The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has reiterated that the Islamic religion is not against the education of the girl-child.

Speaking at the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in Bauchi, organized by the Ministry of Education with World Bank support, the Sultan called for a shift in social and cultural norms that hinder girls' education, particularly in the northeastern region.

Themed “Overcoming Social and Cultural Norms on Girl Education in the North East Zone: Roles of Traditional and Religious Leaders,” the event highlighted barriers to girl-child education.

“Islam is not against the education of the girl-child,” the Sultan stated. “The key is educating people about its importance. Educating girls equips them to better society, care for themselves, their families, and their communities, regardless of ethno-religious differences.”

The Sultan also called on northern governors to prioritize funding for education to address the issue. He noted observing children hawking during school hours and stressed the importance of ensuring all children have access to formal education.

A notorious fraudster, Bishir Abdullahi, has been arrested by the Katsina State Police Command after he was caught with 14 stolen Automated Teller Machine (ATM) debit cards and accused of defrauding his victims of over N2.7 million.

The arrest, made by an alert police officer at a  Bank branch in Tudun Katsira area of Katsina, unveiled a sophisticated scheme of ATM card swapping and fraudulent withdrawals targeting unsuspecting bank customers across the State.

The spokesperson of the command, Sadiq Abubakar, paraded the suspect alongside others arrested for various crimes at the police headquarters on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

According to the PPRO, the 37-year-old suspect had used the stolen ATM cards to withdraw amounts ranging from N49,000 to N900,000 from victims’ bank accounts.

Preliminary investigations linked him to multiple incidents, with a total of N2.7 million stolen.

The House of Representatives member for Oredo Constituency of Edo State, Esosa Iyawe, has said his defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was in line with his political interests.

Iyawe and three other House members of the LP defected to the ruling APC citing leadership crisis.

Esosa Iyawe pointed out that he was uncomfortable with the Labour Party’s leadership crisis and numerous court cases against its leadership.

In a statement on Thursday, the first-time lawmaker in the 10th House of Representatives since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, stated that his defection was after consulting with family and constituent members.

“I am writing to formally tender my resignation as a member of Labour Party (LP), effective immediately. This decision was reached after careful consideration of my personal convictions and the alignment of my values with the political landscape today.

“My decision to resign from LP is as a result of the party’s inability to declare who should emerge as the legitimate Caretaker Committee from the National to State levels. More so, due the incessant tussle rocking the leadership of the party and the numerous perpetual Court cases against the Leadership of the party; myself and my supporters are in a state of confusion as to the Party’s stability in leadership.

“With regards to my right to freedom of association as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended); I hereby wish to notify you of my defection from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC) whose ideas align with my political aspirations and ideology. This is after due consultations with my family and supporters,” Iyawe said.

He, however, thanked LP for giving him the platform. He commended the party’s contribution to the nation’s democracy.

“I hereby re-emphasize my resolve to continue my service and representation to my people as this decision will certainly improve my past performance at all levels.

“I thank the leadership and fellow members of Labour Party (LP) for the support, collaboration, and opportunities provided to me during my membership. I leave with gratitude and respect for the party’s efforts and contributions to our democracy,” Iyawe added.

The Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) is trying to recover N4 trillion debts from debtors, Managing Director Gbenga Alade said yesterday.

He said the company has successfully recovered N2 trillion from debtors, who put up stiff resistance to offset their debts.

Alade, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, lamented that those who owe are eminent Nigerians, politicians, public officers, captains of industry and other celebrities.

He said that many debtors live in opulence and flaunt their ill-gotten wealth, adding that they also abuse the currency by spraying money at social events.

Alade thanked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for cooperating with the company in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities.

Probes collapse of national grid, DisCos

THE Senate has begun a probe into the activities of Generation Companies, GenCos, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, and Distribution Companies, DisCos, for failing to deliver reliable electricity, describing the power sector as a total failure.

It also strongly criticised the power sector operators, saying they have added no significant value to the sector, and threatened to come up with legislative measures, including new laws and total repeal of the policy.

It equally noted that the privatization introduced in 2013 has plunged Nigeria deeper into darkness, leaving citizens without solutions.

The Upper directed the Senate Committee on Power, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, APGA, Abia South, to conduct a holistic investigation into the challenges of the sector and come up with recommendations that should cover possible reversal of the privatisation and declaration of an emergency in the power sector and report at plenary in six weeks.

The condemnation of the power sector yesterday was sequel to the presentation of a report by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, that investigated frequent national grid collapses and related issues.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said in annoyance: “They have added no value at all.’’

Akpabio and other senators lampooned the power sector, especially the DisCos as they expressed anger, saying the operators had forced Nigeria more into darkness since 2013 when the policy took off, leaving the citizenry “helpless.”

Akpabio said: “Why do state governors and communities buy transformers, hand them over DisCos and still pay for installation?

“The people who took over (power sector) are just making money from those transformers and they are not adding value at all.

“Why do we hand over GenCos and the TCN can’t move what they generate? Why are DisCos not investing in transformers, or we have to pay the DisCos for transformers bought by Nigerians?
“We can make the laws, we can reverse the laws and ask the Federal Government to take back those things from them.”

