Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh, has stressed that the ministry has started reviewing Nigeria’s poor performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Recall that Nigeria sent 88 athletes to compete in 12 sports at the 2024 Olympics, and all of them failed to win a medal for the country. This marks one of the country’s worst showings in Olympic history.

Enoh acknowledged the disappointment and emphasized the need for reflection as the country prepares for the upcoming Paralympics, scheduled to commence on August 28 in Paris.

The minister expressed regret over the subpar performance of Team Nigeria and extended his apologies to Nigerians.

He highlighted the provision of necessary funding, early payment of allowances, and timely disbursement of training grants, indicating that financial constraints were not a factor in Nigeria’s Olympic campaign.

However, he admitted that the outcomes did not meet the nation’s expectations and emphasized the need to provide a comprehensive explanation to the public.

The Sports Minister’s statement reads: “The Olympic Games, Paris 2024, has ended, and I accept that our performance should have been a lot better. It fell short of our objectives, expectations, and hopes of Nigerians. I must apologize to our compatriots and reflect on what went wrong while looking forward to the Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 (August 28- September 8).

“In all these, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federation, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ensured that funds were not a limiting factor. Athletes’ competition requirements were provided, allowances were paid early, and training grants were disbursed to all athletes. I made myself readily available to deal with any issue throughout the competition. Therefore, the underwhelming performance of our team is puzzling. We owe Nigerians an explanation.

“As a responsible organization, we have swung into a review process. We shall evaluate the competition readiness of every athlete comprehensively, including their injury and medical history within the limits of patient confidentiality. The role of coaches and administrative staff will also be examined.”

Enoh also discussed the challenges faced by the Ministry of Sports Development in preparing for the Olympics within a limited timeframe. He revealed that when he assumed office in August 2023, the ministry had to oversee four major international competitions, including the AFCON, the African Games, and the Olympics and Paralympic Games, all within a short period.

He explained: “When I assumed office as the Minister of Sports Development in August 2023, I was confronted with the task of executing four international competitions namely the AFCON, the African Games, and the Olympics and Paralympic Games in a matter of a few months. I was also reminded that the Olympic Games is the world’s supreme sports competition, and countries require at least four years to prepare for it. I held extensive discussions with the management staff of the ministry and got to know that preparations for the Olympics, which was less than a year away, had not started.

“After the African Games, subsequent meetings were limited to the federations that had bright chances of qualifying for the Olympics. Medal projections were made by all the federations, although their athletes were still trying to qualify; which lasted until about June 2024. The concerned federations prioritized qualification over preparations for the Games. This seems to have always been the case. This has to change.”

A Muslim cleric allegedly beheaded a 14-year-old boy, identified as Malik Kareem, for ritual purposes in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Saturday.

Naija News learnt that the tragic incident which has thrown the area into confusion occurred at the Olorisaoko community in the Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

The victim reportedly wrote his final subject for the West Africa Examination Council at Iyana Community Grammar School, Olode, Moniya, Ibadan.

According to PUNCH, the victim, alongside his three other age groups, contacted a Muslim cleric, now at large, for a money ritual on Saturday.

However, the victim was unaware that the three other boys had bargained with the cleric to kill him for a money ritual.

Confirming the development, a family source who spoke with the publication as mentioned earlier said, “I was at home when one of my brothers ran to the house to inform me about the unfortunate incident. We quickly rushed down to the place to confirm it. When we got there, the Muslim cleric had already run away, but we found the victim’s lifeless body on the ground without a head.

“He was found in a pool of blood in that Islamic cleric’s house. The head has already been cremated.

“The other three boys had earlier bargained with the cleric that they would use their friend for a money ritual. So, when they got there, he (the victim) was strangulated to death, beheaded and cremated. They will be using it to take pap every day, according to what they told us.”

Also, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, has confirmed that investigations had already commenced on the incident.

He said, “Investigations have commenced on the incident, and you will be updated accordingly.”

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome, has stated that Nigeria needs an indigenous and people-centric constitution to redirect the country’s journey of no destination.

He argued that the 1999 Constitution was military-imposed, and not subject to any referendum.

