No fewer than 60 legal practitioners on Monday, approached a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to begin committal proceedings against the State Security Services (SSS).
The lawyers said the suit was hinged on what they described as a violation of multiple judgments and orders of the court directing the agency to release a former Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.
The lawyers led by Mr Maxwell Opara and Mr Ahmed Tijani, prayed the court to commit the SSS to prison until it clears itself of the contempt.
The lawyers filed a motion before the court for the issuance of Form 48 and Form 49, which are the forms used to commence proceedings to commit a contemnor to prison.
The lawyers said that by the judgments and orders of Justice M. A. Hassan, Justice Hamza Muazu and Justice Bello Kawu, the SSS Director-General ought to have released Emefiele from detention.
In an affidavit in support of the application, the lawyers deposed to the fact Justice Hassan restrained the respondents, particularly, the SSS from arresting, detaining, or interrogating Emefiele.
This was with regards to offences connected to terrorism financing, money laundering, round tripping and financial crimes of national security dimension.
They also deposed that despite the clear and positive orders of the court, the DSS went ahead to arrest and detain Emefiele and had detained him for over a month while shopping for evidence, which did not exist.
Addressing newsmen after filing their processes, Opara said the group would pursue the matter to its logical conclusion and ensure that Bichi was sent to prison.
He said this was to serve as a deterrent to other heads of security agencies that disobedience of court orders would no longer be tolerated.
Opara also said it was preposterous that the SSS had accused Emefiele of having committed heinous crimes against the state only for it to now file a charge of possession of a validly registered pump action rifle against him.
“Is it not clear enough to Nigerians that the SSS is persecuting Emefiele if after holding him for five weeks they can only file a ridiculous charge of possessing a validly registered pump action gun?”
“This clearly shows that the travail of Emefiele is more for political reasons than for any other.”
(NAN)
Gov. Alex Otti has said that no fewer than 2,300 ghost workers have been discovered in the state following the on-going biometric verification of civil servants and public servants in the state.
Otti had during his inaugural speech on May 29, promised to regularly pay workers but vowed to frontally combat ghost workers syndrome.
A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Kazie Uko, said the State Government had saved over N200 million on monthly wage bill as a result of the verification exercise.
The statement quoted the State Accountant General, Deaconess Njum Onyemenam, as saying that the huge savings were made using a unified payment system.
It further quoted Onyemenam, who spoke after a meeting with the Governor as saying that the verification exercise was still ongoing and that the government hopes to make more savings.
“So far, we have been able to save N220 million from the ongoing verification of workers in the state, local governments and pensioners.
“Not less than 2,300 ghost names have been weeded out of the payrolls, using the unified payment system and we hope to still identify more as we continue with the exercise,” the Accountant General said.
“She confirmed that following Governor Otti’s directive, government had last week paid the arrears of April salaries, left behind by the immediate past administration and also June pensions to retirees”, the statement added.
According to the statement, the Accountant General assured that Local Government staff, who had been skipped when the June salaries were paid, due to their failure to submit their verified payment schedule, “will receive their salaries this week”
In another development, the Abia State commissioner for trade, commerce and industries, Chimezie Ukaegbu, has said the government had banned illegal levies and double taxation in the state.
Ukaegbu stated on Sunday after touring markets in Aba, saying the ban was aimed at reducing financial burdens on the traders and sanitising revenue generation in the state.
He assured that the present administration in the state was committed to giving markets the necessary attention, and appealed to traders to cooperate with the administration.
Earlier, Ukaegbu had told the traders that the tour was aimed at having a first-hand information on their challenges to guide the administration to create a conducive business environment for them.
He said the administration would place premium on smooth trading and reactivation of markets to boost businesses and internally generated revenue.
The commissioner, who urged them to avoid anything that would cause division and discomfort in the markets, solicited their support and cooperation for the administration.
Similarly, the director of commerce in the ministry, Nmecha Udensi, commended Governor Alex Otti and the commissioner for their dreams for traders and the markets.
In their separate remarks, the chairman of Old Court Market, Sunday Anokwuru, and his counterpart of Good Morning Market, Esinna Ogbonna, expressed support for the administration.
Senator Iyiola Omisore, the National Secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, has been replaced with the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter.
This is just as the proposed National Caucus and National Executive Committee, NEC, meetings slated for July 18 and 19 have been put on hold.
The new developments were announced by the Acting National Chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, after the meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, at the party secretariat today, Monday.
Kyari told journalists that both Omisore and the erstwhile National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, were no longer part of the APC leadership.
