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Nigeria’s total fiscal budget for nine consecutive years under the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration grossed N123.45 trillion, a compilation of nine years fiscal budget by Sunday Telegraph showed. In all the nine years, the amount proposed by the executive arm for each budget, and forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and passage was in most cases, increased above the original threshold proposed by the president. The president in all instances, ultimately signed the upgraded National Assembly’s version. Under the APC administration, the January to December budget cycle initiated by the party has been religiously adhered to, thus making budget implementation’ tracking process, a less cumbersome procedure when compared to the budget timeline under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.
The immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, assumed power on May 29, 2015, ending the 16 years of PDP’s administration. The preceding administration of PDP headed by former president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, signed N4.425 trillion budget . Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration’s maiden fiscal budget in 2016 totaled N6.06 trillion. The Buhari administration began earnest preparation for the 2016 budget in December 2015. He assented to the 2015 Appropriation Amendment Act passed by the National Assembly, extending the 2015 financial year till March 31, 2016; and presented a proposed budget of N6.08 trillion for the 2016 fiscal year to the National Assembly. The National Assembly passed the budget on March 23, 2016, reducing it to N6.06 trillion — but the President withheld his assent and returned the document on grounds that there were “grey areas” that needed corrections. He later signed on May 6, 2016, after the lawmakers had worked on the grey areas.
The 2016 budget was his first and the only time National Assembly reduced a budget proposal presented by Buhari. The following year’s budget, 2017 was N7. 44trillion. It would be recalled that Buhari presented a budget proposal of N7.298 trillion to the National Assembly on December 14, but the Senate which passed it on May 11, jacked it up by N143 billion. However, Buhari was unavailable to sign the 2017 budget. He was in a United Kingdom Hospital, where he was recuperating from illness. The then Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, signed the 2017 budget on behalf of Buhari. Majority of budgets under the APC administration sustained an increased threshold. In 2018 for instance, the approved budget was N9.2 trillion. It was N8.9 trillion in 2019, 2020 fiscal budget was ₦10.594 trillion; N13.6 trillion budgeted for 2021 fiscal year and the 2022 fiscal year was N17. 127 trillion; the sum of N21.83 trillion was budgeted for 2023 while total budget for 2024 is N28.7 trillion .
In 2020, while Buhari proposed a budget of N10.33 trillion, the National Assembly increased it to N10.59 trillion — adding N260 billion. The lawmakers also added N3 billion to the National Assembly Budget, increasing it from N125 billion to N128 billion. Buhari signed the budget as presented to him by the legislative chambers. How- ever, the former always made his mind known whenever the National Assembly altered the original estimate sent to members of the parliament. In 2021, the former president submitted a proposed budget of N13.08 trillion on October 8 2020, but the law- makers increased it by N505 billion to N13.58 trillion. While signing the 2023 Appropriation Bill of N17.126 trillion into law, the former president took a swipe at the National Assembly for effecting changes to the budget. Buhari was displeased with some changes as well as major additions and reductions made by the National Assembly in critical projects ‘without justification’.
The former president highlighted some of the worrisome changes in the budget to include an increase in projected Federal Government independent revenue by N400 billion, reduction in the provision for Sinking Fund to Retire Maturing Bonds by N22 bil- lion, and reduction of the provisions for the Non- Regular Allowances of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Navy by N15 billion and N5 billion respectively, all without any explanation. In addition, he expressed his reservations on the inclusion of new provisions totalling N36.59 billion for National Assembly’s projects in the Service Wide Vote, which he said negated the principles of separation of powers and financial autonomy of the Legislative arm of government.
The trend, upping budget threshold by the National Assembly is a continuous process. Under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the 2024 fiscal budget is his maiden budget. On Friday, December 29, 2023, the Senate in- creased the 2024 budget by N1.2trillion, moving the budget from N27.5 trillion to N28.7 trillion. Nevertheless, President Tinubu signed the N28.7 trillion 2024 Appropriation Bill into law. He assented to the 2024 Appropriation Bill at a brief ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja last Monday. Among those with the President while he signed the documents were the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, witnessed the signing ceremony amongst other top dignitaries of government.
In terms of budget implementation, it varies. According to Budget IT, a non – governmental organization tracking budget implementation, it noted that, a total of N4.39 trillion was spent in 2016 despite the Federal Government’s budgeting of N6.06trillion for the fiscal year — due to the late passage of the budget. “The capital expenditure component of the spending in 2016 was only N173 billion of the projected N1.58trillion. However, some of the capital expenses were carried into the new fiscal year 2017 in line with the clause attached to the Appropriation Act”. “With revenue falling behind target and expenditures significantly flat, the deficit for the year stands at N2.19trillion which is very close to the N2.2trillion projected for the entire fiscal year -meaning deficit numbers may be substantially wider if capital spending of 2017 is considered”, it said.
