Latest News
The federal government has warned Nigerians about the dangers inherent in getting involved in crowdfunding to raise funds for ransom payments.
The Minister of Defense, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, warned on Wednesday that such practices would worsen the situation and encourage the criminals to make demands after kidnapping their victims as it will make criminal activities attractive.
He gave the note of warning while speaking to journalists after the Federal Executive Council meeting in the State House, Abuja.
Naija News reports the Minister spoke against the backdrop of the recent happening in which over N50 million was raised through crowdfunding to pay the ransom for the release of the remaining five daughters of Mansoor Al-Kadriya who were kidnapped in Abuja.
However, Badaru insisted that while the government is concerned about the kidnappings, raising ransom through crowdfunding won’t help the situation.
“We all know there’s an existing law against payment of ransom. So, it is very sad for people to go over the internet, radio asking for donations to pay ransom. This will only worsen the situation, it will not help,” Badaru said.
The Minister said if ransoms are not paid and the kidnappers get starved of money, gradually they will stop such criminal activities.
“If we stop, over time the kidnapping will not be profitable and they will stop. It is not easy though but that is the law,” he said.
Abuja Insecurity
Speaking further, the Minister said criminals responsible for recent kidnappings in Abuja are those fleeing military operations in the Northwest and North Central zones.
He added that the government and security operatives are, however, working assiduously to clamp down on the bandits and prevent further abductions as President Bola Tinubu has given marching orders to flush them out.
He said: “As you are aware, people are saying FCT, FCT, these kidnappings happen around the suburb, around now and locations that are bothering Kaduna and Niger and this is as a result of the current operations going on in the northwest and some parts of north central.
“The bandits are fleeing and they are getting shelters around these areas and the security agencies are working very hard to push them out, block the movement and finish this thing once and for all.
“The President has given us the marching order and all the support that we need and what the security agencies need to end this thing.”
Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau state has alleged that some security agents in the country work for criminals.
Appearing on Trust TV on Wednesday, January 17, Mutfwang called for a critical review of the recruitment process and a mechanism to weed out “bad eggs” within the security services. He also stressed the need for greater accountability and control over the possession of firearms.
The Governor said;
“We must be able to ensure balance. We can not just let people to possess guns without control; without accountability. There must be a registration process, we know who is holding what, where.
“But we have witnessed a lot of overzealousness by some of security agencies operating on ground who instead of cooperating with locals; when they find them sometimes with ordinary machetes, they confiscate them.
“And when engaged with their commanders, they say no this is not right. You should be able to boost the morale of those who start up to defend their communities and not arrest them, we have excesses which we have reported to the authorities.
“Let me also say this that the security agencies have been infiltrated, this is the fact we must confront as a nation. There are many people in the security agencies who should not be there, they are agents of these criminals and sometimes they even compromise their colleagues, that is why you have a lot of ambushes when these security agencies are going on operations.
“Therefore, the president must give a very firm directive to the security agencies that in the ongoing recruitment processes, diligence must be taken, diligence must be observed to ensure that wrong elements are not recruited into the security agencies.
“There must be also a mechanism to be able to fish out these bad eggs within the security services, it is only when we do that that we can ensure that there is professionalism and discipline.”
Revenue generating agencies, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission shared N53.5bn as cost of revenue collection in November.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee disbursed the sum of N1.35tn to the three tiers of government in November 2023 from the total revenue generated in October 2023, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
Breakdown of allocations to the three tiers of government in the review period shA breakdown the Federal Government received a total of N323.35bn while the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory shared N307.72bn which comes to an average of N8.32bn while the 774 Local Governments in the country shared N225.21bn, amounting to an average of N291m.
The amount disbursed comprised N660.09bn recorded from the Statutory Account, N262.89bn from Exchange Gain, N60.00bn from Non-Oil Revenue, N16.20bn from Electronic Money Transfer Levy, and N347.34bn from Value Added Tax.
The nine oil-producing states shared N50.67bn from the 13 per cent derivation fund in November.
National Bureau of Statistics data showed that the nine states which are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers shared N544.9bn from the federation account, through the 13 per cent derivation formula, in the first six months of the year.
The 2023 presidential flag bearer of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has reminded the presidency that Nigerians need the fulfillment of their campaign promises in tackling insecurity in the nation.
The former Anambra State Governor stated that even if the present administration cannot achieve 100 percent of those promises, they should show 100 per cent effort.
Obi took to social media to call on the presidency to the killings and kidnapping not only in the capital city but the entire country.