He said that according to the party’s Constitution, he was now the acting national chairman of the party.
Kyari’s words: “We are here to address the happenings and recent developments regarding the party.
“The NWC wishes to inform you about the resignation of the National Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu and that of the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
“My humble self as the Deputy National Chairman (North) to assume the office of the Acting National Chairman.
“Consequently too, the Deputy National Secretary, Festus Fuanter, will now assume the office of Acting National Secretary of All Progressives Congress.
“With the recent development, we implore everybody here that the proposed National Caucus and National Executive Committee meetings slated for July 18 and 19, 2023 are hereby postponed.
“This postponement is not indefinite. A new date will be communicated in the nearest future.
“There are no allegations against them. Both of them resigned voluntarily and that is what is available at this moment. The details of their resignation will be made known to you in the nearest future.
“Everybody has its own style of administration and I think this present set of NWC will be relying on what the constitution says.”
Osun Assembly on Monday, passed a Bill reverting the name of the state to ‘Osun State’ from the ‘State of Osun’.
Recall that the state’s name was changed to ‘State of Osun’ in 2012 during the tenure of former Governor, Rauf Aregbesola.
The Assembly, through a Bill called ‘Osun State Anthem, Crest and Flag Amendment Bill 2023’, has now reverted the name of the state to what it was before the change in 2012.
After the Bill was passed for third reading at the plenary session, Mr Adewale Egbedun, the Assembly Speaker, said the Bill would be forwarded to the governor for assent.
He said the new Bill, after it is assented to by the governor, would replace the Osun Anthem, Crest, and Flag Bill 2012.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new Bill, aside from reverting the name of the state, also changes the flag and crest of the state to the Nigerian flag and the Nigerian Coat of Arms.
The State Anthem established by the old Bill was, however, sustained by the new Bill.
The Assembly, thereafter, screened 13 of the 25 commissioner nominees who appeared before it, after the report of the ad-hoc screening committee was adopted.
Mr Akinyode Oyewusi, the Chairman of the ad-hoc screening committee, while making recommendations, said all the nominees are competent and qualified to be commissioners.
Oyewusi said the nominees met the requirements of the law and that they should be confirmed in line with section 192 (2) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 (amended).
The speaker, Egbedun, however, said the nominees would all be considered for confirmation after the House is through with screening.
In a related development, the Osun State Muslim Community, OSMC, an umbrella body of Muslim groups in the state, during the week exonerated Governor Ademola Adeleke of any wrongdoing in the compilation of the list of his cabinet nominees.
Addressing newsmen as part of the one-week event to mark the 1445 Hijrah Calendar, the President of the group, Sheikh Mustapha Olayiwola, said the governor has been balanced in his appointments, so far.
His words: “The Governor had first appointed his kitchen cabinets, who are all Muslims. His Chief of Staff, the Secretary to the State Government and his spokesperson are all Muslims and powerful members of the administration.
“Besides, the appointment of commissioners is not an exclusive duty of the governor, so many factors are considered in concluding, but so far, we believe the governor has done well and has not marginalised the Muslims in the state. Many appointments would still be done and more Muslims would be appointed.
“Our advice is that more Muslims should be involved in politics rather than staying away from it under the guise that it is a dirty game.”
Amotekun, the ondo state security network agency, has apprehended a total of 28 individuals involved in various criminal activities across different areas of the state.
Among the alleged offenders were two female students from secondary school who were detained by the agency for orchestrating a false kidnapping scheme and extorting money from their mother.
Presenting the suspects to the public at the command headquarters in Akure, the capital city, on monday, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, the commander of the corps in the state, disclosed that the two girls, aged 13 and 15, respectively, were in junior secondary school (jss) 1 and jss 3.
As per the commander’s account, the perpetrators concealed themselves at Oka-Akoko in Akoko south-west local government area and proceeded to contact their mother, assuming the role of kidnappers. they demanded a ransom of N100,000.
Adeleye further revealed that the girls, posing as kidnappers, called and issued threats to the monarch of their town, coercing him to pay the ransom within 24 hours under the threat of harm to the abductees in their custody.
He said, “The 28 suspects we are parading today (monday) shows that we have more kidnapping than any other criminal activities. this is in continuation of our efforts at ensuring that kidnapping in ondo state becomes a thing of the past.
“We have people who kidnapped themselves and raised alarm and in our diligent investigations, we were able to unravel the mystery surrounding their disappearance to the extent that they have confessed.”
The amotekun boss noted that the arrest of the suspects was in collaboration with the operatives of the department of state security as the telephone line being used by the girls was tracked to where they were.
