FEATURES
Some members of the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, militants have severed the hands of two Borno fishermen over two cartons of fish.
The incident happened at Marte Local Government Area of the state.
The fishermen, according to sources, were part of a larger group engaged in fishing activities under the control of ISWAP. They are usually subjected to levies and taxes.
However, the two fishermen incurred the wrath of the militants, yesterday, when “they were found to have failed to pay their taxes.
“This resulted in the confiscation of their eight cartons of fish by the terrorists.
“After loading the fish onto their canoe, the militants were forced to abandon two cartons due to space constraints.
“Subsequently, the Borno fishermen secretly retrieved the two cartons that ISWAP abandoned. This led to their arrest on charges of theft.
“Following their arrest, the leader of the militant group ordered that the men’s hands be cut off. They said it was in accordance with Sharia law,” a reliable source said.
A housewife, Sa’adatu Ayuba, has asked a Dei-Dei Grade I Area Court for divorce after a 27-year marriage to Jalija, over impotence.
The petitioner got married to Jalija by Islamic law in 1997. They are blessed with five children ages 25, 22, 14, nine and seven.
She told the court, “I got married when I was 16 years old. I have never been with any other man before my marriage.
”Since two years ago, I have been having misunderstandings with him. This is because he got a girlfriend outside our marriage.
”He has not been functioning as a man. I am tired of the situation (impotence) and attitude, and want a divorce in the interest of justice.”
I’m a real man, husband reacts
In his response, Jalija said the petitioner’s allegations were false. He added that he had no girlfriend.
”I married another wife and I am performing perfectly as a man. The lady I married has one child for me, we got married in her village,” he said.
He added that he had been playing his husband’s role to the petitioner as a real man.
However, the petitioner faulted her husband’s claim, saying that the woman in question was his girlfriend.
She said that she was not aware that her husband got married to the woman.
The judge in the impotence and divorce matter is Malam Saminu Suleiman.
He gave the couple one week to settle the matter amicably and adjourned the matter until January17 for feedback. (NAN)
In the face of tough economic headwinds and operating business environment, there are Microfinance banks that have stood out in providing access to financial service and credit to individuals and businesses across different segments of the Nigerian economy.
Nigeria, with over 200 million population and only 64 per cent of the adult population that are financially-included, the microfinance industry is crucial in sustaining business and economic growth.
The number of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) licenced Microfinance Banks now stand at 916 comprising of National-licenced, State-licenced and Unit-licenced microfinance banks. The World Bank named Nigeria as one of the seven countries that contribute to half of the global unbanked population.
The demand for microfinance banking services in Nigeria is driven largely by the prevalence of the economically active poor population, the low literacy level, and the relatively high level of financial exclusion.
Microfinance Banks are licensed by the CBN to bring financial services closer to the low-income earners, unbanked and under-served groups like market women and unemployed youths through savings, lending, domestic fund transfers, among channels.
A report by BAA Consult titled: “Assessment of the Microfinance Market Dynamics and Competitive Landscape” listed five leading local Microfinance Bank players (Traditional and Fintechs) starting from LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, Accion Microfinance Bank Limited, Opay and Moniepoint Microfinance Bank Limited.
These Microfinance banks continue to provide essential financial services to low-income earners, the banked, unbanked and under-banked within the economy and are ranked in this order:
Number 1: LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited
On competitive advantage, LAPO Microfinance Bank remains an industry leader with huge access to funds, focuses on women-led MSMEs and public sector, using group lending methodology.
This bank was established in the 1980s, to help less-privileged Nigerians cope with the harsh economic realities that followed the Structural Adjustment Programme under General Ibrahim Babangida. Since then, LAPO Microfinance has grown into one of Nigeria’s most notable MFBs, thanks to its consistent effort at ensuring that low-income households in Nigeria are economically empowered.
The bank has over the years, instituted key strategic partnerships with Development Finance Institutions, USAID, The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Non- governmental organizations, other corporate firms.
The bank has disbursed N74 billion loan as of June 2023 and targets N200bn loans by this year-end. It has 24 per cent industry loans and advances, 12.8 per cent industry deposits and 15.6 per cent industry total assets.
Number 2: NPF Microfinance Bank Plc
NPF Microfinance Bank Plc which is largely serving a closed police community has carved a niche for providing low interest loans to MSMEs. Despite its large loan portfolio, the bank’s low non-performing loans rate shows the professionalism and sound judgement it brings to lending to wide range of clients in commercial centres.
