The core investors in Union Bank, Polaris Bank and Keystone Bank are contesting the takeover of those institutions by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), insisting that the process by which their respective boards and managements were removed was in violation of the rules set by the same apex bank, being the regulator of the banking sector.

The CBN had in a terse statement issued on the 11th of this month announced the dissolution of the boards and managements of the three banks over alleged corporate governance infractions and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.

The CBN had also appointed new executives, two each, to “oversee the affairs of the banks.

The apex bank had said the banks and their boards failed to comply with the provisions of Section 12(c), (f), (g), (h) of Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.

It had also accused the boards and managements of the banks of breach of terms under which the banks got their licences and “involvement in activities that pose a threat to financial stability”.

The banking regulator’s action, according to many observers, followed the report of the forensic audit of the CBN under Godwin Emefiele, the ousted governor of the apex bank, by a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu.

However, the investors in the three banks are challenging the CBN’s action, and have petitioned President Tinubu, seeking his intervention for them to recover their assets.

Allegations of foul play

Some investors in the three banks who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, expressed concerns over the apex bank’s

“There were routine examinations of the banks and the CBN examiners, in our exit meeting in November (2023), were happy with the outcome because the issues were normal.

“Standard practice demands that every examination report is shared with the affected banks, outlining regulatory concerns and proposing necessary actions.

“In our case, the CBN deviated from this protocol, thereby violating its own laws, regulations, and established practices”, one of them said.

Another shareholder said: “The CBN, in its media release, mentioned a licence revocation. That is usually the last resort. Once you take over, the identity of the bank has to change and the liability has to be transferred to AMCON (Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria).

“In this case, there is no document today that we have telling us what this means. No shareholder is involved or engaged. We’ve seen them do similar interventions in the past with so many other players in this sector, and more recently with First Bank where the shareholders were invited to participate in the remediation process.

“When you invoke Section 12, you’re saying there’s no longer shareholding, but in CBN’s communication with the directors, they said the shareholders’ equity is intact”, he said.

Alhaji Auwal Lawan, a shareholder of Polaris Bank, who spoke to the BBC Hausa recently, in reaction to the CBN’s action, said: “I’m yet to confirm the veracity of the CBN action as I only read it in the national dailies. I am waiting for the CBN to communicate with us. Certainly, they would communicate to us to know our fate.

Asked what is the fate of the amount outstanding to be paid after they bought the bank from AMCON. He said: “It was CBN and AMCON that sold the bank. So, after we bought the bank, and were done with the handing-over procedures, there was a debt of N1.350 trillion which we should have been paid back to the Federal Government. If you buy a company, acquired both assets and liabilities. We discovered that the bank was being owed about N500 billion to N600 billion in assets and it was decided they stand at N600bn. We found out that the assets range from housing units and others in value of the said money, but we said no, they must be returned to the bank.

“We wrote to CBN and even the president (Tinubu), and we protested that all the assets/properties must be returned to us since we’re being owed more than N1.3 trillion. It was either we should get our assets back or be paid back our money. So, it was while we were dealing with this issue that this issue (of takeover) popped up.

“I repose confidence in the president (Tinubu) because he was a staff at Deloitte. He is familiar with the banking and finance sectors; so, I am unperturbed about it (the takeover).

“Now, I am waiting to see what would come from the CBN as I believe there was nothing done illegitimately. The documentation about the money (we) paid, its source, and the recipient’s account are all intact with us.

“And to this moment, CBN hasn’t yet written to us that it either seized the bank or took over our shares despite being backed by law to do so”, Alhaji Auwalu concluded.

Questions over capital adequacy

Section 12(h), cited by CBN, deals with capital adequacy ratio.

Financial statements of Union and Polaris banks show that both institutions met the regulatory requirements. Keystone Bank, on the other hand, did not publish its financial statement.

The Union Bank Plc’s unaudited financial statement for the period ending September 30, 2023, which was sighted by our reporter, showed that its gross earnings were up by 120 per cent to N309.1 billion, compared with the N140.6 billion it recorded in the comparable period of 2022.

