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BARELY 72 hours after his first cabinet review, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been asked to consider relinquishing the position of Minister of Petroleum resources, which he has been occupying since May 29, 2023.
Mr. Osita Okechukwu, one of the founding members of All Progressives Congress (APC), made the call while reacting to the recent reshuffle of ministerial portfolio in the Federal Executive Council.
While commending President Tinubu for compelling all the ministers to be on their toes; by exercising the executive powers conferred on him by Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic, Okechukwu noted that the President’s action is a milestone.
“Secondly, Mr. President deserves kudos for adhering to the ageless doctrine of Key Performance Index index (KPI) evaluation, which is a major management tool that guarantees transparency and accountability. “In the same vein, I wish to appeal to Mr President to complete the reshuffle process by relinquishing the post of Minister of Petroleum Resources as a matter of urgent national importance. This step would go a long way to stem, if not weed out the buccaneer antics of the less than transparent Oil Mafia,” he stated.
Okechukwu, who is also the immediate past Director General of Voice of Nigeria (DG, VON), recalled that the cabinet review, which was announced during the Federal Executive Council Meeting last Wednesday, was a signpost as it resulted in the dismissal of five ministers and reassignment of few.
He stated that to help bring sanity in the Petroleum sector and not only position the President effectively as General Overseer of the entire Federal Ministries; but an enablement for the Hadiza Bala Usman Coordinating Policy Unit to effectively sanitize the oil industry.
Okechukwu submitted that, “it would be strategic if His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, willingly vacates the office of Minister. I am making this humble appeal on the grounds that it is practically unimaginable and absolutely impossible for the Coordinating Policy Unit headed by Hadiza Bala Usman to monitor or even take a cursory glance at the Petroleum Ministry as it would amount to supervising her principal, the President, who is the Minister.”
The Public Relations Consultant also cautioned the President not to fall into the toxic state capture trap of Minister of Petroleum, which made the operation of the oil industry opaque and made it impossible for former Presidents to even fix one out of four petroleum refineries in over two decades.
According to Okechukwu, “the failure to make any of the country’s four refineries functional made Nigerians to lose faith in democracy, just as it has generated hunger and multidimensional poverty. Nigeria has also over the years suffered great economic haemorrhage by squandering over $70 billion on importation of refined petroleum products as well as undue imbalance on the country’s foreign exchange earnings.”
While reiterating his appeal on President Tinubu to forthwith relinquish the Petroleum Resources portfolio, Okechukwu stressed that many of us APC members want him to succeed and win the 2027 presidential election via free and fair ballot not controversy.
The Delta State Police command has condoled with the family of a 23-year-old lady identified as Precious Yusuf, whose corpse was found along DLA Road opposite Falcon Club Asaba on October 24.
According to the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Bright Edafe, at about 8.40am on the said day, the DPO ‘A’ division Asaba received a distress call that the corpse of a young lady was found at DLA Road. Edafe said the DPO, CSP Rex Abiodun, swiftly mobilized and led police operatives of the division to the scene where the corpse of the lady was found.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that on October 22, the deceased told her friend that she was going to see a male friend she met on iHappy dating website. She left the house on 22nd October to see the young man at Coka. On the 23rd at about 0730 hours, she called her friend that she was on her way home and that was the last time she made any contact only for her corpse to be found the next day.
Edafe said the corpse has been deposited at the mortuary awaiting autopsy.
He mentioned that the state Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Olufemi Abaniwonda assured members of the public particularly the family of the deceased that Investigation had commenced and also assured them of justice.
The Commissioner of Police urged young ladies to be mindful of the friends they hang out with and to exercise caution particularly when dealing with people they meet on dating websites and other social media platforms.
The Nigeria Police Force has cautioned members of the public against the unauthorized and indiscriminate use of its uniform.
The Police Force gave the fresh warning in a statement on Saturday while reacting to the viral video of social media activist, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, in its uniform.
VeryDarkMan in the video, introduced himself as CSP VeryDarkMan and Nigeria’s number one online police. He said he is dedicated to sanitizing the social media space by using his platform to stand against oppressors, especially online vendors.
He vowed to spoil the names of offenders brought before him with evidence.
Reacting, the Police Force condemned the video released by VaryDarkMan. It also dissociated itself from the pronouncements made by the online activist.
The Police Force added that it has opened an investigation into the circulating video and the source of the police gear, as the unauthorized use of its official uniforms and accoutrements undermines the values and integrity of the Force and will not be tolerated.
“The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the unauthorized use of official uniforms and accoutrements by an online personality, Mr. Martins Otse, popularly known as “VDM,” in a video posted on his social media platforms.
“The Force unequivocally disassociates itself from this unauthorized portrayal and has launched a full investigation to determine the source of the Police gear used, as well as the authority under which he acted.
“It is important to remind the public that the unauthorized use of Police uniforms, insignia, or accoutrements constitutes a criminal offense, as stipulated in Section 251 of the Criminal Code Law and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law, and is subject to strict penalties.
“While the Nigeria Police Force recognizes and supports the creativity of young Nigerians in the content creation space, we strongly caution against the misuse of Police uniforms or symbols. Unauthorized use of these items undermines the values and integrity of the Force and will not be tolerated,” the statement read.
