Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says some private jet owners use their aircraft for money laundering and drug trafficking.

Keyamo spoke on Thursday, during the inauguration of a ministerial task force committee on illegal private chartered operations and related matters in Abuja.

The minister said he had set a five-point agenda that would guide him and his team in discharging the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he assumed office.

He said the five-point agenda encapsulates safety, infrastructure, support for local operators, human capacity development and revenue generation.

Accordingly, he said the ministry has identified issues within the aviation industry “that we must tackle headlong”.

“It has come to my attention, through a series of disturbing reports, that the practice of illegal charter operations is thriving within the aviation industry, thereby undermining the efforts of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other regulatory bodies,” he said.

“These illicit activities have not only resulted in significant financial losses to the Federal Government but have also raised security and safety concerns as the operations of private aircraft owners have remained largely unchecked and unregulated.”

This, Keyamo said, has also resulted in using private aircraft for other illegal activities.

“Last week, the National Security Adviser wrote to us, alerting us of the spike in money laundering, drug trafficking and other illegal activities through the use of private aircraft in the country,” the minister said.

“It appears that Private Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) operators have become increasingly emboldened, continuing their illegal operations with the assistance of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders who collect tolls and list these illegal charters under their AOCs.

“We have received alarming reports that some crew members have not attended mandatory simulator trainings for nearly three years and are flying with fraudulently-obtained renewed licenses.

“Many of these individuals are operating planes registered under PNCF but are conducting illegal charter operations with impunity.

KEYAMO CONSTITUTES COMMITTEE

To combat the illegal operators, the minister announced the immediate composition of a ministerial task force on illegal private charter operations and related matters.

He said some of the responsibilities of the task force include taking “inventory of all permit for non-commercial flights (PNCF) holders and air operator certificate (AOC) holders, to determine why the practice of illegal charters by PNCF holders persists in the country despite regulatory controls”.

The task force, according to the minister, was also created to “call in all professional licenses of pilots and crew in the country and determine their authenticity and validity, and to recommend to the Minister any additional measures to be taken by regulatory agencies to stem this ugly tide”.

He said the committee is expected to recommend appropriate penalties to be imposed by the regulatory agencies on defaulters and additional measures to monitor private aircraft operations in Nigeria.

The minister added that the members of the task force have been carefully selected from within the aviation industry and are people of high repute and integrity.

He named Ado Sanusi as chairman of the committee, Roland Iyayi, as vice-chairman, and acting director of air transport, aviation ministry as secretary.

Other members of the committee, he said, include Theresa Babayo, director of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); Olayinka Oyesola, commander of the presidential air fleet; Daniel Quansah; Patrick Ogunlowo; and Obafemi Bajomo, Keyamo’s special assistant (SA).

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, has been ranked as the 170th world’s most liveable city, with Vienna (Austria) named the world’s liveable city for the third time in a row, according to a new survey published Thursday.

In the survey, the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister organization of The Economist, ranked 173 cities around the world on some significant factors, including health care, education, stability, infrastructure, and environment.

In the list, Lagos, with a 42.2 per cent index score, ranked ahead of Algeria’s Algiers (42.0), Tripoli (40.1), and Damascus (30.7).

Vienna topped the rankings for 2024 due to its winning combination of stability, healthcare, education, and reliable infrastructure. The report noted that “the city received perfect scores of 100 for stability, healthcare, education, and infrastructure, but has room for improvement in culture and environment.”

Copenhagen (Denmark), Zurich (Switzerland), Melbourne (Australia), Calgary (Canada), Geneva (Switzerland), Sydney (Australia), Vancouver (Canada), Osaka (Japan), and Auckland (New Zealand) complete the top 10.

The report also ranked Western Europe as the most liveable region. “Western Europe remains the most liveable region, but has seen a decline in stability scores amid increasing instances of protests…. on a variety of issues,” said a statement from the EIU.

Those issues included the rise of far-right extremism, EU agricultural policy, and anti-immigration, EIU said in a press release.

