In a record-breaking deportation flight, 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians were forcibly removed from the UK on Friday, marking a significant surge in immigration enforcement.

According to The Guardian.com/uk The Home Office confirmed the action as part of a broader crackdown on immigration, which has seen the deportation of over 3,600 people since the Labour government came to power in July.

This comes as news emerges that asylum seekers arriving at Diego Garcia, a UK-administered island, before the finalization of a treaty between the UK and Mauritius will be relocated to Saint Helena, a British territory in the Atlantic.

The Chagos Islands treaty, expected to be signed next year, will not apply to around 60 Tamils who have been stranded on Diego Garcia since 2021 and are pursuing legal action over their detention.

While the number of asylum seekers arriving at Diego Garcia has been in the hundreds, it pales in comparison to the tens of thousands who have crossed the English Channel in small boats from northern France in recent years. Just on Friday, 647 individuals made the perilous crossing in 10 boats, pushing the total for the year beyond 28,000.

Deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana have been relatively rare, with only four recorded since 2020, and prior flights carrying significantly fewer individuals—ranging from six to 21 people. The recent flight, which saw 44 deportees, more than doubled the numbers seen in previous removals.

The Guardian interviewed four Nigerian men held at Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick before their deportation. One of them, who had been in the UK for 15 years seeking asylum, expressed his distress: “I have no criminal record, but the Home Office has refused my claim.” Another man revealed he had been a victim of trafficking and bore torture scars, yet his asylum claim had also been rejected.

Fizza Qureshi, the chief executive of Migrants’ Rights Network, condemned the deportations, citing the speed, secrecy, and lack of legal support. She quoted a detainee who said, “The Home Office is playing politics with people’s lives. We have not done anything wrong other than cry for help.”

A Home Office spokesperson defended the move, stating that the government is committed to enforcing immigration rules and ensuring that people without legal rights to remain in the UK are returned.

Bayer Leverkusen and Nigeria striker Victor Boniface on Sunday shared video footage and photos of his smashed car after an accident.

The forward can be seen looking into the camera and then showing what appears to be his arm dripping with blood.

Other images show a black sports car which appears to have been destroyed in an accident. The post has since been deleted.

German tabloid Bild reported Sunday Boniface is “doing well considering the circumstances and is only slightly injured”, citing a source close to the striker.

Boniface wrote on social media on Sunday “god is the greatest” and “god says my time hasn’t come.”

The forward’s club Leverkusen are yet to comment publicly on the news.

The 23-year-old striker joined Leverkusen last season and played a key role as the club broke through for an unbeaten league and cup double — their first ever Bundesliga win — while receiving his debut Nigeria call-up.

This season he has seven goals in 10 games in all competitions. On Saturday, he missed a penalty but headed in the winner in a 2-1 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.

Leverkusen are away at French club Brest in the Champions League on Wednesday.

In a world where success is often measured by wealth, the richest Black people stand out as remarkable figures.

These individuals are pioneers in diverse fields, from business to entertainment, and their achievements not only shatter barriers but also pave the way for others to follow.

Take a look at the top 10 richest Black people in the world:

David Steward $11.4 billion USA

David Lloyd Steward, born in 1951, is an American billionaire entrepreneur. He is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), which is among the largest African-American-owned companies in the United States. In 2024, Steward was ranked 344th on Forbes’ list of billionaires globally, with an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion.

Aliko Dangote ($11.3 billion)

Aliko Dangote, born on April 10, 1957, is one of the richest Black people in the world. A prominent Nigerian businessman and industrialist, he is notably the first person to build a private oil refinery in Nigeria. As of October 2024, Forbes ranks him as the 211th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $11.2 billion. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his wealth is estimated at $27.7 billion.

Robert F. Smith ($10.8 billion)

Robert Frederick Smith, born on December 1, 1962, is an American billionaire businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm. Smith earned a chemical engineering degree from Cornell University and later an MBA from Columbia Business School. Before founding his company, he worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. In 2019, during a commencement speech at Morehouse College, Smith made headlines when he pledged to cover the entire $34 million in student loan debt for the graduating class of 2019.