Speaking, one of the girls, who confessed to the crime, said it was her elder sister that lured her to it.
The 13-year-old said, “On that day, my sister and i spent the night in our grandma’s place and left there around 6:00 am the following day. while on our way back home, my (elder) sister told me that she had a plan to get money from our mother.
“She then revealed her plan to declare ourselves kidnapped and asked for N50,000 each ransom from our mother. it was my sister who taught me what to say when they put a call through to my mother.
“When we called we didn’t know that it was the monarch that was speaking with us on the phone and we threatened to kill our victims in captivity if they failed to pay the ransom quickly.”
Former lawmaker Shehu Sani has said those loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are now being treated with disdain and no longer have a say in the party.
Sani said this in reaction to the resignation of Abdullahi Adamu as the National Chairman of the party.
Within Nigeria had reported that Adamu, the erstwhile APC chairman, tendered his resignation letter on Sunday night.
Following the development, Senator Abubakar Kyari, APC Deputy National Chairman (North), has taken over the affairs of the party.
Adamu is purported to be a loyalist of the former president.
It was alleged that Adamu worked against the emergence of President Bola Tinubu prior to the presidential primaries and even after he emerged as the candidate of the party.
Sani, in a post via his verified Twitter handle on Monday, following confirmation of Adamu’s resignation, taunted Buhari’s supporters in the APC.
He noted that Buhari’s supporters were now orphans who had become pariahs and are being thrown out of the party.
“The Buharists are now orphans; they are purged in their party,” he wrote.
Meanwhile, Sani has proffered a solution to the deepening security crisis in the south east which is engendered by the sit-at-home order enforcement.
On how to tackle the effects of the sit-at-home order on socio-economic activities, Sani asked the federal government and governors of Southeastern state to resort to financial inducement.
Senator Sani suggested that since the sit-at-home is usually observed on Mondays, the government should start sharing N50,000 palliatives to South-East residents in market places every Monday in order to make them come out.
Recall that the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, has been declaring a series of sit-at-home in the South-East zone in protest of the continued incarceration of the leader of the proscribed group, Nnamdi Kanu
The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun has debunked the report of the removal of police aides from certain top politicians and their relatives.
Egbetokun said the report is fake and did not emanate from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) or any of its formations.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Monday clarified the letter purportedly originating from MOPOL 45 FHQ ABJ, which is: “fake and did not emanate from the NPF or any of its formations”.
Addressing the ambiguity surrounding the signal, CSP Adejobi emphasised the signal deviates from the Police’s telegraphic message structure and standard as the signal bears the signature of a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), which is highly irregular, as a signal of this nature would typically be signed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), who heads such formations, and not a higher-ranking officer.
Adejobi said: “The Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has taken immediate notice and has ordered a thorough investigation into its source and assures that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible for its creation and dissemination.”
The memo circulating in the media space was also described as fake by some top police officers.
Since the memo went viral, there has been confusion in the police force over the authenticity of the memo.
A senior mobile police officer, who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the memo is fake.
The police officer, who is conversant with signals and memos, said it didn’t come from the police authorities.
Curvaceous film star Destiny Etiko has spoken on trust and loyalty as it concerns her relationships with those she considers dear to her heart.
She described herself as being ‘picky’ with people she befriended and one whose friendship with others is devoid of second chances.
Etiko, who claimed to have been heartbroken numerous times by those she genuinely loved and cared, about said loyalty meant a lot to her and would waste no time in disconnecting from any friend regardless of who the person is if she sensed even an ounce of disloyalty.
She explained that’s because she possesses an unwavering kind of loyalty even in the face of betrayal.
She said for that reason, it was almost impossible to give anyone who betrayed her a second chance as she’s someone with zero tolerance for fakeness.
The 33-year-old screen diva wrote: “Loyalty is a big deal to me. That’s why I’m very picky with my friends. I’m such a loyal person naturally. Even in the midst of fallout/betrayal. My loyalty remains the same.
Read Also: Actress Destiny Etiko calls out colleague over alleged debt
“I don’t give second chances when it comes to friendship. U betray me & I cut you off for life. I forgive but cut off. My heart is so pure & tender. I don’t want no fakeness. Zero tolerance”.
“This is soooo me. A wonderful heart that has been broken a lot of times by people I loved so much and sacrificed a lot for.
“But the thing is, when I decide I move, no turning back.
The film producer went on to advise individuals on guiding their lives jealousy seeing it had no duplicate.
“LIVE HAS NO DUPLICATE GUYS. Guide yours with every of your being”, she added.
