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Police kill suspected bandit, recover rifle in Sokoto

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The Sokoto State Police Command has again neutralized a suspected bandit and retrieved an AK-47 rifle, following the arrest of fifteen suspects for a variety of crimes a few days prior.

The command spokesman, ASP Ahmed Rufai, provided our correspondent with a press release signed by Ali Kaigama, the state commissioner of police, which includes this information.

The statement said that while on their way to Tambuwal for a kidnapping mission, five suspects were apprehended carrying three AK-47s and ninety rounds of live ammunition.

They are led by Bello Hantsi, also known as Mai Dubu-Dubu, M., of Tungar Rana Village via Sabon Birni in Kware LGA, and he is also their supplier of weapons and ammunition, according to the report.

Around 03:30 today, DPO Kware Division and his men, along with Anti-Kidnapping unit operatives, mobilized to search for the suspect. He fired a shot to get away from capture after spotting the team and smelling danger at a nearby bush, but the team quickly neutralized him and other members of the group were injured by bullets.

“One suspected bandit’s body and one Ak-47 rifle with 21 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from the scene during the course of scanning the scene,” the statement continued.

While praising the officer’s commitment and professionalism, the state’s commissioner of police asked residents to keep providing timely information to the command and other state security agencies.

He said that by providing information on suspected criminal activity, the command and other security agencies will be able to act quickly and forcefully against any state criminals who refuse to cooperate.

He also reaffirmed the command’s pledge to safeguard the lives and assets of the law-abiding citizens of the state while they are in his care.

Academic technologists demand FG pay our withheld salaries

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The Federal Government has been urged by the National Association of Academic Technologists to pay the salaries that have been withheld for more than five months.

The Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System Office was instructed to release four months’ worth of salaries from the outstanding salaries owed to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, prior to this development, by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

This does not include other university and other center employees who are members of other unions.

In response, NAAT called for the implementation of the 25% and 35% authorized salary increases with arrears as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government on August 17, 2022, in a statement released on Sunday by its president, Ideji Nwokoma, and general secretary, Abubakar Yusuf.

The Renewed Hope Agenda, which President Bola Tinubu is implementing to revitalize the nation’s economy and educational system, has received praise from NAAT.

Citing the recent N630 billion distribution to universities and other postsecondary institutions, as reported by the TETFund Executive Secretary, they emphasized his dedication to infrastructure and human capital development.

“Noteworthy is the following: at the high-level stakeholders meeting on the modalities of exiting IPPIS that was held on January 11, 2024 at the National Universities Commission Auditorium, one of the main highlights and takeaways was the statement made by Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, to the effect that all agreements were reached by the Federal Government regarding the payment of withheld salties to all members of university-based unions in federal universities and the implementation of the new salary structure of 25% and 35% salary increases for all workers in educational tertiary institutions, much to the satisfaction of all those in attendance, including vice-chancellors and union leaders.

According to the minister, the current Federal Government is making every effort to prevent industrial unrest in our tertiary educational institutions.

With everything mentioned above in mind, we find it extremely difficult to reconcile the minister’s statement with the Federal Government’s decision to pay the withheld salaries to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities exclusively, leaving other members of our union out.

“We consider this endeavor to be extremely unfair and unjust since it pits our union’s members against the leadership and is generating a tense environment that could completely disrupt academic activities on our campuses.”

According to NAAT, the main reason university sector unions decided to start the strike action in the first place was because the Federal Government had not followed through on its promise to implement agreements reached through collective bargaining.

“We thus fervently implore the minister to consider the predicament of our members and promptly disburse the more than five-monthly withheld salaries, execute the authorized salary hikes of 25% and 35% with arrears, and release the arrears of earned allowances of NAAT members as stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding signed between NAAT and Federal Government on August 17, 2022.”

Police apprehend hospital manager over Rivers graduate’s death

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The management of the private medical center Paragon Clinics and Imaging Diagnosis, which is situated along Stadium Road in the state capital of Port Harcourt, has been verified to have been arrested by the Rivers State Police Command.

