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The removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, pushed up the statutory revenue allocations from the Federation Account that was shared by the three tiers of government in 2023 to N10.14tn.
Data released on Tuesday by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in its latest report on the Federation Account revenue allocations for the year 2023, showed that the amount shared by the federal, state and local governments increased by N1.93tn last year, when compared to what they got in 2022.
NEITI attributed this increase to the removal of subsidy on petrol by President Bola Tinubu in May 2023, when he declared during his inaugural address on May 29, 2023 that fuel subsidy was gone.
Tinubu’s declaration was immediately implemented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited the next day, as petrol price jumped from N198/litre to about N500/litre.
The cost of the commodity moved up again within a month to N617/litre at filling stations operated by NNPCL, while other marketers dispense the product at between N660 and N700/litre depending on the area of purchase.
Commenting on the latest report, NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr Ogbonnaya Orji, who announced the release of the report at the NEITI House, Abuja, said that the agency embarked on the NEITI FAAC Quarterly Review to enhance public understanding of Federation Account allocations and disbursements as published by government.
“The ultimate objective of this disclosure is to strengthen knowledge, awareness and promote public accountability of all institutions in public finance management,” Orji explained.
A breakdown of the revenue receipts showed that the Federal Government received N3.99tn, representing 39.37 per cent of the total allocation.
The 36 states got N3.585tn representing 35.34 per cent, while the 774 Local Government councils of the Federation shared N2.56tn equivalent to 25.28 per cent.
A further analysis of the N10.143tn disbursements in 2023 showed an increase of N1.934tn or 23.56 per cent when compared to the disbursement of N8.209tn shared in the preceding year of 2022.
The review attributed the increase to improved revenue remittances to the Federation Account due to the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the exchange rate by the new administration.
The report highlighted that while total revenues distributed from the Federation Account recorded an overall increase of 23.56 per cent in 2023, the increase accruing to each tier of government varied, largely due to the type of the revenue streams contributing to the inflows into the Federation Account.
The NEITI Quarterly Review of 2023 FAAC allocations disclosed that the federal, states and local governments cumulatively received N1.934tn more than the amount shared in 2022.
The first quarter of 2023 increased by N579.71bn (33.19 per cent) when compared to the first quarter of 2022. The second quarter increased 10.32 per cent, third quarter by 27.49 per cent, while the fourth quarter had an increase of 23.42 per cent.
The Federal Government’s share increased by N574.21bn (16.79 per cent) from the N3.42tn it received in 2022 to N3.99tn in 2023.
The state governments shared N3.59tn in 2023 compared to the N2.76tn they got in 2022, showing an increase of 29.99 per cent. Similarly, Local Government councils’ share of federation allocation was N2.57tn in 2023 compared to N2.032tn in the 2022, which amounts to a 26.22 per cent increase.
While total distributed revenue from the Federation Account recorded an overall increase of 23.56 per cent in 2023, the increase accruing to each tier of government varied, largely due to the type of revenue item contributing to the inflows into the Federation Account.
In the same period (2023), states and Local Governments recorded increases in their allocations by 29.99 per cent and 26.22 per cent respectively. The increase in allocation to the Federal Government, however, was 16.79 per cent
State by state share of the allocations showed that Delta State received the largest share of N402.26bn (gross). The figure is inclusive of the state’s share of oil and gas derivation revenue.
Delta was followed by Rivers State which received N398.53bn. Akwa-Ibom State received the third largest allocation of N293.58bn. Nasarawa State received the least amount of N73.32bn, while Ebonyi and Ekiti states received N73.91bn and N74.04bn respectively.
The review observed that the first five states that topped the allocation during the period under review are among the major oil producing states in the country.
On the share of 13 per cent derivation revenue, nine states received the 13 per cent allocated to mineral producing states from the proceeds from mineral revenue.
The derivation revenue remains a significant portion of revenue for states like Delta, Akwa Ibom, Anambra and Rivers states. Also, the derivation revenues of states such as Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa, which were 161.47 per cent, 141.25 per cent and 127.89 per cent respectively, eclipsed their statutory revenues.
Rivers State’s derivation revenue was 74.15 per cent during the period. Notably, the other five oil producing states recorded lesser derivation revenue compared to the four above.
