Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Digital Communication, Bashir Ahmad, has raised an alarm that protesters in Kano State have been found with Russian flags.
Ahmad, in a post on his X handle on Saturday, said it’s crucial for authorities to closely monitor the situation and take necessary precautions.
He said: “Russian flags have been seen among protesters in some parts of the country. It’s crucial for authorities to closely monitor the situation and take necessary precautions. This may indicate various underlying sentiments or influences that need to be carefully assessed and addressed by the government.”
‘Kano protesters have Russian flags’ – Bashir Ahmad urges Nigerian govt to take action
‘Kano protesters have Russian flags’ – Bashir Ahmad urges Nigerian govt to take action
Gov Zulum claims 95% of Borno #EndBadGovernance protesters are underage
The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, lamented on Saturday that 95 percent of the youths that participated in Thursday’s violent protests in the state were children less than 14 years old.
Zulum stated this in a broadcast to the people of Borno where he also lifted the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state.
The governor on Thursday imposed the curfew after the ongoing #EndBadGovernance protest in the state turned violent.
He said: “Over 95 percent of those who participated in the so-called Thursday protests were children under 14 years. Most of them do not know why they are protesting.
“A six-year-old child carrying a placard is amazing. He must have been directed by someone. Most of those children are not from Borno.
“While we are not discouraging the Almajiri education, we must however have their teachers or guardians looking after them.”
Zulum also decried a situation where thousands of children were living in Maiduguri in the name of Almajiri without care from anyone.
“In what could have been a major disaster, attempts were made by the hoodlums on several occasions to attack the Maiduguri Emergency Power Gas Plant, however, it was averted by our gallant security forces.
“Violence has no place in our society and I implore citizens to reject any call to arms or act of aggression.
“As we lift the curfew on Saturday, any person that engages in looting and violent activities will be dealt with accordingly.
“We have distributed rounds of food and non-food items palliatives within Maiduguri and other LGAs, scaled up our support to farmers through sales of fertiliser, and provided seeds and farm inputs to enhance food production.
“We want to also invest in irrigation agriculture and livestock development,” he added.
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Nationwide protest: ‘Don’t fall for the trick’ – Sowore warns ahead Tinubu’s Sunday address
Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, has urged Nigerians not to be deceived by President Bola Tinubu’s planned national broadcast on Sunday.
His statement comes after it was announced that the President will address the nation as the ongoing nationwide hunger protest entered Day 3.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
However, Sowore urged people to start arriving in Abuja on Sunday for the planned invasion of Eagles Square on Monday.
“We’ve been informed of a plan by the @officialABAT to address the “NATION” tomorrow (Sunday); the “address” is designed to chill what they know would be a massive outing for #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria on Monday, August 5th 2024.
“Don’t fall for this trick. Keep mobilizing for EAGLE SQUARE Abuja at 7 a.m. on Monday.
“People should start arriving in Abuja tomorrow if they decide to close down roads entering Abuja. Satellite towns around Abuja are also being mobilized to engage in ACTION. #NoGoingBack #EndBadGovernace #RevolutionNow,” he posted on X.
Nationwide protest: ‘Don’t fall for the trick’ – Sowore warns ahead Tinubu’s Sunday address
NCC limits tariff plans to seven to improve transparency
The Nigerian Communications Commission has issued a directive mandating all telecommunications operators in the country to limit the number of available tariff plans to a maximum of seven.
The NCC has approved new tariff guidelines for operators designed to enhance transparency, improve consumer understanding, and foster fair competition among the licensees of the Commission.
It has also reduced the number of bundles offered per operator to 100, stressing that no subscriber can be on more than one tariff plan at a time.
According to the NCC, a tariff plan is a structured pricing scheme outlining the charges and conditions under which telecommunications services are provided to subscribers.
The NCC disclosed this in a document posted on its website and signed by the Executive Vice-Chairman of the commission, Aminu Maida, on Saturday.
The document read in part, “The number of tariff plans offered per operator is limited to seven, and the number of bundles offered per operator is limited to 100.
“There are no limitations to the number of add-ons a subscriber can opt into. However, each operator must have in place a mechanism that informs subscribers of the number of add-ons they have at the point of purchasing another add-on. Subscribers must be able to check (via USSD string, SMS) the number of add-ons purchased.”