Rebekah Sekidika, a first-class graduate of Micro Biology from Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Edo State, was identified at the hospital, and the police indicated that her death was the result of an inquiry.

Sampson Sekidika, the deceased’s father, had disclosed that on February 2, 2024, his daughter passed away in the hospital during a procedure.

Sekidika said his daughter, 24, did not need surgery, and he blamed the people who carried out the treatment on her.

Rebekah was healthy and free of any medical conditions, he said, adding that he drove her to the facility. Before leaving for her international vacation, he needed to send Rebekah an SMS because her menstruation had been delayed.

She had not seen her period in a while, which was the issue. She had to know why that was the case. They gave her several tests during the clinical appointment, including a pregnancy test, which turned out to be negative overall.

But, they advised her to consult an expert just to be sure. She was given anesthesia for a straightforward operation that didn’t require surgery on the day of the appointment, but she later died from complications.

For her master’s and doctoral programs, Rebeccah was scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom. “Everything was arranged, paid for, including the flight and tuition,” the upset father said.

The manager’s detention was verified to our correspondent on Sunday by Grace Iringe-Koko, the state police command spokesperson.

Iringe-Koko expressed shock that the anesthesiologist and doctor had not accepted an earlier request from the police.

Read Also: Task force directed by EFCC to address illicit forex trading, naira abuse

“Yes, I can verify that the manager has been taken into custody,” she said. The doctor and one other person have also been invited as part of our probe.

“For a proper investigation, the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.”

She added that because there was no direct connection between their work at the facility and the incident, the two other people who were also detained have been freed.

Bandits kill 12, injure nine in fresh Kaduna attacks

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At least 12 people were slain by several bandits during their early Sunday morning raid of Gindin Duste Makyali in the Kufana District of Kajuru Local Government Area in Kaduna State.

Around five in the morning, a group of bandits stormed the village, shooting at random, and destroyed at least seventeen houses, according to witnesses.

Following an earlier attack on Friday night in the state’s two local governments of Igabi and Kauru, our correspondent learned that the onslaught continued for several hours without the presence of security personnel.

Nine persons were killed and seven injured, including a retired Central Bank of Nigeria director and his wife, when robbers stormed the Igabi towns of Gwada and Kassam as well as the Kauru Local Government Areas.

Kauru lies in the Southern Kaduna axis, whilst Igabi is in the Northern part of the state.

According to the breakdown, in Kauru LGA, six people were slain, five were abducted, and two were injured, while in Igabi LGA, three people were killed, seven were injured, and thirty more were kidnapped.

Although the source told our correspondent that the attack happened near a security post, the police have not yet provided an official confirmation.

Nine people were injured and twelve people died from burns in their homes, according to the source.

Uba Sani, the governor of the state, denounced the latest assault.

While asking the State Emergency Agency to provide immediate assistance to the afflicted villages in Kajuru and Igabi, the governor expressed his horror at learning of the latest incident through Samuel Aruwan, the overseeing commissioner for internal security and home affairs.

In her discussions with security forces, Governor Sani expressed her strong condemnation of the attacks and her prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed. He therefore instructed the State Emergency Management Agency to provide immediate assistance to the impacted communities in Kajuru and Igabi LGAs after some of their homes and possessions were destroyed by fire.

He continued, “The governor further reaffirmed the government’s dedication and commitment in addressing the security challenges experienced throughout the state.”

Tinubu: Nigeria is ready to host the African Central Bank in 2028

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President Bola Tinubu has stated that, Nigeria is prepared to welcome the African Central Bank in accordance with the terms of the Abuja Treaty.

“His administration will work with member states and the African Union Commission to make sure the bank launches on time in 2028,” he declared, according to a statement issued by his Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

President Tinubu’s address to the leaders of the African Union is headed, “Presidency ready to host African Central Bank; prepare the youth for the 21st-century economy.”

