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FG Allegedly Subsidizes Hajj Fare With N90bn
The Tinubu-led Federal Government have allegedly released the sum of N90 billion to subsidise the 2024 pilgrimage to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
A source at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) told Daily Trust that without this intervention, each of the intending pilgrims would have been requested to add at least N3.5 million to the initial fare which was pegged at N4.9 million.
The source told the publication;
“The forex crisis has caused a lot of problems. That is why the Hajj Commission has asked intending pilgrims to pay the extra amount of N1.9 million each. The commission actually needed N230 billion to sort out the fare differential caused by the forex crisis.
“The N90 billion support which was provided by the government was announced in the presence of reporters during the inauguration of the board and management of the Hajj Commission which was held at the Office of the Vice Presidency on February 28, 2024. But they (reporters) were asked not to report it. That was why no newspaper carried the report. Or did you see it in any reports? If the intending pilgrims pay ₦1.9 million, it is then it can be balanced."
He added that NAHCON had also contacted state governors “to subsidise the hajj fare for the intending pilgrims in their respective states. Kano has responded by subsiding it by N500,000 for each pilgrim.
“By the previous calculation, the N90 billion given by the federal government can only subsidise 19,000 intending pilgrims by ₦3.5 million. But by spreading it on 50,000 pilgrims, it reduces it to N1.9 million; meaning that the federal government has subsidised each pilgrim by ₦1.6 million before each intending pilgrim was asked to add the remaining N1.9 million.”
A top official at the Presidency also confirmed that the federal government “actually provided some financial support for the hajj exercise”. The official said;
“Of course, the federal government has offered support for the pilgrims because the pilgrims have been lamenting.
“Normally, any support that the government is giving to any faith, whether the Christian faith or the Muslim faith, the government does not like to announce it openly so that it will not appear as if the government is favouring on faith.”
Gunmen Invade Celestial Church In Ogun, Abduct Two Worshippers
The Ogun State Police Command has reported that a group of gunmen believed to be kidnappers raided a Celestial Church in the state and kidnapped two worshippers.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, who made this known in a short statement issued on Friday, said the suspected kidnappers invaded the church located around Oriyarin village, Mowe, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
He said they abducted two worshippers identified as Oladapo Seyifunmi and Oluboboye Abiola, and escaped through a thick forest behind the church.
The police spokesperson said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Alamutu Abiodun, had ordered the immediate mobilisation of security personnel to go after the gunmen.
The statement reads, “Suspected kidnapping report at my disposal 28/3/2024 reveals that unidentified gunmen, invaded a Celestial Church around Oriyarin village Mowe and abducted one Oladapo Seyifunmi, Oluboboye Abiola, and escaped through the thick forest behind the church.
“The Commissioner of Police CP Alamutu Abiodun has been briefed and he has ordered immediate mobilization of security personnel to go after the hoodlums.”
Mohbad’s Murderers Will Soon Commit Suicide Like Judas Iscariot — Mother
Abosede, the mother of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad, has asserted that those responsible for her son's death will eventually meet a fate similar to that of Judas Iscariot, who committed suicide after betraying Jesus Christ.
Abosede said this during an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, adding that Mohbad always visited her in her dreams and assured her that his death would be avenged soon.
She said, “It was God’s will. My child's death was like that of Jesus. Judas killed Jesus and later committed suicide. Mohbad’s murderers will also commit suicide soon.”
She continued: “I see my son every day in my dreams. He always comes to see me. I believe I will surely get justice one day, but not the way his father is going about it.
“I am not disappointed that my son is no more; it is the will of God. It had been written that all those behind the death of my son would die the same way too. Mohbad stood by me every time his father was fighting me. He told me that his father was always cursing me, and he could not withstand the curses. But I told him to leave his father to God.
“Three days ago, I saw him (in my dream), and he promised that he would fight. People think he has given me everything. People say a lot of things against me, but I believe those doing that, including Joseph (Mohbad’s father), are not well trained for them to be saying such things about him.