The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari claimed to implement 100 percent of capital budgets (capital releases) to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in 2020 and 2021. Speaking during the unveiling of Nigeria’s scorecard on the 2021 Open Budget Survey, Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr Ben Akabueze, said Nigeria posted its best performance in the open budget survey, improving by 24 points for transparency in the latest survey. “The total transparency score of 45 in the 2021 sur- vey is a significant leap from the 21 scored in the 2019 survey,” he said, noting that the score was the second highest improvement worldwide”.
Some foreign airlines operating in Nigeria on Saturday announced plans to begin the sales of tickets in US dollars, New Telegraph reports.
Industry insiders claim that the airlines have promised to sell dollar tickets in order to clear the backlog of monies they have stashed in Nigeria.
According to sources, the plan was accepted by the Nigerian officials as a win-win tactic to appease foreign airlines that had threatened to withdraw from Nigerian airspace due to the $792 million in funds that were stuck.
Qatar Airlines has commenced the implementation of dollar ticket sales while other foreign airlines will follow suit soonest as activities resume fully in the new year.
Turkish Airlines, Emirate Airlines, British Airways, and a host of foreign airlines recently warned of their imminent exit from Nigeria if funds trapped in the country were not released soon.
In its media briefing held on December 8, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) raised an alarm over the total amount owed by countries in Africa and the Middle East, apportioning over 70 per cent of the total debt owed by Africa to Nigeria.
Kamil Alawadhi, Regional Vice President, of Africa and Middle East, speaking at the press briefing, said, “Nigeria alone accounts for almost half of blocked or trapped funds valued at US$2.57 billion.”
Nigeria’s debt or trapped funds belonging to these foreign airlines is $792 million, just $66 million short of the total trapped funds owed by Egypt ($348 million), and Algeria ($199 million).
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State on Saturday said despite the ongoing crisis in the state, the people will soon figure out who is in command when it comes to politics.
It would be recalled that Wike has been at loggerheads with his successor, Governor Sim Fubara over undisclosed issues which has also taken a turn on the State House of Assembly.
While President Bola Tinubu had waded into the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state, Wike believes with time, residents of the state will know the real political giants.
Speaking at his country home in Bera, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, Wike in the company of Victor Giadom told the South-South Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state that when the time comes it will all be figured out.
He, however, expressed happiness to have mended fences with his estranged friend, Giadom, who was Commissioner for Works under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
He said, “Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. There is a time for everything.
“This is not time for politics. When the time comes, we will know who is who. If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me.
“Politics will come. We didn’t contest the election based on social media. We spoke to the people; they listened and believed in us.
“Party will come and go and friendship will remain. We have made our mistakes. We are all humans but friendship remains.”
Probes Banks Over Transfer of N44.8bn Meant for NSIP Schemes
Investigating Fraud in Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has recovered about N39.8 billion out of N44.8billion allegedly embezzled from the government account by former National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, Newtelegraph report.
This came as the EFCC is currently investigating three second generation banks for their complicity in the illegal transfers of the funds meant for poverty alleviation and other intervention schemes of the current government. Shehu, the sacked National Coordinator of NSIPA in concert with a Director of Finance allegedly signed off N44billion from government account in five days between 27th and 31st December 2023.
Competent sources said the year-end transfer of the N44. 8 billion unspent funds was a regular practice in the Ministry, but discovered this time by Betta Edu, who immediately reported the incident to the EFCC. The former NSIPA boss allegedly transferred the funds to some individual accounts and companies through some commercial banks without any approval from the President or the Federal Executive Council and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu. Recall that activities of the Ministry under former Minister, Dr. Sadiya Umar Farouq, came under serious criticism over multiple cases of fraud being investigated in respect of government’s intervention funds like School Feeding, Conditional Cash Transfer and N-Power over issues bothering on lack of accountability and transparency, thereby eroding public trust.
Last year, over N10 billion was recovered from various consultants at the resumption of Betta Edu in the Ministry. Meanwhile, as operatives of the EFCC beam searchlight and scrutinise records of funds disbursement by agencies under the Ministry, the Arewa Integrity Group ( AIG) has urged EFCC to be thorough and shun cover up in its investigation exercise.
The Group’s Convener, Al- haji Ibrahim Sambo, at a press conference in Kano yesterday, commended the government for enlisting EFCC to investigate the disappearance of billions of Naira from an agency established to reduce the suffering of the masses. However, AIG was worried that, rather than allow the Federal Government investigation to go on unhindered, there was a well-orchestrated effort to muddle the water and create chaos at the entire ministry.