These were the statements Tinubu gave to leaders during the 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Assembly of Heads of State and Government on Saturday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In order to prevent the recurrence of current issues and the emergence of new ones, the President stated that Africa must resolve its conflicts with a resolute and deeply ingrained sense of togetherness.

Our goal to provide our people with high-quality democratic government and economic prosperity is threatened by formidable headwinds and challenging obstacles, both as a continent and as individual countries.

“We are not primarily to blame for many of these challenges, including unjust global trade practices and climate change.

But some of the traps—such as autocracies spawned by coups and harmful manipulation of constitutional tenure provisions—are developmental malignancies that we Africans are inflicting upon ourselves, according to Tinubu.

Tinubu contended that disagreements over unlawful changes of government shouldn’t result in a permanent break with the long-standing ties of regional cooperation and affinity, citing the military takeovers of the Republics of Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger as well as the expulsion of three of these countries from ECOWAS.

“West Africa’s desire for peace, strength, and unity transcends the interests of any one individual or organization. For our people, the ties forged by geography, history, culture, trade, and fraternity are very meaningful.

Tinubu’s Forex policy was hastily built without prior planning.

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PDP presidential contender for 2023, Atiku Abubakar, claimed that President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies—especially the unification of the currency rate—were hurriedly carried out without sufficient planning or stakeholder consultation.

Nigerians are presently facing economic hardships as a result of federal government policies.

For a great number of citizens, these challenges have made it impossible to afford necessities.

In a statement released on Sunday, the former vice president claimed to have knowledge that, as former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government came to an end, the nation’s economy was in serious trouble.

Tinubu came under fire from Atiku for failing to adequately outline the steps his administration was taking to alleviate the country’s chronic economic problems.

He declared: “Bola Tinubu failed, once again, to present any specific policy measures that his administration is taking to contain the crises of currency fluctuation and poverty that confront the nation at a meeting called at his request on Thursday to address the problem of foreign exchange crisis and the economic downturn, among other things.

“Instead, he told the nation and experts who have been offering suggestions on how to resolve the crisis that he and his team shouldn’t be distracted and should be given time to continue preparing their cocktail that has caused the Nigerian people great suffering.”

“The wrong policies of the Tinubu administration continue to cause untold pain and distress on the economy and the rest of us cannot keep quiet when the government has demonstrated sufficient poverty of ideas to redeem the situation,” argued Atiku, who disagreed with the administration’s policies.

He said, “There are ways that the country can walk out of the current crisis if the government will not hold on to their usual hubris.”

“I came up with a number of policy prescriptions that would rescue the country from getting into the mess that we are currently in after carefully assessing the state of our economy at the end of the previous administration. I knew full well that the economy of the country was heading for the ditch.”

The message from Atiku included a reminder that in his 2023 presidential election policy manifesto, “My Covenant With Nigerians,” he promised to restructure the foreign exchange system by doing away with several exchange rate windows that served the interests of only intermediaries, scammers, and opportunists.

The statement went on, “It would be impossible to implement a fixed exchange rate system. Firstly, it would not be consistent with our policy of maintaining an open economy that is favorable to the private sector. Second, having adequate foreign exchange reserves to protect the home currency at all times would be necessary for a fixed-exchange rate system to function successfully. But as is widely known, the main issue facing Nigeria is the ongoing foreign exchange illiquidity brought on by the nation’s small inflows of foreign currency. Naira would continue to face pressure if there are insufficient foreign exchange reserves and little faith in the Nigerian economy. Without firepower, the economy cannot sustain its currency. A fixed exchange rate arrangement is very similar to operating a subsidy regime!

However, it would be overkill to implement a floating exchange rate system given Nigeria’s fundamental economic circumstances. We would have pushed for the Central Bank of Nigeria to handle foreign exchange in a gradualist manner. It would have been better to have a managed-floating system. Put simply, under such a system, daily fluctuations in the value of the Naira would be allowed, but the CBN would intervene to maintain stability. This kind of oversight will be applied sensibly and carefully, particularly in relation to speculative activity.