Incorporated on 19th May 1993 as a Limited Liability Company under the Companies and Allied Matters Act Cap C20LFN 2014, the NPF Microfinance Bank (formerly NPF Community Bank Ltd) provides Banking services to both Serving and Retired Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police Force, its ancillary institutions and the general public.
International Finance Corporation estimated a sum of $32.2bn financing gap in Nigeria MMSEs, and that is part of the huge market that the NPF Microfinance Bank has continued to serve.
The NPF Microfinance Bank’s financial results for the first quarter of 2023, showed 171.5 per cent increase in profit to N645.94m, higher than N242.79m posted in the same period of 2022.
According to its financial results filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited, the bank also grew its gross earnings by 62.79 per cent to N2.28bn from N1.47bn.
A breakdown of the interest income revealed that loans and advances rose to N2.052bn from N1.26bn within the period under review.
The financial institution grew its assets by 24.90 per cent to N43.09bn in the review period as total liabilities stood at N31.22bn from N23.92bn, a 30.53 per cent increase
NPF Microfinance Bank is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX) since December 1, 2010.
Over the years, it has expanded its services to include current & savings account, Treasury products and Services, electronic banking, non-financial services, remittances, salary advance and credit services.
Today, it is a full-service financial institution with a national presence with a total of 49 branches spread across all states in Nigeria; five electronic channels – cards, internet banking, mobile banking, USSD and agency banking.
The Managing Director of MPF Microfinance Bank, Akinwunmi Lawal, described the achievement of the bank as remarkable.
He said, “We marked our 30th years of existence growing from Community Bank to a National Microfinance Bank with a vision of transforming to DMB.
The Bank was rated ‘BBB+” for long term and ‘A2’ on short term respectively by GCR & Augusto & Co.”
He said the bank’s gross earnings improved significantly during the year, noting that it made contributions to charitable and non-political organisations in all our 3 regions.
“The Bank received several awards which includes ‘The Most Impactful MSMES Lending in the North -West of the Country’ presented by DBN; and Nigeria Microfinance Platform presented to NPF Microfinance Bank the ‘Most Supportive Microfinance Bank of the year’ – Capacity Building Category 2023.
“Our collective efforts have resulted in significant milestones, demonstrating our commitment to excellence,” he added.
Number 3: Accion Microfinance Bank Limited
Accion Microfinance Bank Limited has large pool foreign and local partners, is MSMEs focused, and has access to cheap funds through aggressive deposit mobilisation.
The market for Microfinance industry continues to grow as most countries design plans to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.
The bank has 1.29 per cent of industry loans, 0.93 per cent of industry deposits, and N1.07bn Profit Before Tax in 2021.
Number 4: Opay
Opay is deepening financial inclusion through technology and enabling shared prosperity. It provides Swift operations, Point of Sale (PoS) merchant accounts and terminals to customers. Opay controls 563,262 PoS agents out of a total of 1.5 million agents in 2023.
Number 5: Moniepoint
Microfinance Bank Limited
Moniepoint Microfinance Bank Limited has wide-spread PoS terminals, loan services (10 per cent per annum), working capital loans, issued cards, digital wallets and payment gateway. Moniepoint is the second- largest network with 303,946 PoS out of a total of 1.5 million agents nationwide.
Global Microfinance Industry
According to the BAAA Consult report, the global Microfinance industry was valued at $187.3bn in 2022 and is projected to reach a revised size of US$488.9bn by 2030, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.7 per cent over the analysis period 2022-2030.
The microfinance market continues to grow as most countries design plans to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.
[Src: TheWhistler]
Singer David Adeleke otherwise called Davido has faced a fresh allegation as his baby mama, Sophia Momodu, accused him of cyber-bullying, harassment and threat to life.
Earlier, a female colleague, Tiwa Savage’s recent petition to the police in Lagos accused the singer of threat to life over her involvement with Momodu.
In a letter dated January 10 addressed to Davido’s legal team, Olaniyi Arije & Co, Sophia’s legal team PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors, stated that Davido had been harassing and threatening its client’s life and those of her close associates.
The letter read in part, “We write further to our email under reference regarding the conduct of Mr David Adeleke toward our client which amounts to cyber bullying, harassment and threats to the life of our client, Ms. Sophia Momodu, and her close associates.”
The team noted that the singer was allegedly involved in spreading harmful and false information about its client through blogs.
“This is in addition to several defamatory remarks and publications sponsored against the person of Ms. Sophia Momodu by your client through different social media blogs,” the letter added.
It further noted that there’s an ongoing petition attached to the letter “dated January 9, 2024 currently being investigated by the police” due to the “serial threats” issued to Ms Momodu’s associates.
