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Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Senate President, Buni commiserate with flood victims in Yobe

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni have commiserated with victims of flooding in Bade Local Government Area and other parts of the state.

    Buni has, however, directed the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to provide prompt assistance within 24 hours.

    About 11 local government areas have been affected by flooding in recent weeks in Yobe State.

    At Chumbusko Village, near Tagali Village, one of the worst affected areas in Bade, the governor expressed his sympathies to the flood victims, urging them to consider the disaster as a test from Almighty God “whom we must thank at every situation”.

    The governor directed the SEMA Executive Secretary, D. Muhammad Goje, to ensure that victims of flooding throughout the state are reached within 24 hours to provide them with the succour they need.

    Read Also: Flood ravages ten out of 17 Yobe LGAs—Official

    The governor also assured the people of Tagali and surrounding villages that an asphalted road would be built in the area to make it motorable and accessible so that people would be able to move in and out easily, especially during trying times.

    The Senate President, who represents Yobe North in the Senate, thanked Buni for his prompt response to the flood disaster.

    He said water overflows easily from Kumadugu-Yobe River during heavy rains, promising that he would liaise with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to ensure that the dredging of the Kumadugu-Yobe River, which was stopped at 50 per cent since July last year, is completed.

    The Senate President also gave N10 million to help victims cope with their situation.

  • Odubu is NDDC’s chairman-designate

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved the composition of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    A statement by the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Olusegun A. Adekunle, conveyed the appointments.

    The new appointees and their states of origin are: Dr. Pius Odubu (Edo) – Chairman; Bernard O. Okumagba (Delta) – Managing Director; Otobong Ndem (Akwa Ibom) – Executive Director Projects and  Maxwell Okoh (Bayelsa) – Executive Director Finance and Admin.

    State representatives in the board are: Delta Rep – Prophet Jones Erue (Delta); Edo Rep – Chief Victor Ekhatar (Edo); Rivers Rep – Dr. Joy Yimebe Nunieh (Rivers); Abia Rep – Nwogu Nwogu (Abia) and Bayelsa Rep – Theodore A. Allison (Bayelsa).

    Others are: Akwa Ibom Rep – Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom); Cross River Rep – Maurice Effiwatt (Cross River); Ondo Rep -Olugbenga  Elema (Ondo); Imo Rep – Uchegbu Chidiebere Kyrian (Imo); Northwest Rep – Aisha Murtala Muhammed (Kano); Northeast Rep – Ardo Zubairu (Adamawa) and Southwest Rep – Badmus Mutalib (Lagos).

    The statement also said the interim management, headed by Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, had been directed to hand over to the most senior director in the commission. The chairman and members of the newly composed Governing Board are also invited to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on September 2, at 2 p.m for proper documentation and briefing.

    “They are to come along with their updated CVs and valid identification,” the statement said.

     

  • APC may review disqualification of 12 Kogi governorship aspirants

    The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is to review the screening of aspirants contesting the governorship primary of the party in Kogi State on a case-by-case basis, it was learnt on Tuesday.

    The Nation, however, gathered that there is pressure on the leadership of the party to avoid unnecessary legal tussle that may cost the party dearly like it happened in Zamfara and Rivers states during the last general election.

    Due to the pressure, the party may give a clean bill to some of the aspirants, especially those who have contested the party primary in the past with records of service to the party.

    Babatunde Irukera, Yakubu Mohammed and Hadiza Ibrahim contested the party’s governorship primary in 2015, but lost the ticket to late Prince Abubakar Ibrahim. Mohammed Abubakar Audu has been an active player within the party since 2015.

    But one of the aspirants disqualified, however, confided in some people that she did not sign her affidavit because the court did not ask her to do so.

    Read Also: Court dismisses suits over Kogi APC leadership dispute, choice of primary

    However, APC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said there was no need for the controversy surrounding the screening, as those disqualified have an option of approaching the Appeals Panel, which is also independent of the party’s National Working Committee.

    Issa-Onilu said: “Screening of aspirants is a constitutional issue. There are clear procedures for the conduct of screening of aspirants in our party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. The screening itself is not the final stage in the qualification process.

