Latest News
President Bola Tinubu condemns the heinous incidents of abduction involving very vulnerable victims, internally displaced persons in Borno State, and students in Kaduna State.
The President directs security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims and ensure that justice is served against the perpetrators of these abominable acts.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale on Friday, 8th of March, 2024.
“I have received a briefing from security chiefs on the two incidents, and I am confident that the victims will be rescued.
“ Nothing else is acceptable to me and the waiting family members of these abducted citizens. Justice will be decisively administered,” President Tinubu says.
The President sympathises with the families of the victims, assuring them that they will soon be reunited with their loved ones.
Also read: VIDEO: Kaduna gov visits school, assures return of abductees
Recall that Suspected Boko Haram members had on Wednesday stormed an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Gamboru Ngala town in Borno State and abducted scores of the IDPs, most of whom are women.
Again on Thursday morning, bandits invaded the LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and kidnapped scores of pupils.
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday fixed 22 March for continuation of the money laundering trial of a former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose.
The trial judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, told the prosecutor for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs, to inform an ex-official of the EFCC who had earlier testified as a prosecution witness in the case, to appear for cross-examination on 22 March.
Mr Fayose is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd., on 11 counts of N6.9 billion fraud and money laundering.
When the case was called on Friday, Mr Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), appeared for the EFCC, while Messrs Ola Olanipekun, a SAN, and Olalekan Ojo, also a SAN, appeared for the first and second defendants, respectively.
Mr Jacobs told the court that his 13th witness, Aliyu Madaki, who is to be cross-examined by the defence, was held up in Jos, the Plateau State capital, and unable to attend court.
He also told the court that the witness was no longer an employee of the EFCC.
Mr Jacobs said the witness now resides in Nasarawa State.
The prosecution informed the court that the witness had pleaded for another chance to be present on 28 March, a date the court had already scheduled for continuation of trial in the case.
Mr Jacobs, however, said he had just discovered that the court would be on Easter vacation by then, and he consequently, prayed for a new date.
Meanwhile, the second defence counsel, Mr Ojo, expressed displeasure at the absence of the witness, on the grounds that it showed great disrespect to the court.
Mr Ojo insisted that whatever issues preventing the witness from attending court did not happen today and so the prosecutor could not have kept silent till today before informing the prosecuting counsel.
In support of this position, the first defence counsel, Mr Olanipekun, also expressed dissatisfaction on the grounds that the prosecutor ought to treat the matter with the importance it deserved and informed the prosecutor earlier.
Although the prosecutor insisted that a date in March would not be sufficient for him to ensure attendance of the witness, the judge told the prosecutor to inform the witness that it is an order from the court.
Consequently, the court fixed 22 March for cross examination, and ordered the prosecutor to produce his witness on that date.
The court also fixed further dates of 25 and 26 April 25 and April for continuation of trial.
Mr Fayose is being prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged N6.9 billion fraud and money laundering.
He was first arraigned on 22 October 2018, before the former trial judge, Mojisola Olatotegun.
He was arraigned alongside his company, Spotless Investment Ltd., on 11 counts of fraud and money laundering.
Mr Fayose pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was granted bail on 24 October 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum.
The defendants were re-arraigned before the new judge, Chukwujekwu Aneke, on 2 July 2019, after the case was withdrawn from Ms Olatoregun, following a petition by the EFCC.
Mr Fayose, again, pleaded not guilty before Aneke, who allowed him to continue on the bail granted him by Ms Olatoregun.
The EFCC has since opened its case before the new judge and has since been calling its witnesses.
According to the charges filed by the commission, Mr Fayose and one of his aides, Abiodun Agbele, on 17 June 2014, took unlawful possession of N1.2 billion for the purpose of funding his governorship election campaign in Ekiti State.
The commission alleged that the sum formed part of crime proceeds.
Mr Fayose is also alleged to have received a cash payment of $5 million from the then Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution.
The EFCC also alleged that the former governor retained N300 million in his bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which formed part of crime proceeds.
It added that Mr Fayose got De Privateer Ltd. and Still Earth Ltd. to retain aggregate sums of N851 million which formed part of crime proceeds.
