National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has rebuked Kano State governor Abba Yusuf to stop using diversionary tactics to cover up for his failure to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

Ganduje in a statement by his spokesman Edwin Olofu on Friday accused the governor of shifting public attention from his inability to account for statutory allocations to the state since the inception of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.

The APC chairman was reacting to the decision of the Kano State Government to file criminal charges against him over alleged bribery of $413,000, and N1.38 billion.

Ganduje said that the latest attempt by the state to drag his name in the mud would fail adding that it spoke volumes of the level of crass ignorance and disregard for the rule of law by the Governor Abba Yusuf-led administration.

“In their desperate attempt to malign me and my family, they either forgot or probably cannot conduct themselves by the dictates of the law,” he said.

“They failed to take judicial notice of the recent pronouncement of the Federal High Court in Kano which ruled that the so-called offence I am being accused of is a federal offence that can only be prosecuted by the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“Rather than join issues with my traducers in Kano over the trumped-up charges levelled against me, I would implore them to redirect their energies towards easing the plights of our people in Kano.

“They still have the opportunity to revert to my blueprint for the sustainable growth and development of Kano State. It is not yet late in the day for them to emulate my developmental strides. They can still salvage the situation as my tenure was devoid of any wrongdoings.”

Ganduje who ruled Kano State between 2015 to 2023, described the decision by the administration to set up two committees to probe him over alleged misappropriation of public property, political violence and missing persons in the state as a welcome development.

He, however, said that it would have been in the best interest of the state to extend the dateline of the probe to flag off from 1999 to date.

“As the saying goes, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. It shouldn’t be seen as targeted at my administration alone,” Ganduje said.

“It should not be seen to be borne out of malice, vindictiveness and ill will. It should be for public good and interest.

“We conducted the affairs of governance in the state openly and transparently during my tenure. We don’t need to be seeking direction from our masters to do what is proper.”

FCT Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has said that Abuja Rail Mass Transit (ART) project is now 97 percent completed and will be ready for commissioning by May 29.

Addressing newsmen after an inspection tour of the Metro Station in Central Area and the station at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Friday, April 5, Wike said President Bola Tinubu had approved the schedule for the inauguration of projects to celebrate his one year in office.

He said;

“We are very happy. We are almost 97 per cent completed. All works are ongoing to make sure that the May delivery date is a reality. I believe this is one of the projects Mr President would like to inaugurate because it is very key to the development of the economy.

“For me, it is a dream come true, and we are happy that after all said and done, the metro line will be put to use for Nigerians, come May 29.

“I am really impressed with the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation CCECC. The company has assured us that all the renovation works on the stations will be ready before the commissioning date”

On whether the rail lines would be extended to areas experiencing high traffic, the minister said;

“I am not committing anything now, because we are taking everything step by step. We have to first of all, consider the financial implications. Linking areas like Nyanya are important, no doubt about it. We will talk to the contractor to see what we can do, but for now, there is no commitment.”

On Friday, the Plateau State Police Command showcased a counterfeit soldier and 43 other suspects involved in various crimes, including kidnapping, defilement of a minor, culpable homicide, armed robbery, cultism, and gun running.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Hassan Yabanet, paraded the suspects while briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Jos.

He said, “On 4th of March, 2024, at about 02:30pm, one Shedrack Sabo of ATM quarters, Bukuru, reported at the SWAT Unit that on 16th February, 2024, at about 04:30pm, one Lucky Okoh, male, showed him a military identity card and introduced himself as a captain in the military.

“He further convinced him to pay the sum of N110, 000 to secure him a job.

“The suspect, one Lucky Okoh, male, of Guratopp, was arrested by SWAT operatives on 4th March, 2024, at about 03:00pm.

“After a thorough search was conducted on his house, one military identity card, three Nigerian army recruitment forms and one NSCDC recruitment form were recovered.”

Yabanet said investigation on the matter is still ongoing.

The CP also disclosed that a 24 years old man was arrested for allegedly defiling a 13 year old girl.

According to him, “On the 6th March, 2024, at about 11:20hours one Fatima Abdul, female, 52 years, of Farin Lamba village, came to the Barkin Ladi Police Station and reported that her 13 years old daughter left home to Farin Lamba market on 11/02/2024 to buy food items and in the process, one John Sati Choji, male, 24 years of Vwang village, lured her to his house and had carnal knowledge of her.

“The suspect was immediately arrested on receipt of the complaint and investigation is ongoing,” the CP explained.

Yabanet added, “On 3rd April, 2024, at 10:30hours, intelligence information was received by the DPO Bokkos who acted on the tip-off and led a crack team of IGP intervention squad.

