The federal government on Thursday disclosed why it shelved the planned removal of fuel subsidy by june this year.
Recall that the National Economic Council meeting chaired by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, had on Thursday said the federal government had backtracked on subsidy removal.
Speaking further on the topical issue, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zaniab Ahmed, the decision to shelve the planned removal of subsidy was necessitated by the widespread hardship and suffering in the country.
She said the Federal Government does not want to plunge the country into another round of suffering.
She however admitted that ultimately the subsidy on fuel will have to go at the due time.
She spoke shortly after the National Economic Council NEC meeting, chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday.
She also noted that the existing committee that has been discussing the fuel subsidy issue needed to be expanded to enable more input from concerned Nigerians.
Her words,” I was at the National Economic Council, where we discussed the issue of post-subsidy removal Council agreed that the timing for the removal of subsidy should not be now but that we should continue with all of the preparation works that needs to be done and that this preparation work has to be done in consultation with the states and other key stakeholders, including representatives of the incoming administration.
“Council agreed that the first subsidy must be removed earlier rather than later because it is not sustainable. We cannot afford it anymore. We have to do it in such a way that the impact of the subsidy is as much as possible, mitigated on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“So this will require looking at alternatives to the post subsidy that needs to be planned for and subsequently put in place but also what needs to be done to support the people that are most affected as a result of the removal. So we will be working together with representatives of the state who will have a plan that will start working, working on putting the building blocks towards the eventual removal of the first subsidy.
“Find in your mind that the budget for 2023 has provision for subsidy only up to June 2023 and the Petroleum Industry Act has a provision that requires that all petroleum products must be deregulated 18 months after the effective date of the PMS removal.
“We agreed to form an expanded committee looking at the process for the removal including determining the exact time and the measures that need to be taken to provide support to the poor and the vulnerable and then also the alternatives that will be put in place, including ensuring that there is sufficient supply of petroleum products in the country.
” So this is a decision that has been taken to expand the committee that is currently working with representatives of the states and it will have to be engaging with Labour and with petroleum marketers. The immediate committee is just comprising the initial Finance, the NNPC, the regulator, the downstream upstream regulator”
The Presidency said yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has subdued insurgency in the country.
It also said the government should not be blamed for not bringing back all the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in April 2014.
Recall that the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed thousands of lives, began in 2009 in Borno State.
Chibok Girls: 9 years after, authorities failing to protect children —Amnesty Int'l
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, said Boko Haram insurgents were no longer as active as they were before 2015, having been subdued by the present government.
”Can you say the insurgency is still what it was before 2015 when they killed people in thousands and seized control of many local governments in Borno State?” Adesina queried.
Adesina said the insurgency situation in the country was no longer as bad as it was when Buhari took over the reins of power in 2015, adding that the number of casualties had scaled down considerably.
”Remember that in 2014 alone, over 7,000 persons were lost to insurgency, whereas in 2022, a little over 2,000 died from Boko Haram attacks. Don’t get me wrong, to lose just one soul is already bad enough.
But we cannot say we are still where we were before 2015 when this government assumed office,” the presidential spokesman said.
He asserted that Nigerians should not hold President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration responsible for not rescuing all the kidnapped Chibok girls.
“In 2015, we knew where Nigeria was, today we know where we are, 276 school girls were spirited away, about 57 escaped immediately, and over 100 have been returned by the administration.
“The ones that are left, I think 90-something, they are Nigerians, they have the right to be brought back.
“But then, if a government came in when the trail was already cold and you couldn’t trace where the girls were taken, you can’t then blame it solely for not bringing them back, that would not be quite right.
”Dachi girls were taken under the administration, and within the week they were recovered except maybe five, including Leah Sharibu sadly.”
Adesina noted that the government was proactive to tackle the kidnap at the time it occurred, adding that the incoming government should take up the responsibility to recover the girls.
“I believe that with the Chibok girls, we should rather appreciate God and appreciate the government for what was achieved. It is not as if the government folded its arms and didn’t do anything, it did its level best.
“Because government is a continuum, the incoming government, if it recovers more of those girls, the country will gladly receive them,” he said.
