A popular caterer and Chief Executive of Country Kitchen, in Akure, Ondo State, Mrs. Olakunbi Adene, has reportedly been hacked to death by some unknown assailants, five days after celebrating her 54th birthday.
Source told Vanguard that the victim was killed at her residence, Oda Road, in Akure metropolis.
Her lifeless body was discovered on her bed by her neighbours, who later informed the caretaker of the house.
A family source, who spoke with newsmen, said: “The mother of two was hale and hearty with no sign of illness few days before she was sent to her early grave by her killers. Her lifeless body was found in a pool of blood on her bed with no trace of her killers.
“It was just five days ago that she marked her 54th birthday, she entertained many visitors in her residence and served assorted wine and drinks to her guests.”
Speaking with newsmen, the deceased’s husband, Dele Adene said the news of his wife’s demise came to him as a rude shock.
Adene said: “I was told that my wife’s corpse was found on her bed in a pool of blood, which showed she was hacked to death.
“I cannot believe that no arrest has been made up till the moment of talking to you. I feel suspects should have been arrested.
“Her phone should be tracked and I don’t know how dwellers in the building did not know such thing happened in a house with four flats apartment.”
Also, the deceased’s daughter, Tejumade, said it was the caretaker of the house where her mother lived, that called to inform her that she was found dead in a pool of blood.
Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the mortuary in Akure.
Contacted, the state police imagemaker, Funmi Odunlami confirmed the killing, saying: “I am aware of the incident and an investigation is currently ongoing.”
[Vanguard]
In a reflection shared three years ago, veteran Nigerian singer and actress Onyeka Onwenu revealed her wishes for how she would like to be remembered and buried.
The iconic artiste, known for her powerful voice and activism, was said to have died on Tuesday night at the Reddington Hospital in Lagos after slumping at the birthday party of Mrs Stella Okoli.
“Do it quickly, quietly and privately,” Onwenu wrote in an opinion piece on Premium Times in 2021, emphasising that her burial should be devoid of unnecessary fanfare.
She urged her loved ones to “mourn, yes but not excessively,” and to instead focus on celebrating her life with prayers and light-hearted moments.
“Celebrate me with prayers, lunch or dinner afterwards. Share some jokes about me and laugh.
“Make merriment and then go about your business. If my friends want to celebrate me, they should do so while I am alive, so that I can enjoy it with them, not when I am gone and have no idea about this. That is me Onyeka Onwenu,” she said.
In her statement, Onwenu also touched on broader cultural practices, condemning the lavish display of wealth often seen at Nigerian burials.
She contrasted her own wishes with the extravagant funeral of Obi Cubana’s mother, which sparked widespread debate across the country.
“I am very uncomfortable with the lavish display of wealth on any occasion, especially in a time of hardship and lack for most others,” she remarked, calling for more modest and meaningful ways to honour the deceased.
Onwenu has had a multifaceted career, working in music, film, advocacy, journalism and politics.
She has held various roles, including chairing the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture and judging on the X Factor series.
Her music and writings have been widely recognised, with notable songs including ‘One Love’ and ‘You and I’. She is also the author of the book ‘My Father’s Daughter,’ an autobiography
Twenty-four hours before the planned 10-day hunger protest, the Federal Government took some proactive steps to quell the demonstration.
Recall that recently, a group, the Take It Back movement called for a nationwide protest against hunger and bad governance in the country.
The group tagged the protest, “Days of Rage” which it said would hold nationwide from August 1 to 10.
However, there have been calls from top government personalities, groups, and religious bodies, including the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Muslim Student Society of Nigeria (Lagos chapter), and the Muslim Rights Concern, citing a palpable fear that it might be hijacked by infiltrators who do not mean well for the country.
Even the former Niger Delta freedom fighter, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, warned organisers of the protest to desist from coming to Niger Delta.
Dokubo-Asari said the agenda of those behind the protest do not capture the problems of the people of the Niger Delta.
While daring them to come to the oil and gas-rich region, he said they would be resisted, alleging that they were merely interested in the resources coming from the Niger Delta, describing them as ‘anarchist.
Additionally, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.
He stated this was to ensure the protest remains peaceful.
Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide the necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.”
Although the protest, which has gained traction on social media, has been endorsed by presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Going forward, this report by PUNCH Online highlights the major steps the Federal Government has taken to stop the protest from being held, as they considered the demonstration unnecessary while demanding time for President Tinubu to govern.
1. Tinubu created centres across the country where Nigerians can purchase a 50kg bag of rice for N40,000.
The FG said it was one of the several initiatives by the Tinubu administration to ease living conditions for citizens.
2. Tinubu directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sell crude to the Dangote refinery and other upcoming refineries in naira.
The approval given by Tinubu for the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Petroleum refinery in naira is going to force the prices of domestically refined petroleum products to crash, oil marketers, refiners, and experts stated.
Operators in the downstream oil sector commended the move by the President, stating that it would boost the outputs of domestic refineries, shore up the country’s foreign exchange reserves, and strengthen the naira.
3. He met with governors from the All Progressives Congress, under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to discuss the growing calls for nationwide protests against economic hardship.
4. Although Tinubu had earlier announced that he may stop the importation of import duties on food and essential commodities, Tinubu suspended import duties to cushion the effect of the inflationary trend in Nigeria. On Monday, he removed the duties on the food importation.
5. The President held emergency meetings with prominent traditional rulers and Ulamas (Islamic religious scholars) at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja as part of efforts by the government to ensure the planned hunger protest, slated for August 1 to 10, is averted nationwide.
6. FG unveiled the Youth Internship Scheme initiated by the NDDC for 10,000 youths of the Niger Delta region and approved N50,000 monthly stipends for them.
7. The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed telecommunications operators to immediately restore all blocked phone lines due to the non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards.
This directive was disclosed in a statement on Monday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Reuben Muoka.