“This plot is exemplified in a multitude of fake reports in the media seeking to drag the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, into the mess of the alleged diversion of N44.8 billion from the NSIPA account. As an Integrity group that aligns itself with the Federal Government’s anti-corruption stance, we support the EFCC’s investigation and we believe that anyone involved will be identified and punished according to the law.
“Be that as it may, we are constrained to add that we will not stand idle as corruption fights back and seeks to destroy the reputation of the innocent. From our monitoring of the activities of various officials of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we can confidently state that Dr Betta Edu is one of the high achievers”, AIG Convener said.
“It is common knowledge that the money spent for the national verification of the National Social Register, (NSR), quoted by some critics as evidence of Dr Edu’s collusion in the grand theft at the NSIPA, was approved by President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda to expand the NSR as well as sanitize its operations. “It is also public knowledge that all the programmes embarked on by the Ministry under the current Minister thus far, including Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, Grants for Vulnerable Groups and others all secured the approval of the President”. Similarly, another group, Northern Zero Corruption Coalition, has urged the EFCC not be intimidated in the current investigation because it touches on the needs of the poor.
The group expressed worries that there was an attempt to implicate Dr. Edu, who within a few months on the ministerial duty, proved to be so transparent and without tribal sentiments.
The National Coordinator, Barrister Shamsu Dandaji, said in a release that, it is on notice that Halima Shehu served on the position between 2017 and 2022 as National Coordinator and until last week as National Coordinator of NSIPA He said: “For over 15 times Betta Edu has visited the North with several humanitarian interventions in Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, Borno, Plateau, Nasarawa, and so many other states, while the South has had her impact over time”.
The former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has dismissed insinuations that the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari‘s administration was a failure.
Ngige made this known on Saturday during an interview with journalists in Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State while distributing palliatives to indigenes from the 21 local government areas of the state.
The former Governor of Anambra State insisted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by Buhari carried out several projects in the country.
Ngige listed the completion of the Second Niger Bridge, school feeding programmes, and Enugu Airport, among others, as some of the projects carried out by the last administration.
He said, “It is not true that the Buhari administration was a failure. I was part of the government,nt and the administration completed a lot of projects including the Second Niger Bridge, school feeding programme and numerous railways across the country.”
Speaking further, Ngige explained that his faction remains the authentic APC in Anambra, insisting that there was no crisis in the party.
He added, “There is APC one and two in Anambra State. I won’t deny that fact. I am the father of APC here, I am the face of APC in Anambra State and I know for certain that we have newcomers who have been coming since the year 2021 and because the party is like a church, you don’t stop people from entering a church to seek salvation, so also you can’t stop people from entering a party to support government in power.
“We allow everybody but there is a segregation already because the new members don’t want to reckon with the old members who have laboured for the party from the time we were SDP to ACD, AC to ACN and then finally liberated as APC when we collapsed with NNPP and CPC. These are facts, and I don’t like denying things are facts.”
The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Oluwatoyin Madein, has said she did not make any payment on behalf of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation into a private account.
She stated this while reacting to a letter showing a request from the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, for the payment of N585 million to a private account named Oniyelu Bridget.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the OAGF spokesman, Bawa Mokwa, Madein explained that although her Office received the said request from the Ministry but it did not carry out the payment.
She stated that her Office does not make payments on behalf of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the government for projects and programmes.
Madein said allocations are released to self-accounting MDAs in line with the budget and such MDAs are responsible for the implementation of their projects and payments for such projects.
The AGF stated that she advised the minister on the appropriate steps to take in making such payments in line with the established payment procedure.
Madein noted that in such situations, payments are usually processed by the affected Ministries as self-accounting entities, and no bulk payment is supposed to be made to an individual’s account in the name of the Project Accountant.
She added that such payment should be sent to the beneficiaries through their verified bank accounts and advised MDAs to always ensure that the requisite steps are taken in carrying out financial transactions.
Madein, therefore, reiterated her determination to uphold the principles of accountability and transparency in the management of public finances.
The amount the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed to the States and Local Governments (LGs) increased by 23 per cent, from the total sum of N2.272 trillion they got between February and June 2023, to a total of N2.805 trillion both tiers of governments were allocated between July and November 2023.
Data from FAAC compiled by THISDAY showed that States and LGs received a combined amount of total of N5.078 trillion as allocation for the 10-month period which was between February and November, 2023, even as economic hardship and pressure persists at both tiers of government respectively.