Former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying him after the 2023 elections in the country.
Dokubo, in a viral video trending on the internet, said he emptied his bank account and spent all his money to campaign for Tinubu in the 2023 election, but the President has now turned his back on him.
According to him, the current Tinubu is not the Tinubu he used to know.
The former warlord vowed that he and his people would not work with the Yoruba people again but would now form fresh alliances with the north.
“From today, I will work and form an alliance with the North. President Tinubu betrayed me after I spent all my money and emptied my bank account campaigning for him. The Tinubu I know now isn’t the Tinubu I used to know. We will take this message across that only the Northerners can work with the Ijaw people,” Dokubo said in the video.
Meanwhile, Dokubo, has recently declared that the people of Rivers State will not surrender to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Dokubo made the declaration during the local government chairmanship polls conducted in Rivers State.
Dokubo also reiterated his support for the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and warned Wike to avoid political issues in the state.
He stated that Wike is nobody without the paraphernalia of the office, adding that Nigeria cannot surrender to him.
“What have we done?” a beggar, Ali Bappa, exclaimed in disbelief when our correspondent informed him about the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike’s directive to arrest beggars in the nation’s capital.
Wike had during the flag-off ceremony for access road construction in the Katampe District on Tuesday threatened a crackdown on beggars.
Lamenting the increasing population of beggars in the FCT, the former Rivers State governor ordered law enforcement agents to start apprehending them from Monday.
“Let me state clearly that we have declared war; Abuja is turning into a beggar city. If you know you have a sister or brother who is a beggar, please, from next week, we will take them away. It is embarrassing that people will come in and the first things they will see are just beggars on the road,” Wike had said.
Not done, Wike accused some of them of being criminals, adding that they had till Sunday to find their way out of the nation’s capital.
Though unaware of the new order, Bappa wondered if any plan had been made to provide them with alternative means of livelihood, expressing concern over their uncertain future.
According to him, begging was never something he took pleasure in, adding that he hated the discrimination attached to being a beggar in the nation’s capital.
He said, “This situation I find myself in is not something I wanted. It can happen to anyone who is still alive. Some people see us coming and run away.
“In public vehicles, nobody wants to sit close to us. You see, there are people who think that just by interacting with me, they will become blind.”
At the moment, Bappa says he and his family rely on the kindness of strangers for survival. With the economy in such dire straits, he fears they may face starvation if no alternative comes their way.
“We depend on what I get from begging. With the current economy, where people are suffering and there’s no food, my family and I will have to stay at home and wait for death because there will be nothing to live on—no food,” he said.
Asked what else he could do if supported, he says he knits well, urging the government to empower beggars instead of locking them up.
“I can knit very well, forget that I am blind. The government should empower us instead of arresting and detaining us. We have many of us who are gifted.”
Unlike Bappa, Safiyanu Bako, another beggar, is aware of the order and plans to leave the nation’s capital for Kebbi, his home state, to continue his trade.
Bako, who has multiple disabilities, believes arresting beggars is far from the right solution, especially in the face of severe hardship he and his colleagues have been experiencing.
He said, “I came from Kebbi to look for a means of livelihood. I didn’t have anything to do, which is why I started begging. I heard the news on the radio yesterday. I don’t want any problems, so I’m going back to my hometown because if I stay here, there will be nothing for me to do.
“I have three children and a wife. Even if I return, I don’t know what I’m going to do. Many of us are willing to work but have no opportunity. If they say we shouldn’t beg anymore, there should be something else in place for us. I am not happy about begging.”
Impoverished by bandits
Once thriving, Muhammed’s life took a devastating turn when bandits kidnapped him and his family.
Despite his visual impairment, the beggar, who was in the Maraba area of the FCT when Sunday PUNCH visited, said he always worked hard within the bounds of the law to cater to his family.
But everything he built was lost—sold off to pay the ransom that secured their release from the hands of the bandits.
“I was a farmer, reared chickens and goats as well despite my condition. I was able to take care of my family before we were kidnapped by bandits three years ago. We spent a month with the bandits because we could not afford the amount they demanded. My people sold everything we had to get us out. I left Zamfara for Abuja to see if I could start my life afresh. But things aren’t as easy as I thought they would have been in Abuja,” he said.
He urged the Federal Government to restore peace in his state, expressing readiness to return to farming if his safety could be assured.
“I am ready to return to my state to start farming again, but it is not safe because bandits are still disturbing us. If insecurity is gone, many of us will go back to our farms. The government should help us restore peace in my state,” he added.
Begging as business
For some, begging has evolved into a profitable business rather than a necessity. This is particularly evident among individuals without any form of disability or visible hardship.
Sunday PUNCH observes that these individuals often position themselves in strategic locations across the city, capitalising on the compassion of well-meaning citizens.
Residents of the FCT say this set of people deserves to be kicked out of the territory.
A resident of Lugbe in Abuja, Philip Anjorin, said those engaging in begging as a business should be prosecuted as well.
He said, “We have a lot of them here. You know, with Abuja being seen as a city for the rich, many of them come here to see how they can make it. They can succeed here if they are creative and hardworking, not by deceiving people into giving them money. Personally, I look carefully before giving anyone my money. Those who beg as a business should not only be kicked out but also prosecuted.”
