Since the July 26 coup, Niger has become the latest hotbed of disinformation in the troubled Sahel region as West African powers grapple with crafting a response to the political crisis.
From false rumours and misleading videos to manipulated audio clips, more than a dozen social media claims either backing or discrediting the coup leaders after they toppled President Mohamed Bazoum, have been debunked.
Soon after his removal, amateur footage of a large march surfaced online purporting to show a pro-Bazoum rally in Niger’s capital Niamey on August 6. In reality, the clip was filmed on the day of the president’s removal from power.
Another viral video allegedly featured Niger’s deposed finance minister crying after coup leaders gave him an ultimatum to account for missing funds or face death.
But Agence French Presse found the clip was from 2021 and in fact showed Niger’s former Justice Minister Marou Amadou expressing his gratitude to ex-President Mahamadou Issoufou.
Misleading reports about foreign interference in the crisis are rising as uncertainty mounts over the possibility of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) using military force to reverse the coup.
The regional bloc, chaired by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, was quick to condemn Bazoum’s removal and pile sanctions on Niamey days after the takeover, with Nigeria – Niger’s main electricity provider – cutting off supplies.
There were also false claims about French fighter jets landing in Senegal to support a possible ECOWAS intervention, or about fighters from the Russian mercenary group Wagner and Burkinabe troops arriving in Niger to support the new leaders.
The coup meant landlocked Niger joined neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso to become the third Sahel country to experience a coup in as many years.
Like elsewhere in the region, anti-French sentiment has been rising in Niger. Its new military leaders have the support of fellow ex-French colonies Mali and Burkina Faso, which have turned their backs on Paris in favour of closer Moscow ties.
In May, Bazoum told British newspaper The Independent that Wagner had been sponsoring “disinformation campaigns against us”.
Some analysts, however, said there were few signs of organised, large-scale offensives aimed at spreading false content as seen in other African nations.
Disinformation about post-coup Niger did not seem “particularly well coordinated or centrally managed”, said Ikemesit Effiong, an analyst at the geopolitical consultancy SBM Intelligence in Nigeria.
Nonetheless, coup supporters have “largely amplified the threat of conflict with ECOWAS, particularly Nigeria as well as France, to mobilise support online and on the ground” in a region where “anti-imperialist and anti-Western views are popular and an easy sell”, Effiong said.
Experts told AFP that the spread of disinformation targeting Niger mirrored a pattern already witnessed elsewhere on the continent: it usually originates on encrypted platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp before being shared on other social media apps.
Moreover, several anti-French and pro-Russian accounts that post propaganda about Mali and Burkina Faso have also promoted false claims about Niger.
One such actor is the Pan-African Group for Trade and Investment (GPCI), a media firm founded by pro-Russian businessman Harouna Douamba, originally from Burkina Faso.
The GPCI is at the heart of a vast network of websites and Facebook pages pushing disinformation to further stoke tensions, according to the All Eyes on Wagner investigative consortium.
For instance, AFP found that one of its accounts recently alleged that France was preparing a “plot to destabilise” Niger and arm “terrorists”.
The GPCI also posted warnings about an imminent military intervention on “suspicious sites involved in spreading disinformation” in Chad and Nigeria, for example, according to a French analyst who runs the well-known Casus Belli account on X (formerly Twitter), which monitors suspicious content in Africa.
The analyst, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity for safety reasons, said the pan-Africanist TV channel Afrique Media was also involved in the disinformation drive.
The Cameroon-based broadcaster has partnered with state-owned Russia Today and regularly reports on Wagner operations in Africa.
On August 9, the channel shared a video purporting to show Bazoum looking relaxed after allegedly signing a resignation letter.
However, the deposed leader has been held prisoner at his home since July 26, with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denouncing “the deplorable living conditions that President Bazoum and his family are reported to be living under”.
The current wave of disinformation is as much the work of local actors as of foreign influences, said Maixent Some, a Burkinabe financial analyst who tracks Africa-linked disinformation on social media.
“There was an anti-French feeling long before the arrival of Russia” and Moscow was able to capitalise on this sentiment, he told AFP.
Meanwhile, some analysts said pan-African activists are using their alliance with Russia to further “personal agendas”, including political ambitions.
SOURCE: AFP
The Internally Displaced Persons from farming communities in Wushishi LGA of Niger State have reportedly resorted to street begging to get food to eat.
The Council Chairman, Mohammed Kpoti Yelwa made this known while distributing food items as emergency intervention to the IDPs who fled their homes, following last Friday’s invasion of some villages in the local government by bandits.
He lamented that unending attacks have subjected farmers who had food in abundance in their homes to the undignified condition of street begging for food.
Some of the IDPs, Umar Danladi Musa, Hajiya Habiba Mohammed Tashan-Jirgi, and Hamza Mai-Anguwan Kutunku, said during the three-day invasion of their homes, bandits carted away their foodstuffs and other valuables.
A political analyst and public commentator, Mahdi Shehu has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the distribution of portfolios to Ministers-Designate.
In an interview on Arise TV, Shehu accused the president of repeating the same insensitivity displayed by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
He stated that Tinubu highly favoured the Southwest and South-South, while refusing to give same favour to the South-East because they refused to support him in the 2023 presidential election.
According to Shehu, Tinubu may have favoured the South-South to compensate former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and ex militant warlord, Asari Dokubo.
