Supervisors and advisers of Ikere-Ekiti LGA in Ekiti state were sworn in with an ‘Ògún’ totem and the Quran.
Ògún is one of the deities in African traditional religion. It is often regarded as the “god of iron”.
The swearing-in ceremony took place on May 2 at the conference hall of the office of Olu Adamolekun, chairman of Ikere-Ekiti LGA.
The oath of office was administered on the appointees by Adamolekun.
In a video making the rounds on social media, the appointees could be seen taking turns to wield a cutlass (a totem for the god of iron) in one hand and a Quran in the other.
While administering the oath of office, Adamolekun asked the appointees to repeat the following in Yoruba: “From today, I will be loyal and truthful to BAO (Ekiti state governor), and Monisade (deputy governor), APC and its leaders.”
“I will take instructions from the leaders. If I refuse to do so, Ogun or Quran should kill me. For this, I will be truthful,” they said.
In Nigeria, public office holders usually swear an oath of office using the Quran or Bible, while pledging allegiance to the constitution.
In this instance, however, the appointees were asked to swear allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its leaders in Ekiti — while invoking a deity.
LIST OF THE APPOINTEES
SUPERVISORS
1. Femi Ayeni — Are/Aramomi/Ayetoro Ward
2. Olu Ogundipe — Okeruku Ward
3. ldowu Ojo Omowumi — Atiba/Aafin Ward
4. Ajayi Mathew Oladele — Ogbonjana Ward
ADVISERS
1. Sola Alonge — Odose Ward
2. Boluwaji Daramola — llapetu/ljao Ward
3. Toyin Owolabi — Agbado/Oyo Ward
4. Akojiyan Olamilekan Rasaq — Oke Osun Ward
5. Filani Motunrayo — Afao/Kajola Ward
Media
The relatives of the embattled former Chairman of the Park Management System (PMS), Alhaji Lamidi Mukaila, also known as Auxiliary, have expressed displeasure over his recent arrest.
Recalls that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested the embattled former Oyo State PMS boss.
The recent arrest comes a year after Auxiliary was arrested after being linked to an alleged attempt by his loyalists to cause trouble in the state following the dissolution of the PMS committee by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde.
Auxiliary was again rearrested at about 4:00 pm on Tuesday at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Two women who claimed to be relatives of Auxiliary but hid their identities have since responded in a video that Vanguard claimed to have obtained. The video detailed the incident involving the former NURTW leader and security personnel.
One of the women recording the video mentioned that the individuals who took Auxiliary did not disclose their identities before taking him into custody.
“One of his junior brothers called me that they have arrested Papa without doing anything. He told me that Papa was busy enjoying himself at the table there.
“Then, one of his boys who happens to be my child saw a black unidentified security van and said, “are these not DSS men?”
“Before Papa (Auxiliary) lifted up his head, the masked men had cornered him. When Papa saw them, he didn’t run away since there is no skeleton in his cupboard. It is someone who has done a bad thing that should be afraid.
“As he wanted to go upstairs, one of his boys was trying to shield him but the security men moved faster to stop him. They took him into a waiting van. The van has no number plate or any inscriptions on it. They took him away without telling us where they were taking him to.
“This is not fair now. How should they arrest an innocent man?” she said.
Auxiliary has been on the run since last year after security forces were informed about his intention to incite chaos and disorder in Oyo State.
His house was raided, leading to the discovery of a significant cache of weapons, including firearms, machetes, and other hazardous tools.
Despite his attempt to ascend the stairs, he was prevented by armed individuals who fired warning shots into the air.
The Aguttes auction house announced on Tuesday that Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy, awarded for his outstanding performance as the best player at the 1986 World Cup, will soon be up for auction in France.
This iconic trophy, the first of its kind to be auctioned, is expected to command a significant price tag, with the auction house anticipating bids in the millions when it goes under the hammer on June 6th.
Maradona, who passed away in 2020, clinched the prestigious award after leading Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup held in Mexico. His remarkable contribution included five goals throughout the tournament, as he captained his country and showcased his brilliance on the field during every minute of play.
