News

Binance: My Husband Needs Surgery, May Not Walk Again - Gambaryan’s Wife Cries out

AFOLABI

Yuki Gambaryan, wife of the Binance Executive detained in Nigeria, Tigran Gambaryan, on Monday, raised the alarm over the state of her husband’s health, which according to her has continued to deteriorate in custody.

Gambaryan was one of two Binance executives arrested on arrival in the country on February 26, 2024, after being accused of money laundering through their platform.

The Federal Government also accused Binance of tax evasion, operating without licence and regulatory compliance.

Gambaryan’s colleague, Nadeem Anjarwalla, the regional manager for Binance in Africa on March 24, escaped from custody using a smuggled passport.

In a statement on Monday, Yuki Gambaryan said her husband’s health has continued to get worse as he is unable to access proper medical care, adding that he might require surgery or risk not walking again.

Gambaryan collapsed in court on May 23, 2024, leading to an order by the court for a medical checkup to determine the true state of his health.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja had on July 16, 2024 issued a bench warrant on the medical doctor at the Kuje Correctional facility, to appear before him to provide Gambaryan’s records after his counsel, Mark Mordi, said his test results were still being withheld despite court directive.

Yuki in her statement released by Binance spokesperson, Monique Thompson, said her husband has failed to improve adding that he faces risk if his health is not given special attention.

She said her husband who used to be very strong was wheeled into the court room and little or nothing has been done to ensure he returned to perfect health.

Yuki said Gambaryan has a herniated disc that has continued to worsen and runs a risk of not being able to walk again as a result of it.

The Court had ordered a 24-hour medical checkup for him, but Yuki claims his lawyers were denied access to him since July 26.

However, according to Yuki, her husband’s legal team has been denied access to him at Kuje prison since July 26.

“My husband Tigran left our home for a work trip almost six months ago, and I have no idea when he will be back. Now his health is in a shockingly bad condition and getting worse by the day.

“The herniated disc in his back has worsened to the point where it might leave permanent damage and affect his ability to walk.

“My once fit and healthy husband, who loves working out, is now wheelchair-bound due to a treatable condition that has not been properly addressed.

“He needs highly specialised and risky surgery, it is terrifying. Additionally, an ENT doctor examined him last week and determined he also needs surgery to remove his tonsils due to the recurring infections he is suffering in detention.”

Gambaryan’s legal battle with the Federal government continues on October 11, 2024 as the company is accused of concealing the origin of their alleged unlawful financial proceeds, totaling $35,400,000.

This, the government claimed, is contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

We Are Ready To Defend Our Decision On Otudeko’s Shares In Court - First Bank

AFOLABI

First Bank Nigeria Holdings Plc has confirmed that it is in court with Oba Otudeko’s Barbican Capital Limited after Barbican received notification that showed that FBN Holdings sought to reduce its 5,386,397,202 total shareholding in the bank by 40 per cent.

The bank said on Tuesday in a statement that it will defend its position in court.

The misunderstanding began when FBN Holdings in its December 2023 audited accounts released in May, 2024 slashed Barbican’s shareholding in the bank to 3.1 billion (3,110,400,619) or 8.67 per cent of the lender’s total shares from the earlier reported 4.8 billion (4,886,062,743).

Prior to the report, Barbican controlled 13.61 per cent of the shares based on the December 2023 unaudited accounts released in February.

FBNH attached to the audited accounts a note that said the 3.1 billion shares represent the total that had been “verified” by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

But the aggrieved Barbican Capital filed a lawsuit against FBN Holdings, and attached a statement from the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) as evidence of its total shares ownership.

Based on the Barbican statement from CSCS as of May 23, 2024, the company owned 5,386,397,202 shares (15.01 per cent) while It held 4.8 billion (4,886,062,743) shares or 13.61 percent as at December 2023.

Reacting On Tuesday, FBNH said it was aware of the matter, adding that it has engaged its solicitor to defend the bank’s position.