The commission also accused Mr Fayose of using about N1.6 billion crime proceeds to acquire property in Lagos and Abuja.
The former governor also allegedly used N200 million crime proceeds to acquire a property in Abuja in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji.
The alleged offences, EFCC said, contravened sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d) and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011. (NAN)
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said the abductions of women and students in Borno and Kaduna States are clear manifestations of the failure of governance.
Reacting to the two kidnap incidents in an X post on Friday, the former vice president said the problem of insecurity in the country is getting worse by the day and has turned Nigeria into one of the most terrorized territories on earth.
Atiku said the All Progressives Congress-controlled federal government has failed woefully to provide the people with security, shelter, and other basic things expected of a responsive government.
He stated that the Bola Tinubu government has continued to play the ostrich while the nation is plagued by insecurity, adding that while the weak and vulnerable are neglected, the government is making empty rhetoric about reforms.
Atiku, therefore, sympathised with the victims and their families over the sad developments and urged the security agencies to save the innocent citizens from their captors.
He wrote: “The problem of insecurity in Nigeria is getting worse by the day. The media has been awash with terrifying news of banditry, kidnapping, and bloodletting that has turned our country into perhaps one of the most terrorized territories on earth.
“Within one week, there have been many reported cases of mass abduction of hapless citizens in the Northwest and Northeast regions of our country. In the early hours of Thursday, school children numbering over 280, together with their teachers, were abducted in Kunga, Kaduna State, by bandits riding on motorcycles, without any challenge by security agencies.
“Earlier in the week, it was reported that scores of women and children fetching firewood were abducted by gun-totting bandits suspected to be members of Boko Haram. It was also reported that over 200 people, mostly women and children, were abducted from the IDP camp in Ngala in Bornu State. The cases are endless, and the problem seems interminable.
“The APC-controlled government has failed woefully to give the people the basic things expected of a responsive government. It is a clear manifestation of the failure of governance. The government has continued to play the ostrich while the nation is plagued by insecurity.
“While the weak and vulnerable are neglected, the government is making empty rhetoric about reforms. And while our young men are abducted, killed, or conscripted into the army of the terrorists and our women and girls are ravished and subjected to different forms of gender-based violence, the authorities do nothing.
“This is in negation of the constitutionally guaranteed commitment that the security and welfare of citizens is the primary responsibility of government.
“I stand in solidarity with my fellow citizens and sympathise with the victims and their families. I urge the security agencies to rise up to the challenge and save innocent citizens from the horrors of banditry and terrorism.”
President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that things would soon turn around for their own good, in response to the present economic hardship in the country.
The President who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, made the statement on Thursday, at the State House in Abuja at the official Unveiling of the Nigeria For Women Programme.
He said the government is aware that Nigerians are complaining about hunger, adding that his administration is pushing out palliatives to cushion the effect of hunger, is also ready to implement a new minimum wage.
He said: “My administration is committed to Nigerian women and this is reflective in my policies. It gladdens my heart to stand before you and tell you the future of women in Nigeria looks very promising. Ministry of Women Affairs is working day and night, leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all your needs are met and exceeded, the Ministry has embarked on several notable projects.
“As a government, it is our duty to prioritize interest around the most vulnerable citizens which are women and children, so that we’ll put this behind us.
“The federal government actively working to ensure that programmes designed for Nigerian women are impactful and accessible to the intended beneficiaries, we are nit just committed to women in Abuja and other urban centres, the government is committed to all women particularly the most vulnerable who live in the rural areas.
“I am gladdened by the use of technology in dispensing sustainable development for our women. Sustainable agriculture, empowerment and technology is key in driving national prosperity.
“I am calling on all partners here to take a pledge today to support my administration and the Minister of Women Affairs. Today I want to officially unveil the Nigerian for Women programme. In a few days time, as we go into Ramadan, we should all rise up and pray for our country, let us pray for a more united Nigeria, let us pray for peace, let us pray for our President and the continuation of our Federation.
“Today we complain about hunger, we would be pushing out palliative so that the effects of hunger can be brought to a minimum. Ours is a very complex Federation, based on three tiers of governments, we have the federal, state and local governments and all of them have direct access to the Federation account. So winning together we can do a lot for our people. Today things are a little bit harsh, but this is not forever.