He said, “At Tinubu’s coming there were serious objections, serious exasperations. 14 million people said they didn’t like him. There were so many questions surrounding him, around his education, his personality, etcetera. He should have factored all these into consideration. He would have acted differently but he decided to act in the same way, in the same manner, style and in the same spirit as Buhari. Between Buhari and Tinubu there is no difference.
“Look at what goes to the South-West from the list, the acting Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is from the South- West, all commercial banks, all financial institutions, 90 percent of microfinance banks, shippers’ council, and communications. Under communications, you have the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC), NIPOST. The coordinating Minister of the Economy, Accountant General, Auditor General, all MDAs, Marine, Agro-economy, Power, Solid Minerals, Petroleum, and Justice, in addition to being the senior Minister of Petroleum, also the President and calling the last shot.
“He also took Health, Environmental, and Ecology, a total of 12 senior Ministers and eight junior Ministers. If you have a mental picture of what he gave to the South- West, it is like you have the Oduduwa Republic in the making.
“He is carving the way for the Republic of Biafra and forcing the north to consider being annexed by the Niger Republic or Cameroun. It is a matter of Buhari’s insensitivity being repeated.
“If you go to the South- East, what you have in the South-East is similar to what you have in Matthew Chapter 16 verses 26 and 28. The South-East was given the crumbs. Ministry of Works, senior, Women Affairs, senior, Labour, junior, Trade, senior, Ecological, senior. Put together these, and they’re not up to the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA). In other words, they are telling the South-East to think twice about Obi, next time around. That is your crime.
“The story is different from the South-South. If you go to South-South, Aviation, senior, youth, senior, FCT, senior, Humanitarian Affairs, senior, Sports and Petroleum, junior. What are they saying? It is as if they are saying, Mark chapter 1 verse 11, which says, “You are my sons I love, in whom I am well pleased”.
In a stark twist of events over the past 24 hours, digital asset speculators have incurred losses totalling $1 billion as the digital asset market undergoes one of its most significant selloffs this year, causing the price of bitcoin to plummet to its lowest level in three months.
Within this short span, as many as 176,374 traders have been liquidated, resulting in a loss of approximately $1.04 billion.
CoinGlass analytics reflect that roughly $821 million in long positions, indicative of traders wagering on upward market movement, have been wiped out due to the sudden and precipitous exit.
Of this, bitcoin traders are grappling with the most substantial losses, with long-term liquidations amounting to $472 million, followed by ether with $302 million.
Liquidation is a mechanism wherein exchanges close leveraged trading positions due to either partial or complete depletion of a trader’s initial or “margin” funds.
This action is typically taken when traders fail to meet margin prerequisites or lack sufficient funds to maintain the trade.
Simultaneously, the cryptocurrency market’s decline aligns with the retreat of riskier global assets, as investors seek extended periods of higher yields.
The backdrop of these market movements has been further complicated by reports suggesting Elon Musk’s SpaceX may have been selling its Bitcoin holdings, fostering additional unease.
Speculation around SpaceX’s purported Bitcoin sales – an assertion yet to be substantiated – has arisen. In tandem, there are conjectures linking the market downturn to China Evergreen’s bankruptcy.
Notably, a report by The Wall Street Journal clarifies that SpaceX is merely updating the valuation of its Bitcoin assets.
Bitcoin, experiencing a 10% loss, appears to be on track for its most substantial weekly decline in three months, having bottomed out at $25,314.
This depreciation stems from the previous day’s valuation of $28,947, with the ascent of global bond yields curbing the appeal of alternate investments like digital tokens.
Marking a notable milestone, Bitcoin’s market valuation has descended below $500 billion for the first time since June 16, reaching its lowest point since June 20.
The cryptocurrency market has been caught in a downward spiral since mid-July, coinciding with the surge of the US Dollar Index over the same period.
Historically, the anticipation of higher interest rates has prompted downturns in the cryptocurrency market, possibly explaining the decline on August 17.
Factors influencing the market’s retreat include the persistent escalation of global interest rates, notably in the United States, where the 30-year Treasury note soared to 4.42%, marking its highest level since 2011.
Meanwhile, the 10-year yield of 4.32% has risen by a single basis point from its 15-year peak.
Implying future actions, the forward rate of the federal funds rate predicts the first rate cut somewhere between May and June 2024, while the Fed rate is anticipated to remain within the prevailing range of 5.25% to 5.50% until that juncture.
Despite these challenges, market indicators suggest that the valuation of the crypto market is nearly oversold, with the daily Relative Strength Index (RSI) hovering around 34, slightly above the customary threshold.
This implies that the market stands a fair chance of stabilizing or recuperating in the impending days.
Prominent investment research firm Fundstrat has ventured that the price of Bitcoin could potentially exceed $150,000 by the culmination of 2024, subject to the approval of the ongoing batch of Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States.
The Debt Management Office (DMO) of Nigeria has announced a subscription offer for the FGN Savings Bond for August 2023.
This Savings Bond is to provide Investors with an opportunity to earn competitive interest rates while supporting the country’s economic development.
The subscription offer includes two options:
- 2-Year FGN Savings Bond with a maturity date of August 1,6th, 2025, with an annual interest rate of 9.634%.
- 3-Year FGN Savings Bond due on August 16th, 2026, offering an annual interest rate of 10.634%.
These rates offer a negative real return as they are well below the national inflation rate of 24.08% for July 2023.
Other details:
- The subscription period for the FGN Savings Bond opened on August 7th, 2023, and will close on August 7th, 2023.