Also, its profit before tax was up by 461.1 per cent to N102.3 billion, compared with the N18.2 billion recorded in the first nine months of 2022.

In the period under review, Union Bank’s capital adequacy ratio was 16.1 per cent, which is higher than the regulatory threshold, just as its non-performing loan ratio was only 3.7 percent, still below the industry benchmark of five per cent.

Also, Union Bank posted a liquidity ratio of 34 per cent, which was still above the industry threshold of 30 per cent.

For its part, Polaris Bank, in its financial statement, which was equally sighted by our reporter, disclosed that its capital adequacy ratio was 12.95 per cent, which is higher than the stipulated 10 per cent, while is liquidity ratio was 30 per cent and had a non-performing loan ratio of 21.4 per cent.

Another shareholder, who spoke to Daily Trust, said: “People own these businesses and you cannot extinguish the rights of the shareholders. Each of these institutions do not have less than N1 trillion balance sheet.

“If you say we don’t have capital, we are ready to bring it in. So far, no one has called us from CBN to discuss this matter”, he said.

A source hinted that the CBN excluded loan forbearance in the calculations that categorized the banks as having insufficient capital.

The source said: “Without Forbearance, the biggest banks in the country will also have capital adequacy challenges. Today, there are three banks who have negative shareholders’ funds and are still standing only because of CBN’s direct support; one of them to the tune of negative N275 billion. So, why the sudden drastic action against Union, Polaris and Keystone while the rest are left intact?”

“The way I see it, the CBN took over three healthy banks, while preparing a N600 billion liquidity support facility for one sick bank, and midwifing a merger for another sick bank.

“Somebody is dying and you rush to save him and the one that is healthy and living you kill. A CBN established in 1959 should have done better. The excuse of capital was just a smokescreen”, the source said.

CBN breached own laws

A member of the immediate past Board of Directors of the CBN said based on Section 34 of BOFIA, which stipulates the intervention powers in failing banks, the apex bank failed to comply with these provisions which outlined the processes to intervene in instances where examinations reveal growing concern issues in banks.

He said: “The powers of the CBN are not to be dispensed arbitrarily. There are precedent conditions. The CBN knows this and the banks also understand it. You cannot as a regulator cherry pick what to implement and that accounts for why the action is difficult to defend.

“Section 33 said the governor shall have the power to constitute a special examination or investigation of the books of the bank or its affairs. Section 34 talks about remediation. Can the CBN as currently constituted show proof that these processes as provided by BOFIA have been followed?”, the ex-board member queried.

Action can breed distrust – Analyst

A sub-Saharan Africa’s banking research analyst at Vetiva Capital, Olumide Sole, said the dissolution of the boards of the three banks “is not good generally for the banking system in Nigeria as it could breed distrust in the system.”

On his part, Muda Yusuf, founder and CEO of Lagos-based Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, stated: “The main pillar of the banking system is confidence. This makes the financial system very sensitive to developments that could undermine the confidence of depositors and investors.”

“This is why the handling of current investigations concerning these banks needs to be done with utmost discretion, caution and care. We cannot afford a run on any of our banks at a time like this.”

A forensic accountant, Sunday Enenche, said: “If the action of the CBN is a revocation, then return the money of the investors. If it is bank failure, the NDIC (Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation) and AMCON should move in as we have seen in previous resolutions”.

When our reporter reached out to the CBN’s acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali, for a reaction to the allegations of breach of process and selective justice, she did not respond to the messages sent to her mobile phone line.

CBN silent on allegations

Several efforts by our reporter to speak to the CBN’s acting director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali, over the course of five days were not successful as she neither answered calls nor responded to the messages sent to her mobile phone line seeking the apex bank’s reaction to the allegations of breach of process and selective justice.

[DailyTrust]

A British-Nigerian minister, MP Kate Osamor has been suspended after she accused Israel of genocide on the eve of Holocaust Memorial Day.