The team stated that despite sending an email to Mr Davido’s legal team on Saturday without receiving a response, the singer persisted in his “disruptive and unlawful conduct.”
The letter noted that in the past days, Ms Momodu had been subjected to a series of “Coordinated attacks and cyberbullying by Davido and his cohorts and as stated in their previous letter, Davido will bear responsibility for any harm that befalls Sophia, as it will be perceived as a manifestation of his threats.’’
According to the letter, Mr Davido’s actions are hindering efforts to reach a peaceful resolution regarding the arrangements for the care and welfare of their daughter, Imade.
It added that unless Mr Davido refrained from making threats within the next 48 hours, Ms Momodu retained the right to pursue available legal remedies.
Evidence of the ‘coordinated attacks’ was said to be attached to the letter.
The World Health Organisation, on Wednesday, warned that the coronavirus disease is still a major threat despite partially passing under the radar.
The United Nations agency noted that almost 10,000 COVID-19 deaths were reported in December 2023, saying data from various sources pointed to increased transmission last month, fuelled by gatherings over the Christmas holiday period and by the JN.1 variant, which is now the most commonly reported around the globe.
“Although COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the virus is still circulating, changing, and killing,” WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus said.
AFP reports that besides the near 10,000 deaths reported to the WHO last month, there was a 42 per cent increase in hospitalisations and a 62 per cent increase in intensive care unit admissions, compared with November.
However, the figures are based on data from less than 50 countries – mostly in Europe and the Americas, Tedros said.
“It is certain that there are also increases in other countries that are not being reported.
“Just as governments and individuals take precautions against other diseases, we must all continue to take precautions against COVID-19.
“Although 10,000 deaths a month is far less than the peak of the pandemic, this level of preventable death is not acceptable,” Tedros said, urging governments to maintain virus surveillance and sequencing and to ensure access to affordable and reliable tests, treatments and vaccines.
“And we continue to call on individuals to be vaccinated, to test, to wear masks where needed and to ensure crowded indoor spaces are well-ventilated,” he said.
Joseph Aloba, the father of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has alleged that his daughter-in-law, Wunmi, and her lawyer, Femi Falana, are threatening to kill him.
Naija News reports that Joseph, who had been at loggerheads with Wunmi over the paternity of her child, Liam and Mohbad’s properties, made this known during a recent interview with Max FM.
He claimed he cannot sleep and lives in fear over the threats to his life.
According to him, there is a voice call evidence of Wunmi threatening to kill him and Femi Falana is aware of the issue.
He said, “I need justice for my son and want people to support me. This delay of autopsy report and other things can result to denial. I don’t trust anyone right now. Even with the threats [Femi] Falana and his client [my daughter-in-law] used to threatening me, I’m unable to sleep. I need help. And I want people to support me because the autopsy is going to be done by private facility.
“Another thing is that I don’t know where to live now because of the threats. Yesterday, when I heard a knock on my gate, I was scared that it maybe the people Wunmi said they want to come and kill me. And Falana is still on her side.
“She called me to threatening me when I was at the mountain with a strange line. She said she can kill me. And I recorded the call. Falana is aware of this. Upon all that, he is still standing by her side. He is even preventing people from helping me. People that are saying the truth, he wants to silent them. He wants to manipulate because of money. And we are from the same Ekiti State.”
'Nothing is working in my life. The economy is getting harder' - Bank Staffer Allegedly Commits Suicide Inside Lagos Bank Premises
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A marketing staff of a bank in Lagos state identified as Amarachi Ugochukwu has committed suicide.
According to police sources, Amarachi was found dead inside the staff toilet of the bank in the Ikorodu area of the state on Monday, January 8.
The bank's manager went to the police to report the incident the same day it happened. According to the bank manager, late Amarachi's phone was found ringing endlessly on her table without her answering so her colleagues began to search for her. One of the office's toilets was forced open after it was found to have been locked from inside with no one opening it. Her lifeless body was found on the floor alongside a bottle of an insecticide which she reportedly gulped to take her life.
Also found beside her was a suicide note where she lamented about how bad her life had been. A doctor was called in and confirmed her death.
Police detectives arrived the scene and moved the corpse to the Ikorodu General Hospital where an autopsy is expected to be carried out on her remains.
The Nigerian police Force has warned Nigerians against the use of the viral new slogan ‘’No gree for anybody''.
The spokesperson of the police force, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, gave the warning while parading some suspects at the Force headquarters in Abuja.
