The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Champion Zonal Headquarters, located along Federal College of Education (FCE) Road in Kontagora, Niger State, was set ablaze by unidentified persons in the early hours of Saturday.

The incident marks a tragic recurrence, as the same church was similarly attacked and burnt down by unknown arsonists ten years ago.

At that time, the attackers had warned that the church building should not be completed.

Condemning the latest attack, the state Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, Most Rev. Dr. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, described the incident as “barbaric and uncalled for.”

He emphasized the importance of freedom of worship in Niger State and called for prompt action by the government and security agencies to prevent any escalation of tension.

According to Daily Post, Rev Yohanna said, “There is freedom of worship in Niger State.

“I am sure by the time the government and security agencies take action, it will go a long way to address any form of tension that may want to escalate beyond control. We are hoping that the law will take its course. To be frank, issues like this must be tamed, and people who have done this should be fished out and made to face the law.”

Pastor Samson Ogbebor, an Assistant Pastor of the church, recounted the events leading up to the fire.

According to him, the incident occurred around 3:00 am on Saturday.

“I received a distress call that the church was on fire. On getting there, I met a church that has been in existence for the past 20 years now burnt down and properties looted by hoodlums,” Pastor Ogbebor said.

He also highlighted the long-standing challenges faced by the church.

He said, “About 10 years ago, hoodlums came and burnt it down completely, and with self-efforts, we were able to erect it again. They have made several unsuccessful attempts and have refused us permission to roof it properly, so we decided to use it like that for worship, but look at what they have done again.”

Despite the repeated attacks, members of the RCCG congregation remain resolute. Mr. John Aboje, an Elder in the church, expressed the community’s determination to continue their worship and maintain their faith.

“We will not be discouraged by the incident but will continue to be good Christians and good citizens of the country,” Aboje affirmed.

He also called on Governor Umaru Bago, the Emir of Kontagora, Alh. Muhammadu Barau Mu’azu II, and relevant security agencies to take the incident seriously.

“The incident has been reported to the Division ‘A’ Police Station in Kontagora for investigation, and we urge the authorities to bring the perpetrators to book,” he added.

The National President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima, has described the eight years in office by former President Muhammadu Buhari as a waste for the northern region and the entire country.

He submitted that the North has been neglected for so long by the previous leaders and the people of the region have been pushed to the wall.

Shetimma made the submission in an interview with Vanguard which was published on Sunday.

He described the eight years of the Buhari government as a waste, adding that the decision of the northern people to join the recent #EndBadGovernance protest provoked the people and if the leaders do not do the needful, worse protests may happen in the future which will consume everybody.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu only inherited the challenges in the country and the frustrations of the people.

“It is a clear indication that, over time, the North has been neglected by its previous leaders, who didn’t do the needful. They left the people frustrated. Already, there is poverty and we have said it countless times that the governors are supposed to be doing better than they are doing. We were privileged to be at the helm of affairs in this country, but our leaders have not done enough.

“They planted what we are reaping today. The eight years of Buhari was just a waste for the region and the country. Tinubu inherited the problem. And this is the consequence of the wasteful leadership of the Buhari era. That is what provoked our people to be deeply involved in the demonstrations.

“If the leaders cannot do the needful, they will see the worst protests shortly where everybody will be consumed,” Shettima said.

The AYCF president, during the interview, also debunked reports in certain quarters that the reason for anger in the North is because appointments by the government do not favour the region.

He said while the north is suffering injustice from the appointments by the Tinubu government, the problems in the region are more than the issue of appointments.

He said: “It is not about appointments. It is about poverty and hunger in the land compared to the South. This is in addition to the recent policies by (the Tinubu) government.

“Even when the government tried to provide succour, some people among the northern elites ensured it didn’t get to the people. Only recently, we learnt that money was given to the governors by the Federal Government to give to the people, but nothing was disbursed until the Federal Government opened up.

“There should be synergy between the Federal Government and states. And if anything for the people comes to the state, it must get to the people. This is the implication of not allowing the people to feel the impact of any government at any level and not the appointments.