Workers and labour leaders, including some Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) that spoke with THISDAY, lamented that despite the increased allocation, some governors have not done enough to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on their citizens. They decried the cost of living crisis occasioned by the fuel subsidy removal, just as they said they said they were looking forward to a minimum wage review.
However, the National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, has expressed confidence that the negotiation of a new minimum wage between the federal government and the organised labour would be concluded before March this year.
According to the Minimum Wage law, present national minimum wage of N30,000 would expire by March, 2024.
Ajaero said, “The federal government had through a letter asked the organised labour to release our names to the new minimum wage committee to be constituted.
“Since last year, the list was submitted to the government and it is only when the committee is constituted that we now go into negotiation with the government as a union to agree on it.
“The existing minimum wage will be expiring by March this year, so it is hoped we may conclude the negotiation for a new minimum wage before March.”
Under the current revenue sharing formula, the federal government gets 52.68 per cent of the revenue shared, States get 26.72 per cent while the LG gets 20.60 per cent. The fund is to ensure development at different levels of government and also to enable States and LGs meet their obligations. Unfortunately, most of the LGs are not autonomous and the utilisation of their allocations are determined by the governors.
Beside, oil producing States also get 13 per cent derivation and there is also the revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) that is shared among the three tiers of government.
It is also worthy to note that the aforementioned amount allocated to the States and LGs exclude intervention from the federal government through cash and other edible items that were distributed to the States to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.
The data showed that in the 10-month period (February to November, 2023), a total of N12.731 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government. While the federal government got N3.366 trillion within the review period, the 36 States were allocated a total of N2.915.63 trillion and the LGs got a total of N2.154 trillion within same period.
Commenting on the higher revenue allocation, the organised labour under the umbrella of the TUC said Nigerians have continued to suffer economic hardship despite the expected gains in revenue from removal of fuel subsidy by the Bola Tinubu’s administration.
General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro, who spoke on telephone with THISDAY, yesterday, said : “The gains from the removal of fuel subsidy has not impacted positively on the economy and well-being of Nigerians. In this regard, all the promises made by government so far, we have not seen the implementation. We in the organised labour, we are tired of failed promises.”
For the states, Toro said the federal government had promised to allocate N5 billion to each state for provision of palliative to the citizens.
“As we speak, I am aware that federal government has released about N3 billion to the states. I also know that some states have added additional amounts to this fund to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy,” he added.
According to him, limited progress has been made by states in disbursement of the palliative fund through purchase and distribution of grains to the people, disclosing that so far some States have distributed rice, beans, garri, maize, among other foodstuff.
When asked to assess the economic situation especially as it affects workers in the states, the TUC scribe said:” The workers and indeed the masses has been worst of because of the removal of the fuel subsidy poor implementation of palliative by the respective governments at federal, state and local governments.”
He accused the federal government of engaging in what he called policy somersault. For instance, he said the federal government went ahead and announced 50 percent discount on road and railway transportation cost on the eve of the Christmas festivities without even paying workers the N35,000 Wage award as agreed.
“Do they think that people will travel to their villages to go and die of hunger? This is pure policy somersault”.
On what labour intends to do going forward, Toro said that:” We will expect the federal government and respective states to show understanding and put the necessary measures in motion to start negotiation of the new minimum wage.
“As soon the minimum wage committee is set up, we hope to put all the issues on the table and whatever we agree as the new minimum wage must be implemented by the states,” he said.
For his part, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Ondo State, Victor Amoko, hopes that the negotiation of a new minimum wage between the federal government and the organised labour would be finalised as soon as possible.
“Hard times don’t last forever, we believe that we are going to overcome it. For the N35,000 wage award as agreed during a meeting that was held following the removal of fuel subsidy, Ondo State government has commenced the payment in across board in the State. We appreciate the state government for that.
“In Ondo, the government is owing us only one areas of 2017 and our new governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has promised soonest, sooner than what we expect, the money will be paid. We are looking forward to have that balance any moment from now.”, Amoko said.
In Oyo State, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kayode Martins, admitted that the economic reality has indeed had a toll on the workers.
However, Martins, while speaking with THISDAY said workers in the state have so far received the wage award of N25,000 for three months while pensioners also received N15,000 for three months.
He added that workers in the state also received 13th month salary in December.
Similarly, workers in Sokoto and Kebbi States lamented that they were facing difficult times, notwithstanding the higher FAAC allocations to the States.
Speaking with THISDAY, a member of Sokoto State Chapter of NLC accused the State executive of compromise, saying the exco failed to engage the State government on new minimum wage or award wage in view of economic reality.
“Look at neighbouring State of Zamfara, the Governor paid them 13-month salary, this will go a long way in ameliorating their plight,” the source who pleaded to remain anonymous said.