Mike Adenuga ($6.6 billion)

Mike Adenuga, Nigeria’s second wealthiest person, amassed his fortune through telecommunications and oil ventures. His mobile network company, Globacom, is the second-largest in Nigeria, boasting over 60 million subscribers. In addition to telecommunications, Adenuga’s oil company, Conoil Producing, operates six oil blocks in the Niger Delta.

Globacom also established Glo-1, a 6,100-mile submarine internet cable linking the U.K. with Ghana and Portugal. Adenuga holds a 74% stake in publicly traded Conoil and owns just under 6% of Nigerian bank Sterling Financial Holding.

Abdulsamad Rabiu ($ 4.7 billion)

One of the richest Black people in the world, Abdul Samad Isyaku Rabiu is a prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. As of 2024, he ranks as Nigeria’s third richest man. His father, Khalifah Isyaku Rabiu, was one of Nigeria’s leading industrialists in the 1970s and 1980s. Abdul Samad is the founder and chairman of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate focused on manufacturing, infrastructure, and agriculture, generating over $2.5 billion in revenue. He also serves as the chairman of Nigeria’s Bank of Industry (BOI).

In July 2020, Forbes valued his net worth at $3.2 billion, placing him 716th among the world’s billionaires. By January 2022, he was recognised as Nigeria’s second richest person. In April 2022, he ranked as the fifth-richest person in Africa with a fortune of $6.7 billion, and by January 2023, he climbed to fourth on the continent’s wealthiest list.

Michael Jordan ($3.5 billion)

Widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls. Throughout his career, his total salary amounted to $90 million, but his earnings from partnerships with brands like Nike, Hanes, and Gatorade have reached an astounding $2.4 billion (before taxes). In 2020, Jordan became a special advisor and investor for the sports-betting company DraftKings and also co-owned a NASCAR team. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that valued the NBA team at $3 billion.

Oprah Winfrey ($3 billion)

Oprah Winfrey turned her 25-year-long talk show into a powerful media and business empire. The profits from her show, combined with earnings from films like ‘The Color Purple’, ‘Beloved’, and ‘Selma’—which were co-produced by her company, Harpo Productions—have brought her wealth to an estimated $2.5 billion.

In 2011, she launched the OWN cable channel and later sold most of her shares in it to Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020, receiving company stock in return.

In 2015, Winfrey purchased a 10% stake in WeightWatchers, and in 2024, she generously donated her shares to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Winfrey also owns an extensive real estate portfolio, including homes in California and more than a dozen properties, along with 2,100 acres of land in Hawaii.

Patrice Motsepe ($3 billion)

Patrice Motsepe, founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, became a billionaire in 2008, making history as the first Black African to appear on the Forbes billionaire list. In 2016, he established African Rainbow Capital, a private equity firm focused on investments across Africa. Motsepe also holds a stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company, and is the owner and president of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.

In March 2021, he was elected president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the governing body for soccer on the continent. His business journey began in 1994 when he became the first Black partner at Johannesburg law firm Bowman Gilfillan, later launching a mining services company. In 1997, Motsepe acquired underperforming gold mine shafts, which he successfully turned around

Jay-Z ($2.5 billion)

Since becoming hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019, Jay-Z has significantly increased his wealth, largely due to his successful liquor ventures. In 2021, luxury conglomerate LVMH acquired a 50% stake in his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, also known as Ace of Spades. In February 2023, he sold a majority of his ownership in his cognac brand, D’Usse, to Bacardi.

Beyond liquor, Jay-Z’s wealth includes assets like an art collection featuring works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, his extensive music catalog, and stakes in companies such as Block and Uber. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he won an Emmy for producing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Strive Masiyiwa ($1.8 billion)

Strive Masiyiwa faced huge government resistance when he launched the mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in his home country in 1998. He holds a 38% stake in the publicly traded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, which is part of his larger Econet Group, as well as about 33% of EcoCash, a mobile money transfer company.

Masiyiwa also has an investment in Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a private firm that offers fiber optic and cloud services to telecom companies throughout Africa. His portfolio includes investments in fintech and power distribution companies across the continent, along with stock options in Netflix, where he has been a board member since December 2020. He and his wife, Tsitsi, founded the Higherlife Foundation, which assists orphaned and underprivileged children in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi, and Lesotho.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja Lagos have arrested two businessmen for attempting to import and export cocaine pellets and parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis through the airport.