The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Monday, officially confirmed the first case of anthrax in the country.
According to a statement signed by the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Columba T. Vakuru , animals showing signs of a possible case of anthrax on a farm in Suleja, Niger State, were reported to the Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria on July 14, 2023.
The statement reads in part, “The case was in a multi-specie animal farm comprising of cattle, sheep and goats located at Gajiri, along Abuja-Kaduna express way Suleja LGA Niger State, where some of the animals had symptoms including oozing of blood from their body openings – anus, nose, eyes and ears.
“A Rapid Response team comprising of federal and states One Health Professional Team visited the farm to conduct preliminary investigations and collected samples from the sick animals. Subsequent laboratory tests by the National Veterinary Research Institute laboratory confirmed the diagnosis, marking the first recorded case of anthrax in Nigeria in recent years.”
Recall that the federal government had issued a warning to Nigerians weeks ago after a report of anthrax outbreak in Northern Ghana where all infected animals had died.
Anthrax is a disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus, though mostly affects livestock like cattle, sheep, and goats but can also infect people who come into contact with infected people or contaminated animal products like meat, wool, or skins. Anthrax that spreads via the skin might result through open wounds or contact with contaminated objects, while anthrax that spreads through the air can happen when spores are inhaled.
According to the statement, Nigerians are enjoined to “immediately report cases of animals bleeding from body openings to veterinary authorities, or agriculture extension workers.”
“The blood of an anthrax-infected animal does not clot. Do not process or move the dead or sick animal, quickly report to your veterinary doctor or veterinary authorities at the ministry of agriculture in your state,” th statement added.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, on Monday, visited the family of two-year-old Ivan Omorhiakogbe, who was killed by stray bullets from operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the Okpanam area of the State capital on Thursday, 13th July.
Oborevwori visited the family at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, where the younger sibling, Eromonsele, a one-year-old, is receiving treatment for bullet injuries sustained in his left eye.
He expressed condolences to the family on the unfortunate demise of Ivan and promised that all efforts would be made to bring the culprits to justice.
The Governor stated that the Police were already investigating the matter and would make their findings known to the general public at the conclusion of the inquiry.
Oborevwori said: “Upon hearing the unfortunate news, we immediately issued a statement urging the NDLEA authorities and the Police Command to swiftly investigate the circumstances that led to the death of your son and injury to his younger sibling.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Delta State, we extend our heartfelt sympathies to you and your family over the loss of your son, Ivan.
“We have great confidence in the police, and as you know, they are conducting their investigation. They will not make the outcome public until they have completed their investigations. So rest assured that the culprits will be held accountable.
“Once again, I commiserate with your family for this loss, and I am happy that Eromonsele is recovering,” he said.
He commended the medical personnel at the hospital for their proactive treatment of the younger sibling, assuring that the State Government would cover all the medical expenses related to the incident.
“Let me also express appreciation to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba for the proactive action they have taken so far since the incident occurred.
“I had sent people here earlier to find out what they are doing, and I am pleased that they were able to save Eromonsele’s life, and I believe he will recover fully.
“The State Government will cover the costs of the hospital treatment, so the family should not worry about expenses,” Governor Oborevwori directed.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, assured the Governor and the family of the Command’s commitment to ensuring a thorough investigation into the matter.
“Your Excellency, we will do our best to unravel the mystery behind the whole incident. We have contacted the NDLEA, and they have responded. In due course, we will release a report to the public.
“Once again, we sympathize with you, and we pray that God Almighty will grant you the strength to bear this irreparable loss.
“For Eromonsele, we pray that God will lay His healing hands upon him for a full recovery,” CP Abass said.
In a briefing to the Governor earlier, the Head of the Ophthalmology Department at the hospital, Dr Ernest Ogbedo, stated that they have successfully covered the eye to prevent infections from entering. He added that further surgeries would be conducted on the eye.
“We have performed one surgery, but the child will require additional surgeries because there is an eye injury that the doctors have addressed and covered.
“We conducted an X-ray, and fortunately, there were no bullet fragments present. However, we will conduct further investigations to assess the extent of the injury.
“We have successfully covered the eye to prevent infections and other diseases,” Dr Ogbedo said.
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There are strong indications the Federal Government may consider the request by power distribution companies for a review of their tariff, as the government spending on electricity subsidy has risen to N2.8tn.
A new report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, indicated that past hikes in electricity tariffs by Discos saved the government from paying additional N1tn in subsidy to power firms annually.
The July 2023 NERC report was titled, ‘Overview of the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry.’