“Of course, the appointments do not do justice to the North, and we have raised the issue. What baffles some of us is that most of the appointments are given to people who are not in touch with the people. They give appointments to the elites, who have no track record of having anything to do with the masses. They never believed in the masses and had nothing to do with them.

“How do you expect the masses to feel the impact when such people are given appointments? The government has to look inward. There are people who, if you want to give appointments, you will look at their track record – they should be people who live with the masses.

“You don’t have to give appointments to people who are far from the masses. They shouldn’t be people who have nothing to do with the people and expect governance to get to the people. This is part of the mistakes this administration is making.

“The same thing happened during the administration of Buhari. The same mistake is happening again. Can people endure this hunger in the next three years? It is impossible. That is why we have seen this level of reaction in the North.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has confirmed that it sold foreign exchange (FX) to banks worth $876.26 million at ₦1,495 per dollar.
According to a statement dated August 7, signed by Omolara Omotunde Duke, CBN’s director of the financial markets department, the apex bank said the auction aimed to reduce demand pressure in the FX market and promote price discovery.

The CBN said the transaction was conducted through a retail Dutch auction system (rDAS).

According to the apex bank, while bids valued at $876.26 million from 26 banks qualified, bids from six banks were disqualified.

The CBN said four banks missed the deadline and two did not provide bids in their submitted templates.

Below is the full list of successful and unsuccessful bids.

SUCCESSFUL BIDS

1. Access 79,092,862.79

2. Citi 12,001,875.89

3. Coronation 4,474,753.38

4. Ecobank 5,320,365.25

5. FBN 228,994,949.57

6. FBN Quest 5,089,359.92

7 Fidelity 43,616,742.68

8. FSDH 1,999,399.52

9. Globus 11,070,395.30

10. Greenwich 17,21.40

11. GTB 29,543,429.06

12. Jaiz 16,708,748.35

13. Keystone 4,635,899

14. Lotus 4,024,818.31

15. Nova 2,098,539.51

16. Parallex 548,052.17

17. Polaris 10,440,523.75

18. Providus 11,453,580.97

19. Signature 551,753

20. Stanchart 28,429,525.73

21. Sterling 14,397,359.41

22. Taj 19,107,550.88

23. Titan 790.78

24. Union 13,268,519.66

25. Unity 616,138.33

26. Zenith 267,862,855.69

Total 815,362,006.30

DISQUALIFIED BANKS

1 UBA 13,213,785.91 Late submission

2 FCMB 178,652,316.84 Late submission

3 Stanbic 57,857,408.12 Late submission

4 Wema 21,940,547.84 Late submission

5 Suntrust 7,379,787.50 No bid rates

6 Rand 0 No bid received

Total 279,043,846.21

A Senior Special Adviser on Digital and New Media to the president, O’tega Ogra has claimed that naira redesign policy introduced by former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele is the cause of hunger and economic hardship in the country.
The presidential aide made the claim on Arise TV.

Ogra argued that the naira redesign policy stopped a lot of farmers from going to farm to plant, hence the reason for limited food output.

In October 2022, the former CBN boss, Emefiele introduced the naira redesign policy where ₦200, ₦500 and ₦1,000 old notes were replaced with new notes. The CBN also announced a plan to end the use of the old notes by January 31, 2023.

Speaking on the policy Ogra said, “The most important thing is to realise what it takes to end hunger and guarantee food security in Nigeria. It is not a magic wand. The president has said on countless occasions that he does not want to look behind and lay blames.

“But let us situate things properly. At the beginning of last year, we had the naira redesign. That Niara redesign ensured that a lot of farmers did not go to farms to plant and all that.

“It simply meant we had limited food output at the end of last year.”

Ogra said the president is importing equipment from Belarus, Brazil and the US for mechanized farming.

“We cannot use short-term solutions for long-term problems and you know the problem of food security has bedeviled this country for a very long time.

“Nigerians need to understand that this is a process. The president has also opened the borders for the importation of food items for six months in the first instance and from grains to other staples that Nigerians eat. We do hope that this will bear fruit,” he added.

Poland has denied that its nationals who were arrested by security operatives in Kano, Nigeria, waved the Russian flag.