The businessmen: Ihejirika Okechukwu Emmanuel and Iwuagwu Ikedi Victory were arrested as well as a Canada-based nurse Usman Grace Khadijat Olami.

Spokesman of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said, “Ihejirika who frequents Thailand from where he claims to be importing fish into Nigeria was arrested on Tuesday 15th October 2024 while attempting to board an Ethiopian Airlines flight to Thailand via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“When he was taken for body scan, the result showed he ingested an illicit drug which proved to be cocaine.

“As a result, he was placed under excretion observation during which he expelled five big egg size wraps of cocaine weighing 400 grams.

In his statement, the 51-year-old suspect confessed that he was to be paid upon successful delivery of the drug consignment in Thailand.

He said he needed the money to boost his fish importation business.

In the same vein, NDLEA operatives at the Lagos airport on Thursday 17th October intercepted a 26-year-old businessman Iwuagwu Ikedi Victory coming from Brazil via Addis Ababa during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight.

His body scan revealed ingestion of illicit drugs. When he was put under observation, he excreted a pellet of cocaine weighing 22 grams.

He however confessed that he ingested 30 wraps of the illicit drug in Brazil but excreted 29 pellets in Addis Ababa, where he handed them over to another person. 

The suspect revealed that he was to be paid N2.5 million for trafficking the drug.

Also, a Nigerian-Canadian nurse Usman Grace Khadijat Olami was on 4th October arrested by NDLEA officers at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Air France passengers from Toronto, Canada via Paris.

During a search of her luggage, a total of 70 parcels of Canadian Loud, weighing 35.70kg were recovered from her.

During her interview, she claimed she was in Nigeria to meet her boyfriend who instructed her to come with the large consignment of the highly sought-after synthetic cannabis.

NDLEA further said, “At the seaports, a total of 162,351 bottles of codeine-based syrup were intercepted from two containers at the Apapa seaport in Lagos by NDLEA operatives during a joint examination of two containers with men of the Customs Service and other security agencies on Tuesday 15th October.

“Not less than Seven Million, Two Hundred Thousand (7,200,000) pills of Royal 225mg Tapentadol and Carisoprodol worth Three Billion Six Hundred Million Naira (N3,600,000,000) in street value were seized from a watch-listed container from India at Port Harcourt Port Complex, Onne, Rivers state on Tuesday 15th October.

“In the same container, 780 cartons of chlorphenamine containing Fifteen Million Six Hundred Thousand (15,600,000) pills of the opioid, were also recovered.

“From two other watch-listed containers equally searched at the port in Onne, a total of 337,000 bottles of codeine-based syrup worth Two Billion Three Hundred and Fifty-Nine Million Naira (N2,359,000,000) were recovered from them on Tuesday 15th and Thursday 17th October.

“This brings the total value of the seized Tapentadol, Carisoprodol and Codeine consignments at the two seaports to Seven Billion Ninety-Five Million Four Hundred and Fifty-Seven Thousand Naira (N7,095,457,000)”.

In Bauchi state, a suspect Sunday Jonathan Ogenyi, 33, was arrested along Bauchi-Jos road with 76,600 pills of tramadol concealed in false compartments of his Toyota Sienna vehicle marked Enugu JRV 341 ZY.

 

NDLEA operatives in Ondo state on Tuesday 15th October arrested three suspects: Goddey Obizuo; Samuel Aniete; and Kuffrey Aniete at Afo village where 672kg cannabis sativa was seized from them.

A raid at Illushi forest in Esan South East LGA, Edo state led to the destruction of 10,590.36kg cannabis spread on 4.236144 hectares of farmland.

Suspects arrested during the operation include: Benson Upuoni, 65; and Sunday Nwaeboyi, 35.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Tuesday 15th October arrested Andrew Joseph Anoriode with 3kg methamphetamine and 1.90kg cannabis along Lagos – Ibadan expressway while 241kg of same substance was recovered at Gbaji, Badagry area of the state.

A suspected meth cook, Agbeiboh Oscar, was nabbed same Tuesday at Abule Osun with 265 grams of methamphetamine and different quantities of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of methamphetamine and others.

