The Senate Committee on Nigerian Army has applauded the military and other security agencies over the successful rescue of the abducted pupils of LEA School, Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, said in a statement on Monday, that the rescue mission was swift and appropriately responsive in line with military rule of engagement, noting that it was a rare operation that stands the military and other security agents in the operation as best among equals.
Yar’adua, who represents Katsina Central in the 10th Senate, said the military, having worked with other security agents and local vigilantes, have nonetheless shown their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the country.
“It is with profound gratitude and admiration that we commend the Nigerian Army and other Security Agencies for their swift and successful rescue operation that led to the safe return of kidnapped students of LEA School Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
“The heroic efforts of our gallant troops, working in conjunction with local authorities and government agencies, have once again demonstrated their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our nation.
“It is heartening to note that these rescued individuals have since been conveyed and handed over to the Kaduna State Government for further care and necessary action, bringing hope and relief to their families and loved ones,” he said.
The lawmaker added that the abducted Almajiri in Gada Local Government Council of Sokoto State in the Northwest Nigeria have also been rescued, stressing that the lofty achievement of the military showed their unalloyed commitment to protecting the sanctity of the nation
“Furthermore, we must also acknowledge the recent rescue operation in Gada LGA of Sokoto State, where 16 pupils (Almajiris) and a woman were freed from captivity and handed over to the Sokoto State Government.
“These combined efforts underscore the unwavering resolve of our armed forces to locate and rescue all hostages, as well as bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.
“While we celebrate these victories, it is crucial to recognize the challenges faced by our military personnel, who are often overstretched in their duty to safeguard our nation. As a gesture of our utmost appreciation and support, we pledge to enhance legislative measures aimed at improving the welfare and well-being of our brave soldiers, as well as streamlining their operations for greater efficiency.
“The relentless dedication and sacrifices of our armed forces in the face of adversity are a testament to their unwavering commitment to our collective security and national well-being,” he said.
Presidential Election: 44-Year-Old Opposition Candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Opens Up Early Lead In Senegal
AFOLABI44-year-old opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye has reportedly taken the lead in the ongoing Senegal Prsidential election.
Provisional results from individual polling stations published by local media and on social networks is showing that Faye has opened a commanding lead over the governing coalition’s candidate and former prime minister, Amadou Ba.
Some other candidates in the election have also started congratulating Faye ahead of official declarations, while the candidate’s supporters have gathered at his campaign headquarters in the capital Dakar late Sunday, singing and dancing to the sound of klaxons and drums.
Young people on motorbikes paraded the streets chanting “to the (presidential) palace”.
At least seven of the presidential contenders congratulated Faye in light of initial indications from the ongoing vote count.
“Congratulations to Bassirou Diomaye Faye on his unquestionable victory,” the only woman candidate, Anta Babacar Ngom, posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Dethie Fall congratulated Faye “on his fine victory, clearly achieved in view of the very strong trends that are emerging”.
The ruling party is however not sharing the optimism of the opposition candidate and his supporters, saying in the worst case scenario, there would be a second round of voting.
Ba’s campaign management said that according to its experts, it was “certain to be, in the worst case scenario, in a second-round”.
It also accused Faye’s camp of attempted “manipulation”.
“It is not inevitable that Senegal will slide into a populist adventure,” the statement added.
The enthronement process of the new Olubadan of Ibadan land will commence on Tuesday, March 26.
This was confirmed by the Olubadan Advisory Council.
The revered throne became vacant on March 14, 2024, following the passing of Oba Lekan Balogun, who died aged 81 after ruling the ancient city for two years.
The meeting of the Olubadan Advisory Council, in accordance with tradition, is billed to hold at the residence of the most Senior High Chief, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, former Oyo State governor, at his Bodija residence.
According to a source, the Olubadan Advisory Council will at the meeting nominate the successor to the late monarch, High Chief Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.
The traditional practice of nomination of a new Olubadan by the Advisory Council, according to the source, is usually done after the eighth-day Islamic prayers for the late monarch, which was held on Friday, March 22, 2024.
The source disclosed that soon after the nomination, a document of affirmation of Olakulehin’s nomination would be sent to Governor Seyi Makinde, through the Office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
Two lines have historically, on a rotational basis, been producing the occupants of the Olubadan stool. They are the Otun Line (Civil Line) and the Balogun Line (Military Line).
The immediate-past Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun, who joined his ancestors on Thursday, March 14, 2024, after two years on the throne, was produced by the Otun Line.
Popular singer, May D has reacted to claims of owing N11k.
He was called out over the weekend by a waitress for allegedly owing N11,000 balance for the food he bought.
A waitress @dblaqgoddess232 alleged the singer and friends came to the hotel where she works on January 12, 2024 for food and drinks which amounted to N56,000.
She claimed May D and friends left for a club that same day and didn’t arrive until the next day.
When it was time to reconcile account by 10 am the next day, she decided to contact the singer through a phone number offered by a friend still in the hotel.
The lady alleged that he had given her an offensive reply instead.
After much back and forth, he finally paid N45,000 with an outstanding balance of N11,000 since January.
She wrote: “My encounter with a celebrity as a waitress….Disclaimer: this isn’t clout chasing, I just want my money!!!