The 1986 World Cup remains etched in memory, particularly for Maradona’s unforgettable performance against England in the quarterfinals, where he scored two remarkable goals.
Global cryptocurrency platform Binance has accused top Nigerian government officials of demanding a $150 million bribe in crypto to settle criminal charges filed against the company.
The allegation was made public by Binance Chief Executive Officer, Richard Teng, in a blog post published by the New York Times on Tuesday.
According to the report, Tigran Gambaryan, a compliance officer at Binance, received the unsettling message during a visit to Nigeria in January earlier before his arrest alongside a colleague.
Gambaryan alongside a colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, who escaped from lawful custody, are currently trial in Nigeria over alleged money laundering and tax evasion charges.
“On a trip to Nigeria in January, Tigran Gambaryan, a compliance officer for the giant cryptocurrency exchange Binance, received an unsettling message: The company had 48 hours to make a payment of roughly $150 million in crypto,” the report stated.
Gambaryan, a former U.S. law enforcement agent, interpreted the message as a request for a bribe from officials in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Mr. Gambaryan, a former U.S. law enforcement agent, understood the message as a request for a bribe from someone in the Nigerian government, according to five people familiar with the matter and messages reviewed by The New York Times,” the report continued.
“He and a group of his Binance colleagues had just met with Nigerian legislators, who accused the company of tax violations and threatened to arrest its employees.”
The New York Times also revealed that Gambaryan and his colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were subsequently arrested and detained on orders of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Anjarwalla managed to escape and has since been traced to Kenya.
Gambaryan has been transferred from a safe house to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja since April 8. Both he and Binance are now facing charges of tax evasion and money laundering to the tune of $35.4 million.
However, in response to the allegation, Zakari Mijinyawa, spokesman for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), assured that the Federal Government would follow due process.
In a message to the New York Times newspaper, Mijinyawa emphasised that the government would make its case “on the strength of the facts and evidence, in accordance with due process.”
“We are confident that Nigeria has a good case. Binance equally will have every opportunity under the rule of law to make its case and see justice delivered,” he concluded.
Jose Peseiro, the former head coach of Nigeria’s senior national team, continues to explain his decision to overlook NPFL players, citing their inferiority to foreign-based counterparts.
During his 20-month tenure, no NPFL player earned a spot in competitive matches for the Super Eagles, despite fervent discussions regarding their inclusion.
Peseiro departed after leading the team to a commendable second-place finish in the African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, narrowly losing 1-2 to the host nation in the final.
Reflecting on his time with the Super Eagles, Peseiro emphasized the pressure to select NPFL talents but asserted his commitment to choosing the best players, especially after the team narrowly missed the World Cup.
“I watched many NPFL games, but none showcased the calibre of talent seen in foreign leagues. Quality must prevail over mere representation,” he remarked.
In a related development, former Super Eagles player Moses Kpakor urged Peseiro’s successor, Finidi George, to consider homegrown talents for national team selection.
Kpakor, renowned for his stints with BCC Lions and Abiola Babes, emphasized the importance of nurturing local talent and ensuring fair competition for national team spots.
“As a former NPFL player, I understand the value of giving home-based talents a chance. Finidi should prioritize merit over geography,” Kpakor asserted, advocating for inclusivity in player selection.
Popular Nigerian singer, Simisola Kosoko, popularly known by her stage name as Simi, has finally responded to flirtatious comments about her made by fellow artists Brymo and Samklef.
Speaking with Angela Yee in a recent interview, Simi expressed confusion over the intentions behind the duo’s comments, dismissing them as comedic rather than serious.
Recalls that Brymo sparked controversy last year after admitting that he had demanded sex from Simi before agreeing to collaborate with her for a project while she was unmarried. When Simi rejected his proposition, Brymo declined to work with her.
Similarly, music producer-turned-blogger Samklef recently admitted that he had been in love with Simi during their early days as struggling artists but refrained from pursuing a relationship to avoid mixing business with pleasure.