“The operation led to the arrest of one Saddam Abdulmumuni, male, of Angwan Shukur of Bokkos town, who was an escapee of the 2021 Jos jailbreak.

“The suspect is currently under investigation at the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the Command.”

He said the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.

On the arrest of a suspected cultist, the CP said, “On the 3rd April, 2024, at about 1800hrs while on routine patrol around Bauchi Road, Jos North, SWAT operatives apprehended one Mohammed Awal of Filin Sukuwa area of Jos North LGA who, with his gang members, stabbed one Halima Hussaini, female, of Angwan Rogo of Jos North on her left hand and dispossessed her of her TECNO handset.

“When search was conducted in his house and premises, one long cutlass was recovered.”

The CP assured that all suspects arrested for the crimes would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.

“I wish to at this juncture appreciate members of the public for their cooperation, support and encourage them to continue to give us timely and accurate information to enable us stem the tide of crime in the State,” the CP admonished.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has revealed how Governors could be prevented from abusing the proposed State Police.

He said proper guarantees under the law must be put in place to prevent situations where governors use police apparatus to intimidate and oppress political opponents.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) spoke when he featured as a guest of Inside Sources With Laolu Akande aired on Channels Television on Friday.

He said at the moment, policing has been decentralised in the country as residential estates and communities have private security outfits with personnel armed with different weapons guarding inhabitants of such communities.

Falana described state police as an idea whose time has come but said jurisdictions must be clearly defined to prevent inter-rivalry and more clashes between security agents, adding that state police must be a people-police service and not a government-centred one.

He said one federal police force is not really antithetical to federalism as the success of the system depends on its the management. “Unfortunately, our governors have allowed the Nigeria Police Force to become the Federal Government Police Force hence the demand for state police,” he said.

“Under Section 216 of the Constitution, the President of the Republic cannot appoint or remove an Inspector General of Police without consulting the Nigeria Police Council.”

“In that 39-member body, 36 of them are chief executives of states. It’s a council where the members should discuss the number of police personnel should be in every state, how the police should be funded and how the police should be managed and administered. But what has happened?”

He said though there are other regular security council meetings in the country, the Nigeria Police Council has not been meeting. “We must go back to the provisions of the Constitution. It’s not unusual in a federation to have federal government police and state police but again, we have to go back to the drawing table and finetune our policies before we have state police. We must assure our people.

“There are governors in Nigeria that will turn state police into an instrument of oppression because even right now, the federal police is turned into an instrument of oppression.

“So, we must agree that in a Federation, every tier of government, every federating unit should be able to enforce its own laws, with its own security apparatus but you must guarantee that there will be no intimidation or oppression of political opponents, either by the federal government police, state police or even local government police.

“Right now, we deceive ourselves, we already have decentralisation of police; every community, every estate all have their own private security arrangement and majority of them are armed.”

Social commentaries on state police continue to dominate public discourse with some governors and regional socio-political groups like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo saying it would curb menacing trend of kidnapping, banditry and sundry crimes.

Already, there are state-owned security outfits in about 23 states like the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno State, the Amotekun Corps in the South-West geopolitical zone, Ebube Agu in the South-East, Benue Guards in the North Central State, Community Protection Guards in Zamfara, Community Watch Corps in Katsina, the Neighbourhood Watch in Plateau, state-backed vigilante outfits in Niger and Bauchi, amongst others.

However, these outfits have been handicapped in their operations due to a number of factors including lack of license to bear assault rifles and superior weapons to confront deadly insurgents and criminals but governors are upbeat that with a constitutional backing, these outfits will live up to their full potential.

To this end, President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states mid-February, agreed on state police as a method to curb the escalating security challenges in the country.

About a month later, 16 governors submitted their reports to the National Economic Council (NEC), expressing their support for the creation of state police and the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow for same. The decision of the remaining 20 governors are still being expected.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will on Monday, April 8, 2024, arraign the embattled former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for alleged abuse of office over allocation of billions of United States dollars.

Emefiele alongside his co-defendant, one Henry Isioma Omole, will be arraigned on 26 counts before Justice Rahman Oshodi.

The charge, marked ID/23787c/2024, dated April 3, 2024, was filed by Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

EFCC alleged that Emefiele committed abuse of office between 2022 and 2023, in Lagos, of abuse of office.

The commission alleged that Emefiele “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

EFCC, further alleged that Emefiele between 2020 and 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary, act to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $291,945,785.59, without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.

Emefiele was alleged to have, in 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: special allocation of foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $1,769,254,793.16, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”

In count four, the sum involved was $370,872,893.01.