In Kebbi State, a worker who also spoke on condition of anonymity said the government abandoned them in the State.
However, in Taraba, the Chairman of the TUC, Sule Abasu, told THISDAY that the state government was doing its best to cater for the plight of workers in the state despite the meagre resources at its disposal.
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigerian (JUSUN), Taraba State Chapter, Comrade Mohammed Usman commended the present administration in the state for improving the salaries of workers which according to him has gone a long way to cushion the effect of the bitting economic situation in the country.
Also speaking, Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Taraba state, Comrade Peter Jediel told THISDAY that workers in Taraba state were happy and adjusting to the cost of living crisis.
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon.
According to the BBC, the incident happened on Friday, when the aircraft returned to Portland 35 minutes into its flight to California after an outer section, including a window, fell.
The airline said the plane, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, landed safely.
“Alaska Airlines flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, experienced an incident this evening soon after departure,” the company said.
On Saturday morning, the company said it would “temporarily” ground all 65 of its 737 Max 9 aircraft to conduct inspections.
BBC quoted the UK Civil Aviation Authority as saying it is “monitoring the situation very closely”.
A passenger sent a photo to the KATU-TV news outlet showing a gaping hole in the side of the plane next to passenger seats.
Another outlet, KPTV-TV, reported photos sent in by a passenger showing a large section of the plane’s fuselage missing.
Announcing the grounding of the 65 planes, Alaska Airlines’ CEO Ben Minicucci said: “Each aircraft will be returned to service only after completion of full maintenance and safety inspections.”
Minicucci commended the efforts of the six crew members on board the flight which had reached 16,000ft (4,876m) when it began its emergency descent, according to flight tracking data.
[DailyTrust]
A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, has lamented the security situation in the country, saying that it has gone beyond control.
He said the situation the country is in at the moment has gone beyond playing politics, adding that President Tinubu has a lot of work to do and Nigerians are ready to give him time.
“The state of our nation has been completely in a shambolic situation, it is perpetual despair and despondency. There is hunger in the land and there is anger in the land; the insecurity has gone beyond control,” Chief George said on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.
“So, when you look at all those things; we are all Nigerians and I listened to his (Tinubu) New Year speech and I also listened to what Chief Osoba said, this is not the time to play politics, it is our nation. He (Tinubu) has a hell of a job to do and I have listened to him. He has these eight objectives for the year, national defence, internal security, and job creation; the man who left who was my oga did a woeful job, he did not do well at all; they belong to the same party.
“So, we all Nigerians will give him a chance, let us see how he is going to handle it. Bola Tinubu, God will guide him – he is in the hottest seat in the whole of Africa today because for every 10 Africans 6 are Nigerians, brilliant people. So nobody can pull any wool over our eyes, I pray for him, I pray for our country.”
With the recent killings in Plateau which claimed over two hundred lives and killings happening in other parts of the country, George was asked what he expects from President Tinubu to stem these ugly developments and he advocated for the use of modern technology.
“You need equipment, you need surveillance. The technology available now was not available at our time. So, it will be a combination of modern technology; put cameras all over like they do here in England. You don’t have to be physically there; you monitor from your control room things that are happening.”
The elder statesman also reiterated calls for state police, saying that much powers are concentrated on the shoulders of the Inspector General of Police.
“We need every state to have its police on the ground, whatever it is going to cost us because police work is a communal work, it means you will employ people from that community to do the police work,” he said.
He said the President does not have to do these things within one year but he must start from somewhere so that the people will see that he is doing something about the insecurity bedeviling the nation.
The Nigeria Police Force says its Cybercrime Centre acting on a petition at the instance of Hon and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo has arrested three persons in connection with a case of, cyberstalking, and threat to life.
The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Friday, said suspects namely Adebukola Kolapo Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all males of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively are members of a syndicate called Gistlover family, responsible for the daily running of the Gistlover blog, a microblogging platform known for Cyberstalking, incitement, Blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.
Ademuyiwa said the blog is known for Cyberstalking, incitement, Blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.
Upon interrogation, the three suspects denied working for Gistlover, however, one of the suspects said he created a fake Gistlover page to gain followers on his social media page.
The statement read, “Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming pieces of evidence. The first suspect Adebukola Kolapo a.k.a Omo oba Gistlover was responsible for the creation of over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages thereby lending his digital footprint for the perpetration of the aforementioned criminal act.
“Being on the payroll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning content including the cyberstalking post made against the complainant, Hon. and Dr. Mrs Oluseyi Oladejo. Adebukola has also contributed to laundering monies obtained from the illegal scheme through various means.
“In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight (8) gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.
The arrest of the trio has caused controversy across social media platforms.