The human rights lawyer urged President Bola Tinubu to muster the political will to get the nation a people-centred constitution.

He stated this during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics show.

Asked whether a new constitution is an antidote to poverty, insecurity, and other challenges confronting the Nigerian state, Ozekhome said, “It is. The killings you are seeing, the poverty, the corruption, they are all symptoms of a larger problem which is the basis of what we are talking about. When you solve it, other things will be in place.”

“Nigeria is a country still yearning for nationhood. We are not united.

“The brand new constitution must be subjected to the referendum of the people,” he said.

Ozekhome further stated that the engine (constitution) of the Nigerian state has knocked and should be replaced.

“The political elite has to agree. If you are driving a car and the car has a knocked engine. Is it not the engine you should look at? Do you begin to panel-beat the car, spray it with beautiful paint, and buy new tyres? Will that move the car?

“I am saying that the engine of the Nigerian state, for now, is knocked and it is giving rise to all these mutual suspicion, religious intolerance,” he said.

He said economic reforms are good but must not be put before a people-centred constitution.

President Bola Tinubu may have capitulated to political intrigues in the Presidency as well as other vested interests and called off his earlier resolve to sanitise leading government-owned enterprises (GOEs), which led to the inauguration of Jim Obazee panel, The Guardian learnt at the weekend.

The abrupt closure of what was meant to be an extended and far-reaching fact-finding mission of the Special Investigator and his team, the investigation suggested, was the nail in the coffin.

The letter conveying the appointment of Jim Obazee was personally signed by the President, showing the weight of the assignment. Obazee, who was merely the public face of a carefully selected team of forensic auditors charged with the responsibility of cleaning up the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and “related entities”, was to report to the President directly.

The Guardian reported that the team, independently drawn by Obazee from the six geopolitical zones, had direct and uncensored access to the President at the start of the assignment.

But the privilege was contained as politicians began to get in the way of the team. The Guardian also reported that top business executives and politicians being indicted by the activities of the investigators were throwing spanners into the investigation with outright blackmail becoming a major weapon.

Sources privy to the events that led to what is now seen as a premature closure of the assignment confided that the press statement announcing the closure came before “a serious examination of the extent of collaboration between those who mismanaged the CBN and managers of related entities”.

In a letter dated July 28, 2023, the President said Obazee would work on a comprehensive report on public wealth being pocketed by a tiny percentage of Nigerians and report directly “to my office”.

“By the fundamental objective outlined in Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), this administration is, today, continuing the fight against corruption by appointing you as a Special Investigator, to investigate the CBN and related entities…


“The full terms of your engagement as Special Investigator shall be communicated to you in due course but, require that you immediately take steps to ensure the strengthening and probity of key Government Business Entities (GBEs), further block leakages in CBN and related GBEs and provide a comprehensive report on public wealth currently in the hands of corrupt individuals and establishments (whether private or public).

“You are to investigate the CBN and related entities using a suitably experienced, competent and capable team and work with relevant security and anti-corruption agencies to deliver on this assignment. I shall expect a weekly briefing on the progress being made,” the appointment letter read.

The investigator, on the back of the directive by the President who promised non-interference in the process, was said to have proceeded to select individuals with track records of commitment to probity and accountability across different parts of the country. All the geopolitical zones, according to reliable information, had at least one representative.

But till the April press statement announcing the closure of the team, members from core northern zones had not joined the team on the excuse that compensation terms had not been concluded while their colleagues from the south and north central, which had two representatives, including the information technology expert, worked 24 hours to crack the corruption endemics in the CBN and relative entities.

Some of the absentee members were said to have demanded accommodation, vehicles and sundry ‘work tools’ as conditions without which they would not spare their time for the national assignment.

The conditions of service, according to findings, were never communicated with the team but there was an unwritten understanding between the team and the Presidency that they would be paid from the recoveries. But details as to specific figures and other things were not communicated.

Over three months after the termination of the activities, The Guardian learnt that nothing has been mentioned about the allowances or compensation with some members, who cannot the President, keeping their figures crossed.

