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Troops get 20 Armored personnel carriers from defence ministry

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Troops get 20 Armored personnel carriers from defence ministry

The Ministry of Defence (MoD), on Wednesday handed over 20 newly acquired Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the Defence Headquarters to enhance the professional capabilities of troops of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

This is contained in a statement by Dr Ibrahim Kana, Permanent Secretary of the MoD  in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).reports that the APCs were handed over to Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa by the PS.

In his remarks at the handing over event, Kana said that the step was geared towards bolstering the nation’s defense capabilities to effectively address emerging security challenges.

He also that it was geared towards enhancing the operational capabilities of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

According to him, this handover marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to strengthen the operational readiness of our Armed Forces.

“These Armored Personnel Carriers will provide our troops with enhanced protection and mobility, enabling them to carry out their duties more effectively in safeguarding our nation’s sovereignty.”

Similarly in his remarks, the CDS underscored their strategic importance in enhancing the Armed Forces’ ability to respond swiftly and decisively to security threats.

“The acquisition of these Armored Personnel Carriers underscores our commitment to equipping our troops with the necessary resources to confront evolving security challenges.

“I commend the Ministry of Defence for its unwavering support and dedication to strengthening our national defense capabilities”, he said.

Musa also expressed gratitude for the acquisition of the APCs, noting that the handover ceremony signifies a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to enhance its defence capabilities and safeguard national security.

According to him, with the acquisition of these 20 Armored Personnel Carriers, the Nigerian Armed Forces are better equipped to tackle the challenges of the modern security landscape and uphold peace and stability across the nation”.

NAN reports that also present at the ceremony was Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, the Chief of Defence Intelligence. (NAN)

By Deborah Coker

Insecurity: Bandits kill NSCDC commander in Benue

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Insecurity: Bandits kill NSCDC commander in Benue

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have reportedly killed a commander of agro ranger of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, in Benue State.

The deceased was identified as Mike Ode.

The incident happened at Shaapera community in Gwer West Local Government Area of the state.

A relation of the deceased, Nicholas Ode, disclosed that his brother was brutally killed in Shaapera village in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue state on Monday.

He said the corpse had been deposited at the morgue of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.

“We were told that he went for a special assignment at Shaapera village.

“It was there that they had a confrontation with the herdsmen and during the gun duel, they confirmed that the NSCDC officers were able to kill up to 10 of the bandits.

“Unfortunately, we were told that one of the four civil defence guys, which is my brother, was gunned down, while others escaped,” he said.

The NSCDC Command Public Relations Officer, Mike Ejelikwu, confirmed the incident.

He said the death of the personnel would not deter the command from performing its constitutional mandate of providing security for every law-abiding citizen in the state.

“NSCDC has a specialised squad called the Agro Rangers located across Gwer West, Logo, Apa, Kwande, Guma, among others, to provide security for Agro-allied investment, be it animal husbandry or crop production,” he disclosed.

He added that the deceased was killed during a gun duel with the bandits, but added that there was heavy casualty on the part of the bandits.

“We lost one agro ranger who incidentally was the commander of the operation,” he said, adding that the command was already in touch with his family.

ALGON says call for Fubara’s impeachment in order 

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ALGON says call for Fubara’s impeachment in order 

The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), River Chapter, says the call for the impeachment of Gov. Siminalayi Fubara is a step in the right direction.

The Chairman, Mr Allwell Ihunda said at a news conference in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that 21 local government chairmen in the state were in support of the call to impeach the governor

NAN reports that the Rivers Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), recently called on the Martins Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence  impeachment proceedings against Fubara.

Ihunda, also the Chairman, Port Harcourt City Local Government Council, said that the call for Fubara’s impeachment was to safeguard democracy and the rule of law.

National growth LS

The ALGON chairman alleged that the governor did not release statutory allocations to the local government councils in April.

”We did not receive allocations in April, this development is a show of executive rascality on the part of the governor,” he said

He said that Fubara had refused to convene the Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting, which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds to the councils.