“Things would soon begin to change as more food is brought to the table of our citizens and as we prepare to implement a new minimum wage.”
The Minister of Women Affairs, Barr. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye explained that the programme intends to empower women in all states of the federation by providing them with machines to produce a lot of the things local women extert so much energy and time producing locally.
She said thee-market platform would be used to market the products of local women entrepreneurs all over the country for buyers and banks have already shown interest in assisting the women access their finances and payments digitally.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in his remarks, urged the government to look beyond Abuja when implementing programmes especially those that affect women.
He said, “Their is life beyond Abuja that we all come for the central position of governance, it is very important for all our people to feel governance. I would like to employ our women here, ably led by the Minister of Women Affairs, please do not let this thing be one off. Try as much as possible to leave your comfort zone to go and feel what people are feeling from time to time.
“We have a lot of political networks that you can actually connect to disperse these programmes that you want to actually give to our mothers, to the women of our dear country for them to continue to impact on how to instil morals in the society and how to better the lots in terms of empowerment.”
First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has asserted that individuals convicted of abducting young people should face capital punishment.
She made this statement in response to the recent reports of approximately 200 women being kidnapped in Borno State and over 280 pupils and teachers abducted in Kaduna State.
Additionally, she condemned the actions of the kidnappers, labeling them as coward and evil perpetrators.
Calling on the state governors, the First Lady urged them to find a solution to the situation and ensure that any abductor apprehended is subjected to capital punishment.
The First Lady said, “Whoever is kidnapping young people is sick, cruel, and a coward.
“Enough is enough and I call on the state governors that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishment.
“Why don’t they take people their size? Why are they torturing our children? What they are trying to do is kill our future.
“We all know parents, when we are old we rely on our children.
“Why would you go and take them from schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.
“They are animals, they are evil and we should take them out of our midst.
“The state governors and the lawmakers should do something.”
A former spokesperson for ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has called for legal action against those involved in the printing of N22.7 trillion ($50 billion) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) between 2015 to 2023, under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Akande described the situation as an “economic calamity” and demanded that those responsible “be made to answer in court”.
Akande was the chief spokesperson to Osinbajo, who was the vice president during the period the money was printed.
He expressed concern that the issue could be swept under the rug and urged the current government to take action beyond simply complaining.
Although Akande said the CBN granting Ways and Means to the Nigerian government was not necessarily bad, he said the scale at which it was done without a corresponding uptick in productivity in the country was “shocking”.
“We must ensure that this does not happen again…there must be consequences,” Akande said on Channels TV’s Sunrise on Thursday.
“Everyone that is involved in this calamity, which is an economic calamity,They must be made to answer in court. We dont want a situation where the case has died, it is going to repeat itself.”
He said while there fears about the “misbehaviour of the monetary institution” before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, he had no idea that “things were that terrible”.
“There was nobody in that administration that did not have an idea of how things were going…the shoddiness, the sloppiness, lack of patriotism,” Akande told Channels TV.
Akande’s statement came after Finance Minister Wale Edun linked the printed money to Nigeria’s current hyperinflation.
Edun blames the “eight years of just printing money not matched by productivity” for the economic woes.
The Senate had previously resolved to investigate N30 trillion ($66 billion) in Ways and Means funding spent by the Buhari administration.
It said the funds were mismanaged and contributed to the country’s food and security issues.
Edun confirmed plans to audit how the funds were expended and pledged to use revenue generated from a recent N7 trillion ($15 billion) bond issuance to repay the central bank and restore fiscal balance.
The Presidency has dismissed claims that President Bola Tinubu advised former President Muhammadu Buhari to print Naira in 2020.
A Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, described such a claim as erroneous.
Recall that a spokesman of the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, had claimed Tinubu advised Buhari to print Naira in 2020.
Ibe’s remark followed Minister of Finance, Wale Edun’s comment on the printing of N22.7 trillion under Buhari’s administration.
Edun had said the printing of N22.7 trillion by the Central Bank of Nigeria in the name of a Ways and Means loan under Buhari’s government and ex-CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele was responsible for the current rising inflation and economic hardship in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interface with the Senate Committee on Finance, the minister said the Ways and Means loans of N22.7 trillion under the past administration were done aimlessly.