He said, “Nigerians therefore now implore them to fulfil their campaign promises. Even if they do not achieve 100% results, we want to see 100% effort.”
He opined that no government official should be allowed to travel abroad, stating that it is the duty of all to solve insecurity problems in the country.
“We deal with the ugly situation facing us at home,” his post read on Tuesday. “It is now time for we the leaders, to take all forms of serious measures to tackle the situation.
“As terror attacks, banditry, kidnappings and violence continue to rage through the country, it is more concerning now with the surge of violence spreading through the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” he said.
“It is now time for we the leaders, to take all forms of serious measures to tackle the situation. It is unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2015, campaigned and won the elections on three items; Security, Economy and Corruption (SEC).
“After his Eight years in office, the situation has worsened in all three areas. The present administration, on assuming office, promised to deal decisively with the same situation — Security, Economy and Corruption.
“At the Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association held in Lagos in August 2022, the then Vice Presidential Candidate, Sen Kashim Shettima categorically stated that if APC is elected, he as Vice President would be in charge of security, while the President as an expert in economy would handle the economy.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is on the verge of introducing a Special Intervention Squad (SIS) aimed at quelling the activities of kidnappers, causing chaos in various areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The imminent commencement of special operations is set to cover all the Area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In recent times, Bwari residents in the FCT have faced assaults from kidnappers, resulting in the abduction of numerous community members. Tragically, some individuals have lost their lives during these incidents, as their family members experienced delays in paying the ransom.
IGP Orders Intensified Efforts To ‘Decimate Kidnappers’ In FCT
In response to the concerning state of security in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has urged for increased efforts to “neutralise kidnappers and other individuals involved in criminal activities.”
The IGP made these remarks on Tuesday following a meeting with the Force Management Team and Tactical Squads in Abuja.
“The IGP expressed deep concern over the unfortunate events and emphasised the need for decisive action to curb such heinous crimes,” Force spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi said in a statement.
He said in the meeting, which focused on a “comprehensive review of current security challenges, strategic planning, and the deployment of tactical resources to tackle emerging threats, the IGP emphasised the need for a coordinated and intelligence-driven approach to address the evolving security landscape.
“Tactical squads were briefed and directed to intensify efforts on the deployment of proactive measures to prevent criminal activities and protect citizens.”
Despite the deteriorating security situation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he provided assurance to the residents of Abuja that conditions would see improvement.
The police chief was quoted as instructing the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Department of Operations, to “personally coordinate the upscaled security strategies emplaced to decimate kidnappers and other criminally minded individuals in the FCT and immediately restore normalcy“.
President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the devastating explosion that occurred on Tuesday night in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Naija News reports that the explosion killed two persons, wounded about 80 others and destroyed several buildings, vehicles, and other properties.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu said the cause of the blast being attributed to the activities of illegal miners is worrisome.
Tinubu said those responsible for the explosion that has created the conditions for the sad incident to occur must be fished out and punished.
“It is worrisome that the cause of the blast is being attributed to the activities of illegal miners. Those behind the inexcusable and reckless behaviour that has created the conditions for the sad incident to occur must be fished out and punished,” the President said.
President Tinubu also commiserated with the government and people of Oyo State, calling on all concerned government agencies to unravel the circumstances that led to the tragedy with alacrity.
The President directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to work with the Oyo State Government to offer immediate and comprehensive relief to the victims.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Wednesday, nullified the election of Emmanuel Ukpong-Udo as the member representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom State in the House of Representatives.
Recalls that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had, after a supplementary election in the constituency, declared Ukpong-Udo of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, winner of the February 25 elections.
His victory was, however, challenged by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Glory Edet.
The Akwa Ibom State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal subsequently sacked the YPP candidate and ordered a rerun.
Not satisfied with the verdict, Ukpong-Udo approached the Appeal Court seeking to set aside the ruling of the tribunal.
But ruling on the matter on Wednesday, a panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Abba Mohammed upheld the tribunal’s verdict, ordering a rerun.
It is, however, unclear if the rerun was ordered in the entire federal constituency or in the polling units where INEC had declared the results as inconclusive.
Speaking with Vanguard at the scene, Mohammed said he was rushed to the hospital and discharged this morning.
He said he escaped death by the whiskers because he offered to help his neighbor put out the fire that preceded the explosion.
Recall that his claim that foreign illegal miners caused the explosion was earlier voiced by Governor Seyi Makinde.