- The total amount allotted for the 2-year bond is N421.76 million while that of the 3-year bond is N1.06 billion.
- Once subscribed, bondholders will receive coupon payments at regular intervals. The coupon payment dates are scheduled for November 16, February 16, May 16, and August 16.
The Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bond program is designed to attract domestic savings while simultaneously financing critical infrastructure projects and government initiatives.
- By investing in these bonds, individuals and organizations can contribute to the country’s development efforts and earn favorable returns on their investments.
- Interested investors are advised to contact their financial advisors or visit the Debt Management Office’s official website for further details and application procedures.
A magistrate court in Abuja has convicted and jailed a lawyer for six months over defamatory publication against the Dangote Cement Plc.
The convict, Augustine Addeh, of the law firm, Mokidi and Co., had caused the publication of an advert in the Nation Newspapers of Friday November 6, 2015, where he falsely alleged that the Dangote Cement caused the invasion of Okpella Community with armed gangsters on October 30, 2015.
The convict, in the publication, also sought to debar the company’s enlistment on the London Stock Exchange, and other stock markets around the world.
The sponsor of the defamatory publication purported that the company caused terrorists to block the Okpella-Benin road which resulted in sporadic shooting, while also causing the death of an innocent person.
Following a petition signed by the Dangote Cement’s Representative, Ahmed Hashem, to the Inspector General of Police(IGP), the originator of the damaging advert was arrested and arraigned in the magistrate court sitting in Abuja.
The convict was thereafter tried for offences of criminal conspiracy, defamation and intimidation punishable under the penal code.
Delivering judgment in Dutse Alhaji, Abuja, on the suit on Thursday August 10, 2023, the Magistrate, Muhammaed Omeiza Tahir, held that the prosecution proved its case against the sponsor of the libelous publication.
A copy of the judgment revealed that, the Magistrate, Muhammaed Omeiza Tahir, held that investigation shows that the publication was false, malicious and damaging to the Dangote Cement Plc.
The Magistrate ruled that the elements of defamation have been established by the prosecution.
He therefore sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment.
He added that the convict will also publish a public apology in some national newspapers within two weeks of the ruling, failure of which he will be jailed for three months without an option of fine.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Dangote Group signed by the Group Chief Branding and Corporate Communication Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, said the company has a robust relationship with its host communities in Nigeria, and will continue to nurture and cherish the bond.
A chieftain of the Labour Party, LP, Doyin Okupe said President Bola Tinubu still has many rivers to cross following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
Okupe stated this in a statement via official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday.
The statement reads, “President Bola Tinubu actually hit the ground sprinting; showing much determination, zeal commitment and courage. He has taken 2 extraordinarily bold steps by abolishing fuel subsidy and equalizing foreign exchange.
“This without doubt is causing very severe pain and hardship on the populace. However, in order to ground these policies properly, and reduce the pain on the populace, the President will still need to take more bolder steps.
“In about two decades from now, oil reserves may become meaningless. The present allocation of less than 2 million barrels per day for Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people and it’s prevailing strangulating economic conditions, given volumes of export to our main foreign exchange earner (90%) is inimical to our growth as a nation and to the wellbeing of the citizens.
“Outside OPEC, Nigeria can reduce it’s selling price of crude but also increase it’s exports to 3 million barells and above per day.”
It further reads, “This will increase accruable revenue from forex by up to 200% or more, which will allow the CBN have more supply of forex to the banks. In the face of surplus liquidity in forex supply, Naira will gain tremendous value over the Dollar.
“The present situation whereby the oil majors earn 60% of our accruable revenue from sales of oil leaving Nigeria with only 40% is no longer economically and financially prudent or reasonable.
“Saudi Arabia, using its own Aramco drills its own oil and earns 100% of the revenue from sales. We may not be able to achieve this instantly, but we should renegotiate with the oil majors for the ratio to shift in the favour of Nigeria to 60:40 minimum even if we must add considerable investment in the processing for oil.
“The NNPC can no longer serve fully, neither can it meet the full expectations of it’s obligations to the Nigerian people. I am inclined to recommend that the President & his team should take a look & study the Atiku Abubakar model as it concerns the NNPC as a commercial entity.
“Most of the local refineries can still be made to be functional for the next 50 years. Part of the massive revenue inflow from the equalization of the forex regime should be used to refurbish once and for all our refineries, employing the best acceptable international bidding procedures to choose reputable international contractors to be engaged in the refurbishment programme.
“This should be done outside the purview of the NNPC and by a special presidential team that will abide by the best principles of honesty and transparency. Government must instantly liberalize licensing for investors who are interested in building petroleum refineries in Nigeria; especially modular refineries.
“The present crop of Nigerians engaged in crude petroleum refining who are scattered all over the place should no longer be hounded by task forces but rather harnessed officially into the downstream sector and licensed under supervision to produce and sell petroleum products.
“Government must deploy all powers and resources available to it to put a final end to crude oil theft and limit to the barest minimum, pipeline vandalization throughout the country.
“In spite of our leadership of ECOWAS in this period, the Nigerian government should encourage the deployment of diplomatic crises management approach and seek ways by using its influence with the organization to end the crises in Niger as quickly as possible as a precursor to urgent steps that need to be taken towards the activation of the plan to build the trans-sahara gas pipeline from Nigeria to Algeria and Europe, through Niger and Algeria.
