Nollywood actor Saidi Balogun has expressed concern about the current economic situation in Nigeria.

In a post on his Instagram page, the Yoruba actor who was a strong supporter of Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, raised questions about the existence and effectiveness of price control and regulatory agencies in the country, seeking clarification on measures to mitigate the impact of inflation

The actor highlights the need for measures to address the rising prices impacting individuals and businesses in the country, stating that the situation is already getting out of control.

“Do we have a functional price control or piece regulatory agency in Nigeria?

How do we cushion the effects of inflation?

Because things are getting out of hand” he wrote

At least sixteen persons have been arrested for financial fraud to the tune of N3.9 billion.

The suspects were apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre over the fraud against a leading African digital commerce platform, Interswitch Limited.

The sum of N3.9bn cash and properties had so far been recovered from the suspects, with efforts ongoing to recover more.

The Department of State Services’ spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, announced the development at the Strategic Communications Interagency Policy Committee joint press briefing in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the centre made the arrest and recovery following a petition from Interswitch Limited regarding a glitch on its financial portal.

He added that eight of the suspects had been convicted

Afunanya said, “ The Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre tackled a massive financial fraud case, acting on a petition from Interswitch Limited regarding a glitch on its financial portal.

“The swift response led to the arrest of over 16 suspects, eight of whom have been convicted. The operation recovered over N3.9bn in cash, properties, and vehicles, with ongoing efforts to recover additional looted funds.”

Further reading out the police success, Afunanya also said the police in Taraba arrested a notorious kidnapper and recovered arms and ammunition from him.

He said, “In a parallel operation, the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad of Taraba State command arrested a notorious kidnapper, seizing three AK-47 rifles, four magazines, 19 rounds of live ammunition, 23 expended rounds, and five solar panels from his premises.”

He added that the police foiled a kidnap attempt and killed nine kidnappers.

Afunanya said, “Similarly, on July 4, 2024, the Lagos State Command operatives thwarted an attack by a notorious kidnapping gang. In a fierce gun battle, nine kidnappers were neutralised, and significant weaponry, including four AK-47 rifles, four locally-made semi-automatic pistols, nine AK-47 magazines, three walkie-talkies, a PoS machine, a loudspeaker, and two operational vehicles were recovered. Investigations continue to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

“In another notable case, on April 24, 2024, 18-year-old Mallam Adamu Adamu was rescued from captivity in Kasda, Jakusko LGA, Yobe State.”

Police operatives raided the gang’s enclave, arresting three suspects and recovering two AK-47 rifles and a magazine with 26 rounds of live ammunition. The suspects will be charged to court following the investigation’s conclusion.”

A Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has extended an earlier order restricting protesters in Lagos to Freedom and Peace Pack in the Ojoto and Ketu areas of the state. 

Justice S.I. Sonaike gave the order following an application by the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, for an extension order, having complied with the pre action protocols for preemptive remedies ordered last week by another vacation judge, Justice Emmanuel Ogundare.

Pedro, who was represented in court by the Director for Civil Litigations, Mr Hameed Oyenuga, told the court on Tuesday that service of the earlier court order had been served on all the respondents in compliance with the pre-action protocols for pre-emptive reliefs sought by the AG against the representatives of the protesters.

He argued that though the respondents in the suit were yet to respond to the application, there is a need to extend the earlier restriction order of the protest to two venues so that the state can continue to enjoy the relative peace being experienced despite the ongoing protests across the country.

In her ruling, Justice Sonaike noted that she is satisfied with the AG’s compliance with the orders of Justice Ogundare and order that the restriction of the protests to Freedom and Peace Parks in the Ojota and Ketu areas of the state be extended until full compliance with the preaction orders.

Justice Ogundare, last week, while ruling on a preemptive exparte application filed Mr Pedro seeking to maintain and secure public safety and prevent irreparable loss of lives and property in the state during the period of the protests, placed restrictions on the protesters. 