“So about two months ago Mr MayD and friends came to the hotel where I work to lodge, and I served them food and drinks, it was on Friday, 12 of Jan,2024….
“So after he had foods and drinks on Friday, they all went to the club and didn’t come back that same night, was so scared coz I would have been the one to pay if he ended up not paying, but one of his friends was still in the hotel so I was a bit assured I’ll get the money..
“Fast forward to the next day which was on Saturday 13th,of Jan 2024.
Our hotel rule is to do our sales account before 10am in the morning, so I got his contact from his friend who was in the hotel to reach out to him so I can get the money and his response was totally offensive.
“Still I kept my cool coz I wouldn’t want to get blocked and end up paying for money I didn’t owe, which I still did coz he only sent part of his payment and I had to cover up the balance of 11k with my salary at the end of the month…”
After being dragged online by the waitress and some other netizens on X, May D took to the platform to break his silence on the allegations.
He acknowledged owing the money and noted that he should be left alone because he is broke.
He asked the lady to send her account number to him and wait for the end of the month for the balance.
Mr May D wrote: “You people should leave me alone I’m broke , she should send her acvount , I’ll pay her at the end of the month when I collect salary from my Oga .. 11k Abi”
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has approved the appointment of 168 assistants and 104 board members for the 15 agencies and commissions of the state.
This is according to a statement issued by the Secretary to the state government, Bukar Tijjani, on Monday, in Maiduguri.
He said the appointees comprised nine senior technical assistants (STA), 81 senior special assistants (SSAs), and 78 special assistants (SAs).
The SSG also listed the 104 others as chairmen and board members of 15 agencies and commissions.
The appointment, Mr Tijjani said, was done based on powers conferred on the governor by the provisions of Section 208(2)d of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
“The governor congratulates the appointees and looks forward to their contributions to the development of Borno,” he said.
(NAN)
Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the executives from Binance detained in Nigeria on allegations of tax evasion and other offenses, has reportedly escape from custody.
Anjarwalla, aged 38, allegedly fled from the Abuja guest house where he and his colleague were being held, purportedly taking advantage of a moment during Ramadan prayers when guards escorted him.
Despite his British passport remaining under the control of Nigerian authorities, he is believed to have exited the country using a Kenyan passport, Premium Times reported.
Authorities are currently working diligently to determine his intended destination and take steps to apprehend him.
The detention of Anjarwalla and his colleague, Tigran Gambaryan, unfolded after their arrival in Nigeria on February 26, 2024.
They were promptly subjected to criminal charges, including alleged tax-related offenses, leading to their remand by a local court.
In a separate legal maneuver, the Nigerian government brought forth additional charges against Binance Holdings Limited and the two executives, accusing them of conducting operations without the requisite registration and tax compliance.
This development comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s intensified efforts to combat financial crimes, including money laundering and terrorism financing.
Binance, a prominent cryptocurrency exchange platform, has found itself at the center of this crackdown.
The Nigerian government alleges that over $21.6 billion in transactions on Binance involved individuals whose identities were shielded, pointing to potential illicit activities such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and market manipulation.
These activities, according to Nigerian authorities, have had adverse effects on the nation’s economy, contributing to currency fluctuations and undermining the value of the Naira.
The detention of Binance executives in Nigeria follows closely on the heels of the platform’s settlement of criminal money laundering charges in the United States.
Binance’s founder and CEO, Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, entered a guilty plea and agreed to resign from his position.
Zhao’s criminal trial, which is linked to the charges brought by the US Department of Justice, has been postponed to April 30.
[PRESS RELEASE] Federal Government Committed to Building Enduring Road Infrastructure at Lowest Possible Cost, Commended by Leaders Across Political Divide for Historic Infrastructural Transformation
Admin-As Honourable Minister of Works Saves for the Country Over N300 Billion on the Design of the Onitsha Axis of the Second Niger Bridge Bypass Done by the Past Administration
1. As part of efforts to secure the future of Nigeria and guarantee her progressive march to economic prosperity, the Renewed Hope administration of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has expressed its commitment in building everlasting road infrastructure with the most effective design at the lowest possible cost. This assurance was made by the Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON during his inspection visit to the rehabilitation of Enugu- Port Harcourt dual carriageway section IV (Aba-Port Harcourt) handled by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd( CCECC) on Sunday, 24th March 2024. The Honourable Minister who was accompanied by a member of the Senate Commitee on Works and Deputy Chief Whip of the 10th Senate, and other leaders across political divide from South East said that some of the ideals in the Renewed Hope mantra under his Ministry include design and cost effectiveness, speed and standard of job delivery as well as innovations that would guarantee zero maintenance and durability of road infrastructure in Nigeria. He urged contractors to always consider the sufferings of the road users as they set up their work plans.