It can also be recalled that on both occasions, Simi’s husband and singer, Adekunle Gold, had protested against what he viewed as disrespect for his wife from both Brymo and Samklef.
However, responding to the jibes from the duo in the interview, Simi said: “I don’t know what these people [Brymo and Samklef] are going on about. The funny thing is that these are two different people, and I don’t know why they keep talking about me like that. When you even look at what they’re saying, you can’t even pick out anything. I’m still confused.”
She further emphasised that their remarks have no impact on her, highlighting her husband’s supportive role in the scenario.
“I just feel like it doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t change anything. My husband is speaking out for me, and he’s fighting for his woman as he would.”
Simi also emphasised her indifference to the Brymo and Samklef’s comments, noting that she has nothing to hide.
“I don’t feel anything about this. It doesn’t impact me. I don’t have anything to hide. If you’re going to post that you asked me out, and so what? Or that I had an ex [laughs]. The whole thing, to me, is more comedy than anything else,” she stated.
Jose Mourinho would love to manage Manchester United again but the club does not want to reappoint the Portuguese, according to the Manchester Evening News.
It is claimed the 61-year-old has told confidants he would “walk” to Manchester to manage United for a second time, having been sacked by the club in December 2018.
Mourinho, who was sacked by Roma in January after two-and-a-half years in charge, is reportedly a friend of United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe but the two-time Champions League winner is not expecting an approach from his former club.
Mourinho’s reported interest in the Man Utd job comes after the Red Devils suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on Monday which has left Erik ten Hag’s side eighth in the Premier League table.
Mourinho became Man Utd boss in May 2016 and won the Europa League and League Cup in his two-and-a-half years in the job.
The ex-Chelsea boss has since managed Tottenham and Roma, having won the Europa Conference League with the Italian side in 2022.
The Kano State Police Command has arrested 17 suspected forex hawkers during a raid in the Wappa Bureau De Change area of Fagge local government area on May 7, 2024.
Spokesperson of the Command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa disclosed this in a statement.
Kiyawa said the operation was carried out in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), with the aim of stabilising the foreign exchange market and eliminate unauthorised operations.
The police raid targeted locations where foreign exchange transactions were taking place, ultimately resulting in the arrest of 29 individuals.
After thorough screening, 12 persons were released over their proven innocence from lack of evidence, while the remaining 17 were taken into custody.
The statement partly reads, “At the end of the operation, a total of twenty-nine (29) people were arrested out of which twelve (12) were screened out for lack of evidence while Seventeen (17) were arrested with the following exhibits recovered; (1) Sum of Sixty-eight Thousand (68,000) CFA, and (2) Thirty (30) Rupees (Indian Currency).
“Further investigation revealed that the seventeen (17) suspects were operating under one Association of unlicensed Bureau De Change and they will be charged to Court for prosecution,” the statement read.
Kiyawa said essence of the operation was to flush out elements that operates illegally in a bid to stabilise the foreign exchange market in the country.
The arrest excludes genuine Bureau de Change operators who carry on their legitimate businesses in their offices, the police spokesman explained.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Mohammed Gumel commended the combined efforts of the police and DSS operatives for their success in the operation.
He emphasised the importance of upholding the law while maintaining legitimate operations within the financial sector and warned that illegal practices will not be tolerated.
The statement also stated that the suspects will be prosecuted, while encouraging the public to report any suspicious movements or activities to the police.
Your Claims On Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Self-serving, Politically Motivated – Umahi Fires Atiku
AFOLABIThe Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has said the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project complied 100 per cent with the Procurement Act.
Umahi made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesman, Orji Uchenna Orji while reacting to the accusations made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Recall that Atiku had accused the Bola Tinubu government of awarding the contract to HiTech construction without competitive bidding but rather due to a personal relationship between the president and chairman of the firm.
The vice president also accused President Tinubu of promoting propaganda and putting his personal interest above that of Nigeria.
Reacting, Umahi stated that the project was awarded based on the EPC+ F procurement process, stressing that the project is an unsolicited bid.