“If they had someone like Mohbad in their families, they wouldn’t have been saying such things. If they had not buried him hastily, this whole thing wouldn’t have turned out this way.”
The bereaved mother also berated some Nigerians who promised to use their platforms to seek justice on the matter but eventually profited from the situation and abandoned it midway.
“A lot of people have enriched themselves from this, but the justice they are supposed to be fighting for has been left for me and Omowunmi (Mohbad’s wife) to seek,” she added.
Bayelsa Senator Remanded In Prison Over Alleged NYSC Certificate Forgery
The Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Benson Konbowei, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre by a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja.
The order was given by Justice Christopher Oba in a case bordering on alleged forgery of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificate by the lawmaker.
Senator Konbowei was arraigned before the court on March 26, and he pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him.
The court, however, granted the Senator N50m bail but ruled that he should be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
In the charge marked: CR/028/2023, the Inspector General of Police accused Konbowei of fraudulently forging a document titled ‘Certificate of Exemption’ with number 000256454 and dated July 4, 2008.
The police said the Senator acted contrary to the provisions of Sections 366,156, and 158 of the Penal Code Act CAP 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and was liable to punishment under Section 364 of the same Act.
Upon his arraignment earlier on Tuesday, the Senator pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Senator was allowed him to go home and the hearing of his bail application was fixed for Thursday, March 28, 2024.
After listening to counsels in the matter, the Senator was granted bail by the court with two sureties in like sum.
The Judge in his ruling, said, “The law is settled that bail is the discretion of the court. Taking a look at the matter, it is not a capital offence.”
The judge said the sureties must own landed properties with Certificates of Occupancy in the Federal Capital Territory.
Justice Oba, however, ordered that the Senator be remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.
The matter has been adjourned till June 24, 25 and 27 for hearing.
Why I Appointed Kwankwaso's Son As Commissioner - Gov Yusuf Explains
Gov Abba Yusuf of Kano State has given reasons on why he appointed Mustapha Kwankwaso, the son of the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as a member of his cabinet.
Yusuf appointed Kwankwaso’s son, alongside three others for commissioner position in the state.
The Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Falgore, confirmed the receipt of the executive list during a plenary session on Tuesday.
He announced that the screening of the commissioner nominees will commence early next week, marking the next step in formalizing their appointments.
Reacting to the outburst that greeted the development, Yusuf, in a statement titled “In Defence of Mustapha Kwankwaso’s appointment.” issued through the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kano Government House, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, said Kwankwaso has promoted many young people including men and women.
The Governor clarified that Mustapha’s appointment was not payback, but he is among the capable youth who worked tirelessly for the success of the present administration in Kano.
The Statement reads: “Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has promoted hundreds of thousands of young men and women, many of them sons and daughters of common men and women.
“He promoted children of nobody to become somebody in the eyes of world today and he also created platforms and political spaces for many of us from humble backgrounds to occupy various elective and appointment positions at Local, State and Federal Government levels.
“One of Sen. Kwankwaso’s beneficiaries, The Executive Governor of Kano decided to promote the son of his benefactor, not really as a pay but because Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso is among the capable youth who worked tirelessly to the success of the present administration in Kano.
“The Governor empowers youths and allow them to explore their potentials. Certainly, Mustapha cannot be an exception due to his paternal history, that shouldn’t be a barrier to his political career as he has decided to be a politician, like his father.”
EFCC Files $35 Million Money Laundering Charges Against Binance, Initiates Steps To Extradite Escaped Executive
Cryptocurrency exchange platform, Binance Holdings Limited alongside two of its senior executives, Tigran Gambaryan and Nadeem Anjarwalla, have been slammed with charges of $35,400,000 in money laundering, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The EFCC, having taken over the case from the Office of the National Security Adviser, has detained Gambaryan and secured a court warrant for the arrest and extradition of Anjarwalla, who has escaped.
The anti-graft commission is collaborating with the International Criminal Police Organisation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States, the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Kenyan government to arrest and extradite Anjarwalla.