    “Aspirants who have objections to outcomes of screening have the opportunity of presenting their case before the Appeal Panel. It should be noted that both the screening and appeal committees are independent of the National Working Committee as far as their activities are concerned.

    “By practice, having selected the people believed to be credible as members of these committees, the NWC does not interfere in any way in their activities.

    “Aspirants have the comfort that the reports would eventually be presented to the National Working Committee, where a final look will be taken on a case-by-case basis to ensure the outcomes are in strict compliance with our party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

    “There is, therefore, no basis for any controversy on the current screening process to choose eligible aspirants who will contest at the party’s primaries to choose our candidates for the upcoming governorship elections in both Kogi and Bayelsa states.”

  • President sacks Uja as NCPC’s Executive Secretary

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sacked the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev Tor Uja, for alleged financial infraction and fraud.

    It was learnt that Uja mismanaged the finances of the commission to the tune of about N225 million.

    Sources at the commission said the former Executive Secretary ran the place like an emperor and carried out financial transactions without transparency and approval.

    It was learnt that Uja, among other things, bypassed the board for approvals and, in some cases, violated the Procurement Act by acting alone on contract approvals beyond his official limit.

    One of the sources said this propelled the Presidency to set up an administrative panel of enquiry to look into his alleged financial misconduct.

    It said the report of the panel led to Uja’s sack.

    The source added: “The man ran the place aground. We use to run four pilgrimage programmes. As we speak, it is only one we are running.

    “The man was like an emperor. He ran the place without transparency. There were instances of maladministration, intimidation and financial impropriety.

    “He did not follow due process.

    Read Also: The President and his women

    “There was an administrative panel of enquiry set up against him last year. It was on the basis of the recommendations of that panel the President approved his sack.

    “The money he mismanaged is much. There was one of N225 million.”

    A statement by the Director (Information) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Willie Bassey, said Uja’s sack was in line with the provision of Section 4, Sub-Section 3 of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission Act.

    He said the embattled Executive Secretary had been directed to hand over to the Director of Administration in the commission, Mrs. Esther Kwaghe, who is to oversee the office, pending the appointment of a substantive Executive Secretary.

    President Buhari also directed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to work out an appropriate framework for the operation of offshore account maintained by the NCPC and other Federal Government agencies in order to streamline their operations.

     

  • Joint security team arrests 33 illegal migrants

    THE recently-constituted joint security team in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has arrested 33 illegal migrants, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) spokesman Joseph Attah said in a statement on Tuesday.

    The arrest was the product of the security agencies’ resolve to secure Nigeria’s territorial integrity, especially the land and maritime borders against trans-border security concerns, Attah said.

    The joint border security team is code-named Exercise Swift Response.

    The exercise, which began about a week ago, has received appreciable support from the public, such as border community dwellers and other well-meaning Nigerians.

    ONSA said the team had made large numbers of seizures and arrests from the four sectors, comprising the Northwest, Northcentral, Southwest and Southsouth zones.

    Read Also: Customs seizes elephant tusks, buffalo horns, others

    Attah said: “As at August 26, 33 illegal migrants have been arrested while seizures include 3,560-50 kilogrammes (kg) bags of parboiled foreign rice, 59 bags of NPK fertiliser, 15 vehicles, 12 drums filled with PMS, three engine boats, 65 drums of groundnut oil, four truck, 75 gallons of PMS, 29 motorcycles, 68 gallons of vegetable oil and 70 jerry cans of PMS, among other items.

    “The exercise, led by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) as well as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security and intelligence agencies, have continued to patrol and secure our border areas.

    “While an exercise of this nature is likely to create some inconveniences to members of the public, the overriding interest is to prevent the country against transnational security concerns such as smuggling, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, irregular migration, terrorism, armed banditry, among a host of other concerns.

    “This is consistent with the constitutional responsibility of any well-meaning government. We, therefore, continue to seek the support of all and sundry, to ensure that the desired objectives of Exercise Swift Response are achieved to promote a secured, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.”

     

  • Women seek end to moral decadence

    The Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) in Lagos State has called for action against moral decadence.

    It urged parents, religious bodies and governments to curb moral decadence among  youths.