The telecom industry regulator explained that this directive was in response to the widespread disruption caused by the blockages and to prioritise consumer convenience.
8. President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law.
The brief ceremony was witnessed by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvberem, who represented the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
It came nearly two weeks after President Bola Tinubu and the organised labour unions—comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria—agreed on N70,000 as the new minimum wage.
Police operatives in Zamfara State have arrested a lawmaker in the state House of Assembly, a District Head and a former local government chairman over alleged kidnapping and banditry in the state.
A BBC Hausa report monitored by our correspondent in Kaduna, alleged that Aminu Ibrahim, who represents Kaura Namoda state constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, was nabbed by the police for complicity in banditry and kidnapping.
My greatest challenge Is creating opportunities to show that arts can be commercialised in many....0:00 / 1:07
Aminu Ibrahim was allegely involved in the abduction of Ibrahim Fada in Kasuwar Daji village, a man said to be about 80 years old.
The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Dalijan, has confirmed the lawmaker’s arrest, adding that the District Head of Kaura Namoda, Jafaru Kumburki and a former Chairman of Kaura Namoda LGA, Nasiru Muhammad, are also cooling their heads in police custody due to similar charges.
He said: “Three District Heads of Danjibga, Bukkuyum and Unguwar Gyauro in Tsafe and Bukkuyum LGAs, are also under investigation for alleged involvement in kidnapping and banditry.”
He said the District Head of Kaura Namoda connived with two suspected associates of bandits and kidnapped nine locals in Gidan Sambo village of Kaura Namoda LGA, and were paid a ransom of N800,000.
He explained that the former council boss collaborated with two others and abducted Ango in Kumurya community of Zamfara State.
He said: “The District Heads of Danjibga, Unguwar Gyauro and Bukkuyum will face an investigative panel set up by the state government over their involvement in banditry activities.
“Prior to the formation of the panel, the police had conducted an investigation into the matter and submitted report to the state governor for further action. Police authorities will continue to identify, arrest and subsequently prosecute anybody found participating in banditry and other related crimes.
“Investigation is still ongoing and I can assure you that whoever is found directly or indirectly involved in this case will be invited for questioning.”
Jacob Okpanachi
Facts have emerged on how the ‘Elegant Stallion’ of Nigerian music, Ms. Onyeka Onwenu died on Tuesday night.
Onwenu who was full of life and not betraying any signs of illness, attended the 80th birthday party of Mrs. Stella Okoli, a pharmacist, and founder of Emzor pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Lagos.
Midway into the party, she took the stage and entertained the high-profile people at the event. Shortly after the energetic performance, she acknowledged some of the people in attendance and returned to her seat where she slumped minutes later.
A guest had observed her unusual quietness and as she slumped with her face on the table in front of her. He alerted the others as well as the security officials who rushed to her seat.
Guests at the party said they thought it was all a joke, until she was rushed to the Reddington Hospital in Lagos.
Onwenu
An eyewitness who was at the party, confirmed the sad news. “It is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu just performed at the birthday party of Mrs. Stella Okoli today, and after performing, she slumped. She was taken to Reddington Hospital and she couldn’t make it.”
As at midnight on Tuesday, even the doctors at the hospital were in disbelief and were yet to take her body to the morgue.
Another source who was among the people that rushed her to the hospital said, “Apparently, she had a heart attack. The doctor has advised that the body should be kept until later this morning.”
READ ALSO Corps Members' Allowance To Be Increased With New Minimum Wage
Born on January 31,1952, she was aged 72 years.
Onyeka was a singer, songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and former X Factor series judge.
Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” by the Nigerian press, she is a former chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture.
In 2013 she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
Onwenu hailed from Arondizuogu, a town in Ideato North, Imo State, but was raised in Port Harcourt, the capital city of Rivers State.
She was the youngest daughter of Nigerian educationist and politician D. K. Onwenu, who died when she was four years old in an autocrash a week before his appointment as Minister for Education, leaving his widow, Hope, to raise five children alone.
Onwenu possessed a BA in International Relations and Communication from Wellesley College, Massachusetts, and an MA in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research, New York.
She worked for the United Nations as a tour guide before returning to Nigeria in 1980 to complete her mandatory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), in Lagos, Nigeria.
As an NTA employee, Onwenu made an impact as a newsreader and reporter. In 1984, she wrote and presented the internationally acclaimed BBC/NTA documentary “Nigeria: A Squandering of Riches,” which became the definitive film about corruption in Nigeria, as well as the intractable Niger Delta agitation for resource control and campaign against environmental degradation in the oil rich region of Nigeria.
Originally a secular artist, Onwenu made the transition to gospel music in the 90s, and most of her songs are self-penned.
She began her recording career in 1981 while still with the NTA, releasing the album ‘For the Love of You’, a pop album which featured an orchestral cover of Johnny Nash’s “Hold Me Tight”, produced by Berkley Jones. Her second album was Endless Life, produced by Sonny Okosun, and included another cover – the Everley Brothers’ “Walk Right Back”. Both records were released under the EMI label.
Onwenu’s first album with Polygram, In The Morning Light, was released in 1984. Recorded in London, it featured the track “Masterplan” written by close friend Tyna Onwudiwe who had previously contributed to Onwenu’s BBC documentary and subsequently sang back-up vocals on the album.
In 1986, she released One Love which contained an updated version of the song “(In the) Morning Light from the previous album. Another song, “You and I”, was re-recorded for the 2001 film Conspiracy starring Nkem Owoh and Onwenu herself.
For the 1988 album Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu adopted a more Afrocentric sound and collaborated with veteran jùjú artist Sunny Ade on the track “Madawolohun (Let Them Say)”. This was the first of three songs the pair worked on together; the other two – “Choices” and “Wait For Me” – centred on family planning, and were endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria who used “Choices” in their PSA.