For example, Ondo State had 27.71 per cent, Edo had 30.04 per cent, while Abia, Anambra and Imo recorded a derivation revenue of about 20 per cent or less.
The NEITI report noted that solid minerals producing states did not receive derivation revenues during the last quarter of last year because of the need to allow the revenues to accumulate over a period of time before sharing can occur.
On direct deductions from state, Delta State recorded by far the largest debt deductions in 2023. With total deduction of N12.97bn, Delta debt deduction was more than the deductions for Bauchi State, the second largest in 2023 by N282m. Lagos State recorded the least cumulative debt deductions amounting to N370m.
The report stated that the reduced debt burden was attributable more to the increase in the size of Federation Account allocations than a reduction in the size of debt.
“The stark similarity in the debt size and sustainability charts indicates that states’ borrowing decisions are being determined by the size of their Federation Account allocations and expected future earnings.
“While this pattern indicates good fiscal decisions by the states, it may also cause states to increase their current borrowing as revenues from the Federation Account allocations are beginning to increase,” NEITI stated in its report.
Other key findings of the report showed that revenue remittances to the Federation Account fluctuated significantly on monthly basis due to corresponding fluctuations in oil and gas revenue.
Oil and gas revenues reflected crude oil prices and Nigeria’s output which in turn is significantly affected by crude oil theft and acts of sabotage.
The report pointed out that the main sources of revenue inflows to the Federation Account/contributors to the Federation Account in 2023 were the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service and Nigeria Customs Service, through earnings from the different revenue stream.
This include oil, gas royalties, petroleum profit tax, company income tax, value added tax, import and excise duties.
The report also revealed that revenue from solid minerals sector was very negligible, and reflects the underperformance of the sector. The NEITI Quarterly Review proffered key recommendations for enhanced performance of the Federation Account.
“Government (the National Assembly and the Executive) should adopt more conservative estimates for crude oil prices and output to enhance budgetary performance, reduce budget deficits and borrowing and strengthen fiscal stabilisation.
“NEITI renewed its earlier recommendations for the Federal Government to highly prioritise the ongoing efforts at economic diversification and investment to improve power generation to encourage small, medium and large businesses to promote local production, reduce import and dependence on oil revenues,” it stated.
NEITI’s FAAC Quarterly Reviews also underlined the need for states to join hands with the Federal Government to deal with insecurity in rural communities where agro-based businesses thrive, pay attention to internally generated revenues through innovations and leadership that are citizen-centered.
The Senate has expressed the fear that Nigeria may not recover N358 billion about 30 per cent of the N1.1 trillion Anchor Borrowers.
The Senate said the N1.1 trillion has an impressive repayment rate of up to 70 per cent but added that the rest of the 30 per cent amounting to N358 billion are loans given to low-income farmers which have very high risk.
This came up yesterday at the Senate Ad-hoc Committee probing the N30 trillion Ways and Means loans to the federal government and Anchor Borrowers Programme.
The chairman of the committee, Isah Jibrin (Kogi East), who met with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the National Assembly, said they must do everything to recover the debt.
The CBN team was led by the deputy governor for corporate services, Bala Bello, who made presentations on “Ways and Means and Anchor Borrowers”.
Senator Jibrin said the committee was able to extract useful information from them, which would guide their next level of discussion.
He said the committee had issues with approvals in areas where it was discovered that the CBN governor “unilaterally gave approvals”, which is abnormal to the committee.
The committee could not get immediate explanation for that and therefore gave 24 hours to provide the necessary explanation.
Meanwhile, the Senate has extended the implementation of the 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Act from 31st March, 2024 to 30th June, 2024.
The Senate had earlier extended the life span of the N21.8 trillion 2023 budget from 31st December 2023 to March 31, 2024.
The extension of the budget lifeline followed the Second reading of the bill read by the Senate leader, Bamidele Michael Opeyemi (Ekiti Central).
Bamidele said the release of capital component of the budget to the MDAs is unlikely to be utilize before March 31, 2023 if it is not extended.
The Senate has expressed its intention to summon former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, concerning the N30 trillion ‘Ways and Means’ advances issued during President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
This decision comes in the wake of inadequate explanations from the current CBN leadership regarding the transactions.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on ‘Ways and Means’ from Kogi East, Senator Jibrin Isah, made this known after a session with CBN officials, including the Deputy Governor, at the National Assembly in Abuja.
