The Attorney-General of the Federation ( AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN says the offence of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu is a difficult one and can only the court is competent to determine the charge.

Fagbemi said this while responding to questions at the Sectoral Ministerial Briefing on the first anniversary of the President Bola Tinubu administration on Friday in Abuja.

He said that since the matter was already in court, it should be left to the law to have its way.

The AGF pointed out that there was a remarkable difference between Kanu’s case and that of the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore.

He said, “Sowore and Kanu are not the same, when it comes to the first one I didn’t have difficulty to say go, but I have difficulty with the second one”.

While pointing out that Kanu is being held in accordance with the Constitution, he observed that, “the matter is still in court, let’s wait for the court”.

It will be recalled that Sowore was arrested in 2019 and prosecuted for allegedly calling for the forceful take over of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

However, the federal government through the office of the AGF in February this year filed a notice of discontinuation of the case.

[THE WHISTLER]

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the interim forfeiture of N830,875,611 $4,719,054, and several properties linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The court granted the order on Friday after Justice Yellim Bogoro considered an ex-parte motion filed by Bilkisu Buhari and C.C. Chineye on half of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The EFCC in its motion said the funds are held in various banks linked to Omoile Anita Joy, Deep Blue Energy Service Limited, Exactquote Bureau De Change Ltd, Lipam Investment Services Limited, Tatler Services Limited, Rosajul Global Resources Ltd, and TIL Communication Nigeria Ltd.

According to the court filing, Emefiele’s properties forfeited to the federal government include; 94 Units of 11 Storey building under Construction at 2, Otunba Elegushi 2nd Avenue (Formerly Club) Road, iKoyi, Lagos; and AM Plaza, 11 Story Office Space, Situate on 1E, Otunba Adedoyin Crescent, Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1, Lagos.

Others are Imore Industrial Park 1, Esa Street, Imoore Land purchased with (Deep Bive Industrial Town, Oriade LCDA, Amuwo Odofin LGA, Lagos; Mitrewood and Tatler Warehouse (Furniture Plant at Bogije) near Elemoro Lagos, Owolomi Village, Ibeju-Lekki LGA, Lagos.

Also, 2 properties purchased from Chevron Nigeria, Closed PFA Fund, Block B.Lot.Twin Completed Property Lakes Estate. Lekki, Lagos has been seized.

The court also ordered the EFCC to seize One plot measuring 1,038.069 sqm, at Lekki Foreshore Estate Scheme, Block A, Plot 4, Foreshore Estate, Eti-Osa, LGA; Estate located at 100, Cottonwood Coppel Texas Drive, Coppel, Texas, US, owned by Lipam investment Services; a Land at 1, Bunmi Owulude Street, (Maruwa), Lekki Phase 1, Lagos and a Property Situate on 8, Bayo Kuku Road, lkoyi Lagos.

The EFCC relied on Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Section 44(2)(b) of the Constitution while seeking for an interim forfeiture.

In the motion before the court, the anti-graft agency specifically requested “an interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria the funds held in the accounts listed in Schedule ‘A,’ which are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

“An Interim order forfeiting to the Federal Government of Nigeria Properties provided in 2nd Schedule ‘B’ which are proceeds of unlawful activities.

“An Order directing the publication In any National Newspaper, the interim order under reliefs 1-2 above, for anyone who Is interested in the properties and funds sought to be forfeited to appear before this Honourable Court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of forfeiture of the said properties and funds should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

After listening to the submission from the EFCC’s counsel, Justice Bogoro held, “I have listened to the submission of the applicant’s counsel and also perused the motion just moved, together with the affidavit in support.”

The case was, however, adjourned to July 2, 2024, for the motion for final forfeiture.

Emefiele is standing trial in multiple courts over abuse of office, alleged $4.5b and N2.8 billion alleged fraud which the EFCC said he allegedly perpetrated while in office.

[THE WHISTLER]

The Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake, on Thursday said that previous administrations have failed to effectively utilize the revenues from the oil sector.

Alake said this at the ministerial briefing in Abuja while unveiling his performance in the last ten months.

He said, “Nigeria practiced a monocultural economy, which means Nigeria has solely depended on oil. In my own estimation, Nigeria, over the decades, failed woefully to efficiently utilize the revenue that accrued to us from the oil sector.

“And how did we fail to utilize that? We failed to utilize the humongous amount of petrodollars that came into the coffers of this country. We did not utilize this money to sufficiently create a very solid structural economy in other sectors.

“And one of the most critical sectors that we’ve failed to address over the decades is the solid mineral and agricultural sector”.

Alake said he was mandated by the president to restructure the ministry which had been redundant to investment, revenue and growth. This he said, prompted the total revocation of over 2,500 licenses.

Explaining further the minister said, “On the resumption of the president into office, there has been a major plank of the renewed hope agenda which is contingent on the diversification of the economy, away from oil.

“And towards this end, we discovered on assumption of office that we had several people, Nigerians or non-Nigerians, holding titles and failed to remit the normal civic obligations to the government, like paying their taxes, paying their fees, even renewal annual fees, that are as little as N200,000. Whereas, these people were making away with billions from the Nigerian economy.