Also, overall global liveability increased by just 0.06 points over the past year, compared with 2.84 in the 12 months to June 2023.

But the “improvement is only marginal, held back by geopolitical conflicts, civil unrest, and a housing crisis across many of the cities” amid inflation.

Tel Aviv (Israel) was the biggest mover down the ranking, tumbling from 92nd to 112th as its scores for stability, culture and environment, and infrastructure deteriorated.

On the other hand, Hong Kong (Hong Kong) was the biggest mover up the ranking, moving to 50 in the world.

Mikah Suleiman, the abducted parish priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church in Damba, Gusau, Zamfara state, has pleaded for help to regain freedom.

In a 51-second video clip trending on social media, Suleiman, dressed in a blue T-shirt with boxer shorts, is seen sitting on the ground while calling for help.

Suleiman was kidnapped by bandits in the early hours of June 22 at the rectory located within the church premises in Gusau, the state capital.

The priest said he was the only one being held captive by the bandits.

“I am pleading for help to be freed from this place. They (bandits) told me that they don’t keep people here for long. People don’t stay for up to a week,” he said.

“They told me that killing a person is not difficult for them. They said they are just helping me by keeping me; please, I am asking for help.

“Please save my life in the name of God. Look at my head; look at my legs. I was tied to a robe, and I am the only one in this place.

“Normally, if they kidnap somebody, they don’t waste time.

“If ransom is not paid immediately, they kill the person. Please, for God’s sake, help me.”

A few seconds to the end of the video, a stick from one of the bandits standing off the camera was seen touching his head.

Labaran Maku, a former minister of information, says President Bola Tinubu should make decisions that will give Nigerians respite from the economic hardship.

Maku spoke in Abuja on Thursday after he was conferred with an honorary fellow of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The former minister said monetary policies are crucial to the development of the country’s economy.

“I will particularly call on him to do everything possible to review and bring to fruition economic policies that will bring some level of respite to the people of Nigeria,” he said.

“I believe that you have to manage the policies of a developing nation to bring about development, and managing the policies calls for special attention to monetary policies. It is very important for the country.

“If the value of the naira continues to go down, the consequences will be that nobody will produce in Nigeria.

“We are a capital goods importing country, and whatever you want to do for the country, you must have imported machinery. We don’t produce machinery.

“If the value of the naira is up, a lot of companies will be in Nigeria, and I believe a lot are doing so. The president needs to look critically at those policies.

“I believe he has the experience and strength to pull Nigerians together by managing politics and the economy.

“I believe that under the current dispensation, we are looking forward to the proper management of the economy of this country.

“We need this. I was the Minister of Information, and I knew how difficult things could be.”

Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), says governors are establishing state universities they cannot fund.

Speaking during ‘The Morning Brief’, a Channels Television programme on Thursday, Osodeke said most governors duplicate universities in their states to get a “piece of the pie” from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

“Any governor today establishing a university is eyeing TETFund as a source of funding,” the ASUU president said.

“TETFund was created as an intervention fund, not the major funding. The universities belong to the federal government, and the government is supposed to fund them, while states are supposed to fund their own.”

“It is an intervention fund, but there are people who want to have access to that money from the political circle, from the bureaucratic circle, at all costs. We are struggling with that.”

The ASUU president said a structure should be created to carry stakeholders along on how the fund is allocated and spent to enhance transparency.

“There should be a stakeholders’ meeting to assess what you want to do with the funds,” he added.

“You see today where somebody comes from the TETFund and says, ‘I have a project for you, and I am going to be the contractor. We want an open project.

“Every university council should be allowed to run their projects with the stakeholders involved.”

Nigeria Governors’ Forum or NGF, after its meeting that ended on Thursday morning failed to agree on minimum wage, unlike the proposition from the federal government.

Instead, the NGF pleaded with Labour for more time for expanded consultation to arrive at what would be payable to all.

The federal government had said it was willing to pay N62,000 as minimum wage for workers but deferred a final resolution on the wage it would pay at the last federal executive meeting.