The Senate’s move is part of a broader inquiry led by Isah’s ad-hoc committee, established to scrutinize the acquisition and utilization of the CBN’s Ways and Means loans under Buhari’s tenure.
The committee is tasked with delving into the intricacies of the financial mechanism known as ‘Ways and Means,’ a facility that allows the CBN to cover government budget deficits.
Additionally, the probe extends to the examination of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, another financial initiative from the same period.
During the engagement with CBN representatives, Senator Isah unveiled that their preliminary findings indicated that Emefiele had autonomously authorized several transactions, an action the committee deems unlawful.
He said, “The CBN made a presentation on the ‘Ways and Means’ and on the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, and we were able to extract so much information from them and that will prepare us for the next line of discussion with them. Basically, we were able to make presentations on the Ways and a means with regards to the beneficiaries of those loans.
“But we had issues, issues of approval. We discovered that the CBN governor unilaterally gave approvals and we feel that is abnormal. We asked them for explanations in that regard, they don’t have immediate explanations and I want to believe that they want to go back home, check their records and at the next meeting, they will be able to provide us with those explanation.
“We believe that every approval must be given by committee of members, the governor and the deputy, that is the standard. Where the governor Aline gives an approval, that also is confusing and that, they will provide answered to us.”
He said if the current leadership of the CBN does not provide the needed answers, the committee would summon Emefiele.
He said, “Where it is absolutely necessary, we will not hesitate to invite the former CBN governor, Emefiele.”
Speaking on the discussion regarding the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, Senator Isah said, “With respect to Anchor Borrowers, the performance today on the average is impressive. About 70 percent of the loans have been settled. The rest 30 percent are loans given to low income farmers and the risk there is that, those low income farmers do not have what it takes to perform to expectations.
“They don’t have the necessary equipment, they don’t have the necessary knowhow. So that is where we are going to have possible problems of loan default.
“And we are talking about N358 billion, spread all over the country. But we have advised them that those loans were processed through commercial banks, the credit risk lies with the commercial banks. And the commercial banks should go after those borrowers to recover their monies. We told them that they should try and go into a round table discussion with those commercial banks that purportedly guaranteed those loans.
“Those loans were guaranteed by the commercial banks and those commercial banks are still in existence. The credit burden lies with the commercial banks and they know what to do because all the accounts of commercial banks are domiciled with the CBN. They may have to go to the extent of evoking the rules that we all know.”
Anti-graft agencies must check govt books —APC
We’re not afraid —PDP
GOVERNOR Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, yesterday, faulted claims by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that his administration spent N18 billion to renovate the Government House, describing their claim as fake news.
He added that the administration did not borrow such for its infrastructure project as claimed by the APC.
The governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, described the APC as a party struggling to cope with the reality of its failure in government.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in which it again repeated his lies about the Osun State Government having taken a loan of N10 billion to implement current infrastructure programmes across the state.
“We equally rejected fake news that the state government spent N18 billion on the renovation of the Government House. It is a figment of the imagination of failed men of yesterday. Rather than sponsoring falsehood, we urge the APC to accept it failed while it governed Osun state and it should be brave enough to commend the present government for succeeding where it recorded mass failure.
“We affirm once again that the current government has not taken any loan since inception to pursue any programme or project. The man, who granted the interview on one innocuous YouTube channel, lied and acted as a purveyor of fake news.
“Governor Adeleke had told the public clearly and on several occasions that he is not borrowing to pursue the infra projects. Rather, the Governor explained that his administration’s strategy was to block leakages, expand earnings and save for projects by opening a project account dedicated to the financing of the projects.
“The project in question is a multi-billion naira expenditure spread over time designed to bridge the huge infra deficit the Governor inherited from the Gboyega Oyetola administration. Yesterday, today or tomorrow, no loan is contemplated as the Governor has a sustainable investment and implementation plan within the confines of state resources.”
Anti-graft agencies must check govt books —APC
Meanwhile, the APC has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission, ICPC, to look into the finances of the state to curb ongoing corruption in the state.