“If this can be accomplished in the next 3 years, with Nigeria being the 9th highest deposit of gas in the world, sales of gas to Europe will bring in revenue in excess of $30b per annum.
“In order to ameliorate the present hardship in the country and give succor especially to the poor, government will have to revisit the 100% abolition of fuel subsidy pending the time when some of the items enumerated above can be accomplished.
“In the mean time, part of the excess inflow from forex equalization can be deployed to fund a supplementary budget to the National Assembly to cover for whatever percentage of the subsidy regime that government considers will suffice to grant the desired relief of the current hardship.
“The equalization of the foreign exchange regime instantly brings in massive revenue into the federation account from NNPC. Last month, for the first time ever, a sum if 1.5tr was available for sharing among the 3 tiers of government.
“The implication of this is that each tier of government will have the requisite financial cushioning to increase minimum wage to at least N60,000 per month. The rest of the excess funds can be channeled towards the repair and refurbishing of refineries as stated above and further strategic infrastructural and human development projects especially at states and local government levels.
He stated, “Furthermore, the more export trades our small and medium scale enterprises and business concerns within the country undertake will boost and improve the percentage of inflow of Dollars from non-oil exports. The weakening of the naira also has a major economic advantage of making our goods and services cheap abroad.
“Government must seize the situation to encourage the export if anything and everything by individuals and enterprises.
“Such encouragement may include payment of special grants per tonnage of goods exported.
In the same vein, a major international drive and campaign must be undertaken by the CBN to encourage Nigerians in diaspora to use the official platform for remitting money home from abroad. This may be in form of waving commissions and fees chargeable on transfers.
With an inflow of nearly $25b per annum from the diaspora community, Dollar supply to the CBN will increase to a large extent.
“Power generation and distribution is a major player in our economy; creating employment and improving the living standard of people generally. With this in view, I will strongly recommend that government shifts the level of power generation without official licensing from 1 MW to 5 MW. The cost of generating power from various sources is about $1-1.2m per MW on the average.
“With this singular policy, up to 1,000 local investors can enter into the power generation market in less than 1 year thereby boosting our power generating potential by more than 5,000 MW in 1 year. If this policy is followed with more liberalization of the power act of 2022, the need for generating sets by millions of Nigerians will drastically reduce by more than 80%.
This will also further cause a decline in the demand by the populace especially the lower class for petrol to power small generators either for business or leisure.
“In conclusion, I personally believe that President Bola Tinubu is a thinker and an achiever.
I have therefore enumerated the points above just to stimulate thoughts and actions and draw attention to areas which I consider if exploited, will add value to the plans of the current administration, increase revenue inflow to the country, reduce hardship and combat poverty.”
The Murtala Muhammed Airport command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ikeja on Thursday said its officers intercepted male donkey genitals and dried shark fins worth N1.23 billion at the Lagos Airport.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Lagos, the Customs Area Controllers, MMA, Compt. Muhammed Yusuf said the seized items were on the verge of being exported out of the country to China and Hong Kong respectively.
The command said it also generated N47.24 billion between January and July 2023 representing 83.24% compared to N40.35 billion generated in half year 2022.
According to Muhammed Yusuf, the male donkey genitals were harvested from Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, by a Chinese, saying that donkeys as endangered species must be protected from going into extinction.
He said, “The Command made remarkable successes through coordinated anti-smuggling activities in synergy with other critical stakeholders which led to the seizure of six packages of suspected Dried Shark Fins with FOB Value of N221.8million and also 25 packages of suspected Dried Donkey Genitals with FOB value of N1.01billion making a total of N1.23billion.”
“We have over 1000 fishes whose fins have been harvested here and if this is allowed to go, high numbers of donkeys will be endangered and we will have asked them to desist from this act. Animals in the sea have roles they play and endangering them will mean a lot to the ecosystem for us in NCS we make sure we do our jobs and things like this under export prohibition are not allowed to go.
“The culprits have been apprehended and investigation is ongoing to know where this thing came from I know that in Nigerian waters, we don’t have enough sharks that are up to this. This is supposed to be exported out of the country and nabbed at the point of documentation. 1700 pieces of sharks are endangered and they are going to Hong Kong, this is the first time we are seizing this in the command.
“Donkeys are under endangered species and they came from Abakaliki and we begin to wonder why they came from there. We have a lot of donkeys in Abakaliki and now that they are endangered species, these things continuously go out. You can imagine the roles they play in the ecosystem. As it is, the Chinese man has been arrested and investigation is ongoing.”
Speaking on the half-year report, Yusuf said, “From the period of January – July 2023, Murtala Muhammed Airport Command generated a total of N47.24 billion which represents 83.24% of the target met. When compared to the same period in 2022 of N40.35 billion, there is a progressive difference of N6.9 billion representing a 17.14% increase.”
“The suspects in connection with this illegally intended Export have been arrested and the investigation is ongoing. These items were seized mainly because of various forms of infractions on Export guidelines and failure to comply with CITES Law on endangered species as enshrined in the Nigeria Customs Service Act.”
“Let me use this opportunity to appreciate my Officers and Men for their dedication to the Service. I urge them to always adhere strictly to the rules of engagements while discharging their statutory duties.”
President Bola Tinubu has again appealed to Nigerians to bear the current pains caused by the removal of petroleum subsidy, saying the hardship of today will give way to a better tomorrow.
