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At least 103 people were killed in Iran Wednesday as two bombs in quick succession struck a crowd commemorating slain general Qasem Soleimani on the anniversary of his killing, state media reported.
The blasts, which state television called a “terrorist attack”, came with tensions running high in the Middle East a day after Hamas number two Saleh al-Aruri – an Iran ally – was killed in a drone attack on a Beirut southern suburb which Lebanese officials blamed on Israel.
The blasts stuck near the Saheb al-Zaman Mosque in Kerman, Soleimani’s southern hometown where he is buried, as supporters gathered to mark the fourth anniversary of his killing in a US drone strike just outside Baghdad airport.
Kerman’s deputy governor, Rahman Jalali, said the explosions were a “terrorist attack”.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
“The number of people killed rose to 103 following the death of people injured during the terrorist explosions,” said official IRNA news agency, which earlier reported 73 deaths.
Another 141 people were wounded in the bombings, IRNA said, adding that some were in “critical condition”.
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, quoting informed sources, said “two bags carrying bombs went off” at the site.
“The perpetrators… of this incident apparently detonated the bombs by remote control,” Tasnim added.
The ISNA news agency quoted Kerman mayor Saeed Tabrizi as saying the bombs exploded 10 minutes apart.
“We were walking towards the cemetery when a car suddenly stopped behind us and a waste bin containing a bomb exploded,” an eyewitness was quoted by ISNA as saying.
“We only heard the sound of the explosion and saw people falling. There was a bomb in the trash can,” the witness added.
Online footage showed crowds scrambling to flee as security personnel cordoned off the area.
Deadly adversary
Images on state television showed several ambulances and rescue personnel in the area.
Among the 73 killed were three paramedics who were dispatched to the area following the first explosion, according to Iran’s Red Crescent.
Soleimani headed the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, overseeing military operations across the Middle East.
Declared a “living martyr” by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei while still alive, Soleimani was widely regarded as a hero for his role in defeating the Islamic State jihadist group in both Iraq and Syria.
In the eyes of many Iranians, his military and strategic prowess were instrumental in warding off the multi-ethnic disintegration of neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan as well as Syria and Iraq.
Long seen as a deadly adversary by the US and its allies, Soleimani was one of the most important powerbrokers across the region, setting Iran’s political and military agenda in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
On days after his death in 2020 and leading up to his funeral in Kerman, millions turned out to mourn in a show of national unity.
A survey published in 2018 by IranPoll and the University of Maryland found Soleimani had a popularity rating in Iran of 83 per cent, ahead of then-president Hassan Rouhani and then-foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
[DailyTrust]
Sadiya Umar-Farouq, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under ex-president Muhammadu Buhari government, refused to honour the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission probing an alleged N37.1 billion laundered during her tenure in office through a contractor, James Okwete.
Earlier DAILY POST reports that the former Minister was expected to appear before EFCC interrogators at the Commission’s head office on Wednesday around 10:00 am in Abuja.
However, a source in EFCC who spoke anonymously confirmed that Sadiya Umar-Farouq shunned the Commission’s invitation on Wednesday.
“We just closed from work now because she didn’t show up today, and it’s 6 pm already. It’s certain that she’s never going to show up today”.
The development comes barely 24 hours after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu suspended Halima Shehu, the national coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, over her involvement in the fraud.
Consequently, Halima Shehu was arrested by EFCC.
[DailyPost]
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tracked N30 billion of the N44 billion moved from the accounts of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The multiple accounts to which the funds were moved by some NSIPA officials have been frozen by the anti-graft agency as part of an ongoing probe.
It was learnt that the N44 billion was suspiciously moved from NSIPA’s accounts into private and corporate accounts linked to those serving as fronts.
Some of the officials of the agency have been undergoing investigation.
For hours yesterday, EFCC interrogators grilled the suspended National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency, Halima Shehu.
The anti-graft commission also arrested NSIPA’s immediate past Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), Mr. Bwai Adamu Hamza.
Hamza retired from the agency in December.
Shehu and Hamza were subjected to interrogation yesterday by a special team.
Former Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, failed to honour the EFCC invitation to appear for interrogation.
She also did not send any message on why she did not turn up.
Officials designated to interrogate her waited in vain.
The EFCC invited Umar-Farouq over the alleged laundering of N37, 170,855,753.44 during her tenure through a contractor, James Okwete. The former minister denied the allegations.
There were strong indications last night that having failed to turn up without explanation, the former minister might be declared wanted by the EFCC.
Investigations showed that the ongoing probe of NSIPA assumed a new dimension following the discovery that the total cash taken out of the agency’s vaults was N44 billion.
But, after tracking the movement of the cash, the EFCC recovered and froze the N30 billion it traced to multiple accounts.
As of Tuesday, the agency had intercepted and seized N17 billion.
Within 24 hours, the commission traced and froze an additional N13 billion in some accounts, raising the cash seized to N30 billion.
Detectives were still profiling many accounts last night to uncover the balance of N14 billion.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said the EFCC Executive Chairman. Mr. Ola Olukoyede was personally leading the probe.
The source said: “After hours of interrogation and profiling of many accounts, the EFCC was able to confirm that unauthorised N44 billion was suspiciously moved out of NSIPA’s account to some private and corporate accounts.
“So far, N30billion has been traced to some accounts and frozen.
“Our operatives are on the trail of the owners and alleged fronts or firms used to siphon the cash.
“Records showed that the N44 billion was hurriedly moved out of NSIPA’s account in one week.”
As of press time, the EFCC had arrested Hamza in connection with the action.
According to the investigation, Hamza, who retired on December 29, was picked up to clarify the movement of the cash under his watch.
Shehu and Hamza were said to have “worked closely” in the agency.
Another source said: “The National Coordinator and the ex-DFA were grilled by our investigating team for hours on Wednesday. Halima was taken into custody on Tuesday while Hamza was arrested yesterday.
