The Cross River State Government has dismantled no fewer than 50 illegal revenue points in parts of the state.

This follows a monitoring and inspection exercise led by Special Adviser to the Governor on Tolls Collection, Mr Bassey Ita Edet, in the northern part of the State.

Findings indicated that unauthorised persons allegedly use the 50 revenue points to extort money from commuters on the roads within the State. 

Edet told journalists that they are poised to clamp down on the menace of illegal checkpoints and tolls, which is the reason a massive crackdown on such collections has begun.

He stressed that the end to all illegal tolls and checkpoints was in line with the mandate of Governor Bassey Otu’s “People’s First.”

He said the team is given the mandate to enforce, inspect, and monitor all approved checkpoints and toll collection to ensure compliance and due process.

Edet warned those that have constituted themselves as hindrances to the government’s effort to stem illegal collection of taxes, rates, and assessments as a way of creating an enabling environment for commercial users of the roads, saying his team will not condone such any further.

Further findings confirmed that vehicles carrying goods are subjected to paying N27,000, and failure to comply results in impounding ‘offending’ vehicles.

Victims of road harassment by touts alleged that they used military men to enforce the extortions.

A driver, Etom Daniel, who plies the Cross River North routes, lamented other road taxes in other parts of the state.

“This is one of the major reasons for the increment in the costs of food items and farm produce cultivated in Cross River State.

“Some persons who have no idea about public administration are trying to tarnish the governor’s name.

“I am the Governor may not be aware of all these harassment, wickedness and extortions perpetuated by those they’ve given sub-heads,” he said.

In April, it appeared any club between Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool could emerge champions.

But Jurgen Klopp’s men fell off, thanks to a run of poor results, ensuring the German will leave with just one Premier League title after nine years.

It is a real credit to the Reds that they managed to insert themselves in the conversation, as many observers expected City and the Gunners to slug it out again this season.

Arsenal have especially performed supremely well.

“I think they’ve been excellent,” Clinton McDubus, a top football analyst and podcaster, tells DAILY POST.

“Many had doubts whether they would sustain the level of 22/23, and they’ve proven now that this team is here to stay and be a contender year after year.

“More importantly, they didn’t collapse in the run-in like the previous year and bounced back from various setbacks.

“Very impressive season, perhaps even more impressive than last year. Looks like they’ve gone up a level.”

As it stands, Mikel Arteta is set to finish as a bridesmaid behind his former boss and mentor, Pep Guardiola, for the second consecutive year.

But a lot of observers feel Arsenal will win it in a year or two.

“No. The only thing definite is the level they’ve shown to this point.

“They’re a genuinely good side so expectations will certainly rise, and they will go into the season fully expected to be contenders, and with the accompanying pressure.

“Anything less than that will bring scrutiny or be interpreted as regression. Man City will still be coming in as favourites and the team to beat.

“Those are the only guarantees. Football is cruel like that.

“Because every season is unique in itself, past performance and even obvious growth cannot guarantee a team going from 2nd to 1st the next year. That’s football for you.

“Arsenal will definitely be an interesting team to observe next season though. It remains to be seen how they’ll react if they miss out on the title narrowly for a second year in a row.”

It was not straightforward for City.

Although they began the season in formidable fashion, they fell off just before Christmas, with draws against Chelsea and Liverpool, before losing to Aston Villa at Villa Park.

However, in typical fashion, they have steamrolled their way to the business end of the season.

“I think it’s been a weird one, by their standards,” Solace Chukwu, Site coordinator, AfrikFoot NG tells DAILY POST.

“A comedown was inevitable following a treble and the loss of Ilkay Gundogan.

However, without Kevin de Bruyne for much of the season, this has been a very functional version of Manchester City.

“There has been less subtlety and more of a reliance on physical and athletic domination to win matches.

“But winning is a self-perpetuating habit, and no team has won as much as Manchester City in the last 5-7 years.

“They’ve found a way, and are on the cusp of success despite not being a vintage version of themselves.”

Perhaps the darker stain on City’s potential title win is the 115 charges hanging over their head.

“Impossible to not have that at the back of the mind when evaluating City, although that applies to the entirety of the project as opposed to this particular season,” Chukwu added.

“The allegations against them relate directly to the expense they incurred laying the foundation for their dominance.

“And, by not cooperating, City are essentially delaying justice for as long as possible, while building their myth in the meantime.

“By the time justice finally arrives, it won’t matter as much in the public consciousness anymore.

“It’s a calculated, if unethical, gamble.”

Junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans to form a confederation after turning their backs on former colonial ruler France to seek closer ties with Russia.

Their foreign ministers met Friday in Niger’s capital Niamey to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). 

“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)”, said Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare as he read the final statement late Friday. 

He said the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a summit, without specifying the date. 

“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born,” Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said after meeting General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Nigerien military regime.

The third foreign minister at the meeting was Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.

The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which they accused France of not being able to curb.

The three countries said late January they were quitting The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they said was under French influence, to create their own regional grouping.