The President said this on Thursday in Abuja at the public presentation of the autobiography of the elder statesman, Edwin Clark.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Tinubu urged Nigerians to be patient saying the palliatives being rolled out by the Federal Government would soon cushion the effects of the hardship being felt by Nigerians nationwide.
He said, “Solutions to problems can never be as instant as coffee. But we must certainly be there. I know the removal of fuel subsidy has created some things. And that is why palliatives are being put in place of 100 trucks. Fertilizers have been sent to the states, 100 trucks of grains have been sent and more are coming. Buses are also coming. We can endure this for a moment. What we are going through today is for a better tomorrow. Nations are great because citizens have hope. They have hope that tomorrow will be better than today.”
In what appeared a commendation for Tinubu over his recent ministerial appointments, Akume said settling for Dave Umahi as Minister for Works was an indication that the President is a rewarder of those who work diligently in service to their people.
“Umahi did very well as governor and he is today the Minister of Works. I think we can say that this is a step in the right direction,” he said.
Meanwhile former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan were some of the eminent Nigerians who spoke in glowing terms about Clark at the book event.
The book titled, “Brutally Frank’ chronicled the journey of Clark as a classroom teacher, commissioner, minister, and national activist spanning over seven decades.
Gowon who chaired the occasion in his welcome address described the author as a foremost Nigerian who has done his part in the growth and advancement of the Nigerian State
On how Clark became Minister of Information in the then military government, Gowon noted that a perfect replacement was needed for Anthony Enahoro at the time, saying, “The need to fill in the void created by Enahoro’s exit was what gave Clark the job of minister in the government which I headed. He became my confidant and the voice of the government, fearlessly defending the government and projecting its image. I found comfort in always discussing government and other issues with Clark most amicably. However, considering his strong personality, there were times that he would vehemently disagree with his colleagues commissioners, and military officers and worked hard to convince them why his own position is better than theirs and any other.
“He was helpful not only in explaining government policies and programmes but also in the effort to rebuild our unity in the country. I also found him useful in our vision of building a common identity within the West Africa sub-region. I, therefore, found his personality and persuasive skill an asset in visiting various West African countries to canvass the need for us to have a common sub-regional body which today is known as the Economic Community of West African States.”
The former Head of State described the book as “A very useful chronicle of what had transpired in Nigeria during his (Clark’s) lifetime of service. I am hopeful that the younger generations will be better informed on our experiences which have brought the country to what it is today, on which our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu represents the centre of our common aspirations of peace, unity, and progress.”
Also speaking, Jonathan described Clark as one of those Nigerians whose record of service is worthy of emulation by the citizens, particularly the younger ones.
“Chief Clark is one of those few Nigerians whose names should be written in letters of gold. I say this not because he is my father. This book is a collection of history that will act as a useful guide to young people,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, labelled Clark a mentor to everyone: “A man and leader who has nothing against anyone.”
On his part, Senate President Godswill Akpabio represented by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, called on leaders to emulate the elder statesmen, stating that his devotion to the cause of justice was what stands him out from the pack.
Former Edo State Governor, Oserheimen Osunbor who reviewed the 28-chapter book commended Clark for his rich memory but not without pointing out some flaws ranging from factual errors to wrong spellings.
He said, “At times, the language is intemperate such as using the word ‘stupid on page 359. This is obviously in anger but not appropriate in a book. The most serious shortcoming is the author’s copious reproduction, reference to, and reliance on the statements and opinions of other people many of which may be unreliable and unverifiable.
“An example of this is on page 559 where he quotes in extenso excerpts from Mallam El-Rufai’s book “The Accidental Public Servant. In the relevant portion, the author refers to a discussion at Aso Villa between President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senate President Ken Nnamani, and others as they mulled the idea of stopping live television broadcasts of the Senate debate of the Third Term. Chief Tony Anenih is quoted to have said that he will get Professor Osunbor to move the motion.”
Clark was quoted as follows, “The following day, we learnt that Professor Osunbor went to the clerk of the Senate and asked that a motion be raised of urgent national importance, with no topic. This allowed – any senator can move to table a motion of urgent national importance” with no further detail. The clerk put the motion in the order paper. On the appointed day, Professor Osunbor fell miraculously ill and had to be admitted to the hospital, so there was nobody to raise the motion”.
According to Osunbor, “This is pure fiction and fallacious. First, it is the prerogative of the President of the Senate to decide whether to allow a motion of urgent national importance and if satisfied, will direct the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business to put it on the Order Paper.
“The Clerk of the Senate has nothing to do with it. At any rate, a motion on the modality of Senate debate will be a matter of privilege which can be raised by any Senator without notice at any time and once the relevant Order has been invoked, it cannot be refused and must be allowed by the Senate President, much less the Clerk of Senate.
“At no time have I fallen miraculously ill and from 1999 when I entered Senate till date, I have never been admitted to any hospital. Importing such falsehoods into a book diminishes its quality.”
The Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced a foreign exchange price verification system designed for importers to have access to forex.
The apex bank in a statement from its Trade and Exchange Department on Thursday night, said a price verification report from the portal is now mandatory for all Form M requests while it takes effect from August 31, 2023.
The statement read, “Following the successful conduct of the pilot run and various trainings held with all the banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria hereby announces the Go- Live of the Price Verification System (PVS),” the statement reads.
“All applications for Forms M shall be accompanied by a valid price verification report generated from the price verification portal.