Adesina also said President Buhari didn’t know of many promises made to Nigerians in 2015 by his supporters, including revamping the economy, agriculture, infrastructure and fighting corruption.
He said: “What happened in 2015 was that there was a rash of documents passing off as the party’s manifesto.”
A member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Salihu Moh Lukman has dragged the party’s national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, to a Federal High Court over alleged breach of the party’s constitution.
Lukman, who is also the party’s national vice chairman (North West) has also written an official letter to inform President Muhammadu Buhari and the president- elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu about the development.
Apart from Adamu, who is the 2nd defendant in the matter, others are the All Progressives Congress (APC) 1st defendant, Senator Iviola Omisore (3rd defendant) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 4th defendant.
In the suit, the plaintiff is praying the court for an order mandating/directing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to immediately call for or cause to be called and held the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC for purpose of presenting the activities of the Party from the date of the last NEC Meeting which was held on 28th April 2022 to the last meeting of the National Working Committee which held on 17th April 2023.
An order mandating/directing the 1, 2nd and 3rd Defendants to immediately call for or cause to be called and held the meeting of the National Executive Committee of the APC for purpose of presenting proposed guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to the party offices at all levels and procedure for selecting Party candidates for elective offices, including the selection and zoning of leadership of the National Assembly to the members of the NEC.
An order mandating/directing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to immediately call for or cause to be called and hold the meeting of the NEC of the APC for the purpose of presenting the executive committee.
President Muhammadu Buhari has given an insight into what led to the defeat of the opposition political parties during the 2023 presidential election saying poor tactics and overconfidence were responsible for their defeat.
The president noted that while the All Progressive Congress, APC, was working hard in order to retain power, the opposition parties were victims of overconfidence hence their defeat.
The president was speaking on Thursday at the State House while playing host to the Progressive Governors Forum of the ruling party led by Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, the chairman of the group.
A statement from Garba Shehu, the president’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity quoted the President as saying that, “They were already telling their foreign backers that they would defeat the APC.
“Our Party blended confidence with caution, we worked hard and won.
“Now, their overconfidence is creating more problems for the opposition than anyone else.
“They are finding it hard to convince those who supported them from outside why they are unable to beat us.
“A combination of over confidence, complacency and bad tactical moves made them lose, plain and clear.
“This has created more problems in their camp. Why did they fail to remove us?”
Buhari justified his message of congratulations to the declared winner, Bola Tinubu saying, “an important reason I congratulate Asiwaju on winning is because the opposition got support and false hope from outside and went on to create the impression that they will win, that they will defeat us. How more wrong could anyone be?” he asked.
He admonished the governors to, “Try and keep solving problems. Be courageous to discuss them openly between yourselves. This is the best way to survive politically in Nigeria.”
He stressed that, “You (Governors) have a program to meet regularly and to discuss issues and how to maintain the Party nationwide.”
Responding, Bagudu explained the purpose of the visit and thanked him for the sterling leadership he has rendered to the party.
“Congratulations, your Party won the Presidency, a majority in the Senate and for being the leading Party in the House of Representatives. These successes would not have happened without your support,” Bagudu said.
He stressed that, “History will remember you kindly. Around the world, the election is being celebrated because of the turbulence in the region and in the developing world, all courtesy of your leadership.
“We won by sheer hard work, the same thing you have always encouraged us to do. We thank you immensely for everything,” he added.
Also in attendance were governors from Plateau, Imo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Cross Rivers , Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun and Nasarawa States.
The Deputy Governors of Kano, Gombe, Borno and Ebonyi were in attendance, as well as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi has disclosed how he spent over thirty-six billion naira to build an international airport, located in Onueke, Ezza South LGA.
Naija News reports that the Airport which was named after President Muhammadu Buhari will be inaugurated in the first week of May 2023 by the President.
Speaking on the completion of the project while addressing stakeholders of the state and the delegation of the Federal Ministry of Aviation during the flight test that took place at the Onueke airport, Umahi disclosed that over 400 citizens of Ebonyi State were employed as staff of the airport.