With the same vigour, Commands, and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities to schools, worship centers, workplaces, and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Ansarudeen Senior High School, Saki, Oyo State; Government Secondary School, Hayin Gwarmai, Bebeji LGA, kano; Margaret Ekpo Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Agbaju Unuhu Community Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; and WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Lafiagi, Alhaji Muhammad Kawu Kudu, Kwara state, among others.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of MMIA, PHPC, Apapa, Lagos, Bauchi, Ondo, and Edo Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures,

He stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated.

Veteran Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has revealed that, despite working alongside many handsome actors throughout her career, she has never felt any romantic attraction towards them.

Akintola shared her perspective during a recent appearance on the NollywoodHardCore show.

“I have never been attracted to an actor. All of you are my brothers; no be my brother na him you be?” she stated, emphasizing her professional mindset when on set. “I just wasn’t attracted to people in the workplace. My frame of mind when I come to work is the frame of mind of an actor who is being professional. So I don’t see you people as ‘dateable’ individuals. We have some really handsome men as actors, but I have never thought of dating any of them. Honestly, in truthfulness.”

In addition to discussing her lack of romantic interest in her male colleagues, Akintola reflected on the challenges she faced when she first entered the industry. She expressed her dismay at the sensationalist media coverage she endured early in her career.

“When I started out, there was a lot of controversy and all sorts of things written about me,” she recalled. “Horrible stuff. There were even rumors saying I don’t wear underwear. News like that flies; it sells. You have more traction from things like that. You have more people buying the papers if it’s papers. People want to read about funny things like that. It’s a little better now, but back then, they just used to cook up stories. I once read a story about myself claiming I was at a hotel off Toyin Street with a Sheikh.”

Akintola’s candid remarks shed light on her commitment to professionalism in an industry often plagued by rumors and sensationalism

On-fire Lionel Messi on Saturday became Inter Miami’s all-time leading scorer after scoring his second hat-trick of the week as the US-based club beat the New England Revolution 6-2.

With the hat trick, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner took his tally for the club to 33 goals.

Miami’s win, in their final game of the regular season, took them to 74 points – one more than the previous record, set by New England in 2021.

Messi, who came off the bench in the 58th minute and led the late flurry of goals, has now scored 20 goals in 19 appearances in MLS with his former Barcelona team-mate Suarez also notching 20, from 27 games.

The challenge of breaking the record added some spice to the final game of the regular season with Inter having already secured the Supporters’ Shield for the best record in the regular season to stamp themselves clear favourites in the MLS Cup playoffs which start next week.

Miami had trailed 2-0 before Suarez scored twice before half-time to send Gerardo Martino’s team in level at the interval.

Goals from Argentine Luca Langoni and Colombian Dylan Borrero in the 34th minute had the home crowd chanting for Messi’s introduction from the bench but it was Uruguayan Suarez who began the comeback.

A firm left-foot finish from the former Liverpool and Barcelona striker, pulled one back, after good work from David Martinez.

Then Suarez levelled with a fine solo finish, making space for himself and switching to his right foot before drilling home.

Messi, who had scored a hat-trick for Argentina against Bolivia on Tuesday, came off the bench in the 58th minute and immediately helped put the team ahead finding Jordi Alba who set up Benjamin Cremaschi for a tap-in.

New England thought they had drawn level with a goal from striker Bobby Wood but the effort was disallowed for handball following a VAR review.

Messi then made it 4-2, collecting a back-heeled pass from Suarez before brilliantly blasting into the far bottom corner.

The Argentine was on target again when he latched on to a superb pass from Jordi Alba and made no mistake and then he completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute when he met a volleyed cross from Suarez with a precise first time finish.

Messi’s three goals came within an 11-minute spell and after his two month injury absence after the Copa America he now looks back to his best.

– ‘ideal situation’ –

“I have the feeling that we have him in an ideal situation to face the most important part of the year,” said Martino.

At the post-game celebration of the Supporters Shield success, club co-owners David Beckham and Jorge Mas were joined by FIFA president Gianni Infantino who announced that the Shield had earned the team a place in the 2025 Club World Cup.

Elsewhere in the last round of the regular season in MLS, Montreal clinched a place in the playoffs with a 2-0 win over New York City.

The victory secured eighth place in the Eastern Conference and the Canadian side will play ninth-placed Atlanta United in the wildcard round on Tuesday for a chance to play Miami in the first round.

Atlanta took the final spot in the East with a 2-1 win at Orlando City.