”The governor’s action is illegal. The state is at the verge of being plunged into totalitarianism,” he said.

Ihunda further said that Fubara had directed Heads of Local Government Administrations in the councils to present salary vouchers to his office directly.

”He wants salary vouchers and overheads of civil servants, excluding chairmen, vice chairmen, councilors and political appointees sent to his office,” he said.

”This action is unconstitutional. It is in contravention of Sections 3(6), 7 and 162 of the 1999 Constitution,” he said

“The chairman urged the state House of Assembly to take appropriate steps towards checking the excesses of the governor to safeguard democracy in the state.(NAN)

By Precious Akutamadu

Naira depreciates 0.3% against dollar

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Naira depreciates 0.3% against dollar

The Naira on Wednesday slightly depreciated at the official market, trading at N1,421.06 to the dollar.

Data from the official trading platform of the FMDQ Exchange, a platform that oversees the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), showed that the Naira lost N4.49.

This represents a 0.31 per cent loss when compared to the previous trading date on Tuesday when it exchanged at N1,416.57 to a dollar.

However, the total daily turnover increased to N164.74 on Wednesday, up from 160.77 million dollars recorded on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, at the Investor’s and Exporter’s (I&E) window, the Naira traded between N1,440 and N1,335 against the dollar. (NAN)

 

Robust research and dev’t, vital for meeting national security

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Robust research and dev’t, vital for meeting national security

The Chief of Standard and Evaluation, NAF Headquarters, AVM Michael Onyebashi,

says cultivating a robust research and development culture not only yields invaluable insights but also enhances platform capabilities vital for meeting national security imperatives.

 Onyevashi  stated this at the 2024 Ground Training Command Intra-Command Research and Development Competition held at Military Training Centre NAF Base Kaduna on Wednesday.

Represented by AVM Adamu Mbaka, Commander, Central Avionic and Overhaul Calibration Centre,

National growth LS

Onyebashi  said that research and development formed a cornerstone of progress and innovation.

According to him, they are also pivotal for any society or organization striving to achieve its objectives, particularly in a complex domain such as the NAF .

Onyebashi said, “Our equipment and platforms, besides being capital intensive, must remain operational amidst challenges of limited resources and a demanding international business landscape.

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”By leveraging research and development,  NAF has significantly augmented its operational capacity, projecting the nation’s interests effectively through airpower.

”Human resources stand as the cornerstone of every system, influencing its efficiency and effectiveness.”

 He, therefore, said that platforms like the competition serve to optimize personnel output, particularly crucial amidst prevailing security challenges across the nation.

“Amidst the demands of ongoing counterinsurgency operations, the Nigerian Air Force faces formidable pressures on both platforms and personnel, “Onyebashi said.

He said that the objective of the competition was to bolster operational effectiveness by harnessing indigenous technologies.

According to him it  is paramount for the service’s efficacy, empowering personnel and units to showcase their ingenuity and skills.

Onyebashi appreciated  the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan  Abubakar, for his visionary leadership in prioritizing Research and Development.

The Commander, Central Avionic and overhaul Calibration Centre AVM Adamu Mbaka, presenting certificate to one of the participants of the competition on Wednesday in Kaduna.

Earlier, the Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command , AVM Usman Abdullahi, said NAF stood as a highly technical branch of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, emphasizing the significance of Research and Development.

Abdullahi was represented by AVM Muhammad Sulieman,  Commandant, NAF Military Training Centre Kaduna.

He said the competition served to prepare the command for the upcoming NAF  Inter-Command Research and Development Competition, scheduled to hold at the NAF at 60 Celebrations this month

‘Abdullahi said, ‘Accordingly, in line with the fourth key enabler of the Chief of the Air Staff Command Philosophy which is prioritizing R&D, leveraging cutting edge technology, strategic partnership and lessons learnt.

“The Headquarters NAF has instituted annual Research and Development Competitions, both intra and inter-command, consistently fostering innovative efforts that yield notable results.”

