FEATURES
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced a stringent penalty of ₦150 million on Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) found guilty of supplying mint naira notes to currency hawkers.
This move is part of the apex bank’s efforts to curb the illegal trade and ensure the effective distribution of cash to the public.
The announcement follows the CBN’s clarification regarding the continued use of old ₦1000, ₦500, and ₦200 notes as legal tender.
A statement from Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Sidi Ali Hakama, reaffirmed that these denominations remain valid following a Supreme Court ruling on November 29, 2023.
The CBN also cautioned against the hoarding of cash.
In a circular signed by Acting Director of Currency Operations, Mohammed Olayemi, the CBN expressed concern over the rising prevalence of mint naira notes being sold by hawkers.
The bank described the act as a serious obstacle to efficient cash flow and access for citizens and businesses.
The circular, which referenced an earlier directive issued on November 13, 2024, revealed the CBN’s intensified efforts to address the illicit trade of the naira.
The directive warns that any DMB branch found culpable will face an initial fine of ₦150 million. Subsequent violations would attract even stricter sanctions, in line with the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.
To ensure compliance, the CBN pledged to increase spot checks at banking halls and ATMs. It also announced plans to deploy “mystery shoppers” to identify and expose locations where naira hawking is taking place.
The circular read, “The CBN has noted with dismay the prevalence of illicit flow of mint banknotes to currency hawkers and other unscrupulous economic agents that commodify Naira banknotes, thus impeding efficient and effective cash distribution to banks’ customers and the general public.
“CBN will continue to intensify the periodic spot checks to the banking halls/ATMs to review cash payouts to banks’ customers, as well as mystery shopping to all identified cash hawking spots across the country.
“In this regard, any erring deposit money banks or financial institutions that are culpable of facilitating, aiding, or abetting, by direct actions or inactions, the illicit flow of mint banknotes to currency hawkers and unscrupulous economic agents that commodify Naira banknotes shall be penalised at first instance ₦150,000,000.00 (One hundred and fifty million Naira) only, per erring branch, and at later instances, apply the full weight of relevant provisions of BOFIA 2020.”
The CBN further urged financial institutions to strengthen their internal controls, processes, and procedures at Cash Management Centres, branches, and teller operations.
This, the bank said, would prevent banks from being exploited for illegal cash-related transactions.
The Director General of Media and Communication to Governor Abba Yusuf, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, has narrated how he took refuge in the Kano State Government House to avoid being arrested.
He stated this while delivering an address on Saturday at the PR Nigeria Young Communication Fellowship in Kano, claiming that at least 40 officers of the Inspector General of Police monitoring team were deployed to Kano to arrest him about six days ago.
He revealed that he remained in the government house because of the constitutional immunity that disallows arrest on the premises except with the governor’s express instruction.
Tofa explained that he had a court order restricting the police from arresting him which was why he attended the event which he could not miss, adding that he was fortified against being arrested.
“For the last five days, I have been in the government house and could not come out. The nature of Kano politics is so much that there is a fight that you can even say is a federal versus state fight. And at some point, I have almost been behind almost everything of that nature.
“So there was this petition against me and nobody is handling the petition but the IGP himself. He deployed 40 IG monitoring team squad to Kano since Sunday with the sole aim of arresting me.
“So, I came out because of just three things, one, I don’t think I should miss this event even if I’m going to be arrested.
“The second issue is that I have gotten a court order which has not been served to the police but is viral, so I’m sure they must have seen it. And then the third one is that I came here well fortified to resist arrest if it happens.
Addressing the fellows, he advised them on the importance of mentorship as well as the benefits.
“So gentlemen, I will say media, communication, journalism, PR, is a very noble profession. You don’t need to be a graduate of mass communication to venture into it as much as you can get professional training and a mentor.
“In my entire life, I believe so much in maintaining a mentor. In the last 24 years, whatever I take as a decision to do in my life, I search for a mentor for that particular thing. In some areas, I get mentor 1, mentor 2 and mentor 3. Mentor 1,2,3 will give you an option. If you are so confused about something you can gather the three opinions and evaluate them and then pick the best that suits you” he advised.
Addressing newsmen the chief executive of PR Nigeria, Yusha’ Shu’aib said the program was initiated to nurture and mentor a new generation of communicators and equip them with the skills and tools to communicate.
“In the past people always thought about basic skills in communication but now with the advent of technology, we realize that the issue has to do with fact-checking.
“Therefore Artificial Intelligence and social media are very vital in communication these days” he stated.
Nigerian military troops have uncovered and destroyed camps of the newly-formed terrorist group, Lakurawa, in the Jibia area of Katsina State and Tsafe in Zamfara State, as part of "Operation Chase Lakurawa Out."
The specialised troops, deployed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, arrived in Sokoto State on Thursday to support ongoing operations.
Brigadier General Ibikunle Ajose, General Officer Commanding, 8 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Sector 2, Operation Fasan Yanma, shared the updates with newsmen in Sokoto State on Friday.
Ajose confirmed that "Operation Chase Lakurawa Out" which began a week ago, has yielded significant successes, including clearing several forests and destroying multiple terrorist camps.
To further solidify these gains, Ajose announced the deployment of the Defence and Special Operations Brigade by the Chief of Defence Staff.
The specialised troops, selected and trained for the mission, have already joined forces with local units on the ground.
Captain Martins Miagamu, Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base in Tangaza, Sokoto, revealed that recent clearance operations targeting Lakurawa terrorists had been successful.
Since December 1, 2024, the operations have focused on areas like Sarma, Bouni, and Tona, where the terrorists often infiltrate.