It said, “The attention of FBN Holdings Plc (the Company) has been drawn to recent media reports regarding the suit filed by Barbican Capital Limited (the Plaintiff). The Company is aware of this suit, and we have duly instructed our Solicitors to defend the interest of the Company accordingly.

“The matter is presently in a Court of law, and it will be subjudice to join issues with the Plaintiff outside the Court. We confirm that the necessary papers have been filed and by virtue of a Third-Party Notice, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been joined as a Party to the suit for effective determination of questions and issues raised by the Plaintiff.

“The matter is presently adjourned to October 2, 2024, for hearing of the suit. We assure our numerous stakeholders of the Company’s commitment to the highest levels of corporate governance standards in defending the matter.”

CNG Vehicle Conversion Centres To Be Opened In 20 States By October - FG

AFOLABI

The Program Director and Chief Executive, Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG), Michael Oluwagbemi has said that centres to convert vehicles to run on Compressed Natura Gas (CNG) will be extended to 20 states by October.

Oluwagbemi disclosed this during an interview monitored by THE WHISTLER.

Oluwagbemi said, “Conversion has started. Under our own program, we’ve activated a conversion site in seven states, and additional states will be added. The seven states are Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, FCT, Nassarawa, Niger, and Kaduna States.

“And those states are, of course, being increased every day. We expect that before the end of September, we should be in at least 15 states, and before the end of October, we should be in about 20.”

The Presidential CNG Initiative (Pi-CNG) was inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to provide succour to the Nigerians occasioned by the transitive hardships of the fuel subsidy removal policy of the government.

The price of Premium Motor Spirit has jumped to nearly N700 per litre and in some states about N900 per litre, a development that has elevated Nigeria’s inflation and hardship.

The Program Director said, “So we are expanding our footprint every day. So far, we have over 50 conversion centres signed up under that initiative, which is the conversion incentive program. The president announced that they will allow a million conversion vehicles to be able to get converted for free or almost at a heavy discount.

“In Nigeria today, we have about 10,000 vehicles running on CNG, and it’s increasing every minute. It’s a drop in the ocean, but it’s a lot better than where we were this time last year.

“It takes time. We do not have sufficient conversion centers. We only had seven of them when we launched this program in November of last year.”

He explained that each conversion centre will be able to do two conversions every day.

According to Oluwagbemi, the government is also organizing training for technicians.

He said, “And we also have to proceed to make sure that we ensure those vehicles when they are properly done so you need to make sure you We are also building technical capacity, we are training technicians, we did the signing with the Ministry of Labor working with Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) under the Ministry of Transport and we are doing MS training across the country for 500 technicians and we are going to do more.”

Dangote Refinery Insists Petrol Will Hit Local Market In August

AFOLABI

Dangote Refinery has insisted that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, refined at the refinery, will hit the market by August.

The company’s Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES in an interview on Monday.

The response came amid concerns over the earlier announcement that the refinery would commence domestic supply by mid-August.

When asked why the refinery is yet to commence domestic supply at its stipulated date of 12 August, Mr Chiejina said, “We said August, and today is 12 August. Just wait; this is August.”

Over the months, the company had set dates for its domestic petrol supply, but the timelines were unmet.

In June, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said petrol, refined at the refinery, will hit the market in July.

Mr Dangote, who disclosed this when he received a Senate delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on a tour of the facility, explained that the date change was because of a delay that prompted the shift from the initially proposed date of June to mid-July.

“We had a bit of delay, but PMS will start coming out by 10 to 15 of July. But then, we want to keep it in the tank to make sure that it settles. So by the third week of July, we’ll be able to come out to take it into the market,” Mr Dangote said at the time.

Again, in July, Mr Dangote said petrol production in the refinery was disrupted because of the fire incident at the refinery.

“PMS was supposed to be out by July, but we had a fire incident. The incident disrupted us for a few days, but latest 10 or 12 of August, PMS will be ready,” Mr Dangote said while addressing journalists at the refinery at the time.

The refinery

The 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery commenced diesel and aviation fuel production in January.

Announcing the commencement of production, the company said the refinery had received six million barrels of crude oil at its two SPMs 25 kilometres from the shore.