2. The Honourable Minister also enjoined contractors to ensure that the roads they are working are made passable for commuters during the rainy season. He thanked Mr. President for the enablement to change the narrative of the road infrastructure in Nigeria. On the section being handled by CCECC, he directed, "We will not accept anything less than two to three sections working. And I've given seven days for this particular lane, that is, the upper bound lane to be totally repaired, to ameliorate the sufferings of the commuters. I feel for them very highly. When you go through this road, you now need to take a number of painkillers. It's not desirable. So I'm begging CCECC, the controller, and engineers to do everything possible in the next seven days and create a smooth sail on this right-hand side." He further said, " I want to thank Mr. President, so much. He has done a lot in our road infrastructure. He's a man who wants all the roads to be completed as soon as possible. But let me assure him that I'm doing the best that I can with the fear of God and with commitment to his Renewed Hope agenda, which we all embraced. He continued, "And just only two days back, with these leaders, we went to Asaba to look at the design of the bypass of the second Niger bridge, and we went to Onitsha. And by that singular movement, we saw that the design was defective and we agreed on a new kind of design. That was how we saved the country over N300 billion by that singular movement to that location."
3. The Honourable Minister who also visited the Upgrading of the 15km section of the East-West road section III: (Port Harcourt - Eleme Junction to Onne Junction in Rivers State) handled by RCC, the rehabilitation of Enugu- Port Harcourt Expressway Section 3, Enugu- Lokpanta handled by CGC and the rehabilitation work at the collapsed bridge site at the New Artisan Bridge near NNPC mega fillings station Enugu Capital City, Enugu State, expressed satisfaction with the job being done but charged contractors to step up their pace to cover a milestone ahead of the rainy season. He said of the project along Eleme refinery road, " We are upgrading the 15km road between Eleme flyover to Onne junction. We are starting with excavation to fill all the failed sections to make them stable. And when we get to where stable, we build up the boulders. After boulders, we put up sharp sand, and after the sharp sand, we compact. After the compaction, we put the first layer of stone base, 20cm first layer that will build up against another 10cm of stone base, we compact. After compacting, we leave it out for the traffic. So that it gets maximum compaction. After that, we put 10 cm with 5% cement to stabilize it and make it very strong. That will make the road very stable and it will last for a long time. "
4. The stakeholders from South East, who accompanied the Honourable Minister, thanked Mr. President for appointing a round peg in a round hole and for taking a bold and reassuring step to recover the economy of the country. They enjoined Nigerians to continue to have faith in the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. The Deputy Chief Whip, Sen. Barr. Onyekachi Peter Nwaebonyi, who is also the Deputy Chairman Public Accounts and member, Works Commitee of the 10th Senate said, "This is what we were lacking before, like he said here, he is not an office Minister. He moves from site to site to ensure that the jobs are done according to specification. That is what we want in this country, and I want to commend Mr. President for finding him worthy. This is the very first time an expert is leading this ministry, and I want to assure Nigerians that very soon, they will see the difference in all our projects." The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Senate President, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, GCON said, "I want to remind you that the day the Honourable Minister took oath of office, he had a reception and I chaired it and I reassured Nigerians that he would exceed their expectations. I think this trip is a follow-up to that assurance to satisfy myself that he's actually exceeding expectations. And I can tell you that it's amazing. His passion, his expertise impacts the design, the quality, the speed, the durability, and, in fact, impacts the style of project implementation. And for the two days we've been on the road, it's been like never before. And I want to say that I am proud that he is exceeding expectations. And I want to say that I have been vindicated that the President did not make any mistake. Again, I want to reemphasize, like my brother, there is a case of square peg in a square hole. Thank you, Mr. President." The former National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh said, "I want to state clearly, publicly what I have seen in the past two days. In the last two days, I have witnessed things that I never knew were possible on the issue of road construction in Nigeria, especially on these roads. I've gone with the Honorable Minister. I have seen, I've been satisfied. I feel that it is a question of a round peg in a round hole. Our request, Mr. President, is that the hope is real, and as long as the Minister is in charge, he's being supported, he's being funded, Mr. President is going to write his name in gold in the annals of our history for generations to come. This will be a reference point about what he has done on our roads in the entire country. It's a legacy project for Nigerians. I want to state that the most important thing is not only the quality of the roads that we have seen but the fact that it's being done with the lowest amount of money. What the Honourable Minister is saving the country, saving from the budget, saving the Nation on the instruction of Mr. President is unquantifiable. This is democracy in action. Mr. President, thank you so much. We thank Mr. President and we thank you, Mr. Honourable Minister."
Hon. Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji
Special Adviser (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Works
The crisis rocking the Labour Party, LP, took a dangerous dimension last week, with members of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, picketing the party’s national secretariat and some of its state offices.
There are also indications that the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi and his supporters known as Obidients have abandoned the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure to his fate.
This is not unconnected to the internal crisis that has been rocking the party structure since the 2023 general elections was concluded.
After a series of legal battles with the factional chairman of the party, Lamidi Apapa, Abure has been in the news over alleged financial impropriety and other disturbing issues.
Abure’s unending alleged financial scandals
DAILY POST recalls that Peter Obi in February 2024, called for a thorough and forensic investigation into an embezzlement allegation levelled against the party’s chairman, Abure.
The call by the former Anambra Governor was in response to allegations earlier made by Oluchi Oparah, the national treasurer of the party, accusing Abure of allegedly misappropriating N3.5 billion.
Oparah also alleged that the Abure-led National Working Committee, NWC, was working hand-in-hand with the Edo State Government and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the September 2024 governorship polls.
Similarly, in a letter signed by Comrades TItus Amba and Chris Uyot, the chairman and the secretary of NLC Political Commission, the party expressed concerns over recurrent scandals and pending cases of fraud.