“We are sanitizing the operating environment of the solid mineral sector, to enable it, to assume its pride of place, in contributing significantly to the GDP of this country.”

The Imo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal on Friday upheld the election of Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as Imo State governor.

The tribunal, which gave its ruling in Abuja, also dismissed the petition of the Labour Party, LP, and its governorship candidate, Athan Achonu.

In a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Oluyemi Akintan-Osadebay, the three-man panel of the tribunal held that Uzodimma’s election as Imo State governor complied substantially with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The tribunal further held that the Labour Party in its petition failed to prove the allegation of over-voting and non-compliance to the Electoral Act.

Details later.

Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined by 2.98 per cent in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024 due to economic hardships under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, disclosed this in its Q1 2024 GDP report released on Friday.

The report said the nation’s current growth rate is 2.98 per cent, higher than the 2.31 per cent recorded in the same quarter in 2023 but lower than the 3.46 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023.

“Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 2.98 per cent (year-on-year) in real terms in the first quarter of 2024. This growth rate is higher than the 2.31% recorded in the first quarter of 2023 and lower than the fourth quarter of 2023 growth of 3.46 per cent,” the report read.

“The performance of the GDP in the first quarter of 2024 was driven mainly by the Services sector, which recorded a growth of 4.32 per cent and contributed 58.04 per cent to the aggregate GDP.

“The agriculture sector grew by 0.18%, from the growth of -0.90% recorded in the first quarter of 2023. The industry sector’s growth was 2.19%, an improvement from 0.31% recorded in the first quarter of 2023.

“In terms of share of the GDP, the services sector contributed more to the aggregate GDP in the first quarter of 2024 than the corresponding quarter of 2023.”

In the period under review, Nigeria recorded a surge in the inflation rate, which rose to 33.69 per cent in April.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nsukka Zone, has stated that it is not sharing in the joy of one year in office of President Bola Tinubu due to the administration’s unfulfilled promises

Addressing journalists on Friday at the Benue State University, Makurdi, the Zonal Coordinator, Raphael Amokaha who decried the insensitivity of successive administrations in meeting the renegotiation of the 2009 Federal Government/ASUU agreement said their expectations were much higher than the present reality.

Some of the unfulfilled agreements, according to Amokaha include; poor funding of the nation’s universities, breach of university autonomy, particularly in the Integrated Personnel Payment Information System, nonpayment of earned academic allowances, and the four months salaries withheld.

While recognizing the submission of the president to review the appointment of university governing councils recently released, the union advised the president not to see it as patronage for political loyalty.

Amokaha noted that contrary to the promise of President Tinubu that  the era of the strike in Nigerian universities was over, the ASUU zonal boss said, ‘Unfortunately, we are on the verge of a strike.’

He added, “The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about to celebrate one year in office. Unfortunately, members of our union do not share in the elation of the one-year celebration.

“Our expectations were much higher than the present reality. Again, we cry out to the President, let the lecturers breathe! Do not suffocate us!! 

“The draft renegotiated 2009 agreement must be signed immediately and implemented even though it may need to be looked at before signing now so that what will be agreed upon now will be commensurate to the hyperinflation ravaging our country.

“The balance of the eight months withheld salaries owed our colleagues should be paid immediately. They have now done the work in full and to make it worse, the value of the eight months’ salary is now barely up to the value of two months’ salary at that time.

Speaking further, Amokaha said, “Membership of governing councils requires notable and upright personalities with experience in university administration.

“It’s therefore not proper that personalities like Professors Attahiru Jega, Olu Obafemi, and Munzali Jibril be tossed about in the name of dissolution or reconstitution of councils without recourse to propriety.

“Appointments to university governing councils must not be viewed as patronage for political loyalty.”

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate on Friday said the enrolment quota in medical, nursing, and other health professional schools has been increased from 28,000 to 64,000 yearly.

Prof Pate said this at the sectoral ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of President Bola Tinubu in office in Abuja.

Over the years, health workers in the country have always moved to other countries to practice, but experts say the recent increase in emigration is worrisome.

Experts identified the push factors as inadequate equipment, worsening insecurity, poor working conditions, and poor salary structure.

Data from the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria showed that about 1,056 consultants left the country to seek greener pastures between 2019 and 2023.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors also revealed over 900 of its members left for Europe between January and September 2023.

Pate, however, said, “We have doubled the intake, the enrollment, the quotas of medical schools, nursing schools, and other health professionals’ schools from an enrollment target of 28,000 a year to 64,000 now. 

“That is just the first step, the education sector will have to play its role. The states will have to play in to improve the infrastructure, the training, and the tools to produce more healthcare workforce because we need to produce more healthcare workforce given that we’re losing some so that we can serve the population of this country.”

On the Primary Health Care Centres, the minister noted that at least 1,400 centres can now provide skilled birth attendants.

According to him, more than 2,400 health workers – doctors, nurses, and midwives are been recruited in facilities to provide essential health services to Nigerians in rural areas.

He also highlighted that the Federal Government has disbursed the first tranche of N25bn of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the National Health Insurance Authority.