Miagamu noted, “On December 8, we successfully pushed them towards the general area of Gudu, marking the conclusion of our limited pre-causal operation. We are now preparing for the next phase, as directed by the Chief of Defence Staff.”
However, Miagamu acknowledged the difficulties posed by local sympathisers and informants who helped the terrorists evade capture.
“Before we conduct any operations, these individuals often warn the terrorists about our movements,” he said.
He further explained that some locals form bonds with the terrorists, even marrying women from nearby villages to gain their protection.
“The terrorists have convinced the locals that their jihad is against the military, security personnel, and government officials, not civilians,” Miagamu added.
Brigadier General Timothy Opurum, Commander of the 1 Brigade Headquarters in Gusau, highlighted the progress made in the campaign, noting that the terrorists’ increasing use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) is a sign of their desperation.
“The use of IEDs is a clear sign that they are on the brink of defeat. But this will not deter us; we will continue until we rid the entire North-West of them,” Opurum asserted.
Opurum also issued a direct warning to the terrorists, “Surrender or be neutralised. We are coming for you, and there is no place to hide.”
In Katsina, Brigadier General B.O. Omopariola, Commander of the 17 Brigade Nigerian Army, reported that more than 50 bandit groups, each with different motives and tactics, are operating in the state.
He assured that the brigade, in collaboration with other security agencies, is committed to addressing emerging threats and finding effective solutions.
Simon Ekpa, the remanded leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is currently incarcerated at Kylmäkoski Prison, one of the most secure and challenging prisons globally, according to findings by Saturday PUNCH.
The high security prison is in Vanhamaantie, Akaa, Finland.
The Finnish government had announced the arrest of Ekpa alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.
The Finnish police confirmed that Ekpa, who described himself as the Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government-in-Exile, allegedly used social media to promote violence in the South-East region, targeting civilians and authorities.
According to local publication, Yle, Ekpa was remanded in custody by the Päijät-Häme District Court on charges of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent.
Saturday PUNCH reports that the Finnish government had frozen Ekpa’s assets, as well as those of companies associated with him and four of his accomplices, who are also in remand.
Yle, in a report, stated that Ekpa is being held in the Kylmäkoski vankila.
The Head of International Communications of Yle, Mika Ojamies, in response to enquiries from our correspondent, also confirmed that the suspect was in the prison.
Kylmäkoski vankila: Finland’s toughest prison
The Kylmäkoski vankila was built in 1993 for male prisoners.
The facility, which is known for accommodating people who have committed serious crimes, including violent suspects and s*x offenders, is the largest closed-unit facility in Finland.
The prison currently houses 113 prisoners, mostly convicts and remand inmates.
The Kylmäkoski vankila was featured in a 2023 Netflix documentary series, Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons.
A journalist, Raphael Rowe, entered the wards and interacted with some of the inmates, including the most dangerous criminals in Finland.
Among the inmates interviewed were Toni, Olli, Michael, Danny, and Jani, who had histories of violence and crime.
Two of the inmates, Toni and Olli, were notorious for their brutal actions, and did not show remorse for their crimes during the conversation with Rowe.
Another inmate, identified as Antti, told the reporter about the ‘lizard wing,’ a section created for dangerous inmates, particularly s*x offenders and informants.
The inmates warned that in prison, people mind their business—but not when it comes to s*xual offenders.
“If you’re some s*xual offenders, or something… paedophile, you get knocked the f**k out,” Jani stated.
In the documentary, one inmate was moved to a different wing after punching a new prisoner who had snitched on him years earlier.
Some prisoners recounted their violent acts, including one who shot his brother’s killer in the head, an 18-year-old boy who stabbed a man in the neck, and another inmate who ran over a person with a car before shooting the person with a bow.
In a different case, a 50-year-old prisoner stated that he had been convicted 11 times in Finland, six times in Sweden, twice in Denmark, and once in Norway, spending a total of 23 years in prison for various violent crimes, including two murders.
Power in the prison is often tied to the possession of drugs.
One prisoner confirmed that the man with the most drugs becomes the ‘king’ of the prison.
Most of the prisoners are heavily tattooed, with their massive, frames making them even more intimidating.
With their intimidating appearances and violent histories, the prisoners in Kylmakoski show no remorse for their crimes.
Most of the prisoners committed crimes while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, making them even more dangerous.
Around 90 per cent of new inmates arrive with drug problems.
Newcomers often smuggle in drugs, including subutex, cocaine and amphetamines, as well as cell phones. Subutex is a popular Finnish drug.
A prison officer confirmed the troubling trend in the video, noting that dealing with such violent, drug-affected prisoners was a major challenge for the prison system.
Prison issues
A first major problem with the prison is the persistent issue of drug smuggling, which has continued despite efforts to stop it.
Also, a female guard was sacked for having affairs with inmates. According to Yle, the officer was fired in May 2023 over an inappropriate “relationship with a number of male inmates.”
“In its dismissal notice, the prison argued that there were particularly compelling reasons for the officer’s dismissal, as information regarding her inappropriate behaviour was obtained from inmates as well as staff,” the report said.
Also, a prisoner was said to have tricked guards by using the personal information of another inmate that was due for release.
The incident prompted nationwide reforms on the release of inmates.
Finland closed prison
Unlike the open prisons in Finland where prisoners take vacation, go to work and own keys to their rooms, prisoners in closed prisons are restricted and denied freedom.
The cell doors are locked during the times determined in the daily schedule. When the ward is locked, prisoners must be in their cells or in other locations marked in the checklist of prisoners.