Labour Party administration under Abure
Abure was recently accused by some stakeholders of the party, including the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, of running the LP as a “sole administrator.”
DAILY POST recalls that the Deputy President of the NLC Political Commission, Dr Theophilus Ndubuaku, who spoke when the workers occupied the Labour Party headquarters in Abuja recently, said the decision to picket the party’s headquarters was taken to express workers’ grievances against Abure’s style of leadership.
He said, ”Now, it is in the hands of this usurper, he is looking for N30 million, N40 million, and so on to buy forms, excluding the people who founded the party. Enough is enough, Abure must go,” said the acting General Secretary of NLC, Comrade Bello Ismail on the cost of governorship interest and nomination forms.
Similarly, in a letter issued by Comrades TItus Amba and Chris Uyot, the chairman and secretary of NLC Political Commission, respectively, the union also knocked Abure for not being committed to the ideology of the Labour Party.
Controversial national convention
The embattled LP Chairman was in the news recently again over his alleged plan to hold National Convention without due processes.
DAILY POST reports that the Abure-led National Working Committee, NWC, was accused of planning to hold the national convention of the party in Umuahia, Abia State capital on March 27.
The planned convention was captured in a notice issued to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on March 13.
The move was, however, rejected by critical stakeholders, such as the House of Reps Caucus and the NLC, leading to the recent picketing of the party’s secretariat last week.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission – the political wing of the NLC, had in an open letter dated March 15, condemned the planned convention.
While demanding for the immediate resignation of Abure, the commission described the plan as illegal, noting that it would not allow any form of illegality in the affairs of the party to stand.
A source who spoke to DAILY POST on Saturday on condition of anonymity, alleged that Abure’s intention was to impose leadership on the party.
He said major stakeholders in that party were against the March convention, stressing that the party needs more time to select its leaders.
“Everybody in the party including our leader, Peter Obi is tired of Abure’s leadership. If we are not in court today, we will be in the news for one allegation or the other.
“The time we need to use to prepare for elections like the ones coming up in Edo and Ondo is used in settling disputes.
“Abure knows that everyone wants him out and the next thing he wants to do to remain relevant in the party is to impose a chairman on the party.
“How can you be talking about conventions and stakeholders of the same party are not even aware? The Labour Party is not Abure’s personal company”, he said.
Search for new chairman begins
DAILY POST gathered on Saturday that a former Deputy National Campaign Manager to Peter Obi/Dati Presidential Campaign, Comrade Isaac Balami from the Northern region may take over from Abure.
An insider told DAILY POST that some party leaderships and chieftains have had a meeting and suggested Balami as the next National Chairman of the party.
When contacted, Balami told our correspondent on the phone that he was “under pressure to run for the chairmanship of the party”, but that there are issues on ground still stopping his declaration.
According to him, he doesn’t even know whether the convention will be held as scheduled as “there are forces fighting against the unity and progress of the party”.
“But then, I can’t refuse or turn down a request coming directly from the youth constituency of the party.
“You know they were instrumental to the change in the political narrative and advancement of the Labour Party in the last election, so we can’t joke with their position.
“I truly appreciate their commitment to the success of our party and I won’t take their call for granted.
”In a couple of hours, we shall make our final decision on this matter.”
DAILY POST reports that the former All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain had prior to the 2023 general elections, dumped his party for the LP, saying he believed in the ideology of the party and its candidate, Mr Peter Obi.
Speaking on the controversy surrounding the convention, Dr Yunusa Salisu Tanko, Chief Spokesperson for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 election, told DAILY POST on Saturday that Abure failed to carry the stakeholders of the party along in the planned convention.
He said, “all we want is for us to build a political party we all will be proud of. A part that will represent the interest of everybody.
“We have all that it takes to build the structure of the party. That is the best thing that can happen to us as a party.
“We don’t want a closed convention like the Chairman is trying to have. Because it is likely going to be a closed convention instead of an open convention and that is not good for us.
“Many people did not even know that there was going to be a convention. I was not aware of the convention too. I saw it in the newspaper just like any other person.
“This is what NLC is also saying. Nobody is against any particular person but for us to have a convention that all of us will be proud of. Peter Obi has also said that the convention should be open for everybody.”
Asked to clarify the viral report purporting Peter Obi’s decision to dump the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 presidential elections, Tanko simply said, “It is not true. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like that”.
The National Hajj Commission has requested 2024 intending pilgrims to pay an additional N1,918 million amid Naira fluctuation against US dollar.
The Commission disclosed this in an update released through its official X handle on Sunday, noting that intending pilgrims should pay up the additional cost before 11:59 pm, 28th March, 2024.
Recall that the Commission had earlier pegged the fare for Hajj at about 4.9 million depending on the departure zone as approved by the government.
However, according to the NAHCON, the revaluation of the Naira against the US dollar in the foreign exchange market resulted in additional costs.
The Commission added that 6,441 intending pilgrims had made the initial payment and were advised to visit their state pilgrims boards to confirm their status.
The states included Bauchi, which had the highest figure of 2,290, followed by Adamawa(1,767). Thirdly, Edo(265) and others made up the total number of 6,441.