The first crude delivery was done on 12 December 2023, and the sixth cargo was delivered on 8 January.

The company made a further move towards the commencement of the production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd).

The company commenced supplying petroleum products to the local market in April.

Background

In recent months, the Dangote Group and the petroleum regulators in Nigeria have been at loggerheads over the control of the petroleum downstream market.

In June, the Dangote Group accused some international oil companies of sabotaging the plant’s operations by refusing to supply crude or offering oil at higher premiums than market prices.

It also clashed with the regulators of the Nigerian energy industry, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, which claimed diesel from the refiner has sulphur content levels above the allowed threshold. The regulators also accused Dangote of seeking to be a monopoly.

In refuting the allegation, Mr Dangote took lawmakers visiting the refinery to a laboratory within the plant, where diesel from the refinery was tested alongside two different imported samples.

The results showed that the refinery’s diesel sample had much lower sulphur than the imported ones.

Last month, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) directed NNPC Ltd to engage the Dangote refinery and other local refineries to resolve the dispute over the sale of crude oil to them.

The FEC, presided over by President Bola Tinubu, also directed that such crude oil sales to the refineries be made in naira and that the refineries located in Nigeria should also sell their refined products to the Nigerian market in naira.

Japa: Tinubu approves policy to retain health workers in Nigeria

AFOLABI

President Bola Tinubu has approved a new national policy in curbing health workforce migration.

In a statement on Monday, Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the policy is a comprehensive strategy to manage, harness, and reverse health workers’ migration.

The minister added that the policy will also encourage the return of professionals to Nigeria through attractive incentives and reintegrate them into the nation’s health system.

“This approach leverages the expertise of our diaspora to bridge gaps within the health sector,” the statement reads.

“Also, the policy champions reciprocal agreements with other nations to ensure that the exchange of health workers benefits Nigeria.

“These bilateral and multilateral agreements are designed to protect national interests while respecting the rights and aspirations of our healthcare professionals.

“We call on recipient countries to implement a 1:1 match — training one worker to replace every publicly trained Nigerian worker they receive.”

The minister said the policy recognises the importance of work-life balance and has included provisions for routine health checks, mental well-being support, and reasonable working hours, especially for younger doctors.

“These measures aim to create a supportive work environment, reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction,” Pate said.

“The governance of this policy will be overseen by the National Human Resources for Health Program (#NHRHP) within @Fmohnigeria, in collaboration with state governments. This ensures responsible implementation and alignment with broader sector-wide (#SWAp) health objectives.

DSS, Immigration Place Ex-El-Rufai Adviser Lawal on Watch-list Over Alleged N11bn Project Scandal

AFOLABI

DSS, Immigration Place Ex-El-Rufai Adviser Lawal on Watch-list Over Alleged N11bn Project Scandal | #Politicsnigeria

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has summoned a former Special Adviser to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Jimi Lawal, over an alleged phoney Light Rail Project valued at N11 billion.

Lawal was invited for questioning but failed to appear, prompting the ICPC to request the Department of State Service (DSS) and Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to place him on a watch-list at airports, seaports, and land borders.

A copy of the letter to DSS and NIS reads: “The above mentioned person (Lawal Shakiru Olujimi Adebisi), who hails from Ogun State and speaks Yoruba and English fluently, is being investigated for the offence of criminal conspiracy.

“Credible information at the commission’s disposal suggests that the suspect, who is under investigation, is most likely to flee the country to evade being prosecuted.

“You are therefore, kindly requested to place him on the watch-list and arrest him if seen in any of the airports, seaports or land border and inform this commission accordingly.”

The ICPC is investigating Lawal for alleged criminal conspiracy and loans obtained without due process.

The commission discovered N144 million in his bank account from four private companies.

Twenty top officials and a company’s Managing Director have also been invited for questioning over $350 million loans meant for school rehabilitation and infrastructure projects.

The ICPC’s probe is part of an ongoing investigation into the administration of El-Rufai.

Recall that the Kaduna House of Assembly’s ad-Hoc Committee in June alleged that N423 billion was siphoned from the state government’s coffers between 2015 and 2023, and $1.4 million was withdrawn from the Kaduna State Economic Transformation Account.