A resident of Kuje, Joshua Friday, shared a similar view. According to him, corporate begging should be considered a crime.
“It’s not just about individuals asking for help anymore; it’s becoming a business for some, exploiting people’s goodwill. We need stronger laws and stricter enforcement to address this growing issue in our society,” he added.
Wike’s predecessors and beggars
The clampdown that Wike ordered on beggars in the FCT isn’t a new phenomenon; similar efforts have been made in the past.
However, these measures often end in futility as beggars inevitably find their way back to the streets of the nation’s capital.
In May 2016, the immediate past FCT minister, Muhammad Bello, declared war on beggars and hawkers. In September of the same year, Bello banned begging in the FCT. While he was in office, over 200 beggars were arrested and returned to their states.
Under Dr Aliyu Umar, who was the FCT minister between 2007 and 2008, 395 beggars were returned to their states while 113 were prosecuted.
His predecessor, Nasiru El-Rufai, who served between 2003 and 2007, rid the city of beggars and repatriated a large number of them to their various states.
Similarly, under Bala Muhammad, there was a clampdown on beggars. In July 2014, 172 beggars were arrested.
Adamu Aliero, who was the minister between 2008 and 2010, also banned street begging and raised a 150-member corps to arrest offenders.
This suggests that Wike’s actions may meet the same fate without addressing the underlying issues driving people to beg, such as poverty and lack of opportunities.
Begging illegal?
States like Kano took proactive measures to address street begging by enacting laws aimed at curbing the practice in 2013.
In a similar vein, the Lagos State House of Assembly deliberated on the idea of introducing a law to curb street begging during a plenary session in 2023.
However, existing legal frameworks already made provisions against street begging in different parts of Nigeria. Under sections 249(b) and 250(1), (2), (3), and (6) of the Criminal Code, street begging is criminalised in the Southern region of the country. Likewise in the Northern region, Section 405 of the Penal Code also criminalises street begging, showing that both the northern and southern parts of Nigeria have legal grounds to combat the problem.
However, the National General Secretary, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Gerald Katchy, attributed the widespread prevalence of begging to the government’s failure to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities.
He further noted that taking a hardline approach against beggars alone would not solve the problem.
Katchy said, “You are talking about a law prohibiting street begging. Is our government also abiding by the part in the constitution that it must ensure the welfare of citizens? Their failure has brought about hardship. You can’t have more hardship and not expect people not to resort to begging. It is like beating a child and telling him not to cry. That is the highest form of wickedness.
“The government should look at what they are doing that is making people to beg and not to go hard on people begging. It is not justifiable. People are begging because they have no job to do. Address that and you won’t see people begging. Establish them; create a market for them if you cannot employ them. ‘’
The Country Director of Amnesty International, Sanusi Isa, criticised the minister for criminalising poverty with his statements.
He said, “We believe that the minister should not try to criminalise poverty. That approach is very wrong, goes against the rule of law, and fails to recognise that society plays a role in creating people’s circumstances. Presenting them as a nuisance or as unwanted human beings is unfortunate, and it portrays the government as being unaware of how societies evolve.
“We call on the minister to retract his statements and instead focus on protecting all segments of society, including those he refers to as beggars. No one chooses to be a beggar; it’s not something prestigious that people aspire to. Many people are victims of years of corruption, bad policies, and the rampant misappropriation of public funds that deprived them of protection, leaving them vulnerable to such conditions.
“Rather than resorting to arrests, which solve nothing, the minister should consider establishing a social protection scheme for beggars. If these measures were in place, they wouldn’t be on the streets. What I expected from the minister was an announcement about initiating a social protection program, not arrests.”
Reacting to the criminalisation of begging by both the criminal and penal codes, Isa said, “There are many criminalised activities in the constitution that people engage in every day. Why are we more focused on what the poor are doing? The constitution mandates the government to protect its people. Is the government protecting them? Are people not paying ransoms every day in Nigeria? If we want to uphold the law, we should also work to eliminate the outdated laws from colonial times.
On its part, the Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project threatened to sue Wike if he makes good his threat of arresting beggars.
In a post on its official X handle, #SerapNigeria, on Wednesday, it stated that no one should be criminalised for their socio-economic status.
The group urged him to address the socio-economic rights of marginalised individuals in the FCT.
“The Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, must immediately withdraw his apparently unlawful threat to arrest beggars in Abuja or face legal action. No one should be criminalised for engaging in life-sustaining economic activities or because of their economic or social status.
“Mr Wike must address the plight of those experiencing homelessness and those living in poverty in Abuja and not demonise and criminalise them,” the post read.
Multiple calls to the Head of Media and Public Relations at the FCT Social Development Secretariat, Sunday Shaka, on Thursday went unanswered.
The unit, which oversees matters related to beggars, the poor, and the destitute in the FCT, was contacted to inquire about any potential plans to empower beggars in the nation’s capital. But no response was given.
A popular Enugu-based traditional Ogene musician, Okezie Chikezie Mba, popularly known as Igbo-Jah, was shot dead at the premises of the Tactical Squad of Enugu State Police Command late Friday when he reportedly went there for a ‘friendly’ visit.