Providing an update on the country’s tariff review journey, the commission stated that “between January 2020 and January 2023, tariff increased from 55 per cent of cost recovery to 94 per cent.
It added, “Without the tariff reviews that commenced in 2019, subsidies payable by the government would have grown to about N1tn per annum by 2023. Service-Based Tariff was instrumental in the transition to cost-reflective levels.”
On subsidy payable, the NERC stated that subsidy (tariff shortfall) paid by the Federal Government between 2015 and 2022 rose to N2.8tn in December last year.
It added that between January and April this year, subsidy on electricity gulped N57bn, adding that the Service-Based Tariff scheme help in reducing the amount spent by the government on power subsidies.
“Annual subsidy reduced from N528bn in 2019 to N144bn in 2022. Subsidy in 2023 year-to-date (January to April 2023) stood at N57bn.
“Service-Based Tariff was instrumental to the reduction of tariff subsidy. The financial burden of tariff subsidies between 2015 and 2022 stood at NGN2.8tn,” the NERC stated.
The yearly hikes in power tariffs by the Federal Government through the NERC have been targeted at ending subsidies on electricity.
On Friday The PUNCH reported that the 11 power distribution companies in Nigeria had applied for the review of electricity tariffs so as to incorporate the changes in Nigeria’s macroeconomic parameters.
The report stated that the NERC disclosed this in a notice, as it said the Discos stated that their reasons for the rate review were premised on factors affecting the quality of service, operations and sustainability of the companies.
Meanwhile, some power distribution companies had announced on Sunday, June 25, 2023, that there would be a hike in tariff, projected to take effect from July 1, 2023.
The Discos, however, backtracked the next day after widespread criticisms, as they stated that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission had yet to approve the hike.
The development caused apprehension among power users at the time, as many prepaid consumers rushed to buy more electricity units in their meters, while anticipating a possible hike in tariff.
It was, however, observed on Saturday, being July 1, 2023, that the Discos did not raise the tariff, an indication that they had yet to get the approval of the power sector regulator.
But in the regulator’s notice, as contained in The PUNCH’s report on Friday, it said, “Pursuant to Section 116 (1) and 2(a&b) of the Electricity Act 2023 and other extant rules, the 11 successor electricity distribution companies have filed an application for rate review with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
“The request for rate review is premised on the need to incorporate changes in macroeconomic parameters and other factors affecting the quality of service, operations and sustainability of the companies.”
However, speaking on the requests by Discos for tariff, on Sunday, a senior official at the NERC stated that the commission would ask the power firms to further state why they were bent on having a hike in tariff during the proposed meeting.
“If you study their (Discos) Performance Improvement Plan, the number of transformers they are supposed to buy, did they buy it? And what is the justification for this increase they are asking for?
“How many transformers, lines, meters, etc, are they bringing on? How many customers are they going to migrate from four hours to eight hours, from eight hours to 10 hours, etc?
“These are the justification for rate increase. Although they may likely argue about the increase in foreign exchange rates, but they should know that the price of gas has reduced.
“So, they will need to let us know some of these things,” the NERC official, who pleaded not to be named, due to lack of authorisation, stated.
In the notice published on the NERC website, the commission invited “the general public for comments on the rate review applications by the distribution licensees.”
It stated that “interested stakeholders are advised to review and take into consideration the excerpts of the rate review applications filed with the commission by the respective licensees.”
‘Subsidies should stop’
Commenting on the development, energy economists stated that it was high time that all forms of subsidy on energy energy were stopped by the Federal Government.
“Energy is holistic. It is not like what we have done in the past, which is to treat petroleum and oil as very different from electricity, and to talk about energy and power and not talk about it in a holistic sense.
“So any country that is successful in this area is dealing with energy as a whole and recognising that the hydrocarbons are so useful and important because they are sources of energy.
“So when talking about electricity and trying to divorce it from the rest, you’re going to fail,” the President, Nigeria Association for Energy Economics, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, stated.
She explained that electricity should not be treated like an elite product, stressing that it served as a commodity for everyone in any country, adding that “everybody has a right to electricity.
Consumers oppose hike
However, power consumers said they were opposed to any move by the government or Discos to hike tariffs, stressing that subsidy on electricity should remain, since subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, was removed in May.
“Nigerians have not been able to cope with the fuel subsidy removal that was done recently and you are talking of power tariff review. Petrol sells for N540/litre in Abuja. It sells for N600 and above in parts of Calabar, Rivers and Bayelsa, and you talking about power tariff hike?