El-Rufai has denied all allegations, claiming he was not given a fair hearing by the House of Assembly.

Jonathan, Buhari attend Council of State meeting in Aso Rock

AFOLABI

FORMER Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari are physically attending the inaugural Council of State meeting under the administration of President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

But two former Heads of State, Generals Yakubu Gowon (retd) and Abdulsalami Abubakar, joined the meeting virtually alongside the governors of Abia, Adamawa and Akwa Ibom States.

The council comprises of president as chairman and vice president as deputy chairman, all living former Heads of State and Presidents, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors and the Attorney-General of the Federation as members.

The Council of State is an organ of the federal government saddled with the responsibility of advising the executive on policymaking.

The meeting which began at 12:35 pm, is expected to address pressing national issues, including food security, national security, and economic policies.

The last Council of State meeting was held on February 10, 2023, under former President Buhari.

Iran rejects Western calls to stand down Israel threat

Admin

Iran on Tuesday rejected Western calls to stand down its threat to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month.

The Islamic Republic and its allies have blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s killing on July 31 during a visit to the Iranian capital for the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel has not commented.

Iran has vowed to avenge the death, which came hours after an Israeli strike in Beirut killed a senior commander of Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

Western diplomats have scrambled to avert a major conflagration in the Middle East, where tensions were already high due to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

In a statement on Monday, the United States and its European allies urged Iran to de-escalate.

“We called on Iran to stand down its ongoing threats of a military attack against Israel and discussed the serious consequences for regional security should such an attack take place,” said the joint statement from Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the United States.

The White House warned that a “significant set of attacks” by Iran and its allies was possible as soon as this week, saying Israel shared the same assessment.

The United States has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group and a guided missile submarine to the region in support of Israel.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani criticised the Western call for it to de-escalate.

“The declaration by France, Germany and Britain, which raised no objection to the international crimes of the Zionist regime, brazenly asks Iran to take no deterrent action against a regime which has violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said in a statement.

“Such a request lacks political logic, flies in the face of the principles and rules of international law, and constitutes public and practical support” for Israel.

•⁠ ⁠Call for ‘unfettered’ aid –

The United States and its European allies also called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with difficult talks set for Thursday on halting the conflict.

They also called for the “unfettered” delivery of aid to devastated Gaza.

The Gaza war began with Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of 1,198 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Militants also seized 251 people, 111 of whom are still held captive in Gaza, including 39 the military says are dead.

Israel’s retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 39,897 people, according to a toll from the territory’s health ministry, which does not provide a breakdown of civilian and militant deaths.

International mediators have invited Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations this week on a ceasefire and hostage release deal, an invitation Israel has accepted.

Hamas has urged mediators to implement a truce plan earlier presented by US President Joe Biden instead of holding more talks.

Analyst Esfandyar Batmanghelidj said Iran was considering how to retaliate against Israel without derailing the ceasefire talks.

“The renewed push for a ceasefire offers Iran a way out of this escalatory cycle,” Batmanghelidj, CEO of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation think-tank, told AFP.

“Iranian officials still feel obliged to hit back at Israel, but they must do so in a way that doesn’t derail the prospects for a ceasefire summit.”

•⁠ ⁠West Bank violence –

Pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza has grown since civil defence rescuers in the Hamas-run territory said an Israeli air strike on Saturday killed 93 people at a school housing displaced Palestinians.

Israel said it targeted militants operating out of the school and mosque.

In the latest Gaza violence, Palestinian fighters clashed overnight with the Israeli army near Netzarim, south of Gaza City, an AFP correspondent reported.

Paramedics said one person was killed and others were wounded in Israeli bombing of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. They were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Deir el-Balah.

In the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man near the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, on Monday.

The Ramallah-based health ministry identified him as Tariq Ziad Abdul Rahim Daoud. The Israeli army said the alleged attacker had fired at an Israeli civilian in Qalqilya.

Hamas later issued a statement mourning the death of Tariq Daoud, saying he was a member of its armed wing.