Presenting the report, Senator Abaribe, who attributed the persistent grid failures to factors such as aging infrastructure, abandoned projects worth trillions of naira, regulatory inefficiencies, security lapses, lack of modern monitoring systems, such as SCADA, and inadequate financial oversight, said despite substantial investments in electricity infrastructure, the grid had suffered 105 collapses over the past decade.

He revealed the significant costs incurred during grid failures, particularly in restarting power plants.
The committee reported that each time the grid collapsed, it would cost the nation around $25million or N42billion to restart its three generating plants.

The committee recommended decisive actions by government, including making saboteurs both within and outside the system pay heavily for their culpability.

According to the report, restarting a plant after a grid collapse (known as a “black start”) is considerably more expensive than normal operations.

‘’For instance, while running costs for a plant like Azura, Delta, or Shiroro are approximately $105,000, restarting costs can reach $7 million per incident. Collectively, grid collapses cost Nigeria an estimated ¦ 42.5 billion for these three plants alone, with broader implications for the entire power sector,’’ the report said.

The report emphasised that the national grid, over 50 years old, was outdated and in urgent need of modernization to meet current operational standards.

Abaribe also noted other pressing issues, including operational inefficiencies, abandoned projects, regulatory gaps, security challenges, and the absence of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, SCADA, systems essential for real-time monitoring and management.

“Whenever a plant is shut down, they restart the plant and to restart it which they call a black start, it cost far more that running the plant.

“While it cost $105,000 to run the plant, to restart it will cost $7m. So for anytime we have a shut down occasioned by grid collapse, three plants in Nigeria, three plants in Nigeria that supply most of our electricity, Azura, Delta and Shiroro, to restart the plant cost Nigeria $25m or ¦ 42.5bn and if we expand it yo the rest of the operating plants in Nigeria, it is actually not quantifiable.

“Aging infrastructure has been identified as a critical factor contributing to frequent grid failures. Many components of the grid are outdated and have not undergone necessary maintenance or upgrades, leading to increased vulnerability to failures,’’ Abaribe said.

In his contribution, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC, Edo North, who criticised the privatisation policy as flawed and exploitative, said it imposed undue financial burdens on Nigerians

He said: “The DisCos are out for profit, while they make our people suffer. I never imagined that a private person will collect money for services he did not render and Nigerians are helpless.”

He recounted a personal experience of having to purchase a transformer and pay for its installation, only for it to become the property of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC.

Oshiomhole called for a comprehensive review of the privatisation policy, in line with the administration’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

“After the procurement, it becomes the property of AEDC (Abuja Electricity Distribution Company).
I even had to pay money from my pocket to connect the transformer to the grid.

“We have to revisit this ill-advised privatisation and we are going to advise Mr President, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, to review the power sector privatisation.”

On his part, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, who noted that the ongoing failures in the power sector persisted due to a lack of accountability, however, argued that without sanctions for lapses, the sector’s inefficiencies would remain unaddressed.

Ningi said: “Over the years, nobody has been punished for the lapses in the power sector. Reports alone without sanctions will not allow Nigeria make any headway. The implication is that the problems will continue.”

Following series of debates, the Senate stood down the consideration of the report and gave Abaribe’s committee additional six weeks to do a holistic investigation into the issues in the power sector and report back in six weeks for further legislative actions.

Ahmad Gumi, a Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, has backed President Bola Tinubu’s tax reform bills, saying the proposed laws are a wake-up call to northern Nigerian leaders to develop their region.

Gumi said the tax reform bills would create more opportunities in the economy than the existing tax system, which promotes multiple taxation.

The cleric stated this on two different occasions on Tuesday and Wednesday in Kaduna. The videos of the conversation were posted on his Facebook page.

The bills are the Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill, 2024 -SB.583; the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, 2024- SB.584; and the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, 2024- SB. 585; and the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024 – SB.586.

Some experts said most critics of the bills had not read their provisions and were only amplifying falsehoods circulated by uninformed interest groups.

Gumi lamented that the debate on the bills is political. He said northern leaders should instead debate their region’s backwardness and why they allow industries and banks to go bankrupt.

However, he identified grey areas in the bills. He said the VAT sharing formula that ignited the debate should be given a second look.

“I heard people debating that Lagos will benefit more from the new sharing formula in the proposed tax reform bills; this should not be the issue to debate on; our leaders should not say so. You said the corporate headquarters were relocated to Lagos, where are your banks’ headquarters in Kaduna or Kano?

“You people were sleeping; you deliberately allowed the population to wallow in poverty. You are shouting over the tax reform bills; where are our industries? Who among you invested in the industries in Kakuri to sustain them? Only the breweries are still functional in the area. We are always applying politics on issues where there is no need for it.

“Nigeria needs the new tax system to move away from the obsolete system that promotes multiple taxation. You cannot throw away the tax reform bills, adopt them, and address their grey areas.

“If we want development, let’s build industries, cultivate more land, and have banks,” Gumi said to the northern leaders.