Osamor, a British-Nigerian-born MP for Edmonton, sparked resentment after claiming in her weekly newsletter that Gaza should be added to the list of ‘recent genocides’.

In a post on X handle, Osamor posted a photo of herself signing the Holocaust Education Trust’s commemoration book in Westminster.

“Tomorrow is Holocaust Memorial Day, an international day to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, the millions of other people murdered under Nazi persecution of other groups and more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza,” she wrote.

However, the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Labour Movement, and the Holocaust Educational Trust reacted to her controversial remarks.

Meanwhile, a Labour source told MailOnline on Sunday that the Chief Whip has suspended Osamor from the Parliamentary Labour Party pending an investigation.

[DailyPost]

The air component of Operation Whirl Punch has killed 30 terrorists on motorcycles in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

This was as security operatives in Katsina State on Sunday rescued 35 kidnap victims inside Dumburu forest.

The Kaduna air strikes were ordered following an intelligence report which disclosed the movement of the terrorists in the area.

A statement on Monday by the Director of Public Relations and Information,  Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said the eliminated terrorists were responsible for the ambush of troops at Kwanan Mutuwa recently as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in the LGA. 

Gabkwet said,  “In its relentless campaign to rid the North-West and North Central region of Nigeria of the menace of terrorism and kidnapping, the air component of Operation Whirl Punch has eliminated a syndicate of terrorists in Kaduna State.

The strike followed an intelligence report of the movement of the syndicate along the Kwiga-Kampamin Doka axis in the  Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.

“The intel also revealed that the same syndicate was responsible for the ambush on troops at Kwanan Mutuwa on January 27, 2024, as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in Birnin Gwari.”

He added that when the troops arrived at the location,  two armed terrorists were sighted on 15 motorcycles.

Gabkwet noted that a precision strike was conducted which eliminated them.

He said, “On arrival at the suspected location, a deliberate and detailed scan revealed a trail of terrorists sighted moving in a convoy of about 15 motorcycles, each with at least two armed terrorists.

“Accordingly, the terrorists were trailed to a location where they converged before they were engaged and neutralised in a precision strike. The aftermath of the air strike revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.”

The PUNCH reports that the Birin Gwari area of Kaduna is one of the areas ravaged by insecurity, with bandits killing and abducting residents.

Meanwhile, security operatives in Katsina on Sunday afternoon rescued 35 kidnap victims inside Dumburu forest.

Bandits recently kidnapped the victims from Tashar Nagulle and Nahuta communities in the Batsari Local Government Area of the state.

The 35 victims were brought to the Government House, Katsina on Monday where Governor Dikko Radda met and congratulated them.

A statement on Monday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the governor gave each of the victims N100,000 in financial support to start off any business of their choice.

According to the statement, the victims were rescued on Sunday afternoon at  Dumburum forest after a fierce gun battle between troops and the bandits.

“Many bandits were being killed, their camps were destroyed and a lot of weapons were recovered through the joint efforts of security operatives in the state,” the statement added.

[Punch]

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, on Monday, distanced himself from the report making rounds that he signed an agreement with the presidency to influence the judgment of the supreme court.

Naija News recalls that the Supreme Court on the 12th of January, set aside the judgment of the appeal court that sacked Yusuf as the governor of Kano.

The spokesperson to the Governor, Sanusi Bature in a statement said the judgment was delivered with “equity and fairness”.

The statement reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a misconception making rounds on social media indicating an agreement between the presidency and governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in the aftermath of the supreme court judgment that affirmed the mandate of his excellency.

“I wish to categorically state that Governor Yusuf did not enter any agreement or condition with anybody before the supreme court judgment. I therefore urged the public to dismiss the fallacy being orchestrated by enemies of progress.

“It is on record that my lord, the justices of the supreme court delivered a landmark Judgment with justice, equity and fairness and largely protect the integrity of the judiciary.

“The president is a true democrat who will not undermine other political parties in the interest of his party.

“Let me state and emphatically that Governor Yusuf has no prior agreement with the president.