Reports said Igbo-Jah was leaving the command’s premises after the visit when, for reasons yet to be ascertained, a police inspector fired his rifle, hitting him.
He was immediately rushed to a hospital, according to the police, but was confirmed dead by a doctor. His body was deposited in the mortuary.
The police inspector who killed serves in the anti-cultism squad of the command. He was detained by other police officers.
Spokesman of the command, Daniel Ndukwe, later said in a statement that the incident occurred around 8:10 p.m. on Friday, and the state commissioner of police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, directed the deputy commissioner in charge of the State CID to conduct an investigation into the incident after which appropriate actions would be taken against the police officer.
The commissioner consoled Igbo-Jah’s family, friends and associates, describing the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable. He assured that the police officer and anyone else found culpable would be dealt with in accordance with the law.
“CP Kanayo urges everyone connected to the victim to remain calm and cooperate with the police to ensure that justice is served,” the spokesman stated.
[Leadership]
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called for urgent removal of the entire electricity value chain from the exclusive list, so as to grant states the power to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity for themselves.
Though Electricity Act has put electricity on concurrent list, but the bulk of power generation and distribution are still within the purview of the Federal Government.
Atiku in a tweet on Saturday, saw no reason why an industrial dispute with the Federal Government in Abuja should affect industrial activities in any of the states or cities of the country.
“Even as we focus on investments in additional generation, there’s a compelling need for capacity for the complementary transmission and distribution infrastructure to transport the supplementary energy produced,” he said.
The former vice president expressed worry that for the past three week, South East and the entire states of the North West and North East that have been in complete blackouts.
He noted that considering that energy opportunities exist in different parts of the country, “the strategy should be a viable mix of renewable (hydro, solar, wind and biofuels) and non-renewable (coal, gas).
“I wish to restate my earlier recommendation to encourage private investors to invest in developing multiple green-field mini-grid transmission systems to be looped into the super-grid in the medium to long term.”
Atiku called every government department responsible for addressing the problem power failure to be quick in its intervention and restore electricity back to the distressed geopolitical zones.
[newtelegraphng]
Many victims are trapped under the debris of a collapsed building in the Sabon Lugbe area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Details of the incident are sketchy as of the time of this report, but some social media users said the affected building caved in on Saturday evening.
“People are under this rubble. It is a building under construction.
“We are calling on the government and relevant agencies to come and rescue those who are trapped here,” a witness disclosed to newsmen.
This development follows a similar incident some days ago on Amusu Street, in the Orile Iganmu area of Lagos State, where a two-storey building collapsed.
The building as seen in a trending video, collapsed, leaving residents close to the house to seek for safety.
According to a newspaper report on July 15, 2024, Nigeria experienced 135 building collapse incidents between 2022 and July 2024.
[DailyTrust]
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has said he is yet to decide on contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
He, however, added that if he decides to via for the presidency in 2027 no one can stop his ambition.
He stated this in an interview with Daily Trust which was published on Saturday.
According to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum Chairman, he is more concerned about making the party strong and cohesive.
He said: “I haven’t told anyone I want to run for president now. In 2022/2023 I presented myself as a presidential aspirant but didn’t get the nomination. Perhaps that’s why some people still associate me with that ambition.
“But what have I done to cause problems aside from navigating within the Governors’ Forum? It’s a forum of equals, much like the Senate or House of Reps-you don’t make decisions alone, but you do take responsibility. My ambition in 2023 should not be confused with my current focus.
“Right now, my priority is to see the PDP strong and cohesive, capable of producing a presidential candidate who can win Nigerians’ confidence. It doesn’t have to be me-it could be anyone with the vision, energy and national outlook to win.”
He disclosed that many individuals and groups have continued to mount pressure on his to contest for president.
“Of course, if the time comes and I decide to run, no one will stop me. But for now, I’m focused on my work. Many young people and organisations are encouraging various individuals to run, not just me. So, why focus on me? I haven’t responded to any of them. Even when a group came to my council urging me to run, I told them I couldn’t unless one of my political mentors (former President Goodluck Jonathan) steps aside, just as I said in 2023. I’m not arrogant; I’m willing to work as part of a team.
“The presidency is about consensus. No one should think they’re bigger than others. If you can harmonise our vision and lead with collaboration, you can become president. But when people start thinking they’re superior to governors or others, they’ve missed the mark. I’m not bigger than anyone-every PDP governor, even some outside the party, may be more qualified to be president. If they don’t step up that’s their choice. But if I decide to run, with the support of my people in Bauchi and across the country, I won’t fear anyone,” he said.
Controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, aka Bobrisky, may face fresh criminal charges over claims that he served his jail term in a private apartment and bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to drop money laundering charges against him.
Sunday PUNCH exclusively gathered that a panel set up to investigate the claims recommended that he should face defamation and criminal charges.
Bobrisky was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on April 12 for abusing the naira. He was released from prison on August 5.
A few weeks after his release, controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, shared a voice note of a conversation purportedly between Bobrisky and another person, where the crossdresser allegedly stated that he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him. He also claimed to have bribed officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service to serve his six-month sentence in a private apartment.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, subsequently constituted an investigation panel, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Magdalena Ajani, on September 30, to probe the claims.