The Governor explained that he is ready to hand over the airport to the federal government to run, noting that the state government can’t manage the airport.
It was gathered that two Air Peace Hopper airlines, No. 5N-BXF and No. 5-BUY which landed at the airport carried over one hundred passengers from Lagos and Abuja.
Earlier in his remark, the director of the Civil Aviation Authority, CAA, who was represented by General Manager, Aerodrome Services, Mr Oladipo Adebayo, described the airport as the best of all the airports in Nigeria.
He applauded the Ebonyi State Government for using high-standard equipment to construct the airport, adding that with such quality materials used, the airport will stand the test of time.
The immediate past Chairman of Labour Party in Lagos State, Olukayode Salako, has resigned his membership of the party.
Recalls that Salako and five others were recently suspended indefinitely over allegations of anti-party activities in the just-concluded general elections.
In a letter to the party’s National Chairman, Salako said his resignation from the party was to save himself from constant attacks of being called an All Progressives Congress (APC) mole.
“I wish to inform you and the leadership authority of the party that I am resigning from the official position above and also withdrawing my membership as a card carrying stakeholder in Labour Party in Lagos State, from today, April 20, 2023,” the letter reads partly.
“Dropping my membership of Labour Party at this critical time of my political career, is like dropping a child one has groomed passionately with the best of intention, sincerity, commitment, and unusual affection.
“However, it is a personal decision I have to take to save myself from the consistent accusations and public attacks of being labeled an APC/Tinubu mole in the party, among other personal reasons.
“I thank the party for the privileged opportunity it availed me to serve as the State Chairman of the party; for the ticket to contest as a candidate in the February 25, 2023, House of Representatives election, and the appointment to serve your office as the Special Adviser on Lagos State Labour party affairs, and its Liason operations.”
Salako who led the party in the state for six months, stepped down as chairman at the party’s legal stakeholder’s meeting in January.
He was also the LP House of Representatives candidate for the Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency 1 in the just concluded general elections.
Salako has continued to criticize the governorship candidate of the party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
[THE WHISTLER]
The Iba Samu of Oyo Empire, Chief Lamidi Oyewale, who is one of the ‘Oyo Mesi’ (King Makers) in Oyo town said on Thursday tag a new Alaafin of Oyo will likely emerge before May 29 this year.
He said the delay in the current ongoing process to choose the new monarch is to have rancour-free coronation peaceful reign of the new monarch.
Recall that a rumor filtered on social media on Wednesday that one of the contestants for the stool, Prince Lukman Mofojudola Ayinla Gbadegesin Agunloye had been appointed as the new monarch.
But the Oyo State Government, through the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, announced that no one had been chosen as the new Alaafin of Oyo.
Speaking in Oyo town at the one year remembrance prayer for late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Chief Oyewale urged people to be patient. He noted that the process of choosing the monarch is a painstaking one and assured that there won’t be any problem when the new king eventually emerges.
According to him, Oyo town had in the past been without a king for over three years and there was no problem or a breakdown of law and order.
“It’s just a year the late Alaafin died. Before the swearing-in of the governor, a new Oyo monarch will emerge.
“I don’t want to comment much on the process of the emergence of new Alaafin. I’ve said a lot of things and granted a lot of interviews concerning it. Though we have little challenges, my prayer is that God will give us another king that will better our lives.”
The stool of Alaafin became vacant when Oba Lamidi Adeyemi joined his ancestors at 83 after spending 52 years on the throne.
People at the one-year remembrance prayer eulogized the late monarch for his efforts towards development, sustainability and upholding unity of Yoruba land, saying the vacancy the monarch left would be hard to be filled.
Dignitaries at the event include Mogaji Hassan Oranlola, the Aminu Mumina of Oyo State, Alhaji Yakubu Manasara, Imam Alaafin, Alhaji Muhammed Olanrewaju, Alhaji Mudashiru Yusuf and Alhaji Muhammed Bashir among others
…Says Allegation Unfounded, Lacks Merit, Substance
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami has dismissed claims that the country lost over $2.4bn revenue from alleged illegal sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil exported in 2015 to China.