Checks by our correspondent showed that the two major telecommunications companies currently offer more tariff plans than the stipulated number in the directive.
MTN has eight tariff plans, Etisalat has seven, Airtel has 10 plans, and Glo offers its customers four tariff plans.
In the document, titled ‘Guidance for the Simplification of
Tariffs’, the NCC stated that full disclosure of all tariff components and conditions is mandatory, asking telcos to ensure that all marketing and promotional materials are clear and comprehensible.
The NCC added that operators should prioritise consumer education and transparency in all communications to ensure subscribers can make informed choices.
It said, “Develop and submit detailed migration plans to transition subscribers smoothly to new tariff plans, without loss of service quality or benefits.”
“All promotional elements must receive prior approval from the Commission and should be offered as standalone products with clear terms and validity periods.
“Submit comprehensive periodical reports detailing all active tariff plans, bundles, promotions, and Quality of Service (QoS) metrics.
“The guidance shall take effect on 29 July and will remain valid and binding on licensees until further reviewed by the commission.”
According to the commission, all promotional elements are to be removed from tariff plans and offered as standalone promotions, “subject to its prior approval, time limits, QoS/capacity requirements, and adherence to full disclosure requirements”.
The NCC said operators can maintain existing bonus-led tariff plans until 3 December, within which period they are expected to educate and migrate all subscribers to the simplified tariff plans.
It said, “Operators can choose to maintain only one bonus-led new subscriber acquisition plan. However, a new subscriber can only be retained on such a plan for a limited period of six months before being migrated to a standard tariff plan of their choice.
“Where a subscriber fails to migrate after being prompted in accordance with the applicable business rules, the subscriber will be reverted to the default tariff plan.
“Tariff elements of promotional activities/new acquisition plans referred to above will only be allowed under the following conditions: bonuses must comply with the commission’s price floor and price cap.
“In addition, actual depletion rates on bonuses must not exceed the price or fall below the price floor for voice services. The bonus allowances (voice/data/SMS) must be stated in naira terms and minutes/seconds for voice, GB/MB
of data and number of SMS.
“Operators must fully disclose the above in their advertising materials.”
The telecommunications regulator also said add-on subscriptions must be optional for subscribers.
It reads, “Subscribers should be enabled to purchase any add-ons of their choice while remaining on their existing tariff plan and/or bundle.
“A free add-on shall be treated as a promotional offering and must be approved by the Commission by the guidelines on promotional advertisements, 2023.
“Additionally, in line with the Commission’s existing regulatory instruments, service providers must have evidence of informed consent from the subscriber to accept the add-on.”
The NCC said there are penalties for non-compliance with the guidance, adding that operators must align their offerings within 90 days from the date of issuance.
It added, “Transition plans for existing tariffs must be submitted on or before 12 August 2024. The Commission will review and respond to submissions within 10 working days.
“Tariff approval and modification applications must include comprehensive disclosure forms detailing all aspects of the tariff.
“Non-compliance will result in penalties, including fines, suspension of tariff approvals, or other regulatory actions as set out in the Act, related regulatory instruments and the subsisting Enforcement Process Regulation.”
NCC also directed operators to always notify subscribers of any changes to their tariff plans, including migration to new plans, at least 30 days in advance, adding that “notifications must be clear, with reasons and benefits stated”.
Meanwhile, operators have debunked claims of a tariff increase approval by the commission.
A text sent to our correspondent by the Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Operators in Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo on Saturday, simply stated, “Telcos have not been granted any approval for tariff review.”
Also, calls and text messages to other lines by our correspondent showed that the rates are still the same.
Soludo blames #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest on neglect of agriculture
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has blamed the cause of the #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria protest on the country’s neglect of agriculture, saying that the people must return to farming if hunger must end.
Soludo stated this in Awka, on Saturday, during the flagging off of the state’s ‘Operation Farm to Feed Campaign’.
He described the campaign as a collective citizen action in partnership with the government to eradicate hunger once and for all in the country.
The governor added that the youths in the state have become resolute in taking their destinies into their own hands by finding solutions, rather than embarking on mass protests
He further explained that Anambra did not participate in the ongoing nationwide protests because the state believes in converting challenges into opportunities.
