The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele on Friday asked President Bola Tinubu to stop creating more taxes for Nigerians and provide solutions to end hunger in the country.

Primate Ayodele said that increasing Value Added Tax, stamp duty and implementing the cybersecurity levy is not proper at a time Nigeria is still struggling with economic hardship that has made ordinary citizens wretched.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, he asked the government to review their policies and make them people-friendly because there is so much hardship in the country and what the government should focus on is ensuring that Nigerians see better days.

He said: ‘’Increasing VAT, stamp duty, implementing cybersecurity levy at this time is not proper.Nigeria may not understand all of these and the government in power may not even understand too but the fact remains that the government must review their policies very well.

‘’These policies will only lead to more hardship for the people, the prices of food commodities will skyrocket and even the salary increase will still lead to more hardship if these policies continue.’’

Primate Ayodele called on the CBN governor to scrutinize the policies that can create problems for the government in future and affect Nigerian banks.

He stated that the current policies are too harsh and will affect everyone in the country.

‘’The CBN governor must look at all these policies that will create problems for the future of the government, they must review them clinically and all of these will affect banks. If all these policies still continue, Nigerians will not find it easy.

‘’What Nigerians need now is how they will survive and eat their three square meal. What is going on now will affect every small scale industry and big men. A lot of people surrounding the president are deceiving him,” he added.

The average cost of a healthy meal in Nigeria surged to N982 in March 2024 amid roaring inflation.

The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its March 2024 Cost of Healthy Diet report.

The figure is 4.7 per cent higher than the amount recorded in February, which stood at N938.

In March 2024, the average CoHD was highest in the South West at N1,198 per adult per day, compared to N787 per adult per day in North West.

The CoHD rose faster than the headline and food inflation, which stood at 33.20 per cent and 40.01 per cent, respectively, in March.

Men of the Adamawa state police command have arrested two men for allegedly abducting a six-year-old boy identified as Eboka Edwin, and demanding N10 million ransom from his father after murdering him.

The father of the deceased, Edwin Eze, a resident of Tudun  Wada in Ganye LGA, had on May 8, visited the police station to report that on the same date at about 1am, suspected kidnappers invaded his house situated at Tudun Wada village, Ganye LGA and abducted his six-year-old son to an unknown destination. He told the police that the kidnappers later contacted him via phone and demanded Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) as ransom. The distraught father also mentioned that the suspects demanded and received N152 000 from him for the victim's feeding fee.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said on the strength of the report, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, raised detectives led by SP Mohammed Yahaya Nuhu, Divisional Police officer,(DPO) Ganye to arrest the suspects.

‘’The team immediately swung into action and arrested two Suspects, Mukhtar Mohammed, aged 20 years old and Hussein Suleiman, aged 20 years, all residents of Bashin Village, Yoro Local Government Area, Taraba State.

During preliminary investigations, the suspects confessed that he conspired and jointly kidnapped the victim to a forest lying across the border between Nigeria and Cameroon Republic.

They added that they killed the Victim by inflicting severe injuries on him using a knife,  he bleeds until he becomes dead. Thereafter, they buried the Corpse in a shallow grave and kept demanding for ransom, until their arrest.'' Nguroje said

The spokesperson added that while the CP commiserates with the deceased family on the unfortunate incident,  he reaffirms the Command's commitment to combating all forms of crime.

The video of a middle-aged man who claimed to be the son of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, has surfaced online.

In the video, the man who did not identify himself, claimed the monarch hid him with his mother with an instruction that he should stay discreet.

“Oba Enitan Ogunwunsi is my father. He hid me with my mother with a clear instruction that I must not reveal myself,” the man dressed in a white Agbada said in Yoruba. 

The palace of the monarch has, however, debunked his claims describing him as an impersonator.

The man further claimed that the monarch’s silence on his identity as a prince compelled him to make the video.

“Anytime I desire to come to the palace, he (Ooni) would stop me saying it was not yet time. Now is the time. My mum might not talk, but I will say the truth. The king is my biological father.

“Though I’m not suffering; there is a house, cars are there, there is money, but I’m no longer interested in them. I want to be known as the son of the king, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II,” he added.

He, however, gave a two-month ultimatum to be invited to the palace, or he will reveal more secrets.

Reacting to the video on Thursday, Moses Olafare, the spokesman to the Ooni in a statement stated that the matter had been reported to security agencies for further action.

Olafare said Oba Ogunwusi, being a responsible father and custodian of tradition, knows and acknowledges all his children and would stop at nothing to take full responsibility for them.

He declared that the self-acclaimed prince is unknown to the palace and the Ile-Ife populace, saying  “He is not a child of Ooni Ogunwusi as fraudulently claimed, but also never related in any way to any lineage of the Ogunwusi royal family and the Giesi Royal Compound of Ile-Ife at large.”