“Based on the new focus of the EFCC chairman, Halima was, on compassionate ground, allowed to go home at about 11pm on Tuesday. She reported for another round of interaction yesterday.
“For Hamza, the EFCC arrested him following intelligence that he might travel out of the country for an engagement.”
The source added: “The two persons have made useful statements and we have recovered some records which enabled us to trace and freeze N30 billion. For a long time, the two officials have been working together.
“Immediately Hamza retired, Halima appointed him as a Special Adviser on Finance. He was expected to resume work on Tuesday.
“Our team is, however, working round the clock to uncover the accounts where the remaining N14 billion was hidden.”
On Umar-Farouq’s connection with the matter, her accuser, Okwete was in EFCC’s custody yesterday awaiting her arrival for a face-to-face interrogation.
“We will give her some grace and if she does not honour our invitation, the EFCC will have no choice but to declare the ex-minister wanted.”
[TheNation]
The All Progressives Congress has waved off the reported plan by the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, to contest the 2027 election.
The APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, described Atiku’s 2027 ambition as the most laughable news of 2024. He said the former vice-president would be defeated again.
The spokesperson for the ex-vice president, Daniel Bwala, had on Tuesday night confirmed that his principal would contest again the presidential election in 2027.
Atiku attempted to become Nigeria’s President six times but was unsuccessful in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023.
After the Supreme Court affirmed President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 election in which he came second, Atiku hinted that he was not retiring from politics and pledged his readiness to continue to shape the democratic discourse.
He had said, “As for me and my party, this phase of our work is done. However, I am not going away. For as long as I breathe, I will continue to struggle with other Nigerians to deepen our democracy and rule of law and for the kind of political and economic restructuring, the country needs to reach its true potential.
“That struggle should now be led by the younger generations of Nigeria who have even more stake than my generation.”
But speaking in an interview on Channels television on Tuesday night, Bwala described Atiku as the president Nigeria never had.
Responding to a question on whether Atiku would contest in the 2027 presidential election, the lawyer said, “Sure, he would run. He has the capacity, he has the wisdom, he has the knowledge, he has the energy.
,”And he is a president we never had. Because to be honest with you, if any politician understands the private sector very well, it is Atiku Abubakar and our economy can only come alive if there is a private sector-led economy. He’s the president the country is missing because of his experience and capacity.’’
Commenting on Bwala’s disclosure, the PDP Deputy Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said it was a welcome development, but countered the insinuation that the 2027 presidential ambition of some leaders might put the party in limbo, adding that the PDP must galvanize, harmonize, and mobilize support ahead of 2027.
PDP commends Atiku
Abdullahi in a chat with one of our correspondents, stated, “It( PDP) is a political party. The ultimate objective and goal of a political party is to produce leadership. So, if people are interested in vying for the presidency, governorship, Senate, or whatever office in 2027 on the platform of the PDP, I don’t think they should begin to mobilise because that is one way you can keep a political party going.”
On the timing, he said “You cannot just wake up in the morning and instruct people not to nurse ambition. Then, it is not a political party. I understand the question to mean if they continue to promote their political ambition, it will be to the detriment of the political party; no, that is not correct.
“What I know as a politician: Politics is about ambition, politics is about interests. So, if people start jostling for power now, ahead of 2027 as you see it, it is not too early.
“There’s a need for them to cross the file and rank to ensure that they promote it in a healthy atmosphere, and that will keep the political party afloat. So, I am of the view that it is a healthy development. They should be allowed to do it once it is within the confines of the law.
“We’re not just expecting people to go campaigning now or rallying for support, but what they want to do is to promote the party and to be able to indicate interest in certain offices. It’s a healthy development.”
However, the APC publicity director Wednesday Atiku would lose the 2027 presidential election heavily. According to him, the former Vice-President does not have any political value.
On whether Atiku’s ambition is a threat to the APC, Ibrahim said “Our party, which is the All Progressive Congress, thrashed Atiku not once, not twice. Even when we thought he had the energy and little credibility to make him viable to Nigerians, we defeated him completely.
“How can someone who is just trying to regain his balance be a threat to the APC come 2027? That is unthinkable; Atiku can never be a threat to the APC. He wasn’t a threat when he had little value. How can he be a threat when he is already valueless? It’s a dream that will not come to pass.’’
The party spokesman advised the ex-VP to quit politics, noting that he was being misled by his aides and political associates.
APC chides ex-VP
Ibrahim added, “Atiku should better forget about politics completely. I think this is the imagination of Bwala and a few others around him. And it only goes to tell you that Atiku is surrounded by people who mislead him because anybody who has real feelings and concern for Atiku will not advise him to run against Tinubu again; not in the far future.
“This is not an issue of concern to the APC at all. Atiku is not a force to reckon with. He has never been a force to reckon with and he cannot be in 2027 when he must have diminished in terms of political value. We have not gotten to the bridge, but when we get there we will cross it.”
Some opposition political parties agreed that Atiku had the right to pursue his presidential ambition in 2027.
The New Nigeria People’s Party noted that though Atiku reserved the right to aspire to any political office of his choice, 2027 appears too far away to warrant a conversation yet.
The spokesman for the NNPP Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, Ladipo Johnson, reasoned that a lot of events might happen between now and 2027 that could render the conversation around the subject unnecessary.
He said, “Daniel Bwala has the right to say whatever he wants regarding the ambition of his principal but it is left for Nigerians to decide what they want. Year 2027 is a long way to go and I think it will be improper to start a conversation around it. It is too early.
“In fairness to him, Atiku has the right to contest as many times as he wants. From now to 2027, a lot may happen. Let’s see how events play out.”
‘Support Obi’
But the spokesman for the 2023 Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Yunusa Tanko in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday said Nigerians were tired of Atiku and others from the “old stock.”
Tanko, who said Obi would contest the 2027 presidential election, said the former Anambra State governor wanted to see Nigeria working for all.
He said “Anybody who wants to show ambition and start building at the moment, it is the person’s fundamental rights. But, we believe that we have the interest of people at heart. And the people are tilting towards us, especially the Nigerian youths. They are tired of the old stock.