“For the avoidance of doubt, by this circular, the price verification report has become a mandatory trade document precedent to the completion of a Form M.”
While urging all authorised dealers to inform their customers of the development, the CBN also said any case of infraction would be appropriately sanctioned.
“Please, ensure compliance,” the apex bank added.
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poor revenue persists
At least 77 percent of both North-Central and North-West states struggle with low revenue, poor foreign investments and huge debt profiles amid rising incidences of banditry, according to findings by The PUNCH.
Analysis done by The PUNCH showed that states battling banditry are Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Sokoto and Kaduna.
However, there are 13 states in total for North-Central and North-West, excluding the Federal Capital Territory in the North-Central.
This means that only 10 out of the 13 states were covered in our analysis, which was about 76.92 percent of the total states.
A cursory analysis of internally generated revenue in the states showed a relatively poor performance, compared to other states of the federation.
In the first quarter of 2021, the states earned N43.39bn as internally generated revenue, which was only about 34.24 percent of the IGR of Lagos State for the same period.
By the first quarter of 2023, the states increased the total IGR slightly to N55.51bn, which was only about 30.85 percent of the IGR of Lagos State for the same period.
However, Sokoto was excluded from our IGR calculation due to the lack of data for Q1 2023.
A breakdown showed that in the first quarter of 2023, Zamfara State generated only N4.28bn in IGR. This was a sharp contrast to figures generated by other states in the country such as Delta (N40.51bn), Kwara (N18.48bn), Edo (N18.84bn), and Anambra (N13.03bn).
Last year, the Zamfara State House of Assembly reduced the budget presented to the House by the former Governor Bello Matawalle due to low internally generated revenue caused by the insecurity situation in the state.
A statement by the Director-General, Press Affairs and Public Relations of the House, Mustafa Kaura, said the budget was trimmed down from the initial N126.7bn to N117. 5bn.
This year, the state is targeting N25.55bn in projected IGR earnings. The N4.28 recorded in Q1 reflects 16 percent of the targeted IGR for the year.
With four quarters in a year, it is presumed that states should have generated one-quarter (25 percent) of their projected revenue in each quarter.
From the available data, many states in the North-West and North-Central fell short of the 25 percent revenue projection for the first quarter.
For example, despite generating N17.97bn in Q1, Kaduna State could only manage 20.13 percent of its projected IGR, having targeted an annual revenue of N89.2bn and a quarterly figure of N22.32bn.
Niger State, which set its sight on a quarterly IGR of N5.84bn, could only manage 15 percent of its target (N3.04bn).
The state has perennially been plagued by poor IGR generation, a development which prompted former governor, Abubakar Bello, to explore different initiatives in a bid to boost its locally tapped revenue.
Also joining Zamfara, Niger, and Kaduna in low IGR generation are Katsina (N3.22bn), Jigawa (N4.55bn) while Kebbi and Nasarawa each generated N3.85bn in the first quarter of the year.
An analysis by The PUNCH showed that the states have a budget shortfall of 26.37 percent (N19.86bn) as they only earned about N55.51bn from the target revenue of N75.37bn in Q1 2023.
Many of the affected states, due to their low IGR, have been dubbed as states that cannot survive without federal allocations.
Also, The PUNCH observed that while the states raised their IGR by N12.12bn between Q1 2021 and Q1 2023, they borrowed N148.42bn domestically within the same period.
This means that they borrowed over 12 times more than they earned within a two-year period.
Their total domestic debt (including Sokoto) rose from N754.2bn in Q1 2021 to N902.62bn in the same quarter this year.
Many analysts have attributed the low IGR generation to widespread insecurity that has greatly hampered commercial activities in the affected states.
Only last month, the Northern Emancipation Network groaned over the return of insecurity in Zamfara State, describing it as uncontrollable.
A statement by NEN’s Secretary-General, Sulaiman Abbah, said in spite of the previous government’s efforts to curtail insecurity, the situation in the state was deteriorating.
The group called on President Bola Tinubu and the governor of the state, Lawal Dare, to work for the security of the people who elected them into office
‘No foreign investments’
The PUNCH also observed that at least 60 percent of both North-Central and North-West states did not attract any foreign investments in two years due to the rising cases of banditry.
Analysis done by The PUNCH showed that states battling banditry are Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Plateau, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Sokoto and Kaduna.
However, there are 13 states in total for North-Central and North-West, excluding the Federal Capital Territory in the North-Central.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed that out of 10 states with cases of banditry, only four attracted foreign investments between the first quarter of 2021 and Q1 2023.
This means that out of the 10 states, only 40 percent of them attracted foreign investments within the review period.
The states that attracted foreign investments include Katsina, Niger, Plateau, and Kano.
However, The PUNCH observed that the investments attracted by these states were significantly low.
A breakdown showed that in Q1 2021, only Kano attracted foreign investment of about $2.40m, while the other nine states did not.
By Q2 2021, all the 10 states did not attract any form of foreign investment, while in Q3 2021, only Kano attracted about $0.15m, which was a significant decline from the Q1 figure.
Also, in Q4 2021, none of the 10 states had any record of capital importation.
The situation was similar in 2022 as only Katsina ($0.70m) and Plateau ($0.04m) recorded capital importation for 2022, and this was only in Q1 of 2022.
From Q2 – Q4 2022, none of the 10 states attracted any foreign investments.
However, by Q1 2023, only Niger attracted capital importation of $1.50m, while the nine others did not.