Emefiele’s co defendant Omoile was alleged to have November, 17, 2020, in Lagos, whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of $110,000, for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favor of Raja Punjab’s employer.”

According to the charge the offences committeed contravened Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, thanked the Central Bank Investigator, Mr Jim Obazee, for his services, officially closing the months-long investigation.

“Subsequent to 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,” a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, read Friday evening.

The statement is titled, ‘President Tinubu thanks Jim Obazee as special investigator of the CBN at conclusion of investigation.’

Tinubu noted that with the investigations closed, all appropriate law enforcement and regulatory agencies have since begun conducting follow-up action.

The President commended Mr. Obazee for the dedication and professionalism he exercised in handling the complexities of this critical national assignment.

He thanked the CBN investigator for answering the call of duty while wishing him success in his future endeavours.

On 30 July 2023, the President appointed Jim Obazee, Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, as a special investigator to probe the Central Bank of Nigeria and related entities.

Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, says only 1.5 million customers — out of 12 million — are affected by the recent electricity tariff hike.

On April 3, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) approved a tariff increase for Band A customers.

Customers on B and A are those who receive 20 to 24 hours of power supply in the country.

Speaking at a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Friday, the minister said the hike would address the issue of liquidity affecting the power sector, adding that power supply would still be subsidised for 85 percent of consumers.

Adelabu said the N2.9 trillion electricity subsidy in 2024 is too much of a burden for Nigeria.

“The recent tariff hike only affects 15 per cent of electricity customers. We have 12 million, but this tariff affected only 1.5 million customers,” he said.

“It is because the government is sensitive that 100 per cent of the subsidy will be removed. That is why we started with gradually removing the subsidy for the selected customers.”

Adelabu said the infrastructure deficit is a challenge in the country’s power sector, noting that transformers installed in the ’60s are still in use in some parts of Nigeria.

“All our gas pipelines are bad. There has been vandalisation of the gas pipelines; there will be a lack of adequate pressure on the gas pipelines where we need compressors and boosters,” he said.

“The generating companies’ plants are also deteriorating. They are obsolete. For the transmission companies, the lines were installed over 50 years ago, the cables are weak, the towers are falling and people are vandalising them. Transformers are also weak.

“I have seen a transformer that was labelled (Electricity Company of Nigeria) which means that it was installed in the ’60s; it has not been replaced.”

Adelabu said the deterioration of infrastructure is a major challenge in the government’s push to provide power for Nigerians.

South Africa has issued new visa regulations for skilled foreign remote workers, Business Live reports.

The new remote work visas are applicable to foreigners earning more than R1m a year (about $53,665) who want to relocate to South Africa.

Although there has been no official statement from the country’s department of home affairs, the digital nomad visa reportedly replaces the critical skills visa.

The draft regulations signed by Aaron Motsoaled, minister of home affairs, had been published in February for the public to share feedback and comments that would shape the eventual outcome of the visa.

The deadline for submissions was set as March 29.

But some parts of the regulations required other laws to be amended before taking effect.

For instance, the digital nomad bill had proposed an income tax exemption for foreign employees working in South Africa for less than six months, and the income tax act would have to be amended to provide for the exemption to be legal.

Some South Africans said the digital nomad visa would make the country’s tech ecosystem attractive to foreign talent, while others believed an influx would lead to a rise in the cost of living, an increase in inequality, and tax leakage concerns.

Other African countries that offer remote work visas include Cape Verde, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Namibia.

Florin Talapan, ambassador of Romania to Nigeria, says his country will increase scholarships for prospective Nigerian students.

Talapan spoke on Friday when he presented his letter of credence to President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

“Nigeria is a second home to me, and I have lived here for many years. I have to give back every good thing I have received from Nigeria,” a statement issued by Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, quoted the ambassador as saying.

“My country is looking towards a strategic alliance with Nigeria in the areas of education, energy, and defence.”

Tinubu also received letters of credence from Lincoln Downer and Leilani Bin-Juda, high commissioners of Jamaica and Australia, respectively.

During separate meetings, Tinubu assured the ambassadors of Nigeria’s support for a rewarding stay.

The president reaffirmed his government’s commitment to maintaining an open-door policy toward strengthening existing economic, cultural, and diplomatic relations.

In his conversation with Downer, the president spoke of Nigeria’s readiness to reactivate energy cooperation with Jamaica, particularly in the context of climate change and the utilisation of gas as a transition fuel.

”The essence of a relationship is to understand one another. With Nigeria’s energetic and talented youth, we have a cultural affinity with Jamaica and a lot of potential for cooperation in the areas of culture and tourism that will benefit the youth populations of both countries,” Tinubu said.