The times when the number of prisoners is checked are specified in the daily schedule. Prisoners are obligated to close and lock the cell doors when they leave their cells.
In the prison, a visitor and an inmate are not allowed to take notes or transmit written messages without the permission of the staff.
Also, the prisoner and a visitor may not touch each other during the visit.
“If a prisoner violates the terms of a meeting laid down in the prison rules, a disciplinary punishment may be imposed on the prisoner,” the Prison and Probation Service of Finland said.
Ekpa’s remand
Ekpa was remanded by the district court and is scheduled to face charges in May 2025.
A senior detective superintendent at Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation, Mikko Laaksonen, had told Saturday PUNCH that Ekpa could not get bail due to the criminal procedure of the country.
“Our procedure is based on the case, remand or travel ban as coercive measures for limiting freedom of movement for persons suspected of offences to which such measures are applicable.”
A Finnish legal document obtained by Saturday PUNCH revealed that remand is not a punishment, but a coercive measure implemented during a criminal investigation and trial.
The document added that the purpose of remand imprisonment is to secure the criminal investigation, court proceedings, and enforcement of a sentence and to prevent the remanded person from continuing criminal activities.
“Remand imprisonment is ordered by a court that decides to remand a suspect of an offence. Remand imprisonment ends when a court, a prosecutor, or the police (or other official with the power of arrest) releases the remand prisoner.
“Remand imprisonment ends at the latest when the judgment of a district court becomes final. If the judgment of a district court is appealed, remand imprisonment continues until the judgment of a court of appeal is issued.
“However, if a remand prisoner is sentenced to imprisonment, the remand prisoner may consent to the enforcement and abide by the judgment as regards the sentenced imprisonment even before the judgment has become final. In that case, the sentenced person starts serving the imposed sentence of imprisonment and the person’s status changes from a remand prisoner to a prisoner,” it added.
In addition, remand prisoners cannot be placed in an outside institution or given permission for supervised activities outside prison
2027: ’Goodluck Jonathans Ticket Cannot Defeat Tinubu’ – APC Reacts To PDP’s Invites To Former President
AFOLABI
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s invitation to former President, Goodluck Jonathan, to run for president in the 2027 presidential election on its platform.
Naija News reported that the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, recently said the party had eagerly awaited Jonathan’s return for a second term.
Abdullahi noted that it would be regrettable if Jonathan chose another party for his presidential bid.
However, in an interview with Punch, the APC’s National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the former president would face another defeat if he responded to the call.
According to him, the APC will not be jittery about the ex-president’s enrolment in the 2027 race, stressing that 10 of Goodluck Jonathans will not defeat President Bola Tinubu.
He said, “There is just no way the APC will be jittery, if at all, there is such a plan to enrol former President Goodluck Jonathan into the race. The APC defeated him when he was in power. Defeating him when he’s out of power will be a walkover.
“It is something that cannot even give the party a sleepless night. So, whoever is making this permutation, if the intention is to scare the APC, I think he needs to go back to the drawing board and think again. We are not worried.
“However, I think it is too premature for us to be talking about 2027. After all, less than 40 per cent of the mandate given to the president under APC has not even been consumed. Let’s get to the river before we start thinking of crossing it. But if you bring 10 former President Jonathans, they cannot defeat the APC as of today.
“The APC defeated Goodluck Jonathan when the president was the leader of the party. The APC will defeat him again now that Tinubu is the president and the leader of the party. It is not Buhari’s cult followership that matters. It is the party arrangement. Buhari did not contest on independent candidature status.”
Recall that in 2015, Jonathan ran on the platform of the PDP but was defeated by the APC flag bearer, Muhammadu Buhari, in the presidential election.
Buhari polled 15,424,921 votes to relegate the ex-president, who garnered 12,853,162 votes, to second place.
The election marked the first time an incumbent president had lost re-election in Nigeria.
The President of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Shettima Yerima, has expressed strong reservations about the Federal Government’s handling of the controversial tax reform bills currently before the National Assembly.
In an interview with Saturday Vanguard, Yerima outlined the shortcomings in the government’s approach, citing inadequate consultation, lack of transparency, and insufficient public engagement as major obstacles to gaining support for the proposed reforms.
Giving the reason why the North seems to be opposing the bill, Yerima said, “The tax reform bills depend on how individuals or certain interests perceive them. But for us, the government could have done better. The idea was fine, drawing inferences from the situation in the country. Even if we are doing fine, no country ignores taxation.
“This is one major area where they can generate funds for development. The presentation was one of the problems. The managers of the bills did not do well, which is why you see the reactions coming from the north as if the region is anti-tax reforms.
“No. They brought the issue and politicised it, making it seem anti-north. The government can still do well by consulting, which is the first thing they should have done. Go through the National Assembly, and the elected representatives will now go back to their various constituencies to meet with their people.
“This way, the bill will enjoy the deserved legitimacy. I am happy that, at the end of the day, there is an understanding between the executive arm of government and the lawmakers. The lawmakers have also agreed to go back to their constituencies for further consultation. There are only a few grey areas I think they will amend and pass the bill. Certainly, the trouble it generated was unnecessary.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked former President, Goodluck Jonathan, to run for president in the 2027 presidential election on its platform.
Naija News reports that this follows the recent sighting of Jonathan’s presidential posters for the 2027 elections across major streets in Kano, which sparked speculation about his possible return to the political arena.
Some political elites said that the move is based on the belief that Jonathan is eligible to serve another four-year term, having already served as president from 2011 to 2015.