A closure press statement signed by Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale read: “After the conclusion of the assignment and the submission of a final comprehensive report and with the winding up of all apparatuses used during the scope of the task which terminated on March 31, 2024, the investigation is formally closed, with all appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies already conducting follow-up action.”

However, those knowledgeable about the works of the committee said the statement showed the level of deviation from the original plan while the same regulatory agencies the President did not have any confidence in when the panel would set up would honestly conduct “follow-up actions”.

Contrary to the content of the statement, The Guardian also learnt that the committee had not submitted a final report.Indeed, the media have been awash with different revelations said to have been gleaned from the final report, with the majority focusing on the stewardship of the former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele.

At the weekend, an insider source wondered how the final report of a panel of “that status” could have been submitted without public knowledge. Another source said what had been feasted on by the media were progress reports from the panel or distorted facts being bandied by individuals with agendas different from the objective of the Special Investigator.

The CBN reportedly sacked some directors of the apex bank in line with the recommendations of the committee. However, multiple sources described such actions as misjudgment, saying a fact-finding report could not have been taken as a statement of finality and acted on as a judicial pronouncement.

“Prosecution is more important than whatever findings come from the panel. If the report of the investigators was used for sack, that is certainly out of procedure. The report, even if it were final, should provide the basis for prosecution. At best, it is not an indictment that should be tested at the court,” a source argued.

In scope and otherwise, the panel had achieved less than 10 per cent of its mandate before the premature closure. So far, only the Central Bank with its managers has been mentioned about the works of the panel, which was also beaming the searchlight on the NNPC Limited, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems Plc, The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc and many other entities, including deposit money banks (DMBs).

Mid-way into the exercise, the panel also became the subject of an integrity test, with the leader said to have been petitioned by different individuals and officials who claimed that he had taken bribes.

The weightiest report, according to information available to The Guardian was the one from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). Besides, there were torrents of indictments believed to have been targeted at blackmailing the team.

At the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), where he was a pioneer chief executive, Obazee earned the reputation of an incontrovertible examiner who put banks and even their regulator on their toes. His indictment of the Central Bank under Sanusi Lamido Sanusi led to the suspension of the emir as CBN governor.

Tinubu may have missed the opportunity to fully sanitise the CBN and the entire financial system with the ill-time disbandment of the panel. Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, it was learnt, made several efforts to set up the ad hoc committee. The last-ditch attempt, it was learnt, was botched by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, who was assigned to issue an appointment letter to the effect.

Mustapha was said to have said that the proposal would “not fly” because of the complexity of the issues it was meant to address. Subsequently, the team that sold the idea to Buhari was directed to provide technical support to the Department of State Service (DSS), which ended up narrowing the broad issues to terrorizing financing indictment against Emefiele.

With only Emefiele being seriously prosecuted out of 159 individuals said to have been indicted by the interim report of the panel, the process may have been hijacked by politicians and politically exposed persons. Whereas the CBN has gone ahead to relieve the indicted directors, who are now seeking redress from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, many of those also accused of some wrongdoings during Emefiele’s nine years in office have been shielded from the law.

Some stakeholders who have long called for an in-depth and independent investigation into the alleged historical mismanagement of the monetary authority are said to be routing for the reconstitution of the Obazee panel, even if the membership would need to be changed, and possibly expanding the scope.

[Guardian]

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has launched formal investigation, following the circulation of a video on social media, showing a female traveler destroying a Nigerian Standard Passport at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

The individual involved has been identified as Mrs. Favour Igiebor, holding passport number A11990869.

In a statement, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kenneth Udo says the Comptroller General of Immigration has directed that Mrs. Favour Igiebor be invited for further investigation.

If the allegations are substantiated, the statement notes, that her action would constitute a breach of Section 10(b) of the Immigration Act 2015 (as amended), with corresponding penalties outlined under Section 10(h) of the same Act.

Udo reiterates that the Nigeria Immigration Service remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the provisions of the Immigration Act in the interest of national security, and to preserve the dignity and integrity of the nation’s legal instruments.