Olafare also called on the said impersonator to refrain from engaging in or promoting such deceptive practices, assuring that the House of Oduduwa remains committed to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and would not tolerate any attempt to undermine or tarnish its legacy through fraudulent means.

The Lagos State Special Offences Court, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, has admitted a bundle of documents in the ongoing trial of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, charged with abuse of office, and alleged fraud to the tune of $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion respectively.

Before the decision of Justice Oshodi, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had tendered the bundle of documents through the 3rd prosecution witness, and a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank, Mr Clement Ngolu, while being led in evidence by the counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

The documents were admitted into evidence following no objections from the 1st defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and the 2nd defence counsel, Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN).

Specifically, the judge admitted the original copies of Zenith Bank account opening package, statement of account of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd which were sent to the EFCC into evidence.

According to the judge, “I have read the documents dated March 2024, and I admit the original certified copy of the bundles of documents which include account opening package, statement of accounts into evidence and are marked as exhibit A.” Oshodi said.

In his evidence before Justice Oshodi, Ngolu confirmed that his department responded to regulators and law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that the bank activities were in line with bank’s policies and regulations.

While adding that his department worked with agencies like the EFCC, Nigeria Police, ICPC and NSCDC, the witness explained that sometime in 2014, his department got a request from the EFCC to furnish it with statements of accounts of Limelight and two other accounts and the same was duly furnished the anti-graft agency.

Ngolu said, “The documents we sent to the EFCC was duly signed by staff of the bank.

“The process of generating the statement was through our computer system, which was in good condition as at the time.

“The documents were printed out from the company’s computer which was working well, and the documents are in the bank’s custody.”

However, the defence said they had no question for the witness.

Equally, a former Director of Information Technology of the CBN, John Ayoh, in the continuation of his cross-examination, revealed that he had a confrontation with Emefiele because he had asked him to do something wrong.

The witness who further confirmed that he was sidelined by the embattled governor on the reason that he was not popular with him, added that his being sidelined made him not to have any relationship with him.

According to him: “I was not happy being unpopular with the former CBN governor but on a number of occasions, I signed contract letters to vendors.

“While I was a director with the CBN, my loyalty was to the bank and the Nigerian nation and my relationship with Emefiele was only formal and based on instructions.

“The governor and the four deputy governors of the bank alongside the directors make up the management of the CBN.”

The case has been adjourned until May 17 for the continuation of trial.

Works ministry defends project, House panel gets four weeks to complete probe

The House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to probe the ongoing N15tn Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

As such, the House said it would set up an ad-hoc committee, which would investigate the project and submit a report within four weeks.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved during plenary by the member representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, Benue State, Mr Austin Achado.

The House also resolved to summon the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun and his works counterpart, David Umahi, to shed more light on the project.`

But the Ministry of Works defended the project, saying it followed due process. It also said the House of Representatives members had pledged support for the project.

A 700-kilometre turnpike infrastructure, the coastal highway project has attracted commendation and condemnation since the Bola Tinubu administration approved it in February.

The 10-lane coastal road was designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom states before culminating in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The project gained traction under the administrations of Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari but could not commence.

Under Jonathan, the highway was to cost $12bn, and $11.1bn under Buhari. It was subsequently expanded from a four-lane double carriageway to a 10-lane highway.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed that the construction of the coastal road was expected to span eight years and cost N4bn per kilometre.

FEC approval

So far, the minister disclosed that the Federal Executive Council had approved and released N1.06tn for the contractor for the pilot phase of the construction, which started at the Eko Atlantic City and will terminate at Lekki Deep Seaport.

Although many have lauded the ambitious project, others faulted the process of the award of the contract that led to the emergence of Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Limited as the preferred contractor. 

Umahi had explained that the reason for awarding the contract to Hitech without competitive bidding as laid down by the laws was because of the company’s “track record.”

The minister disclosed that the highway was conceived as an Engineering, Procurement and Construction plus Financing project.

The model, he explained, entails part-funding by the Federal Government between 15 to 30 per cent.

Umahi said the approval process went through the Bureau of Public Procurement after consideration by the Federal Executive Council as prescribed by law.

The minister also said that the contract was awarded on a counterpart-funding basis and not on a public-private partnership, as widely claimed.

“Under this model, the investor provides all designs, part of the financing and construction while the Federal Government provides the counterpart funding. The ministry received such a bid, worked on it and sent it to BPP.

“The BPP worked on it according to the Procurement Act and came up with a price slightly lower than the ministry’s price and even lower than the cost of similar projects awarded five years ago like the Bodo-Bonny project.

