bring about justice delivery to victims and society.”

He also urged the EFCC to ensure transparency and accountability in its operation.

“The negative maxim being peddled in certain quarters is that the agency is often being used to settle political scores, and this must be corrected by the EFCC,” he said.

The Ondo State Police Command, on Tuesday, said it had arrested one prophetess, Mrs Folashade Adekola, over the death of a woman, Jumoke Adesuwa and her newborn baby inside the church.

Our correspondent gathered on Tuesday that the deceased bled to death from complications after childbirth inside the suspect’s church located in the Oke-Aro area of Akure, the state capital. The baby was said to have also died immediately.

It was also learnt that the suspect was arrested by the men of the command after the deceased’s brother reported the matter at the police station.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, who confirmed the incident, said the prophetess was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

“The case was reported by the deceased’s brother, that the sister died after childbirth in the church and the prophetess is already in custody. Investigations are still ongoing,” the PPRO said.

A source in the family who spoke to PUNCH Metro on the condition of anonymity, because he was not permitted to speak with the media, narrated that someone from the church called the family to inform the deceased’s husband that his wife had been delivered of a baby. The deceased’s husband called a family member and both rushed to the church.

He said, “When we got there, they were told that the baby died after childbirth but that the mother was alive. On sighting the deceased, we saw her in a pool of blood, bleeding profusely. So, we rushed her to a nearby hospital.

“Due to her condition, she was rejected at three hospitals and she died in the process of reviving her in the last hospital that admitted her. To our surprise, we got to the church to collect the baby’s remains and found the corpse in a room. The condition of the room was very worrisome as it did not look like a delivery room.

“We approached the Oke-Aro Police Station in Akure to report the case which led to the arrest of the prophetess in charge. The remains of the woman have been deposited at the mortuary.”

Edo APC Transition Committee on Monday recommended the institution of enquiry into the finances of the state under the outgoing administration led by Godwin Obaseki.

The 25-member committee headed by a former deputy governor, Pius Odubu, noted that the outgoing government didn’t provide audited financial statements published or unpublished.

The committee also asked the new administration to carry out a complete review of all Memoranda of Understanding on the management of the Central Hospital and Stella Obasanjo by the outgoing government.

It also recommended that all the local and foreign debts incurred under Obaseki must be accounted for, pointing out that even the procurement agency in its report to the transition committee indicted the government. 

The committee noted, “All employment carried out in recent past by the outgoing administration be cancelled, while Okpebholo has to investigate the true ownership of the Ossiomo Power Plant and Radisson Blu Hotel as well as the Museum of West Africa Art with a view to knowing the state’s equity in these companies as the outgoing government didn’t provide information on this.

“We also demand that the new administration should carry out a comprehensive review of the world bank funded EdoBest programme and that a probe be instituted to uncover its rather ‘opaque’ operations. All major contracts issued by the state government under the Ministry of Roads and Bridges should be reviewed as they appear not to have followed due process, including the payment advance awarded to the contractors.

“The procurement agency indicted the government in its own report to the Transition Committee hence we have advised the new governor to take a critical review. The ICT ecosystem should be streamlined as there appears to be a duplication of duties.

“The outgoing government didn’t provide audited financial statements published or unpublished hence the committee is advising the government to institute an enquiry into this. The government couldn’t account for the number of teachers in the state hence we demand a proper teacher head count, “the transition committee declared.

Recall that on October 14, 2024, the APC set up a Transition Committee made up of 25 members chaired by the former deputy governor of Edo State, Dr Odubu, to interface with the outgoing government for a seamless transition.

After three weeks of assignments, meetings, interactions, engagements, and analyses of the documents presented to the committee, the Odubu-led committee came out with the recommendations above.

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has thanked the people of the state for their support during the governorship election of September 21, promising not to betray them.

Also, Governor Okpebholo promised to deliver the dividends of democracy to Edo people. He added that “the welfare of our citizens is top priority for us.”

Recall that he defeated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Asue Ighodalo and other candidates in the September 21 Edo governorship election.

Today, Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Okpebholo and his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, were inaugurated in a ceremony at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City today.

This is coming two months after winning the poll.

Speaking at the swearing in, Okpebholo said: “Today, you have officially given me the mandate to preside over our dear State as Governor for the next four years.

“We will not betray this confidence you have reposed in me and the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa.