•Marketers blame policy inconsistency for shortages ...Motorists sleep at filling stations
Fuel scarcity: NSCDC to shut down defaulting stations in Ekiti Monday

The lingering fuel shortages across the country appear to have defied all solutions as filling stations across the country continue to battle acute shortages.

The horror has shot up petrol prices to an all-time high of N990/litre in Abuja and as high as N1,200/litre in far-flung cities up north.

The frustrating development has forced motorists to sleep in filling stations, especially those belonging to NNPC Ltd to get petrol.

The situation has been exasperated by the silence of various government agencies responsible for smooth supply and sale of petroleum products.

In Lagos, most of the filling stations, especially those operated by independent marketers are out of stock with major marketers and NNPC battling to salvage the situation with minimal supplies.

At the weekend most filling stations were shut with only a few majors selling, thereby compounding the traffic situation across the metropolis.

In Ikeja, Abule-Egba, Ojota, Ikorodu, Isolo and Surulere, Ikoyi mand Victoria Island, the situation is the same.

In Abuja, motorists complained that a liter of petrol had hit about N990 with Point of Sale (PoS) operators making brisk business by making a premium from withdrawals to buy the fuel.

Commenting on the development, National Operations Controller, IPMAN, Mr. Zarama Mustapha, said policy inconsistency remained the major reason for the frequent fuel shortages.

Mustapha, said when the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) became a law, industry observers believed that would bring about a permanent solution to the challenges in the sector.

Regetably, he said the PIA Has not addressed the problems in the downstream sector as the country continues to battle with fuel shortages.

The major problem about the unabated fuel scarcity is mainly about foreign exchange which is very unstable and makes it less lucrative for any marketer to import.

‘‘When the President announced an end to subsidies, marketers were happy, believing they could return to imports of products. At that time, the exchange rate was N720 per litre. Along the line, the Government floated the naira, and the exchange rate hit N1550.

Today, the landing cost of petrol is N1,200 while product at NNPC retail outlets is sold for N568, that means there is a subsidy of N632 being absorbed by the government.

“Now, we have a situation whereby people are calling for a return of subsidy, which will take fuel cost back to N200 per litre. If that happens, where will the government get the resources to absorb N1,000 per liter subsidy,’’?

The IPMAN boss said even though government is denying paying subsidy, the facts on the table lay bare to the fact that Government is still paying subsidy on petrol

He added that all the policy flip-flops through policy summersaults creates an uncertain business environment, leading to fuel shortages

He noted that the Federal Government last week said it was spending $600 million monthly on fuel imports.

‘‘How NNPC manages to sustain supply in the last 9 months or more is still a miracle because there is no budget for subsidy in 2024.

“You plan something and you expect things to go smoothly as planned with a good intention on the part of the Government but suddenly there are disruptions in the economy, an example is the FX crisis.

“The ultimate solution is for the refineries to function optimally but I don’t know what the contractors are doing because the timelines keep changing. NNPC has committed about $1.5 billion to revamp the old Port Harcourt refinery. Do we now terminate the contract,’’?

Some of the marketers at the Apapa depot who declined to be named said there has been a drastic drop in the level of vessels calling at the seaports.

The drop according to them was responsible for the shortfall in the supply of fuel as products had to be rationed.

The row over Air Peace’s flight operations from the United Kingdom has taken another turn with Festus Keyamo, the Nigerian minister of aviation and aerospace development, writing to his British counterpart to lodge a formal complaint, TheCable understands.

In a letter dated August 1, 2024 and addressed to Louise Haigh, the UK secretary of state for transport, Keyamo warned that if Air Peace is not allocated a space at the London Heathrow, Nigeria will be forced to “reciprocate” by denying British Airways and Virgin Atlantic slots at the Lagos and Abuja airports.

Although Heathrow is the UK’s primary airport, Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier, currently operates from the Gatwick Airport, the secondary airport.

All efforts by Air Peace to get a slot at Heathrow, which is closer to the heart of London, have been unsuccessful.