Malami faulted the allegations during the resumed Ad-hoc Committee investigation on the alleged sale of 48 million barrels of crude oil amounting to over $2.4 billion and crude oil export to global destinations from 2014 to date.
Malami who is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation described the allegations as baseless, unfounded, lack merit and substance.
The House had in December last year resolved to constitute an ad-hoc committee to probe the allegation when it adopted a motion sponsored by Isiaka Ibrahim from Ogun State, at plenary.
The committee was also mandated to investigate all crude oil exports and sales by Nigeria from 2014 till date with regards to quantity, insurance, revenue generated, remittances into the federation accounts or other accounts as well as utilisation of the revenue for the period under review.
Ibrahim had said in the motion that, “a whistle-blower alleged in July 2020 that he had in July 2015, brought to the attention of a committee purportedly set up by the president for the recovery of missing crude oil exports, the existence of 48 million barrels of Nigeria’s Bonny Light crude oil in storage at several ports in China, under the authorisation of the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to sell the cargo.”
But speaking at the hearing on Thursday, Malami said that the office of the Attorney General of the Federation had filed a criminal suit against the individuals who purportedly raised the allegations being investigated by the Ad-hoc Committee.
According to him, the Individuals had attempted to defraud the Federal Government under the guise that the alleged crude oil stolen in China had been recovered.
Malami explained that the ongoing investigation initiated by the House was unconstitutional and subjudice, and argued that the prosecution of the petitioners which started in 2019 suffered setback as a result of series of adjournment caused by the absence of the accused persons.
He said the allegation in its own right is devoid of any reasonable ground pointing to a material suspicion cogent enough to invoke the constitutional oversight of the Committee.
He said: “Let me state on record and for the benefit of Nigerians and the committee that the allegations relating to the 48 million barrels are baseless. The allegation is unfounded. It lacks merit and indeed substance.
“The allegation in its own right is devoid of any reasonable ground pointing to a material suspicion cogent enough to invoke the constitutional oversight of the Committee.
“Why do I say so? Sometimes in 2016 allegations were rife and hyped in the social media. There were allegations of existence of stolen 48 million barrels of Nigerian crude in China said to have been valued at 2.4 billion.
“President Muhammadu Buhari informally requested the attorney-general, making reference to my humble person, Mele Kyari, Lawal Daura, former DG of DSS; and late Abba Kyari; to look into it and advise. But unfortunately, for there to be a reasonable ground for suspicion, at least, you require certain basic facts.
“If you’re talking of a product, you cannot establish the substance relating thereto, without confirming the origin of the purported product in China. If you talk about a product in China. Is it of Nigerian origin? That can be ascertained by sample and specifications. Is it Bonny Light for example, which you know emanate from Nigeria or what is it.
“The basic details of the existence of the product and connecting it to Nigeria was not there at all. If you are talking of a product, the vessel perhaps that has taken it, what are the particulars and details of the vessel. There were not available at our disposal at all.
“Which authority is it that has taken custody of the product? There was no information at all. So the issue is simple. There were no reasonable grounds for suspicion of the fact that the purported oil product either exist in spirit or in fact or in indeed exist in China — and it is in no way connected to Nigeria. And all effort on our part to get details have proven abortive.
“So, it was a committee that was dead on arrival because it has not been formally constituted.
“So, we could not establish the substance in the allegation because detail information to confirm the existence and origin of of the shipment such as sample of the oil, vessel involved loading point etc, location of the crude in China etc were not provided
“So, we reported to the president that we were unable to confirm the veracity of the allegation hence no further action was taken by my office.”
He further disclosed that the OAGF was instrumental to the recovery of various sums of fund which were deposited in the Asset Recovery Account domiciled with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
These include: $322 million recovered from Switzerland in 2016; $311.4 million from US/UK; $15.4 million Abacha Loot recovered in 2020 from Northern Ireland; £12.2 billion recovered from Ibori; $20 million recovered from Licosta as well as £954 recovered from Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, respectively.