Dancing In The Sun, Onwenu’s final release on Polygram, was dedicated to Winnie Mandela, the subject of a song of the same name which Onwenu performed live when Nelson Mandela and his wife visited Nigeria in 1990 following his release from prison.
Onwenu diverted to Benson and Hedges Music in 1992 and released the self-titled Onyeka!, her only album with the label, after which she made the transition to Christian/gospel music. Her latest collection, “Inspiration for Change,” focused on the need for an attitudinal change in Nigeria.
Onwenu’s first movie role was as Joke, a childless woman who adopts an abandoned baby in Zik Zulu Okafor’s Nightmare.
She has since featured in numerous Nollywood movies, and in 2006 she won the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in the movie “Widow’s Cot”. She was also nominated that same year for Africa Movie Academy Award for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” in the movie “Rising Moon”.
Onwenu was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. She contested twice to become the Local Council Chairman of her Local Government, Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, and lost at both attempts but was appointed Chairperson of Imo State Council for Arts and Culture by former governor Ikedi Ohakim. On September 16, 2013, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan appointed her the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.
The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,
yesterday, described as unacceptable, the N4.2billion appropriated in the 2024 budget as personnel cost for the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.
She expressed her displeasure during the investigative hearing on alleged incidences of corruption and inefficiency in Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and the National Iron Ore Mining Company from 2002 to date, by an ad hoc committee of the Senate.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is the Deputy Chairman of the Committee, asked the Sole Administrator of the Steel Company, Summaila Abdul Akaba, to give details of workers collecting salaries from the N4.2 billion appropriated for personnel cost in the 2024 budget.
She said being an indigene of the area, she was desirous to get the Steel company revamped and working.
The Senator said she made unscheduled visits to the company and hardly found 10 people working there.
She noted that despite such humongous amount of money being spent as personnel cost by the Steel Company on yearly basis, no steel has been manufactured and no mill rolled.
She said, “The Sole Administrator of Ajaokuta Steel Company, I have a good question for you being an indigene from the area, very worried about the state of the company and passionate for its revival.
“The sum of N4.2 billion was appropriated for personnel cost in 2024, but from several visitations i made to the complex, hardly were 10 people sighted to be around or doing anything.
“So, who are the workers collecting monthly salaries from the appropriated N4.2billion?
“Statistically, if N300,000 is paid monthly to 14,000 people per month for a year, you get N4.2 billion or N500, 000 to 8,400 workers per month in a year.
“Where are the 14, 000 or 8,400 workers in Ajaokuta, the appropriated N4.2billion is being spent on?” she asked.
The Minority Whip of the Senate who is also a member of the committee, Senator Osita Ngwu (PDP Enugu West), did not allow the sole administrator of the complex to respond to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s question.
Ngwu said, ” Please don’t let us indict ourselves because the said appropriation was approved by the National Assembly.”
In his closing remarks at the investigative hearing, the Chairman of the ad hoc Committee, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC Ondo Central), said presentations and submissions made by the various stakeholders would be thoroughly looked into by the Committee for a solution to the report on Ajaokuta Steel Company to the Senate.
Key stakeholders at the investigative hearing were, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, a Director from the Central Bank of Nigeria , a Director from Bureau of Public Enterprises ( BPE) , Nigerian Society of Engineers , Steel and Engineering Union Workers of Nigeria, among others.
[Thisday]
President Bola Tinubu has approved a monthly stipend of N50,000 for 10,000 youths in the Niger Delta to alleviate current economic hardships.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at the Niger Delta Sensitisation Conference for ethnic nationalities, youths, and women in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The payments will be made through the NDDC Youth Intensive Scheme and will last for an initial 12 months, with a possibility of extension.
Akpabio highlighted that this initiative is part of Tinubu’s efforts to address challenges in the region and urged against participating in the national protest scheduled for August 1.
Sen. Akpabio announced that Tinubu has also approved the simultaneous commencement of the Lagos to Calabar coastal highway project from both states, a move expected to create thousands of jobs for the region’s youth.
He said the upcoming national protest was organized by anonymous individuals intending to incite chaos and destruction across the country.
He said, “The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will implement this scheme immediately to support 10,000 youths with N50,000 monthly to cushion the current hardship.”
“We acknowledge the severe impact caused by oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta and are taking prompt action to address these issues. The economic challenges in our nation are known by President Tinubu and is already receiving required attention to address them,”
“There is nothing in the 10 points agenda for the national protest that captures the interest of the Niger Delta. The organisers are merely copycats imitating the situation in Kenya, not minding the potential anarchy their protest will bring upon this country.”
“The issues facing the country are currently being addressed, and so, there is absolutely no need to protest,”
The senate president pointed out that necessary funds were being allocated for critical projects to meet the needs and dreams of the Niger Delta people. He urged for patience as the Federal Government’s policies and programmes take effect, emphasising that one year was too short a timeframe to measure its success.
Calls to shun proposed protest
Earlier, Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, had called for calm and support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He stressed the immediate implementation of resolutions from the recent Niger Delta Summit to accelerate regional development, pleading with the youths not to protest but rather to consolidate on the gains made by the administration.
The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that Tinubu had inherited a very bad economy and had already initiated programmes to revive it. He noted that the Niger Delta was beginning to see the fruits of long-standing militant agitations for development under the present Federal Government.
[Nairametrics]
One day to the planned hunger protest in Nigeria, regional leaders from the north and south have joined others in backing out of the proposed demonstrations.
They hinged their non-participation on the possibility of the protest turning violent.
Yesterday, LEADERSHIP had reported that many groups in the states, including youth groups, announced their withdrawal from the planned protest, citing the fear that it could lead to violence.
The apex northern social-cultural group, Arewa Consultation Forum (ACF), which distanced itself from the planned August 1 nationwide protest, cautioned that it could lead to destruction of life and property and undermine the progress made in the northern region.
ACF alleged that the protest being promoted by some anonymous groups may be aimed at causing disruption, which may be counterproductive.