The high commissioner conveyed his prime minister’s willingness for a relationship with Nigeria and announced plans for a Jamaican business delegation to visit the country later this year.

Downer also invited Nigerian investors to explore opportunities in Jamaica’s special economic zones.

Speaking with Bin-Juda, Tinubu acknowledged the shared values and interests between Nigeria and Australia.

He called for more cooperation in mining, given Australia’s leading position in iron ore export.

“The Minister of Solid Minerals was in Australia recently, and we look forward to further collaboration in this area. We are also ready to deepen our mutual cooperation in the area of education,” Tinubu said.

In response, the Australian high commissioner expressed readiness for further collaboration.

He extended an invitation to Tinubu to consider visiting Australia during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa.

The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is preparing to fight President Bola Tinubu in at least two courts, according to Vanguard report.

The prospects of the battle are to be staged in the courts of the land where El-Rufai expects to clear his name of the allegation of being a security risk, and also in the court of public opinion where political actors expect him to be a major barricade to the president’s re-election in 2027.

The stage for the coming battle follows what both friends and foes of the former governor assert as his public humiliation by the Tinubu administration of being a security risk unfit for ministerial office.

In a way that has garnered public interest, Mallam as he is fondly referred to by his close associates, has excited the political class with gyrations across the North in the last two weeks.

Besides two public meetings with the Social Democratic Party, SDP chiefs, the former governor has consolidated his identity with the political opposition with a visit to the suspended lawmaker representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District, Senator Abdul Ningi.

The proclivity towards the opposition follows what friend and foe describe as the public humiliation served on the former governor.

El-Rufai according to multiple sources despite his immense contributions both strategically and financially to the emergence of Tinubu as president had pledged not to serve in the new government.

The former governor had reportedly preferred a sabbatical in academia.

He was, however, courted by the president with a plea to help revive the energy sector. Even before his ministerial announcement, El-Rufai it was gathered had started laying down plans and processes to tackle the sector. His preparation flowed from his years as director-general of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, where he was involved in the energy reform programmes of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

However, to the shock of all El-Rufai was dropped during the Senate ministerial screening on the claim that he failed security clearance.

The shock of the failure to get a security clearance numbed several political actors given his strategic role in moving the hands of Northern governors to back Tinubu ahead of the All Progressives Congress, APC convention. Besides, it was gathered that the former governor played key roles in facilitating the election of the president in some Southwest states not controlled by the APC.

A senior government official from one of the Southwest states on the condition of anonymity said:

“He played a key role in funding us in my state and I can tell this because I was personally involved,” the official from one of the Southwest states said.

Besides the significant contribution as attested by the official from the Southwest State, El-Rufai in the twilight of the Muhammadu Buhari administration also shocked many with his decision to, along with others challenge the Federal Government over the naira redesign project of the federal government.

Defending why he opposed the Buhari government on the naira redesign policy, El-Rufai had claimed it was meant to instigate the polity against the APC by those around the former president who failed in their bid to stop Tinubu from getting the presidential ticket.

“They also sought to achieve any one or more of the following objectives: create a nationwide shortage of cash so that citizens are incited to vote against APC candidates across the board resulting in massive losses for the Party in all the elections.”

However, despite his stellar role in helping Tinubu to power, a source close to El-Rufai disclosed that the camp of the former governor believed that it was wrong for him to have been so publicly humiliated and to have been tagged a security risk.

One of the confidants of the former governor told Saturday Vanguard:

“You think Mallam will allow this tag to abide on him? I can assure you that he is going to clear his name in court.

El-Rufai is a man who has many contacts internationally and he is not one to allow his reputation to be smeared by the reason given by the Senate of being a security risk,” the source said in revealing the prospects of court action to enable the former governor to clear his name.

Besides the resort to the court of law, the former governor it was gathered is also mobilising to play a role against Tinubu in the court of public opinion ahead of 2027.

Whether El-Rufai would stand as a candidate or mobilise against the president in 2027 in the same way he did in supporting him in 2023 is, however, a matter that is yet to be determined.

Saturday Vanguard reports that the strategic facilitation provided by El-Rufai to Tinubu came after he had in the past lampooned Tinubu as a godfather. He had at a lecture in May 2019 averred that it was possible to defeat the godfather of Lagos.

A year later at a webinar to commemorate the 63rd birthday of Rauf Aregbesola in May 2020, El-Rufai had said that Tinubu was not his man.

While congratulating Aregbesola, El-Rufai said, “I want to congratulate my brother, Ogbeni (Aregbesola), on his birthday. You know I’m your man any day. I’m not Asiwaju’s man and you are Asiwaju’s man, but I am your man any day. Asiwaju and I have differences but you and I have no differences.”