The minister also berated the former vice president for his comments over the landmark project and for linking the award of the coastal highway to nepotism
He added that Atiku’s accusations were, “intrinsically superficial, baseless, self-serving and politically motivated to imprint malice in the minds of unsuspecting members of the public, especially the gullible.
Umahi said Atiku’s claim that Seyi Tinubu, the son of the President has an interest in CDK Integrated Industries Ltd is not tenable as the company that did bid for the project was Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Ltd.
The statement read, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project complied 100 per cent with the provisions of the Procurement Act and was awarded based on the EPC+ F procurement process, that is to say, the project is an unsolicited bid done on EPC+F.
“Under this model of procurement, the investor provides all the designs, part of the financing and construction, while the FGN pays counterpart funds. The bid of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project came through this process.
“The ministry received the bid, worked on it, and sent the same to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). The BPP worked on it in accordance with the stipulations of the Procurement Act and came up with a competitive price slightly lower than the ministry’s price and even lower than the cost of similar projects awarded five years ago, including the Bodo-Bonny project awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. The BPP issued a certificate of “No Objection” on the project to the Federal Ministry of Works as required by the Procurement Act.
“Consequently, the Federal Ministry of Works took the certificate of “No Objection” to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), and the FEC deliberated on and approved the same. It would be recalled that the FEC had first approved the project model on EPC+F before the process of procurement even started.
“This is a testament that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, section 1, followed due process.
“The claim of the former Vice President that the son of the President of Nigeria has interest in CDK Integrated Industries Ltd is not tenable as the company that did bid for the project was Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Ltd which has a full legal personality, as it were. Again, these claims are nothing but a digression showing absolute frustration of a false accuser who is bereaved of facts to substantiate his claims.”
Cybersecurity Levy: 'You're More Interested In Milking A Dying Economy' - Peter Obi Knocks Tinubu govt
AFOLABIFormer presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s government for the imposition of the cybersecurity levy on Nigerians.
He said the government was interested in milking a dying economy instead of nurturing it to recovery and growth.
Obi accused the government of coming up with policies that not only impoverish the citizens but also make the country’s economic environment less competitive.
According to him, the imposition of a Cybersecurity Levy on Nigerians will further erode whatever is left of their remaining capital after the impact of the Naira devaluation and high inflation rate.
In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, Obi questioned when the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, has become a revenue collecting centre.
The former Anambra State governor said it was unthinkable to expect the suffering citizens of Nigeria to separately fund all activities of the government.
He said: “The introduction of yet another tax, in the form of Cybersecurity Levy, on Nigerians who are already suffering severe economic distress is further proof that the government is more interested in milking a dying economy instead of nurturing it to recovery and growth.
“This does not only amount to multiple taxation on banking transactions, which are already subject to various other taxes including stamp duties but negates the Government’s avowed commitment to reduce the number of taxes and streamline the tax system.
“The imposition of a Cybersecurity Levy on bank transactions is particularly sad given that the tax is on the trading capital of businesses and not on their profit hence will further erode whatever is left of their remaining capital, after the impact of the Naira devaluation and high inflation rate.
“It is inconceivable to expect the suffering citizens of Nigeria to separately fund all activities of the government. Policies such as this not only impoverish the citizens but make the country’s economic environment less competitive.
“At a time when the government should be reducing taxes to curb inflation, the government is instead introducing new taxes. And when did the office of the NSA become a revenue collecting centre?
“And why should that purely national security office receive returns on a specific tax as stated in the new cybersecurity law?”
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Popular singer Simisola Kosoko, also known as Simi, has opened up on her relationship with her colleague, Falz.
Simi explained that she and Falz have intense musical “chemistry.”
Speaking during an appearance on Angela Yee’s podcast, the mother of one stated before she got married most people thought that they were in a romantic relationship.
She also hinted that she has a new song with Falz coming out later this month.
According to her, “I have one more single coming out at the end of this month. I can’t say the title now but I can tell you who I’m featuring on it. It’s Falz!