A statement signed by ACF national publicity secretary on Tuesday, Prof. TA Muhammad-Baba, said it was unthinkable that the millions of Nigerians that feed from meagre daily earnings can sustain a shutdown of up to 10 days.
According to the statement, none of the reasons for the planned action directly addresses the north’s most pressing current challenge: debilitating insecurity which lingers unsolved and continues to wreak havoc on citizens and aggravate food insecurity.
ACF, however, acknowledged that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and other universal/international conventions guarantee citizens’ inalienable rights to express grievances over living conditions and aspirations, including freedom of assembly, demonstration and protests.
ACF also acknowledged that the current existential challenges that Nigerians live with are dire, made more glaring by the profligate, insensitive and ostentatious lifestyles and attitudes of Nigeria’s elected representatives and other public officials, which has resulted in palpable despair, and widespread anger for ordinary citizens.
On it part, a Diaspora Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, the Yoruba Global Council (YGC), has appealed to Nigerians to call off their impending nationwide protest, tagged “EndBadGovernment,” scheduled to commence on August 1, 2024.
They made this call in their monthly meeting held virtually on Sunday, July 28, 2024, where over 60 members from Europe, North America, Africa and Asia participated.
In a press statement jointly signed and made available to the media by Prince Segun Akanni, its general secretary, and Otunba Tunji Akinyele, director, mobilisation and public engagement, they said that while peaceful protest is a civic and constitutional right and a tool for citizens to demand better governance, this impending protest appears poised to disrupt government activities at a delicate time.
However, a group, Ladies Empowerment Goals and Support Initiative (LEGASI), in collaboration with Kaduna State Peace and Security Network, has called on Nigerians to come out for peaceful protest amid hardship.
Addressing a press conference tagged #EndBadGovernment Protest in Kaduna on Tuesday, the programme manager, LEGASi, Mr. Aiyelu Timothy Lawrence urged security agencies to ensure the protection of life and property of protesters.
Protest not solution to Nigeria’s challenges – Oborevwori
Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians, particularly those behind the planned protest, to shelve the idea, saying such protests would rather aggravate the nation’s challenges.
Oborevwori, who said government was addressing issues raised, maintained that such protests would not solve the nation’s challenges considering the outcome of previous protests that were hijacked by hoodlums.
The governor made the appeal while playing host to national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh and his delegation at Government House, Asaba.
Similarly, the minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has called on the organisers of the proposed hunger protest to shelve the idea and come to a roundtable with the federal government, as Tinubu’s reforms have started yielding results.
He added that the nation’s economy was already on a gradual but steady path to recovery and assured citizens that the current administration would do more to meet their needs.
The minister, in a statement by the director of press in Ministry of Defence, Mr Henshaw Ogubike, said the reforms initiated by President Tinubu have started improving the lives of Nigerians as the economic growth in Q1 2024 was the second fastest first-quarter growth in the last six years.
9 Niger Delta states back out
Leaders and stakeholders of the nine states in the Niger Delta region have also distanced themselves from the planned nationwide protest scheduled to start tomorrow.
The decision was reached in Port Harcourt yesterday during a one-day Niger Delta sensitisation conference for ethnic nationalities, women and youths organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The conference was attended by leading socio-cultural and pressure groups in the region, including the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), the Concerned Niger Delta Women Coalition (CNDWC) and the Urhobo Youth Council.
Speaking at the event, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the people of the Niger Delta region had resolved not to participate in the planned nationwide protest, as none of the demands of the protesters was for the good of the people of the region.
Akpabio said: “The Niger Delta region was involved in an imbroglio and President Yar’adua came and settled the issue. Today, the Niger Delta is peaceful. I want to start from the speech of the President of Ijaw Youth Council, Jonathan Lokpobiri.
“He said he took a look at the demands of those wishing to protest and there is nothing inside that talks about the Niger Delta region. The East-West Road was not there, the Calabar -Itu-Odukpani road that is no longer passable is not there, the construction of 13 kilometres Ogoni -Calabar road was not there.”
In his own speech, NDDC managing director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said the people of the region now believe in intellectual struggle, not street struggle or protests.
House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu thanked Niger Delta youths and stakeholders for beginning to show the power of peace and unity amongst themselves.
Protest: Police Nab Tiktoker For Inciting Violence
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 34-year-old Suleiman Yakubu, who was seen in a viral Tiktok video calling for the burning down of fuel stations and destruction of properties as part of the planned hunger protest in Jos, Plateau State.
The suspect had through his account, identified as “Dan_Mallam68,” urged the residents of Jos to attack petrol stations, security operatives, and destroy critical state and private infrastructure.
In a press statement on Tuesday, Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the suspect was arrested on July 28 and currently in Police custody undergoing investigation and interrogation.
FG declares prisons ‘Red Zones’
Ahead of the planned protest tomorrow, the federal government has declared all its 256 custodial centres across the country “red zones,” whose sanctity must not be violated under any guise.
Controller General of Corrections CGC, Haliru Nababa gave the warning in a statement issued Tuesday in Abuja.
“In view of the purported national protest scheduled to hold on the first day of August 2024, the Nigerian Correctional Service wishes to inform the public that the Custodial Centres have been designated as red zones; therefore, any person or group of persons who have no business around them whatsoever should steer clear,” the CGC said in the statement signed by Service spokesman, ACC Abubakar Danlami Umar.
Part of the statement reads; “Furthermore, the Service wishes to enjoin the public that Custodial and Non-custodial Centres are critical national assets which are germane to public safety as well as national security.
“Tampering with or attacking them will lead to the breakdown of law and order, and further exacerbate the security of the society in general.”
Organisers Reject IGP’s Proposal For Confined Protests
Organisers of the planned #EndBadGovernance nationwide demonstrations slated for tomorrow have rejected a proposal by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for confined protests.
