FEATURES

FEATURES

The owner of Ibadan-based broadcasting station, Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, has perfected his bail conditions and has been released from Agodi Correctional Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The broadcaster regained freedom with his co-accused, including Ooni of Ife’s ex-queen, Naomi Silekunola, and the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Abdulahi Fasasi.

They were all remanded over their alleged involvement in the Ibadan stampede that resulted in the deaths of 35 children in December 2024.

Giving a ruling on his bail application on Monday, Justice K. B. Olawoyin admitted the suspects to bail with a bond of ₦10 million each and two sureties in like sums.

 

However, Hamzat, after regaining his freedom on Tuesday, was received by a mammoth crowd at his broadcasting station, where he was captured in tears while addressing the people.

He told the crowd, “Oriyomi is back. At this time, I am in a moment of silence. Thank you very much.”

Recall that the Oyo State Government filed an 18-count criminal charge against Silekunola, Hamzat and Fasasi after the tragic incident.

 

The case, which was filed on Friday, January 10, 2025, at the State High Court, is marked with charge number I/05C/2025.

The trio were accused of offences including conspiracy to commit murder, manslaughter, criminal negligence, and other related charges.

The charge sheet obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday revealed that the accused individuals failed to provide adequate security, crowd control mechanisms, and medical facilities during the ill-fated funfair event held at the Islamic High School.

Their alleged negligence led to a stampede, resulting in the deaths of 35 children, with 14 victims identified in court documents.

The prosecution accused the defendants of conspiring to commit acts of criminal negligence, contrary to Section 517 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

According to the charge sheet, the trio “Did negligently omit to provide adequate security, crowd control mechanisms, and medical facilities, resulting in the death of Musiliu Sofiat, aged 8, and 34 other children.”

As we step into the new year, fraudsters are not taking a break from their schemes to exploit unsuspecting victims. From phishing attempts to fake websites and giveaway scams, their tactics are becoming more sophisticated.

With over 35 million users, PalmPay remains committed to safeguarding your finances. To protect yourself and your funds this new year, here are 10 essential tips to keep your PalmPay account secure:

  1. Activate the Night Guard Feature: Enable the Night Guard feature on your PalmPay app to add extra security and verification for transactions made at night.
  2. Set-up Transaction Guard: Enable the Transaction Guard feature on the PalmPay app to add an extra layer of security for transactions exceeding a set threshold.
  3. Beware of Phishing Attempts: PalmPay will never ask for your password, PIN, or sensitive details via phone calls, emails, or SMS.
  4. Use Strong Passwords: Lock your devices and accounts with strong PINs, passwords, or biometric authentication.
  5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security by enabling two-factor authentication on your PalmPay account.
  6. Keep Your Password Confidential: Never share your account password with anyone, including family and friends.
  7. Report Fraudulent Transactions Immediately: Use PalmPay’s in-app reporting tools to quickly flag and resolve fraudulent transactions.
  8. Stay Updated: For up-to-date safety messages, view the in-app security center and follow verified PalmPay social media accounts.
  9. Verify All Transaction Platforms: Thoroughly investigate the transaction platform to ensure legitimacy before completing the transaction.
  10. Sign-up for PalmPay Wallet Shield: Enjoy compensation for direct losses caused by unauthorized transactions when you sign-up for PalmPay Wallet Shield.

But as always, you can contact our customer support team via support@palmpay.com.

[TheCable]

 

A day after her election, the new Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, on Tuesday, visited members of the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, for their blessings”.

Meranda told newsmen she went to “brief them about what happened at the House of Assembly yesterday (Monday) and to seek their blessings, which we have gotten”.

The endorsement came just as Meranda, sought the cooperation and support of the council members to succeed.

 

GAC, created by President Bola Tinubu, is the highest decision-making body of the party on the state.

GAC’s endorsement was given when Meranda and some key principal officers met at Lagos House, Marina.

Speaking to newsmen after a closed-door meeting, the Speaker said: “We briefed the GAC about what happened at the state House of Assembly and to seek their blessings which we have gotten.”

 

Meanwhile, the GAC, led by Tajudeen Olusi, declined to brief the press.

However, it was gathered that the state governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, left Nigeria on Monday night for an official event.

Recall that former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, who is currently abroad, was impeached by members of the House of Assembly on Monday (yesterday) over various misconducts and financial misappropriations.

[Opinion Nigeria]

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will any moment from now announce a new tariff regime for the telecommunications sector, that will see costs of data, voice, and SMS services go up.

This follows years of agitation and advocacy by telecom operators for a review of the current tariff regime, which was last adjusted in 2013.