“However, the president should rather be appreciated for maintaining neutrality, peace, and stability in Kano.

“No doubt, the refusal of the president to carry out the wishes of some prominent members of his party has brought about enduring atmosphere in Kano.

“On this single act, the good people of Kano will continue to appreciate Mr. President and pray for him to succeed in his administration.

“The governor had several opportunities to meet the president in all of his visits, and the discussions are centred around the development of Kano state.”

[NaijaNews]

Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, revealed an investment plan in the region of €5.5 billion ($5.9 billion) aimed at enhancing Italy’s relations with Africa.

The initiative seeks to bolster energy connections and reduce mass migration patterns. 

Hosting a gathering on Monday, the premier welcomed around 25 African heads of state and government. Meloni’s objective is to establish Rome as a significant political and economic intermediary between the European Union and Africa. 

Details of the plan 

According to her, Italy’s primary focus will include energy, education, professional training, healthcare, agriculture, and water. The initial phase, comprising loans, grants, and guarantees, will consist of roughly €3 billion sourced from Italy’s climate fund and approximately €2.5 billion from development resources. 

• She stated, “Mass illegal immigration will never be stopped, traffickers in human lives will never be defeated if we don’t tackle the causes which push someone to abandon their own home,” 
• “That is exactly what we intend to do, on the one hand declaring war against the traffickers of the third millennium, and on the other working to offer the African peoples an alternative made up of opportunities, work, training and legal migration,” 

She added that her administration aims to engage international financial institutions and other donor nations and, by the year’s end, establish “a new financial instrument” in collaboration with the state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. This instrument is designed to facilitate private sector investment within the project. 

Backstory 

• Following her assumption of office in 2022, Meloni unveiled her “Mattei plan” for Africa, named after Enrico Mattei, the founder of Italian energy company Eni SpA. This initiative, intended to serve as a political and business conduit between Italy and the continent, has faced several delays since its announcement. 
• Italy and Europe have seen rising migration waves from the coast of Libya in the past few years. In 2022, around 105,000 migrants arrived the shores of Italy from North Africa. The Italian government stated that around 153,000 migrants arrived its shores via the Mediterranean Sea in 2023 

[Nairametrics]

…condemns attack

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has condemned Monday’s dastardly attack in Oke-Ako area in Ikole Local Government, which led to the gruesome killing of two traditional rulers; and ordered security agencies in the state to fish out the killers.

The two traditional rulers- the Onimojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Olatunde Samuel Olusola and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba David Babatunde Ogunsola were killed in an ambush by armed men while returning from a meeting. The third traditional ruler, the Alara of Ara –Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba escaped the attack.

Governor Oyebanji, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, said security agents have been despatched to the area to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

The Governor, who had just presided over the state security council meeting in Ado-Ekiti, barely an hour before the incidence occurred, said no stone will be left unturned in the bid to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He expressed the condolences of the Government and people of Ekiti State to the people of Imojo Ekiti and Esun Ekiti over the sad incidence.

The Governor also urged the people of the two towns to remain calm and refrain from taking the laws into their own hands. Government, he said, would ensure that justice is served.

Governor Oyebanji charged security agencies in the state to remain vigilant and resolute in the efforts to stamp out crime and criminality from the state.

Restating the commitment of his government to security of lives and properties of citizens in the state, the Governor said his administration would continue to deploy technology for crime detection and prevention, as well as provide necessary support for security agencies in the state.

Daniel Bwala, a presidential campaign spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 elections, on Monday, met with President Bola Tinubu in France.

President Tinubu, last Wednesday departed the country for Paris, France, on a private visit.

“It was a pleasure to meet with the father of the nation @officialABAT President Bola Tinubu in Paris today. He continues to share his thoughts and demonstrate his passion to lead Nigeria out of the woods,” Bwala disclosed in a post via X.

This is coming two weeks after the legal practitioner met with Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja.

In a chat with State House correspondents after closed-door talks, he declared his availability to work with the President Tinubu-led administration.