At a meeting with the organisers on Tuesday, the IGP suggested confined protests in identified locations and advised against street rallies.
“It is not advisable to participate in street processions because, as you are planning a protest, some are planning violence,” the IGP advised.
However, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), a lawyer for the ‘Take It Back Movement,’ one of the groups organising the nationwide protests, rejected the IGP’s proposal.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth Igweh, has ordered the deployment of 4,200 personnel and other assets to ensure the protection and safety of law-abiding residents within the FCT ahead of the proposed nationwide protest. He also warned against violent protests.
[Leadership]
The decision to sell crude to Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other local refiners in naira will have profound positive impact on the economy, experts have said.
Finance and economic experts were unanimous yesterday that the policy directive by President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Executive Council (FEC) has potential to reduce general costs of living, strengthen the country’s currency and foreign exchange (forex) position and underpin long-term development of local industry.
The FEC on Tuesday approved the sale of crude to local refineries for payment in naira and for the refineries to sell their products in the domestic market and accept payment in naira.
Experts said the decision will positively impact key fundamentals of the economy including inflation rate, forex rate, employment, access and cost of stable energy, susceptibility to global fluctuations and general economic growth and stability.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists also commended Tinubu for his visionary leadership and statesmanship, noting that by such decision, the president has shown that the economy and Nigeria as a nation are his priorities.
Experts who spoke yesterday included Professor of Economics, Sheriffdeen Tella; Managing Director, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf; Managing Partner, Biodun Adedipe and Associates, Dr Biodun Adedipe; Managing Director, Arthur Steven Asset Management, Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe and Managing Director, HighCap Securities, Mr. David Adonri.
Others included Managing Director, Ambosit Capital Managers, Dr. Wahab Balogun; Managing Director, SD & D Capital Management, Mr Gbolade Idakolo; Civil Activist, Tony Nyiam; President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), Dr Faruk Umar; Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) and several civil society organisations (CSOs).
They agreed that the decision by Tinubu showed pragmatism and depth of understanding of the economic reforms, noting that strengthening the domestic oil and gas sector would have positive multiplier effects on the overall economy.
Tella said the decision would lead to reduction in general costs of goods and services while boosting the country’s forex position.
“That’s the right thing to do. If customers are using foreign currencies to pay for good in the country, it will put pressure on the naira and lower its value because those customers will have to buy the foreign currencies with naira to pay for the products.
“So, Dangote and others buying crude oil in naira is the best while those importing crude oil from outside will pay in forex because they will be paying into our foreign account. The implication is that Dangote and others’ fuel will be cheaper than imported fuel in our local market, which is good for our economy in terms of cost of production and cost of living. It will also not add to pressure on naira to cause its depreciation,” Tella, a globally renown economist said.
Yusuf described the decision as a welcome development that will go a long way to ease the current pressure of prices of petroleum products in the country, especially given the capacity of the Dangote Refinery.
“If the NNPCL can make the crude available in reasonable quantity or volume to the Dangote Refinery, and indeed to other domestic refineries that are producing petroleum products, it would be a great idea.
“And I’m sure that we should also expect that the benefits of these liberal payment terms will be transmitted to the citizens in terms of more steady supply of petroleum products, less volatility in the price of petroleum products, and possibly a moderation in the price of petroleum products. Because we are in a situation now that we should be worrying about the cost of living, social stability, economic development, issues of production. And in all of these things, energy is very, very critical.
“Access to energy and access to affordable energy is very central to the achievement of all of these social and economic objectives. So, it is a very good development, and I’m sure that the country will be better for it,” Yusuf said.
He however noted the need for NNPCL to rise up to the occasion by scaling up its production in order to meet its local and foreign obligations.
Nyiam said Tinubu’s intervention has further rekindled hopes in the domestic economy and the potential of Nigerians to champion their own growth.
According to him, the obvious support for the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a signal of support for the local economy and enterpreneurs, the imagery that Alhaji Aliko Dangote represents.
Nyiam, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, described Dangote as Nigeria’s equivalent of the “Tata of India”, noting that the “Dangote is much of a highly marketable brand of Nigerian businesses to be allowed to be rubbished”.
He added that the intervention by the president could also foster greater African renaissance as African leaders begin to focus on harnessing domestic resources for domestic growth and development by building local entrepreneurship.
Amolegbe said the benefits of the policy directive would become more pronounced in the medium term, especially if NNPLC ramps up production to mitigate the gap that could be created in forex earnings.
“In the medium term, this arrangement should help ease pressure on the naira emanating from the need to import finished products. But we must also realise that the sales of crude in naira might very well leave a gap in our forex earnings, so we expect this to be blocked through either increased crude production or other forex sources or both.
“The reduction in pressures will most likely lead indirectly to pass-through inflation which could very well give the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria the impetus to start to consider lowering interest rates. It is a positive move in the right direction but as I have mentioned the impact is likely to be felt medium term,” Amolegbe said.
Adedipe said the policy directive will boost job creation and ensure greater petroleum products security by significantly reducing the risk of global supply chain disruptions.
According to him, the decision effectively takes out the demand for dollars in the domestic forex market by the refiners and starts the journey to a stronger naira while also removing the influence of exchange rate and importation cost, including port inefficiencies and imported inflation, on the pump-head prices of refined petroleum products, thus making locally refined retail products cheaper.
“The policy will create jobs that were hitherto lost to foreign refineries. It will also deepen operations of local refineries and create multiplier effects across ancillary sectors. It will enhance the export of refined petroleum products and reverse forex outflows that we spent paying for about 39.1 per cent of our merchandise trade. This will also enhance supply of intermediate products, such as chemicals for local manufacturing of petroleum derivatives. We can also see this contributing to tax revenue of national and sub-national governments,” Adedipe said.
Adonri said the decision would reinforce investors’ confidence in the economy and further open up the economy to more investments.