With the latest update, intended pilgrims will pay N6,818 million for the 2024 hajj, depending on the location.
“It is widely acknowledged that Hajj preparation follows a strict timeline. As for the 2024 Haj, the preparatory timeline released by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah began earlier than usual and is expected to end before its normal timing. NAHCON endeavoured to adhere to the schedule outlined by the Ministry.
“However, non-to-late remittances of Hajj fare by those concerned necessitated adjustments, resulting in two date shifts, with the final being 12th February 2024. Recall that on 31st December 2023, Naira was still at N897:00 to a Dollar at the banks. These shifts, unfortunately, pushed the Haj fare collection deadline to fall after the harmonization of foreign exchange rates, presenting a new and significant challenge.
“What the harmonization meant in the Hajj fare equation was that in the face of global financial challenges, coupled with the new forex policy.
“Nigerian pilgrims would now be saddled with an unexpected increase in Hajj cost, despite having already paid the fixed fare of about N4.9 million, depending on the departure zone as approved by the government.
“The Federal Government saw the wisdom in deliberately intervening on behalf of the Nigerian intending pilgrims through various strategies, including persuading cost reductions.
“Unfortunately, the interventions could not cover the entire number that had met the final registration deadline. This had remained the Commission’s dilemma. To make matters worse, about 50,000 pilgrims under the Public Quota have now paid the hitherto announced fare of about N4.9 million, and their payments are currently under the custody of the Commission.
“Considering the urgency of the situation, NAHCON was forced to explore various options, including encouraging State Governments and affluent individuals to intervene on behalf of their pilgrims. This window remains open.
“This will complement the intervention of the Federal Government that went the extra mile to support the Nigerian Muslim pilgrims in discharging their religious obligation. Commendably, the government’s policy focus on bringing down the exchange rate has boosted the Hajj fare reduction.
“The good news now is that with Naira having appreciated to N1,474.00 to a Dollar over the preceding week and after due consultation with stakeholders, coupled with NAHCON’s desire to ensure equitable spread because of the Federal Government’s intervention to all the already registered pilgrims whose payments have been received, the Commission resolved that each pilgrim would now have to pay a balance of N1,918,032.91 by the current foreign exchange rate.
“Intending pilgrims that still wish to participate in the 2024 Hajj are, by this release, advised to proceed and pay a balance of N1,918,032.91 by 11:59 pm of 28th March 2024. The Commission will shut down its system by 29th March, and no other payment will be accommodated after.
“Affected pilgrims are advised to visit their respective state pilgrims boards to confirm their status”, NAHCON stated.
The Nigerian Federal Government announced that applicants of its N50,000 Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme for citizens across the 774 local government areas should watch out for SMS to link applications with the National Identity Number.
The Minister of Trade, Industry, and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, disclosed this in a notice she posted through her official X account on Sunday.
The Minister stressed that the applicant’s NIN must tally, without which there will be no processing in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s NIN- Account number linkage requirement.
“The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment thanks all applicants for their interest in the Presidential Conditional Grant Programme and assures that applications are being thoroughly processed.
“Due to new regulations from the Central Bank of Nigeria, applicants are now required to link their national identification numbers (NIN) with their bank accounts. We currently do not have a record of the NINs of those who applied. Therefore all applicants will receive an SMS from ‘FGGRANTLOAN’ With instructions to submit this information via a
secure link.
“This step is essential for the continuation of the application process. Only verified applicants will receive this notification, and NINs must match the applicant’s name for the process to proceed.
“We appreciate your patience and cooperation, and we will keep you updated on your application’s progress. Thank you for your participation and contribution to national growth”, the statement reads.
The scheme, which was expected to commence on March 9, 2024, would offer financial grants, without repayment obligations, to eligible small business owners in Nigeria.
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The average price of automotive gas oil, known as diesel, increased by 50.20 per cent on a year-on-year basis amid economic hardship.
The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its latest diesel price watch for February 2024.
Accordingly, the report stated that the retail price of diesel surged to N1,257.06 per litre in February from N836.91 last year.
On a month-on-month basis, an increase of 9.02 per cent was recorded from N1,153.01 in January 2024 to an average of N1,257.06 in February 2024.
Looking at the variations in the state’s prices, the top three states with the highest average price of the product in February 2024 include Akwa Ibom State (N1,525), Gombe State (N1,500) and Kwara (N1,444).
In contrast, the top three lowest prices were recorded in Adamawa State (N1,037.50), Kano State (N1,111.43) and Katsina State (N1,125).
The zonal representation of the average price of diesel shows that South South zone has the highest price of N1,343.09 despite its huge gas and crude oil deposits, while the South West zone has the lowest price of N1,164.05 when compared with other zones.
Says Gumi Not Involved In Rescue Of Abducted Kuriga Schoolchildren
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has clarified that contrary to reports, 137 schoolchildren and not 287 were abducted on March 7, 2024 from Kuriga village in Chikun local government area of the State.
The governor, who made the clarification on Channels Television’s ‘Sunday Politics’ programme, said all the schoolchildren abducted by the marauding bandits had been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved to by their abductors.
The schoolchildren were abducted from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, about four weeks ago.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) ha on Sunday said a total of 137 students were rescued, contrary to reports that 287 children were abducted by the bandits.