The party said: “We want to use this medium to call on the anti-graft agencies, especially the ICPC and EFCC, to immediately move in their men to Osun State to halt the reckless mismanagement of public funds which is now endemic under the government of Senator Ademola Adeleke.”
We’re willing to receive them — PDP
However, the PDP Chairman in the state, Sunday Bisi said the administration is willing to receive the anti-graft agencies should the APC properly invite them to come and probe our books.
Bisi said: “Unlike the APC government, which looted the State Treasury and denied civil servants their rights, we are willing to see the anti-graft agencies and our books are well open to anyone.”
The Federal Government has released a list of 15 entities, including nine individuals and six Bureau De Change operators and firms, involved in terrorism financing.
The details of the development were revealed by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and made available to Naija News on Tuesday night.
The document, entitled “Designation of Individuals and Entities for March 18, 2024,” disclosed that the Nigeria Sanctions Committee met on March 18, 2024, where specific individuals and entities were recommended for sanction following their involvement in terrorism financing.
“The Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, with the approval of the President, has thereupon designated the following individuals and entities to be listed on the Nigeria Sanctions List,” the document read in part.
Among the individuals named on the document is a Kaduna-based publisher, Tukur Mamu, who is currently being tried by the Federal Government for allegedly aiding the terrorists who attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022.
According to the document, Mamu “participated in the financing of terrorism by receiving and delivering ransome payments over the sum of $200,000 US in support of ISWAP terrorists for the release of hostages of the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.”
The document also said one of the individuals is “the suspected attacker of the St. Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State on June 5, 2022 and the Kuje Correctional Center, Abuja on July 5, 2022.”
Another was described as “a member of the terrorist group Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladissudam, the group is associated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.
“The subject was trained and served under Muktar Belmokhtar, aka One Eyed Out, led Al-Murabtoun Katibat of AQIM in Algeria and Mali.”
The NFIU said the individual “specialises in designing terrorist clandestine communication code and he is also Improvised Explosive Device expert.
“The subject was also a gate keeper to ANSARU leader, Mohammed Usman aka Khalid Al-Bamawi. Equally, he was a courier and travel guide to AQIM Katibat in the desert of Algeria and Mali. He is into carpentry. Subject fled Kuje correctional centre on July 5, 2022. He is currently at large.”
Another was identified as “a senior commander of the Islamic State of West Africa Province Okene.”
The agency said the individual “came into limelight in 2012 as North Central wing of Boko Haram.
“The group is suspected of the attacks carried out around Federal Capital Territory and the South West Geographical Zone, including the June 5, 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.”
Another was described as “a financial courier to ISWAP Okene. She is responsible for the disbursement of funds to the widows/wives of the terrorist fighters of the group.”
According to the document, another of the individuals “in 2015, transferred N60m to terrorism convicts.”
He was also said to have “received a sum of N189m between 2016 and 2018.”
The same person is said to “own entities and business reported in the UAE court judgment as facilitating the transfer of terrorist funds from Dubai to Nigeria.”
Another individual was said to have “received a total of N57m from between 2014 and 2017.”
Another was said to have “had a total inflow of N61.4 bn and a total outflow of N51.7bn from his accounts.”
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has promised to restore peace in the south-East region of Nigeria.
Kanu disclosed this on Tuesday, moments after the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, dismissed his fresh application to be released on bail, pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the FG preferred against him.
The IPOB leader who was first arrested by security agents in Lagos on October 14, 2015, has been in detention since June 29, 2021.
Trial Justice Nyako had on April 25, 2017, granted him bail on health grounds, after he had spent about 18 months in detention.
Upon the perfection of the bail conditions, he was on April 28, 2017, released from the Kuje prison.
However, midway into the trial, the IPOB leader escaped from the country after soldiers invaded his country home at Afara Ukwu Ibeku in Umuahia, Abia State, an operation that led to the death of some of his followers.
Kanu was later re-arrested in Kenya on June 19, 2021 and extraordinarily renditioned back to the country by security agents on June 27, 2021.
Following the development, the trial court, on June 29, 2021, remanded him in custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, where he remained till date.
On April 8, 2022, the court struck out eight out of the 15-count charges that FG preferred against him on the premise that they lacked substance.
Likewise, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on October 13, 2022, ordered Kanu’s immediate release from detention even as it quashed the charge against him.