The panel, while presenting its report, said there was no evidence that Bobrisky slept outside the Kirikiri Custodial Centre during his six-month sentence.
Details of the report, exclusively obtained by Sunday PUNCH on Friday, stated that Bobrisky tarnished the image of the correctional service with false claims.
The panel also asked the Department of State Services to investigate whether, directly or through a proxy, he bribed the EFCC or the correctional service.
If the allegations of bribery by Bobrisky are substantiated, the panel said he should be charged with corrupt practices.
“The Nigerian Correctional Service should file defamation suits against Bobrisky under sections 373-375 of the Criminal Code Act for his false claims about bypassing the prison system, tarnishing the institution’s reputation.
“The DSS should be requested to investigate whether Bobrisky, directly or through a proxy, bribed EFCC or NCoS officials. If substantiated, Bobrisky should face charges under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act for bribing public officials,” the report partly read.
The panel also indicted four correctional officers who were recommended for disciplinary action as outlined in the NCoS’s condition of service, civil service, and applicable laws.
One of those recommended for sanctions is a former Controller of Corrections, Ben Rabbi-Freeman.
He was accused of “effecting the transfer of Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju without proper documentation of Form 5 and Form 5A from the Medium-Security Custody Centre to the Maximum-Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, after over four months of the transfer date, and after the inmate had ended his imprisonment term; backdating the transfer documentation in relation to 1a and 1b above.
“Causing the in-charge Ikoyi Custodial Centre, in-charge Medium-Security Custodial Centre, and in-charge Maximum-Security Custodial Centre to sign backdated transfer documents in relation to Okuneye Idris Olarenwaju.”
In addition, the Deputy Controller of Corrections who was in charge of the Kirikiri Medium Security, Micheal Anugwa, who claimed during a parliamentary inquiry that he had not been suspended despite an official order from the Minister of Interior, was recommended for disciplinary action.
He was indicted for receiving Bobrisky into the Medium Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 12, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation.
“DCC Balogun Sikiru (retd) — formerly in-charge of Maximum Security Custodial Centre for receiving Bobrisky into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre without the relevant documentation on April 22, 2024, and without the necessary transfer documentation, and DCC Sikiru Kamoru Adekunle who was in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre for backdating the transfer documentation in relation to receiving of Okuneye Idris into the Maximum Security Custodial Centre on April 22, 2024, which was a period he was yet to resume as the in-charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre.”
The panel further recommended an audit of all inmates and detainees in all custodial centres of the NCoS, their warrants, and other records. It asked that a mechanism be set up to do this and sustain it as an effective oversight weekly.
It demanded “decommercialisation of all welfare and support services to inmates with immediate effect and ensuring that adequate funding and oversight are put in place to ensure the continuation of these. This will also include building sustainable partnerships with civil society organisations (example, with relevant NGOs and professional associations) on some or all of these.”
“Facilitate the effective implementation of non-custodial measures across the entire country to help reduce the number of people in custodial centres by utilising imprisonment only as a last resort,” the report added.
Special facilities in custodial centres
A senior management officer of the NCoS told Sunday PUNCH that what people called VIP treatment for certain prisoners was a special facility that had existed for years.
According to the high-ranking officer, custodial centres have different facilities and prisoners’ conditions (health, age, sex) determine which facility they stay in to serve their jail term.
The officer said, “There are different facilities in the custodial centres across the country, and it is not out of place to treat some of the prisoners according to their health conditions, sex, age, and category of the sentence. Importantly, the prison authority also considers human rights and the treatment of the prisoners.
“The case of Bobrisky is an eye-opener for us. The NCoS authority confirmed that he is a woman from the middle upward, while he is a man from the middle downward. We had never had such a person in our custody, and there is no facility for such a situation. He had to be placed in a separate cell so that he wouldn’t be abused. That facility is what he ignorantly called a private apartment.
“Whether VIP or not, the condition of a prisoner will determine the facility he/she is going to stay in. We can’t put a prisoner who has high blood pressure in a cell without enough ventilation.”
Activists make case for crossdressers
Okuneye’s case has sparked debate on human rights and recognition of crossdressers, transgenders, and transsexual individuals in the country’s laws, institutions, and facilities.
Some activists, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, argued that the government and its institutions should be aware of the presence of these individuals and make provisions for them.
The activists believe that sexual orientation is part of the human rights to be respected by the Nigerian government.
An activist, Femi Adeyeye, said the Kirikiri Custodial Centre where Bobrisky served his jail term was not befitting of his sexual orientation.
Adeyeye urged the Federal Government to respect the rights of individuals regardless of their sexual orientation. He also called on the government to provide special facilities for transgender inmates.
“A special cell for transgender persons is a welcome development; it’s something the government should look into,” he stated.
Another activist, Michael Adaramoye, noted that the Nigerian society had not come to terms with the reality of a growing transgender population.
However, Adaramoye said, “While we must recognise the right of individuals to sexual freedom, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others, we must also be sensitive to the concerns of other members of society.
He advocated the provision of facilities to accommodate transgender individuals in prisons and cells.
“It is important to note that our correctional centres are organised in a way that dehumanises inmates. Under such vicious conditions, it is difficult for any positive character reform to occur. The prison system in Nigeria is in dire need of deep reform and overhaul,” the activist added.