“The Second suspect, One Nnedum Somtochukwu also shared in the conspiracy wherein at every point the page was taken down for certain infractions and violation of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies, the suspect using his platform will by all means redirect traffic to the new page, helping the blog to evade sanctions.
“Enjoying incentives like referrals for promotions from the head of the syndicate, Nnedum has also been found sharing content, feedback, and making defamatory remarks with the said head of the syndicate.
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“The Third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe a 30 years old male resident of Igando Lagos State unlike the duo above, is like hundreds of Nigerians who having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyber stalking and false information market, decide to imitate the Gistlover blog. By so doing, he created several such pages and mirrors the activities of the blog including reposting the defamatory and life-threatening post against the complainant and many other notable Nigerians. Digital forensics led to the recovery of four gistlover pages created by Isaac Apkokogho.
The police spokesperson said that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
He added that while strongly warning against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities, the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, applauded the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, as he reaffirmed the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.
see the full statement below
NPF-NCCC UNVEILS THREAT ACTORS BEHIND COMPLEX CYBERSTALKING AND BLACKMAILING BLOG, ARRESTS 3, RECOVERS 12 ACCOUNTS.
as the IGP reaffirms Police commitment to Ensuring Improved Digital, Physical Safety.
In an onward fight against the menace of cyberstalking, threat to life and blackmailing schemes operating in the guise of micro blogging pages, and contending with the online safety of many, the Nigeria police Force National Cybercrime center, acting on a petition at the instance of Hon and Doctor Mrs Seye Oladejo have arrested three in connection with a case of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, and threat to life.
The suspects namely Adebukola Kolapo Nnedum Micheal Somtomchukwu and Isaac Akpokighe, all male of ages 27, 25 and 30 respectively are members of a syndicate called Gistlover family, responsible for the daily running of the Gistlover blog, a microblogging platform known for Cyberstalking, incitement, Blackmail, and sundry, which has over the years been a course for public outcry.
Upon arrest the suspects revealed their various degrees of involvement in the conspiracy, corroborating the already available overwhelming evidences. The first suspect Adebukola Kolapo a.k.a Omo oba Gistlover was responsible for the creation of over 80 percent of the Gistlover pages thereby lending his digital footprint for the perpetration of the aforementioned criminal act. Being on the pay roll of the said platform and having enjoyed incentives like car gifts and monies, Adebukola was saddled with the responsibility of scouting, editing and captioning contents including the cyber stalking post made against the complainant, Hon. and Dr. Mrs Oluseyi Oladejo. Adebukola has also contributed in laundering monies gotten from the illegal scheme through various means.
In more developments, digital Forensic analysis led to the recovery of eight (8) gist lover pages created on the instruction of the head of the syndicate by Adebukola, and wallet addresses used in laundering these monies.
The Second suspect, One Nnedum Somtochukwu also shared in the conspiracy wherein at every point the page was taken down for certain infractions and violation of policies at the instance of reports from Law Enforcement Agencies, the suspect using his platform will by all means redirect traffic to the new page, helping the blog to evade sanctions.
Enjoying incentives like referrals for promotions from the head of the syndicate, Nnedum has also been found sharing contents, feed backs, and making defamatory remarks with the said head of the syndicate.
The Third suspect, Isaac Akpokighe a 30 years old male resident of Igando Lagos State unlike the duo above, is like hundreds of Nigerians whom having observed the lucrative nature of the Blackmailing, cyber stalking and false information market, decides to imitate the Gistlover blog. By so doing, he created several of such pages and mirrors the activities of the blog including reposting the defamatory and life-threatening post against the complainant and many other notable Nigerians. Digital forensics led to the recovery of four gistlover pages created by Isaac Apkokogho.
The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
While strongly warning against all sorts of partnerships that promote the illegal activities of this blog and others engaging in similar activities, the Inspector General of Police IGP Olukayode Egbetokun PhD. NPM, applauds the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center led by CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry as he reaffirms the commitment of the Force to ensuring the safety of citizens in the physical and digital space.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA
5th January, 2024
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Renowned Political Economist, Pat Utomi has lamented that the legislators in Nigeria are rubber stamped and are watching the country drift aimlessly.
Utomi stated this on Friday while speaking with newsmen shortly after paying a condolence visit to the family of the late former Speaker, House of Representatives, Ghali Na’abba in Kano.
He noted that Na’abba represented a season when lawmakers were independent compared to the present crop of legislators.
According to him, “Late Na’abba represents for us a season in which we had an independent legislature that ensured that government policy could be aligned to service to the people.