“Nobody is comfortable. Nigerians are not comfortable. Nobody will accept this kind of rise in energy cost. If the Federal Government will re-introduce the policy of paying the market shortfalls, then it will be better for consumers.
“Because if they go the way they are going, it will be disastrous, for we heard that some Discos are asking for as high as N300 per unit of electricity,” the National Secretary, Nigeria Electricity Consumer Advocacy Network, Uket Obonga, told our correspondent.
He said though tariff review should be based on the service delivered to consumers, the Discos were neither delivering nor implementing capital projects as they promised.
Obonga said, “The NERC that is now going about sending notices, does it have a mechanism in place to measure the hours of electricity supplied by the Discos? How do they measure it? Apart from that, when you say Service-Based Tariff, it is not only tied to time, in terms of the number of hours of supply?
“It is equally tied to the quality of electricity supply. Now, who measures the quality of electricity supplied to Nigerians? There is also the issue of CAPEX, capital expenditure. We still have cases where the Discos are no longer involved in metering, rather they push the meters through Meter Asset Provider agents to sell and collect money.
“Their Vesting Contracts on CAPEX and others, are they keeping to it? Are you aware that for evey tariff rate there is a percentage that goes for CAPEX for the Discos? Are they really executing capital projects?”
The NECAN official went ahead to ask, “Have you seen it in any report of NERC where it is stated clearly that the Discos executed considerable amount of capital projects for which they had earlier demanded for an increase in tariff?
… Nigeria Army most misunderstood- COAS
The Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Christopher Musa said that the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) will apply the lens of people-centricity to key components of activities to truly put the Nigerian people at the centre of its actions geared towards promoting and safeguarding a secure environment for all.
He further said that the AFN will defend the country’s territorial integrity and democracy as well as safeguard internal security and unity to achieve the stability required to guarantee sustainable national development.
Musa stated this on Monday at the Screening of Service Chiefs while he appeared before the House ad-Hoc committee on screening.
He said “I recognize the significance of leading the thousands of devoted and distinguished service men and women to provide a secure and peaceful environment for the Nigerian people to freely engage in their legitimate enterprise in line with the constitutional mandate of the AFN.
“In this regard, the AFN under my leadership will be people-centric by prioritizing and safeguarding our people and their legitimate way of life as prescribed by the Nigerian Constitution.
Speaking on the welfare of the troops, Musa said the troops’ welfare and sound administration will provide the required atmosphere for the AFN to deliver on its constitutional responsibilities. Thus, the AFN will continue to seek ways and means to improve the welfare of its personnel under my watch.
“In this regard, service men and women of the AFN should be reassured of my commitment to their welfare, provision of relevant operational equipment as well as infrastructural development within available resources to enable them to succeed in assigned constitutional roles.
“I shall also promote international military cooperation/ collaboration to further expose and provide capacity building to AEN personnel in joint and combined operations outside the shores of Nigeria. This measure is required to consolidate AFN welfare priorities in order to effectively deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land, sea and air dominance by the AFN across traditional as well as asymmetric conflict settings as part of a joint force,” he said.
Speaking also at the screening, the Chief of Army Staff, Major Gen.Taoreed Lagbaja said that the Nigeria Army is the most misunderstood, complex and challenged component of the Nigeria Armed forces.
According to him, security challenges in the last two decades have made governance more challenging, adding that it has disrupted developmental progress in the country.
Lagbaja said “I consider my nomination as a call to higher responsibilities and I am determined not to betray the trust and confidence reposed in me. It is an open secret that our country has faced a challenging security environment in the past two decades. It has impacted adversely on our socio-economic and political lives.
“The episodic crises of the past have now become enduring thereby making governance and the rule of law more challenging for successive administrations.
“Today’s painful reality is that insecurity has distracted our developmental plans and aspirations of a strong, prosperous, globally competitive and influential nation. Never in the recent is the requirement for proactive, adaptive and inclusive leadership more needed than in Nigeria’s security environment of today.
” These requirements are what I intend to do as COAS if confirmed. I am mindful that the Nigerian Army, which I am being screened to lead is a crucial component of our military instrument of national power. It is not only the largest, but the most complex, most geographically spread, most sought after during crisis and often most misunderstood.
“I believe that for the Nigerian Army to grapple with the demands of the contemporary security environment, it would consistently transform to be a step ahead of its time.
“For this reason, I conceptualize my philosophy of command as to transform the Nigerian Army into a well-trained, equipped and highly motivated force towards achieving our constitutional responsibilities within a joint environment. I intend to partner with the National Assembly and other stakeholders in achieving this command philosophy,” he added.