There was a thrilling finale to the regular season in the Western Conference with the two Los Angeles clubs locked in battle for top spot and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

LAFC left the field thinking their 3-1 win over San Jose was enough to have secured the top seed with LA Galaxy losing 1-0 to Houston.

But a stoppage time penalty, converted by Gabriel Pec, looked to have secured LA Galaxy the point they needed to secure first place and left LAFC fans, in California, watching on their phones desolate.

But then in the 11th minute of stoppage time, Houston grabbed a dramatic winner with a header from Daniel Steres against his former club, meaning that LAFC snatched top seed on goal difference – by a single goal.

LAFC will face the winner of the wildcard game between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers while the Galaxy will host the Colorado Rapids in the first round.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu and his government “to stop the ‘weaponization’ of the country’s security agencies to target Nigerians simply for the peaceful exercise of their human rights, and to direct the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately withdraw the baseless defamation lawsuit by their proxies against our organization and management staff.”

Two named DSS officials last week filed a defamation lawsuit against SERAP, following allegations by the organization regarding the recent invasion of its Abuja office by some officials of the security agency.

In the open letter dated 19 October 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “We are seriously concerned that your government seems to be weaponizing the DSS and misusing defamation laws as a tool of repression and to target those who defend human rights.”

SERAP said, “Rather than addressing the allegations of widespread corruption in the oil sector and the worsening economic situation in the country, and reducing the cost of governance, your government is targeting those who campaign for actions in these areas.”

The letter, read in part: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are immediately taken following the receipt and/or publication of this letter.”

“If the lawsuit is not immediately withdrawn, we will be prepared to defend our organization and management staff in court, and to join your government and DSS in the lawsuit. This may include calling witnesses to ensure justice, end impunity for rights abuses, and achieve legitimate public interests in this matter.”

“We have since 2004 pursued several public interest cases against the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari. This is the first time any government will weaponize the country’s security agencies to intimidate and target our organization.”

“The defamation lawsuit is brought by two named DSS officials but their names are unknown to our organization. The lawsuit by these officials is apparently instigated and sponsored by the DSS under your watch.”

“It is critical for human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other citizens to be able to organize and freely exercise their human rights without the threat of baseless lawsuits by your government or its security agencies and/or their proxies.”

“Weaponizing the security agencies to intimidate, harass and silence human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors will weaken representative democracy, deepen impunity and undermine the rule of law.”

“Rather misusing the security agencies to crackdown on human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors, your government ought to take steps to thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the allegations raised by SERAP.”

“We are disappointed that your government has so far failed to respond to our recommendations calling on you to direct the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to immediately reverse the apparently illegal and unconstitutional increase in the pump price of petrol across its retail outlets.”

“Your government has also failed to probe the allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC, including the spending of the reported $300 million ‘bailout funds’ collected from the Federal Government in August 2024, and the $6 billion debt it owes suppliers, despite allegedly failing to remit oil revenues to the treasury and to prosecute suspected perpetrators.”

“Your government also continues to refuse to obey several court judgments obtained by SERAP, including those which ordered the Federal Government to disclose the details of the agreement with X, formerly Twitter, to assess whether the agreement complies with the exercise of Nigerians’ human rights online and to account for payments of N729 billion to 24.3 million poor Nigerians for six months.”

“SERAP had on 9 September 2024 also called on you and your government to direct the DSS to end the intimidation and harassment of our organization and our staff members.”

“Our call followed the invasion of our Abuja office by some officials of the DSS. SERAP was subsequently served with a defamation lawsuit with number CV/4547/24.”

“The country under your government has witnessed an escalating crackdown on human rights, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and media freedom, as well as socio-economic rights.”

“The judicial harassment of those who peacefully defend human rights is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.”

“Under your government, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other civil society actors such as the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) continue to face harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary detention simply for carrying out their legitimate work.”

“The judicial harassment of SERAP by your government and its agencies shows hostility towards civil society actors defending the rights of other citizens, criticizing human rights violations, and challenging a culture of impunity for perpetrators.”

“SERAP therefore urges your government to end the intimidation, harassment and threats against our organization and management staff and other human rights defenders, activists as well as journalists and other civil society actors, including intimidation, through baseless legal processes.”