The PUNCH observed that there was a decline of 37.50 percent between what was recorded in Q1 2021 and Q1 2023.
In total, the four states had capital importation of $4.79m in two years.
Worsening banditry
Despite several measures taken by both the state and the federal government to end banditry activities, the issue is worsening as bandits continue to kidnap and kill innocent people.
In Zamfara State, checks by The PUNCH have shown that the bandits are becoming more stronger by the day and have currently invaded almost all the 14 local government areas of the state.
The bandits who now move freely in large numbers on motorcycles have issued a strong warning to the farmers particularly those in the rural areas that there will be no farming activities this year unless the state government reconciles with them.
At the time of filing this report, more than 70 percent of farmlands are currently abandoned by farmers in the state due to fear of bandits attacks.
Many farmers who spoke to The PUNCH have expressed worries that they will not be able to farm this year, considering the insecurity challenges affecting the state.
One of the farmers, Musa Garba who is a resident of Dansadau town of Maru local government area, said he used to get over 100 bags of rice, and 50 bags of millet every year, lamenting that he did not plant any crop this farming season due to fear of the bandits who are always going round the farmlands to kidnap or kill farmers.
He said, “I used to get enough food to feed my family and even sell some bags to buy other commodities. But in the last two years, I stopped going to farm”.
Another farmer, Abubakar Dauda also from Dansadau town in the Maru Local Government Area, narrated that the lingering banditry activity in the area was worrisome and dangerous which really put fear to farmers who have lost hope in this year’s farming season.
He explained that the rainy season had already started but people could not sacrifice their lives to go for the usual farming activities because the bandits would instantly kill any farmer they saw in the farmlands.
Another farmer, Sani Musa, said he was able to plant some crops this year thinking that, the present administration under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal would do something urgent on security lamenting however that, the bandits have completely destroyed the crops.
He called on both the state and federal governments to deploy adequate troops in some areas so as to enable farmers to return to their farms.
Another farmer Garba Ibrahim from the Shinkafi Local Government Area said he was no longer thinking of how to go home and go back to his usual farming in this farming season.
He stated that the consistent attacks by bandits that killed most of their people and burned down most parts of their village made those who escaped the attacks to reside in Gusau the state capital to look for survival.
Also speaking, another farmer, Malam Umar, said his farmlands were seized by bandits two years ago and no effort was made by the security agents to retrieve the farms.
He however expressed optimism that with the recent deployment of soldiers of Operation Hadarin Daji in Mada and Wonaka areas, the bandits would soon be forced to move into the forest areas. This according to him could provide opportunities for some farmers who own lands not far from the town to access them.
Speaking to journalists in his office, the Secretary to Zamfara State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Nakwada, said, Governor Dauda Lawal had assured that, his administration would do everything humanly possible to make sure that farmers go to their farms in this farming season.
Nakwada stressed that the governor had made adequate arrangements with the security agents so that the bandits would be dealt with in order to ensure adequate security in the state.
He however maintained that Zamfara State Government would not negotiate with the bandits no matter the pressure.
Also, farmers in Nasarawa State lamented that the issue of banditry had stopped many of them from going to their farmlands.
The farmers, who were victims of attacks in Keana and Obi local government areas of the state, expressed deep concern over the persistent attacks on their communities by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
THE organised labour has knocked the Federal Government for releasing a N180bn palliative package to states to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal.
The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress insisted that the governors could not be trusted, noting that politicians and not the poor would benefit from the N5bn largess given to each state government for disbursement to the citizens.
The Federal Government yesterday announced an N5bn palliative for each state of the federation and 180 trucks of rice as part of measures to assuage the pains of the subsidy removal.
The policy, which led to sharp and multiple increases in fuel pump prices, has driven up the prices of goods and services, pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty and worsening the socio-economic situation in the country.
But reacting to the government’s interventions, the Assistant National Secretary-General of the NLC, Chris Onyeka, wondered why the FG was releasing money to governors, many of whom he said had refused to pay the minimum wage.
He dismissed the palliative fund as paltry, noting that it would not get to the intended beneficiaries.
“The money will not get to the people, let them share the money as they want but what the NLC agreed with them were certain milestones. The NLC will close its eyes to what the Federal Government is trying to give to the governors.
“To us as far as we are concerned, NLC will still stick to the milestones that we have agreed on, we will insist that those things are discussed and implemented to the letter.’’
“When the Federal Government wants to subvert the instrument of dialogue, it intentionally creates problems. The Federal Government had already started engaging using this instrument when they engaged the NLC; for them now to go and sit down at the level of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and to go and pretend to give them money is a subversion of social dialogue, subversion of peace, and a subversion of democracy because it is not democratic.”
TUC slams govs
Speaking in the same vein, the TUC Deputy National President, Tommy Etim stressed that governors could not be trusted with the implementation of the palliative funds.
“It is one thing to make pronouncements, implementation is another thing. I am sure you remember what happened to the COVID-19 palliatives in 2020 when foodstuffs were stored in warehouses and kept from hungry citizens. Same thing with the issue of the Paris Club relief fund that some governors went to hide in the bank so that they could get some from it while citizens were starving.
“We need a body that will follow up on the implementation because left to the state governors, the palliatives may not get to places where it should get. We need a body that will make them accountable. We need the citizens to be aware. The body should let everyone know when each state gets its own relief (package). Everyone should know the details that are received by each state, how the packages were distributed,’’ he suggested.