In the letter seen by TheCable, Keyamo expressed “the displeasure” of the Nigerian government over the “consistent denial of slot” by the UK slot office to Air Peace on the Nigeria-London route to fly into Heathrow, its first choice, since it began operations in the UK in March 2024.

“The Airline had made consistent efforts in the past to fly into Heathrow Airport from Lagos, but was denied, and only granted approval to fly into Gatwick Airport from Lagos,” he wrote.

“Following the approval granted the Airline by the Nigerian Government to fly the Abuja-London route, the Airline approached the Slot Office for slot allocation at the London Heathrow Airport, for flight operations planned to commence in November 2024, during the IATA Winter Season. It is highly disheartening that up till this moment, the Airline has not received any favourable response from the Slot Office.”

He reminded the UK that both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are operating into Nigeria’s primary airports in Lagos and Abuja “without encumbrances placed in their ways”.

British Airways, in particular, has been flying into Lagos since 1936.

“Therefore, it is necessary for Nigerian designated carriers to enjoy similar reciprocity that British carriers are enjoying. It is highly unfair on the side of the British authorities and a discredit to the Nigerian authorities and the Nigerian nation as a whole, for slot allocation to Nigerian carriers to be an issue at all times. We feel totally betrayed by the British authorities for not reciprocating the good gesture of the Nigerian State and its people,” Keyamo wrote.

“The slot allocation issue should not be used as an alibi to deny the existence of a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, which hallmark is based on the principle of reciprocity. Whatever concessionary arrangements you have with your airports with third parties, the concessionaire(s) should legally inherit your existing obligations (especially those under Bi-Lateral Services Agreements) in respect of the use of those airports.

“Arising from the foregoing, I wish to emphatically state that if Air Peace is not allocated a slot at the London Heathrow Airport, it might be difficult for British flag carriers to access Nigeria’s tier one airports from the next Winter Season, unless when a frank discussion is opened with us to break the debacle associated with the slot allocation at Heathrow to the Airline and other Nigerian designated airlines.

“While expecting your timely intervention over this pressing issue dear to the hearts of Nigerians, please, accept the consideration of my warm regards.”

TheCable confirmed that the letter has been received by the UK high commission in Abuja.

Keyamo was unavailable for comments when he was contacted by TheCable.

Rena Wakama, the first Nigerian female basketball coach, has been named the ‘best coach’ at this year’s Olympics after guiding D’Tigress to historical achievements in Paris.

The 32-year-old was recognised by FIBA and the Olympic organisers for leading D’Tigress to the tournament quarter-finals for the first time in its history.

Nigeria won her first basketball match in the Olympics under the former college basketball player’s tutelage.

D’Tigress opened their Olympics campaign by defeating third-ranked Australia in a major upset. The North Carolina-born coach also led her team to a shock win over fifth-ranked Canada in the final group game to seal a maiden appearance in the knockout stage.

It was the first time an African country would make the last eight of the Olympic basketball tournament — male or female.

Nigeria eventually succumbed to the United States in the quarter-finals.

In a blog post on Sunday, FIBA praised Wakama’s D’Tigress for putting up the “most impactful performance by an African team in history” at the Olympic basketball competitions.

It also described the leadership of Wakama as one of the “main drivers of Nigeria’s unprecedented success” at the tournament.

“Nigeria made everyone sit up and take notice by beating Australia on opening day and that was the first time they had won a Group phase game,” the post reads.

“A few days later and Nigeria stunned Canada to become the first African team to take two wins at the Games, once again their tenacious defense providing the platform for success.

“Even more impressive, this secured them a ticket to the knockout phase and they became the first African team in history, men or women, to play in the Olympic Quarter-Finals.

“Their campaign eventually came to a close when they were beaten by USA, but even then they showed their fighting spirit and qualities until the very end.”

FIBA also described Wakama as “one of the youngest coaches in Olympic history who delivered a new high tide mark for Nigeria and African basketball”.

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, US, she was appointed coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team in June 2023.

In August 2023, the Wakama-led ladies defeated Senegal 84-74 in the final of the women’s Afrobasket championship.

The victory placed Nigeria as the second African country to win the women’s Afrobasket title four times in a row.