The appellate court said it was satisfied that FG flagrantly violated all known laws, when it forcefully rendered Kanu from Kenya to the country for the continuation of his trial.
It held that such arbitrary use of power by the Nigerian government, divested the trial court of the jurisdiction to further try the Appellant.
Dissatisfied with the decision, FG took the matter before the Supreme Court, even as it persuaded the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgement, pending the determination of its appeal.
While deciding the appeal, the Supreme Court, on December 15, 2023, vacated the judgement of the appellate court and gave FG the nod to try the IPOB leader on the subsisting seven-count charge.
Justice Nyako had earlier expressed her displeasure over how the trial had been conducted since 2015.
“This is exactly the way this case has been going since 2015. I am talking to both sides. You always find a way to truncate the proceedings,” the judge fumed.
However, irked with today’s ruling, Kanu opined: “They know me very well. I suspect that people in government are complicit. They are making money with insecurity. If they know Nnamdi Kanu is outside in two minutes this nonsense will stop.
“Who is the idiot?…..that will speak when I am talking. Who is the fool? Who is the idiot I ask? That I will give an order in the east and any idiot will counter it, who is the bastard I am asking you?
“Nobody can, I am Nnamdi Kanu, who is the idiot. Let me come out of this nonsense, this mess, two minutes only. Only two minutes I guarantee you and there will be peace in the east. Everywhere in the south-east if not the entire south”.
Insecurity in the South-east
South-easterners have witnessed insecurity ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, killings, etc since the arrest and detention of Kanu by the Department of State Service, DSS.
More pronounced was the killing of the late Dora Akunyili’s husband Dr. Chike Akunyili in Anambra state.
Late Chike was gruesomely murdered alongside his driver and a police escort around the Nkpor junction in Idemili North, Anambra State by gunmen.
He was said to have been returning from an event where he received a posthumous award of excellence for his late wife when he ran into the hoodlums at Nkpor and was shot and killed.
Another incident was the attack on Senator Ifeanyi Uba’s convoy that killed about 5 persons.
The police in Anambra State said five people were killed, when gunmen attacked the convoy of Nigerian Senator, Ifeanyi Ubah.
These gunmen ambushed the senator’s convoy and opened fire on them, killing some police officers and aides of the senator in the convoy.
The incident happened on Sunday evening in Enugwu-Ukwu, a community in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria’s South-east.
The above are not the only despicable thing that has happened to south-east, a lot more has happened due to insecurity in the region.
Abia House of Assembly on Tuesday passed a bill to stop payment of pensions to former governors and their deputies in the state.
It is entitled: “A Bill (H.A.B 11:) for a Law to Revoke The Abia State Governors and Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters connected in addition to that.”
It was sponsored by Mr Uchanna Okoro, the Majority Leader and member Representing Arochukwu State Constituency.
The Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa, announced the bill’s passage after its first, and second reading, consideration at the committee of the whole and its 3rd reading during the day’s plenary.
Emeruwa, while congratulating members, said that the bill would reduce the state’s governance expenses and redirect resources towards development.
He said that the bill once assented to by the governor would be referred to as “Abia State Governors and Deputy Governor’s (Repeal) Law 2024.”
The Speaker said that bill would take effect immediately, Tuesday, March 19, 2024.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that with the bill, former governors and their deputies will no longer enjoy pension benefits after their tenures have expired.
NAN further reports that there had been a lot of controversies over the years concerning the outrageous life person and other enviable benefits being paid the governors and their deputies.
While few states had made moves to repeal the law, many states showed nonchalant attitude toward doing so.
The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, the immediate past Minister for State, Petroleum, and the former Governor of the State, Timipre Sylva, are recently juggling over comments made over the killings of 16 soldiers in the Delta community.
The former governor and All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the November 11, 2024, governorship election, Timipre Sylva, berated politicians and particularly the state government for arming non-state actors with guns and ammunition during the last election.
The State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, took a swipe at the former governor over the statement, noting that Sylva’s statement was akin to the proverbial pot calling the kettle black when the APC governorship candidate’s antecedents as a politician were like an open book known to everyone.
A statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, while condemning Chief Sylva’s statement, said his introduction of politics into the highly condemnable killing of men in active service to their country smacks of insensitivity at a time when true patriots were mourning the unfortunate incident.