In an interview with Punch, the PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the party had eagerly awaited Jonathan’s return for a second term due to his political rise.
Abdullahi urged Jonathan to heed the call to finish what he started within the party, emphasizing that it would be regrettable if the former president chose another party for his presidential bid.
The PDP chieftain also highlighted the party’s historical role in shaping Nigeria’s leadership, citing several notable figures who had emerged from the party.
He said, “We’ve said this about Jonathan and our governors. Even the FCT minister, is arguably the best performer in his role and he is a product of PDP. El-Rufai, Okonjo-Iweala, Dora Akunyili, Obi Ezekwesili, Akinwunmi Adesina, Amina Mohammed… these are the pride of this country, and they are all products of the PDP.
“If Goodluck Jonathan is seriously considering running, we have been calling him to come back and complete his term. It will not be out of place, but if he runs with another political party, it will expose the hypocrisy within the APC.
“It’s crucial for him to remember how he was derided, criticised and reduced to nothing by these same people. Now that they are suddenly calling him the messiah, he must not be swayed by their sudden affection. That would be unfortunate.”
However, sources within the PDP have predicted that the party’s future will be determined at its upcoming National Executive Committee meeting, scheduled for February 2025.
In an interview with the publication above, the immediate past Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, stated that the delay in the NEC meeting was due to deeper reasons within the party.
He suggested that if the ultimate goal was to remove Damagum, he would do everything possible to prevent the meeting where such a move could be made.
Odeyemi argued that if the PDP intended to seek peace, it must align with Damagum and his supporters and allow the situation to settle before pushing for further changes.
He said, “Damagum, being a shrewd politician, is not ready to leave his post.”
Odeyemi also cautioned that rushing into the NEC meeting could lead to more crises for the party, adding, “If you cannot manage yourselves as a political party, how can you manage the country?”
…says for resurgence, party must return to founding principles
Chief Olabode George is a retired Naval Officer and a former military governor of Ondo State.He is also a politician and a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he rose to become the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South). He recently held an interactive session with the media to express his views on a wide range of issues.
What lesson do you think INEC should take away from the recent presidential election in Ghana?
Ghanaians have always acted differently from us. Yes, like Nigeria, they also have many tribes but the population of the entire country can’t be anything more than what we have in Lagos. One thing that we must remember is that their first leader, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was dedicated to the development and the progress of that country. He was very selfless. He stood firm in his belief that education must be for all the people without any form of exception or discrimination. The people of Ghana have had the same kind of experiences similar to ours now. Don’t forget at some time, they rushed down to Nigeria to look for pittance by doing menial jobs. It was the government of General (Muhammadu) Buhari who asked them to leave the country. This experience woke them up to the realisation of making their country work for them. It (the deportations) challenged them to sort their country out. Check out the caliber of people in their electoral body. They have consistently managed their electoral process very well because that is the centre piece of any democratic success. As long as the people who are expected to be midwives, the process that throws up the people that will manage the country are not the right quality of people, what do you expect? Look at how election results are being manipulated now in Nigeria. The experience of Ghana should be a wake-up call on all Nigerians. One of the observers, former Vice President (Namadi) Sambo, told me that the electioneering was issue based, unlike what we have here which is centred on tribe and religion.
How do we make our democratic processes and systems work for us to guarantee free, fair and credible elections?
We have the right equipment; we have trained the personnel to be deployed for election. It was unfortunate that INEC gave an excuse that there was a glitch in the system and they said they were going to abandon electronic collation and revert to the old manual collation. I was shocked when INEC said there was a glitch in the system. Being my area of specialisation, I am a weapon system engineer and I understand why a glitch must not happen in any system. Imagine someone saying there is a glitch when missiles are flying towards you from all directions. The question we ought to have asked them was whether a system would be designed without having an alternative route in case of any glitch? In fact, the designer of the software, Amazons, debunked their claims, saying nothing like that happened and that they were monitoring the system from their end. They said the server was switched off. We need to go back to the basics by reintroducing civics into our schools curriculum.
How do we address the problems such that election outcomes are not subverted?
That is where I am going. The last time, we went and we voted and the votes were counted in our presence at the polling units from where we were to transfer the result to, rather than the old ways where some people after conclusion of polls will carry it manually to collation centre. If it had been 200 votes here for the PDP and 300 for the APC, depending on the strength of any of the parties, figure nine would be added to the front of the score recorded for either of the parties at the collation centre. Now, you have a system, where everyone would be there and the result counted and transferred straight to the server without any form of human interference. This is basically what I am saying but if they connive and pretend that this thing didn’t get there, some people would go to another corner and issue another result which would be admitted for collation. People found to be doing this ought to go to jail. Anyone saddled with the responsibility of conducting our election will sit up if he knows that the judiciary would deal with his criminal conduct, they won’t be manipulating election results. Dealing with issues like this should start somewhere and I know that it is possible.
Currently the National Assembly is amending the Electoral Law. If you want to give any form of counsel, what are you going to tell the lawmakers in terms of how to make the law work properly?
Firstly, there are rules, there should be no glitches if you have a system put in place. I don’t know the kind of system that you will put in place that would only have to be routed through just one channel. The electronic system must not fail on the day of election. If it does, those involved must be criminalised. Two, personnel must be well trained by picking, maybe two each from the six geo-political zones to be trained in the procedure. There must not be just one man sitting there but many people. Those to be saddled with this task must be independent. Three, there must be whistleblowers who will expose any form of infraction against the system. The claims of these whistle blowers must also be well investigated by the government. Anyone found liable should be sent to prison. These are some of the things that must be put in place to support the electoral procedures.