Although the organised labour said it would only take N250,000 as the minimum, it was agreed at the last FEC meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu that more consultation was needed.

It was expected that NGF would make its position known with the least likely being an endorsement of the Federal government proposition of N62,000.

However, rising from its meeting on Thursday morning, the forum via a communique signed by NGF acting Director, Media, Ahmed Salihu, equally said more time was needed for consultation to arrive at a payable wage.

The communique read, “The Forum received a presentation from the Minister of Women Affairs on the World Bank-Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up, along with other activities of the ministry.

“Members noted the importance of the project and emphasised the need to implement it at the state level as initially conceived, as the states are the primary obligors of the project.

“The governors acknowledge the work and contributions of the Ministry of Women Affairs in promoting gender equality, empowering women, and advancing social development across Nigeria.”

On the issue of the wage, it said, “The Forum discussed the new National Minimum Wage. The governors agreed to continue engaging with key stakeholders to reach a mutually agreeable solution.

“We remain dedicated to the process and assure that better wages will result from the ongoing negotiations.”

The 36 state governors highlighted the significance of the World Bank-Nigeria for Women Project Scale-Up and stressed the necessity of implementing it at the state level as originally intended, given that the states are the primary entities responsible for the project.

“We, members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), at our meeting held today, deliberated on issues affecting the country,” it added.

It stated further that, “Members received the Acting Country Director of the World Bank, Mr Taimur Samad, and his team to discuss the bank’s various programmes currently being implemented in the states, including HOPE Series of Projects: Nigeria Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equality, Food and Nutrition Security, NFWP-SU: Nigeria For Women Project Scale Up, NG-CARES: Nigeria Community Action (for) Resilience and Economic Stimulus Programme SABER: State Action on Business Enabling Reforms Program, SPIN: Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project.

“Members expressed willingness to continue to provide the much-needed support to ensure programme effectiveness across the country.

“Members received a briefing from Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee. He highlighted the progress made regarding the ongoing Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. He sought the input and support of their excellencies on a number of proposals which would directly impact the subnational level of government.

“Members pledged their support for the Committee to ensure the successful implementation of these reforms and to collaborate closely to address any challenges that may arise.”

A suspect, Raman Akande, arrested in connection with the death of a commercial sex worker in the Ifo area of Ogun State, has narrated how he and two others allegedly killed the victim for ritual purposes.

Akande, in a confession video made at the police station, and obtained by PUNCH Metro from a source who pleaded anonymity on Wednesday, disclosed that he participated in the killing of the commercial sex worker after one person identified as Ifa promised him a reward of N100,000.

He said following the agreement with Ifa, he went and engaged the services of the victim with an agreement to pay her N3,000 if she slept at his place overnight, which the victim obliged.

Akande narrated in Yoruba (now translated) that after she had gone with him to his home, he engaged the services of one of his friends identified as Ijebu in carrying out the killing.

He narrated further, “It was Ijebu who hit her with a wood on the head, and she collapsed. After she collapsed, I dragged her inside. I was the one who held her legs while Ijebu held her hands before Ifa slaughtered her.

“After Ifa had slaughtered her, he used a calabash to collect her blood. I agreed to participate in the process because Ifa promised to pay me N100,000.

“The lady is not my girlfriend but a commercial sex worker that I have always engaged her services in the past. I usually paid her N1,000 before, but I promised to pay her N3,000 when I went to pick her up.”

Efforts to get the reaction of the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Omolola Odutola, proved abortive as she had yet to respond to messages and calls made to her line as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer privy to the incident but not authorised to speak with the media confirmed the arrest to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Wednesday.

The senior officer also disclosed that the suspect had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

“He was arrested in Ifo, and he has been transferred to the state CID for further action,” the police officer said.

PUNCH Metro reported on Tuesday that a man, Lekan Akinyemi, was arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly exhuming and beheading a corpse for ritual purposes in the Itoko area of the state.

