AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has grown its shareholders’ funds in its unaudited financial results for the period ended June 30, 2019 to N18.2 billion up from N16.7 billion as at last December.
The underwriting firm’s total assets also increased by 14 per cent to N81.24 billion in the half-year under review from N73.77 billion as at December 2018.
The firm also posted a gross written premium of N29.36 billion up by 25 per cent from N23.54 billion in June 2018.
The firm recorded net premium income of N12.08 billion, up 26 per cent from N9.56 billion in June 2018, investment and other income of N2.84 billion, down 13 per cent from N3.28 billion in June 2018 billion while operating expenses of N3.52 billion, remain flat from N3.52 billion in June 2018.
Meanwhile, Profit before Tax of N1.57 billion, down 16 per cent from N1.87 billion recorded in June 2018.
Commenting on the results in a statement, its Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Ngozi Ola-Israel said during the period under review, top line grew (gross written premium) by 25 per cent and underwriting profits by nine per cent with no growth in operating expenses compared to last year.
This positive performance according to her is an indication that managment’s efforts to continually grow the business profitably is on track. “However, our profit after tax dipped by eight per cent driven by one off loss on the sale of part of our investment property,” she said.
Also commenting on the company’s financials, its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kunle Ahmed said: “Prompt claims payment remains critical to the actualisation of insurance companies’ promise to return clients to their pre-loss financial position. The group closed with gross claims payment of N6.8billion to various clients, attesting to our well tested commitment to meeting our obligations to our customers.
“The group closed with shareholders’ fund of N22.5 billion, representing a growth of eight per cent from our position as at the end of 2018.”
continue to operate as a composite insurance company, delivering service to our teeming customers across both general and life businesses”, he added.
The Presidency appears displeased with the taxes the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has collected in the last three years.
This is despite the fact that the FIRS generated the largest revenue in the nation’s tax history when it collected N5.3 trillion in taxes in 2018 and is targeting N8 trillion in 2019.
The Presidency conveyed its displeasure at the FIRS’ collection efforts in a query issued to the Executive Chairman of the FIRS Mr. Tunde Fowler by the Chief of Staff to the President Alhaji Abba Kyari.
The query circulating in the social media titled: “RE: Budgeted FIRS Collections and actual collections” reads: “Your attached letter (FIRS/EC/ECW/0249/19/027 dated 26 July 2019) on the above subject matter refers.
“We observed significant variances between the budgeted collections and actual collections for the period 2015 to 2018.
“Accordingly, you are kindly invited to submit a comprehensive variance analysis explaining the reasons for the variances between budgeted and actual collections for each main tax item for each of the years 2015 to 2018.
The query marked “Restricted” added that “we observed that the actual collections for the period 2015 to 2017 were significantly worse than what was collected between 2012 and 2014. Accordingly, you are kindly invited to explain the reason for the poor collections.”
Kyari directed Fowler “to respond by 19 August 2019.”
The development has raised questions over the propriety of the query given that there is no Minister of Finance and did the query come from the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.
In January 2019, Executive Chairman of the FIRS Mr. Tunde Fowler announced in Lagos that the Service broke its collection records by generating N5.3 trillion from taxes collected and is targeting N8 trillion for 2019.
According to Fowler, the N5.320 trillion collection is considered to be the highest revenue ever generated by FIRS in history.
The highest in FIRS was N5.07 trillion generated in 2012 under Ms. Ifueko Omoigue.
Fowler said “FIRS’ generation of N5.3 trillion is significant as it was at a period when oil prices averaged $70 per barrel. Oil price was at an average of $100 to $120 per barrel between 2010 and 2013.”
In realizing this milestone, the FIRS boss noted that the non-oil component of the N5.320 trillion is N2.467 trillion that was (53.62 per cent), while the oil element of the collection was N2.852 trillion (46.38 per cent). From audit alone, the FIRS collected N212,792 billion from 2,278 cases with a huge reduction in audit circle.
Inspite of this achievement, Tunde Fowler lamented that: “while we have been steadily increasing revenue collection over the years, our cost of collection has actually been going down. In 2016 we collected N3,307 trillion, in 2017 we collected N4,027 trillion and in 2018 we collected N5,320 trillion.
“Meanwhile, the cost of collection as a percentage of actual taxes collected has been reducing; in 2016 it was 2.6%, in 2017 it was 2.49% while in 2018 it was 2.14%.” The FIRS is entitled to 4% cost of collection.