“Let me start by thanking God Almighty for His grace and incredible blessings. Democracy has triumphed again in our dear State.

“For me, this is a humbling moment; made possible by you all. Again, I want to use this opportunity to thank you for your peaceful conduct during the 21st September 2024 Governorship Election.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it has convicted over 50 persons for currency racketeering and dollarisation of the Nigerian economy in 2024 alone.

The EFCC’s Chairman, Ola Olukoyede revealed this in Abuja on Monday, while the Senate Committee Chairman on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Emmanuel Udendeon was on an oversight and pre-budget presentation visit with other members of the Committee to the corporate headquarters of the EFCC.

Olukoyede described currency racketeering and dollarisation as an act of economic sabotage.

He said, “I would also like you to know that part of the economic sabotage is in the area of currency racketeering and mutilation and the dollarization of our economy. There is no country in the world that doesn’t regard its currency as a legal tender.

“We must respect the Naira. As I am talking to you now, our Special Task Force is all over the place and we have brought some sanity in the handling of the national currency. People are still committing the crime, I am aware of that. This year alone, we have procured over 50 convictions on it.”

This is as the commission said it has summoned a Nigerien national, Ibrahim Mohammad, his family, and other guests, over alleged naira abuse at his wedding to Amina Babagana Zannah, in Kano.

The invitation follows a viral video depicting individuals spraying naira notes at the event, drawing public attention and backlash as part of the agency’s ongoing campaign against currency abuse.

Worthy of note is also the ongoing ordeal of popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky, who is being prosecuted for naira abuse and other offences.

Speaking further, Olukoyede said ensuring that the commission runs on the wheels of ethics and staff integrity, the EFCC would continue to be transparent in its operations.

“I take the issue of ethics very seriously and I have had cause to dismiss a number of workers on account of it, even as recently as two weeks ago.

Upon my assumption of office in the EFCC, I declared my assets and encouraged all others to do the same”.

Speaking on the records of achievements, he said “I am sure you must read the record of our modest achievements in the last year, particularly in the area of recovery. If you are fighting financial crimes, and you don’t make asset tracking and recovery one of the key issues that you have to embark on with all seriousness, you may not be able to go far.

“I say this because when the perpetrators of these crimes still have access to the proceeds of the crime, they can go to any extent to fight you.

“We are happy to report to you that in the last year, we have done close to N250 billion and several tens of millions of dollars and also quite a number of real estate across the country in asset recovery.

“Within the last year, we have secured close to 3,500 convictions. Some of these convictions are high profile, not minding what some people are saying. When you approve the annual report that we have sent to you, then we can publish it on our website”

Reacting to criticisms of the Commission in some quarters for devoting time to fight cybercrime, the EFCC boss declared that he can’t take his eyes off cybercrime because it constitutes economic sabotage and inflicts reputational damage on the country.

“You are also aware that upon my assumption of office, I identified economic sabotage as a major problem. There is no financial crime that is too small to investigate and prosecute and no one is too big.

“If you refuse to do the small one today, tomorrow they will become big. So, people should stop criticising us for investigating and prosecuting cybercrime.

“Some of these criticisms are coming from legal minds, people who should know better. A crime that has made us lose over $ 500 million in one year and somebody said we shouldn’t do it? You present your Green Passport on a global arena and they mark you out for profiling.”

The Director General of the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Professor Garba Maitafsir, has said that as a lecturer at the University, he came across a PhD Student who could not write his name properly.

He said that the falling standard of education was not as a result of systemic failure, but as a result of teaching, insisting that teachers’ quality must be properly checked if Nigeria must get its education system right.

Also, the Chairman of Teachers Service Board (TSB), in Kaduna State, Adamu Makadi said that teachers earn about 27% higher than their peers in the other sectors of the state government civil service.

The NTI boss and Adamu Makadi spoke at a One-Day Workshop on Teachers Issues In Conflict and Protracted Crisis Settings: Documenting the Effectiveness of the Kaduna Teacher Reforms.

According to Makadi, before the education reforms in Kaduna, it was discovered that. nothing really was wrong with the education system, but with the teachers, hence the need for the reform to check the recruitment, deployment and retention of teachers in the state.

“There is nothing wrong with our system of education, the problem is the quality of teachers, so Kaduna State Government took the bull by the horns by initiating a reform in the educational sector, particularly in the areas of recruitment, deployment and retention of teachers.”