“SERAP strives to ensure that our human rights and anticorruption work meet the highest standards of analytical rigor devoid of politics. Our work is driven solely by the fundamental principles of justice, impartiality, solidarity and universality of human rights. SERAP believes that no government is beyond scrutiny and accountability.”

“SERAP’s non-partisan work in the field of human rights and anticorruption has been widely recognized nationally and internationally. Our organization received the Wole Soyinka Anti-Corruption Defender Award in 2014, and was nominated for the UN Civil Society Award and Ford Foundation’s Jubilee Transparency Award. SERAP was also nominated for the 2024 Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Prizes.”

“Our organization’s calls on your government regarding the persistent increases in fuel prices and allegations of corruption in the NNPC are based on the constitutional and international responsibilities of your government to Nigerians who are victims of corruption, and your constitutional oath of office.”

“SERAP believes that it is through action like this that any government in a society governed by the rule of law can be motivated to live up to its commitments and to meet the expectations of its citizens for good governance, human rights and the rule of law.”

“SERAP urges your government to embrace the rule of law and this will in turn entail respect for the human rights of Nigerians. Where there is a culture of rule of law, there is likely to be less corruption.”

“Without embracing the rule of law, your government is unlikely to achieve your oft-repeated economic and development programmes since the rule of law is the foundation of any civilised society.”

•I am old enough to speak for myself

•Says Oyo opted to be different in 2019

•’I have no godfather, lost two Senate bids’

•Warns against one-party state

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that he is qualified and old enough to speak for himself on any issue without mincing words.

Makinde was reacting to speculations that he was plotting to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
According to him, speculations about his political future were unsolicited.

He warned Nigerians of the dangers inherent in allowing Nigeria to slide into a one-party state.

The governor, who spoke to reporters in Fashola Farm, Oyo, yesterday, explained that he would do so publicly if he had anything to say about his political future.

He said, “ We didn’t do this (host PDP reporters’ retreat) because somebody has presidential ambition. No comment, nothing. But all I can say to you is, I’m old enough if I want to do something, I will come out and say this is what I want to do.

“So, no speculation, nobody can push my agenda. I will push my agenda when the time comes.”
Makinde recalled that with the support of the people of Oyo, he defied the odds, including two failed Senate attempts, before he was elected governor.

The governor said, “Oyo State people took a decision in 2019. We did not have a godfather. Nobody sponsored me, nobody gave me a dime for us to get in here but the people of Oyo State decided, we want to give this opportunity to an outsider.

“And before that, you will see videos saying that, ‘Oh, Seyi, what has he done before? Has he been a councillor? No. Has he been to the House of Representatives? No. What about the Senate?’ I tried twice but was rejected.

“So, experience in politics – no experience in governance, but I’ve done well for myself in business and they said ‘we’ll give you the opportunity’ and before that time, the whole of the South West was APC, all six states.

“But in Oyo State, we chose to be different. Because I had no experience, I wanted to convince the people.

“We produced a document, ‘Road Map to Accelerated Development of Oyo State, 2019-2023’, and I said to the people, ‘This is it in black and white, hold me accountable,, and they gave us the opportunity. Thank God it is being done. “

Makinde also cautioned Nigerians against allowing the nation to slide into a one-party state.
He said, “Nigeria must not slide into the one-party state so that others will have the opportunity to showcase their talents.”

Makinde reiterated his commitment to re-enacting the development strides recorded by great leaders who, with their innovative approach to governance, put the South West on the global map.

He recalled that farm settlements such as Fashola Farms were conceptualized and made
functional in the 1950s by Chief Obafemi Awolowo with cattle breeds and other livestock.

Revenue generated from the proceeds of cocoa, he said, was used to build Cocoa House which was the first skyscraper at the time.

He said, “If you go to Tel Aviv in Israel,. you will see the first one they built and many more have followed.”

Speaking on the legacy he desires to leave behind, Makinde said he would like to be remembered for building institutions that will guarantee good governance irrespective of whoever occupies the office of governor.

The Central Bank of Nigeria released $547.7m (N823.19bn at the official exchange rate of N1,503.3/$1, as of June 30, 2024) to Nigerians for the importation of food items in the second quarter of 2024.

The amount is a reduction of $142.48m or 20.6 per cent from $689.88m recorded in the first three months of 2024 and N80.76bn or 8.93 per cent from N903.95bn recorded in Q1 when converted to naira.