He added: “The Service has been making tremendous efforts in also increasing the amount of non-oil revenue it collects. Non-oil collection has contributed 64.99% in 2016, in 2017 it contributed 62.25% and in 2018 it contributed 53.62%.
“This represents the government’s focus on increasing non-oil sources of revenue and the diversification of the Nigerian economy.”
The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP Abia), has described as reprehensible and sacrilegious the attack on former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu).
The former Deputy Senate President was reportedly attacked by some members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany on Saturday.
Abaribe gave the condemnation in a statement he personally signed in Abuja on Sunday.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) had on Saturday reported that Enweremadu was physically attacked by the IPOB members who accused him of not partnering them.
They accused the senator of conspiracy in the events that led to the proscription of the group by the Federal Government in September 2017 through the Federal High Court Abuja.
Abaribe also described the attack by those in Germany as a despicable act.
He said it smacked of utter ignorance of the prevailing situation at home with regard to what Enweremadu and other Igbo leaders were doing in the circumstance.
“It is a brazen show of ingratitude to a man who has been at the fore front in the struggle for all that is good for the Igbo race,” he said.
He said he and the entire minority caucus in the ninth senate were appalled on the attack.
“Senator Ekweremadu he said has given his all in standing for the Igbo race, particularly when “we stuck out our neck to arrange and stand for surety for the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“Obviously this is not how to repay a man, an outstanding leader of men, an unpretentious Igbo leader who has given his all even going as far as deploying his means to arrange for the bail of Nnamdi Kanu.
“This was not minding the repercussions to his illustrious political career.
“It is unfortunate. The perpetrators of the attack should know that as Igbos, we respect elders and reverence our leaders.
“The unwaranted attack is not the character of the Igbo. This is un-Igbo.
“It is most worrisome and even inconceivable that the attackers will choose an auspicious occasion where our people are celebrating and showcasing our rich culture to exhibit such unbecoming and condemnable conduct in the name of agitation.
“No, that was not agitation, no right thinking human will identify with such behaviour.
“Yes, Nigeria is going through a horrendous phase, which is a fault line that its leaders, particularly we the Igbo leaders are engaging others to find a lasting solution to.
“Resorting to mob mentality and venting the spleen on our leaders rather creates a vacuum that will leave our people helpless and confused in the circumstance,” he said.
He said that there are rules of engagement in any country where things go awry and that should be the way things should go at all times, rather than resorting to physical assault.
“Remember the popular Igbo saying: “Gbuo dike,Gbuo dike, mgbe ihe ike mere achowa dike,” he said.
He, however, appealed to Ekweremadu not to be discouraged in any way, but rather take it in its stride as the price often paid in leadership. (NAN)
Endurance told newsmen that has only used the key to steal two vehicles in Rivers and Benue States but he sold the cars to one Alhaji in Abuja.
According to him, “ I have only stolen one Nissan Sunny and one Toyota. This master key can open any Toyota car. I sold the cars in Abuja. I am 39 years old. I did the key in Aba, Abia State. It was constructed for me last year for N12,000. The guy who introduced me is dead. The Alhaji that bought the cars knows I used to steal them.”
Police Commissioner, Danmallam Abubakar, said the suspect would soon be charged to court.
The Council of Imams and Ulama in Kaduna state have disagreed with the Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) Chairman in the state, on kidnapping of Christians in the state.
The council accused the CAN Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab of politicizing security challenges in the state, saying such is capable of inflaming crisis.
It would be recalled that Reverend Hayab recently claimed that, over 500 Christians have been kidnapped in the last two years and over N300 million paid as ransom to kidnappers.
Addressing a press conference at the headquarters of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Kaduna, the council, through its Secretary, Malam Yusuf Arigasiyu, described the CAN chairman’s statement as divisive and patently false, “especially the claim that kidnappers only abduct Christians in Kaduna State.”
He said kidnapping has become a nationwide security challenge and the criminals as well as their victims cut across ethno-religious divides.
“For instance, along Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Road alone, between 22nd June and 30th July 2019, over 55 persons have been kidnapped and over 20 persons were killed, including five Nigerian Air Force and Army personnel, according to news reports.
“Specifically, majority of the citizens killed and kidnapped along Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi and Abuja-Kaduna roads and the border towns with Niger, Katsina and Zamfara States have been Muslims.
“However, we never viewed the unfortunate situation from a religious angle. In fact, we have always condemned the act of criminality and have called on the State and Federal Governments to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of where they are or how they worship.