“Today we don’t have a legislature. I can say that without even batting an eyelid. We have rubber-stamp legislators who are watching the country drifting aimlessly and are not offering options. Honourable Ghali Na’Abba did offer that when he was the Speaker of the National Assembly.
“We collaborated with him back in those days from civil society, from direct action, we stood by him to ensure that we have a working system. Many years afterwards as we saw the drift got worse, we thought that we needed to treat it the third way, a different way, right now it is going to be the second way because nothing else is left in the country. A country that is not working, run by politicians who just think about themselves and self-love. So what we have in our country today, can be called government of the worst by people who are consumed by self-love.”
[NaijaNews]
The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) has disclosed that it granted Pioneer Status Incentive (PSI) to 34 companies in 2023.
The Deputy Director of Investor Relations at the Commission, Lovina Kayode, made the disclosure yesterday at a media briefing in Abuja
She said tax incentives are meant to boost foreign investments for the country even though it is becoming a contentious issue due to the high amount of revenue lost to waivers granted yearly.
Lovina stated that the commission follows stringent procedures in granting tax breaks, saying that is why only few companies benefit.
She said: “The pioneer status incentive is a stimulus that allows a company to get three years of not paying Corporate Income Tax, just to get more investments.
“This process is stringent because our parent ministry and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are involved to make sure the right investors get this incentive.
“So far this year, we granted 34 applications and one of the things we intend to do is to ensure we are not just giving incentives to undeserving companies. However, there is already a notion that Nigeria gives out too many waivers, incentives and concessions.
“But tax expenditure, which means what the government has lost by granting pioneers status incentive, is just a small amount compared to what the country gains by granting these incentives to qualified companies.”
She explained that the commission has plans to publish impact reports on the effectiveness of the pioneer status on job creation and other economic activities that promote investments.
“On impact, that is one thing NIPC is planning on, next year. It is one of our biggest tasks to do an impact assessment. These incentives we gave out, how have they impacted the country in terms of job creation?”
“How many jobs are the companies creating and what kind of import substitution has come about because we have granted these incentives; and how much would the government gain after the three years of them not paying these taxes,” she added.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Aisha Rimi, restated her resolve to facilitate and assist investors to stake their investments in the country in a bid to actualise the mandate of the commission.
[NaijaTimes]
The Ogun State Area Command II of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has officially released a bullion van that made headlines back in 2022, having been apprehended with smuggled rice and a whopping N24 million.
Customs Area Controller Olusola Alade made this announcement on Friday during a press briefing, disclosing that the bullion van, initially impounded in April 2022 for transporting 12 bags of 50kg smuggled foreign parboiled rice, has now been released, based on reports by News Agency of Nigeria.
The van, which was traced back to an Abeokuta branch of Access Bank, also harboured the sum of N24.4 million. The cash and the bullion van, sporting the registration number FKJ 993 BZ, have been handed over to officials of Bankers Warehouse Ltd. and Access Bank in Abeokuta.
What Customs said
- “The bullion van belonged to Bankers Warehouse and was impounded on April 22, 2022, by a joint border patrol team along the Sokoto-join/Joga road in the Abeokuta axis.
- “The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, has now ordered the release of the bullion van and the money to both the Bankers Warehouse and Access Bank on compassionate ground after investigation,” Alade said.
- “The seized foreign parboiled rice which were 12 bags of 50kg each were carefully concealed in the said vehicle. “Consequently, the said vehicle and the items were conveyed to the Customs House in Abeokuta for safekeeping.
- “After examining the vehicle, the money was discovered and deposited at the Abeokuta branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for safekeeping.
- “The vehicle was detained while the rice was converted to seizure in line with Section 168 of Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.
- “In connection to the above seizures, three suspects were arrested, detained, granted administrative bail, and subsequently charged to court for aiding smuggling,” Alade explained.
Subsequently, Bankers Warehouse Ltd. and Access Bank submitted an appeal letter to the Customs’ Comptroller-General, seeking the release of both the van and the money on compassionate grounds.
After careful consideration of investigation outcomes and recommendations, the Comptroller-General approved the release, aligning with the provisions of Section 248 (1) and (2) of the NCS Act, 2023.
[Nairametrics]
There is palpable anxiety among party stakeholders and supporters ahead of the Supreme Court judgment expected to be delivered this January on the various petitions challenging the rulings of the Court of Appeal on the governorship elections.
After the March 18, 2023, governorship elections in the states, some of the aggrieved candidates and their parties went to court challenging the declaration of some of their opponents as winners of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Some of the governorship election cases began from various state tribunals and appeal Courts, before they eventually ended at the Supreme Court.
States like Kano, Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa, Benue, and Bauchi are among those expecting the final judgment from the apex court.