The detained Poles were arrested on August 6 in Kano for allegedly displaying Russian flags during the #EndBadGovernance protest held by some Nigerians against economic hardship in the country. Also arrested were six Spanish nationals.

The spokesperson for the Department of State Services, Peter Afunanya, at a meeting of diplomats in Abuja, said the Poles were arrested “because of where they were found during the protests and for displaying foreign flags.”

However, the Polish foreign ministry denied the allegation.

The ministry, according to a Polish international news network, TVP World, said the six students and their lecturer did not participate in the protest but “merely took photos.”

Sunday PUNCH gathered that the students and their lecturer were on an exchange programme at the Bayero University, Kano.

The Poles were said to be students of African Studies at the Oriental Studies Faculty, University of Warsaw.

They left Poland for Nigeria on August 1 and were scheduled to return to their country early September.

The University of Warsaw Press Officer, Anna Modzelewska, said getting the students released was the top priority of the institution.

Modzelewska was quoted by TVP World as saying, “Freeing the UW [University of Warsaw] students is our priority. “We must do everything in our power for that to happen as quickly as possible.”

She added that information was being gathered on the charges against the Poles, disclosing that the University’s Rector, Alojzy Nowak, was in contact with the detainees.

The Polish government, through its Deputy Foreign Minister, Jakub Wisniewski, had on Friday pleaded with Nigeria to release the detainees.

On if they waved the Russian flag, he said, “I personally find this claim hard to believe. We are urging for their safe return home, where their loved ones are anxiously waiting for them.”

Efforts by our correspondents to speak with the Student Affairs and Quality of Teaching of the university, Professor Sławomir Żółtek, proved abortive. Calls put across to his phone number were not answered.

A former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, asked the Polish authorities to be patient.

He said, “The Polish government has to be patient and allow the investigation to be completed. The fact is that the security forces did not go to the school to arrest the students; they were picked up along the street during the protest and it is in the right place for the Nigerian government to investigate. It is only after investigation and they (Polish government) feel that the students didn’t get justice that they can intervene. Will they release the foreign students and not release Nigerians arrested?”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Omooba Ayoola, has pleaded with President Bola Tinubu to release the six students and their lecturer.

Ayoola, who is based in Warsaw, begged Tinubu to use his good offices to facilitate the release of the students and their lecturer in the spirit of deepening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

In a statement on Saturday, Ayoola said, ‘’It is regretted that the Polish nationals were found at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

“However, these students are said to be in the country for academic exchange programmes and we should guide against what can hinder deeper academic cooperation in between the two countries.

“I, therefore, plead that in the spirit of deeper bilateral cooperation, President Tinubu should please passionately look into this disturbing issue and help these students to regain their freedom so that they can focus on their primary purpose of coming to Nigeria”.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, says replacing or repairing bad electricity transformers is not that of customers but squarely that of power distribution companies, DisCos.

Mrs Aisha Mamoud, Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, NERC, stated this on Saturday during a three-day Problem-Solving session between customers in Cross River and PHEDC from Thursday to Saturday, Aug. 10 tagged “Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting” 

She said consumers payment of electricity bills is for services which should be rendered and not to be made to pay for replacement or repairs of transformers or cables.

Mamoud said the meeting became necessary because of customers complaints on metering, excessive billing and transformer vandalism.

She explained that the idea behind the meeting was to educate and enlightened consumers about the electricity industry and their rights as a consumers.

“In regards to our duties and responsibilities as a Regulatory body,, the consumer act says we should try to maximize access to electricity giving that all consumers in this country have access to electricity irrespective of where they live. It is their fundmental right to have access to electricity

“Another reason we are here is to resolve all your complaints . We have done it in several parts of the country and it was a very huge success. All your complaints will be solve on the spot.” She assured.

She stressed that it is the responsibility of DisCos to provide metres to avoid estimated billing and that the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Discos on provision of metres.

On her part, Mrs Olubukola Ilevbare, Head, Corporate Communication PHED, said the company is having challenges meeting the demands of vandalism in the state.

She noted that most of the transformers issues are caused by vandalism noting that on several occasions, the PHED had replaced transformers vandalized by criminals.