“If we may ask, where was Rev Hayab when on the 24 July 2018, Professor Halima Idris, former Commissioner of Education in Katsina State was killed along Kaduna-Abuja Road by kidnappers? Where was he on 18 September 2017, when Sherrif Abidu Yazid was killed on the same Kaduna-Abuja Road by bandits who also went away with his wife? Even recently, top civil servants from Zamfara State where kidnapped and killed on 16 July 2019 along Kachia-Kaduna road, what did the likes of Rev Hayab say about all these killings?
“Only yesterday, (Friday) the CAN Chairman also resorted to telling his tall tales on television, by mischievously dressing a security issue as a religious one. In his wild allegation, Hayab claimed that there is a grand design to exterminate Christians and pastors in Kaduna State. This conspiracy theory is already breeding tension in the State. We also have it on good authority that Hayab’s divisive campaign is a ploy to set the stage for bloodshed that is being hatched by the CAN Chairman.”
He, however, called on the security agencies, federal and state governments to call the CAN chairman to order.
“We are also appealing to people of goodwill and conscience, to put these divisive elements to shame, by ignoring their drumbeat of war. In fact, they are ethno-religious warlords disguising as peacemakers.
“For this reason, we are calling on all Muslims to have nothing to do with Hayab’s interfaith activities because they are mere camouflage to mask the hidden motives of a double-faced zealot.
“However, Muslims should work together with genuine Christian faithfuls in order to curb the activities of hate-mongers and purveyours of falsehoods, in the name of evangelism.” He said.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board, has released the 2019 May/June NBC/NTC examinations
It said 32,673 candidates representing 58.84 percent of the 55,532 candidates that sat for the examination scored five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics.
Registrar/Chief Executive of NABTEB, Prof. (Mrs.) Ifeoma Isiugo-who stated this while briefing newsmen in Bénin City said 46,120 candidates representing 83.05 percent obtained five credits and above with or without English Language and Mathematics.
Prof. Ifeoma noted that an analysis of the enrollment indicated that candidates enrolled for 15 Engineering Trades, 7 Construction Trades, 9 Miscellaneous Trades, 4 Business Trades and 21 General Education Subjects.
Ifeoma stated that 399 candidates representing 0.72 percent were found to be involved in examination malpractice.
She noted that the figures were lower when compared to 842 candidates caught during the May/June 2018 certificate examinations.
The NABTEB boss said the quality assurance mechanisms put in place by the board helped to checkmate examination malpractice.
She said NABTEB is well prepared to collaborate with public and private training institutions that are engaged in training on technical, vocational or entrepreneurial skills in any part of the country for the purpose of conducting assessment and awarding certificates.
STYLE-WISE, people are often scared to experiment in the rainy season, which results in monotonous colours like black and harsh attires becoming a staple in their wardrobe.
But do not let the downpour send your fashion into a tailspin! Covering up most part of your body is what you need to do in this cold season. And no other piece of wear does this well than stylish long attires that will cover almost all parts of the body. And when you are thinking in terms of the sweater to wear, it doesn’t have to be the normal, swollen pullover or close fitting knotted jackets with or without sleeves. You can combine a good jacket and a stylish top with either skirt or trousers under. Go for long fitted hand-length tops. Search through your wardrobe, you will certainly get some few things to work on. That way, you won’t have to look dull. Gone are the days of wearing sweaters on formal wear.
Go for bright accessories to add a dash of colour to your look. Don’t be afraid to experiment with fashionable clothes in diverse hues. Make your outfits less dull with a splash of colours!
Even though there are plenty of famous couples who have made their love last, Nollywood stars are not so lucky with relationships. But you have to hand it to the celebrities who keep going back to the altar for not giving up on love.
Here is a list of Nigerian movie superstar who have been married at least twice
1. Funke Akindele Bello
Funke Akindele and JJC Skillz
Popular Nigerian actress Funke Akindele also known as “Jenifa” is one of the many celebrities who have been in more than one marriage. In May 2012, Funke married Adeola Kehinde Oloyede. Barely a year after they wedded, the marriage crashed and the couple divorced in July 2013.
Akindele later got married Nigerian rapper Abdul Rasheed Bello, known as JJC Skillz in London in May 2016 exactly four years after her first marriage. The couple is blessed with twins.