Also, the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the Federal Government was about sharing N2,000 and a cup of rice to poor people across the country.
He also stated that the governors could not be trusted, as most of them were not paying minimum wage, adding that no committee was established to ensure the successful implementation of the initiative.
Ajaero said, “N5bn multiplied by 36 states is going to give you N180bn. So if you divide that with the official figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, which says that 133 million Nigerians are multi-dimensionally poor, and calculate it, you will get about N2,000 each for those who are poor.
“That is the official statistics of the government, but you and I know that the actual figure is more than that. So is that what to celebrate? And then, five trucks or there about, of rice to a state. The poor people of these states cannot get one cup of rice. It will not go round.
“Even if you pick them from the poverty bracket, it will be difficult for them to get one cup of rice. Is that the best we can do? Is that the best approach to governance? So do we look at our people as people we should give one cup of rice and N2,000? Is that palliative?”
He said the government should be serious with governance that served the interest of the people.
Allegation untrue, we are waiting for last batch - says govt
Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, of refusing to distribute bags of rice received from the Federal Government as palliatives to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the people.
The APC said Adeleke received the consignment from the FG twelve days before Thursday, and noted that Adeleke was playing a dangerous game by refusing to disclose or distribute the items.
The party further said five trailer-loads of rice with other items donated by the FG were sent to Osun as the state’s shares of the people’s palliatives to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
A statement signed by APC state Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, however, wondered that the state government, after receiving the items, refused to announce to the people of Osun that it has taken possession of the FG’s palliatives.
It further read, “I can’t fathom the reason why Governor Adeleke is finding it difficult to announce the arrival of the federal government palliatives to the state and also why it has been pretty difficult to distribute same. Is Governor Adeleke waiting for the people of the state to die of hunger before he deems it fit to make the palliatives available to serve its purpose at the right time?
“All genuine stakeholders in the Osun State project should plead with Adeleke to release the rice palliatives sent to the state by the Federal Government to get to the needy on time as the purpose for sending it down is not to be locked up in a hidden warehouse in the state.
“The diversion of the rice palliatives by the state government as it is being touted by some concerned discerning minds in the state would have a debilitating effect on the image of the reigning state government. Again, if the news spreading like a wild fire across the state that Adeleke is trying to play a fast one on the palliatives from Abuja by inscribing ‘Imole De Rice’ on it is anything to go by, it shall be resisted by all legal means.”
But responding in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Engagement, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, the state government while describing APC’s claim as propaganda, said m last batch of the palliatives was still being expected before distribution will commence.
Alimi, who assured people that Ademola Adeleke administration would not deny them of the palliatives, also urged them to disregard APC’s claim regarding alleged hoarding of the items.
“Federal government approved a total of three thousand bags of rice palliatives to Osun state. Six hundred bags were loaded per each truck and disbursed through four trailers: making two thousand and four hundred received so far. Out of the five trailers of bags of rice palliative to the state, we are waiting for the completion of the palliative supply before the announcement and distribution.
“Cushioning the effect of the subsidy is a necessity, our government will not withhold what belongs to the citizenry from them.
The rice palliatives will be distributed as soon as the last tranche comes into the state by today or tomorrow.
“We assure the good people of Osun that the government of Ademola Adeleke will not deny them of the rice palliatives, and we urge all to disregard the propaganda of the APC. This government is a responsible one, we are not hoarding the rice palliatives but waiting for the supply to be completed by the agency of the federal government before we commence distribution.
“Osun people know that the Adeleke family even before being elected into office has always shared thousands of bags of rice to the populace during an emergency. Now in Government, this administration can never and will never divert 2hat belongs to the people,” Alimi said.
Troops of the Economic Community of West African States have pledged readiness to participate in a standby force that could restore civil rule in Niger Republic should diplomatic efforts to reverse a coup there fail.
All member states, except those under military rule and Cape Verde, pledged to participate in the standby force at a meeting in Accra, Ghana capital, on Thursday.
Addressing the assembled Defence Chiefs from ECOWAS member countries, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah, “Let no one be in doubt if everything else fails, the valiant forces of West Africa…are ready to answer to the call of duty.
“By all means available, constitutional order will be restored in the country.”
According to Ghana News Agency, Musah said ECOWAS would go to Niger with its resources and any organisation willing to help was welcome.
The commissioner said, “The request for Chapter VII is often done in order to secure resources, and access contributions from the UN offer. The Heads of State are saying we are going to Niger with our resources. Anyone who wants to help us, fair enough.”
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council’s powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to determine the existence of any threat to peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, and to take military and non-military action to restore international peace and security.
Al Jazeera quoted Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, to have said, “Democracy is what we stand for and it’s what we encourage.
“The focus of our gathering is not simply to react to events, but to proactively chart a course that results in peace and promote stability.”
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Germany has thrown its weight behind the European Union sanctions against the Niger Republic military junta.
EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss the Niger situation, including sanctions, at a meeting in Toledo, Spain, on August 31, 2023.
The EU, one of the biggest providers of aid to Niger, said last month it was suspending security cooperation and financial support that had been set at EUR 503 million in 2021-2024 to help improve governance and education.
During a visit to Abuja, German Development Minister, Svenja Schulze, also met with representatives of the West African bloc ECOWAS, the ministry said.
Also, the Southern Africa Development Community bloc in Nigeria on Thursday supported the actions taken by the African Union and the ECOWAS to restore democracy in Niger.