What about the recruitment of personnel for the election, how independent should they be?
Recruitment of the personnel has to be independently handled.
What’s your position on these ceaseless calls for restructuring of the country by some segments of the society?
Let me tell you, the Constitution that we are currently using to run the country is absolute trash. This is because only one man sitting at the top determines all that goes on in the country. He decides all that happens within the country. Things like this don’t happen anywhere else except here in Nigeria. When the British left the country, they left a federal arrangement; it was a time that the various regions had embassies in various countries of the world. We had a Prime Minister who was there, not as Head of State but as Head of Government. He wasn’t controlling everybody, but what do you have now? What we are operating now is a military Constitution. There is one boss at the helm just like a military commander. In the military, once your boss gives a command, you must fall in line. Such an arrangement is not democratic in any way. We have been talking about the 2014 Political Reform Conference. The report is there, go and look at it. We need to reduce the power at the centre. Let’s stop deceiving ourselves; the constitution of the country is also a major problem to the development of Nigeria.
You have always described the PDP as an Iroko but in recent times, your party had been going through some form of turbulence prompting many to think that it might actually go into extinction. What gives you the assurance that the party will survive the current crisis plaguing it?
There is no organisation anywhere in the world that doesn’t have its ups and downs but I insist that our party is an Iroko that the party just didn’t emerge from nowhere. The experiences make the party formidable. The late Papa Alex Ekweme deemed it fit to invite some of the country’s brilliant politicians who had distinct ideologies. They were not in the same party and they didn’t have the same ideological leaning. He called the late Chief Bola Ige from the South West; in fact, it was the late Chief Ige that wrote the constitution of the PDP. Did you ever imagine that Baba Ekweme and Chief Jim Nwobodo would be in the same party? It was almost impossible.
Ekweme went North, he invited Papa Adamu Ciroma, he brought in the late Chief Solomon Lar, the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi from Kano. Don’t forget that the late Rimi belonged to a populist, socialist party. He brought Jubril Aminu too. All of them came together to fashion out a way forward. It was discovered that the problem with our democracy has always been the problems of the majority always winning and the minority always losing. In the end, the majority will decide and the minority will always be the onlookers. They came up with the concept of six geo-political zone structures and they identified six topmost positions in the land. The positions were those of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker, SGF and the party chairman. In the end, no zone, whether you are a majority or minority tribe will go home empty handed. You know what that created? It created a sense of belonging, national dynamism.
Where did the party get it wrong?
Suddenly, human manipulation sets in; people’s personal ambition now becomes greater than the corporate, collective ambition of the party. We have been telling them that what has been handed over to us is not what they are doing. The trampling on the party’s constitution when former National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu and the chairman of the national convention, Senator David Mark came from the same zone. Is that in any way national? Is that the concept of the party with relation to equity and spread? They begged and begged and begged but we told them since Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner was leaving, power should move to the South. The excuse they gave was that the man who did the zoning arrangement didn’t do that of elective offices. They called for a review but when we got to the meeting, they told us that there was nothing like zoning and that zoning was absolute nonsense.
I read the Constitution to them and that provision is still there till date. They agreed with me and said we should meet the day after and when that meeting took place, they were just pleading that we go along with them. We took their pleadings as family members. Like I said, Ayu was the national chairman, Mark, the chairman of the national convention and there was no need for us to start firing. Atiku landed the ticket but before then, Ayu assured that should the presidential candidate come from the North, he would step down as national chairman. I went to him begging him not to destroy the party but he told me that he would have to serve out his term.
A tragic fire broke out at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Wisdom Estate, Olohunda Road, Lagelu Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, trapping several worshippers during a vigil service.
The incident, which occurred on Friday night, December 13 at approximately 9:30 pm, has left the community in shock.
Eyewitnesses reported that the church was holding its regular Friday vigil when the fire erupted.
According to the eyewitness who doesn’t want her name in print, “The fire started around 9:30 pm. Some worshippers had dozed off to rest before the vigil commenced. It was a very tragic scene.”
Another witness recounted the distressing sight of an elderly woman unable to escape the flames due to her frailty.
“She was very old and couldn’t move properly. She was still inside the church while the fire was raging.”
A church member, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that some individuals were still inside the building when the fire broke out.
The exact cause of the fire remains undetermined as of the time of this report.
The General Manager of the Oyo State Fire Services, Akinyemi Akinyinka, confirmed the incident.
He stated that the department was alerted by a resident, Kunle Junaid.
“Our men were there based on the information received. Further updates will be provided,” he assured.
The extent of the casualties and damage is yet to be disclosed, but the incident has raised concerns about safety measures during church vigils.
Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the tragic event.
Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, as a man of peace despite criticisms surrounding the ongoing demolition of structures in Abuja.
He made this remark while speaking at a Public Lecture and Book Launch in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital to celebrate Wike’s 57th birthday.
While sharing humorous anecdotes, highlighting the minister’s forgiving nature, Akpabio said, “I told one of my colleagues, I don’t know why anyone would quarrel with Wike. If he shouts, by the time I get to the door, he’s already forgotten.”
Akpabio’s remark however elicited laughter from the audience.
In response to criticisms over his actions in the FCT, Wike maintained his resolve to deliver impactful results.
He stated, “In life, if you know what you want to do and how to do it, go ahead.
“I will never be distracted. I will stay focused to achieve results that will show Nigerians Mr. President means well.”