2. Stella Damasus
Stella Damasus and Daniel Ademinokan
Stella Damasus Stella has been married three times and involved in various affairs. Damasus married her first husband, Jaiye Aboderin, in 1999. They two daughters before Jaiye suddenly died in 2004. Damasus re-married in 2007, this time to Emeka Nzeribe.
The marriage lasted for seven months before a mutual agreement to divorce. In 2011, she became associated with multiple award-winning Nollywood producer &director Daniel Ademinokan. The couple has been together ever since. Their relationship sparked a lot of controversies all over Nigeria and Africa because both parties never publicly admitted to be dating, engaged or even married until 2014.
3. Toyin Abraham
Toyin Abraham and Kolawole Ajeyemi
You most likely would know her as Toyin Aimakhu. This Nigeria born, actor, producer and director got married to a Nollywood actor Adeniji Johnson in 2013. The union appeared so sweet on social media as we the duo never ceased to gush about each other.
Surprisingly, in 2015, news went round that the celebrity couples were having it hot as they announced their separation.
It is however interesting to know that the duo has moved on with their lives as Toyin Abraham recently welcomed a baby boy with another Nollywood actor Kolawole Ajeyemi. The union between herself and Ajeyemi had been secretive until recently when a wedding photo with her new husband hit social media.
Bukky Wright had previously been married to Gboyega Amu, who is the father of her two sons. Shortly after separating from Amu, due to what she termed irreconcilable differences, she moved into the arms of fellow actor and one time NNPC top shot and current member of the House of Representatives, Rotimi Makinde, without officially divorcing Gboyega Amu.
The union lasted a few years before she moved on in the same fashion and found solace in the arms of society journalist and image-maker, Femi Davies. Bukky and Femi got married at the Akodo Registry in Lagos.
5. Solomon Akiyesi
Solomon Akiyesi
Solomon Akiyesi has been married four times. He wedded his university love, Ezinne in 2003. He was alleged to still be married to Ezinne when he contracted another marriage with Lilian, who was said to be 8 months pregnant and living in Port Harcourt when Solomon attempted to marry another wife, Uloma Agwu in Lagos on April 13, 2013.
Akiyesi and Agwu were almost pronounced as husband and wife when Lilian stormed the Overcomer’s World Outreach church, Surulere Lagos where the wedding was going on. She stormed the place with some family members and policemen
6. Clarion Chukwura
Clarion Chukwura Clarion tied the nuptial nuts with her U.S. based fiancé, Anthony Boyd making it her third marriage. She once had a relationship with Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters and bore a son, Clarence Peters after she ended her first marriage to a certain Mr. Abiola in 2003.
She then remarried in 2004 to Femi Oduneye popularly known as Femi Egyptian. They, however, separated in 2006, after which they got back together before they finally got divorced. She, however, lost her first husband, Tunde Abiola, and her second spouse, Femi Oduneye in 2017.
7. Femi Adebayo
Femi Adebayo is a Nigerian actor, filmmaker and director. He is also one of the celebrities who have tied the knot more than one.
He has three children born by his first wife Khadijat. This was his ever first marriage and, just as many things in life, turned out to be a failure. Khadijat gave birth to the three adorable kids within the eight years of their marriage but in the end, they decided not to wait any longer and broke apart.
He got married to Omotayo Adebayo after staying out of marriage for 8 years. They got married in October 2016.
8. Mercy Aigbe
Mercy Aigbe and Estranged husband
Mercy Aigbe, who is popular for her fashion sense on social media, was a wife to an Igbo man and had a beautiful daughter for him but the union couldn’t stand the test of time as it crashed a few years later.
Mercy and Lanre officially tied the knots at the Ikoyi Registry in 2013 but the marriage also crashed in 2017.
9. Monalisa Chinda
The actress, film producer, television personality and media personality’s first marriage was to Dejo Richards.
The marriage did not stand the test of time as it collapsed sooner than expected.
The couple parted ways in 2009 after they had a daughter together. She later married Victor Tonye Coker in 2016.
10. Foluke Daramola-Salako
Foluke Daramola and husband Kayode Salako
Foluke Daramola-Salako is a Nigerian actress. She married Babatunde Sobowale in 2005, and the union ended in 2008 after two kids, on allegations of wife battering and infidelity. The actress has since remarried and is happy with her latest husband, Kayode Salako.
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the military to be more spontaneous in restoring peace to the country, particularly states troubled by bandits.
He gave the order in Katsina on Saturday while ordering them “not to spare bandits’’.