“So even if anybody coming from the old stock still wants to run for election, we wish him all the best. But it could have been better for them to support a younger generation like Peter Obi in the form of uniting this country so that we can move forward collectively. That will have made more sense and more appreciative to the Nigerian people at the moment.
When asked whether Obi would contest the 2027 election, he said “ That one is sure. There is no ambiguity on that, that one is sure.”
He stated, “Obi prefers to see a Nigeria that is working, it is not his ambition that is most paramount. His interest is to see Nigeria working for everybody.”
However, the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Mr Olu Agunloye, argued that there was nothing wrong with the ambition of the former vice president.
“The right to run for an election is reserved for all qualified Nigerians, including Atiku, and in 2027, a lot of people will throw their hats in the ring. So, I don’t see anything wrong with the aspiration of Atiku to run for the Presidency again.
“Yes, after losing his case at the Supreme Court, he called on the opposition to close ranks to stand a chance of dislodging the APC. That was a good call. But if you are asking for the position of the SDP on this, there is no way our party will support Atiku because we will field a presidential candidate come 2027,” he said.
In his usual blunt style, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Action African Alliance, Omoyele Sowore, dismissed Atiku’s chances in 2027, noting that though he is likely to contest, he would lose again.
“Atiku is a serial contestant and a serial loser. He’s got nothing to offer now or in the future,” Sowore said.
The Executive Director, YouthHub Africa, Rotimi Olawale, said the ex-VP was within his rights to contest again, adding, however, that older politicians should rather support and get behind younger aspirants.
“A government has barely even spent the first year in office. I think it is too early to predict what can happen over the next four years. Atiku is within his rights to contest the Presidency in 2027.
“My biggest advice would be that many of the old folks should yield the floor and support a younger generation of leaders to emerge across Nigeria,” he admonished.
Also in his contribution, the National Publicity Secretary of the Young Progressives Party, Wale Egbeola- Martins, said, “It is within the constitutional rights of any qualified Nigerian to aspire for the highest office in the land just as it is within the rights of electorates to reject or accept any individual through the ballot.
“It is too early in the day to start speculating whether Atiku Abubakar will contest in 2027 as the task before us now is ensuring good governance by holding the government in power accountable.
“While Atiku is eminently qualified to contest in 2027, the position of the YPP has always been that young, visionary, dynamic, and mentally progressive individuals without greed should be supported to leadership at all levels including becoming the President, hence effectively excluding Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as an option.’’
[Punch]
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the next generation of African countries will be bugged down by the huge debt profile of the continent.
Obasanjo made this disclosure during an engagement with 2023 awardees of the Future Africa Leaders Foundation, an initiative of Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
In a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Chief Obasanjo was quoted to have stated that with the level of mismanagement of the previous debts written off for some African countries including Nigeria, it will be almost impossible for any administration to get similar gesture in the continent.
Obasanjo declared that the debts were a trap that no individual or nation should fall into as it constitutes an albatross on any economy.
The former president who asserted that leadership was the number one problem facing the continent, said “The coming generations will have no choice but to pay the current debt being incurred by different countries in the continent.”
He commended Pastor Oyakhilome for the efforts putting into building leaders adding that the nation needs more people like him to address the leadership crisis facing the continent.
Highlighting the qualities of a leader during the questions and answers session, Obasanjo said, “A leader should be able to set good examples, be bold and courageous when making decisions, accept mistakes and learn from them as well as have a realistic dream.”
In a related development, Obasanjo has also assured that the country’s socio-economic situation could be better in another four years or thereabout with prayers and thanksgiving.
He made this disclosure at the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ogun State 5th Thanksgiving service of his conferment as the Asiwaju Onigbagbo, Ogun State, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta on Tuesday.
The former President said that it was a clear indication that the socio-economic situation of the country is not in good stead, “but, mercy has been with us and if that is so, why should we not thank God?
“Think about it. If you have breathed the free air of God, you should have cause to thank God. So, things are bad, they may be good in a space of four years. And who knows for Nigeria, things that are bad today, may be good tomorrow.”
[Vanguard]
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. assures the public that there is no imminent increase in the cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
NNPC Ltd. urges Nigerians to disregard unfounded rumours and assures them that there are no plans for an upward review of the PMS price.
Motorists nationwide are advised against engaging in panic buying, as there is presently ample availability of PMS across the country.
Olufemi O. Soneye
Chief Corporate Communications Officer
NNPC Ltd. Abuja
03 January 2024
The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has suspended the local government caretaker committees in the state.
The directive was contained in a letter dated January 2, 2024, from the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The letter, which was signed by Alonge Adewale on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, directed the Heads of Local Government Administrations (HOLGAs) in all the LGAs/LCDAs to immediately assume responsibility in acting capacity pending the resolution of legal matters relating to the issue.
The letter expressed displeasure that despite the suspension of all recently appointed caretaker committee members by a court of competent jurisdiction, some individuals in these former positions are still parading themselves in the posts.
The directive therefore instructed the HOLGAs to retrieve all assets and properties of the LGAs/LCDAs with the former caretaker chairmen, vice chairmen and other members for safekeeping.
[PRESS STATEMENT] River State: Resignation of Rt Hon. Edison Ehie as Speaker, a Nullity - Igbini Odafe Emmanuel
AdminThe purported Resignation of Rt Hon. Ehie Edison as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, on December 29 2023, is a Nullity and unknown to 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, because he was never at any time in this current session of the Rivers State House of Assembly, elected by majority of the 32 or 31 members of the Assembly as their Speaker. Instead, he was only validly nominated by them as their Majority Leader and that was the Position he held until December 29, 2023, that he decided to resign as member of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
His claim to the position of Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly and his deliberate use of it in writing that letter addressed to INEC Chairman, is sadly a Joke and Mockery of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, and Democracy, taken too far. HE WAS NEVER AND MUST NEVER BE ADDRESSED AND OR TREATED AS FORMER SPEAKER OF RIVERS STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.