The operators cited the astronomical rise in cost operations fueled by the forex crisis and the rising inflation in the country as justification for an increment in telecom tariffs.

 

According to them, players across all sectors of the economy have adjusted their prices in line with the economic realities, except telecoms where the regulator has withheld the approval for such a move.

However, after a meeting with the telecom companies in Abuja last week, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, announced that the government was willing to shift ground and allow price increments in the interest of the industry’s sustainability.

But the Minister was unequivocal in dismissing the 100% increment requested by the telecom operators

Cost of data in Nigeria and other markets compared 

While the NCC has yet to reveal the percentage increment to be implemented, the general perception in the industry is that Nigeria currently has one of the lowest telecom tariffs in Africa, especially for data, hence, the operators want an increment that will be commensurate with what obtains in other markets.

  • Based on the latest data released by the International Telecommunications Union, a comparative analysis of the cost of 2GB of data in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana, reveals that Nigeria indeed has the lowest cost.
  • According to the ITU’s ICT Services Affordability Report 2023, the cost of 2GB data in Nigeria is $2.35, whereas the same costs $2.66 in Ghana.
  • In Kenya, a 2GB data package costs $2.92, while in South Africa, the same package goes for $7.98, but still not the highest on the continent as Zimbabweans pay the highest cost for data at $10.23 per 2GB.

Similarly, a worldwide data pricing report published by cable.co.uk ranked Nigeria as one of the countries with the cheapest price for 1GB of data in the world. Globally, Nigeria ranked 31 out of 237 countries with Israel ranking as number one with an average of 1GB of data at $0.02.

According to the report, the average cost of 1GB of data in Nigeria is $0.39 and it is the cheapest in the West African region.

Economic imperatives 

As Nigeria is preparing to review telecom tariffs which will bring the cost of data up to the same level as some other African countries and possibly surpass others, it is also imperative to look at the economic power of the subscribers.

For instance, a look at the GDP Per Capita of each of the four countries shows that Nigeria also has the lowest GDP Per Capita compared to South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya.

GDP per capita is a measure of a country’s average income, calculated by dividing its gross domestic product (GDP) by its population and it is often used to compare the standard of living between countries.

  • In that regard, South Africa, which currently has one of the most expensive data on the continent is an Upper-Middle Income country according to the World Bank with the country’s GDP Per Capita at $15,194.2 as of 2023.
  • Similarly, Ghana, a lower-middle-income country has a GDP Per Capita that is far above Nigeria’s at 7,543.0.
  • Kenya, though in the same lower-middle-income economy category as Nigeria, has a higher GDP Per Capita per the World Bank’s 2023 data at 6,307.2
  • The World Bank put Nigeria’s GDP Per Capita for 2023 at 6,207.4, which is the lowest among the four countries compared.

Justifications for increment 

For telecommunications operators in Nigeria, there are more then enough reasons to increase tariffs for voice, data, and SMS services, and not just a slight adjustment but 100% increment.

According to the CEO of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Dinesh Balsingh, telecom tariffs in Nigeria have remained static despite the dramatic increase in operating expenses, which have surged by over 300% in the last 18 to 24 months alone.

Balsinghsaid the increments are critical for maintaining high-quality services and enabling further advancements in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

  • Sharing the same sentiment as Airtel’s CEO, Toriola said the telecom industry is now facing a sustainability threat that must be addressed through a tariff review.
  • While emphasising that telecommunications is a fundamental human right and a critical element for driving an economy, Toriola noted that without a sustainable industry, the economy and the well-being of Nigerians will suffer.
  • He highlighted how inflation, foreign exchange devaluation, and rising energy prices have drastically increased operational expenses for telecom operators.
  • According to him, diesel costs have risen from pre-COVID levels of N230 to over N1,000 per liter.
  • The official exchange rate has shifted from N424.50 to about N1,550 at the end of 2024, drastically increasing the cost of importing critical infrastructure like base stations, which now cost nearly four times more than they did two years ago.

[Nairametrics]

Counsel to the late Deputy Inspector General of Police, Moses Ambakina Jitoboh, Silas Onu, has said the late officer did not reach the Inspector General status because of former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Solomon Arase.

Naija News reported that the Late Jitoboh sued the PSC for his compulsory retirement. While he, unfortunately, died on Thursday, 27 December 2024; the Court, on Monday, ruled in his favour and granted his prayers.

 

“Today (Monday), DIG Moses A. Jitoboh wins his case against the Police Service Commission. Reinstated with effect from the date of his purported compulsory retirement and awarded 50m in general damages. Having passed on to glory, it is now official that he died in active duty to his fatherland,” Onu wrote on his X handle.