“The recruitment exercise has been digitalised and adverts are open to all able and qualified candidates to apply, which has been working for us perfectly. The reform has enabled us to recruit and deploy based on their qualifications and competencies to see where they can best fit in. We also deploy teachers based on proximity to their places of residence.”

“The State Government under Senator Uba Sani has done a lot towards ensuring that competent and qualified teachers are retained in Kaduna State through provision of incentives including special allowances over other civil servants. For instance, if you are a teacher on a particular salary grade level and step, compared to your colleague who is not a teacher but in the same grade level and step, you will discover that teachers earn about 27% higher than other civil servants,” he said.

Professor Oladele Akogun, a University Don and Regional Research Director, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Nigeria & South Sudan, said Teachers should be treated better than Medical Doctors to get the education system right.

He said, that apart from the challenge with the educators (teachers), Nigeria also needs to check its education policies, as the country cannot achieve its desired education standards if policies and practices are at variance.

According to him, a situation where the country has a beautiful policy of free and compulsory education for up to 18 years, but in practice, it is not being
implemented cannot yield the desired result.

On the challenges of teachers, Professor Akogun said, teachers must be handled carefully the way Medical Doctors are treated, insisting that there was danger in handling teachers with kid gloves as doing so could affect generations unborn.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies and approach to governance were killing Nigerians.

He said the President should focus on solving this problem rather than attacking the opposition which is not in the saddle.

Atiku in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in Abuja, yesterday, spoke in response to an earlier statement issued by the Presidency.

The Presidency’s statement which was issued on Sunday, stated that Atiku’s criticisms of Tinubu’s policies were driven by jealousy.

Atiku said: “On July 8, 2024, Tinubu announced that import duty on essential goods like food would be lifted for 150 days. “

“But over 120 days later, the policy is yet to take off, while Nigerians continue to die daily due to increasing costs, including food inflation, which now exceeds 40 per cent, the highest in decades.

“The brazen disobedience to a government policy by Tinubu’s appointees and the failure of the Finance Ministry to issue a gazette after over four months reflects the fatuousness, inanity and incompetence that characterizes the Tinubu administration.

“Sadly, rather than focus on governance, they are preoccupied with verbally assaulting their opponents, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, while using compromised courts to foster crisis in the opposition. What a shame.”

Atiku argued that Tinubu’s abysmal performance in the last 18 months had made it clear to all Nigerians that he came into office unprepared, hence the many policy flip-flops that have so far characterised his tenure.

He added, “Tinubu was unprepared for office. He acts first and thinks of the consequences afterwards. This was why he announced an abrupt removal of the petrol subsidy without any cushions. After seeing the effect, he then hurriedly decided to push a CNG initiative, which even he and his ministers have not embraced, hence their refusal to use it.“

“The CNG initiative has so far failed to fully kick-off because of a lack of gas infrastructure in most states. The result is that transport costs continue to soar along with prices of food.“

“In his mid-term expenditure framework, he projected the exchange rate at N700/$1 in 2024 and N650/$1 by 2025. Rather than sack his economic advisers, he continues to live in a fool’s paradise, deceiving Nigerians about the FX reserve of $ 40 billion when, in fact, the net reserves are less than 20 per cent of that. Let the CBN release its financial statements of 2023 if he is sure of his achievements.”

Atiku described as unfortunate the announcement by the military authorities on the emergence of a new terror organisation known as Lakurawa.

He argued that coupled with the incessant grid collapses in the North due to the activities of criminal elements, Tinubu ought to focus more on improving security, which is a sine qua non for investments.

He said that the President had decided to play politics with security by appointing his kinsmen in top security and economic positions.

Atiku said: “Even on the economy, he put his kinsmen in every key position beginning from Finance Minister, Trade and Investment, CBN, Customs and FIRS. Even President Muhammadu Buhari was not this brazen.

“”Unlike Tinubu, Atiku is not a bigot. He has also not refunded money to the United States for alleged drugs trafficking.

“Despite a huge revenue challenge, Tinubu commits over $13billion to the controversial Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, rendering scores of Lagos residents homeless just to please his associates while other pressing matters are starved of funds.”

Atiku advised Tinubu to make hay while the sun shone as Nigerians had grown tired of his administration.

He reiterated that the President has just barely two years left in office and he should focus on improving the lives of the people.