Sylva, in a statement credited to him and circulating on social media, claimed that “the last Bayelsa governorship election featured lots of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen, which he alluded to as an act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives.”
“I condemn in totality the killing of men of the Joint Task Force in Okuama, Delta State. This again shows why politicians should not arm irresponsible non-state actors.
“The last Bayelsa governorship election featured a lot of disheartening state sponsorship of gunmen. And today, we all see the result of that act of desperation and the unnecessary loss of precious Nigerian lives. My heart goes out to the families of those gallant soldiers who lost their lives,” Sylva stated.
But in a swift reaction, the Bayelsa governor wondered why the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources chose to dance on the graves of the slain soldiers in his false allusion to the use of non-state actors in the governorship poll in the state.
Diri said it is just as ridiculous that the same Sylva was whipping up negative sentiments and spreading falsehoods over the presence of soldiers in Igbomotoru, a Bayelsa community, where the military had reportedly extended its investigation into the Okuama incident.
He said, “The military authorities should be allowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the sordid occurrence in Okuama. Comments should be restrained at this time while efforts are underway to unravel the perpetrators.
“It is therefore very unfortunate and sad that Chief Sylva chose to play politics with the evil act of the killing of Nigerian soldiers at a time when patriots in our country were outraged and mourning.
“Introducing politics into the Okuama killing is insensitive, just as it is condemnable and akin to dancing on their graves. For those who know, this is like the pot calling the kettle black.
“However, Sylva’s unending bellyaching and whining over the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election does not change the fact that it has been won and lost. He and his ilk should embrace this reality and join hands with our government to further the development of our state.”
Okuama crisis: We’ve never lost soldiers like that, not even in Boko Haram war – Edwin Clark
AFOLABIElder statesman and leader of the Ijaw Nation, Edwin Clark has condemned the recent killing of soldiers in Delta State, stressing that Nigeria has never witnessed such a tragedy before.
According to Clark, the incident was shocking, barbaric, and wicked.
He also advised that the communities and the military should work together to find the murderer(s).
He made this known on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme.
Clark also appealed to soldiers to act with restraint and not take law in their own hands, noting that with modern technology they should be able to fish out very soon those who committed the crime.
“What happened a few days ago is very shocking, very barbaric and wicked. I think what is required really, the military together with the communities, all of us should take that task to look for these people who committed this murder. It is very very important.
“In fact, I was so sad when I heard that Lt Col. Ali was involved because on Thursday, 14 March, I spoke to him. I think about 8:45 about my dead younger brother, Col Bernard Clark (rtd), who died recently and was to be buried on Friday to have a military burial.
“I had to contact him. And he told me he was in a vehicle and that he would speak to me later, only to hear that he was among them. At that time he was speaking to me from Agbor in Delta State.
“There’s another one, Major B. I spoke to him about the same time on Wednesday. So I am indeed very very sad that we should lose such a people at a time, even in the Boko Haram war we have never lost soldiers like that. We all support Mr President when he said the people should be looked for,” he said.
Appealing to the military to act with restraint while going after perpetrators to avoid inflicting more collateral damage Clark said: “Well my appeal to our gallant soldiers is that they should act maturely and not take the law in their own hands. I know they are provoked. We are all provoked. There are innocent children, pregnant women everywhere.
“As far as I am concerned, we should appeal to the military to take it easy. They have all the modern technology. They should be able to fish out very soon those who committed this crime.
“One should not blame the army so much for whatever must have happened. It’s all collateral damages.”
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, has met with President Bola Tinubu over the killing of 16 military personnel in Okuoma community of Ughelli South local government area of Delta State.
Recall that 16 military personnel comprising the Commanding Officer of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, a Lieutenant Colonel, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers were killed while on a “peacekeeping mission” in Okuoma community last week Thursday.
While the Delta State and the federal governments have condemned the incident while promising that perpetrators would face the wrath of the law, the visit of the State governor to the Presidency on Tuesday may have been spurred by the incident.
Briefing State House correspondents after meeting behind closed-door with the President, the governor said that the situation was under control, assuring that there would be no more further attacks.