While responding to question on the recovered funds, payment and disbursement, he said: “Ministry of Finance is the coordinator of the whistle blower policy and all payments to Whistle blower are made by the federal ministry of finance, budget and national planning.
“It should be noted that whistle blowing thrives on confidentiality and protection of information. Therefore, disclosure the details of whistle blowers at a public hearing breaches the confidentiality provision of which the office of the attorney general was committed to on on the account of personal security and the national security.
“So, arising from that consideration, I have taken pains to develop information taking into consideration the confidentiality element of it but providing same for the consideration of the committee exclusively.”
He explained that the details of international account, expenditure, statement of accounts are obtainable from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Malami added, “For the information of the committee, the office of the Attorney-General does not maintain the custody of an account of associated recoveries are maintained by the Central Bank and open on the request of the office of Attorney General and then open on the directives of office of the Accountant General.
“As far as being a signatory or in any way being responsible in the management of such account is concerned, the office of the attorney general is in no way connected whatsoever.
“Whatsoever information that may be required as it connects to the details of the signatories, details for the management, details of the disbursement associated with the recoveries accounts, I suggest that the Federal Ministry of Finance, the office of Accountant General are exclusive custodians, managers and operators of the account, no the office of the Attorney General.
“What I am saying in essence is that reference or details, signatories, disbursement, associated information on all the recovery accounts should be routed to the Central Bank, office of the Accountant General and indeed, the Federal Ministry of Finance that are the operators, maintainers, custodians of this account in question.”
The Whistleblower is believed to be
one Marco Antonio Ramirez, an American businessman, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for an alleged $368,698.24 fraud before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos could not continue today, April 26, 2023, due to the absence of the defence counsel, Lawal Pedro, SAN.
The EFCC is prosecuting Ramirez on an amended nine-count charge alongside his companies: USA NOW LLC, Eagle Ford
Instalodge Group LP, and USA NOW
Energy Capital Group LP.
One of the counts reads: “Marco
Antonio Ramirez, USA NOW LLC, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, on or about the 26th day of July, 2013 at Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $250,000 from Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon under the false representation that the sum was his investment in your company:
“USA Now Energy Capital Group LP in the Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) United States of America Investor Programme, which investment would qualify him to be eligible to a USA Green Card, and which representation you knew to be false.”
Femi Adesina, President Muhammadu Buhari’s special adviser on media and publicity, said on Thursday that his boss is unaware of many political promises made to Nigerians in 2015.
According to the presidential media aide, many campaign promises were made in 2015, and many of them did not come from Buhari, who was then a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Adesina stated on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday that there were many rash promises from some support groups that were being passed off as party manifestos but were not official documents or utterances.
He went on to say that when he returned to work as a media aide and asked the President about some of them, Buhari told him he didn’t know anything about them.
What happened in 2015 was that there was a rash of documents passing off as the party’s manifesto, Adesina said.
He added that;
You didn’t know which one was from the party or a support group. For instance, there was a document, ‘100 things Buhari will do in 100 days’. It was when I resumed as his media adviser that I asked him about that document and he knew nothing about it.
I’m not strictly a party person, so I do not know if some promises are part of the manifesto. But I know that each party would have promises before being elected into power and whoever is elected to power must key into those promises.
What I’m telling you is that as at 2015, there were various types of documents which even the party didn’t know because there were many support groups who came out with their own promises.
However, when asked about some of the official pre-election pledges that could be traced back to Buhari, Adesina blamed economic realities for the inability of the President to fulfill some of them.
A country can only spend the money it has, it can’t spend the money it doesn’t have.
When the realities of the economy change, you have to adjust and do what you are able to do according to the realities of the economy, he said.
[PRESS STATEMENT] The Victory Of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode Against The EFCC At The Federal High Court In Lagos
AdminWe refer to case number FHC/L/251C/16, FRN v NENADI ESTHER USMAN & 3 ORS.
The matter, wherein we represent the 2nd defendant, came up on the 25th of April 2023.
The court was informed of the judgment of the Court of Appeal quashing the charge in the Federal High Court Lagos on the issue of lack of jurisdiction.
The court ordered that all exhibits be released to the defendants upon our application for the defendant’s passport.