Also, human rights lawyer, Toyin Taiwo-Ojo, said the Federal Government’s position on homosexuality was ambiguous.
“The Nigerian government must re-evaluate Bobrisky’s detention and consider the long-term implications of their decisions,” she concluded.
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- Count me out of party’s internal crisis, says Atiku
The underground work to draft former Senate President, David Mark, into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairmanship race appears to be losing steam, party sources said yesterday.
There are ongoing moves in the party, spearheaded by some of the state governors elected on the platform of PDP, to get rid of the acting national chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum and replace him with a substantive chair.
Benue State born Mark, a retired brigadier general, is one of the people being tipped to occupy the office.
A former governor of Benue State,Gabriel Suswam and Engineer Conrad Utaan have both also indicated interest in the position.
Utaan insists that “there is no other solution to the lingering crisis in the PDP than resolving the issue of chairmanship, and there is no other way of resolving the issue aside returning the position to the North-Central where it belongs rightfully, on moral and legal grounds.”
Utaan also hails from Benue.
Mark’s supporters are promoting him as a consensus candidate who can be relied upon by all the factions in the party to salvage the fortunes of the former ruling party.
They cite his state/geo political zone which is the same as that of the former Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, whose truncated tenure is due to lapse in December 2025.
Ayu threw in the towel in the heat of the controversy that trailed the party’s loss of the 2023 presidential election.
A former National Security Adviser, some retired generals and former top government functionaries are said to be driving the Mark chairmanship agenda.
However, party sources told The Nation in Abuja that the campaign is not receiving the kind of positive response his promoters were expecting from party members. Some even go as far as saying the scheme has failed.
Party sources said the former Senate President himself is not particularly enthusiastic about the project for some personal reasons, including his age – leading to fears it may eventually be jettisoned.
He is currently 76 years old.
A source said the demands of the office include extensive travelling within the country and wondered how much of that could be done by Mark at his present age.
It was also gathered that the ongoing litigation over the party leadership does not look encouraging to Mark.
The source also wondered how much work Mark could do to put the party in order by December 2025.
Damagum’s position as acting national chairman is currently protected by the October 11,2024 order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, restraining the national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) of the PDP from removing him.
Justice Peter Lifu also ordered that aside Damagum, no other person must be recognised as the PDP acting national chair until the party’s convention scheduled for December 2025.
Lifu held that party members are bound by Articles 42, 47 and 67 of PDP’s constitution which stipulates that national officers of the party can only be elected during the party’s national convention.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CS/579/2024 was filed by Umar Maina, Yobe state PDP chair.
Another Federal High Court sitting in Zamfara State last week declined to stop the party from postponing a meeting of the NEC.
There were speculations that the purported meeting was to remove Damagum .
The Nation gathered that despite claims by the Chairman of the PDP National Reconciliation Committee, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, that the party is now one and there are more factions, entrenched groups remain antagonistic of each other.
On one side are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his supporters and on the other are those of Damagum and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
The Atiku group, backed by some of the governors, is insistent on Damagum’s ouster largely because of the danger they perceive he constitutes to Atiku’s presidential bid in 2027.
President of PDP Frontliners, Engineer Abdulraheem Ilyasu Garba,said while the major stakeholders in the party may have made a ‘tactical withdrawal’ in their battle for the control of the party for now, there is still a great deal of work to be done to resolve the differences among members ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said PDP stakeholders acknowledge that with or without a replacement for Damagum, some measure of ferment is inevitable because the political processes of interest articulation in a party like the PDP cannot be the same as obtains in some other political parties.
While shying away from direct comments about Wike and Atiku, he acknowledged that it is normal for highly influential stakeholders like the duo to have loyalists who sometimes do proxy battles that they are not sent to do.
He believes that Damagum’s position is safe for now as only a collective decision of various stakeholders can remove him.
He said:“Damagum is not going anywhere for now; his presence along with members of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Board of Trustees, National Working Committee (NWC), PDP National Assembly Caucus and the Forum of Former PDP Governors at last Tuesday’s meeting at Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja says something.
“Only his personal decision in response to likely proposals by PDP governors can get Damagum to leave and revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North) but that has not happened yet so, he can only be dislodged that way by a collective decision that includes his input.
“Besides, the November 16, 2024 Ondo Governorship election is keeping everyone focused and the October 11 judgment of Justice Peter Odo Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja declared that Ambassador Umar Damagum remains the PDP’s acting National Chairman until a collective decision can be taken at the national convention scheduled for late 2015.”
‘Count me out of PDP crisis’ – Atiku
Speaking on the PDP crisis yesterday,Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Phrank Shuaibu, said the former vice president has no hand in the matter.
He said any suggestion that Atiku is sponsoring people to foment trouble in the party is bizarre.
“Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar believes in due process and he has been focused on how to build the PDP into a more formidable party and he completely has no hand in any crisis that would rather draw the party backwards,” Shuaibu said.
“It is extremely farfetched and unfair to insinuate that Atiku has any involvement with any individual or group’s plans to brief lawyers and go to court towards vacating Justice Peter Lifu’s judgement.”
Atiku and Wike are locked in a running spat sparked by Atiku’s presidential bid in 2023.