The EFCC has pressed five-count charges related to money laundering against Binance and two of its executives, Anjarwalla and Gambaryan, after taking over the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities attributed to the cryptocurrency giant.
According to court documents obtained by The Punch correspondent, the charges were filed on Thursday, March 28, 2024, before the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja division.
The charges read, “That you, Binance Holdings Limited (“aka Binance”) Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla (now at large), between January, 2023 and January, 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court carried on specialised business of other financial institution without valid licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 57(1) and (2) of the Banks and Other Financial, Institutions Act, 2020 and punishable under section 57(5) of the same Act.
“Count two, that you, Binance Holdings Limited (“aka Binance”) Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla (now at large), between January, 2022 and January, 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court engaged in business of other financial institution (other than insurance, stock broking and pension fund management) without valid licence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 58(5) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.
“Count three, that you, Binance Holdings Limited (“aka Binance”), between January, 2022 and January, 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, not being an authorised dealer in Nigeria’s Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market used your virtual asset services platform to unlawfully negotiate foreign exchange rates in Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 29(1) (c) of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring And Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.
“Count four, that you, Binance Holdings Limited (“aka Binance”) Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla (now at large), and other persons at large between January, 2023 and January, 2024 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to conceal the origin of the proceeds of your unlawful activities and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21 (a) and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“Count five, that you, Binance Holdings Limited (“aka Binance”) Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla between January, 2023 and December, 2023 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court concealed the origin of a cumulative sum of $35,400, 000 generated as revenue by Binance in Nigeria knowing that the funds constituted proceeds of unlawful activity and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Recall that the Federal Government, on Monday, reached out to the International Criminal Police Organisation and issued an arrest warrant for Nadeem Anjarwalla, one of the detained executives of the global cryptocurrency firm Binance, who had escaped from lawful custody on Friday.
Meanwhile, Binance Executive, Tigran Gambaryan, had sued the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
Gambaryan, in the originating motion dated and filed March 18 by his lawyer, Olujoke Aliyu, from Aluko and Oyebode Law Firm, sought five reliefs before Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Also, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the Binance’s Africa regional manager who escaped from lawful custody March 22, filed a separate right enforcement suit before Justice Ekwo.
Tinubu to Religious leaders: Don’t denigrate Nigeria in your sermons
President Bola Tinubu has urged religious leaders to promote unity and avoid vilifying the nation in their sermons.
At an Iftar event in Abuja, he emphasized the constructive role of religious leaders in shaping public opinion and criticized those who denigrate elected officials without offering constructive criticism.
President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling Nigeria’s challenges and emphasized the resilience of the nation against terrorism.
He reiterated that no terrorist can defeat the collective will of Nigerians, no matter how hard they try to prey on innocent citizens.
He urged traditional and religious leaders to forge a strong bond with the government to defeat terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of criminality in the country.
”Yesterday in Abuja, I attended the burial of the 17 soldiers killed in action at Okuama, Delta State. I saw their pregnant wives and little kids.
”The love of the nation is in your hands. Pray for our country. Educate our children. The sermons we preach to the members of our churches and mosques are important.
”Do not condemn your own nation. As a Yoruba man and as our fathers will say, ‘no matter how slippery the bottom of your child is, you must leave the beads there.’
”Leave the beads there. This is your country; do not condemn it in sermons, do not abuse the nation. Leadership is meant for changes.
”Yes, this leader is bad, fine. Wait until the next election to change him, but do not condemn your country. Do not curse Nigeria. This is a beautiful land.
The President, who acknowledged the birthday wishes and goodwill extended to him on the occasion, reminded the leaders that his birthday on March 29, 2024, coincided with Good Friday.
”I have earned the honour of having my birthday fall on Good Friday, and I pray that on this Maundy Thursday, you all shall return to your homes safely. May God guide and keep you and your families in good health, and lift your spirits,” the President prayed.