“The decision to sell crude to local refineries in naira makes economic sense. It will justify the decision of promoters to site their refineries in Nigeria based on nearness to raw material source and proximity to market. Naira is the sole legal tender and medium of exchange in Nigeria. It was indeed a misnomer to request for hard currency to settle transactions between domestic economic elements.
“For the buyer and seller, use of local currency will eliminate currency or forex risks. It will also eliminate currency transfer costs. It will increase the ease of doing business by the refineries since they sell their products in naira and can now buy their raw material in naira. The new policy can reduce cost of production and hasten the time to market by producers. This major leverage to the refineries can curb occasional scarcity of petroleum products, boost the economy and reduce inflation,” Adonri said.
Umar said the decision has shown that the president deeply understands the dynamics of the economic reforms as such decision would benefit several sectors of the economy.
He pointed out that the government has demonstrated its belief in the domestic economy to pull through to greater development.
He added that the decision of the Dangote to list its shares on the stock exchange would ensure that the wealth creation from such supportive decision is generally available to all Nigerians.
He urged Alhaji Aliko Dangote to reciprocate the president’s gesture by increasing his investments in the domestic economy.
Balogun said the policy could significantly strengthen the naira.
According to him, by transacting in naira, the demand for dollars by local refineries will decrease, potentially easing pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves. This could help stabilize or even strengthen the naira, provided the supply of dollars into the market remains consistent from other sources.
He noted that reduced dependency on the dollar for domestic transactions could also lead to less exchange rate volatility.
“A stable naira makes it easier for businesses to plan and forecast, which is essential for economic growth,” Balogun said.
Idakolo said it was the best decision for domestic growth and economic stability.
“It is one of the best decision that can help the government save billions of dollars and also retain the much need forex in our system. It can also lead to cheaper fuel that must also be sold to oil marketers in naira by all the local refineries. If properly implemented it will prove to be a game changer in the downstream sector of the economy,” Idakolo said.
Also, Musa lauded Tinubu over the directive, noting that by the decision, the president has reduced dependence on foreign exchange.
“I would like to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his forward-thinking and impactful decision to approve the sale of crude to local refineries in Nigeria using naira. This strategic move is a significant milestone in our nation’s journey towards economic self-sufficiency and stability.
“By allowing transactions in our local currency, this policy not only strengthens the Naira but also reduces our dependency on foreign exchange,” Musa said.
The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) said the policy directive showed Tinubu is a listening leader, noting that the naira-for-crude policy is one of the several impactful policies the president had taken in recent period.
ATT said the policy will save the country billions of dollars used in importing refined fuel and contribute significantly to social stability.
“We want to use this opportunity to appreciate Mr. President for the establishment of North-West Development Commission. It is indeed a good initiative for the development and progress of the region.
“We equally want to thank Mr. President for similar establishment in the South-East region. This shows that he is carrying every part of the country along irrespective of political differences.
“Kudos also to Mr. President for signing the minimum wage of N70, 000 into law without delay. This is part of signs of many good things coming the way of the people of our great country, Nigeria,” ATT, which coordinates other CSOs, stated.
[TheNation]
Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, expressed her frustration on Tuesday, revealing that she will not compete in the 100-metre race at the ongoing Olympics in Paris due to administrative failures by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigerian Olympic Committee.
She called for accountability from those responsible and voiced her skepticism about the trustworthiness of both organisations.
The LSU Track and Field alumni hopes to be entered in the 200-metre event.
LSU track refers to the track and field programme at Louisiana State University.
Her post read, “It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 metres at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for four years to earn this opportunity. For what?”
Despite qualifying for the event, Ofili disclosed that the officials did not enter her, marking a repeat of the previous Olympics, Tokyo 2020.
She added, “Please remember, in the last Olympic Games, I was not able to compete because AFN, NADC and NOC failed to release funds for athletes to be tested, which made 14 Nigerian athletes that qualified to not compete. Now this……”
“If those responsible are not held accountable for taking this opportunity from me, neither organisation can ever be trusted in the future! Next one is the 200 metres. I hope I’m entered.”
Ofili secured her place in the women’s 200m event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, PUNCH Online reported.
PUNCH Online reports that the 21-year-old was entered for 100m, 200m, 400m, 100×100 relay.
Our correspondent was, however, unable to contact the officials of the aforementioned agencies for clarifications.
Ofili, who tweeted around 10 pm, was one of 10 Nigerian athletes declared ineligible for the Olympics by the Athletics Integrity Unit because they were not tested rigorously enough in the run-up to Tokyo 2020.
PUNCH Sports Extra, in a July 20 publication titled, “Nigeria’s Olympic Debutants!” mentioned Ofili as one.
Making her debut in Paris, flaunting her sterling credentials of once being in the Top 8 at the World Championships, the athlete is a Commonwealth Games silver medalist, an African Games champion, a former World U20 champion, and an African Senior Athletics Championships champion in the 200m.
Her current world rankings stand at 23 in 100m and 52 in 200m. Her highest rankings are 13 in 200m, 23 in 100m, and 37 in 400m.
In May, Ofili also shattered three records in a month.
[Punch]
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Ella Emhoff: Forget Brat summer, Kamala Harris’s leftist stepdaughter could be her ticket to the Gen Z vote
Admin
Earlier this month, an old interview with Republican vice-presidential hopeful JD Vance resurfaced online. In it, Vance denounced vice-president Kamala Harris as a “childless cat lady” with no “direct stake” in America’s future. His words prompted outrage – and among the first to rush to Harris’s defence was her 25-year-old stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff. “How can you be ‘childless’ when you have cutie pie kids like Cole and I?” she wrote in an Instagram story.
Her comment was a testament to her and her older brother Cole’s warm bond with the woman they call “Momala” – and proved that family isn’t just about biological relationships. If Harris, who was endorsed by US president Joe Biden after he announced he’d no longer be seeking re-election, does end up in the White House, then Ella will be a very modern first daughter. An artist, activist and alternative fashion icon, she feels worlds away from the classic, cookie-cutter stereotype of a political offspring – who smiles politely in photo ops, dresses and acts conservatively, and shies away from any remotely controversial causes.