Wike dismissed the criticisms as distractions orchestrated by detractors, emphasizing his commitment to public service.
“The only way to silence critics is by achieving results for public interest,” he asserted.
He also expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support and thanked the crowd for identifying with him during the event.
The FCT Minister reassured attendees that he remains determined to implement policies and reforms that will benefit Nigerians.
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A total of N1.727 trillion, representing the November 2024 Federation Accounts Revenue, was distributed among the Federal, State, and Local Governments during the December meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) held in Abuja yesterday.
The distributed revenue comprised N455.354 billion from statutory allocations, N585.700 billion from Value Added Tax (VAT), N15.046 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N671.392 billion from Exchange Difference revenue.
A communiqué issued after the meeting revealed that total gross revenue for November 2024 stood at N3.143 trillion. Out of this amount, N103.307 billion was deducted for the cost of collection, while N1.312 trillion was allocated for transfers, interventions, and refunds.
The gross statutory revenue for the month amounted to N1.827 trillion, reflecting an increase of N490.339 billion from the N1.336 trillion recorded in October 2024. Meanwhile, gross VAT revenue decreased to N628.972 billion in November, down from N668.291 billion in October, marking a decline of N39.318 billion.
From the total distributable revenue of N1.727 trillion, the Federal Government received N581.856 billion, while the State Governments and Local Government Councils received N549.792 billion and N402.553 billion, respectively. An additional N193.291 billion, representing 13% of mineral revenue, was allocated to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
Breaking down the N455.354 billion statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N175.690 billion, the State Governments N89.113 billion, and the Local Government Councils N68.702 billion, with N121.849 billion allocated to oil-producing states as derivation revenue. For the N585.700 billion VAT revenue, the Federal Government collected N87.855 billion, the State Governments N292.850 billion, and the Local Government Councils N204.995 billion.
The communiqué further disclosed that N15.046 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) was distributed among the Federal Government, State Governments, and Local Government Councils, which received N2.257 billion, N7.523 billion, and N5.266 billion, respectively. Additionally, from the N671.392 billion Exchange Difference revenue, the Federal Government received N316.054 billion, the State Governments N160.306 billion, and the Local Government Councils N123.590 billion, while oil-producing states received N71.442 billion as derivation revenue.
The report noted significant increases in revenue from Oil and Gas Royalty and CET Levies during November 2024. However, declines were observed in several other revenue streams, including Excise Duty, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Import Duty, VAT, and EMTL.
During the week, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shetima, made waves across the media when he gave the leader of the United Kingdom Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch, an uppercut.
Recall that before Badenoch got to the position as the leader of the UK Conservative Party, she had described Nigeria as socialist nation brimming with thieving politicians and insecurity. She also talked about “growing up in a place where fear was everywhere. You cannot understand it unless you’ve lived there. Triple checking that all the doors and windows are locked, waking up in the night at every sound listening as you hear your neighbour scream as they are being burgled and beaten and wondering if your home will be next.”
I Can't give up because I have a mother and two brothers — Blind 23-Yr-Old Fabiyi...
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So, while responding to Badenoch’s thoughts about the country during an event, Shetima criticised her for always ‘denigrating’ Nigeria, suggesting that she could remove the ‘Kemi’ from her name if she wanted.
Well, Badenoch has responded to Shettima after he criticized her for ‘denigrating’ Nigeria. Her Spokesperson said Kemi stood by her statement and was not interested in laundering the image of Nigeria.
The gbas gbos has pulled thousands of reactions from Nigerians who expressed divided opinions on the matter. When the issue came up on Arise TV’s programme on Thursday, Ojy Okpe questioned why “there is an issue when people in power be it Kemi or Davido come out to denigrate Nigeria, then it becomes a huge conversation.”
A netizen, Oluwaseun Ajede’s comment was first read out before the floor opened for discussion. He wrote, “The truth often hits the wrong side here. Speaking truth is always labelled as denigrating the country. It’s impossible to repackage what inherently cannot be packaged. Shettima and friends should fix up”
Then, the crew dug up three promises made by Badenoch a few years back about how she intended to help Nigeria out of her misery. So, I ask, what changed? Is Nigeria worse off now that warranted opinion change? Did Badenoch say the truth about Nigeria’s sad situation or was she just playing politics? Is she supposed to just maintain the flow and not openly criticize her land of birth for patriotism sake? Let’s keep reading.
While explaining that there was crime all over the world including on the streets of UK, Rufai Oseni maintained that the sad situation that Badenoch tried painting was not exclusive to Nigeria. According to him, “Kemi is simply playing politics and I’m shocked that people can’t see through all of this. Kemi is just a bloody hypocrite. Is Britain not a socialist nation? Do people go out and work in Britain, don’t they live on welfare? So, what’s the problem? She is just a social climber and has been able to use this narrative. Why not also blame the rightwing nationalists who are causing chaos in England? Do you see how the rightwing nationalists assault people, racially abuse people and cause riots?”
Dr Reuben Abati takes it from another angle. “There’s something called group psycho analysis- meaning all of us should take one position and then the other who is different in terms of opinion is demonized. So, people will always have different opinions. We thank God that there are many others who are abroad and are still proud of their country.”
Dr Abati stated that the main focus now should be on how “We take this as a challenge to make our country better such that our children who relocate abroad who choose another aspect of their nationality will not look back and talk down on their country. This is a great country as the vice president pointed out but we need to be in a situation where we will be very proud of this country.” That’s a good one from Dr Abati.
By implication, so many netizens who commented on the programme, fully supported Dr Abati’s opinion. Take a look at a few of their comments.