Different speakers at the dinner expressed gratitude for the opportunity to come together in the spirit of Ramadan to share a meal with the President and renew the bonds of friendship that unite the nation.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima emphasized the pivotal roles of religious and traditional rulers in promoting peace and unity, urging them to continue to ‘‘build bridges that transcend ethnic and religious divides.’’
The Vice-President expressed delight that the nation’s economy is on a rebound, noting the strengthening of the naira against the dollar.
”The President means well for the nation, and he has continued to redefine the meaning and concept of modern leadership.
Comedian AY Makun rebuilds mansion months after fire incident in Lagos
Famous stand-up comedian AY Makun has unveiled the stunning reconstruction of his Lagos mansion, which was previously ravaged by fire months ago.
The fire incident, reported by Tribune Online in August 2023, had shocked fans and the entertainment industry.
At the time of the fire incident, AY and his family were reportedly on vacation abroad, ensuring their safety.
Although the cause of the fire remained unknown, images circulated online showed the roof engulfed in flames.
However, moving beyond the setback, the father of two proudly showcased his newly renovated Lagos mansion, which has been beautifully restored following the fire incident.
Taking to Facebook, AY shared a video showcasing the immaculately refurbished mansion, which appears to be even more stunning than its previous state.
Alongside the video, AY expressed gratitude, writing, “Whom God has blessed, no man can curse. We give God all the Glory.”
It Is Time To Tell The World The Truth About Mohbad's Death - Primeboy Files Petition Against Wunmi
Nigerian singer, Ibrahim Owodunni, also known as Primeboy, has filed a petition against Wunmi, the widow of late Afrobeats star, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
This comes after Wunmi, during an Instagram live session on Thursday, alleged that Mohabd’s father, Joseph Aloba, is associating with those who bullied her husband 24 hours before his demise.
Recall that Primeboy, a friend of Mohbad, is the prime suspect in the circumstances surrounding the death of the 27-year-old singer.
Taking to his Instagram page on Friday, Primeboy shared a copy of the petition filed against Wunmi.
Although the content of the petition was blurry, the afro singer, in the caption that accompanied the post, urged Wunmi to tell the world the truth about her husband’s death.
He wrote, “I told you to stop mentioning my Name…… You didn’t stop……. Now It is the time to tell the whole World the truth you said you know about what kill your boyfriend (Mohbad)….. Or you face the Music!!!!!!!….”
Popular American conjoined twin gets married
Reports have surfaced revealing that Abby Hensel, one-half of the famous conjoined twin duo who gained fame through a reality show, has been secretly married for three years.
Abby Hensel, aged 34 and hailing from Minnesota, tied the knot with nurse and army veteran Josh Bowling in 2021, according to public records obtained by news outlet TODAY.
Abby and Brittany Hensel are widely recognised as America’s most prominent conjoined twins, having garnered attention through their own reality show on TLC.
Born in 1990, the twins share two heads, two hearts, and two sets of lungs, but possess separate bodies from the waist up.
Remarkably, each twin controls her respective half of the body, allowing for impressive coordination. Despite their unique condition, the twins have led remarkable lives, achieving milestones such as obtaining education degrees and working as fifth-grade teachers.
News of Abby’s marriage surfaced after a TikTok account under the handle @abbyandbrittanyhensel shared a celebratory clip, and the Facebook account Britt And Abby posted a photo of the couple.
The wedding ceremony, held in 2021, featured Abby adorned in a lace-trimmed sleeveless wedding dress and the groom dressed in a grey suit.
The twins currently reside in Minnesota, their home state, and were raised by a nurse and a carpenter parent.
The Hensel twins are classified as dicephalic parapagus, meaning they are fused side-by-side with two heads. They share numerous organs, including two spines, two hearts, and partially shared nervous systems.
Despite their shared anatomy, they have undergone surgeries to correct medical issues, including the removal of a partly-formed third arm at the age of 12 and corrective procedures for spine curvature and breathing difficulties.
Since captivating global attention in 1996 with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and Life Magazine’s cover, the twins have mostly led quiet lives in Minnesota, shying away from media attention until starring in a TLC documentary at the age of 16.