Narrating the events that preceded the explosion, Mohammed said: “Around 7 p.m. last night (Tuesday), I was going to pray.
“As I was standing to start the prayer, I noticed some fire burning in the next house. So, I stopped the prayer and quickly picked my fire extinguisher.
“I told my boys that the neighbor’s house is on fire, let’s go and help.
“I then came downstairs. One guy saw me and said the fire was beyond what an extinguisher can put out. I then picked my phone to call the fire brigade men.
“However, the next thing I heard was that blast. It threw me off the ground and landed me on the stairs. Part of the house had cracked. My boys advised that I should jump.
“Fire started just a metre away from that house and as of the time we came downstairs, there was no one on the premises.”
Also, speaking on the occupants of the house, he said: “The house where the fire started is occupied by a Senagalese or Namibian and they engage in mining activities.
“Definitely, they had explosives inside the building. The explosion was as a result of the explosives kept in the building.
“The foreigners have been living in here since 2013. They go in the morning and come back in the evening. I wouldn’t know if their immediate neighbour knows they are into mining.”
“The foreigners ran out before the explosion.”
Furthermore, he clarified that immediately after the foreigners saw the raging fire, they knew the implications because of what they kept inside.
Mohammed said: “They, including their children, ran out of the house and they didn’t alert us so that we could run away too.
“They knew the implications when they saw the fire. So they ran out without alerting us. Thank God I came down trying to help put out the fire. I would have been dead by now.
“The whole house would have collapsed on me. I wanted to save the house of my neighbor from being burnt. That’s what saved me. If anyone had been in the house, the person would have gone.”
Asked if he knew his neighbors were illegal miners he said: “We have them all over. They are also at Orogun. That’s their trade and that’s what they came to Nigeria to do. And explosives are part of the things they use in blasting. Definitely, they had kept them in the house.”
The Julius Abure-led National Working Committee of the Labour Party, (LP), has pegged the cost of obtaining its Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the Edo Governorship Election at N30 million.
Interested aspirants are to pay N5 million for expression of interest and N25 million for nomination forms for the election scheduled to hold in September.
This decision was taken at the party’s NWC meeting held in Abuja. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the NWC approved the sale of the form to every interested aspirant who is a Nigerian, an indigene or resident of Edo State.
Ifoh said, the “NWC approved that the Fees for Expression of Interest shall be Five Million Naira only (N5,000.000.00) while the Nomination Form shall be Twenty Five Million Naira only (N25,000.000.00).
“NWC approved the commencement of the sale and submission of Expression of Interest and the Nomination Forms to be between January 25 and February 11, 2023. It exempted female aspirants from paying for Expression of Interest Form only.
“NWC approved Indirect Primary election wherein a Ward and Local Government congresses shall hold to elect the flag bearer.
“NWC also approved February 14 for Screening of Aspirants; February 22 for primary election; February 23 for resolution of dispute or appeal arising from the primaries, if any.
“NWC appreciated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC which carried out its verification duty earlier in the day and for also commending the leadership of the party for complying with INEC’s rules and regulations.
“The NWC passed a Vote of Confidence on its National Chairman, Barrister Julius Abure for effectively piloting the affairs of the party and giving it a proper direction.”
The LP Spokesperson also said the NWC noted the milestone the party achieved in the recently concluded general election where it won as many as one governorship, 7 Senate, 34 House of Representatives and numerous States House of Assembly seats.
The party however, expressed regret that the number of seats won were depleted following a number of disappointing court judgements.
Ifoh maintained that the party remains optimistic that a number of more seats will be won in the coming days as a result of rerun elections in some states.
He said, “The NWC also pledged its loyalty to the national leader and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi for his commitment to the party in spite of the electoral robbery witnessed in the country recently.”
The Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto Area command has intercepted 1,198 unregistered and expired drugs in Sokoto State.
The drugs include 450 cartons of Real Extra Tablet, 405 cartons of enhancement drugs, 148 cartons of condom, 30 cartons of vernos chewable drugs, among others.
Handing over the items to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control on Wednesday, the Customs Area Comptroller, Musa Omale, warned smugglers to desist from the act, saying the Command was battle ready to curtail nefarious activities.
“Importation of pharmaceutical drugs through the land border is not allowed.
“The Service streamlines the importation of all pharmaceutical drugs through designated sea port, and are only cleared after meeting the pre-requisite documentation,” he said.
The Area Controller underscored the danger counterfeit and unregistered drugs posed to the nation, noting that it was a scourge the whole world was grappling with.