Counterpart funding

“So, there’s a marked difference between PPP and EPC plus F (Engineering, Procurement and Construction plus Finance). And in this particular project, there will be a negotiated counterpart funding of between 15 and 30 per cent. We are still negotiating on these terms and will come to a resolution soon,” the minister stated.

Aside from the cost, the demolition of structures along the right of way of the project, particularly the hospitality outlets around the Lagos beaches, had sparked public discourse on the project.

The government has commenced payment of compensation to some of the businesses affected by the demolition.

The first phase of the compensation flag-off included 10 property owners who had been paid about N2.75bn.

However, moving the motion on the floor of the chambers, Achado, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, insisted that the guarantees issued to cover the debt financing component of the project did not have the approval of the National Assembly.

He stated, “It is disturbing that the contingent liabilities accruing to the Federal Government of Nigeria on this project violate the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act of 2023, as section 22(3) states that the minister shall not guarantee an external loan unless the terms and conditions of the loan shall have been laid before the National Assembly and approved by its resolution. 

“The guarantees issued to cover the debt financing component of this project do not have the approval of this National Assembly.”

The lawmaker noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had executed an engineering procurement construction finance contract in favour of Hitech Construction Company Nigeria Limited for the delivery of the coastal road and rail project.

He explained that the project was estimated at N4.33bn per kilometre using reinforced concrete technology for a carriage width of 59.7 metres, to include 10 lanes, shoulders and rail with additional designs of service ducts, street lights, drainages and shore protection.

Achado further said the project had the prospect of providing easy access for the movement of goods and services across the nation, and has a financing structure, as announced by the works minister, “Which requires the Federal Government to provide 15 per cent to 30 per cent co-financing, while the private sector counterpart will provide the balance, and toll the road when completed for a minimum period of 15 years, to ensure full recovery of all debts and equity applied for the delivery of the project.”

Procurement process

Regrettably, Achado maintained that the procurement strategy of the project might have violated section 40(2) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

The section, he added, required that where a procuring authority adopts a restrictive tendering approach, “It should be on the basis that the said goods and services are available only from a limited number of suppliers and contractors and as such, tenders shall be invited from all such contractors who can provide such goods and services.”

Furthermore, the lawmaker argued that the procurement strategy adopted by the Federal Ministry of Works for the award of the contract violated the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Act 2905.

“Section 4 of the Act outlines that all approved infrastructure projects and contracts for financing, construction and maintenance must be advertised for open competitive public bid, in at least three national dailies,” Achado noted, adding that section 5 of the Act further clarified that “Any direct negotiations with only one contractor could be allowed, only after exhausting the provisions of section 4.”

He further raised the alarm of a possible creation of contingent liabilities for Nigeria because, according to him, while promoting the project, the ministry of works provided a rate per kilometre for the planned works but failed to provide the private partners’ financing sources, structure and competitiveness.

However, Uyime Idem (PDP, Akwa-Ibom), moved an amendment for the project to be referred to the Committee on Public Procurement, which he heads.

He explained that his committee already received several petitions on the project. His amendment was subsequently adopted by the House.

Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun) moved an amendment for the House Committee on Works to be included. The amendment was also adopted.

The committees were then directed to summon  Umahi,  Edun and Fagbemi, to ensure that all guarantees and credit enhancement instruments for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project are sent to the National Assembly for approval.

When the motion was put to a vote by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, after the motion was amended, the majority of the members voted in support.

Following the adoption of the motion,  Achado said, “The House resolved to set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the procurement process of the contract for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project and report to the House within four weeks.

“The House called on the Honourable Minister of Works, the Honourable Minister of Finance and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to ensure that all guarantees and credit enhancement instruments for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road Project are sent to the National Assembly for approval.”

In an interview with The PUNCH, the Deputy Spokesman for the House, Philip Agbese, disclosed that the ad hoc committee would be set up soon at the discretion of the Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen.

He said, “The House has its rules change concerning the setting up of ad-hoc committees. Very soon, the committee will be constituted at the discretion of the speaker, taking into consideration the prayers of the motion.

“The minority will send a representative and all the various caucuses would be allowed to have a say in the committee,” Agbese clarified.

In his reaction to the House resolution, the works ministry’s spokesperson, Ben Goong, recalled that the National Assembly members conducted a site visit at the beginning of the construction and granted full approval for the project.

He further mentioned that they expressed support for the project and committed to ensuring its timely completion.

He said, “But members of the National Assembly paid a visit to the site at the start of constructing the highway. The minister was accompanied by the leadership of the house committee on works and they pledged to support that project till it was completed.”

The Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mohammed Manga, declined to comment on the lawmakers’ demand for guarantees and credit enhancement.

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has asked the Federal Government to address Nigerians’ sufferings caused by the fuel subsidy removal and increased electricity tariffs.