It is however important for me to state unambiguously, that his resignation as member of the Rivers State House of Assembly is valid and within his Constitutional Right to exercise which he has done. He can therefore be rightly addressed and treated as former member of Rivers State House of Assembly who I would proudly say, rose patriotically and rightly to prevent the unconstitutional attempt by 27 of his Colleagues to commence a process of impeaching Gov. Fubara for no iota of justified "Gross Misconduct" as Governor. I commend him!
I must also appreciate the fact that this decision that he resigns from the House of Assembly is part of implementation of the peaceful resolution of the Political Misunderstanding between Gov. Fubara and former Gov. Wike, which was made possible by the fatherly Intervention of President Tinubu.
I wish my beloved Bro, Rt Hon. Edison Ehie, well and success in his new Appointment as Chief of Staff to Gov. Fubara.
Let me restate my earlier position in the Press Statement I issued on December 20, 2023 on this unfortunate misunderstanding between Gov. Fubara and his Political Oga, fmr Gov. Wike, that:
1) there has not been any constitutionally convened Sitting of the Rivers State House of Assembly since October 29, 2023 after the attack on the Hallowed Chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly and till date. The implication of this is that all actions, pronouncements, Defections, Budget Presentation by Gov. Fubara and others, by the 31 Legislators, either together or as 27 or 4 Factions, are unknown to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, and by express provision of section 1(3) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, are all null and void and of no moment, whatsoever. The Status and Actions of the House of Assembly remain only as they were before October 29, 2023.
2) Rt Hon. Martin Chike Amaewhule and Rt Hon. Dumle Maol remain the constitutionally elected Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively, of Rivers State House of Assembly, under the platform of PDP and they so remain members of PDP until anytime the House of Assembly is constitutionally convened and any decision to defect, is announced in strict accordance with the Standing Rules of the House.
Long Live Peace and Progressive Rivers State.
Comrade (Engr) Igbini Odafe Emmanuel
Nigeria has ceased the evaluation and accreditation of university degrees from over 45 universities in Benin Republic and Togo, following revelations of widespread certificate racketeering.
An undercover investigation exposed a syndicate selling university degrees to Nigerians.
The report detailed how a reporter obtained a university degree from Cotonou within six weeks, complete with a legitimate scan code and transcript.
The reporter successfully used the acquired fake degree to participate in Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, undetected.
The investigation revealed collaboration between Nigerian racketeering agents and senior staff at a university campus in Cotonou, including Nigerians serving as registrar and English section coordinators.
In response to these findings, the federal government suspended the accreditation of Togolese and Beninese degree certificates.
This move impacts graduates from these countries intending to join the NYSC scheme, a requirement for corporate employment in Nigeria.
The suspension is part of an ongoing investigation by the education ministries of both countries and the NYSC. The Nigerian ministry acknowledged that tackling certificate rackets and degree mills has been a longstanding challenge.
Below are some of the Beninese and Togolese universities affected by the suspension.
BENIN REPUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
1. Institut Supérieur de Formation Professionnelle (ISFOP)
2. Lakeside University College (LUC) Benin
3. African University of Bénin
4. Afriford University, Cotonou, Benin Republic
5. Canadian International Education Institute, Benin Republic
6. Centre International Universitaire Des Meilleurs (CIUM-Bestower International University) Seme-Podji, Cotonou
7. Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologie (ESGT-Benin University)
8. Ecole Superieure de Technologie et de Gestion (ESTG-Benin University)
9. Ecole Superieure des Cadres et Techniciens, (ESCT-Benin), Benin Cotonou
10. Ecole Superieure des sciences, de commerce et administration des enterprise du Benin (ESCAE-BENIN)
11. Ecole Superieure Panafricaine de Management Applique (ESPAM-FORMATION)
12. Ecotes University
13. Edexcel University
14. Esep le berger Université
15. ESTAM University Seme Campus
16. Heim Weldios University
17. Houdegbe North American University, Benin
18. Institut Universitaire du Bénin (IUB)
19. Institut Supérieur de Communication et de Gestion(ISCG-Benin University)
20. Institut Supérieur De Management Et De Technologie (ISMT St Salomon University)
21. Institute Regional Superieure des beaux arts, de la culture et de la communication (IRSBACCOM UNIVERSITY)
22. International university of management and administration, Benin Republic (IUMA)
23. Pinnacle African University Porto Novo
24. Poma University, Ayetedjou, Ifangni
25. Protestant University of West Africa
26. Université Africaine de Développement Coopératif
27. Université des Sciences Appliquées et Management USAM
28. Université la Hegj, Benin (Semepodji campus)
29. Universitie Polytechnique Internationale du Benin
30. West African University Benin (WAUB), Cotonou
31. University of Abomey-Calavi
32. University of Kétou
33. University of Parakou
TOGO UNIVERSITIES
34. Atlantic African Oriental Multicultural (ATAFOM) University International
35. African Union University, Togo
36. African University of Science Administration and Commercial Studies, IAEC
37. University Togo
38.Maryam Abacha American University Niger, Togo Campus
39. Centre de perfectionnement aux Technique Economique et Commerciales Université (CPTEC University) Avepozo Lome
40. IHERIS University, Togo
41. Catholic University of West Africa
42. American Institute of African
43. Ecole supérieure de formation professionnelle (FIMAC)
44. Université Bilingue Libre du Togo
45. University of Kara
46. University of Richard of Togo
47. University of Lomé
48. University of Science and Technology of Togo
49. DEFOP University of Technology
50. IRFODEL-Centre (University)
The North Central Governors’ Forum (NCGF) has urged the Federal Government to get to the root of the perennial killings in Plateau State for lasting peace.
The chairman of the forum, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, made the call in Jos yesterday when he led his colleagues on a condolence visit to Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang over the Christmas Eve attacks on 23 communities in Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas which led to the death of over 150 people.