Speaking earlier at the meeting, the chairman of the committee, Hon. Babajimi Benson said for more than sixteen years, Nigeria has witnessed diverse and unprecedented level of insecurity in which the Armed Forces of Nigeria have been fully involved prompting the launch of several theatres of operations and exercises as well as providing support for tackling several domestic security challenges.
“The House of Representatives is delighted with the successes recorded so far, especially in the last one year. We acknowledge these robust achievements which is a proof of the level of professionalism often displayed by our military in the discharge of their duties. We urge you to effectively collaborate with sister security agencies to ensure that all security threats are completely neutralised, and Nigerians can live peacefully.
“The world of security is dynamic and ever-changing. New security threats are emerging across the globe. Today, wars are not only fought on land, sea and air but also in cyberspace.
” Consequently, the art of warfare must therefore be a step ahead. This is why Nigeria must tap into and harness the potential of having a Defence Space Force, like in the United States of America. While acknowledging the immense contributions of the Defence Space Administration (DSA), there is a need for a full-fledged Defence Space Force to adequately handle potential threats from cyberspace and provide intelligence support to other services.
Tasking the nominees on their task, Benson stated that the role of securing the lives and property of Nigerians is the collective task of the Armed forces
Benson further stated that the 10th House of Representatives is keenly committed to providing the necessary legislative framework to the current government in its quest to ensure that Nigerians live in peace.
“We must therefore work collectively to deliver more on the goals of this administration to drastically reduce cases of insecurity across the country.
” While the House will continue to support this vision through our legislative activities, we shall also embark on rigorous oversight exercises, beginning from this screening, to ensure that the Armed Forces of Nigeria adhere strictly to the provisions of all Appropriation Acts as will be eventually passed by the National Assembly and accented to by Mr President.
He, therefore, urged the nominees to cooperate with the National Assembly while performing their constitutional duties of ensuring a peaceful, secure and prosperous country for all Nigerians.
The meeting afterwards went into a closed door.
Troops of 192 Battalion, Nigerian Army, operating in 81 Division Area of responsibility have busted an international ammunition smuggling syndicate, while transporting a truck-load of ammunition to Anambra State on Saturday, July 15.
The troops, who acted on actionable intelligence, conducted a stop-and-search operation along Ajilete-Owode Road in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State and uncovered the illegal ammunition in a truck with number plates ENU 697 XY.
The truck was loaded with 720 packets of (red) cartridges of 12 calibre, containing 25 cartridges per packet. The total comes to 18,000 cartridges.
There was also additional 250 packets of live (black) cartridges containing 10 packets each, totalling 2,500 cartridges of same calibre.
The suspects, identified as Mr. Eric Seworvor, a Ghanaian, and the driver, Mr. Lukman Sani, have been taken into custody and are helping with ongoing investigations.
Information gathered during preliminary investigation revealed that the ammunition, which were surreptitiously concealed in a supposed empty truck, were imported from Mali, via Idiroko border.
A statement by Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations said: “The criminals had successfully beaten several other checkpoints en route their final destination in Onitsha, Anambra State, where they intended to deliver the illegal ammunition.
“The timely intervention by the vigilant troops, however, thwarted the chaos that such volume of ammunition would have unleashed on innocent members of the public, if the criminals had succeeded.
“The Nigerian Army, therefore, appeals to all law-abiding citizens to continue to support the troops and other security agencies with credible and actionable information, as they combat security challenges across the country.
“The Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, has commended the troops for their commitment and urged them not to relent as they strive in synergy with other services and security agencies to provide safe and secure atmosphere for all Nigerians and the socio-economic development across the country.”
Below are more photos of the seizure:
At the backdrop of sustained supply gap in Nigeria’s foreign exchange (forex) market, the local currency, Naira, has hit a new low at the weekend, trading N803.9 to a dollar in the Investors & Exporters (I&E) window which is the official forex market and N822/$ in the parallel market.
Financial Vanguard’s findings indicated a 6.6 per cent decline in volume of dollars traded in the I&E window as dealers said they were disappointed that the increase in supply they expected last week did not materialize.
A week-on-week trend in the parallel market shows a 5.5 percent depreciation to N822/$ as against N779/$ closing rate previous week.
In the I&E window, the local currency depreciated 3.9 percent W-o-W to N803.9/$ from N776.9/$ the previous Friday.
Financial Vanguard currency monitor shows that after the initial massive depreciation on June 14th, 2023 when the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, introduced reforms in the market, exchange rate had remained volatile with daily fluctuations until the record low was hit last weekend.