In his words;
‘’The new slogan for 2024 for our young ones is ‘’No de gree for anybody''. We have been informed from our intelligence that the slogan is coming from a revolutionary sector that may cause problems across the country. Nor dey gree for anybody is being seen as just a normal talk but in security community we have seen it as a very dangerous slogan that can trigger crisis''
I Sold My Official Car To Pay Ransom To Bandits Who Kidnapped My Wife, Children — Sokoto LG chairman
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The immediate past Chairman of Gudu Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State, Bello Wakili Bachaka, said he sold his official vehicle to pay over N4 million ransom to bandits for the release of his kidnapped wife and two children.
Bachaka, who served from April 2021 to April 2023, told the State Judicial Commission of Inquiry on Monetization of Official Vehicles that toward the end of his tenure, his wife and two children were kidnapped by bandits who demanded over N4 million as ransom.
According to him, it was the situation that prompted him to sell his official Toyota Hilux vehicle to pay ransom to bandits to secure the release of his family.
The ex-chairman was testifying before the State Judicial Commission of Enquiry into the activities of the immediate past administration in the state from (2015 to 2023), on memo number four concerning the 23 LGA vehicles monetization policy.
The witness testified on Monday before the commission’s Presiding Judge, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga also maintained that he sold the vehicle and paid over N4 million to the bandit before they released the three of his families to him.
“I had no option than to dispose of the monetized Toyota Hilux vehicle to pay ransom to Kidnappers.”
He explained that, after bargained with the kidnappers, the then chairman took the said amount to the bandit in one of the villages, in Wurno Local Government Area of the state where he paid the money to the bandit after which they set them free.
Bachaka pleaded with the Sokoto State government to consider his present predicament, saying he presently could not afford to buy the vehicle or refund the cost as his gratuities and other allowances were not being paid.
“I was invited to give what I know about the Toyota vehicle which was auctioned to me by the former administration of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
“The vehicles were actioned to us with an agreement that the state government will pay vehicles money from our benefits emoluments gratuities and furniture allowances benefits to settle the payments of the vehicles while lamenting on how they were not settled their remaining gratuities balance after the payment of the vehicles as agreed upon in the memorandum of understanding, unfortunately, our remaining retirement allowances balance was not paid till this moment.
“Government should consider our present predicament as our balance of severance gratuity is still being held and not being paid.
“We were not given a single kobo in the name of our retirement benefit despite that we served for two years as local government chairmen.
“We prayed and hoped the present state government would give us our remaining balance to continue to cater to our families.
“The former administration had deducted a huge amount from our furniture and gratuities allowance to pay for the Hilux Toyota vehicles and they have not given us any documents to prove the payments of the vehicles,” Bachaka told the panel.
Abuja-The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure, has said the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, and Enugu State governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, were the two biggest casualties of Nigeria’s flawed Electoral Act.
He said this while receiving in the audience the Enugu State governorship candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Chijioke Edeoga, at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, yesterday.
Abure also announced Edeoga’s appointment into the team of the party’s committee that would work for the reformation of the nation’s Electoral Act.“
Abure said: “It is very clear that they robbed us of that election. It was done in collusion with INEC officials and PDP government in Enugu State.
“The whole world is aware of it. Even before you spoke about electoral reforms the party has decided since last year that we are going to pursue electoral reforms in Nigeria. And what happened to us in the general election will never happen to us again.
“We believe that the starting point is to begin early enough with the pursuit of electoral reform because we saw all the antics that played out between the national assembly and the presidency in the past electoral reform.
“As I speak with you, we are already constituting the committee that will give us the framework for the review. We also decided that the Labour Party will not be a spectator and that we will be the drivers of that process.
He argued that the only people who could pursue electoral reforms were victims of the process.
“I have made it clear that the major victim of the 2023 general election is the Labour Party. And therefore we cannot be seen to take back seat in the pursuit of electoral reform and in defence of our votes.”
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Nigerian disc jockey, Florence Otedola, popularly known as DJ Cuppy, has joked about being single and childless in her 30s, describing the situation as “terrible”.
DJ Cuppy made jest of herself on social media via her X account and Instagram stories on Wednesday as she shared videos of herself partying during her maternal grandmother’s birthday.
The jolly singer added that she has been able to do what she wanted all the time.
“Being a single, childless woman in her 30’s is terrible. All I ever do is exactly what I want all the time,” she wrote with two laughing emojis.
Cuppy also shared a video where she stood between her parents, Femi and Nana Otedola, at the same event.
“I told my parents ‘Oya kiss your baby’”, she captioned the post with laughing emojis.
Recall that DJ Cuppy had recently opened up about her failed relationship with British boxer, Ryan Taylor, even as she said it was not the end of her life.