Adams disclosed this while speaking during the 2024 edition of the Oke Ibadan festival, organised by the Olokun Festival Foundation, which was held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday.

He noted that Nigerians are concerned about the present situation in the country.

He also pointed out that the idea of states having independent power supply was one of the policies of this administration that he had applauded, adding that there are a lot of advantages the states can get from this initiative.

He said, “One of the major policies of this administration that I applauded at the onset was the idea of having an imdependent power supply in the states.

“There are a lot of advantages the states can get from this initiative.

“Nigerians have continued to raise their voices against the policy, even as power outages persist in the country. The new tariffs have become a big problem for Nigerians.

“The increase in electricity tariffs had taken a huge toll on the entire system. It has affected all the sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“Like the growing pain experienced through the hike in the electricity tariffs, the fuel subsidy removal has continued to bring more hardship to Nigerians. It has also affected the Nigerian economy, drifting the country to further inflation.”

Adams has always pledged his support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying his Presidency represents a new chapter for Nigeria.

He stated this in a congratulatory letter to the President on his recent victory at the Supreme Court.

Noting that “Nigeria is going through a lot at the moment,” Adams said Tinubu’s “victory has given rise to a leadership that this time demands. And we must agree with the fact that this is truly a new chapter in the political trajectory of Nigeria.”

He, however, urged Tinubu to make the best of his Presidency to, especially, heed the widespread yearning for the restructuring of the country.

The Italian prosecutor involved in the trial of Shell, Eni and others, in the controversial Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 case, Fabio De Pasquale, has been demoted by the country’s Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM) for his role in the proceedings.

An Italian newspaper, Ilgiorno, reported that De Pasquale was demoted for “lack of impartiality and fairness” in the way he handled the prosecution at the Court of Milan. Recall that in 2021, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), had petitioned Italy’s Minister of Justice over the conduct of De Pasquale. Adoke, through his lawyers, accused the prosecutors of unlawful acts of intimidation/threat to life, forgery of documents/evidence intended for unlawful interference with the administration and perversion of the course of justice.

The Italian was also said to have hidden critical evidence that would have exonerated the defendants and is facing a separate hearing over the allegation. Adoke said the prosecutors acted “maliciously and unprofessionally” to his detriment despite the fact that he was not a direct party to the criminal prosecution and was not on trial before the Milanese court.

Eventually, the court discharged all persons and companies accused of fraud and bribery in the transaction. De Pasquale, who was assistant prosecutor at the Court of Milan with semi-managerial prosecuting functions, was rejected by 23 of the 27 members of the CSM, including its Vice President, Fabio Pinelli, while four members abstained from voting.

“It is therefore demonstrated that De Pasquale lacks the prerequisites of impartiality and balance, having repeatedly exercised jurisdiction in a manner that was neither objective nor fair with respect to the parties as well as without a sense of proportion and without moderation,” the CSM resolved.

Naira depreciation continued as US dollar transactions at the official foreign exchange market dropped to an all-time low of $84.38 million.

This is according to FMDQ data at the close of work on Thursday.

The day-to-day FX supply turnover dropped from $160.77 million on Tuesday to $84.38 million on Thursday.

Consequently, the Naira further dipped to N1459.73 per dollar on Thursday from N1416.57 on Wednesday.

This represents an N43.17 depreciation against the dollar at the official foreign exchange market.

Similarly, the Naira dropped to N1,450 per dollar on Thursday in the parallel market section, compared to N1,438 the previous day. This brings the gap between the official and parallel markets to N9.73.

Naira’s depreciation has been consistent for days now in the FX market.

The country’s forex instability has persisted despite the recent surge in foreign reserves by $262 million.

A video obtained shown personal belongings of students scattered in a classroom after bandits invaded Kogi State University of Science and Technology Osara, (CUSTECH).

Bandits kidnapped an unspecified number of students when they attacked the institution at about 9 pm on Thursday.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that the bandits, who came in their large numbers, entered the school through the bush path and started shooting sporadically. 

It was further learnt that the school local security engaged the bandits in a gun duel that lasted for over 30 minutes.

According to one of the students, who escaped by whiskers, “the hoodlums invaded the school at about 9 pm and went straight to lecture halls where we were having tutorials preparatory for our upcoming first semester exams.

“The number of abducted students would have been less if the management had listened to the plea of students to open the mini-gate that leads into the main town,” he said.

He lamented that the students were left with only the main gate.

He added that when the shootout subsided, a number of students could not be readily accounted for.

The source further hinted that no fewer than 57 students were abducted, while one student sustained gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, the police and other security agencies have been mobilized to the school and the community.

Confirming the incident, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Abdulraman Asipita said the situation was under control.

All efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer in Kogi State, (PPRO) SP William Ovye Aya, proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.