Contrary to media reports these are the facts and this is what happened at the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday.
We wish to state the following in order to clarify the situation and let the Nigerian public know the truth.
It is an unfortunate that the EFCC and elements in the Nigerian media misrepresented the position of the proceedings at the Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday in respect of the now terminated criminal case that was filed and prosecuted by the EFCC over the last seven years against our client Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.
Contrary to media reports Justice Isiagwu of the Federal High Court in Lagos did NOT order that the matter should be transferred to Abuja for refiling and re-charging and neither did he order that our clients passport should be handed over to the EFCC.
The Learned Judge simply ordered that the case be struck out and that our client's passport should be returned to him.
This was after an earlier judgement last Thursday by the Court of Appeal in which the same the same charges against our client had been quashed.
As at today there is no case in respect of these charges in the court against our client and after 7 years of prosecution we are not only grateful to the courts for administering justice in a courageous, fair and just manner but we are also overjoyed at the fact that what can only be described as yet another 7 year ordeal has been brought to an end. It is clear that the interest of the EFCC in the life of our client is obsessive.
They prosecuted him from 2008 till 2015 on politically-motivated, bogus spurious and trumped up charges and after 7 years he was discharged and acquitted by Justice Rita Ofili Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Lagos.
One year later in 2016 they went after him again and charged him on yet another set of politically-motivated and spurious charges again at the Federal High Court in Lagos and last Thursday, which was again 7 years later, all those charges have been quashed by the Court of Appeal.
It is instructive to also mention the fact that they are prosecuting him in two other courts, at the Ikeja High Court in Lagos and the Federal High Court in Abuja respectively, for again what we consider to be spurious and politically motivated charges.
Despite their loss at the Court of Appeal last week and the decision of the learned and distinguished Court of Appeal judges to quash all the charges, if the EFCC deems it fit to go to an Abuja court after 7 years of unsuccessfully prosecuting the same matter in Lagos and wasting taxpayers money to refile the case and start the matter all over again that is their prerogative.
In the event of them doing so we shall of course meet them in court and resist them with as much vigour, skill and aggression as we have done over the last 14 years in their quest to destroy and jail our client who is totally innocent of any wrongdoing.
Whatever they choose to do in the future, as at now the matter is completely dead, they have lost the case, the charges have been quashed and the matter has been thrown out.
All the media manipulation, fake reports, falsehood and fabrications in the world cannot change that.
We have applied for the certified true copies of the judgements and rulings in both courts and once we have them we shall release them to the public.
Meanwhile we urge the Media to be more circumspect in their reporting and not allow themselves to be used to misrepresent the position of the court.
Signed: Mrs. Patience Omoike-Mark,
Counsel to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode.
More...
The Federal Government has suspended plans to remove fuel subsidy by June this year.
Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Ahmed Zaniab gave the indication on Thursday, shortly after the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting, chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
She said the NEC, which comprises State Governors deliberated on the issue extensively and came to the conclusion that it will not be wise to remove subsidy as soon as the new administration is trying to settle down to governance.
She also noted that the existing committee that has been discussing the fuel subsidy issue needed to be expanded to enable more input from concerned Nigerians.
She specifically said there needed to be more interface with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and more engagement with the petroleum marketers’ association, among others.
Some Nigerian students escaping the unrest in Sudan are currently trapped in the desert.
Following the three-day ceasefire declared by the Sudanese armed forces and the Rapid Support Force, countries have been making efforts to evacuate their citizens.
On Wednesday, the Nigerian government had said N150m was released for hiring 40 buses to convey some Nigerians from Sudan to Cairo in Egypt, from where they would be airlifted to Nigeria.
But some of the students being evacuated to safety shared bitter experiences about the journey.
An affected student, who did not disclose her identity, said the drivers have vowed not to continue the journey owing to lack of funds.
“Before we started this journey, we experienced different things. Can you believe that we have been stuck in this desert for 5 hours. We don’t know the situation we are in.
“We don’t have water. Our money has finished. Can you imagine? The drivers said they are not moving their buses because they have not been paid. We are stuck in the desert. We don’t have anything. We don’t even know where we are. We are in an unknown location and in a very big danger.”