    Speaking at the opening of the Southwest Zonal Youth Camp in Lagos, FOMWAN’s Southwest Zonal Coordinator Alhaja Nimotallah Salam said the theme: Moral decadence in the society: causes, effects and solution, was apt.

    She said the camp would orientate youths with Islamic orientation, reduce social vices and encourage them to take part in society building.

    “We have decided to give our youths the right orientation because we are getting old; we want our youths to continue our good work. That is why we decided to equip them with basic knowledge that will make them good ambassadors of Islam and Nigeria,” she said.

    Read Also: Muslim group seeks greater focus on security

    She urged the government to prevail on agencies that bar hijab, noting that a Muslim woman was incomplete without hijab.

    “There is nothing wrong in the use of hijab to school… Muslim women were enjoined by Allah to dress well by covering all parts of their body… That makes it necessary for our girls to wear hijab. We are not mandating children of other religion to wear hijab…” she said.

    FOMWAN’s Lagos Amirah Dr Halimat Egberongbe said youths would be educated on negative effects of drug abuse and addiction to social media.

    “FOMWAN has made series of advocacy on moral decadence but we cannot do it alone, the society and government have to be involved…” she said.

    Wife of Lagos State Deputy Governor Mrs Oluremi Hamzat hailed the group’s laudable initiative.

    Represented by Hajia Olaide Ibrahim, Mrs Hamzat said the theme of the camp was timely coming at a time society is morally bankrupt.

    She urged parents to bring up their children properly.

    Assistant Coordinator in the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) Mrs Omolara Dava advised youths to desist from following fashion trends.

    “Instead of following fashion trends, set achievable goals for yourself. The trends you are dying to keep up with were all started by someone… And that’s their identity. We shouldn’t lose our identity whenever a new style hits the market,” Mrs Dava said.

  • Row over Ihedioha, FBI suspect’s relationship

    The social media is buzzing with the photo of Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha and Chika Augustine Odionyenma, a Nigerian indicted for alleged fraud in the United States by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    Odionyenma posed with Ihedioha after the latter appointed him to the Sub-Committee on Logistics for his May 29 Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee.

    The appointment letter signed by Ihedioha reads: “Following my successful declaration as Governor-elect of Imo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and my subsequent receipt of Certificate of Return …I have duly constituted an Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee with the responsibility of liaising with the existing government to ensure a smooth handover of power to our party on May 29, 2019.

    “I will be pleased if you can serve as a member of the Sub-Committee on Logistics. The committees will be inaugurated on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, Rockview Hotel, Owerri by 12 noon.

    “I trust you will avail us your expertise and time in carrying out this assignment to support our quest to rebuild Imo.”

    Many Nigerians on social media were surprised that an alleged fraudster was given appointment by a government.

    Imo Professionals Group, an association of persons from different sectors, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate any business link between Ihedioha and Odionyenma, popularly known as ‘’Nwakanwa’’ or ‘’Tony Chika.’

    Read Also: US massive wire frauds: EFCC’ll fish out suspects, Magu vows

    A statement by its President and Director of Media Relations Julius Chinedu and Dr. Amaka Nwosu, the group said they were concerned because stories of possible political deals between the governor and Odionyenma had dominated the media, especially the social media.

    The group said: ‘’And the questions we are asking are: Is it true that Odionyenma was one of the multi-millionaires who bankrolled Governor Ihedioha’s governorship campaign between 2018 and 2019, as reported by the media?

    ‘’Is it correct that the … indicted businessman was one of the highest donors to Governor Ihedioha’s campaign purse..? Is it also true that Odionyenma’s rapport with Governor Ihedioha predates the 2019 general election..?’’

    Sir Ferdinand Rogers alleged on twitter that “he (Odionyenma) singlehandedly sponsored his (Ihedioha’s) election.”

    Felix Fabeku lamented that “our country has lost its dignity and strength… when did our country lost its dignity? how and why?”

    @ovbiudu tweeted: “Many of the 80 alleged fraudsters under investigation by the FBI are bosom friends, associates of many Nigerian politicians. The net should be cast wider.”

    Governor Ihedioha has said Odionyenma did not sponsor his election.