“Nigeria is blessed with wealth across all regions, so our leaders are treated with dignity globally. France is treating Nigeria with caution; the way they warmly received President Bola Tinubu means a lot.”

Gumi said the debate on the tax reform bills should be conducted by people who are knowledgeable in the field.

“The tax reform bills exempting low-income earners from paying taxes is a welcome development. This should apply to all low-cadre workers, including security agents; doing so will greatly help Nigerians.

“The attempt of the president to reform the collection system is commendable, continuing in the old system will not be good for the country because of the multiple taxation,” the cleric said.

PT

The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has lamented the carting away of an unspecified quantity of rice by some yet-to-be-identified criminals after invading the state Government’s farm in the Jangwa community of Awe Local Government Area of the state.

Sule disclosed this when he received a delegation of sons and daughters of Azara community led by His Royal Highness, Sarkin Azara, Dr. Kabiru Musa Ibrahim at the Government House, Lafia on Thursday.

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, quoted the governor as saying, “Whereas the state government is pleased with the yield recorded, it is however saddened by the level of theft recorded during the harvest.”

Sule, therefore, decried the activities of the unscrupulous elements who were stealing harvested rice from the government-owned farm in Jangwa, Awe LGA.

He described the situation as very unfortunate, noting that such magnitude of theft was happening at a time when the state was doing everything possible to bring relief to the people and boost food security in the state and beyond.

Sule used the opportunity to warn all those involved in the unwholesome practice to desist henceforth as the state government would not hesitate to deal decisively with anyone caught.

He, however, assured the state that, “We will not be deterred. We are determined that Nasarawa State, being an agricultural state, that the government must be at the forefront in agricultural activities.”

The governor further thanked the traditional rulers and people of the area for their cooperation towards the successes recorded on the farm since the government’s agricultural programme began in the area.

Senators from the South-South geopolitical zone have endorsed the contentious Tax Reform Bills pending before the National Assembly.

In a statement signed on behalf of the group by Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West), the lawmakers have highlighted the importance of the bills in enhancing national revenue.

The statement said, “Recognising the importance of tax reforms in enhancing national revenue and fostering economic stability, we resolved to support the Tax Reforms Bills.

“This support will be anchored on a comprehensive study and thorough evaluation of the content of the Bills to ensure they align with the overall interest of Nigerians, particularly the well-being of the South-South region.

“The Caucus calls for restraint on the part of those bent on introducing sentiments, whether regional, ethnic or tribal to a national dialogue and looks forward to robust interactions and consultations as already commenced by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We remain committed to working collaboratively with our colleagues across the Senate and all stakeholders in fostering a legislative agenda that guarantees the peace, prosperity, and progress of our beloved nation.”

According to them, their support for the bills stems from a shared commitment to boosting national revenue and driving economic growth.

The senators, who cut across party lines, also expressed their unflinching support and confidence in the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.

“After a meeting held on the 4th of December, 2024, we, the senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the South-South geopolitical zone, met on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, to deliberate on key national issues and the role of the Senate in advancing the collective interest of the country. After extensive discussions, the following resolutions were made:

“The South-South senators unanimously agreed and passed a vote of confidence in the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to standing by him and supporting his leadership in steering the Senate toward its constitutional mandate of making laws that serve the best interests of the nation and its citizens.

“We pledge our full support to the Senate President and the leadership of the National Assembly in their efforts to ensure the effective and timely passage of legislation aimed at promoting good governance, national unity, and economic development.

The communiqué was signed by Senator Seriake Dickson (Chairman), Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe (Secretary), Senator Barinada Mpigi, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator Neda Imasuen, Senator Munir Ned Nwoko, Senator Thomas Joel-Onowakpo, Senator Aniekan Bassey, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, and Senator Allwell Onyeso.

Others include Senator Ipalibo Banigo, Senator Benson Agadaga, Senator Konbowei Benson, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams, Senator Ekong Sampson, and Senator Ede Dafinone.

Dele Farotimi’s book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System,’ has become a bestseller on Amazon Books as the human rights advocate faces legal action over the publication.

The book is ranked 555 out of all books on the e-commerce website and is number one in elections.

The book also topped Amazon’s charts in general elections, political process, and political commentary and opinion.

Customer reviews rated the book 4.9 out of five stars.

Published on July 2, Farotimi examined how affluent Nigerians allegedly manipulated the country’s judicial system for their interests.

However, his description of the country’s legal landscape has become a subject matter in a law court.

On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned in a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti, the capital of Ekiti state, for allegedly “criminally defaming” Afe Babalola, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), named in the book.

The activist pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Samson Osun, the police prosecutor, asked the court to remand Farotimi pending further investigation.

Dayo Akeredolu, counsel to Farotimi, opposed the remand request and prayed the court to admit the activist on bail under liberal terms and self-recognition.

Akeredolu’s bail application was rejected.

Abayomi Adeosun, the magistrate, ruled that Farotimi be remanded in prison custody till December 10.

Hours after the legal proceedings, Roving Heights, a bookstore, announced that its website crashed.

The bookstore said the technical glitch was caused by “unusual traffic and a spike in demand for some titles”.