A Palestinian prisoners watchdog said on Tuesday that the 18-year-old had been released on November 25 during a one-week truce that saw scores of Palestinians freed from Israeli jails in exchange for Israeli hostages held in Gaza since October 7.

AFP

Many African countries now procure arms from Nigeria, says Matawalle

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Bello Matawalle, minister of state for defence, says many African countries now purchase arms and ammunition from the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).

Matawalle spoke on Monday in Abuja during the 60th anniversary of DICON and launch of the maiden Africa defence industries conference.

In November, President Bola Tinubu assented to the DICON Bill, 2023.

DICON was founded in 1964 to enhance national security by reducing dependence on foreign arms.

Matawalle said despite industry challenges, DICON is committed to independence and has the capacity to produce military vehicles and artilleries.

“DICON’s journey began with a modest start, focusing on the production of small arms and ammunition,” he said.

“Over the years, DICON has expanded its capabilities, venturing into the manufacture of military vehicles, artillery, and other defence equipment.

“Despite facing challenges, DICON persevered, driven by its commitment to self-reliance and national security.

“DICON’s 60-year journey is a testament to Nigeria’s commitment to self-reliance in defence production.

“But we assure you that we have the capacity, we can produce, and as you know, many countries, many African countries now are coming to DICON for the procurement of arms and ammunition.”

Ibrahim Kana, permanent secretary in the ministry of defence, said it is now compulsory for all security agencies to procure their arms and ammunition from DICON.

Kana said in the next two years, Nigeria will no longer import certain types of ammunition.

“I can assure each and every one of us, in the next two years, Nigeria will not buy 7.62mm calibre ammunition again,” he said.

“The Public Procurement Act also supports local production, not only military-industrial companies but any goods that are produced in Nigeria.

“All procuring entities in the country have been mandated to put it as a first line before importation.

“The law now makes it mandatory for us in the ministry of defence, the national security advisers office, ministry of interior, police affairs and all other security organisations in Nigeria… if you are procuring any arms or ammunitions using government funds, you have no rights to go and procure abroad unless we did not have any money in Nigeria.”

[TheCable]

NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE…Policy Change Threatens HND Graduates’ Participation

AFOLABI

Some graduates of Higher National Diploma (HND) academic programmes across the country are at the risk of exclusion from the national service due to the National Youth Service Corps’ (NYSC) latest policy of demanding Industrial Training (IT) certification for those seeking to fulfil their national service obligations.

NYSC, on its official Facebook handle, announced that HND graduates must provide evidence of completing their one-year mandatory IT certificate before being registered in their respective camps.

It stated, “Graduates of Higher National Diploma (HND) are to provide evidence of completion of their one-year Industrial Training in addition to ND and HND Certificates/Statement of Results.”

With this mandate, polytechnic and mono-technic graduates mobilised for Batch B stream II without evidence of the mandatory one-year industrial training will miss out on the national service.

The policy shift means that without a valid IT certificate, HND graduates cannot proceed with registration in the camp. Thus, many graduates now face the task of securing proof of their internship experience and risk missing participation in the next orientation camp, scheduled for August 28, 2024.

LEADERSHIP reports that the one-year mandatory IT programme is a prerequisite for admission to the HND programme, as stated in the law.

According to the law, graduates of polytechnics and monotechnics must undergo the one-year IT with evidence of completion before applying for a HND academic programme, and institutions must confirm this before admitting them.

Unfortunately, our correspondent gathered that most of these HND awarding institutions do not confirm the IT-compliance before admitting students, thus graduating thousands of students who now face hurdles to participate in national service after being mobilised by the NYSC.

Our investigation further revealed that some polytechnic institutions have previously disregarded these regulations by enrolling students without the required one-year IT certificate.

Giving reason for its decision to enforce the law, the NYSC coordinator in Lagos State, Yetunde Baderinwa, said, “It has been noticed in recent times that some graduates of polytechnics and mono-technics do not observe the mandatory one-year IT before being admitted for HND programmes. The one-year IT is a prerequisite for HND.