According to him, if supporting Tinubu means joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), he was ready to join the party and dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Asked if he would defect to the APC, he said: “I told him today, I am committing to play my part to support your administration, and I have no apologies to anybody.

“APC is a party. President Bola Tinubu is my motivation; if supporting him will take me to APC, so be it.”

Speaking on the visit, Bwala had expressed delight in a post on X.

He shared a picture of him in a handshake with the president.

He also posted a 13-second clip of the event.

“Today I was delighted to meet @officialABAT, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, (GCFR) in the Villa to show appreciation and support for the bold decisions he is taking to deal with the crisis confronting our dear country,” he captioned the post.

A 72-year-old retired soldier has allegedly committed suicide in his compound opposite St. Joseph Catholic Church in Nyiniongun, a suburb of Makurdi, Benue State.

The deceased, whose name was given as, Francis Dooga, allegedly hanged himself to death on a tree at his residence.

A neighbour, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Dooga popularly known as ‘old soldier’, ended committed the act while members of his family were away from home.

The neigbour, who said the body of the retiree was found dangling on the tree at about 6:00pm on Sunday, wondered why he took the decision.

Some residents of the area alleged that the late retiree had earlier complained of hardship.

It was gathered that the deceased was complaining about being defrauded of his pension by some persons around him and was worried about not getting his pension in bulk from the pension board.

The spokeswoman of the Police in Benue, SP Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident in a text message to our correspondent.

Former Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, Wale Akinterinwa, has revealed that the late former Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, selected him as his successor.

Najia News reported that Akeredolu passed away in December last year following a battle with prostate cancer.

Akinterinwa, who has not officially declared for the Ondo governorship race, stated that Akeredolu had discussed with him the prospect of becoming the next governor of the state.

During an interview on TVC News, the former commissioner mentioned that Akeredolu informed him to prepare to succeed him upon his return to the country following his trip to Germany.

According to him, “The late Governor Akeredolu had a discussion with me in his office, and he told me he would want me to take over from him. I didn’t take particular notice of the date he discussed with me, but it happened immediately after he came back from his trip to Germany.

“He prayed for me, and I am aware he told some certain people about his desire.”

The financial expert expressed confidence in his prospects of securing the APC ticket for the November 16, 2024, governorship election. He emphasized that the people of the state trust him.

“Well, at the appropriate time, I will officially announce my intention because it is not in doubt that I am still making further consultations, but I can assure you that I will get the ticket.

“The people of Ondo State are with me, and I am very confident that I will win the APC primary election,” he said.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has taken a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for failing to express empathy to the Oyo State government over the explosion that rocked Bodija area of Ibadan.

Makinde criticised Atiku while appreciating the former Governor of Anambra State and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, who was on a condolence visit to his office.

Makinde revealed that only the former vice president had not reached out to him out of the three major candidates who contested the 2023 general election.

“I want to thank you especially for the visit. Out of the 3 major candidates who contested the 2023 election, only Atiku Abubakar, my own leader and our candidate hasn’t called to commiserate with the state. I am saying this openly so that our leaders will know that we have time for politics and others. I want to thank you once again for coming,” Makinde told Obi, who had Aisha Yesufu in his entourage.

The January 16 blast on Dejo Oyelese Street, Bodija, resulted in loss of lives and property.

Daily Trust learnt that Obi, who had a closed door meeting with Governor Makinde, had earlier visited the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) headquarters in Ibadan to learn about the research activities & food security impact ongoing across Africa.

Speaking on the economic situation of the country and its effect on the masses, Makinde called for a cut in the cost of governance at the federal level as a necessary sacrifice to move the country forward.

“All of us are now involved and all of us should work hard and make the necessary sacrifice to see that we turn around the situation.

“It is a matter of sacrifice. Elections are over, governance is the key thing and what is required for me is to cut down on the cost of governance especially at the federal level. It is unacceptable the way it is going, we need to prioritize critical areas such as education, health and pulling people out of poverty,” the governor said.