NAN reports that seven units under Ground  Training Command participated in the competition in which the Military Training Centre and Regiment Training Centre came in first, while 541 Communication Group came third .

.(NAN)

By Mohammed Tijjani

Abia ADC chieftain, Nwosu defects to APC

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Abia ADC chieftain, Nwosu defects to APC

The 2023 House of Representatives candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency seat, Obinna Nwosu has dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Abia State.

Nwosu made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Umuahia, the state capital.

The Abia chieftain said he joined the party to support the government and contribute to the development of the country.

He stated: “Today, I officially joined the All Progressives Congress at the ward level. Our country Nigeria is going through a transition phase and to unlock the next chapter which will bring prosperity to the nation, citizens have to make a deliberate effort to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration

“I am joining the APC to support the government and contribute to the development of our dear country.

“I want to thank all my supporters from Abia State who have followed me on this journey.

“I hope this epoch event will encourage more young Abians, indeed igbo youths from the southeast to start aligning with national politics.”

Ifeanyi Ubah: Port Harcourt, Warri refineries to be fully operational in 2024

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Ifeanyi Ubah: Port Harcourt, Warri refineries to be fully operational in 2024

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Ifeanyi Ubah, has said that two refineries- Port Harcourt and Warri would be fully operational by the end of 2024.

Ubah said plans have already been put in place to achieve the target, stressing that the Kaduna Refinery would also be operational before the end of next year.

He said that the completion of the plants and the addition of supply from the 650,000 barrels per day, bpd Dangote Refinery would enable the nation to meet its domestic fuel demand.

The senator also called on the federal government and other stakeholders to work toward the establishment of modular refineries to further expand the nation’s domestic capacity to refine crude oil.

“My mandate is to ensure that the refineries in Nigeria are up and functional. By my involvement, before the end of this year, two refineries will be up and running.

“Also, before the end of next year, the Kaduna refinery will come on stream.

“I can assure Nigerians that I will tirelessly pursue and ensure that these refineries are up and running before the end of the year. We have set up a technical team to visit the refineries every two weeks in order to meet the set target,” he said.

NNPC Ltd Committed to Building Huge Oil, Gas Infrastructure

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NNPC Ltd Committed to Building Huge Oil, Gas Infrastructure

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC Ltd) says it will continue to invest in the development of huge oil and gas infrastructure to make it easy for operators and prospective investors to carry out their business in Nigeria.

According to a statement signed by Olufemi O. Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd; the Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, disclosed this at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), on Tuesday in Houston, Texas, United States of America.

Speaking at one of the panel sessions of a luncheon organized by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), with theme: Sustainable Energy Solutions for Africa’s Future (Nigerian Perspective)”, the Eyesan stated that NNPC Ltd.’s objective was to ensure that there is a healthy balance of energy sources in the country.

She explained that though the oil and gas sector is not where it ought to be, much progress had been made between last year’s edition of the OTC in terms of opening up the sector for investments and infrastructural development.

National growth LS

While she identified funding as the major challenge impeding the development of the sector, she listed some of the bright spots in the industry to include the Executive Orders signed by the President to open up the sector, the imminent resolution of the assets divestment by the International Oil Companies, and the aggressive execution of gas infrastructure projects such as the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline, which she said would be completed in the next quarter.

Also speaking at the panel session, The Managing Director of SNEPCo, Engr. Elohor Aiboni, and the Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Jim Swartz, stated that their companies’ divestment from onshore and shallow water assets was a general realignment of their portfolios across the globe and should not be misconstrued as exit from the Nigeria.

Speaking further on his company’s commitment to remain in Nigeria, Swartz said: We are excited about what government is doing to build confidence in investors. We are excited to work with NNPC Ltd.”     

Northern Elders Forum Opposes CBN’s Cybersecurity Levy

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Northern Elders Forum Opposes CBN’s Cybersecurity Levy

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), a prominent socio-cultural organization representing the interests of the Northern region of Nigeria, has strongly condemned the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent decision to impose a cybersecurity levy on bank customers.