He assured NAFDAC of the Command’s unflinching support to the fight against counterfeit drugs.
Receiving the items, the state Coordinator of NAFDAC, Garba Adamu, thanked the Service for the unwavering synergy and collaboration towards safeguarding the life and health of Nigerians.
According to him, some of the drugs were not only unregistered but have already expired.
More...
A former deputy governor of Oyo State, Barrister Iyiola Oladokun, has cried out that he and his family has been rendered homeless after the explosion that rocked Ibadan on Tuesday night.
Oladokun spoke in an interview with DAILY POST on Wednesday.
Recall that the explosion occurred at Dejo Oyelese Close, Bodija Housing Estate in Ibadan
Our correspondent reports that Oladokun’s residence was among the houses affected by the explosion.
The former deputy governor, while speaking with DAILY POST on Wednesday, said that he and his family members cannot sleep in his house again due to the damage from the explosion.
According to him, a friend had to provide accommodation for him and his wife after the explosion on Tuesday night.
He noted that property worth millions of naira was destroyed in his house as a result of the incident.
Oladokun said, “I am one of the residents of Dejo Oyelese Close. My house was affected.
“We were just watching the football match when the explosion occurred. All the doors that were closed were forced open.
“It was very devastating. All the doors, burglaries, windows and even the roof have gone.
“We give glory to God that me and my wife were not hurt.
“I am just coming back now because we can’t sleep here again. We couldn’t sleep here yesterday. We have to use our phone to move out yesterday. We had to find somewhere to sleep yesterday.”
Petroleum product retailers have revealed what Nigerians should expect as fuel prices following the commencement of operations at Dangote refinery.
Recall that the Dangote refinery announced the commencement of production last Friday.
The company had expressed readiness to supply the Nigerian market diesel and JetA1 or aviation fuel pending approval from the Federal Government.
It added that fuel production will commence in the coming months.
Reacting to the development in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Monday, the President of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association, PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, said price reduction would be one of the benefits of the coming onstream of the Dangote refinery.
According to him, it will be surprising if domestic refineries do not impact the price of fuel.
He added that Nigerians should expect to pay less for fuel.
“The promise that Dangote refinery petroleum products will be rolled out this month is good.
“There are remarkable benefits for Nigerians. When you import petrol products, you incur some costs. Common sense dictates that the in-country’s refining capacity should impact the price of the products.
“I will be surprised if we produce petrol in Dangote and Port Harcourt refinery and there is no price reduction benefit for Nigerians. Nigerians should expect to pay less. What the amount will be, I can’t determine right now”, he stated.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo is in the eye of the storm over his links to the scandal rocking the Humanitarian Ministry.
The young minister’s company, New Planet Project, got paid hundreds of millions of naira as consultancy fees for some work done for the scandal-ridden Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The revelation has prompted calls for his suspension.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu has already been suspended by President Bola Tinubu.
In addition, President Tinubu has equally suspended all programmes under the NSIP.
Public opinion on the Minister of Interior has been divided.
Many believe that he should be given the same treatment as Edu, while others have described him as the star of the Bola Tinubu administration due to his work in reforming the knotty international passport process; hence, they believe he should be spared.
The minister has maintained that he has done no wrong.
According to him, he resigned from the company following his election into the House of Representatives in 2019 in accordance with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
But critics said resignation is not enough because he remains the beneficial owner of the company hence the argument of conflict of interest.
Fisayo Soyombo, a Nigerian journalist posted on X that the “Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo will NEVER be able to revolutionise Nigeria’s messily-corrupt passport application system. Zero percent chance!”
“You know why already: his hands are not clean,” he claimed in the post.
However, there are many people out there who believe that the current push for the minister’s ouster is a matter of corruption fighting back.
“The digitization reform for processing International passport that Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (introduced/embarked on) clearly threatened the livelihood of so many “civil servants.” And there is a huge fighting back going on. Unfortunately Nigerians, in their ignorance, will be used as pawns in this battle,” Kelvin Odanz, a popular handle on X posted.
But the minister is not new to scandal, here are some of other scandals involving him.
NDDC off your mic scandal
Tunji-Ojo, who was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC in the 9th Assembly, also faced corruption allegations during the probe of the NDDC under Daniel Pondei.
It would be recalled that Pondei staged a walkout during the investigation, stating that “we are not comfortable with the chairman of this committee presiding over a matter he has been accused of.”
He added that “There is no point of order here. As long as he is the chairman of this committee, the NDDC will not make any presentation here.”