“I now there are times that we don’t respond to our customers as we should, maybe as a result of demands; our goal is to do our best to ensure that whenever there are genuine complaints, we attend to them.

“On the issue of metres, it is the responsibility of DisCos to provide metres, but when a customer cannot wait for the DisCo to provide the mitre, which is done in phases, he can pay for his own metre and within 10 days, it will be installed,” she said

Ilebare explained that though, there are cases where transformers are genuinely spoilt and it is the responsibility of PHED to fix them stressing that the company has been doing its best to meet customer needs.
In his speech, the House of Representatives member, representing Bakassi, Calabar South and Akpabuyo, Mr Joseph Bassey frowned at the issue of vandalism, excessive billing of customers and called for proper billing of consumers in the state

“Today’s meeting is a welcome development for the people in Cross River, electricity issue if address, it will help reduce the level of hardship and this will boost the economy.

“PHED has failed in various ways , they only get money from consumers and refuse to do maintenance. The issue of grading, I don’t feel good about it, everybody has the right to electricity, so why create bands to categorize where a particular area belongs.”

LAMENTING the high rate of corruption in the country, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian church of God, RCCG Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has reiterated that corruption is at its peak because majority of Christians who are supposed to be peculiar people and make a difference have compromised.

Calling on Christians to shun a lifestyle of double standards, at the day six of the church annual convention with the focus on: ‘Heaven’, Adeboye also recalled how one of his spiritual daughters was asked to inflate a N3m contract to N33m

In his words: “We talk about corruption in Nigeria. Why do you think corruption has become so deep? it is because we Christians, who are supposed to be peculiar people, are not making any difference. It’s so difficult to even know who is who.

“You must be as pure as light, people must be able to see you at a distance and know that this is a candidate for heaven. In your behaviour, character, you must be different. If you want to compromise because of promotion, let them take their promotion because you are a peculiar people.

“The world will hate you because of your standard, because your standard is that of God.”

Narrating how one of his daughters in faith was asked to inflate a N3m contract to N33m, the revered cleric at the Holy Communion service said the lady was given a road contract in a particular state in Nigeria. He said the lady was asked to increase the cost of the project from N3 million which she wrote in her proposal to N33 million.

He said: “One of my daughters got a contract to tar a road in one of the states in Nigeria. She gave a proposal of N3 million, but they asked her to put N33 million. She was surprised, turned down the offer and said I am a child of God, how will I spend the money? They looked at her as if she was somebody who dropped from the sky.”

In another instance: “Another child of mine told another story. She applied for a contract. They gave her to go and tar a road. She got to the road and found that the road was already tarred. She came back and told them there must have been a mistake. They said,” What is your problem, collect your money and give us our own.”

He, however, stated that corruption would have been a thing of the past in the country if Christians decided not to compromise even in the face of adversity.

Continuing in his sermon, Adeboye revealed that he has been sober lately, as he almost ran out of God’s favour at the Friday Holy Ghost Service: “Holiness means total obedience to God. I have been sober since yesterday. It took special love that God did not knock me on the head. God wanted to talk, but I wanted to preach a sermon that I had prepared. He told me,” You have done fine enough. He wanted me to get out of the way. As he was talking, I was interrupting.”

Daddy G.O then warned against doing things contrary to God’s will, stating, no one can love the church more than the owner of the church “You are dealing with God almighty. You can’t love the church more than the owner of the church. When he says this is how I want to go and you try to do it your way, you are on your own.”

Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, has accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of blocking his bid to acquire an oil field.

He revealed this in an interview with the Financial Times, highlighting a contentious decision made by the previous administration.

Elumelu alleged that he had been looking to purchase the oilfield since 2017 and raised $2.5bn for it, but Buhari and his late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, blocked the deal.

He stated that he was advised Nigeria could not permit something of such strategic importance to be handled by a private operator.

“The rejection defied logic,” Elumelu expressed in the interview, highlighting his disbelief at the administration’s decision.

“We would have been purchasing it from a foreign company, so why was it such an issue?”

Elumelu, also the chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), emphasized that his company’s offer was not merely a business transaction but a potential boost to Nigeria’s economy by retaining valuable assets within the country.