“They must undergo the one-year IT with evidence of completion before going for HND, and institutions must confirm this before admitting them for HND.”

However, some affected HND graduates have called for leniency in their national service eligibility, pleading with the NYSC to intervene with their polytechnic institutions and allow them to serve the fatherland since they had already been mobilised for Batch B Stream II.

They argued that the institutions were to blame, as they admitted them without requiring the mandatory IT certificate, or alerting them to the need for it.

Some of them, who spoke with LEADERSHIP, expressed frustration that they do not have evidence of an IT certificate to proceed with registration when camps open this month.

A recent graduate from Kaduna State Polytechnic, who identified herself as Hauwa, said she was anxiously awaiting her national service posting after being mobilised by NYSC, until the recent pronouncement.
Hauwa faces a hurdle due to a new NYSC policy that mandates one year of industrial training certification for eligibility.

She said, “I’m excited to start my service, but I’m worried that I might not be screened (admitted) in camp due to this new requirement. My school did not let us know that we have to provide the mandatory IT certificate, and I fear this could disqualify me.

“I would like the Scheme (NYSC) to address this issue and find a way to accommodate those of us who this policy may have overlooked. It would be fair to work with our institutions to clarify our standing,” she said.

She stated that her schoolmates who were mobilised under Batch B Stream 1 were already in the service without any obstacles.

Hauwa’s case highlights a growing frustration among graduates caught between their enthusiasm for national service and the practical challenges of new regulations.

As the affected prospective corps members await further clarification on the issue, they hope for a resolution that considers their circumstances while the rule takes effect in subsequent years.

More...

Revenue-generating agencies fail to remit N4.1tn – FAAC

AFOLABI

The monies unremitted by Revenue Generating Agencies to the coffers of the Federal Government increased to N4.1tn as of June 2024, the Federation Accounts Allocations Committee has said.

FAAC stated that this was despite the agencies’ reconciliation and payment of outstanding debts of N94.96bn in May 2024.

The PUNCH reports that the unresolved amount is $165,067,714.53 (N178.52bn) and N3,917,340,180,696.84, compared to the initial amount of $36,329,376.24 (N51.88bn) and N2,977,561,881,021 recorded in May 2024.

The latest development was disclosed in a report by the Federation Account Allocation Committee post-mortem sub-committee meeting and signed by the Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Mohammed Shehu.

THE ROUNDTABLE: #Endhungerprotest - Govs, Ministers Meet To Stop Protests0.00 / 0.00

A breakdown of the agencies indebted to the government showed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited owes N940.62bn; Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and NNPC owe a combined amount of $23.81m and N1.94tn.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service and NNPC have an unresolved remittance of $141.25m and N1.04tn, while the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria owe N48.75m.

Two months ago, The PUNCH reported that the government could lose over N3tn if revenue-generating agencies in the country do not reconcile unremitted earnings collected.

The Vice President of the Post-Mortem Sub-committee, who represented the committee Chairman, Kabir Mashi, at the meeting, said the outstanding amounts were still being reconciled with the relevant agencies at the monthly reconciliation meeting.

The Federation Account Allocation Committee disburses allocations from the revenues generated into the Federations Account, which comprises multiple accounts specific to a sector/ business type.

But giving an update in its June meeting, the chairman reported that the total unresolved amount due to the Federation Account from the reconciliation meeting held with the Revenue Generating Agencies in June 2024 was $165,067,714.53 and N3,917,340,180,696.84.

He said the outstanding amounts were still being reconciled with the relevant agencies at the monthly reconciliation meeting.

He added that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission made the revenue reconciliation.

The report read, “Outstanding Federation Account Revenue Arising from Inter-Agencies Reconciliation Meeting held in June 2024: The total unresolved amount due to the Federation Account from the reconciliation meeting held with the Revenue Generating Agencies in June 2024 was $165,067,714.53 and N3,917,340,180,696.84.

“Assessing the impact of the FAAC PMSC on outstanding arrears of revenue inflows due to the federation account.