“This is interesting because Falz and I have a history. Before I got married, we did an EP and everything. People thought we were dating. We had a couple of songs together and people loved them. They were like, ‘You have a good chemistry.’ So we decided to do a joint EP and we made an EP called ‘Chemistry.’ People really loved it.
“So we want to do something again for the culture. It’s kind of a funny song. I’m really excited and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”
‘Look beyond Labour in addressing citizens’ welfare’ - SDP Presidential candidate, Adebayo, advise FG
AFOLABIPresidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 General Elections, Adewole Adebayo, has advised the Federal Government to focus on the social investment elements of the 1999 Constitution and make life better for the citizenry.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos, Adebayo noted that the country had organised its politics and government around sharing money, hence the endless agitation for the betterment of workers’ welfare without necessarily looking at how to fix the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.
According to him, the N615,000 being demanded by Labour as the national minimum wage would not sound the same way it sounds today in the next four years and, therefore, would not take the country anywhere.
“Whether you pay salary, pay allowance, pay grants, like we did during the Udoji Award, give loans and all that, what is that loan chasing? Remember during the Udoji Award, everybody ran to UTC to buy bicycles once they got it, the price of bicycles skyrocketed.
“Meanwhile, in China, if you join the civil service, they will not give you any Udoji Award; they will give you a bicycle because the bicycle comes with the job. If you were in the colonial government and you were an assistant district officer, school officer, health officer or forest ranger, all these things are tools. When you are getting the job, they will direct you to the staff quarters and the school your child should go to,” he added.
Noting that the country should organise its politics around this philosophy, Adebayo noted that if the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration wants to place the welfare of Nigerians on a sustainable path, it must first stop worrying about who is a worker or who is not.
He added: “They have to first look at Chapter 2 of the Constitution and say if by virtue of this Constitution I have been given a mandate to come and govern Nigeria, what are the promises inside the Constitution? What is the minimum that Nigeria should do? Do we have the resources to put them there? By that, you now know that you need new hospital beds and new roads.
“During the Second Republic, all the governors understood these social investment elements and that is why all the state governments had their own school boards, scholarship boards and water boards such that water got to houses even in rural areas. What we are doing now is monetary government, where we share money.
“The way our Constitution is crafted, it is not related to your job. It is related to your being a citizen. While I was growing up, I schooled in Lagos and Ondo states during the Jakande and Ajasin era. I was too young to be employed by anybody. I was about five years old in primary school, and as such, I was not employable, but the government was interested in knowing whether I had eaten or not before we started class.
“When we got to school, the first thing they would give us was bread, beans and milk. When they were chasing you around in primary school to give you that inoculation, it wasn’t that you were going to be employed by them, it was required that the government made sure you were not blind or crippled,” he said.
The Naira yesterday depreciated to N1,415 per dollar in the parallel market, from N1,410 per dollar on Monday.
Similarly, the Naira depreciated in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM, to N1,416.57 per dollar.
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM fell to N1,416.57 per dollar from N1,354.21 per dollar on Monday, indicating N62.36 depreciation for the naira.
Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NAFEM rates narrowed to N1.57 per dollar from N55.79 per dollar on Monday.
On Tuesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continued its crackdown on Bureau De Change (BDC) operators in Abuja amidst the persistent naira depreciation against the dollar.
These raids are part of the federal government’s and the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) ongoing efforts to address the naira’s downward spiral.
Recent reports highlighted how speculators in the forex market and digital marketing sphere have intensified pressure on the naira.
Last week, the EFCC arrested and paraded over 20 BDC operators, accusing them of collaborating with currency speculators to undermine the value of the naira.
Confirming the latest raid, a BDC operator in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, disclosed anonymously that EFCC operatives had once again apprehended some operators.
“They were here again. They’ve taken away some people,” the BDC operator informed Daily Trust over the phone.
In response to inquiries, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale described the raids as part of an ongoing operation.
“The exercise is a continuous one. So, if our officers are there, I don’t think they are in a wrong place,” Oyewale stated.