An elated governor Sani said the number released by the military was the authentic figure, describing ‘287’ as a figment of some people’s imagination.
“I don’t want to join issues with anyone in terms of numbers. What is more important to me is the safe return of the children. Today, I am happy that they are back safely, in high spirit, but those numbers were just figment of some people’s imagination,” the governor stated.
“Today, I met with the families of the children and they confirmed to me that the numbers given by the military is the correct number,” he added, describing the ‘287’ figure as the creation of propagandists.
The governor, however, regretted that a teacher who was kidnapped alongside the pupils couldn’t make it out alive as he developed some complications while in captivity. He commiserated with the family of the deceased teacher and also consoled the families of the released schoolchildren.
He said, “It’s only one person that has not returned and that is the teacher. That is the fact of the matter but all of the 137 children are safely back. We had the unfortunate incident that the teacher couldn’t make it because he had some complications; he was sick — that was the report we got from the military and the security agencies but the rest of the children, all of them are back with us.”
The governor also said Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the negotiation for the return of the pupils, though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils.
Sani said, “All those speculations you are hearing today are figment of some people’s imagination. I can tell you that without any fear of contradiction. There was nothing like Gumi in this operation. I can tell you. I won’t undermine the efforts of our Armed Forces.”
In Benue, we had more ghost workers, schools than real ones - Gov. Father Alia’s shocking revelations
AFOLABI…How we saved billions of naira
…Discloses why he left priesthood for politics
Rev Father Hyacinth Iormem Alia, born May 15, 1966, has been the governor of Benue State since 29 May 2023.
He is the second cleric to govern the state after the late Very Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu, who governed the state in the botched Third Republic.
The governor, who hails from Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, got his First School Leaving Certificate from St. Francis Primary School, Agidi, Mbatiav in Gboko local government area of the state. In 1983, he enrolled at St. James Minor Seminary, Makurdi, after which he gained admission to study at St. Augustine’s Major Seminary, Jos.
He studied for a diploma in religious studies in 1987 and a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Theology in 1990.
In 1999, he obtained a Master’s in Religious Education (Psychology and Counselling) at Fordham University, Bronx, New York City.
In 2004, he got an additional master’s degree in biomedical ethics from Duquesne University, Pennsylvania. He received a doctorate in the same course at Duquesne in 2005,
In this interview, the cleric turned politician explains why he ventured into partisan politics and his vision for the state. He also dismissed insinuations that he is at loggerheads with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, just as he vowed not to allow the resources of the state to be shared among some few disgruntled politicians.
Excerpts:
By Dapo Akinrefon
What informed your decision to drop priesthood and join politics?
My advent into partisan politics was because too many things were wrong. I’ve lived my life as a functional priest in the last 33 years with my locals. I stayed with them, went to school, and returned to spend time with them some more. I have been in the trenches with them, and the people I loved working with, more, were the destitute, the poor masses, those who do not have a voice in the society, and those who are neglected and suppressed. When you are preaching the gospel, these are the primary things you must do. God does not want them to be lost to society. These are the people I felt should be taken care of. For years, local government teachers were totally forgotten, and I felt their pains. I had that at the back of my mind.
Again, since the creation of the state, it has been a glorified village. We didn’t even have light on the streets in the state capital. It is now that we are trying to construct internal roads because our internal roads were minimally tarred. You come into the state capital, Makurdi, and it is like you come into a village. I felt a number of things were missing, and so, there was a need for me to come and get things right.
The church is not against her priests joining partisan politics. Where it is a case of plurality of parties, the church will hold her reservations but at the same time, there is a leeway that if the church judges that the society is too dysfunctional and that the only person to salvage the situation is a priest, then, someone can spring up via the church to save the rest of the people.
Not many people understand this, and this is why I had to come in and save the souls. We had to take care of the human beings that are out there. In a number of places in the state, some primary schools are no longer functional. We need to fight for the future of Benue, which is like fighting for democracy.
We have to fight for democracy and these are the things that we have been trying to do, people need to understand that government is an opportunity to protect peoples’ lives and ensure that the people go back to their agrarian society.
Today, we are talking about food insecurity. If we do not have social and civil security, we would not have food security. These are concerning. When we fight for democracy, then, we are fighting for food security because farmers are on the farms.
You know, Benue was number one in a number of things not just in the production of yams but in the production of soya beans. So, we need to get back to this. I came to save the soul of the poor masses of the state. I came in to assure them that God loves them and that God loves them through democracy so that they can understand they and their children hold the future.
So, I came in for the state to have the fullness of democracy and the fullness of life.
In your inaugural speech, you vowed to transform the state. What difference have you made?
Very true. I declared a state of emergency on our infrastructure. Our primary schools are down, and as I speak, we have done so much at getting rid of ghost schools. Benue had more ghost schools than the existing functional schools.
Also, Benue had more ghost workers. For instance, we had a ghost school that had 95 teachers, and the least teacher on the staff was Grade Level 10, which has been there for a very long time. Just imagine how much the state lost educationally. What we did in the first month was to save N1 billion, and in the second month of our coming on board, we saved close to N3 billion from ghost workers.