He said, “Some people are protesting in parts of Nigeria, but Anambra State is not protesting, and I want to thank Anambra youths who have maintained peace and gone about their businesses. All the markets in Anambra State are open.
“The youths have resolved that they want to take their destinies into their own hands to take positive steps to move their state and their country forward.
“They are not protesting not because they don’t feel the pain but because they want to be part of the solution.”
During the ceremony, Soludo spoke passionately about the need for people, irrespective of their status, to embrace farming as a measure against hunger, saying that it will help to ensure food security in the country.
The governor, who encouraged civil and public servants to embrace farming, said that he had been inspired to partake actively in farming activities by his wife, Nonye, who herself runs some farms in Awka, the state capital.
While recalling one of the hit tracks of the late Sunny Okosun titled, “Which Way Nigeria”, Soludo lamented that decades after the song was released, Nigerians are still lamenting.
“The song sang by the legendary Sunny Okosun in 1984 about Nigeria makes it seem as though it was sung yesterday, and it simply tells us that Nigeria has been singing songs of lamentation for decades, and it did not start today.
“The fact is that we neglected agriculture, we neglected ‘Operation Feed the Nation’, and the ‘Green Revolution’, and that was our doom.
“Today, what we have come to launch is an issue of collective citizen action in partnership with the government to eradicate hunger once and for all in Nigeria.
“It is now time to do something, and today we want to launch an initiative to turn our challenges into opportunities.”
He said “We fought the Civil War here in this part of Nigeria, and there was nothing to eat and people were dying of kwashiorkor, but we survived. And this time again, they say hunger is in the land, and we say we will not only survive, we will help to feed the rest of the country.
“I thank Ndi Anambra particularly the youths for choosing to farm instead of joining protests going on in various parts of the country. We have come here to say that it’s time for action,” he added.
Ministers earn under N1m monthly, I’m uncertain about allowances — Bagudu
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, has stated that he and his colleagues earn less than N1 million as a monthly salary.
Speaking on Saturday during an interview on Channels Television, Bagudu said he is uncertain about the allowances of ministers.
The former Governor of Kebbi State stated that the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission determines ministers’ salaries and wages.
Bagudu also claimed that he has an official vehicle, but he doesn’t use it because he prefers driving his Camry.
He said, “Ministers, like every public official, have payments determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
“I have one official vehicle. I don’t even use it because I have a Camry that I enjoy driving. As Minister of Budget, I want to lead by example.
“In terms of how much a minister is paid by RMFAC, it is less than a million naira as salary.”
The minister admitted that the cost of governance is “worrisome,” adding that he knows how the country’s finances are allocated.
When asked how much ministers receive as allowances, Bagudu responded, “I don’t know of any defined allowance that a minister has, but I might be wrong.
“This is published, and I can share it with you because it is determined by RMFAC; there is nothing additional to that for a minister,” he added.
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#EndBadGovernance protesters threaten to take agitations to Lagos streets
The #EndBadGovernance protesters on Saturday threatened to storm the Lagos streets from Monday to begin a new phase of the ongoing protest if the Federal Government fails to address their demands.
One of the coordinators of the protest, Mr. Hassan Soweto, a member of the Youth Rights Campaign, stated this while addressing the gathering at the Gani Fawehinmi Park in the Ojota area of the state on Saturday.
The Lagos High Court, Ikeja, had during the week restricted all protests in the state to the park.
However, Soweto said the protesters would stop occupying the park and start marching through the streets if their demands were not met by Sunday night.
He said there would be no protest at the park on Sunday and urged residents to go to their places of worship to pray for peace in the land.
Soweto implored the police to check the activities of suspected hoodlums trying to cause problems at the park.
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Kano remains calm as residents comply with 24-hour curfew
The ancient city of Kano has remained calm since Friday following the decision by the State Government to impose a 24-hour curfew on the state after Thursday’s protest against hunger that turned into violence and massive looting of public properties across the state capital.
The ugly situation compelled Governor Abba Yusuf to impose a 24-hour curfew on the state to prevent further spread of the massive destruction and looting as well as to protect lives and property.
The mayhem which was carried out by hoodlums during the first day of the protests, brought socio-economic activities to a standstill as law-abiding residents had remained indoors to avoid possible attacks from miscreants.