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), had confirmed that the evacuation had begun.
Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Zubairu Dada, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, had said they wanted to utilise the 72-hour ceasefire to evacuate as many Nigerians in Sudan as possible.
About 5,500 Nigerians, including students, were stranded in Khartoum and other cities of Sudan as a result of the conflict.
Clashes broke out between erstwhile allies, General Abdel al-Burha, who heads the Sudanese Armed Forces and leader of the RSF paramilitary group, General Mohamed Dagalo, over a power-sharing disagreement.
The conflict had so far claimed about 500 lives with thousands of others injured and millions displaced.
Foreigners are also fleeing Khartoum in a long-United Nations convoy, while millions of frightened residents hunkered down inside their homes, many running low on water and food.
Dada said the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and staff of the Nigerian commission in Egypt and Ethiopia are currently on the ground in the Egyptian border in Aswan to receive close to 40 luxury buses conveying Nigerians who had left the Sudanese capital, Khartoum by road.
The Federal Government had not reacted to the latest development as of the time of filing this report.
[DailyTrust]
A writer, E Jean Carroll, on Wednesday, narrated how former US President, Donald Trump, allegedly raped her at a department store changing room.
She is seeking unspecified damages from Trump.
The former Elle magazine advice columnist took to the witness stand at a federal court in New York, for her civil lawsuit against Trump to testify about a chance meeting with him in the mid-90s.
According to her, after running into Trump at Manhattan’s Bergdorf Goodman, they teased one another to try on a piece of lingerie.
Carroll alleged they ended up alone together in a changing room, where Trump pushed her against a wall and raped her before she fought him off and fled.
She told jurors she blamed herself and also feared she would be fired and that Trump would retaliate if she reported the “extremely painful” encounter.
“I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he lied and said it didn’t happen.
“He lied and shattered my reputation, and I’m here to try and get my life back. As I’m sitting here today I can still feel it,” she said.
The trial comes as Mr Trump is again running to become president.
She first made her accusations in 2019.
Denying the allegation, Trump had labelled her a “nut job” and “mentally sick” and claimed she fabricated the rape claim to boost sales of her book.
Barely a month after the airlines’ foreign exchange rate rose from N462 to N551, the rate has further skyrocketed fuelling fears of increase in international air fares.
Daily Trust gathered that the Airlines’ rate of exchange (ROE) changed from 582.00 to N610.00 with effect from Wednesday.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the sharp increase is part of the fall-out of the mounting foreign airlines’ trapped funds which recently crossed over $700m.
From March 22 when the rate increased from N460 to N551/$, the rate has increased twice in a month.
And on Wednesday, it further increased to N610 to a dollar which implies that tickets would be issued at the rate of N610 to a dollar.
Daily Trust learnt that the new exchange rate used for aviation related businesses especially flight booking aligns with the investors’ and exporters’ (I&E) foreign exchange windows that allow for FX trades to be made at exchange rates determined based on prevailing market circumstances.
A travel agent who spoke to our correspondent said the airlines already communicated the development to their trade partners.
“I got a mail from one of the airlines that as from today, flight reservations should be made using the new rate,” the trade partner said pleading not to be named.
The implication is that many classes of tickets would be seriously affected as airlines which recently reinstated some lower inventories may remove them again.
Aviation consultant, Babatunde Adeniji in a chat with our correspondent said the rate changes frequently because of the trapped funds.
“It changes up and down but doesn’t impact the block funds situation. What it was meant to achieve is that the rate at which you sold should be a safe rate for you. It is like a floating exchange rate. But the same CBN that is fixing exchange rate, when it is time to make remittances, you might not get the same rate.
“The big problem with blocked funds is that when I am ready to get my money, the only rate available to me is the black market rate.”
President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, who also confirmed the development said, “The implication is that Air fares would go up again. A fare that was N1.5m yesterday is now N1.7m and report reaching us from IATA indicated that the Airlines are trying to match the rate that CBN is selling to them. CBN is not selling to them at official rate.”
[DailyTrust]