Ella was born in California in 1999, and has the jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald as her namesake (Her brother, who is five years her senior, was named after the saxophonist John Coltrane). Her parents, film producer Kerstin and entertainment lawyer Doug Emhoff, split up in 2008, but the breakup was an amicable one. “I thought we had it good compared to a lot of other people I’d seen with divorced parents,” Ella told The New York Times in 2021. “So I think I felt really lucky.” She and her brother were politically engaged from a young age, and were “really active” in campaigning against Proposition 8, the amendment opposing same-sex marriage. As a teen, Ella attended Wildwood School, a private school that also counts celebrity offspring such as Rumer Willis and Frances Bean Cobain among its alumni.
The Emhoff siblings first met Harris when Ella was about to start high school and Cole was gearing up for college. Harris has said that she and Doug waited until they were sure that their relationship had staying power before she was introduced to her future stepchildren, because she “didn’t want to insert [herself] into their lives as a temporary fixture”. Their initial meeting was at a seafood restaurant off California’s Pacific Coast Highway, and Harris recalled that “Cole and Ella could not have been more welcoming”. Beforehand, their dad had given them a heads up about his new partner’s high-profile job, telling them: “I think you just have to know, though, that she is the attorney general of California.” No pressure, then.
From that moment, it seems, the Emhoff-Harrises have managed to make the whole “blended family” thing look easy. Harris is “dear friends” with her husband’s first wife Kerstin, who has described the VP as “loving, nurturing, fiercely protective and always present”. The pair would “become a duo of cheerleaders in the bleachers at Ella’s swim meets and basketball games, often to Ella’s embarrassment”. When Harris and Doug married in 2014, she and the children agreed that they weren’t too keen on the term “stepmom”. Instead, they decided to christen her “Momala”. The name stuck – Drew Barrymore made everyone cringe when she earnestly told Harris that “we need you to be ‘Momala’ of the country” during Harris’s appearance on the actor’s touchy-feely chat show in April.
It sounds like the family doesn’t exactly do small talk around the dinner table. “We would just have these real conversations at dinner, almost Socratic, where we would all bounce off each other,” Cole told Glamour in the run-up to the 2020 election. If the kids invited friends round to visit, they’d warn them that they might get the full lawyer treatment from Harris and their dad. “We always joke that whenever we bring our friends over for the first time, they’re going to get grilled,” Ella told The New York Times. “Like, if you don’t have your 10-year plan, like, fully ready and outlined in a spreadsheet for them, you’re not going to survive that meal.”
After high school, Ella studied at the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York, specialising in fine art. Her senior year of college happened to coincide with Harris’s biggest job yet: running for vice-president alongside Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the 2020 election. When Biden was sworn in as president the following January, after defeating Donald Trump, Ella found herself in the spotlight for the first time thanks to her idiosyncratic sense of style.
Her inauguration day outfit consisted of a quirky Miu Miu coat with an oversized collar and eye-catching sequinned shoulders, worn over a custom-made dress from New York cult favourite designer Batsheva Hay. It couldn’t have been further from the classic “political daughter” look of sedate pantsuits, shift dresses and sensible florals (essentially, dressing at least two decades older than your actual age). Inevitably, it became a talking point on social media; according to fashion platform Lyst, six hours after the ceremony, online searches for Miu Miu increased by 455 per cent. And when Ella got caught on camera wiggling her eyebrows at former vice-president Mike Pence during the ceremony, that only won her more fans, too.
All of my life, I had really low self-esteem and self-confidence, so this kind of felt like a way for me to take that back
Ella Emhoff on her move into modelling
Shortly after, Ella signed a deal with modelling agency IMG, the company that represents the likes of Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham. She’d always loved fashion, but this wasn’t a career path that she’d necessarily anticipated. “All of my life, I had really low self-esteem and self-confidence, so this kind of felt like a way for me to take that back,” she told The Washington Post. “I have body hair, I have tattoos. Like, that’s not crazy in the scheme of things today, but it is not what you’d consider, like, the most generic-type model.”
Soon, she ended up walking in fashion shows for brands like Proenza Schouler and wearing a custom Stella McCartney ensemble to the Met Gala (she was later announced as the face of McCartney’s Adidas collaboration, too). Since that flurry of publicity, though, Ella, who is in a relationship with the GQ journalist Samuel Hine, has stepped back from the catwalk. Instead, she has been focusing on her textile-based artwork, including the knitted paintings she showcases on her Instagram account. “I did [modelling] for a few years, and it helped me now to be able to afford the platform, and the comfortability to be able to do art,” she told The Times earlier this year.
She now hosts the Sofa Hands Knit Club in New York, holding craft sessions around the city. Her mother taught her to knit during a childhood trip to Disneyland, and it has always been a “therapeutic practice” for her ever since. “I treat it as something to calm my anxiety and it just happens to be something that I’m also very creatively passionate about,” she has said – and she’s also keen to “expand” her club “into other places, like schools and art therapy. Because I know it helped me so much.”
Ella doesn’t tend to make outright political pronouncements; instead, she lets her activism do the talking. She has previously helped raise money for For The Gworls, a collective that supports Black transgender people, and more recently shared links on social media to fundraisers for relief work in Gaza (a move that inevitably proved controversial).
Should Harris secure the Democratic nomination, the spotlight on Ella will only intensify. We can surely expect her to become a fixture on the campaign trail. And she might just be Harris’s secret weapon: a conduit to Gen Z.
[https://www.independent.co.uk]
A new report has ranked Nigeria 92nd on the list of countries with the most visa-free access to other nations.
The report released by Henley and Partners on Tuesday is based on exclusive and official data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Countries’ rankings are monitored throughout the year, focusing on relevant visa-policy shifts for each nation.