The state’s PPRO, Odutola, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, had disclosed that the suspect was arrested on Monday after a resident had alerted the police to suspicious activities around his father’s grave.

Kenya President William Ruto has been given a 48-hour ultimatum by the public to step down, as citizens demand a new government committed to “transparency, accountability, and good governance.”

The call for resignation has gained significant traction on social media, with a viral Twitter statement asserting, “We no longer recognise William Ruto as the President of Kenya. We recall his presidency and urge him to immediately resign and surrender his office to the Kenyan people.”

This statement has garnered thousands of engagements, reflecting widespread discontent.

Despite President Ruto retracting a controversial finance bill that proposed tax increases, public outrage continues to simmer.

The bill, which was intended to address Kenya’s debt of approximately 10 trillion shillings ($78 billion), or roughly 70% of GDP, faced fierce opposition.

Ruto highlighted that without the tax increases, there would be a significant funding shortfall for critical development programmes, including those supporting farmers and teachers.

However, the economic challenges under Ruto’s administration have been profound. Kenyans have struggled with economic instability, rampant corruption, and governance issues, leading to escalating living costs and high unemployment rates.

The public’s frustration has culminated in protests and a fervent demand for change.

Dozens of protesters took to the streets, expressing their dissatisfaction with the administration, which they describe as plagued by “incompetence, mismanagement, and a persistent failure to address the nation’s pressing needs.”

The demonstrations in Nairobi were met with a heavy police response.

According to AFP journalists, Kenyan police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at demonstrators, while soldiers were deployed and roads leading to Ruto’s office at State House and parliament were blocked by police in anti-riot gear.

Australia has unveiled plans to implement revisions to visa conditions for skilled workers visa holders, offering a six-month renewal window aimed at enhancing labour market mobility and addressing unfair labour practices.

These changes, effective from July 1, 2024, will impact visa conditions 8107, 8607, and 8608, according to the Australian Department of Home Affairs

The revised conditions apply to holders of the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457), Temporary Skill Shortage visa (subclass 482), and Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (provisional) visa (subclass 494).

The new regulations grant these visa holders up to 180 days at a time, with a cumulative maximum of 365 days during their visa period, to secure new sponsorship, apply for a new visa, or arrange to leave the country if they cease employment with their sponsoring employer.

During this grace period, skilled workers visa holders in Australia are permitted to work for other employers, even in occupations not listed in their most recent sponsorship nomination.

This provision allows them to sustain themselves while seeking new sponsorship or making other arrangements.

Australian authorities emphasized that the new regulations aim to support the integration and contribution of skilled migrants to the workforce, providing greater job security and flexibility.

“The changes apply to existing visa holders, as well as those granted a visa on or after 1 July 2024. Any periods a visa holder stopped working for their sponsor before 1 July 2024 will not count towards the new time periods outlined above,” the Australian authorities stated.

By implementing these measures, the government hopes to make Australia a more attractive destination for global talent, ensuring skilled migrants can continue to contribute to the economy while enjoying improved job security and flexibility.

The former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Konga, one of Nigeria’s e-commerce giants, Mr Nick Imudia, has allegedly committed suicide in his home.

According to reports, Imudia, who was until his death, the CEO of D.light, a leading innovator in the distribution and financing of residential solar energy solutions and transformational household products, killed himself on the night of Tuesday, June 25, by jumping from the balcony of his Lekki, Lagos apartment.

The report said: “Before making the jump, he had called his US-based brother to give him instructions on how to distribute his wealth should anything happen to him.

“He also called his young daughter from a previous relationship and told her he would always be there for her and that all she needed to do was to look in the sky and he would see her.

“His friends, family and associates are in shock as to why he would commit suicide.
No one is sure why he took his own life.

“From the Ika South local government area of Delta State, Nick was previously married to the mother of his young daughter who was also from the same local government with him. The marriage ended due to irreconcilable differences.”

Before Konga, Nick had stints with TCL/Alcatel as a regional director and Microsoft Device and Services as the GM/MD for West and Central Africa.