Kano
In Kano State, anxiety has continued to mount as residents await the apex court judgment on the state governorship election dispute as supporters of the two warring parties in the state; the New Nigeria Peoples Party and the All Progressives Congress, stage protests and rallies against and for the judgment of the Appeal Court.
The appellate court had affirmed the verdict of the tribunal that sacked Governor Abba Yusuf and declared the candidate of the APC, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, as the authentic winner.
Supporters of the NNPP have continued to fault the Appeal Court ruling, especially the controversy surrounding the claim that two different judgments were delivered, which were against and also in favour of the incumbent governor.
On the contrary, the APC supporters continued to hail the two judgments which favoured their candidate.
The anxiety in the state had compelled the Kano State Police Commissioner, Gumel, to ban all protests or rallies and forced the leadership of both parties to sign a peace accord, even though this has not yielded much result as there were incidents of violence.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, a chieftain of APC in the state, Alhaji Alhassan Yaryasa, said the NNPP supporters should be blamed for the tension in the state.
“You see all that the NNPP supporters are doing is just to get public sympathy because they didn’t win the governorship election at the beginning,” he said.
However, effort to speak with the state NNPP Chairman, Alhaji Hashimu Dungurawa, failed as he didn’t respond to several phone calls from one of our correspondents.
Residents fear in Benue
In Benue State, anxiety and expectations are high as residents await the Supreme Court verdict on the appeal of the governorship candidate of the PDP, Titus Uba, challenging the judgments of the tribunal and the Appeal Court, which upheld the election of Hyacinth Alia of the APC, as the winner of the governorship election in the state.
Saturday PUNCH spoke with some of the residents who expressed fear over the possible outcome of the final judgment.
One of the residents, who simply identified himself only as Julius for security reasons, stated that the civil servants and retirees in the state were currently in prayers for the governor to win at the apex court.
However, both the publicity secretaries of the ruling APC and the opposition PDP, Daniel Ihomun and Bemgba Iortyom respectively expressed confidence in winning the final judgment. While the APC believed that the governor convincingly won the election, the PDP stressed its hope of getting justice at the Supreme Court.
Ogun PDP, APC confident
Meanwhile, the PDP in Ogun State has re-echoed its optimism of upturning Governor Dapo Abiodun’s victory at the apex court.
The Secretary of the party, Dr Sunday Solarin, claimed that the mandate was given to the party’s governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, but was allegedly stolen by the APC, even as he (Solarin) expressed the hope that the mandate would return as the rightful winner.
But the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, in his reaction, charged Adebutu to concentrate on the allegations of vote-buying and money laundering levelled against him rather than misleading their members and the public with “boastful desperation, false hope”.
In Lagos, the Head, Media and Communications for Jandor4Governor Campaign Organisation, Gbenga Ogunleye, told Saturday PUNCH that the Lagos State chapter of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Dr Olajide Adediran, would be victorious at the Supreme Court.
He explained that the focus of their petition at the apex court was to challenge the qualification of the declared winner, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the APC, as laid down in the electoral law, adding that the Justices of the Supreme Court would look at the facts of the matter before delivering the justice.
Contacted for reaction, the state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Cornelius Ojelabi, refused to comment on the matter, saying, “The judgment will soon be delivered and it doesn’t make sense for us to start making commentary on that.
“We’ve been to the tribunal and Appeal Courts and we won. They went for the first and second and they failed. It is a matter of days for the Supreme Court to pronounce the judgment and that will be the end of the story.”
In Nasarawa State, the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal had earlier in a split judgment of two to one, nullified the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the APC and declared David Ombugadu of the PDP as the winner of the election.
However, the Appeal Court, in a unanimous judgment, reversed the verdict of the tribunal and upheld the election of Governor Sule after which the matter was taken to the Supreme Court.
Commenting, the state APC Chairman, Aliyu Bello, expressed confidence in being victorious at the apex court and that the party was undisturbed as there were documents to back up their election victory at the court, advising members and supporters of the PDP to shun unguarded utterances capable of causing tension in the state.
The PDP Chairman in the state, Francis Orogu, noted that the available documents and evidence would give the party and its candidate the desired justice.
Bauchi APC optimistic
In a related development, the acting Chairman of the APC in Bauchi State, Muhammad Hassan-Tilde, explained tone of our correspondents that the party was hopeful of victory based on the grounds upon which the petitions challenging the judgments of the tribunal and the Appeal Court which upheld Governor Bala Mohammed of the PDP, were based.
Hassan-Tilde, who called on their supporters to remain optimistic and prayerful, further said that there was a strong belief that their candidate, Sadique Abubakar, would be victorious at the apex court.
[Punch]