A prosecution witness, Victor Onyejiuwa, on Friday, told the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja that the alleged $600,000 he was asked to pay for the contract he executed for the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was paid to the  former apex bank Director of Information Technology, John Ayoh and not to the embattled ex-CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Onyejiuwa who is the Managing Director of Resource Computer Limited, stated this while being cross examined by Emefiele’s lawyer , Mr Olalekan Ojo, SAN.

The witness who stated that  all his communication with Ayoh was done via Whatsapp, noted that first bribe payment he made to Ayoh was $400,000, in Lagos and the second payment of $200,000 was made in Abuja.

Onyejiuwa also stated that he didn’t get any letter of authorization from the CBN management that he should pay bribe for the contract that was awarded to his company but that it was Ayoh that signed the award of the contract and the completion.

He however noted that after Ayoh left the CBN, he still did other contacts with CBN till 2019 when  Emefiele was still in charge and that he was paid in due time and no bribe was demanded from him.

“I have never met him (Emefiele) before. My dealings with the CBN management was through Ayoh.

” I did a new contract with CBN and no bribe was demanded and the payment for the contract was paid in due time

” I executed the contract while Godwin Emefiele was still the CBN governor,” the witness said.

Asked whether he had any conversation with any of the CBN deputy governors, to find out  if Ayoh had the authority to collect the $600,000 bribe he answered in the negative.” No, I did not”. 

When asked if Ayoh showed him any communication between himself (Ayoh) and Emefiele about the delivery of the money, he said no.

The witness was also asked if he showed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC a letter demanding for bribe, he said no.

Asked who the money was delivered to he said it was delivered to Ayoh, in his office and after the payment was made it was an official of the IT department that signed.

The embattled Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, are currently facing trial on 26 counts, bordering on abuse of office alleged $4.5bn and N2.8bn fraud.

The former CBN governor and Omoile pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Onyejiuwa on the last adjourned date in his examination in chief had told Justice Rahman Oshodi, that

he was pressured to pay $600,000 before he was paid for a contract.

According to him, sometime in 2017, he got an ‘enterprise storage and servers’ from the CBN and after executing the job, he was approached by a senior official who told him that his payment would not be approved if he did not pay certain sums.

“The official said there was pressure on him. I told him that our payment was being delayed. He told me that if I didn’t accede to his request, my payment would not be approved.

“After several back and forth, I succumbed to his pressure. I was able to organise the sum of $400,000 and $200,000 to facilitate payment of the contract funds.

“Within two or three weeks after, the payment was made. That is what happened,” the witness said.

However the case was adjourned till July 9, 10, for continuation of trial.

Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the 2023 election, has hinted at the possibility of supporting his Labour Party counterpart in the last election, Peter Obi in 2027.

The former Vice President, who is currently on a merger talk with stakeholders of some opposition political parties, said he will not hesitate to support Obi in the next election if the party picks the former Anambra governor.

According to The Sun, Atiku gave the hint in an interview with BBC Hausa Service.

Recall that Obi and Atiku recently met behind closed doors, sparking speculations about a merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Confirming the move by opposition parties to align in a bid to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2027 election, Atiku said, “We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible and nothing can stop it if we so wish to achieve that.

Atiku said if the new “party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it.

“As long as it is the decision of the party, I will abide by it. But I contested the 2023 presidential ticket because it was thrown open to all members of the party”.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi said the biggest problem of Nigeria’s democracy is the judiciary and not the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Obi stated this at the fifth memorial of late Justice Anthony Aniagolu at the Godfrey Okoye University in Enugu.

According to the former Anambra governor, justice in Nigeria “goes to the highest bidder” and has become “commodified.”

He said, “While the judiciary, today, still boasts of a few outstanding judges, there is an undeniable decline in our judicial system.

“This decline poses a significant threat to the future of Nigeria. Justice is increasingly commodified, and delivered in favour of the highest bidder.

“Whenever democracy is discussed, fingers point to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the problem. But INEC is not the problem, instead, the judiciary is. The judiciary is the biggest threat to Nigeria. If our judiciary is effective, our businesses will thrive.

“When the rule of law is compromised, the most vulnerable members of society are disproportionately affected, and the fabric of our society begins to fray. The integrity of our institutions, the protection of human rights, and the stability of our nation are all jeopardised.

“The rule of law is the highest intangible and most valuable asset of any society, and we must work tirelessly to protect and preserve it. We must prioritise the pursuit of justice above all else.

“I emphasised the urgent need to revitalise our judicial system by safeguarding its independence and promoting the values of character, competence, capability, compassion, and integrity among our jurists, as well as within our political leadership.

“By doing so, we can ensure justice and fairness prevail as we endeavour to build a better Nigeria for all.

“Nigeria has become a country where anything goes. There is no rule of law, there is almost no judiciary. Everybody could be pushed down because there is no rule of law.

“Because the judiciary has become commercialised and depends on how much one pays, it has become difficult to get true justice in the judiciary.