“We put a condition that states that will access those have to comply with the fiduciary guidelines that have been provided, responding to lapses that have been observed over here so that the resources go to Nigerians.

“Twenty-three states have received those funds, and I believe that the rest of the states are just about to complete and receive their financing to channel through the PHCs.”

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Tunji Alausa had in October 2023 said the government had put in place strategies to increase admissions into medical and dental institutions.

Dr Alausa noted that the 3,000 doctors produced annually in Nigeria was inadequate.

He highlighted that the mass exodus of licensed doctors and other health professionals to more developed countries would be discouraged by making the healthcare environment more attractive.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has presented a letter of appointment to the reinstated Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.

Earlier, Governor Yusuf stated the reason why the Kano State government reinstated Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

The governor said Sanusi was victimized in 2019. He added that the emirate council law 2019 by the immediate past governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, balkanised the old Kano Emirate.

Yusuf called on the reinstated Emir to use his leadership to unite the emirate and the state as a whole.

The 16th Emir of Kano, Sanusi II, had initially ruled as the 14th Emir.

Dethroned, banished

Recall that in 2020, the Kano House of Assembly passed a bill to split the Kano Emirate Council into five emirates. They were mainly under Sanusi’s control. So the division lowered his influence.

He had had a fallout with the former governor. Ganduje is now National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Sanusi was dethroned and banished on March 9, 2020. The former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor was then flown to Lagos and quartered by one of his friends, the late Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank.

Then Sanusi was replaced by the recently deposed 15th Emir – Aminu Ado Bayero.

16th Emir

However, yesterday, Governor Yusuf approved the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II. This was after assenting the Kano State Emirates Council (Amendment number 2) Bill, 2024 passed by the House of Assembly.

The new law repealed Ganduje’s Kano Emirate Council Law 2019, Kano State Emir’s Appointment and Deposition Amendment Law 2019, and Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Law 2023.

Not that it was the latter that created five emirates in Kano, and paved the way for the deposition of Sanusi.

Today, Sanusi was given the letter of reinstatement, and then turbaned the 16th Emir of Kano.

The coronation of the former CBN governor took place at the Kano state government house. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Yusuf said: “By the powers conferred on me by the Kano Emirate Council Law of 1984 and 2024, and supported by the recommendation of the kingmakers, I have the singular pleasure of confirming the reappointment of Muhammadu Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano and the head of the Kano Emirate Council.”

Also, he said Sanusi’s reappointment was “based on his competence, credibility, and popularity.”

Furthermore, the governor urged the new Kano Emir “to be guided by the principles of Islamic teachings and to use his position to unite the emirate, fostering harmony among the Islamic sects in the state.”

High court…

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Kano has granted an order stopping the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law.

Justice Mohammed Liman granted the order in an application by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate.

The court papers regarding the case have since gone viral.

The judge, Mohammed Liman, asked the government to “suspend” and “not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created pursuant to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019″.

The Federal Government has highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s plan to mitigate the cost of living and enhance Nigerians’ financial well-being.

Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, made this declaration on Thursday in Abuja during a Ministerial briefing marking the first anniversary of Tinubu’s administration.

Idris emphasized that Tinubu’s administration operates under the Renewed Hope Agenda and has initiated measures to establish a robust foundation for improved livelihoods.

Key initiatives such as the Consumer Credit Corporation, the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas, the N200 billion Presidential Grant, and the Students Loan Scheme highlight the government’s commitment to this cause.

Furthermore, efforts in agriculture, food security, infrastructure development, electricity sector reforms, fiscal policy adjustments, and negotiations for a new national minimum wage are all aimed at positively impacting the lives of millions of Nigerians.

Idris reiterated Tinubu’s dedication to reducing the cost of living and enhancing business operations by bolstering citizens’ purchasing power. He underscored Tinubu’s success in attracting local and foreign investments and improving national infrastructure.

“We remain resolute in our commitment to delivering genuine Renewed Hope to all Nigerians,” Idris affirmed.

He noted that the first-year anniversary commemoration provided an opportunity to present the government’s achievements to Nigerians and demonstrate the progress made thus far.

The federal government is set to launch the “NextGen” bank in partnership with the Bank of Industry. The bank will provide loans and business support to young entrepreneurs.

Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, announced this during the Ministerial Sectoral Update, which marked the first year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The event was held at the Radio House in Abuja yesterday.

Dr Ibrahim stated that the creation of this bank aligns with the ministry’s mandate to promote youth development, wealth creation, empowerment, well-being, excellence, national unity, and sustainable development. The ultimate goal is to empower young Nigerians to reach their full potential and contribute positively to the nation’s growth.

The minister also highlighted the ministry’s 11 key deliverables, which include establishing a framework to create and expand Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) incubators, accelerators, and innovation centers in all six geopolitical zones.

Furthermore, Dr. Ibrahim revealed that 146,998 Nigerians are targeted for vocational skills, social inclusion, technology, agriculture, and entrepreneurship training. The Federal Executive Council has also approved N110 billion in capital for startups and early-stage businesses through the restructured Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF). Additionally, the government is working on institutionalizing a 30 percent youth quota, with equitable inclusion of young women in all government appointments.