According to him, Nigeria “has insufficient, unstable, and precarious foreign reserves to support a free-floating rate regime,” which makes the regulation imperative. There was not enough foreign currency in Nigeria’s reserves to be freely traded during times of crisis at fair market values. Nigeria’s falling oil production means that its earnings from the sale of crude oil are insufficient in US dollars. Additionally, Nigeria is not drawing a sizable amount of foreign investment.

“These are sufficient grounds for Nigeria to pursue a higher degree of market control, at least in the short to medium term when convergence is anticipated to be realized,” the statement continued.

“Without adequate planning or stakeholder input, Tinubu hastily put together his new FX management policy. The actual and possible negative effects of the government’s actions were either ignored or not anticipated.

“The government denied the CBN the autonomy to create and carry out a sensible FX Management Policy that would have addressed issues like raising liquidity, reducing/regulating demand, handling FX backlogs, and rate convergence.”

Nigeria ought to produce the most palm oil, says Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc MD

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Oluwakemi Abimbola speaks with Taiwo Adewole, the managing director of Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc, about the rising prices of food items and other economic issues, in light of recent calls for the Federal Government to establish commodities boards to oversee the situation.

Nigeria is currently experiencing difficulties with foreign exchange. What are the nation’s chances of earning foreign exchange in the market where you operate?

We firmly believe that we are a Nigerian business. The current production level is less than the local demand given the state of the nation. Given the local market gap, why would you want to go after the overseas market? I won’t, however, close the door on that opportunity; instead, we will take care of our local market’s needs before looking into international markets. Rather than searching for opportunities abroad, we would rather contribute to the economic transformation of our nation out of loyalty to it. In any case, we are depriving our people and the local economy of its potential if we export the goods we produce. Thus, we’ll be a part of the team that works to grow our local market and meet local demand before considering export opportunities.

We are importing farm products, which is one of the factors contributing to the pressure on the dollar. How can we, as leaders in this field, become self-sufficient enough to stop importing some of these products?

My response is that we are concentrating on the local market because of this. Now, as we export more goods and there is a local shortage, the demand for our products will grow, which will continue to put pressure on the dollar. We are among those who support the idea that Nigeria should not import palm oil for any reason. Invest locally if you are a user or a producer of that product. Rather than pressuring the government to release funds for you to import processed palm oil, invest in businesses and local farmers who are making these goods so you can support their economy. Nigeria is the birthplace of oil palm. My opinion is that we should concentrate on regaining that top spot in the world and that we should have enough resources to produce enough for local use before exporting.

How are you incorporating innovation and technology into your daily operations?

You will soon realize that we live in a digital age. In order to process and possibly refine oil palm and create a variety of products, we will be building new, extremely efficient factories. In order for the business to use technology to run its operations, we will also implement new software to manage the various processes along the value chain.

The government has been urged to set up commodity boards in order to control the escalating price of food. Is that really the best course of action?

We ought to examine free enterprise, in my opinion. Allow the government to focus only on establishing rules and a supportive atmosphere for companies to prosper. Commodity boards were something we had previously. What benefit did they provide to the farmers and business owners in that industry? Although I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with commodity boards, the business sector will prosper if the government implements the proper laws and policies that will draw in foreign direct investments and honest businesspeople. It is important for me to inform you that agriculture continues to be the primary source of employment and opportunities for labor. Therefore, the government should concentrate on fostering an atmosphere that will draw the necessary level of investment. That is among the topics we are discussing today. The goal is for us to be able to broaden the scope of our work, generate job opportunities, instill values in people and practitioners, and ultimately improve as a result.

Being involved in an industry that plays a vital role in the Nigerian economy, what are the main obstacles you see and how can we start tackling them, given that farmers don’t seem to be drawn to this sector any more?