Sule described the attacks as pure terrorism and called for the deployment of technology to identify perpetrators and curb their operations in the North Central.
The Nasarawa governor added that the attacks had persisted for too long and insisted that various stakeholders must get to the roots of the problem and find a lasting solution to it.
He said, “We are here to share with you whatever situation you find yourself. I was here on a similar sad note, together with our delegation from Nasarawa State when it happened during the period of your predecessor.
“During the period, we asked specifically for the religious leaders to be the ones in the majority, because we wanted to talk directly with our religious leaders; to talk to them about the need to continue to preach peace to our people.
“When we were coming, we talked about peace that we have always enjoyed on the Plateau, the love that has always been there; the period that some of us would walk from Dilimi, Rex, Kwararafa, the New Era and back to Kasuwa Dareng; those loving periods that all the people in Plateau used to enjoy. What has happened?” he asked.
“Your Excellency, we came all the way to ask you to take the courage to find out the root cause of this matter because we can’t continue to live like this”, he said.
Besides efforts at the state level, the North Central governors’ chairman also called on the Federal Government to get to the root of the lingering killings.
He said this was the only way to find a lasting solution for the crisis which has been lingering for over two decades.
“We have seen a similar situation in Rwanda because I won’t call what is happening in Plateau ‘farmers-herders crisis’; it is not.
“We have seen what happened in Rwanda and luckily, all the four of us governors were there and we listened to the President of Rwanda when he told us the courage he took to invite everybody involved and looked at the causes.
“We cannot allow a few people, for selfish reasons, to come in and destroy all of us. This is not about Fulani. It is about criminals. And we are asking the Federal Government to assist us and deal with the problem”, he said.
He expressed confidence in Governor Mutfwang’s ability to address the issue with wisdom and courage, noting that Plateau is a true home for Nigerians “and so there is need for collective responsibility of all Nigerians in addressing the challenge”.
Governor Sule also hinted about plans by the North Central governors’ forum to organise a security and economic summit that will fashion out sustainable solutions to various challenges confronting the Region and its people. The Nasarawa governor was accompanied to Jos by Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue and thier counterpart from Niger, Umar Bago.
In their separate remarks, Alia and Bago called for unity to safeguard the common destiny of the people of the North Central.
They also canvassed for investments in agriculture to harness the zone’s abundant natural resources.
On his part, Mutfwang thanked the governors for their concern over the situation in Plateau, noting that the people of the region were meant for unity and progress and not for division.
He also reaffirmed his dedication to collaborating with fellow North Central governors to promote peace, unity and substantial development in the zone.
He expressed gratitude for their support, emphasizing that the North Central is a cohesive force in the nation and that the region’s abundant natural resources have potential benefits for the entire nation.
He called for united efforts to combat armed banditry, terrorism and criminal activities prevalent in the zone.
He also appealed to the Federal Government for assistance in dualizing the Wamba-Panyam and Akwanga-Jos Roads, saying they are crucial gateways for security operations in the North Central.
Mutfwang also extended gratitude to the governors for donating N100 million to support the victims.
On his part, Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, appreciated the governors’ unity and urged them to focus on the zone’s mineral resources for the prosperity of its people.
NBA asks Tinubu to prioritise security
The president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yakubu Maikyau, SAN has attributed the recent Plateau killings to the failure of intelligence.
In a New Year message released yesterday by the NBA’s National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Habeeb-Lawal, he described the killings as “inexcusable and unacceptable”.
Maikyau charged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise the security of lives and property in 2024.
He said the recent accidental drone attack by the military on Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, which killed over 100 persons during a Maulud celebration, indicated a gap in the nation’s security architecture.
He stated, “From the information made available by the military and other security sources, the Tudun Biri incident is suggestive of the gap in our security architecture – lack of inter-agency synergy and coordination, while the attack in Plateau is indicative of poor intelligence gathering or, a deliberate failure to act despite the intelligence on the impending attacks on the villages, or notice of the attack on the villages by the bandits, as reported by community leaders.
“Government, through our Armed Forces and other security agencies, must ensure that no square inch of the Nigerian territory is left ungoverned; no part of Nigeria should be left under the control of criminal elements by whatever name so-called. Government must make deliberate investments in security, of such a scale and magnitude, which will leave Nigerians in no doubt as to the sincerity of the statement made by the President.
“The Federal Government must adopt a holistic approach to the issue of security while not overlooking the peculiarities of each region and design bespoke measures to deal with them. In this wise, the government must neither be “scared” nor “ashamed” to make the right investments in security, in line with global trends, without compromising our sovereignty.”
PANDEF, Afenifere, Ohaneze, MBF seek end to killings in North
Leaders and elders of the South-East, South-West, South-South and Middle Belt zones, under the aegis of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), have urged President Tinubu to end killings in the North to restore citizens’ dignity and national pride.
They made the call yesterday in an open letter to Tinubu, titled, ‘Killings in the Middle Belt and Threat to Nigeria’s Continued Corporate Existence: The Buck Stops with You.’
The letter was signed by an elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark; a leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; the President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; the president of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Pogu Bitrus and the national chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien.
They also urged Tinubu to, in no distant future, close all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps to end the “shameful and sinful policy of building such refugee camps for the indigenous peoples while their ancestral homes are allowed to be occupied by the armed invaders.”
They said the horror of the Christmas Eve massacre in Plateau State was not different from the situation in Benue where several communities, particularly in Kwande, Gwer-West, Guma, Makurdi and Logo Local Government Areas “are perennially attacked by the pampered armed Fulani ethnic militias who have taken over other people’s lands and homes.”
“In Kaduna State, and Southern Kaduna particularly, Chikun, Kajuru, Kachia, Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Lere, Birnin Gwari, and Giwa LGAs are largely under the control of terrorists.”
The leaders also stated that “the situation in Niger State is not different, if not worse, as according to the immediate past governor of the state, Abubakar Sani-Bello, terrorists (he called them bandits) have taken over 12 local government areas in Niger State as confirmed during his visit in 2022 to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the Central Primary School, Gwada.”