“For May 2024, the PMSC would like to inform the plenary that as a result of reconciliation with Revenue Generating Agencies, a total sum of $64,073,123.40 equivalent to N94,964,537,885.84 was reconciled and confirmed paid to the CBN designated accounts,” the report added.

The document further explained that the government had recovered a cumulative outstanding of N537.35bn in five months.

“The cumulative outstanding arrears reconciled and paid to the Federation Account from January to May 2024 stood at N537,353,864,835.67.”

“Members should note that these outstanding amounts are still being reconciled at the monthly reconciliation meetings between the agencies and the sub-committee. Furthermore, the sum of $180,230,895.02 and N2,535,352,533,190.87 outstanding payments from the Revenue Generating Agencies before June 2023, were referred to the Stakeholders Alignment Committee and the Sub-Committee awaits the outcome of the reconciliation soonest.

“The sub-committee is working with the Revenue Generating Agencies to ensure that the above outstanding amounts are paid to the Federation Account as soon as possible.”

Reacting, the commissioner of Finance, Kaduna State, Shizzer Bada, raised concern over the accumulation of outstanding arrears of revenue by RGAs against the Federation Account, which was running into trillions of naira between 2023 and 2024.

She, therefore, advised on the need to expedite action in concluding the reconciliation with Agencies.

N70K minimum wage: Civil servants threaten to shut down defaulting states

AFOLABI

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has threatened to cripple the activities of states that refuse to implement the N70,000 new national minimum wage.

President of the Association Shehu Muhammed, gave the threat yesterday during the association’s 5th Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Lagos, where he emerged as the new president.

According to him, “For states not ready to implement the new minimum wage, let me tell you categorically, it is impossible. We are coming for them.”

He urged state governments to implement the new wage to improve the standard of living of their citizens since the incomes of state governments have continued to rise following enhanced allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC.

Muhammed urged that states could achieve this by reducing wastages and blocking leakages of government funds, advising states to embrace the policy of indexing income to correspond with the rate of inflation.

ASCSN new President said “the most important priority now is to address the issue of the new minimum wage by constituting a committee to address the consequential adjustments towards implementation and the strategies to ensure workers have a living wage in Nigeria.

“The full implementation of the new national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments at both the federal and the 36 states of the federation will be the top priority of Organised Labour.”

Earlier, the Secretary General of the Association, Joshua Apebo argued that following the increase in allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, since the removal of fuel subsidy, the state governors should immediately implement the new minimum wage to improve the standard of living of their citizens.

He said “We request that state governments implement the new national minimum wage to enhance the standard of living for their citizens. This can be achieved by reducing wastages and blocking leakages of government funds. We also advise the government to adopt the policy of indexing income to match inflation rates, as recommended years ago by the Chief Ernest Shonekan committee.”

Delivering a solidarity message, the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Festus Osifo, promised to support the new executives to ensure the interests of workers were protected.

He urged the new leadership to put the interest of the union first and those who elected them into office.

Court dismisses suit seeking to restrain protesters from continuing #EndBadGovernance protest

AFOLABI

The federal high court in Abuja has dismissed an application seeking an interim injunction to restrain protesters from continuing the #EndBadGovernance protest.

Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, on Monday, dismissed the ex parte motion filed by Danladi Goje, Buky Abayomi, Adiza Abbo, and 13 other Nigerians.

In the application dated August 12, the applicants sought the enforcement of their fundamental rights against the organisations involved with the protests.

The organisations sued as 1st to 8th respondents are Take It Back Movement, Concerned Nigerians, Nigerians Against Hunger, Initiative For Change, Human Rights Co-advocacy Initiative, Nigerian Against Corruption Initiative, Citizens for Change Advocacy Initiative, and Timely Intervention.

The 9th to 19th respondents are Active Citizens Group, Students For Change, We Coalition, Total Intervention, Refurbished Nigeria, Tomorrow Today, Our Future In Our Hands Initiative, Youths Against Tyranny, Save Nigeria Movement, Omoyele Sowore, and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Other respondents in the matter are the attorney general of the federation and security agencies.