    Ihedioha described the report as false and malicious, noting that dubious characters were behind it.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, said he was not aware that Odionyenma was involved in any crime or being investigated for financial crimes.

    The statement reads: “It has become necessary to disclaim as false and malicious, a social media report that the 2019 electioneering campaign of Governor Emeka Ihedioha was bankrolled by Mr Augustine Chika Odionyenma, who is reported to have been implicated by the Federal Bureau of Information (FBI)…for offences connected with money laundering and wire transfer.

    “His Excellency was not aware if he is involved in any form of crime or being investigated for financial crimes.

    “We are not unaware that the false report is sponsored by some elements, who have held Imo State down over the years and are known to have perpetrated various fraudulent acts. Their attempt to malign the hard earned reputation and integrity of His Excellency has already failed.

    “Nigerians have received the malicious report with disbelief, given the credibility and upright trajectory of His Excellency, who is a role model to the younger generation.”

  • Sterling Bank holds summit on $1tr agribusiness

    POLICY makers, international financial institutions, value chain players and development agencies  will be part of the second Sterling Bank Agriculture Summit Africa billed for September 5 and 6 in Abuja.

    The summit with the theme “Agriculture – Your Piece of The $1tr Economy,” is geared toward attainment of the $1trillion Africa agribusiness economy dream of the World Bank by 2030.

    Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Yemi Odubiyi, said the bank and others would reposition Nigeria through agriculture to achieve food security in the continent.

    He said: “Food security is a major threat in Nigeria. We will not be able to stabilise this country until we solve the issue of food security, which we are at the forefront.

    ‘’We are trying to address issue of food security and job creation in the country.

    ‘’We believe that supporting the initiative of the current administration, we will be able to solve challenges of food security.

    ”About 10 per cent of our loans are on agriculture because the sector is a very important area for us.

    Read Also: Sterling Bank holds agric summit Sept. 5

    “We are working with other stakeholders for us to achieve the $1 trillion target of the World Bank by bringing back the good old days of agriculture boom where cocoa and other cash crops were faring well in the country,” he said.

    Odubiyi said that during the summit, the bank would launch the Digital Stakeholders Platform to address wastages, post-harvest losses and other areas to boost the sector.

    The Group Head, Agric Finance and Solid Minerals of the bank, Bukola Awosanya, said agriculture has been one of the bank’s focal areas, adding that the summit would cover the entire African continent, compared to last year, which was limited to Nigeria.

    She said the bank has been in the business of promoting agriculture in the last nine years, noting that it was the first commercial bank involved in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) having taken agriculture to be an important sector in the country.

  • ‘I killed my landlady out of provocation’

    The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old man, Tunmise Abraham, who allegedly raped and strangled his landlady, Mrs. Bukola Olanrewaju, in Ado-Ekiti.

    The deceased, a 39-year-old tailor and mother of three, was killed last Thursday in her home at Olorunda area of Ado-Ekiti by Tunmise, who hailed from Ikole-Ekiti.

    Police Commissioner Mr. Asuquo Amba said Tunmise was arrested at a church in Akure, the Ondo State capital, after linking up with the family.

    “The suspect, after committing the offence, ran to Akure. He hid in a church and that was where he was arrested.

    “He had called his family and told them why he did not come to their place. He said he had killed somebody in Ado-Ekiti.

    “We have already done our homework and gathered that her sister is selling chemicals. Detectives had to trick her that they wanted to buy something from her. It was her sister who later led us to where he was,” Amba said.

    He said the suspects would be prosecuted to act as a deterrent to others.

    Read Also: My landlady sent me packing for greeting her `enemy’ – tenant tells court

    Confessing that he actually committed the crime, Tunmise said he did it out of provocation.

    He said the deceased had allegedly provoked him over a disagreement on rent with the husband of the woman, Mr. Raphael Olanrewaju, an indigene of Igogo- Ekiti from Moba Local Government.

    He denied the accusation that he raped the landlady to death, explaining that he only hit her on the head with a big stick before making efforts to tie her hands to make her weak during a fisticuff.

    “I called her that day that I wanted to leave the house after paying N23,000 in June and this will last till next year May for one year rent and I said  that the husband needed to refund part of my money to get another apartment, but the woman said that would never happen.