We then shifted to the civil service where we saw some other things. The state nearly had more casual staff than more permanent staff. We had to weed out some of them, and it is just now that we are coming to terms with reality. That is what we are doing.
That was how we fine-tuned the system to work.
Having understudied all these in the last nine to ten months, some huge amount of shift has been made.
In terms of infrastructure, we are an agrarian state, and over 80 per cent of the people here are farmers, but unfortunately, they were never incentivized to be the best they would be on the farms.
So, we set out to do the roads that could lead from their farms to the market squares and back here to the centre.
We did 16 roads in Makurdi, and we are going to announce some 31 roads within the Makurdi township streets. At the same time, other contractors are working on rural roads across the state where we have most of our food production because that is where we want the impact to be first felt.
There are talks that you give contractors 70 per cent up front, but what is the guarantee that they will complete the job having gotten that much?
We write down that 70 per cent be given to them, but it is by installments because of the inflation we have and because of the trust that is built in there.
For the records, we do not give 70 per cent. The contractors have built themselves up and also because we have received other testimonials from other states. We also hold them at the jugular; it is not as if we just give them the contracts. It is not true that we give them 70 per cent, but because the State Executive Council said 70 per cent should be given to them, it is segmented. That is why most contractors are scrambling for Benue State.
Despite submitting reports for State Police, what steps are you taking to address the security situation in your state, especially in the rural areas?
Before we were ushered in on May 29, 2023, the security reports were horrible, and it is also on record that you heard that hundreds of lives were lost in one local government. Before you took that to heart, you heard of another one. We had tones of these deaths on our hands, but since we came in, it is on record that there has been relative peace. How do we know the indices? By the same security apparatus that we have and by the reports we get from our vigilantes, forest guards, and other security apparatus who are working in sync with most of our people. By the situation report we receive every day, we are able to measure that. Overall, we have relative peace, but at the same time, relative peace does not mean we have absolute peace.
We have skirmishes of late, and we had a large number of influx of armed herders that flocked into some local government areas of the state. These local governments are prone to insecurity because they share borders with other states.
The slogan out there is that Father must continue, but there seems to be some dissenting voices. Why do you think some members of your party are against your administration?
Well, in every administration, you expect those who oppose you. I came in with a plan to rebuild our state. Some people do best when there is a crisis, and there are some political leaders who dug a hole and keep everyone in the state down there, and they don’t want anyone to see the light of day. There was no infrastructure, and no one knew where the monies given to the state were going to. They did not better anyone’s lives; they took care of their individual families. We have a conscience and we want a report card we must present to the people. So, if a select few say they are in charge of the state and that before development comes, they must know when FAAC allocations come, it must be given to them first. Who does that?
The people brought me to the seat, and they ensured that I presented to them the merits of democracy. They voted me on trust. Let all political gladiators come up with ideologies and not dysfunctionality that will consume everyone. We were created since 1976. Where are we? Other states have gone ahead of us.
I have my character and reputation, I came into this game with a defined intention to work with the people and work for the people and accommodate everyone. That is what we will continue to do because at the end of it all, I am going to be responsible for everything. Some people want the funds to be given to them. I feel it is time everyone gets on board with me. I am for the people, with the people, and working for them. The people of Benue gave me their trust. I am not denying the understanding of doing what we should do by taking care of our statesmen. We have been doing that. I am a moderate person, I don’t need to go on television and say we are giving money to some people, that will be childish. I have hanging on my head, and Benue indigenes a huge debt that my predecessor left behind.
In as much as I agree that there should be opposition, what troubles me are some three individuals who want to be called the APC in Benue State and who want all the funds in the state to be handed over to them. How can we function? We consider the masses, and so far, the APC is doing well in the state, and we will continue on that path. So, anything short of that will be detrimental to the state, and I am not prepared to settle for less.
George Akume is at loggerheads with you. What is your relationship with him, and how is it affecting the state? The national leadership of your party also gave an ultimatum that the faction of the APC in your state should withdraw all court cases. How has that gone?
For the record, I never took the APC to court, and so, the letter is not talking about me.
Those who are working for the APC in the state have not taken the party to court. Let that be clear.
I am not distracted in any form or fashion because I came into the bidding of the party and, above all, the people.
We are executing that script, so there are no distractions whatsoever, and that is why I am doing the work I am doing.
In some places, you hear people calling me Mr 25 because their salaries are coming in by then. People need to understand the stability of governance. They worked for it, they earned it, and why should we keep their money?
As regards my relationship with the SGF, Senator George Akume, for the records, I don’t have any differences with him. He was the leader of the APC in the state, and he ensured that everything was done for me to win, and we won.
There is no way I will talk ill of him or complain. He was the one encouraging me to break all the records of my predecessor.
I am also happy when I read where Akume says he has no problem with me. We don’t have issues, but then, it is granted that social media is a new world on its own where some miscreants flourish there.
There is agitation by the NLC over the new minimum wage. Is Benue State prepared to key into the new minimum wage?
We are prepared. As one of the sub-nationals, why can’t we be in sync with what the entire nation is doing? We must, and I am prepared to go for that. Once the minimum wage is agreed upon, we must also follow.
So far, so good, salaries are being paid, we are doing well with the payment of pensions of the people. Their lives are back, and I am willing to do some more for them.