In the court documents, Tsembelee Sorkaa, the applicants’ lawyer, said his clients’ rights to life, personal liberty, private and family life, and economic activities would be further breached if the 1st to 19th respondents continued the protest.

Sorkaa urged the court to restrain the 1st to 19th respondents from continuing with the protest pending the determination of his motion on notice.

The lawyer also appealed to the court to enforce the restraining order if it is granted.

In his ruling, Lifu said the #EndBadGovernance protest ended last week, noting that there was no evidence presented before the court showing that the protesters would reconvene later.

The judge said the applicants’ lawyer cannot rush his notice ex parte without providing the required affidavit to support the requests for an interim injunction and substituted service.

He dismissed the application for lacking merit and adjourned the hearing on the motion on notice to August 29.

From August 1 to 10, Nigerians took to the streets in some parts of the country to protest what they described as bad governance and rising hunger in the country.

In some parts of the country, courts granted interim injunctions restraining the protesters to some designated locations.

Foreigners accused of defrauding Ecobank of $42.4m loses bid to quash bench warrant

AFOLABI

A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, yesterday, dismissed the applications by two Indian nationals, Prem Garg, Devashish Garg and a Briton, Marcus Wade, to quash a bench warrant issued for their arrest and extradition, issued against them on alleged of $42.485million fraud, for lacking in merit.

The two Indians, and the Briton who is the Chairman of Wilben Trade Limited, Dubai, and their companies, Agrico Agbe Limited, Wilben Trade Limited, Dubai, are being charged before the court by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, for allegedly defraud Ecobank Plc of the sum of $42,485,900, with the pretence of using the of money to purchase and import into India parboiled rice Nigeria.

Counts one and four against the defendants in the charge marked FHC/L/562C/2022, dated October 7, 2022, reads, “That you, Prem Garg, Devashish Garg both of Indian nationality, Agrico Agbe Limited (a company registered in Nigeria), Wilben Trade Limited, Dubai (a company registered in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai), Marcus Wade (Chairman of Wilben Trade Ltd, Dubai) of British nationality, sometime in the month of May and September, 2015, at Ecobank Plc, Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court conspired between yourselves to commit an offence thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 422 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, Prem Garg, Devashish Garg both of Indian nationality, Agrico Agbe Limited (a company registered in Nigeria), Wilben Trade Limited, Dubai (a company registered in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai), Marcus Wade (Chairman of Wilben Trade Ltd, Dubai) of British nationality, sometime in the month of May and September, 2015 at Eco Bank Plc., Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court conspired between yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Cheating in that you caused Ecobank Plc to deliver monies to the tune of $42,485,900, which was intended by contract for the purchase and import into Nigeria India Parboiled rice but never utilized the sum of money for the contract and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 421 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap, C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

However, while the charge is pending, the defendants did not appear in court to take their pleas on the charges.

The development made the office AGF, through its lawyer, Dr. Pius Akutah, now Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Nigerian Shippers Council, to file applications before the court for issuance of bench warrant and possible extradition against them.

The application was granted by Justice Akintayo Aluko, sometimes in November 2023.

But the defendants, through their lawyers, Dele Belgore and Dr. Dada Awosika, SANs, filed applications to quash the orders for their arrest and extradition.

The application was countered by the AGF through its lawyer, Mrs. Kehinde Bode-Ayeni, who inherit the case file from Dr. Pius Akutah.

Justice Aluko in a delivering, said that the proceedings before Magistrate Court in Delhi, Indian can not operate as a stay in criminal proceedings in Nigeria because its not purely a criminal proceedings, moreso, it a proceedings in Nigerian court as constituted by the Nigerian constitution.

The second issue is that an order of status quo granted by another court can not viciate the criminal charge pending in this court.

The position of the administration of Criminal Justice Act which regulate criminal proceedings in Nigeria have stipulated that the criminal and civil proceedings can be going simultaneously.

On the final note, Justice Aluko held, “There is no merit in the applications filed by the defendants.” The judge held that the two applications lack merit and same are dismissed.
Consequently, Justice Aluko the case to October 24, for report on bench warrant and further proceedings.