A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu released in Abuja on Saturday, said the order had become necessary in view of the fact that the bandits had been killing, maiming and extorting innocent citizens.
Shehu said the president was addressing 15 officers and 160 soldiers of the 17th Army Brigade and Nigerian Air Force 213 Operational Base in Katsina, under the “Operation Hadarin Daji’’, at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Airport, Katsina.
The statement quoted President Buhari as saying: “This group was formed by the military to secure the geo-political zone from the activities of bandits. Fundamentally, it is your responsibility to secure the country.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I believe you are capable of doing it.
“I don’t think you should spare any bandit. Identify and eliminate them. Pursue them anywhere you can find them and eliminate them.
“Nigeria deserves peace. The rainy season is good and we are already achieving food security, but we need peace.
“The money saved from food importation will be used to purchase arms for operations.”
President, accompanied by Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina, assured the troops that the Federal Government would provide all the necessary support for restoration of peace in the country.
“We will give you all the right equipment so that you can deal with them with despatch.
”I appreciate all your efforts but you can do more. I don’t want any bandit spared,’’ he added.
Buhari had also said that the government and all officials were being sustained in office by the ordinary people, and they owed the people a duty to protect their lives and property.
“Please give my regards to your families. The earlier you finish with the bandits, the earlier you will return and stay with your families,’’ he said.(NAN)
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Saturday, said no member of the group was arrested in Ebonyi state.
The Ebonyi State Police Command had on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of 15 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.
It said the suspects were arrested at a bush at Amasiri in the Afikpo North local government area of the state on Tuesday by men of the Nigeria Police and other security agents while allegedly planning to hold their 2019 summit in the state.
But IPOB, in a statement issued by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the report came to it as a surprise as it had no event in the state that would necessitate the gathering of people on a large scale.
The group maintained that it was not in the habit of celebrating any anniversary either in Biafraland or in the diaspora since inception.
It further explained it had never hosted events in the bushes nor forests, but honoured its heroes with a general strike on designated days of the year.
The statement partly read, “Our attention has been drawn to the purported mass arrest of supposed members of IPOB in Ebonyi State by Governor Dave Umahi and his Fulani handlers who mischievously labelled those they abducted as Biafrans planning an anniversary.
“This attempt by Dave Umahi to prove to his Fulani masters that he is anti-Biafra and IPOB has led him to round-up and illegally lock up landowners in Ebonyi State under the pretext of fighting Biafra agitators but of which the true intention is to pave the way for Fulani herdsmen to take over community lands for their RUGA settlement in the state.
“We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leadership worldwide wish to categorically state that those Dave Umahi claim to have arrested in Ebonyi are not IPOB family members because our movement is not in the habit of celebrating any anniversary either in Biafraland or in the diaspora, since the inception of this great movement.
“It came to us as a surprise to hear the media blast about purported arrest of IPOB family members when we had no event in Ebonyi State that would necessitate the gathering of people on a large scale.
“Dave Umahi and his Fulani overlords in the Police and Army in Abakiliki have instead engaged in land grabbing arrest of innocent citizens especially indigenes of Amasiri in Afikpo LGA of Ebonyi State who were merely strategising on how to protect their land from Fulani terror herdsmen.
“By tagging these villagers IPOB, Dave Umahi sought to deflect attention from this dastardly act of illicit land grabbing for RUGA going on in Ebonyi State.
“This blatant lie and misinformation sold to the media that IPOB members were arrested in Ebonyi is simply a lie designed to mask the horrors of RUGA implimentation by stealth going on in Ebonyi State and to deflect attention away from secret ethnic cleansing of villages to pave way for Fulani settlements in Ebonyi.
“We are very much aware that Fulani herdsmen wield considerable influence and power in the affairs of governance of Enugu and Ebonyi State but we IPOB are determined to oppose them every step of the way.
The pro-Biafra group vowed that Ebonyi and Enugu states would never become another conquered Fulani territory while it existed.
“We shall continue to confront and drive them away wherever we observe them engaged in illegal occupation of ancestral lands.
“Dave Umahi may seek to please his Fulani masters by sacrificing the lives of Ebonyi indigenes but we must warn him that he is moving down a dangerous path that will inevitably consume him and those around him.
“He is playing a very dangerous game from which he will never emerge unscaved. Umahi’s sworn duty to protect ordinary citizens of Ebonyi State must be his primary duty,” the statement added.