In a statement released by the NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the forum expressed its dissatisfaction with the policy, citing the escalating costs associated with banking transactions as a result of multiple charges.

The NEF criticized the CBN’s directive as arbitrary, illegal, and out of touch with the realities faced by Nigerians. The forum called on the government to reconsider the policy and explore alternative measures to ease the financial strain on individuals while still promoting the use of electronic payments.

The NEF pointed out that the introduction of cybersecurity levies, in addition to existing fees such as stamp duty, transfer fees, value-added tax, and SMS charges, has placed an unbearable financial burden on individuals engaging in electronic transactions. The forum highlighted the various charges that bank customers now face, including cybersecurity levies ranging from ₦5 on ₦1,000 to ₦50,000 on ₦10,000,000 transactions, transfer fees, stamp duty, and value-added tax. These additional costs have significantly increased the overall expense of electronic transactions for both senders and receivers.

National growth LS

While acknowledging the importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding electronic transactions, the NEF emphasized the need for a more balanced approach that ensures the costs of security measures are reasonable and do not excessively burden bank customers.

The NEF said in a country already grappling with economic challenges and hyperinflamatory conditions, the additional financial burden imposed by the cybersecurity levy is unjust and unfair and urged the government and relevant stakeholders to find a sustainable solution that strikes a fair balance between enhancing cybersecurity and alleviating the financial strain on the Nigerian populace.

“It is imperative that the administration takes into account the concerns raised by a vast majority of Nigeriand and prioritizes policies that protect the interests of the people while also fostering economic growth and development.”

The forum’s stance highlights the importance of considering the impact of regulations on ordinary citizens and advocating for measures that promote financial inclusion and alleviate economic challenges.

“It is crucial that the government listens to the concerns of organizations like the NEF and works towards implementing policies that benefit all Nigerians, rather than burdening them with additional costs and hardships.

 “It is essential to strike a delicate balance between enhancing cybersecurity and easing the financial burden on the populace, particularly at a time when the Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges due to inflation and other economic factors,” Suleiman said.

The NEF urges the authorities and relevant stakeholders to engage in meaningful review and find a solution that addresses the legitimate concerns raised by the public regarding the cybersecurity levy.

Court Affirms ICPC’s Power to Investigate, Prosecute Delta Officials

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Court Affirms ICPC’s Power to Investigate, Prosecute Delta Officials

A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State has upheld the powers of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and prosecute officials of Delta State Government who allegedly engage in corrupt acts.

The Attorney-General of the State had filed a suit challenging the powers of the Commission under Sections 6 and 28 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 (ICPC Act) to investigate State finances and invite Delta State officials for interviews in the course of investigations.

The Plaintiff in the Suit FHC/CS/165/2023 also contended that by Sections 120, 121, 122, 123, & 125 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), it is only the Delta State House of Assembly and the Auditor General of Delta State that have the powers to look into the State’s finances and demand for documents.

However, ICPC argued that Sections 6 and 28 of the ICPC Act 2000 empower the Commission to exercise its enforcement function on “any person” including state government officials.

National growth LS

The Commission, represented by the Director of Legal Services Department, Mr. Henry Emore, stressed that the ICPC Act 2000 does not discriminate between the State Government and the Federal Government in the fight against corruption. Furthermore, there is no conflict between the provisions of Sections 6 and 28 of the ICPC Act and Sections 120-125 of the Constitution; the two are rather, complementary.

In his judgement on Wednesday, the 7th of May, 2024, Justice F. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court, Asaba Division agreed with the submissions of ICPC in its entirety and held that Nigeria practised cooperative federalism; and as such the fight against corruption is a function of both the States and the Federal Government.

He also noted that the issues before the Court had been settled in a plethora of appellate decisions, among which is the Supreme Court Judgement in AG ONDO STATE VS AG FEDERATION & 36 ORS.

The suit was therefore dismissed with no cost awarded.

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