Listed in the application as co-defendants are Adamma Ukpabi and Tosin Harsogba (for Active Citizens Group); Comrade Juwon Sanyaolu and Hassan Soweto (for Take It Back Movement); persons unknown; and Commissioner of Police, Lagos State.

While moving his application before the court, Mr. Pedro argued that, as the Chief Law Officer of the State and having been privy to notices by different interests who are for and against the nationwide protest, there is a need to protect the critical infrastructures of the state and prevent an irreparable loss of lives and property as witnessed during the EndSARS protest in 2020.

A human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, has warned protesters to desist from anything that would jeopardize the objective of the protests.

Falana stated this while fielding questions from newsmen on Monday.  He warned Nigerian youths protesting against hunger, hardship and socio-economic policies affecting the country to be wary of thugs and distance themselves from undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.

 The human rights lawyer said that the act of brandishing Russian flag while protesting in Nigeria is an abuse of constitutional right.

Falana was reacting on the background of violent protests in the Northern parts of the country, where protesters were seen brandishing the Russian flag while chanting “Tinubu must go”.

In his words: “Accordingly, the right to protest is required to be exercised peacefully within the ambit of the law.

“Hence, section 83(4) of the Police Establishment Act 2020 has imposed a duty on the Nigeria Police Force to provide adequate security for citizens who may wish to participate in public meetings, rallies and protests. In many parts of the country, the Police provided adequate security for the ##endbadgovernance protesters and in some cases professionalism was glaringly on display.

“Having won the legal battle for the Nigerian people to exercise their constitutional right to protest against unpopular policies of the Government, I have supported the constitutional right from all walks of life to exercise the right to protest.

“While we have supported the right of the #endbadgovernance protesters, we have a patriotic duty to call on them to distance themselves from the undemocratic forces who have taken advantage of the peaceful protests to engage in violence or campaign for another military coup in the country.

“It has become necessary to point out that calling for a military coup or waving the flag of Russia, a country that is noted for supporting unconstitutional change of government in Africa, constitutes a gross abuse of the constitutional right to protest against the Government of Nigeria.

“The legitimate protests against hardship in the land should not be turned into a campaign for unconstitutional change of government.

“Therefore, those who are involved in the illegal campaign for another military rule are advised to stop it forthwith. Otherwise, they may be accused of engaging in the offence of treasonable felony in contravention of section 41 of the Criminal Code Act.

“In order to make any form of unconstitutional change of government unattractive to the people of Nigeria, the Bola Tinubu administration ought to review the neoliberal policies that are promoting poverty and hardship in the land.

AHEAD of the 5 October Local Government (LG) elections in Akwa Ibom State, two serving commissioners have resigned their appointments to contest for the chairmanship seats in their respective Local Government Areas (LGA).

Those who resigned include the Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Chief Etim Uno from Urueoffong Oruko LGA and Mr Aniefiok Nkom, Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning from Ikot Ekpene LGA.

The duo in the statewide Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries held on 2 August secured the party tickets to contest the chairmanship for their respective LGs, emerging

among 31 Chairmanship candidates on the platform of the PDP for the coming polls.

Their decision to contest the local government council chairmanship seats and their subsequent nomination has been generating debates within the political circle in the state.

While some see the development as a smart move to remain active in the system ahead of the alleged looming sack of cabinet members by Governor Umo Eno, others argue that both commissioners were lured to resign by the greed to enjoy increased allocations flowing into council coffers following local government financial autonomy.

A PDP insider and civil servant who spoke on anonymity alleged, “Maybe before the end of the month they would leave office completely. I think they just want to go and enjoy LG’s financial autonomy. They still want to remain in government “

Vanguard gathered from sources privy to what transpired ahead of the PDP nominations that stakeholders from both LGAs had written to the party leadership that they actually wanted the two commissioners to represent them in the coming LG Chairmanship poll. 