Our correspondent who monitored the situation on Saturday, observed that there was a total compliance of the curfew as streets of the commercial city remained deserted, while security operatives were seen patrolling the major roads.
It was also observed that markets, banks, filling stations, restaurants as well as shopping malls and other business premises have remained closed in compliance with the curfew.
Human and vehicular movements have also been restricted as only personnel on essential duties or services are allowed to move within the city.
On Friday the State Government relaxed the curfew for five hours to allow Muslim faithful to attend Friday prayers in the various Mosques across the city.
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Troops intercept wanted illegal arms supplier with weapons in Kaduna
The Nigerian Army on Saturday said its troops in collaboration with other security agencies, intercepted a notorious gun runner, Mallam Hashimu Ahmad, at Saminaka in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
In a statement on its Department of Army Public Relations WhatsApp platform, it said the suspect, who has been on the wanted list of the security agencies for supplying arms and ammunition to terrorists was captured while on transit to deliver sophisticated weapons, including one General Purpose Machine Gun, a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, one RPG bomb, 1,069 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition and one belt of 7.62mm NATO ammunition.
“The cache of arms and ammunition, as well as the vehicle used in conveying them, were fully recovered.
“Similarly, in Delta State, troops acting on credible intelligence have intercepted a tanker truck laden with 15, 000 liters of substance suspected to be illegally refined AGO at Ozoro, in Isoko North Local Government Area,” the statement affirmed.
According to the statement, the troops have also taken the two suspects conveying the illegal product into custody for preliminary investigation, preparatory to handing over to the appropriate prosecuting agency.
Also, in Sokoto State, troops on patrol in the general area of Matalawa village of Isa Local Government Area have successfully rescued kidnap hostages who were abducted and taken into the forest while on transit.
Responding to distress calls, the troops moved swiftly to the location, where they engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, leading to the extrication of the hostages.
The rescued hostages have been reunited with their families.
“The Nigerian Army remains committed to protecting the nation and dismantling all criminal networks, inducing insecurity in the country. We, therefore, enjoin the public to support the troops by providing actionable information to enhance troops’ operations against terrorists and other criminal elements to ensure a safe and secure society,” the statement said.
Troops intercept wanted illegal arms supplier with weapons in Kaduna
Empower your people or face sack, Fubara tells Rivers CTC chairmen
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has issued a stern warning to caretaker committee chairmen in the 23 local government areas of the state, stating that any chairman who fails to empower their people will be removed.
Fubara delivered this warning at the unveiling of an empowerment programme in the Ikwerre Local Government Area on Saturday.
He emphasised that the primary duty of the CTC chairmen is to serve their people and make them feel the presence of the government.
Represented by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly faction loyal to him, Victor Oko-Jumbo, Fubara said he expected the chairmen to replicate his empowerment efforts in their respective LGAs.
Oko-Jumbo highlighted Governor Fubara’s strong response to the August 1 hunger protest, showcasing his connection with the people. He stressed that officials must follow the governor’s lead by increasing empowerment initiatives in their local governments.
“Any caretaker committee chairman that is not empowering his people will be removed,” he stated. “Your duty is to your people first. Today, we are here to witness that empowerment, which was the instruction the governor gave.”
Speaking in his capacity as Speaker, Oko-Jumbo assured the governor of uninterrupted support until 2027 and beyond. He praised the unified leadership of Ikwerre LGA for standing firm with the governor, resulting in development for the people.
Oko-Jumbo stated, “Let me use this medium to assure our people that the Rivers State House Assembly, led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, will continue to give the governor the needed support so that the state must succeed until 2027. We will ensure that the governor will have uninterrupted four years of governance in this state. And if permitted, he will have another four years.”
He warned that the State House of Assembly under his leadership will not hesitate to summon any council chairman who fails to take the issue of empowerment in their domain seriously.
Earlier, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ikwerre LGA, Dr Darlington Orji, said the unveiling of the empowerment programme fulfilled his long-held desire to enhance security in the council. He disclosed that, as part of efforts to improve security, he had presented operational vehicles to six police divisions in the council, including the Department of State Services.
Orji emphasised that peace and security are essential for progress, pointing out that his administration is committed to achieving that vision.