@chukwuemekaehumadu3138 wrote, “Kemi is simply encouraging us to repair Nigeria. Simple!”
@tyy5557 commented, “Kemi Badenoch has the right to her own opinion. Shettima and his corrupt group should fix the problems in Nigeria.”
@augusttineeze-t8p reacted, “whoever said the Nigeria system is okay, let his family be like the Nigeria system.”
@chuksteve-live also on X wrote, “Kemi has spoken the mind of the ordinary Nigerian citizens.”
@Amadinkennedy responded, “Kemi is not talking down on Nigeria as a country. She is only putting Nigeria politicians on a high jump to do the needful.”
@angelicakweku5293 wrote, “The beautiful, brilliant Kemi should not give these ignorant, greedy, selfish politicians relevance.”
@amaka8086 simply wrote, “Kemi Badenoch was not lying.”
@justinalaeto5482 wrote, “Tell Shettima to stop his brothers from terrorising Nigerian people and leave Kemi alone.”
In a very long response, @chinoouzodinma wrote, “Kemi Badenoch is actually within her rights to describe Nigeria for what it is. Pride for our country does not mean blindness to a point where we cannot criticize the madness in the country. On the contrary, having a passion and true pride for our country should in fact, be a driving force to call out things as they are. A country rich in oil yet, poor to the letter…”
A rancorous scene occurred at the premises of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Ona Iye Parish in the Iloye area of Sango-Ota, Ogun State penultimate week as a commercial driver swathed by his family members and associates clashed with the pastor and founder of the church, Prophet Abiodun John, in a scandalous paternity row.
The driver, Badiru Folarin, who is the husband of a female church member brought to the church for spiritual healing, screamed that the pastor claimed ownership of his four-year-old child after he caught him having an illicit affair with his wife, Morufat.
Folarin claimed the pastor’s sexual escapades with his wife was revealed by his 14-year-old son, Saheed, who told him that his mother was always visiting and cooking for the clergyman while he was away and that the cleric in turn visited their home at odd hours.
He said: ”The pastor claimed that my in-law had given my wife to him as his wife. However, the question is, can a woman be given to two men as wife?
”The pastor confronted me to my face that he is the biological father of our last child, a four-year-old. Yet my wife rained curses on me, saying that Ogun (Yoruba god of iron) should strike me dead so she can enjoy her benefactor.
”I am a driver. I never enjoyed my wife at home. She was always away to church for several days in the guise of vigils and special spiritual protection. My mother-in-law was disturbed about my wife’s continuous absence from home under the pretext of participation in church activities.”
Amid the yelling, screaming and cacophony of noise at the scene, Morufat told her husband’s family members and bystanders that she was not in the least prepared to leave her husband, although she conceded the paternity of the child in question to the embattled pastor when asked to choose between the latter and Folarin.
She said: ”No one should blame me for what has happened…and If you all must know, I cannot be married to two men in my life…but my husband is not ready to take care of me, he is a shameless man…I will deal with him when we return home.”
Folarin, however, retorted: ”You cannot come back to my house…anything can happen to you if you come back to my house.”
Recalling how the messy affair between the pastor and her wife began, the father of six said he did not believe that the clergyman was having an affair with his wife when neighbours alerted him until his son tipped him off that his wife was having a tryst with the cleric at his house within the church premises.
Folarin said: ”I did not realise that the pastor was sleeping with my wife.
“I am a Muslim while my wife is a Christian. She was having some spiritual attacks and went to the church for deliverance.
“Suddenly, she started frequenting the church, and when I heard that she was having an affair with the pastor, I confronted her but she denied it.
”She would send my children to me for upkeep while at the church and I usually sent money to her, not knowing that she was using my money to prepare meal for her pastor-lover.”
”The pastor knows me very well. He had even given me some spiritual items for use that would attract fortune, but my transport business witnessed a reversal of fortune instead.
”I have been married to Morufat for more than 30 years and our first child is 30 years old. I was giving her about N6,000 every day for upkeep.
“When I got home a few days ago, she rained curses on me. Her action got my 14-year-old son, Saheed, angry, and he opened up that his mother had been flirting with the pastor to the extent that she was cooking for the cleric with the money I have been giving her as daily upkeep.
“My son said his mother had just returned from the church where she took food to the pastor shortly before I returned home on that day.
”The pastor told me to my face that he is the biological father of my last child, a daughter (Alimot).
“I gave my wife the sum of N68,000 when she was pregnant with our last child, but she gave the money to the pastor and relocated to the church for several months under the pretext of seeking spiritual protection.
“Along the line, we had accommodation problem, and that was when I gave her money for a new accommodation. Instead, she spent the money on her lover and later claimed she was sick and that she used the money for treatment.
”Again, I got some money and got another apartment for her at Plaza area in Sango-Ota despite her insistence that she did not want me to get another accommodation.
“I warned her against having any close affair with pastor and asked her to stay in the new apartment.
“Surprisingly, she complained she did not like the fact the apartment is in a one-storey building.
“I would give her N3,000 in the morning and N3,000 in the evening because I usually left home around 5 am to take early turn to pick passengers at the motor park.
“Last week, my son told me that his mother had been with the pastor’s house for four days. I stormed the place and I was shocked to find them together in a room half naked.
“The pastor tied a towel around his waist while my wife also tied a piece of cloth around her waist while she pushed two of my little children to play outside the room.
”She started abusing me and calling me all sort of names. I reported the affair to my wife’s uncle and the old man slapped the pastor for luring my wife to bed to the extent of impregnating her.