The SMBLF leaders said they were moved by the patriotic desire for the corporate continuity of Nigeria and the peaceful and mutually respectful coexistence of its diverse nationalities.
They, therefore, urged Tinubu to hold “an honest and truthful security inquiry to determine communities wherein the original inhabitants have been displaced in the last two decades and enforce the immediate return and resettlement of the people in their ancestral homes.”
They urged that the security agencies, including the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and others be specially trained and equipped to rise to the challenges “as Nigeria is fast becoming a banana or pariah state of its kid-gloves treatment of terrorism.”
They also requested that urgent steps be taken to restructure Nigeria in line with the tenets of true federalism “to legitimize multi-level policing such that states and communities will provide commensurate security for their people.”
[DailyTrust]
More...
- Senate orders deregistration of subsidiaries, probe of shares transfer
- BPE defends shares acquired in officials’ names
The Senate has ordered a probe into the N10 billion restructuring funds released to NIPOST by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
This followed the discovery of irregularities in the agency’s subsidiaries – NIPOST Properties and Development Company and NIPOST Transport and Logistics Services Limited.
In its resolution of December 30, 2023, Red Chamber said it uncovered alleged illegal transfer of federal government shares in two NIPOST subsidiaries to private individuals.
The discovered infractions sparked outrage, prompting the lawmakers to call for immediate action.
The Nation investigation shows that some individuals in key positions within the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and NIPOST were listed as shareholders of the two NIPOST subsidiaries.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records confirm that as of November 8, 2023, some top officials of BPE control significant shares in the subsidiaries.
Responding to these discoveries, the Senate passed a resolution on December 30, last year.
The resolution declared the NIPOST subsidiaries in question “irregular and illegal” and recommended their immediate winding-up and deregistration.
The Senate resolution goes beyond immediate action, it demanded a thorough investigation into the N10 billion voted by the Ministry of Finance for NIPOST’s restructuring and recapitalisation.
Should evidence of “injudicious utilisation” surfaces, the Senate said the committee responsible must recover the full amount.
The resolution reads: “The sum of N10 billion released by the Ministry of Finance for the proposed NIPOST restructuring and recapitalisation be investigated and the funds fully recovered if established to be injudiciously utilised by the relevant committee of the Assembly charged with the responsibility of fiscal prudence.”
A high-ranking government official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, painted a picture of the potential consequences of the alleged malfeasance.
The official highlighted the immense value of NIPOST’s property assets, estimated in trillions of naira and expressed the alarm at the prospect of the assets falling into private hands through share inheritance.
“Imagine 15 years from now when none of us is on the scene, their children can come and lay claims to the shares and in the eyes of the law, those shares will belong to whoever their next of kin will be, for government assets,” the official told The Nation.
He further emphasised: “The alleged share transfers represent a blatant disregard for established legal frameworks. Even the recently enacted Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) allocates shares to corporate entities, not individuals.”
It was learnt that after receiving a letter on the infraction, the individuals involved hurriedly reassigned their shares in NIPOST Transport and Logistics to three government entities: NIPOST (80%); BPE (10%) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) (10%).
The Nation also discovered controversial shareholding arrangements that have led to changes in the ownership structure of NIPOST Properties and Development Company.
The changes reinforced concerns about the legality and transparency of the original share transfer.
As the official noted, “BPE has no business holding shares in NIPOST, and the involvement of an MDA in shareholding directly contradicts established procedures.”
The government official who raised doubts over the credibility of the transaction stated that “the Senate is unwavering in its stance, demanding investigation and rectification”.
“The NIPOST scandal raised serious questions about corporate governance and asset protection within public institutions. The Senate’s swift action and call for investigations are commendable, but ensuring swift, comprehensive, and transparent results is paramount. The Nigerian public deserves clear answers and the assurance that their national assets are being protected with utmost integrity,” the official said.
Reacting to enquiries from The Nation, a BPE official said: “The NIPOST subsidiaries were registered in 2020 and at the time, the CAC portal only allowed individuals to be shareholders as there was no option of using companies as shareholders.
“This was because the commission wanted to hold people accountable in respect of shares ownership. Subsequently the CAMA 2020 became operative in January 2021, which was six (6) months after the Companies were registered.
“The portal was thereafter updated to allow companies to hold shares but with representatives. The shareholding of NIPOST subsidiaries has been duly corrected to reflect the intent of the subscribers.”
[TheNation]
Hospital doctors in England on Wednesday begin their longest consecutive strike in the seven-decade history of Britain’s National Health Service.
Junior doctors — those below consultant level — will walk out for six days in a major escalation of their long-running pay dispute with the United Kingdom government.
The industrial action comes at one of the busiest times of the year for the state-funded NHS, when it faces increased pressure from winter respiratory illnesses.
It also quickly follows a three-day strike held by doctors just before Christmas.
The NHS said the latest walkout, which could see up to half of the medical workforce on picket lines, would have “a significant impact on almost all routine care.”
“This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced,” said its national medical director, Stephen Powis.
The strike starts at 7:00 am (0700 GMT) and is due to end at the same time on Tuesday, January 9.
The British Medical Association announced the walkout in December after a breakdown in talks with the government.
The union said junior doctors have been offered a 3 per cent rise on top of the average 8.8 per cent increase they were given earlier this year.
It rejected the offer because the cash would be split unevenly across different doctor grades and “still amount to pay cuts for many doctors.”
Junior doctors have gone on strike at least seven times since March.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and hospital leaders have criticised the action.
Health policy is a devolved matter for the administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the UK government overseeing England.
Junior doctors in Wales will walk out for 72 hours from January 15.
Those in Northern Ireland have voted for potential strike action.
Their Scottish counterparts have struck a deal with the government in Edinburgh.
The NHS typically sees a rise in the number of people in hospital two weeks after Christmas, due to people delaying seeking treatment to spend the festive season with loved ones.