“At any point in time where the judiciary is not working, the society suffers.”

Dangote Refinery is set to buy at least 24 million barrels of US crude over the next year as it ramps up its processing capabilities.

A report by Bloomberg revealed that the $20 billion refinery has issued a term tender for the purchase of 2 million barrels a month of West Texas Intermediate Midland (WTI) crude for 12 months starting in July, which amounts to 24 million barrels of crude in one year.

The call for US oil reflects Nigeria’s struggle to lift its own crude production, which remains well below theoretical capacity, as well as Dangote’s willingness to tap cheaper supplies than it can find at home. It also highlights how influential the refinery will be in global crude and fuel trading. 

Elitsa Georgieva, Executive Director at Citac, an energy consultancy specializing in the African downstream sector, said: “Supply of Nigerian crude is insufficient or unavailable and sometimes unreliable. WTI on the other hand, is available, with reliable supply and competitively priced.

“Buying different feed stocks also provides flexibility and optionality for the refinery, so the tender makes economic sense for Dangote,”

Nigeria has not been able to meet its Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) + quota for at least a year. The nation pumped about 1.45 million barrels a day of crude and liquids in April, still far below its estimated production capacity of 2.6 million barrels a day.

Crude theft, aging oil pipelines, low investment, and divestments from oil majors operating in the country have all contributed to declining production.

To ensure enough local supply to the 650,000 barrel-a-day refinery, Nigeria’s upstream regulator, the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), released new draft rules last month that will compel its oil producers to sell crude to domestic refineries. NUPRC mandated all oil companies in Nigeria to supply crude to domestic refineries that are unable to procure it locally. 

Producers are allowed to export crude only after meeting these domestic supply obligations. 

Under the new rules, NUPRC will act as an intermediary between local refiners and producers when agreements on crude supply are not reached, facilitating a sales purchase agreement using a willing-buyer, willing-seller model.

This new policy could benefit Dangote refinery by enabling it to procure crude oil from local suppliers rather than depending on imports. The plant, currently running at about half capacity, is taking advantage of cheaper US oil imports for as much as a third of its feedstock. Since the start of this year, it has received at least one supertanker carrying about 2 million barrels of WTI Midland each month.

An official at Dangote declined to comment on the report, Bloomberg stated.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, has revealed details of the contract given to new Super Eagles coach Finidi George.

Recall that Finidi was appointed as coach of the Super Eagles on April 19, and was unveiled by the board of the NFF at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium on Monday in Abuja.

Gusau refuted claims making the rounds that the federation only committed the new Super Eagles head coach to a one-year deal.

“I don’t know where the one-year contract information emanated from, all I know is that, as far as our contract with Finidi is concerned, he is going to be in charge of the team till the end of 2026,” Gusau said on Soccer Africa, a popular TV show in South Africa.

“So I don’t think 2026 is going to be a one-year contract.

“The key thing is, in every contract, there must be some indices and some targets that you must put in place for somebody in other for him to get optimal performance.

“And the first target is to qualify the team for next year’s Nations Cup and to get to at least the semi finals of the Nations Cup, as well as qualify the team to the World Cup and to get us the target of playing in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

“So these are the main targets we put in place for him in the contract, and by the grace of God, we are working hard to see how we can achieve that,” he added.

Speaking further, Gusau also stated that the federation didn’t force George to choose his assistants.

During the unveiling, the NFF also introduced the assistants who will support George: Daniel Amokachi, Benjamin James, Olatunji Baruwa, Chima Onyeike, and Mehmet Ozturk.

“I am very happy when we unveiled Finidi to Nigeria. The NFF Technical Director put all the names on the list, and they chose the best they felt would work. All the names you saw as assistants to Finidi were chosen by him,” Gusau said.

The Super Eagles will host South Africa in their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, June 7th.

The three-time African champions will travel to face Benin at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan three days later.

The federal government has asked labour leaders and other stakeholders to return to the negotiating table and continue discussions on the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

Naija News understands the Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, Bukar Goni, sent a letter of invitation to labour leaders dated May 16, 2024 for a meeting on Tuesday, 21st May.

This development comes barely 24 hours after the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) stormed out of a meeting of the minimum wage negotiation committee on Wednesday over what they termed a ridiculous offer from the government.

It would be recalled that the government offered ₦48,000 as the new minimum wage while the Organized Private Sector (OPS), proposed N54,000 during the meeting while the labour maintained its stand on a ₦615,000 minimum wage for workers.

In a statement released after the meeting, the labour leaders expressed disappointment, saying the federal government has shown its unseriousness with the amount it proposed.

They described the ₦48,000 proposed new minimum wage by the federal government as an insult to the sensibility of Nigerian workers.

However, according to Punch, there are indications the government may review its proposal upward during the fresh meeting.

The tripartite committee chairman, in his letter, is understood to have indicated the willingness of the government to shift grounds on its ₦48,000 offer.

The letter was titled, ‘Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage: Negotiation.’