He further stated that the alleged reckless spending of the overdraft collected from the CBN under Emefiele largely accounted for the country’s food and security crises.
The minister vowed that Tinubu’s government would audit the CBN printing in the last eight years.
Reacting, Onanuga recalled that Tinubu had clarified the issue when it was first reported.
Posting on X, Onanuga wrote: “President Tinubu did not advise the Buhari administration to print Naira, the way it was erroneously reported in 2020. He provided a clarification in Thisday of 30 March, 2020, a day after the false report came out.”
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, has encouraged Nigerians to maintain hope and patience with the present administration in the country, reassuring that positive changes are on the horizon.
Oyetola emphasized that the current socio-economic challenges resulting from the fuel subsidy removal are temporary and can be overcome. He expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s ability to lead Nigeria towards progress and prosperity.
Speaking on Thursday at the official inauguration of the newly-built ultra-modern Aragbiji palace in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, the Minister conveyed his message of hope and optimism to the Nigerian populace.
Oyetola who acknowledged the pocket of challenges confronting the nation, said “it is time for the citizens to rise to the occasion and begin to rally round the government in its resolve to reposition and transform the country.”
“In view of the concerted efforts to get over the current challenges, we need a lot of patience, I believe that our president will take us to where we desire. We need to continue to pray for him, for wisdom, good health and resources to continue to lead our country aright. I have no doubt that he will take us to promised land.”
Unveiling the state-of-the-art palace, Oyetola eulogized the sons and daughters of the ancient town for their unwavering commitment towards the actualization of the edifice.
He attributed the successful completion of the palace to the unity of purpose that exists among the indigenes of the town saying “it is a further fulfillment of our resolve as a progressive community to unleash infrastructure development on our community.
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated an 11-member committee to implement the recommendations outlined in the Oronsaye report.
The report, TRIBUNE ONLINE gathered, focuses on the reorganisation and streamlining of government bodies, agencies, and commissions.
According to Nairametrics, Tinubu was ably represented by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, during the ceremony.
Below are the names of the members of the committee:
The committee includes Sen. George Akume (SSG), Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan; and Hadiza Bala-Usman, who serves as the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
Others are Dr. Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reform; Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar-Gumel, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate); Hakeem Muri-Okunola, Principal Secretary to the President, Richard P. Pheelangwa, Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office, and Ibrahim Olarenwaju.
Ahead of the September 21 gubernatorial election in Edo, Olumide Akpata, the flag-bearer of the Labour Party (LP), has vowed to resist any attempt to rig the poll.
He gave this assurance during an interactive session with OBIdients on X space titled “Vawulence Space: One-on-one with Olumide Akpata” on Thursday.
“I will do all I can to protect the votes of the people in Edo,” he assured the audience.
The ex-NBA President promised to engage with stakeholders to ensure the safeguarding of votes during and after the poll.
He equally pledged to lead a government based on merit rather than nepotism.
He stated that his administration would prioritise a merit-based system and appoint qualified individuals to key positions for an effective and efficient government.
Recall Akpata was declared winner of the LP governorship primary election held in Benin City, Edo, garnering 316 votes in an overwhelming victory.
More...
A forensic expert and witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Bamaiyi Mairiga, has admitted that forensic examination was not carried out on the signature of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, who is being tried by the federal government over alleged $6.2 million fraud.
The witness made the admission under cross examination by Emefiele’s lawyer, Mr Mathew Burkaa (SAN).
Emefiele is standing trial for an alleged 20-count amended charge preferred against him by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF).
He was alleged to have engaged in criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain by false pretence and obtaining money by false pretence when he served as the apex bank’s boss.
Among the allegations was that the former CBN boss forged a document entitled: Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions dated January 26, 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201 and purportedly to have emanated from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (AGF).
During the court sitting on Thursday, the witness, who is the sixth to be called by the prosecution, presented report of the Forensic Document Examination (FDE) carried out on the signatures of former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) , Mr Boss Mustapha.
According to him, his forensic examination was limited to only Buhari and Mustapha.