The reform majorly eliminated multiple exchange rates and reintroduced the ‘Willing Buyer Willing Seller’ market model in the I&E window.
Since the new measures were introduced, the Naira has depreciated cumulatively in the I&E window and parallel market by 70 per cent (N321.23) and 7.0 per cent (N58) respectively.
Meanwhile last week’s closing rate also indicated that the parallel market margin that narrowed to almost elimination following the new policy has started widening.
While the measures announced by CBN was aimed at increasing transparency and boosting confidence in order to attract increased forex supply, forex market operators who spoke to Financial Vanguard said the expected increase in supply is yet to materialize, adding that this, coupled with rising demand, and hoarding, are the factors driving the renewed depreciation of the naira in both segments of the forex market.
Dealers lament
Speaking to Financial Vanguard, Mr. Ahmed Danjuma, a parallel market operator in Lagos Island, said: “I bought a dollar for N810 and sold for N819 and N820.
“People are demanding for the dollar. It is not easy to get dollars from the bank because it is very scarce.
“When you have access to dollars the way buyers demand for the currency is like when you take food to the prison.
“The supply is very low. Even Bureau De Changes have little access to the foreign currency.”
Similarly, Mr. Umoru Mohammed, a parallel market operator at Ikotun area of Lagos, said: “Dollar was very scarce today (last Friday) as we could hardly have access to it even from the banks.
“Every day the demand for dollars increases but the supply is very little. This is really hindering business especially for transactions requiring dollars.”
President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, ABCON, Aminu Gwadabe, in a chat with Financial Vanguard on the situation, stated: “The situation is tough, it even traded at N822 in some segments today (last Friday).
“You know now the restrictions have been removed, there is also competition and surge in demand. Most people are still holding assets in dollars, and we have not seen significant inflows even from the side of the investors.”
Turnover, external reserves fall
Reflecting the paucity of forex supply amidst rising demand, the volume of dollars traded (turnover) in the I&E window fell by 6.6 per cent or $57.06 million to $807.92 million in the first half of July, from $864.98 million in the corresponding period in June.
Following the same trend, the nation’s external reserves fell by $646 million or 1.9% in one month ending July 13th. Data from the CBN showed that the reserves fell to $34.047 billion on July 13th, from $34.693 billion on June 13th.
Analysts’ insight
To reverse this trend and achieve the expected increased forex inflow, analysts said the CBN must introduce further reforms including removing forex restriction on 43 items and incorporating BDCs into the I&E window as well as clearing the forex demand backlog.
In this regard, Managing Director/CEO Financial Derivatives Company, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, in his Monthly Economic News and Views, said: “In the short term the CBN must tighten monetary conditions, eliminate forex restrictions (Ban on 43 items on the I & E window) and move effective interest rates towards the rate of inflation.”
The above, he added, ”must be complemented in the long term with export-oriented policies, elimination of structural bottlenecks that constrain production and export activities”
In the same vein, analysts at Lagos based CardinalStone Research, in their outlook for H2’23, said: “While the current policy reforms bode well for foreign providers of capital, additional investments into the country will also be partly dependent on the following: 1) the willingness of the CBN to clear existing backlogs, which is estimated at $2.5 – $3.0 billion; 2) the FX market reflects a genuine “willing buyers and willing sellers” structure and supply begins to improve notably. If the 2 highlighted points are achieved, we see legroom for a surge in foreign inflows from the multi-year lows of $5.3 billion in 2022 to about $12 billion over the next one year.”
On this Gwadabe averred that the CBN must increase participation in the official market to include BDC who can play the moderating role needed to stabilise the market.
“The trend will continue except if there is a turnaround, and there are changes in the I&E to bring in more players like BDCs to enhance competition. Once you have competition there will be stability, there will be availability
“They need to wear their thinking cap, because it is like the CBN is not in control of the market, it is the FMDQ. “We are still appealing to the CBN to include BDCs in order to increase liquidity, transparency, and ensure we stop the volatility in the market competition.”
Corroborating this position, a former top management staff of the CBN, who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “We must find a way out to stabilise the exchange rate and still keep the third leg (BDC) as part of the moderator of the market.
“We must eliminate abuses, corrupt practices and police the market for sustainability. We also need to restructure the BDC to trade in the market and not by allocation to moderate the rates.”
According to analysts at Cowry Assets Management Limited, “The Naira hit a new low in 2023 in the face of pressure demand for the dollar across various forex segments as forex demand and supply mismatch continue to play as an underlying driver with more backlog of unmet forex demand.”