 

Some reports on the court victory, however, attributed the late officer’s sack to President Bola Tinubu and the current IGP of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. The reports wrongly claimed Jitoboh was sacked to pave the way for Egbetokun.

In a statement, on Tuesday, Onu clarified that the sack of the former aide-de-camp (ADC) to former President Goodluck Jonathan had nothing to do with Tinubu and Egbetokun.

According to him, the Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi and IGP Egbetokun ensured justice was done in the case.

I can state clearly here now that President Bola Tinubu and the IGP of Police had no hands in his sad compulsory retirement.

“It was 100% the handiwork of former IGP Solomon Arase as the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) which exercises control over all Police Officers, with the exception of the Inspector General of Police.

“The reason for his action was personal and very mundane and he was sacked by President Bola Tinubu upon our complaint through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

“As a matter of fact, the IGP ensured that the Police played no role whatsoever in the trial as they refused to cooperate with the PSC to fabricate lies against Moses,” he said.

Jitobonh’s counsel further disclosed that the current PSC Chairman, Hashimu Argungu, was against his client’s sack.

Onu explained that the President was unable to act on the issue because it was already in court.

 

“The new Chairman of the PSC, from my discussions with Moses, also was against the action taken by Arase and like the IGP, hoped to receive Moses back in the Force after the judgment. They both were talking with him before he passed. In fact, he stated that the IGP had a special place for him when he returns to the Police.

The President could not act as we were already in Court, so the AGF said we should wait for the outcome and the government will respect whatever decision reached.

“So, it is not correct to mischaracterize their entire unfortunate events by saying it was done to favour the IGP. Recall that other DIGs retired along with Moses did not challenge the act because they all had less than 5 months to leave the Force, while Moses had 7 years then.

“If any President was unkind to Moses, it was Muhammadu Buhari who signed the Police Act, 2020 into law and flouted its provisions twice, simply to deny Moses his privileged lawful promotion to the office of IGP,” he added.

[NaijaNews]

Controversial Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly called Portable has condemned comparisons of his facial tattoos to those of his colleague Ahmed Ololade, also known as Asake.

 

Asake’s new look sparked reactions amongst fans after showing off his shaved face and new facial tattoos, which include dollar signs and “Believe” inscriptions, among others, in an Instagram post on Sunday.

Netizens had likened the Ololade master’s new look to that of Portable’s because of their facial tattoos.

Portable was not pleased with the comparisons, expressing his dissatisfaction with a frown and asserting that he resembles American rapper Lil Wayne more.

In a video message posted on his social media, he stated, “Don’t compare me to Asake. I don’t look like Asake. I look like Lil Wayne. Stop comparing me to an overrated artist,” he said angrily.

[Leadership]

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has described the removal of petrol subsidy as a direct blessing to state governments.

The governor said this during the inspection of some projects to celebrate the first year of his second term.

He said more money now accrues to the coffers of state governments for the development.

“In reconciling the negative effects of the fuel subsidy removal and the benefits in terms of socio-infrastructure, social benefits, and then the ease of doing business occasioned by the provision of the enabling infrastructure, I think it is a blessing.”

“It is a direct blessing, it is not a disguise to the sub-nationals because more monies are now coming to states and state governments must do things to show citizens that they are able to do these things because they now get more monies as a result of the fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.”

Uzodimma is not the first governor to make such claim.

Last year, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State asked Nigerians to hold governors to account over the improved allocation from the federation account.

Sule stated this while answering questions during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

He said that people were suffering, urging them to ask their state governors what they were doing with the improved revenues from the federal government.

Sule had said, “Most of the time people are looking at some of the hard economic decisions the president has taken. That is his own style. Two decisions taken are bringing these economic reforms.

“One, is the subsidy removal and the second is the floating of the forex. These are the two major policies people keep on complaining about. And people are asking where the money is. The money is there. It is being given to various people and places and coming to the people in different ways.

“That is why I give you an example of what we are doing in Nasarawa. Yes, there is going to be difficulties; but instead of just looking at the federal government let the people hold every state governor responsible. What are you doing with the improved revenue you are getting? Until every state governor comes back and says we are doing this and that.

“President Tinubu doesn’t have land anywhere. The lands belong to the state. He can’t go and do agriculture anywhere, for example. They have already started construction of highways from Badagry to Calabar. The one from Calabar is coming to Abuja and the one from Badagry going to Sokoto State. There are many of them.