According to the NDDC, Tunji-Ojo’s company was also a beneficiary of some of the questionable contracts in the NDDC.
Subsequently, Tunji-Ojo was forced to recuse himself from that investigation due to the corruption allegations against him and his company.
NYSC scandal
During the ministerial screening, Tunji-Ojo also faced scrutiny over his NYSC certificate prompting allegations of certificate forgery.
The minister claimed to have concluded his NYSC in 2020 which raised two questions- one, he was well above the 30-year age limit.
Secondly, the date raised another issue, which is that he was serving while he was in the National Assembly as a lawmaker. Lastly, the certificate carried 2023 as the date of issuance.
NYSC later “authenticated the genuineness” of the certificate, stating that Tunji-Ojo was initially mobilized in 2006 but absconded before the completion of the one year mandatory service.
Despite the controversy, Tunji-Ojo was cleared by the Senate and confirmed as minister.
Minister’s strategy of dealing with scandal
The minister has beat all previous scandals, and in the ongoing one, the president appears not ready to suspend him.
Many believe that Tunji-Ojo’s relationship with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila may be a major factor.
A former aide of the Minister, who spoke with DAILY POST on the condition of anonymity, said the strategy of the minister is to always allow “time to address issues”.
“Honourable (Tunji-Ojo) appeared on Seun Okinbaloye’s programme (on Channels TV) to discuss the passport portal knowing fully well that Seun will ask him about the Edu matter. Some politicians will avoid speaking, thereby creating more doubt,” the former staffer said.
Many believe the minister’s strategy is working.
It would be recalled that during the interview, he emphasized that he resigned from the company in 2019, hence, those who support him argued that he complied with the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that the minister failed to appear before the Code of Conduct Bureau on Tuesday as scheduled.
He was requested to appear before the Bureau yesterday, Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the CCB Headquarters, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja.
A letter of invitation was signed by the CCB Director, Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi S.P., on behalf of the CCB Chairman, Murtala Aliyu.
“The Bureau is investigating a case of alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in which your name featured prominently. Consequently, you are invited for an interview scheduled as follows:
“Date: Tuesday, January 16 January, 2024. Time: 1100hrs prompt. Venue: CCB Headquarters on 5th Floor, Annex III, Phase I, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja,” the letter read in part.
Emerging reports indicated that the minister asked for a new date to make his appearance.
[DailyPost]
‘It Can Only Happen In Nigeria’ – Peter Obi Reacts To Report Of N3bn Approval For National Social Register Verification
AdminThe Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has reacted to reports that the federal government approved the huge sum of N3bn for the verification of the national social register.
Obi, in a post via his X platform account on Wednesday, questioned the rationale behind such approval and lamented that such could only happen in Nigeria.
Naija News recalls there are reports that President Bola Tinubu approved the release of N3 billion for the verification of the National Social Register. This has triggered mixed reactions from Nigerians both on and off social media.
In his own reaction, Obi described the report as a sad surprise and lamented that the amount approved for national register verification is more than the amount budgeted for some critical activities in the 2024 budget.
He added that the political leaders in the country must learn to focus on the critical areas of national development, and national security instead of seeking their personal comfort.
The former Anambra State Governor wrote: “It is very surprising to hear that the sum of N3 billion was approved for verification of national register of the poor. This can only happen in Nigeria. I have maintained that we must decisively deal with the issue of cost of governance in Nigeria now as a matter of urgency.
“Sadly, this very huge amount approved just for verification of national register of the poor is more than three times the amount of N908,699,435 which was budgeted for our National Library.
“This is happening at a time in our nation when we need all the manpower training to to keep our work force productive. Our national library, a very critical infrastructure in our nation, seemingly abandoned, lacks books and educational materials.
“The same amount, would have made a significant impact, if prudently and transparently managed. Moreso, with more than half of our population battling with absolute and multi dimensional poverty, one wonders why such a huge sum was approved for just verification of national register of the poor, when the same amount could have been directed towards actual poverty alleviation. This approval raises a fundamental question: how come the data for poverty alleviation has not been verified on a regular basis?
“The inability of we the leaders to prioritise our expenditure and focus on the critical areas of national development, and national security, are the challenges weighing down on our nation today.
“Unless we begin to sacrifice our personal comfort for the good of society, and begin to care more for the people, especially the less privileged ones, our nation will continue to grapple with all forms of societal ills caused by high level of poverty.”
[NaijaNews]