He told the court he did not carry out the forensic examination of Emefiele’s signature because the EFCC did not submit it to him, adding that he did not know why the defendant is standing trial.
He also admitted that the request for the forensic document examination was made by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Earlier, Mairiga had informed the court that the signatures of Buhari and Mustapha were forged in two separate letters used to facilitate the withdrawal of $6.2 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness stated that he analysed documents carrying the “disputed signature” and the “specimen signature” in order to identify individual characteristics present or absent in each of the signatures.
He said, “Conclusion from the analysis revealed that the disputed document showed evidence of forgery and copying as the same movement in formation and the skill of execution were found to be different from that of the specimen signature.”
At the end of his evidence, Mairiga went ahead to tender the said documents used in the forensic analysis which were admitted by the court as exhibits.
Sources however wondered why Emefiele’s signature was not sent for forensic examination given that he was the first to raise an alarm after meeting with a special investigator, Mr Jim Obazee, that his signature had been forged.
The Cosmopolitan Women’s Cub of Lagos on The Occasion of The International Women’s Day 2024 Joins All Women of Every Strata in Nigeria and The World Over to Once Again Celebrate Ourselves.
It is good to thank God for the success thus far of the millions of women’s march for women’s rights as human rights.
However, it looks like no sooner have women seemed to have broken the glass ceiling than is it replaced by a tripled glazed glass barrier.
Poverty is rife and has sadly attained generational dimension and women are amongst the poorest of the poor.
Families are without the basic necessities of life and end up going to bed hungry.
Extremely high cost of living and inflation have reduced households to a status of indignity.
Disease and poverty have excluded large numbers of women and children from basic human needs of healthcare and housing.
Gender inequality impacts on empowerment of women in politics and decision-making positions thereby leading to exclusion.
So, as we reflect on the IWD theme inspire inclusion, let us resolve to act in unison to break down all barriers to women’s liberation.
Happy International Women’s Day.
Dame Marie Fatayi-Williams President Cosmopolitan Women’s Club, Lagos
The Central Bank of Nigeria says foreign portfolio inflow into Nigeria surged $2.3 billion in the first two months of 2024 compared to $3.9 billion recorded in 2023.
The Acting Director of Corporate Communications at CBN, Hakama Sidi Ali, disclosed this on Thursday.
She noted that foreign investors purchased more than $1 billion in Nigerian assets in February alone.
According to her, the surge in foreign investor’s interest in Nigeria has led to total portfolio flows reaching $2.3 billion in 2024.
Meanwhile, the apex bank said diaspora remittances surged by 443 per cent to $1.3 billion in February.
“Foreign investors purchased more than US$1 billion of Nigerian assets last month, with total portfolio flows of at least US$2.3 billion recorded thus far in 2024 compared to US$ 3.9 billion seen in total for last year,” she stated.
DAILY POST recalls that foreign investment portfolios in the fourth quarter of 2023 surged by 66.77 per cent to $1,060.73 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the preceding quarter.
Meanwhile, an economic think tank group, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, said the recently introduced expatriate employment levy will hurt FDI in Nigeria.
The House of Representatives, on Thursday, charged the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to recover all taxes totalling over N5.19 trillion owed to the Federal Government by ministries, departments and agencies.
The development comes after the adoption of a motion by the member representing Oredo Federal Constituency of Edo State, Esosa Iyawe.
He said, “Audit reports from 2015 to 2019 revealed government agencies owing hundreds of billions in FIRS taxes, comprising underpayments and under-recoveries and over 5,000 companies and MDAs of the Federal Government owing N5.2 trillion in withholding taxes.”
Iyawe further argued that under-remittance and non-remittance of tax deprived the country of much-needed revenue.
He said, “The effect could be crippling on the country’s already dwindling economy.”
He contended that small-scale businesses in Nigeria were frustrated by multiple taxations by the FIRS “while states and local government authorities, multinational companies and other corporate organisations are getting the kid-glove treatment.
“To ensure that all debts in taxes owed to the federal government are duly recovered and reported back within four weeks for further legislative action.”
The N28.7 trillion 2024 Budget signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has a deficit of N9.18 trillion.
Meanwhile, FIRS generated N12. 37 trillion as tax revenue in 2023.