    “We started the argument and she called me names. She abused me by calling me derogatory names, which angered me. She later held my clothes and I slapped her and pushed her away from me.

    “The woman then came with a stick and I overpowered her and collected the stick, which I used to hit her on the head and she fell.

    “When I realised that she had died, I became worried and escaped to a church in Akure.”

    The deceased’s husband, Raphael, said the disagreement he had with the suspect was resolved when his family paid N23,000 rent, comprising the new and backlog of debt he owed.

    “He had a misunderstanding with my wife, but it was settled. I never knew he had the intention to kill her. He killed my wife around 11am when everybody had left home.

    “It was my daughter who discovered that he was the one who did it. When the police came to search his room, we saw a lot of incriminating goods that suggested that he was an armed robbery. I never knew I was harbouring a robber.

    “All I want is justice,” Raphael said.

  • ‘Fed Govt to repatriate funds stolen by Nigerian fraudsters’

    THE Federal Government has begun the process of repatriating funds allegedly stolen by Nigerian fraudsters from individuals and corporate organisations in the United States (U.S.) and other parts of Europe, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) said on Tuesday.

    Dropping the hint on Tuesday in Abuja, NFIU Director-General Tukur Modibbo said the process has started with the repatriation of the monies stolen and transferred into the country by 77 Nigerian fraudsters recently unmasked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the U.S.

    Modibo, who spoke at a workshop on Sub-Regional Conference on Illicit Financial Flow and Assets Recovery, added that some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) were being used for illicit financial transactions.

    The two-day workshop was organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), in collaboration with other stakeholders.

    According to him, the NFIU discovered that some of the illicit funds have been going into terrorism financing and other organised economic crimes.

    “We are reversing the transactions of the monies of those Nigerians indicted for cybercrimes in the U.S.”, Modibbo said.

    He called on western countries to also return money belonging to Nigeria but illegally ferried out of the country.

    Continuing, he said: “The same thing is happening in Malaysia. We are reversing such transactions. We need more collaboration to ensure that there is a clean system in our region and the world.

    “Nigerians abroad have to be discipline because we know that most of them are hard working. You can’t run to another country and start attacking your brothers.

    “So, we are working with the NIA, the Police, Immigration and other security agencies to ensure that we end such transactions. These fraudsters should know that the world is no longer what it used to be on illicit financial transactions.

    Stating the international dimensions of illicit financial flows and their links to terrorism, Modibbo linked the Boko Haram insurgency and killings in many parts of the country to foreign terrorism influences.

    The NFIU boss said: “What is happening in the Northeast is not a Nigerian problem alone but an international issue. The killings happening even in Zamfara is also not only a Nigerian issue and they kept happening because of the illicit financial inflow people used to fund terrorism and banditry.

    “So, what is happening in the Northeast and the Northwestern state of Zamfara is an international crime. As a result of illicit financial inflow, foreigners come to the country and kill Nigerians.

    Read Also: NFIU policy will ground 774 LGs, CNPP warns

    “It’s not that Nigerians are killing one another; foreigners are involved and they get funding from some of these Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

    “We are going to look at foreign companies doing criminal business here in Nigeria. We are also looking at Chinese, Indian and other companies doing illegal mining in the country.

    “Some of these companies have been taking advantage of our environment but we will bring them to justice just the same way we are trying to bring to justice those Nigerians doing criminal things abroad.”

    Modibo said that the NFIU will need a list of legitimate (CSOs operating in the country in order to embark on crackdown on identified illegitimate and close down their accounts.

    Stating that there are about 52, 000 NGOs operating in the country, Modibbo said the NFIU was already collaborating with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to identify culprit NGOs and other rogue organisations with the view to deregistering them.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters in the office of the Vice President, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, said illicit financial flow in Africa has been on the increase.

    Dipeolu canvassed the political will to address the problem, adding that there must be transparency in curbing the menace.

    He said: “With transparency, illicit financial inflow will stop. People must insist on transperent management of resources and legal financial flow.”

    The event was attended by delegates from other English speaking West African countries of Ghana, Gambia Senegal, Liberia and Sierra Leone