I believe that security is the one issue that every Nigerian faces right now. It is no longer safe for farmers to leave the farm and hope to return. The President’s approval of the establishment of the state police makes us very happy. From our perspective, it appears that the current administration is making significant progress in tackling the security issue head-on. For everyone, security is paramount. Even for Nigerians like us, insecurity poses a significant problem because we can’t just go to work and leave, or we can’t even be certain that we’ll return. Therefore, the government addressed the issue of insecurity. In my opinion, this will greatly improve the environment’s safety for us to conduct business in and for farmers to visit their farms.

How far along are you in your efforts to recapitalize the business, particularly now?

This is a big step toward realizing the change that over the past six years, we have all been striving for. Even though we are currently among the biggest agribusinesses in Nigeria, we feel that our recapitalization program, which we began a few years ago, has reached a significant role or milestone. We have completed the numerous approval procedures.

What will be the focus of the new funding?

With this new funding, we’re investing in new technology to grow the company. We’ll establish the ideal conditions for the business to increase sales or profitability. Based on our actions over the past four years, I think so. Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc is expected to perform exceptionally well and hold a sizable portion of the oil palm value chain market.

What’s the magic? Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc has completely changed its name and has far more potential than it did in the past.

The company was completely incoherent and had no prospects for the future when we arrived in 2018. However, we are grateful that the company has changed completely today. Because of the completely different outcome that is being produced today, it holds promise for the future. Over the past three years, we have implemented a variety of strategies and made some bold decisions that have paid off handsomely.

How has the rebranding been implemented?

The process of re-engineering has been ongoing. When we first arrived in 2018, the cashless policy was in place, which allowed us to fully control our income. Due to the extreme illegality occurring on our plantations, we were also able to regain some measure of control over them with the help of the Ondo State government, which supplied the necessary security. Before our arrival, the plantations had been completely taken over by illegal harvesters, some of whom had even established illegal mills in close proximity to some of our plantations.

This is to demonstrate to you how much we had lost out on the business and to show that management was no longer in charge. The company’s soul is the plantations as a whole. However, in 2020, we had to make a very unusual strategy change. By the end of 2020, our results proved that we were correct in the strategy we had chosen; we had over a 200 percent return on revenue, and the company had reported profitability for the first time in its 12-year history, enough to erase our losses. This was really significant to us.

PRP responds to Matawalle, saying Nigerians have right to demand better governance.

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The Peoples Redemption Party emphasized that it is the duty of all Nigerians to demand better governance from their leaders when the country is experiencing economic hardship.

Many Nigerians have criticized President Bola Tinubu for the country’s continued economic hardship and rising levels of insecurity.

As a result, Nigerians were cautioned by Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defense, not to use provocative language when criticizing the government.

Matawalle asserted in a statement released on Saturday by the ministry’s director of information and public relations, Henshaw Ogubike, that “such comments are inciteful and destructive and can exacerbate tensions and lead to violence in our beloved nation.”

In response, the PRP described Matawalle’s statement as a violation of Nigerians’ fundamental right to free speech in a statement released on Saturday by Muhammad Ishaq, acting national publicity secretary.

Part of the statement said, “We in the PRP find such threats not only unwarranted but also an affront to the fundamental rights of citizens to express their opinions as enshrined in the Nigerian Laws, inclusive of the Nigerian Constitution, as well as the democratic tenets to hold those in power accountable. As a democratic institution committed to the welfare and progress of our nation.”

It is depressing to see individuals in charge of governance trying to silence critics as the people of Nigeria endure more hardships related to starvation, the economy, and security.

“The Minister’s remarks not only betray the democratic values that our country upholds, but they also demonstrate a lack of comprehension of the justifiable worries and annoyances of the general public, as well as their right to protest—a right that President Tinubu had long enjoyed as an opposition leader.

The PRP also urged all well-meaning Nigerians to keep up their vigilance and resolve in the fight for effective government. Nigerians have a “collective responsibility to demand better governance from those who lead us,” according to PRP, and they must never forget this.

The statement went on to say that Nigerians must not be intimidated or silenced.

“They are hungry as a result of policies that they believe to be incorrect, and their voices reflect the urgent need to reverse such policies in order to introduce good governance, transparency, and practical solutions to the numerous problems they face.