“We wanted to become a Fortune 500 company and we estimated what we needed. It’s not naira, it’s huge dollars. Energy security is crucial for a country that doesn’t produce enough electricity for its roughly 200 million citizens,” he added.

On Japa syndrome, Elumelu declared, “I support it, totally. “I don’t have a problem with people saying ‘I’m going to Canada, UK or US.’

“Joblessness is the betrayal of a generation. You’ve gone to school and come back with your dreams and aspirations and you don’t have the opportunity . For people who decide to find solutions elsewhere, no one should stop them. But for those who decide to stay, they should try to create an impact and build a legacy.”

Elumelu also recounted his struggles with oil theft, which has been a persistent issue plaguing the Nigerian petroleum industry.

He said, “The reason Nigeria is unable to meet its OPEC production quota is not because of low investment but because of theft, pure and simple! Meanwhile, oil-producing countries are smiling as their foreign reserves are rising. What is Nigeria’s problem? We need to hold our leaders more accountable!”

Described as the sharpest shooter, marksman in the gang

Details of final operation before Ladipo Market raid

Detectives from the Special Squad Unit of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered the identity of a key member of the notorious gang of billionaire kidnappers killed during their raid at Ladipo Market last month.

Previously, only one gang leader, the prominent Nollywood actor/producer Prince Henry Ode from Port Harcourt, had been identified, together with about four members of his colleagues in the film making industry. who were also involved in the violent confrontation with the police.

Extensive Case Files in Lagos

Recent investigations led by CSP Kehinde Oni revealed a staggering 42 case files related to the gang’s operations across various police stations in Lagos.

“It was a shocking discovery,” CSP Oni remarked. “The sheer volume of evidence against the gang underscores the extent of their criminal activities.”

Details of the Final Operation

Before their raid on Ladipo Market, the gang had kidnapped a wealthy female supermarket owner from Ago Okota, extorting N68 million in ransom. 

CCTV footage from the supermarket showed an informant, later identified as Uzoamaka, entering the store to scout the area. “Our investigation revealed that Uzoamaka played a crucial role in this operation,” said a police source. “He was seen in the footage ensuring the coast was clear before the gang moved in.”

Notorious Sharpshooter

Uzoamaka is renowned in criminal circles for his exceptional marksmanship and specialized training in arms handling.

“He was known as one of the sharpest shooters in the criminal world,” said another police official. “His skills were highly regarded, but we had no idea he was connected to the kidnappings in Lagos until now.”

During the Ladipo Market operation, Uzoamaka fired the first shot when a decoy car blocked the gang’s path. “The shot he fired was intended to intimidate and eliminate anyone obstructing their escape,” explained CSP Oni. “It struck the car’s headrest but narrowly missed our officer.”

Ongoing Investigation

Detectives continue their efforts to identify all victims involved in the Ladipo raid. However, families of the deceased have been reluctant to come forward.

“We’re working tirelessly to uncover the full extent of the gang’s operations,” stated a police insider. “It’s clear that many have been hiding information, but we’re confident that further investigation will expose everything and reveal the complete truth.”

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have smashed a drug cartel following the recovery of multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy-duty automobile pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente, among others following a nationwide intelligence-led operation 

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi while confirming this said, “While 2.32 kilograms of cocaine concealed in Ghanaian traditional kente materials going to the United Kingdom were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday 5th August 2024, 10.494kg of same class A drug buried in heavy duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the automobile spare parts containing the illicit drug, bringing the total weight of cocaine seized in the two shipments to 12.814 kilograms”. 

“In the same vein, five other consignments going to the US, UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024.

“They include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.

“In a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja.

“In another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 7th August arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra state.

“Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested on Thursday 8th August in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state on the same day.

“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his own consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town.

“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tincan seaport Lagos on Wednesday 7th August intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.

“The seizure was made during 100% joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.

“The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.

“In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM.

“He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo state to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.

“Two suspects: Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.

“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi state on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.

“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for women at Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre, Saki, Oyo state; WADA sensitisation lecture and inauguration of community drug control committee at Nnando community, Anambra state

Others are WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Kwara state; and WADA sensitisation lecture to members of Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, among others.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, 

He urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with their current balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.