Aligning with this opinion, State Publicity Secretary of the PDP,  Mr. Boronno Bassey affirmed, “They are two Commissioners contesting for Chairmanship seats in the forthcoming LG election. They are the Commissioner for Environment, Chief Etim Uno and Aniefiok Nkom from Ikot Ekpene LGA.

“You can quote me on this. It was the people of Ikot Ekpene and Urueoffong Oruko local government areas who wrote calling on the Commissioners to run for the Chairmanship seats.

“The Governor and leader of the party now said if your people are calling on you to come and represent them, please go and ensure you initiate and execute robust development projects at the grassroots as you have done in your respective ministries.

“So it is their people who called them to come and contest. And it was like a carnival on that day of the nomination in both Urueoffong Oruko and Ikot Ekpene LGAs. The people were happy and excited “

Their Ambition Driven By Greed -Sen Enang

Former presidential adviser and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Sen Ita Enang alleged the resigned commissioners were being driven by greed to take over and feast on LG funds.

Enang said, “We’ve seen commissioners resigning to go for LG Chairmanship. As far as my knowledge of governance is concerned, being a commissioner and member of the State Executive Council is higher than being a local government chairman.” 

He noted that under the previous administration, LG chairmen were receiving far fewer funds, but “no one can see what they (current LGs) have done with the money”, alleging the commissioners’ move is driven by “greed” as they want to “feast on the increased money that now comes to the LGAs.”

Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Kemi Nandap says the sponsors of #EndBadGovernance protest in the diaspora are on a watch list and they will be arrested when entering the country.

Nandap made this known on Tuesday in Abuja during a combined news conference by the heads of security agencies and Service Chiefs convened by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa at the Defence Headquarters.

She said “We have identified some diaspora sponsors, they are on our watch list.

“Any attempt they make to come into the country, we will be notified and they will be picked up and handed to the appropriate authority”.

The immigration boss said the service had, in response to the protest, deployed more officers to borders both land and airports to ensure effective manning of those entry ports.

She said that NIS had also stepped up surveillance to prevent foreign intervention in the country.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, also said that the police had uncovered some sponsors but declined giving further information on them.

Egbetokun said that some accounts of such individuals had been blocked, adding that “many of them reside abroad”.

Also, the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, represented by the service’s spokesman, Mr Peter Afunanya, said that the service was monitoring those concerned.

He added that the service was also working with the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to identify more persons behind the funding of the protest.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defence chief led the service chiefs and heads of all the security, intelligence and paramilitary agencies to brief newsmen on the nationwide protest.

The briefing came a day after President Bola Tinubu met with the security chiefs on the security situation following the violence that broke out during the protests across the country.

Protesters in Rivers barricaded the Eleme-Onne section of the east-west road on Monday as a nationwide protest against economic hardship continues. 

Nigerians have taken to the streets of major cities since August 1 to rail against bad governance.

The demonstrations have been themed: ’10 Days of Rage’.

The protesters are demanding a lean government, a return of the petrol subsidy regime, food security, and fiscal discipline among others.

NAN reports that protesters blocked the Akpajo axis of the east-west road, a major route linking Port Harcourt to key business hubs, including Onne seaport and Indorama petrochemicals — a move that disrupted vehicular movement.

The protesters, who demonstrated peacefully, waved placards with varying inscriptions.

Walson Idah said they targeted the east-west road to vent their frustration “over hunger, poverty and infrastructure deficit”.

“We need the government to revive the refineries, which have so much employment and empowerment opportunities for us,” NAN quoted Idah as saying. 

“In spite of the huge economic potentials in the business area, we are unemployed, hungry and poor. We are not taking any palliatives from politicians.

“We need jobs, good roads, affordable electricity, and basic infrastructure.”

The protesters asked the federal government to address the skyrocketing cost of living and hold state governors accountable for the alleged mismanagement of fuel subsidy funds.