The statement also stated that public servants “must be prepared to face the music when they fall short of the expectations of the people they serve” and that they “must understand that their actions and decisions have consequences.”

Task force directed by EFCC to address illicit forex trading, naira abuse

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A task force has been formed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to address illicit forex trading and misuse of naira.

In the context of the naira’s ongoing decline in value relative to the US dollar, the commission is battling illicit forex trading.

Data from the Financial Market Infrastructure Group Warehousing, or FMDQ, indicates that on Friday, the value of the naira fell to N1,537.96 per US dollar from N1,498.25 on Thursday.

Remember that the EFCC had previously detained a number of suspects in relation to illicit forex trading and the misuse of naira notes at public events.

Agents of the commission detained 87 currency dealers in Kano, Abuja, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory in December 2022.

According to the findings, the forex dealers’ vaults were searched by EFCC detectives looking for hidden dollars and naira.

Additionally, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, a Nigerian actress, was found guilty and sentenced to six months in prison by the anti-graft agency in February for stepping on and spraying Naira notes.

Judge Aneke sentenced her for the offense and gave her the option of paying a N300,000 fine into the federation’s consolidated revenue account.

In a notice published on its Facebook page on Saturday, the EFCC urged the public to report individuals involved in illicit forex trading and naira mutilation, reaffirming its commitment to fighting these crimes.

“Call the EFCC’s Taskforce at any of these toll-free numbers: 09135003322 and 0912887608, if you have information on the misuse of the Naira and illegal trading in FOREX.”

Meanwhile, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, the Olu of Owode in the Obafemi/Owode Local Government of Ogun State, confirmed on Saturday morning that the Egba Traditional Council had suspended him for two months without pay due to allegations of misusing Nigerian naira notes.

“The suspension was announced during our meeting yesterday (Friday), they said the suspension was due to the way I spent money on one musician,” Oba Sowemimo said in an interview with one of our correspondents.

“I stood up and apologized for whatever I had done wrong when asked if I had anything to say. As a result, the three-month suspension without pay that had originally been announced was shortened to two months. I am happy with the council’s decision because it is the one we love that we celebrate, so I completely accept it.

The royal father was seen in a widely shared video from early January showing his disrespect for the naira by decorating well-known Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde with knitted new notes worth N1000, which were used as garlands.

The council had taken action against Oba Sowemimo for openly disparaging Nigerian currency, which is against Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) law.

At a book party, Tomi Falade unveils literary works.

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Onaolatomirin Falade, a lifestyle journalist and editor, wrote two books. Among the guests at the launch were Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi, a former presidential candidate for the Social Democratic Party in the 2023 elections, and Ayodeji Joseph, MD/CEO of the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation.

Tagged, the Tomi Falade Book Party, saw the publication of OLOBUN: Matriarch of Ondo, Mother of Legacy and Dates From Hell.

It was coincidental, according to Independent Newspapers’ Life Editor Falade, that the two books were presented at the same time. “I moved Dates From Hell to 2024 due to prevailing circumstances,” she stated, adding that the original plan was to launch the project in 2023. However, since both books were ready, I made the decision to release them simultaneously. For this reason, I dubbed the gathering “a book party.”

A lot of people are unaware of how enjoyable literature can be. The purpose of the event was to demonstrate that reading literature can be truly enjoyable.

Regarding the books’ contents, Falade remarked, “The two books are very different.”

“Olobun is a drama that takes place in the Oyo Empire in the fifteenth century and explores themes of exile, adventure, and the beginning of the Ondo Kingdom’s enduring legacy. The intention when I began writing it more than ten years ago was to turn it into a stage play.

Dates from Hell, on the other hand, is a compilation of short stories based on actual incidents involving individuals going on romantic dates. Every story is as distinct as it is humorous.

In addition to dance performances, the event included a panel discussion, a drama scene from Olobun, a skit based on one of the dates mentioned in the book, and a popular comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka, as its anchor.