In July 2023, Nigeria was ranked 90th on the list but fell to 97th position below African countries like Burundi, Cameroon, and Liberia, showing a significant shift in the nation’s visa policy.
In the latest ranking, Nigeria now is placed 92nd, alongside Lebanon and Myanmar — countries on the Asian continent — with visa-free access to 45 travel destinations.
Nigeria also ranked sixth lowest on the list of African countries with visa-free travel access, only above South Sudan, Sudan, Eritrea, Libya, and Somalia.
Meanwhile, the Seychelles retained its 24th position as the highest-ranked African country with access to 156 countries.
Mauritius improved in the ranking, moving from 29th to 28th position with access to 150 countries, while South Africa came third in Africa but ranked 47th on the global stage with access to 106 countries without a prior visa.
HOW OTHER COUNTRIES RANK
Singapore came first on the global list, retaining the top spot, while France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain occupied the second position.
Citizens of Singapore, according to the ranking index, can visit 195 travel destinations—three more than that of last year.
Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden hold the third position with visa-free access to 191 destinations, while Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are in the fourth place with access to 190 destinations without a prior visa.
Canada joins the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Malta at the seventh spot, while the United States holds the eighth position with visa-free access to 186 destinations.
Maintaining its position as last year, Afghanistan stays at the bottom of the index, with a visa-free access score of just 26 countries, followed by Syria with 28, and Iraq with 31—the three weakest passports in the world.
[TheCable]
Tragedy struck on Tuesday night as Nigeria’s legendary singer and songwriter, Onyeka Onwenu, passed away shortly after performing at a birthday party in Lagos.
The music icon, affectionately known as the ‘Elegant Stallion,’ reportedly collapsed at a private function and was later pronounced dead at Reddington Hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos. Sources close to the family confirmed the shocking news to The Guardian.
Onwenu was attending the birthday celebration of Mrs Stella Okoli, founder of Emzor Pharmaceuticals when she took to the stage to perform.
Eyewitnesses said she returned to her seat after her performance and suddenly slumped. Emergency services were immediately called, and she was rushed to the hospital, where she was later declared dead. The exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed.
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “It is very sad. Onyeka Onwenu had just performed at the birthday of Mrs. Stella Okoli of Emzor Pharmaceuticals this night, and after performing, she slumped. She was taken to Reddington Hospital but couldn’t make it.”
Onyeka Onwenu, born on May 31, 1952, had a career that spanned over four decades.
She was not only a renowned singer and songwriter but also an actress, journalist, and politician. Onwenu’s music, which blended genres such as highlife, reggae, and pop, often addressed social and political issues.
Some of her most popular songs include “One Love,” “Iyogogo,” and “Ekwe.”
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has grounded the aircraft of Arik Airlines over $2.5m debt owed Atlas Petroleum International Ltd.
NAMA said the grounding of the aircraft follows a Supreme Court judgment in favour of Atlas Petroleum.
The agency disclosed the development in a statement signed by Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa and obtained by THE WHISTLER on Tuesday.
The statement is titled, ‘Grounding Of Arik Aircrafts By The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.’
NAMA said, “On the 19th day of July 2024, the enforcement department of the FCT High Court enforced an Order made by the Court regarding a debt of $2.5m owed by Arik Airline to one Atlas Petroleum International Ltd. by attaching their aircraft.
“Arik was further given a notice of Public Auction of the planes by the Court which was slated to hold on the 26th day of July 2024 if they fail to pay the Judgment debt. All these were served on our agency and also on our Supervising Minister, the Minister of Aviation.”
NAMA said the records show that on the 8th day of March, 2016, the Judgment Debtor (ARIK) appealed the decision of the High Court of Lagos State entering judgment against it to the Court of Appeal and on 30th September, 2021.
But the appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision with cost, NAMA said.
The agency said, “ARIK again appealed to the Supreme Court for leave to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal, and on the 9th day of January, 2024, the Supreme Court, per Okoro, J.S.C., delivered its Ruling dismissing the Judgment Debtor’s application for leave to appeal.”
According to NAMA, the judgment Creditor registered the Judgment of the Lagos State High Court in the High Court of FCT and On the 26th day of June, 2024, Justice O. A. Adeniyi, then sitting in Court 8, Maitama, Abuja) made an order after hearing Motion No: M/9785/2024 filed on behalf of Atlas Petroleum attaching all the moveable properties belonging to the Judgment Debtor, including the Judgment Debtor’s aircraft with Registration No: B737-700/ 5N-MJF, B737-800/ 5N-MJQ, DASH8-Q400 and 5N-BKX in satisfaction of the judgment debt.
NAMA said, “Copies of the Order and Certificate of Judgment were also served on us and the Minister. We understand too that Arik has obtained an exparte order stopping further execution of the order, though we have not been formally served. In the circumstances, since the first execution took place by attaching the aircrafts, further execution by way of sale can be halted whilst the parties go back to court to resolve the issues.
“However, in order to preserve the subject matter of the present dispute which are the aircrafts in question (the res), which have already been attached, we have decided to comply with the effect of the Supreme Court order, by grounding the aircrafts (subject of dispute) so that they are not taken out of the jurisdiction of the court or tampered with in a way as to frustrate the courts.”
NAMA said the Minister, Festus Keyamo being a Senior Advocate (SAN) understands the implication of the Supreme Court Order dismissing the motion for leave to appeal and will not risk his license as a legal practitioner or his privilege as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria by engaging in acts that will frustrate an order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“The parties to the dispute are encouraged to resolve their issues as quickly as possible so that the Arik aircraft in question can resume flight operations,” NAMA said.
Atlas Petroleum International is privately held and is registered in Nigeria. Stock in the companies is held by the Eze family, according to the company’s profile.
Arthur Eze is the company’s Chairman, according to the company’s profile.