The governor declined to confirm the report of reprisal attacks allegedly carried out by the military and the number of casualties, saying that being a security issue, there are certain things he cannot say in the public.
He said that he met with the security heads in Bomadi LGA of the State on Monday but has been unable to meet with the community involved because the place of the incident was completely deserted.
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The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has urged the Federal High Court to send him to Kuje prison.
He alleged that the Department of State Services had no medical facility to treat him, adding that there was a conspiracy for him to die in the DSS custody.
He said, “People will come to see me they will not allow them. They don’t have a medical facility. I have congestive heart failure. They are patching me up.
“My foot is swollen. I asked them to conduct surgery, and they said they couldn’t. There is a conspiracy to die in detention. I want to be transferred to Kuje.”
Details later…
Former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam has slammed the government of President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Tuesday, he said the current administration under the All Progressives Congress, APC, doesn’t have a direction.
Suswan claimed that all the policies, including economic and social, have fallen flat on their faces.
The former governor stated this while fielding questions on Arise Television’s News programme.
He suggested that Nigerians need a viable alternative, which is achievable with serious and focused leadership.
“We had President Olusegun Obasanjo who did very well and handed over to late Umaru Musa Yaradua, who unfortunately died, and his tenure was completed by his Vice President Goodluck Jonathan. Unfortunately, Goodluck Jonathan lost the election to the All Progressives Congress, APC; he lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
“We lost that election because of what’s happening today, there was a lack of discipline in the party at that time, coupled with the massive propaganda and lies by the current party in power now. We couldn’t make any headway and we lost the election.
“Buhari came in making promises of change. Buhari’s eight years have come and gone, and it’s left for Nigerians to frankly determine if they were better off or worse than then.
“I believe this country nosedived and changed for the worst. Because if we look at the economic parameters that were left by Jonathan and what happened during Buhari’s time, most Nigerians say they would have preferred Jonathan’s time.
“The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, we thought would win that election. Nomination was done, and then a crisis started after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was nominated to carry the flag of PDP. Some Governors felt they were short-changed.
“It’s obvious that the APC under the current leadership doesn’t have a direction. All the policies, whether they are economic, political or social have fallen flat on their faces. And so, Nigerians need a viable alternative, which is achievable with serious and focused leadership, something I can provide."
Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL has made a promise to Nigerians.
He stated that the refinery in Kaduna State will be ready for production by December 2024.
He disclosed this during a meeting with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria in Abuja.
He disclosed that operations at the Port Harcourt refinery are scheduled to begin in two weeks.
According to Kyari: “We did a mechanical completion of the (Port Harcourt) refinery, that was what we said in December. We now have crude oil already stocked in the refinery. We are doing regulatory compliance tests that must happen in every refinery before you start it, and I assure you that this Port Harcourt refinery will start in the next two weeks.
“Completing the mechanical work means that you are done with the rehabilitation work, now you have to test to see how it works. Of course, we have also completed the mechanical work on the Warri refinery.
“It is also undergoing regulatory compliance; processes that we are doing with our regulator, and this will soon be completed and it will be ready.
“The Kaduna refinery will be ready by December. We have not reached that stage in Kaduna, but we promise Kaduna will be delivered by December.”
Afe Babalola (SAN), the founder of Afe Babalola University, has said that indigenes of Ekiti state are facing hardship because all former Governors failed to implement the blueprint for the state.
According to him, the plan was for Ekiti to be the best state in Nigeria but it failed.
Speaking at the commissioning of ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, Annex Odo-Ado, at Igirigiri road in Ado Ekiti, Babalola commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his recent strides, adding that the vision behind the creation of Ekiti was to make it the best state in Nigeria.
He said;
“It pains me that you didn’t become governor of Ekiti much earlier than now. We know what we did to bring Ekiti State into existence. Our vision was for Ekiti to be the best state in Nigeria, that will be setting the pace as my university is setting the pace now.
“Unfortunately those who became governor before you didn’t have the love of Ekiti. Go and tell them that I said so. That is why we are facing so much hardship in the state. When I was a local government councilor in the sixties, I didn’t receive a salary.
“That was when there was development in Ekiti Local Government. We thought that those who are coming to govern Ekiti will follow our footstep and our blueprints but they refuse to follow it. However, this governor is doing a yeoman’s job.”