The Police in Nasarawa State have arrested three persons in connection with the disappearance of a newborn baby from the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, the state capital.
The baby, according to the mother, Mrs Wosilat Suleiman, was put to bed at about 3:am on Tuesday through Cesarean Section (CS) but was stolen hours later by a yet-to-be-identified woman.
“My relative who was taking care of me during the delivery wanted to pick up some things from the house, so she introduced a woman to me whom I am not familiar with, to take care of me pending when she will be back,” Wosilat said.
“She told me that the woman would take care of me and the baby before she returned from the house.
“My relatives who concluded that the woman had a patient at the ward trusted her to help us before she returned.
“While at the postnatal ward, the woman gave me the impression she wanted to bathe the baby and disappeared with him,” she explained.
Reacting to the development, the state commissioner of police, Mr Umar Shehu Nadada, told journalists on Wednesday that the command is on top of the situation.
“We are working diligently to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing child,” he stated, adding that three people have been arrested while many others have been interrogated over the matter.
“According to reports, the incident was brought to light by Suleiman Abdullahi of Timber Shade, who visited the A Division police station yesterday, January 9th, 2024, to report the disappearance of his newborn son.
“Investigation is ongoing, I don’t want to prematurely speculate, but I don’t think it is connected to ritualists,” he said.
The management of the hospital through the acting head of Obstetrics and Gynecology department, Dr. Mohammed Salihu, said it was the first time a thing like this ever happened at the hospital.
He explained that the baby was delivered around 3:00 am and handed to relations of the patient before they were transferred to the postnatal ward.
He said it was unfortunate that the relations of the patient entrusted a strange woman to look after her sister resulting in the crisis.
Defying the adage that teacher rewards only come in heaven, Dr. Dominic Nwankwo, a former student of St. John Bosco Seminary, Isuaniocha, Awka-North Local Government Area of Anambra State, presented a brand new car to one of his former teachers.
Accompanied by classmates, including the school’s Old Boys Association Board of Trustees chairman, Mr. Valentine Obienyem; president, Comrade Celestine Oguegbu; and secretary-general, Sir Chidubem Iloghalu, Dr. Nwankwo also gifted Monsignor Sylvester Mgbemfulu a monthly allowance of N100,000 for a year’s worth of car fuel.
He further surprised Msgr. Mgbemfulu with N50,000 for immediate car maintenance and a three-year insurance policy.
Making the presentation at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Nibo, Awka-South LGA on Wednesday, Dr. Nwankwo expressed his deepest appreciation for Msgr. Mgbemfulu’s guidance and mentorship.
“We were deeply influenced by the teacher’s (Monsignor Mgbemfulu’s) dedication and commitment to education, and this act was a way to express profound gratitude, especially in support of his 50th anniversary of priestly ordination,” Dr Nwankwo stated.
Msgr Mgbemfulu, who was ordained a priest in 1974 by Francis Cardinal Arinze (then an Archbishop), served almost all his active priestly years in seminaries, where he also taught Chemistry for over forty years.
Speaking during the handover, Comrade Celestine Oguegbu, also a lecturer in the higher institution, said the gesture highlighted the enduring impact teachers have on their students’ lives.
He said it also served as a “poignant reminder of the profound influence educators can have beyond the classroom.”
Msgr. Mgbemfulu, overwhelmed by the gift, acknowledged the significance of nurturing student relationships. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude and prayed for God’s continued guidance upon all his former students.
A Political economist, Pat Utomi, has revealed a plan by some opposition leaders to come together and form a new mega party ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Utomi revealed that he held conversations with the presidential candidates of the Labour Party (LP), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, respectively, about the possible merger.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Utomi said the mega party will challenge and possibly displace the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that the motive is to save ordinary Nigerians from the clutches of the APC, which he described as a private enterprise of few individuals.
The LP chieftain added that Nigeria is degenerating because none of the political parties was ready to give the country a clear direction.
He said, “We are looking at a way Nigeria can work for everybody. Let us build a political party that can bring the issues to the forefront for all the Nigerian people to have a kind of consensus to solve problems.
“If we have that consensus, we would have Nigerians who can provide leadership positions. And the positions would not be about what they would get for themselves, because this narcissism is a cancer that is tearing Nigerian politics down.
“What we need are people who can sacrificially give up themselves to build a country and the possible reward is immortality. I talked to some presidential candidates in the last election.
“We had conversations with Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, among others as some of those who would probably constitute the mega party.
“I told them that it is not about you but Nigerians. It is about the ordinary person in the street. It is about moving from sharing oil proceeds to building the most productive economy.”