 

 

 

“The federal government would continue to do its own part. The same improved revenue the states have seen is the same improved revenue local governments see. The local governments in Nasarawa State when they receive their own after the FEC meeting they are getting 100% increase in their revenue. They used to receive N2.2 billion. Today they receive more than N4 billion. Local governments in Nasarawa do not owe anybody salary. They have some savings.”

The Joint Committee on Livestock Development of the Senate and House of Representatives has rejected the 2025 budgetary provision of N11.8 billion for the takeoff of the newly established Federal Ministry of Livestock Development.

The committee chairman, Sen. Musa Mustapha said lawmakers are aware of enormous challenges associated with taking off a ministry, hence, they will look into the budget with a view to re-adjust it.

The Federal Government had proposed a budget of N10 billion for capital expenditure and N1.8 billion for overhead in the 2025 budget of the ministry which commenced activities about three months ago.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha who appeared before the joint committee with officials of the agency listed numerous challenges confronting the ministry, stating that structures are still being put together.

He said: “The take off process is ongoing with necessary structures being put together from formative departments from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

“We are yet to have office accommodation,” he said.

Wale Raji, Chairman House Committee on Livestock Development, queried the amount of input from the Presidential Implementation Committee for the take – off of the ministry.

“There will be need for you to make special presentation on this or come up with supplementary budget that will reflect the hope of Nigerians.

“The budget is abysmally low to respond to the yearnings of Nigerians,” he said.

[DailyPost]

 
 
 
 
 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Folashade Arinola Adekaiyaoja, as the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS). 

The approval, the first of its kind by any President, it was gathered, seeks to revise the agency’s structure for better efficiency.

This, it was learnt, is in line with the original organogram of the Service.

Checks revealed that the DSS is structured to comprise three Deputy Directors General in its hierarchy.

The appointment and ratification by the President was based on the recommendation of the DG, through the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, The Nation learnt. 

“It is line with its extant regulations and unprecedented in the history of the Secret Service,” a source said 

 

The appointment of Adekaiyaoja, a native of Kogi state was celebrated by a cross section of officers and operatives who see her as eminently qualified for the position, it was learnt.

It was further gathered that President Tinubu had, in line with his promise to improve on the security of life and property of Nigerians, tasked the heads of security agencies to come up with proposals on how to improve on their service delivery. 

“It was on this note that the President approved the DG’s recommendation, which many serving and retired officers are confident would boost career progression in the Service,” the source said.

President Tinubu had at the the investiture ceremony of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) Executive Intelligence Management Course 17 graduates last December, promised to support the DSS and other security agencies with Artificial Intelligence- powered state-of-the-art equipment to combat insecurity across the country. 

Speaking through the NSA, the president stated that he was not oblivious of the security challenges in contemporary times, and charged all security agencies to synergize for the common good of Nigerians. 

The DSS Director-General, Mr. Oluwastosin Ajayi, had on assumption of office late August 2024, promised sweeping reforms in the Organization, which he assured  would transform the DSS into one of the most efficient covert  Security Agencies in the world. 

[TheNation]

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stated that documents signed by his predecessor, Hadi Sirika, indicate that a foreign airline would have taken over Nigeria Air.

In a viral video, Keyamo exposed some pages of the documents, explaining parts of the deed of agreements signed by Sirika and the Ethiopian government.

He insisted that the Nigerian government had no regrets about ending the agreement with Ethiopian Airlines over Nigeria Air, stressing that the country cannot give its aviation ecosystem to another entity.

Keyamo said, “You will be shocked if you look at this agreement. What it simply says is that a foreign government should come and take over our national carrier. Ethiopian Air was the single major shareholder in that deal. It is the same thing they did in Togo with Asky. We cannot be Togo. We are big and ambitious.

“We cannot give up our aviation ecosystem to another entity. What would have happened is that the Ethiopian government would now be the complete beneficiary of all our Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) routes.

“A national carrier has first priority over all the BASA routes we have negotiated all over the world. If we give them all the routes we have suffered to negotiate, where will all those profits go? It is not Nigeria.”

This comes as Keyamo explained that Nigeria did not lose any foreign direct investment by not agreeing to the terms of Nigeria Air.

He said what the Ethiopian government was going to do was to get wet-lease aircraft and fly them as national carriers, with all the profits going to Addis Ababa.

The CEO of Nigeria Air would have been an Ethiopian, the financial officer Ethiopian, the director of operations Ethiopian, and all other key positions would have been reserved for foreigners. That is not a national carrier.

In the document, it also says the people that will run Nigeria Air will not pay any tax to the Nigerian government. They are not also building any investments in the country. The documents also say Nigeria will be the guarantor of any loss they suffer here,” Keyamo further explained.