The service is already facing huge backlogs in waiting times for appointments and surgery, blamed on treatment postponement during Covid but also years of underfunding.
AFP
... as NNPCL, marketers clash over subsidy
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and fuel marketers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, on Tuesday, clashed again over the removal of subsidy on petrol.
This came against the backdrop of the depreciation of the naira against the United States dollar at both the official Investors & Exporters Window and the parallel market.
On Tuesday, the local currency closed at 998/dollar at the official market, while it traded at 1,225/dollar at the black market.
On the back of the falling naira rate, economists and oil marketers said PMS subsidy was increasing in recent times, but the NNPC quickly countered these positions and declared that it was recovering its full cost on the importation of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, countering the positions of
The Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane, had during a live television programme on ChannelsTV on Sunday, explained that fuel subsidy was not removed but reduced.
Similarly, oil marketers told our correspondent on Tuesday that subsidy on petrol was increasing considering the crash of the naira against the United States dollar and the cost of crude oil, stressing that PMS should sell for N1,200/litre in a free market.
Petrol, which is solely imported into Nigeria by the NNPCL, currently sells for between N617/litre to N660/litre, depending on the location of purchase in Nigeria.
Also speaking on the matter, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said there was partial subsidy on petrol, but noted that the commodity was subsidised by the government for political, social and economic reasons.
Full cost recovery
But when contacted, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, described the positions of economists and marketers as assumptions, and insisted that the Federal Government had stopped subsidy on petrol.
President Bola Tinubu had during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, declared that subsidy on petrol was gone, a declaration that was effectively implemented the next day by NNPCL.
Before Tinubu’s declaration, the pump price of petrol was below N190/litre, but it jumped to over N500/litre after the President’s statement, and moved up again to over N600/litre a few weeks later.
Asked to state if the NNPCL, being Nigeria’s sole importer of petrol, subsidising the commodity as posited by dealers and experts, the oil firm’s CCCO replied, “We prioritise our time on substantive matters rather than responding to assumptions.
“At NNPC Ltd, we prioritise national development through energy security and sustainable growth. We reiterate that the Nigerian government does not pay subsidy on fuel; we recover full costs from our imported products.
“As a global energy company, our focus remains on fostering a vibrant and energy-secure Nigeria.”
‘Subsidy reduced’
Rewane had earlier explained that subsidy on petrol was reduced and not removed, while featuring on a live television programme on Sunday evening, as he further highlighted the effects of the reduction in fuel subsidy and how it was affecting salary earners in Nigeria.
He said, “At the inauguration, it was said that (fuel) subsidy was gone but subsidy was actually reduced.”
Buttressing his position, he explained, “There is the convergence of exchange rates and reducing the windows into one. The consequence of that is that money has been transferred from consumers to the government.
“Subsidies are reversed taxes; if you reduce them, you increase the people’s taxes and reduce their income. What has happened is that government revenue has increased by 44 per cent between May and June (2023). Money has been transferred to the government but what is the government doing with it?
“The consumers, on the other hand, had a minimum wage, which in dollar terms was $40 in 2002. In 2019, it was about $70, but it has now been reduced to $24.”
Marketers project N1,200/litre
The National Public Relations Officer, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Ukadike Chinedu, stated that subsidy on petrol was rising and that the cost of the commodity should be around N1,200/litre in a free market.
“To be pragmatic in this analysis let’s consider the cost of petrol today in the United States. For premium petrol, it is $2.99, while super petrol sells for $3.15 or $3.10 depending on the part of that country where you are making the purchase.
“Now, $3 in Nigeria is over N3,000, because a dollar in the parallel market is over N1,000. You can also see the cost of diesel, that is over N1,000/litre, and it is important to state that petrol is usually higher in price than diesel in a free market.
“So if you consider the cost of diesel, dollar and other international factors, the price of petrol in Nigeria should be around N1,200/litre, but the government is subsidising it, which to an extent is understandable,” he stated.
Ukadike noted that he had earlier explained that the government was implementing quasi-subsidy, and by this it means that “the Federal Government, instead of taking out the subsidy by 100 per cent, decides to take out about 50 per cent.”
The IPMAN official, however, expressed optimism again that the cost of refined petroleum products would reduce as soon as the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries start producing the commodities.
“I also believe that there will be a reduction in the prices of petroleum products this year when you consider what the government is currently doing. The coming onboard of the Port Harcourt refinery and the supply of crude to Dangote refinery are good developments in the sector.
“Their operations will help stabilise the price of PMS and other petroleum products in Nigeria, because it will definitely cut down the importation of products,” Ukadike stated.
Social, economic reasons
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The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise CEO said subsidy was being retained partially because of its economic, social and political implications.
Yusuf said, “To protect the citizens from further hardship is the reason why the government seems to have applied the brakes on subsidy removal. We are all witnesses to the pain and hardship that citizens are going through.
“So when you are adopting some of these policies, especially these liberal economic policies, it comes to a point where you have to moderate your position for social reasons.
“Just as the World Bank said, if we want to leave the price fully to market forces and the liberal economic policies, the fuel price will be above N800/litre. Can any government that is sensitive to the feelings of its citizens allow that to happen?
“Even if economically that is the way to go, there must always be a human face to economics. So what the government has done is to moderate the reform, and that is why I think the government has insisted that the NNPC should still hold the price at the current level.”
Yusuf noted that the government must balance the gains and side effects of subsidy, stressing that economic hardship may worsen should subsidy be removed 100 per cent.
“All of us who were saying that they should remove the subsidy, we can see that they have partially removed it now, but look at the consequences. Economically it will sound good, but socially and politically it is very costly.
“So those in government need to balance all those considerations. They need to balance economic, political and social considerations. That is why we find ourselves in a situation where we have partial subsidies, both in petrol and electricity,” he stated.
The World Bank had stated in December that subsidy on petrol was still being implemented by the Federal Government, as it insisted that the cost of PMS should not be less than N750/litre if there was no subsidy.