Atiku’s ally,Iyorchia Ayu had failed to quit as PDP National Chairman after Atiku’s emergency as the party’s presidential candidate.
Wike had kicked that it was against the constitution of the PDP for the chairman and the presidential flag bearer to come from the same part of the country.
Only last weekend Wike called Atiku a serial loser who has been repeatedly rejected by Nigerian voters.
He told the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election to pack his things and go home.
Atike dismissed Wike’s comment as baseless rants and said “ It is clear that Mr. Wike is more concerned with self-interest than addressing the real challenges faced by the nation.”
[TheNation]
As fuel consumption plummets nationwide due to soaring prices, oil marketers have expressed concerns over significant losses, with around 10,000 oil dealers about to shut down.
Data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority indicate that fuel consumption dropped to 4.5 million litres per day in August 2024, down from 60 million litres per day in May 2023—a staggering 92 per cent decline.
The data also show that only 16 out of the 36 states received fuel from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in August, leading to widespread shortage.
Since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, petrol prices have surged by about 488 per cent, rising from N175 to over N1,000 by October 2024.
The continuous price hikes have strained the economy, driving up transport costs and fuelling inflation, as struggling Nigerians lament the hardship. The situation has also forced many motorists to abandon their vehicles, opting instead for public transportation.
The national leadership of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria said the drop in fuel consumption had caused the association huge losses, adding that about 10,000 of its members were on the verge of shutting down.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the PETROAN National Public Relations Officer, Dr Joseph Obele, said the cost of a truckload of PMS had moved from N7m to N47m in the last 16 months.
“Three days ago, there was a meeting at the national headquarters of PETROAN. At the meeting, there was, an indication that about 10,000 of our members would quit business in the next 45 days because their trading capital had been severely affected,” Obele stated.
He claimed that the affected marketers had a total staff strength of about one million.
“That was why we wrote a letter to Mr President, dated October 21, requesting a grant of N100bn to save the affected marketers’ businesses from shutting down in the next few weeks.”
The President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, also confirmed that there had been a reduction in fuel consumption, adding that members of the union were equally affected.
He said, “There is a drop in consumption and the price of a truckload is higher now. So, we have reduced the quantity of fuel we buy. For instance, someone who bought 10 trucks before can only buy eight now. So, we haven’t been getting the right quantity that we are supposed to get. We sell only the little quantities we get.”
The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers said the inability of oil marketers to buy products had resulted in job losses for truck drivers and petrol station workers in the country.
In an interview with our correspondent, the NUPENG Secretary-General, Mr Afolabi Olawale, said, “The economy is not smiling at all. Many petrol station owners cannot even buy a single truckload, and this has affected our members. Those of them that are truck drivers hardly get loads to carry anymore. Many petrol stations have closed down and our members who are petrol station workers have lost their jobs.”
When asked to give the actual number of NUPENG members affected, Olawale said, “This is an unfolding situation. It’s evolving, so I may not be able to give you the actual number of people affected now because we have those in the informal and formal sectors. We have people in the upstream, downstream, and midstream. But I don’t have the statistics right here with me to give you.
“Though everybody is affected, those in the downstream are the most affected. It affects those in the downstream sector directly because they are truck drivers, station workers, and the representatives of the marketers at different depots.”
Obele said the hike in fuel price had also blocked the cross-border racketeering of the product.
[Punch]
The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and that of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike, in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board to re-strategise ahead of the rescheduled National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 28.
Wike had, while addressing his supporters in Port-Harcourt at an event, last week, promised to continue to be “a problem for Atiku, Obi and some PDP governors”, who are politically opposed to him and President Bola Tinubu.
Sunday Vanguard gathered in Abuja that Wike and his loyalists have been holding meetings in Abuja and Port-Harcourt to safeguard what they consider a string of court victories in the intra-party power struggle.
The camp considered it advantageous that the NEC meeting was rescheduled to November because it would save time for its poster boy, the PDP Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, to remain in office.
In contrast, the Atiku camp has been licking its wounds since the former substantive National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, resigned his position and moves to replace him with a candidate from the North Central has been stalling.
A decision by a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the NEC and the party’s Board of Trustees from removing Damagum from office has further complicated matters.
Appealing court order
Party insiders, however, confirmed to Sunday Vanguard, that a team of lawyers under the guidance of two prominent Senior Advocates of Nigeria is being assembled to appeal the court order.
A member of the party’s NEC familiar with this development who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution said, “Of course, we are appealing the court order.
“Go back to the resolution of our 98th NEC meeting held on April 18th. It was resolved that the NWC should conduct congresses at the relevant levels in states where the tenures of their executives have lapsed and prepare grounds for a replacement for Dr. Iyiorchia Ayu who resigned from his position.
“But for some strange reasons, Damagum has found one excuse or another to cling to power in an acting capacity by refusing to convene NEC.
“To further complicate matters, he caused his lieutenants in Yobe State, to go to court to restrain the Board of Trustees and NEC from removing him from office.
“This man is still the Deputy National Chairman (North), a position he also holds today.
“How can a man who says he has the party’s best interest at heart, go to court and tie our hands by removing one of the main items on the agenda of our NEC meeting?