On Benue Links
We met nothing on the ground. When we came, we saw the need to revamp the establishment. We needed to influence the movement of people who need to go to other parts of the country. This was why we did some investment by buying 100 buses at a time, and thank God, it was effective. We subsidized that so that the fuel subsidy removal will not have any effect on the people. I was happy with the result.
I am happy that the buses are running to a good number of states.
Apart from stopping the embezzlement of Benue funds, how have you been able to raise money to embark on the projects? Also, your predecessor was owing workers. Have you been able to clear the backlog?
I have not been able to offset the arrears. It is in hundreds of billions of naira, I can not take care of that now, but what I have done is to take care of their salaries. With the pensioners, their situation was more critical, but we are trying to take care of the pensions and continue to scale down. Governance deals with prioritization.
Some people accuse me that because I come from the church and because the church does not have money, we pinch money from the church and then, in governance, I am also pinching money instead of opening the entire treasury for everyone to take what they can take. I thank the church for giving me such discipline. Without the pinching, you can not rule the state.
Barely a month after the takeover of Kaduna DisCo over a N10 billion debts, the federal government has concluded plans to take over Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, over alleged prolonged poor performance.
BEDC, one of the successor distribution companies, created, following the unbundling and privatization of the state-owned Power Holding Company of Nigeria Plc, currently distributes electricity in Delta, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo states, with a geographical coverage of 57,353 square kilometres.
Checks by Vanguard, weekend, indicated that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, an independent regulatory body with authority to regulate the electric power sector in Nigeria, has already penciled down new directors and management to manage the DisCo in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the governments of Delta, Edo, Ekiti, and Ondo states, which complained about poor service delivery to their people, have petitioned NERC, seeking to play active roles in the management of BEDC.
The states, which have indicated interest in exercising their rights to participate in the company’s decision-making, also called for the unbundling of the DisCo’s operational areas based on state boundaries, stressing that they had not given consent to other stakeholders, including the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, to act on their behalf.
In their letter – Notification of Interest to Exercise Shareholder Rights in Benin Electricity Distribution Company – to NERC and sighted by Vanguard, the state governments, said: “We write to formally inform NERC of the intent of the governments of Delta, Edo, Ekiti and Ondo states (the BEDC State Governments) regarding our collective residual equity in the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC.
We intend to exercise shareholder rights – Four states
“After a thorough evaluation of the operational deficiencies and services delivery failures to our states, the BEDC state governments intend to exercise our shareholder rights in BEDC, to ensure the efficient provision of electricity services to our citizens.
“The provision of reliable electricity to enhance the welfare and development of our people is a core priority of our governments. As such, we cannot afford to overlook the critical importance of ensuring that electricity distribution services provided by BEDC meet the needs and expectations of our populace, henceforth.
“In exercising our shareholder rights, the BEDC state governments intend to actively be involved in the decision-making processes of BEDC, both at the board and management levels of the company, to strengthen service operations to enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiency, increase electricity access to unserved and underserved communities and ultimately, transform the electricity sector within our states.
“Please, note that our demand is not capricious and merely wishes to correct a historical lapse. We wish to emphasize that at no point did the BEDC state governments give any Power of Attorney (PoA) to either the federal ministry of finance incorporated or the bureau of public enterprises, BPE, with respect to our shareholding in PHCN successor, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, or the post-privatized entity.
“It has come to our notice that the commission intends to exercise a regulatory takeover of BEDC by March 31, 2024. The commission is kindly requested to formally notify the BEDC state governments before taking any regulatory action to appoint new directors and a management team for the company. We also urge the commission to immediately commence the process of unbundling BEDC into operational areas along state boundaries.
“We wish to assure the commission of our support and cooperation in exercising any regulatory action against BEDC and its core investor, provided our rights as shareholders in the company are not breached.
“Lastly, we kindly request a meeting with the commission to discuss our intention as outlined in the letter, viz, to exercise our rights in the company to work out how these rights will be exercised under the commission’s regulatory oversight and for the benefit of all stakeholders involved.”
States have rights to determine future of Discos —Ekiti govt
In a telephone interview with Vanguard, the Commissioner for Infrastructure & Public Utilities, Ekiti State, Prof. Mobolaji Ebenezer Aluko, said: “The state and federal governments have 40% of BEDC, and our four states as a whole have 34.2% of that 40%.
”Nationally, all states have 27% of the 40% of government, with the federal having 13%, and then the states have as much right, even more rights, than the federal government, to sit at a table to determine the future of the DisCos.
“The Federal Government has asked the DisCos to unbundle along state lines, according to the Electricity Act 2023. The BEDC states are merely demanding a seat at the upcoming discussions, in the spirit of subnational democracy.
”We also believe that our participation will lead to more efficient distribution of the abysmally small energy currently available nationally: that is 13 gigawatts, GW, capacity generation – 8GW Transmission capacity – 3-5GW distribution after Aggregated Technical Commercial and Collection Loss, ATC&C losses.
“The energy mix for power generation should vary from one state to another. Renewable energy should also be utilised and distributed off-grid. The cost of transmission will reduce because of short distances from generation within each state. DisCos should have no monopolies and should provide adequate meters to consumers.”