“We tried to take my children away from her but she bit off my hand while the pastor claimed that he is the father of my last daughter, who is my sixth child.
“The pastor told all of us at the scene that he is the biological father of my daughter and that I cannot take the girl away from him.
“My wife said she was not ready to leave me and that she cannot also leave her pastor-lover.
“I later discovered that she had aborted a pregnancy for the same pastor some years ago.
“I cannot take my wife back and because the pastor has vowed to deal with me.
“I have 13 siblings and only three of us are the surviving children of my parent.
“I don’t want the pastor to kill me. Nigerians should save me from the ruthless pastor.”
Speaking with our reporter, Saheed, Folarin’s son, who allegedly exposed his mother’s illicit affair with the pastor, said his mother threatened to poison him for exposing her affair with the pastor.
”My mother threatened to poison me for exposing her escapades with the pastor of our church to my father.
“She called me an unfortunate child for telling my father that she even cooked for the pastor.
“I know she attacked me because I knew too much about her secret affair with the pastor.”
Giving his own side of the story, Pastor John explained that he is the biological father of Morufat’s sixth child.
He said he had been having an on and off affair with the woman in the last 20 years.
He said: ”My name is Prophet John Abiodun, the founder and pastor of Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Orisun Iye Parish.
“I have been dating Morufat for about 20 years now. She told me that her husband abandoned her with two children.
”My church was formerly located in the Ijamido area of Ota before I moved it to Iloye area of Sango-Ota.
“Morufat came to my church about 20 years ago with two young children, Serifat and Saidat, for deliverance and spiritual protection.
“When I noticed that she did not leave after some time, I asked her to bring any of her family members.
”She later invited her aunt called Mama Lekan, who frequently visited her at the church.
“She stayed with me in the church for about six months, during which we started an affair.
“She later left and I did not see her again until about a year later.
”By the time she returned to my church in 2004, she was already pregnant for her husband.
“I reprimanded her for getting pregnant for the same man she had claimed was irresponsible.
”She said her husband had abandoned her again and bolted with a widow.
“I took her to a hospital when she went into labour and carried out special prayers for her and she was safely delivered of the baby. Afterward, I did not see her again.
”I ran into her again when I was supervising the construction of my new church building in the neighbourhood of the apartment where she lives with her husband.
“She later ran to me when she was owing a lender, and that was when we reignited our affair.
”She had a disagreement with her husband and said she was no longer interested in her marriage.
“She said she would have left her husband a long time ago but for her mother’s insistence that she must not leave her husband. By that time, she already had five children.
”My affair with her and the controversial pregnancy led to the separation with my own wife who could not stand it and left me about three years ago.
“Morufat’s mother knows that I am the real father of the baby, and I struck a deal with her mother who was accompanied to my home by one of her friends that I would come back for my daughter when she is 10 years old.
“It was during the discussion that my wife overheard that I was responsible for Morufat’s pregnancy, hence, she quit our marriage.
“It is a pity that Morufat’s mother is not here. I would have challenged her to say the truth.
”I took her(Morufat) on my motorcycle to the hospital when it was time to deliver the baby.
“I paid for her delivery at the hospital, although I heard that her husband had given her the delivery money too before she was discharged from the hospital.
“I was not the one that buried the baby’s placenta: her husband did. However, I am sure that I am the biological father of the girl.”
Prophet Abiodun boasted that he is not ashamed to affirm his affair with Morufat and that she was impregnated by him.
”I can boldly say that I was responsible for the training of some of her children in vocations.
“The husband was not responsible for the upbringing or naming of any of their children.
“Morufat ran to me one day and had a clash with my wife, and that was when my wife took the final decision to leave me.
”I cannot be ashamed to say it anywhere, any day, even it is on a radio programme.
“I named the girl Bose because she was born on Sunday, while her husband named her Shadiat. She was a twins as was revealed to me by ‘God’, but the second child was evacuated from her womb dead.”
Prophet Abiodun, however, added that he cannot take Morufat as wife because of her past relationship with other men.
”I cannot marry Morufat because I know about her journey and some of the men she had dated in the past,” he said.
“I am only claiming my child because I know that she was impregnated by me and I have a scan of the baby.
“Morufat is 46 years old, and she said it in the presence of everyone that I am the real father of her last baby.
“Besides, my family members and hers know that I am the real father of the baby, and I am saying it again that I am not ashamed to say so.”
Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, has sparked controversy with her recent comments about her identity and her views on Nigeria.
In an interview with The Spectator, Badenoch emphasised her Yoruba heritage and distanced herself from identifying as Nigerian, citing the country’s northern region as a hub for extremism.
“I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity [Yoruba],” Badenoch said.
“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is.”
Badenoch’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism from Nigerians, including public figures, who accuse her of presenting a negative image of the country on international platforms.
This criticism comes amid her frequent comments on Nigeria’s challenges with corruption and insecurity in British media.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who hails from Borno, a region heavily affected by Boko Haram, addressed Badenoch’s comments.
“She could go ahead and change her name if she does not want any association with the greatest black nation on earth, the nation called Nigeria,” Shettima said.
Despite the backlash, Kemi Badenoch has stood by her statements.
“Being Yoruba is my true identity, and I refuse to be lumped up with northern people of Nigeria, who ‘were our ethnic enemies’ all in the name of being called a Nigerian,” she said.
Reflecting on her Yoruba roots, Badenoch shared a personal anecdote: “Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.”
She concluded with a reaffirmation of her commitment to the UK, “I am here to protect and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there.”