This implies that the CBN released a total of N1.73tn for food items importation in six months, according to data from the bank’s quarterly statistics bulletin.

An analysis of the reports on Friday showed that Nigerians spent $164.43m in January, $303.91m in February, and $221.54m in March.

The apex bank also allocated $153.27m in April, $197.21m in May, and $197.22m in June.

This came as it was established that the Federal Government’s plan to reduce the price of food commodities through the implementation of zero duty on selected basic food items is increasingly becoming difficult to achieve.

This challenge is underscored by the alarming increase in the average price of imported food items, which rose to 878.3 price point index in September 2024, reflecting broader economic pressures.

On July 8, 2024, the Federal Government announced a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities to ensure a reduction in food inflation in Nigeria. The food commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas.

It said the programme was meant to help cushion the effects of various factors contributing to food scarcity and price hikes in the country.

The idea was simple: remove or significantly reduce import duties and value-added tax to encourage an inflow of food imports and drive down consumer prices.

But three months after the government announced the plans, the scheme has failed to take off, majorly due to government bureaucratic process and the failure of the Federal Ministry of Finance to publish a list of importers qualified to participate in the process as required by the guidelines earlier issued by the customs in August.

At a press briefing early this month, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, said the government had ordered maize and wheat imports to stabilise the food market.

The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, couldn’t be reached when our correspondent called to confirm if the awaited item had been imported.

While the government is yet to begin implementation of the policy, the price of imported food has continued to increase.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics monthly inflation report, the new figure indicated a rise of 30.6 price index or 3.61 per cent from 847.7 in August 2024.

Further analysis showed that the average price of imported food has surged by 72.3 percentage points or 8.97 per cent from the 806.0 average price index in July 2024 when the policy was announced and 878.3 in September.

On a year-to-date, this increase is a surge of 185.7 price index points or 26.81 growth from 692.6 in January 2024, indicating more resilience on foreign food products amidst food supply shortages in the country.

A month-by-month analysis showed that in January, Nigeria recorded an imported inflation rate of 26.29 per cent. This increased to 29.81 per cent in February, marking a notable jump of 3.52 per cent in the inflation rate from January.

The trend continued in March, with the imported food inflation rate climbing to 32.89 per cent, an increase of 3.08 per cent from February.

In April, the inflation rate further increased to 34.01 per cent, growing by 1.12 per cent from March, showing a slight deceleration in the rate of increase.

May recorded an imported food inflation rate of 34.83 per cent, indicating a continued upward trend. The increase in the inflation rate is 0.82 per cent from April.

The figure was 806.0 in June, 826.2 in July, 847.7 in August, and 878.3 in September.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has lost relevance in politics.

PUNCH Online reports that Atiku, a former Vice President, had commended the resilient people of Rivers State for their steadfastness in the face of adversity, courageously ensuring that the election unfolded with peace and integrity.

In a statement on his X account, Atiku also lauded the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for his unwavering commitment to the interests of the people, safeguarding the sanctity of the local government elections even amidst provocative challenges.

He had said, “With the conclusion of the local government election in Rivers State, the shadows of political intimidation and judicial chicanery have dissipated, paving the way for the noble pursuit of governance to commence in the state. 

“From the bustling heart of Port Harcourt to the tranquil shores of Onne, the populace has spoken in harmonious unison, affirming that nothing is greater than democracy.

“As prophesied, it has now been revealed that the citizens of Rivers are astute and resolute, unwavering in their rejection of any form of political oppression, harassment, or the machinations of self-serving godfathers.”

However, reacting to Atiku’s statement during a luncheon in honour of the 10th Rivers State Assembly on Saturday, Wike claimed that Atiku had lost elections so many times.

The former Rivers governor asserted that Atiku had been rejected by Nigerians, having contested the presidential elections in 2019 and 2023 and lost.

He said, “We never contested the local government elections. Did we contest? Did we pick forms? I hear Atiku Abubakar say, ‘Oh, they have rejected me in Rivers State.’ Okay, assuming, though not conceding, that he has lost many times, Nigerians have also rejected him.

“If you say for an election we did not contest, never participated in, that it shows Nigerians have rejected us, fine. You that contested and failed woefully, Nigerians have rejected you, so pack up and go home.”