“We have news for him, he can’t be acting chairman in perpetuity. That judgement or whatever it is will be appealed and vacated.”
The source further explained that it was out of place for the Wike camp to celebrate the latest shift in the date for the NEC meeting.
Ondo election
The source said, “The shift in the date for the NEC meeting was a win-win for everyone. Irrespective of which camp any of us belongs to, no one wants to be blamed if anything goes wrong with the Ondo State governorship election.
“Yes, the postponement gives Damagum more time but it also affords others the time to go to Court and get the contentious order vacated. “
The North-Central is however not giving up on its demand to produce Ayu’s replacement.
A former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it would be wishful thinking for anyone to imagine the zone will give up on its desire to have the letter and spirit of Section 47 (6) of the party’s constitution respected.
He said, “The PDP is a party built on the rule of law as enshrined in our constitution. Our party is the only institution that has survived this long as a political party.
“The reason is simple; we have always bounced back even when some people think we are finished.
“Our demand that the North-Central produce Ayu’s successor to complete what is left of his tenure is intact.”
Already, party chieftains from Benue State where Ayu hails from have started signifying interest in the position.
A former governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam, had told those who cared to listen that he is interested.
Also, a businessman turned politician, Conrad Utaan, who has also declared interest, said the PDP National Chairmanship should not be the exclusive preserve of those who have held one public office or another.
Utaan said, “It is my desire to lead this party with humility, with sacrifice, and the only person who can, the only people who can help me drive this message are you that is sitting here around this table, because I may not have what it takes.”
While recognizing the influence of governors and ex-governors of the party in the scheme of things, he maintained that he would join other stakeholders to ensure the right things were done.
He said, “They could be perceived owners of the party- the governor’s. That’s a huge block that cannot be ignored in the party. But then there’s also an issue of law and morality.
“But maybe I’ve come again to bell the cat. It is not about who is interested in the North Central or not. It is about the law and interpretation of the law, and trust me, we have what it takes to extract that interpretation.”
[Vanguard]
“I grew Nigeria’s FX reserves from $3.7 billion to $45 billion, saved $25 billion in ECA” — Obasanjo
Admin
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has recounted how he boosted the country’s foreign reserves from a meager $3.7 billion to $45 billion during his eight-year tenure.
Speaking in an interview with News Central, which aired on Thursday, Obasanjo disclosed that he inherited a heavy debt burden upon assuming office.
At the time, Nigeria owed $36 billion, with debt servicing costs amounting to $3.7 billion, while the foreign reserves stood at just $3.7 billion.
The former president explained that through persistent advocacy for debt relief from international creditors, the country’s debt dropped from $36 billion to $3.5 billion by the end of his administration.
Simultaneously, the nation’s reserves grew from $3.7 billion to $45 billion during the same period.
“When I came in 1999, I met $3.7 billion in reserve. And as I told you, we were spending $3.5 billion to service debt. That’s how we had. By the time I left eight years later, with debt relief.
“When I came in, we had a debt overhang of close to $36 billion. By the time I left, with the debt relief and clearing what we had to clear, the quantum of debt that I left was about $3.5 to $3.6 billion from over $3.6 billion or around $36 billion. At the same time, the reserve that was $3.7 billion went to $45 billion,” Obasanjo said.
Furthermore, the former president stated that he established the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to manage budget surpluses from crude oil sales, leaving a total of $25 billion in the account.
He explained that the budget during his administration was intentionally conservative, allowing them to save the surplus in the ECA.
“At the same time, we had what we called excess crude- this is the amount between what we budgeted that we would sell the crude oil and what we actually sell it, normally we are conservative in the budget- we had around $25 billion. When you add that to reserve, we are talking of $70 billion,” Obasanjo said.
Funds depleted years later
Obasanjo further lamented that the savings accumulated in the treasury were depleted after he left office.
He noted that 17 years later, from 2007 to 2024, Nigeria now owes more in international debt than it did in 1999 when his administration sought debt relief.
According to him, this situation is the result of fiscal mismanagement and a lack of accountability in leadership and public service.
“The point is that I left in 2007 and today in 2024, just 17 years after, all that amount of money has gone. Not only that, but all the money they made during that period had gone.
“Today, we owe more than we owed when I came to government in 1999. Why? Poor leadership, poor management of the economy, corruption galore, and abrasive corruption which is also part of poor leadership.
“Not given consequences; that when you do something wrong, you have consequences. I call it lack of consequences and impunity,” Obasanjo added.
What you should know
In recent years, Nigeria has grappled with a severe fiscal crisis driven by poor economic management, a soaring debt profile, and rising debt servicing costs.
- These challenges have strained the country’s reserves, intensified foreign obligations, and depleted the national treasury.
- By the second quarter of 2024, Nigeria’s debt had surged to N134.3 trillion, the highest in its history. Meanwhile, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that the Excess Crude Account (ECA) holds only $376,655, reflecting the country’s dwindling revenue prospects.
- The current CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso, has prioritized rebuilding a robust reserve base. So far, the foreign reserves have increased to $39 billion, with a target of $40 billion by year-end.
- However, this strategy has come at a significant cost: reduced interventions to stabilize the naira, which has depreciated sharply to N1,700 per dollar, making it one of the weakest currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
[Nairametrics]