Naira at N988/$
The naira closed at N988.46/$ on the first day of official trading on the Investors and Exporters Window on Tuesday.
This is an 8.97 per cent decline from the N907.11/$ it closed trading on Friday (the last day of official trading for 2023) according to data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange. This continues a worrying trend for the naira which was one of the worst performing currencies of 2023.
According to Bloomberg, the naira had one of its worst years in 2023, a title that 2024 might usurp. It noted that the national currency lost about 55 per cent of its value as of Thursday 28, 2023.
Based on Kyle Chapman, FX markets analyst at London-based Ballinger & Co, the naira was the third worst-performing global currency in 2023 due to a backlog of unsettled forwards, undelivered promises of dollar inflows, and a two-decade peak in inflation.
Chapman said, “The naira’s downward momentum is likely to continue through much of 2024, and its ultimate trajectory will depend on whether the CBN’s rhetoric transforms into concrete policy moves that drive up the flow of US dollars into Nigeria and shore up trust in the official market.
“If the CBN’s promised measures materialise and Tinubu’s government enacts structural changes to increase oil production or to drive foreign investment, there is plenty of opportunity for the naira to lift from its record lows. But a quick fix is unlikely, and further depreciation will come to counteract supply and demand imbalances.”
In its December Nigeria Development Update, the World Bank noted that naira had depreciated against the US dollar by 41 per cent in the official market and by 30 per cent in the parallel market. It noted that the naira needs increased volume to stabilise in the official market.
It said, “Further monetary policy tightening is expected to help underpin the value of the naira. However, there is also a need to increase FX supply in the market. Facilitating FX flows, especially from all exports, through the NAFEM can help provide additional volumes in the official window that can help provide stability.
“In addition, clarity on the CBN’s net reserve position, and on the CBN’s continued progress in clearing the FX backlog, would also strengthen market confidence.”
NNPCL records thefts
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, on Tuesday, said a total of 112 cases of crude oil theft were recorded in the Niger Delta in one week.
It said the oil theft incidents occurred between December 23, 2023 and December 29, 2023, adding that in the past week, 42 illegal refineries were discovered in several locations in the oil rich region.
It outlined the locations to include Konsho and Tebidaba in Bayelsa State; Obokofia in Imo State; as well as Ogidigben, Mereje and Obodo Omadina, in Delta state
The oil firm disclosed this in a documentary posted on its official X handle, adding that the “illegal refineries in Umuire, Abia State, and Upata in Rivers State, were also discovered and destroyed.”
It further stated that 14 illegal connections were uncovered in several parts of the Niger Delta, as a tunnel covering an illegal connection was also uncovered in Owaza, Abia State, while 10 cases of vandalism were discovered.
In the two minutes and 44 seconds documentary, the company stated that, “Illegal storage sites were discovered in Ebocha and Ton Kiri in Rivers State where oil pits were found.
“In Ogbia, Bayelsa State, sacks of crude oil were discovered. More illegal storage sites were uncovered in Urhonigbe, in Edo State; Ekuku-Agbor and Bomadi in Delta State.”
According to the firm, 22 wooden boats conveying stolen crude were discovered in Okrika and Tombia in Rivers State as well as Emereje, Delta State.
It stated that during an operation, 11 vehicle arrests were made in Delta State, as eight of these (oil theft) incidents took place in the deep water, 46 in the eastern region, 32 in the central region, while 26 took place in the western region.
“Between the 23rd and 26th of December, 2023, 18 suspects were arrested,” the national oil company stated, adding that it would not back down in the war against crude oil theft.
Nigeria loses billions of naira to oil theft and finds it tough to meet the production quota approved for the country by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, due to the menace of oil thieves.
Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under former President Muhammadu Buhari will today face the detectives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud to the tune of N37 billion.
The former minister was invited last week by the anti-graft agency following a probe that was launched into her activities in the ministry when she held sway in the last six years.
She was being probed over the sum of N37,170,855,753.44 that was allegedly laundered under her watch through a contractor, James Okwete.
Officials of the anti-graft agency told our correspondent on Tuesday that the former minister had earlier been asked to appear before interrogators at the EFCC headquarters located at Jabi, Abuja, by 10:00am.
The operatives explained that some other officials who worked with her had equally been invited for different days in order to provide an insight into how the affairs of the ministry were run in the last six years.
This is just as President Bola Tinubu has ordered immediate suspension of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
Tinubu has since replaced Ms Halima with Akindele Egbuwalo, the national N-Power programme manager, in acting capacity pending an investigation initiated into the activities of the embattled former head of the agency.
Daily Trust reports that NSIPA, which is responsible for managing critical programmes like N-Power and Conditional Cash Transfer, has been under scrutiny in recent times, with concerns raised about efficiency and effectiveness.
The agency is under the humanitarian affairs ministry.
Although, the reason Ms Shehu was suspended was yet to be made public up till the time of filing this report last night, an official of the EFCC told Daily Trust that the embattled NSIPA boss also has questions to answer.
When contacted, the spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Dele Oyewale, who did not deny or comment on the development, promised to get back to our correspondent.
He was yet to do so as at the time of filing this report last night.
The ex-minister’s travails
Former Minister Sadiya had last week Monday tweeted on her X handle that she was not involved in any fraudulent activities while she held sawy as supervisor of the humanitarian ministry.
She had said, “There have been a number of reports linking me to a purported investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into the activities of one James Okwete, someone completely unknown to me.
“James Okwete neither worked for, nor represented me in any way whatsoever. The linkages and associations to my person are spurious. While I resist the urge to engage in any media trial whatsoever, I have however contacted my legal team to explore possible options to seek redress on the malicious attack on my person.
“I remain proud to have served my country as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with every sense of responsibility and would defend my actions, stewardship and programmes during my tenure whenever I am called upon to do so”, she had stressed.
Efforts to speak to the former minister yesterday on her scheduled appearance at the EFCC office today were not successful, as calls to her known telephone line did not go through and she did not respond to a text and WhatsApp messages as of press time.