Category: News

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that 2,791,591 passengers passed through the nation’s domestic airports in the first quarter of 2023.

This was disclosed in an executive summary released by the NCAA and sighted by the on Friday in Lagos.

The report indicates that, of the 2,791,591 passengers,1,391,560 were inbound and 1,400,031 outbound.

Also, the summary indicates passenger traffic of 870,776 on international airlines operations in the first quarter of the year.

The breakdown shows that while inbound passenger traffic of 375,700 was recorded, outbound traffic was 495,076 on the international routes.

In the first quarter, 25 foreign airlines operated 3,073 flights on international routes, while 11 domestic airlines operated 182,88 flights on domestic routes..

Also, 1,193 complaints were received from passengers by the NCAA, on delayed flights on international routes, with 24 complaints of cancellations and six of air returns.

On the domestic flights, 101,028 flights were delayed within the first three months, with 284 cancelled and 28 cases of air returns.

The report indicates that 499 flights were delayed on foreign flights in January, with Air Peace topping the list with 53, followed by Asky with 45, Qatar Airways, 41 and British Airways, with 33, amongst others.

In February, delayed flights were 325, with AWA recording 30, Ethiopian Airlines 33, and Kenya Airways 11; while in March, 369 flights were delayed, with Qatar Airways recording 32, United Airlines 1 and Air Peace recording 64.

There were seven cancelled flights in January, 13 in February and four in March.

A total number of 25 Air/ramp return flights were recorded in the first quarter of the year.

Missing baggage was 9,087, and the number of those found was 7,942 on international flights, while 31 were found on domestic flights.

During the period under review, the NCAA received 27 complaints from international operations and 45 on domestic flights.

Nine cases were resolved on international flights, while 22 were resolved on domestic flights. 

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested 12 petroleum marketers for removing the seals of the Nigeria Mainstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
NSCDC Spokesperson, Kogi Command, Alex Agiri, who disclosed this in Lokoja on Friday, said the operatives of the command arrested them in Lokoja, Idah, Ankpa, Dekina, and Ajaokuta Local Government Areas of the state.
The NMDPRA had in June shut down over 50 petrol stations for under-dispensing and operating without an NMDPRA storage and sale license.
Agiri said the operatives made the arrest while monitoring the activities of some petroleum marketers whose filling stations were recently sealed by NMDPRA for operating illegally.
He said, “These petroleum marketers, who were arrested by NSCDC in collaboration with NMDPRA, have been found wanting in the area of under dispensing.
“They also harassed the officials of NMDPRA who are saddled with the responsibility of regulating their activities.
“The role of NSCDC is that we collaborate with the NMDPRA in making sure that anything that has to do with oil theft is taken with a keen interest in terms of dispensing, and location of the product among others.
“It is against the rule that when a filling station is sealed by relevant government’s agency, a marketer now removes the seal, harasses or even beat the officials; it is a grievous offense,” he said.
Agiri assured that the NSCDC Commandant, Kogi Command, CC Ahmad Gandi, would ensure that the erring marketers faced the consequences of their actions.
On his part, the State Coordinator, NMDPRA, Mr Ogbe Godwin, said some marketers violated the law by subjecting his surveillance team to consistent harassment.
“Our surveillance team must have access to all oil and gas facilities in Kogi without fear, intimidation from any source.
“Any marketer that tampers with NMDPRA seals will be handed over to the law enforcement agency for further prosecution,” Godwin said.
He urged marketers to follow all the right channels of approval and upload all relevant documents required for the storage and sales license of their facilities.
NMDPRA state coordinator said a total of 96 filling stations had expired licenses, adding that out of the figure, 50 stations were sealed.
According to him, as at this week, 46 out of them have so far gone online to renew their licenses and upload all relevant documents to perfect the registration with NMDPRA. 

The World Bank has provided one billion dollars to strengthen resilience and improve the livelihood of the people in the countries affected by the insurgency in Lake Chad.

The bank’s Country Manager for Chad, Mr. Rasit Pertesv, made this known during the Fourth Lake Chad Governor’s Forum meeting in N’Djamena, Chad.

The forum occurs amidst shifting conflict patterns and emerging challenges that have resulted in widespread displacement, damage to the social fabric, interrupted public services, and weakened institutional capacities across the affected countries – Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Nigeria.

He said that the funds which were disbursed among the crisis-affected countries have helped in revitalizing economic development, creating jobs, and improving the lives of people who had suffered the brunt of the crises.

The country manager said that the zero-interest financing from the International Development Association provided support for two major regional development priorities which include the recovery of livelihoods to reduce the vulnerability of people living in Lake Chad

He said that it would go a long way in expanding cross-border economic activity to spur greater opportunity and integration in the areas of agriculture, energy, transport, and regional trades.

Pertev lauded the regional stability program aimed at restoring and improving security in Lake Chad and called for redoubled efforts toward sustainable recovery in areas that were economically affected.

“The world bank has written a regional memo for Lake with emphasis on the strategic approach towards enhancing the socio-economic of the region and the improvement of security and development. 

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, Amb. Mamman Nuhu, emphasized that prevailing poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy created a susceptible environment for the extremist group’s ideology to spread rapidly among communities in the Lake Chad region. 

Nuhu said that the region’s majority youth population, traditionally reliant on farming and cattle rearing, had their livelihoods disrupted, making them vulnerable to Boko Haram’s propaganda. 

“Since the development of the Regional Strategy for Stabilisation, Recovery, and Resilience (RS-SRR) in 2018, the strategy has acted as a regional architecture for responding to the complex security, humanitarian and development issues plaguing the region. 

“It emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, and coordinated set of sub-national, national, and cross-border initiatives to achieve long-term stabilization, recovery, and resilience.

“As a result, several initiatives and programmes have sprung up to facilitate regional cooperation, respond to humanitarian needs and foster peace and development in the region, one of which is the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum.

On his part, Amb.  Adeoye Bankole, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, African Union Commission, said the Lake Chad Basin Governors Forum is an essential platform for promoting sustainable regional peace and security in the region.

“The African Union encourages further collaboration among member states and international partners to support the forum’s efforts towards consolidating peace in the region and creating better opportunities for the people of the Lake Chad Basin,” he added.

Njoya Tikum, Director, UNDP Sub-Regional Hub for West and Central Africa. “UNDP will continue to support the LCBC in creating a brighter future for the Lake Chad Basin—a future where security is restored, communities are rebuilt, and opportunities abound.

“The Regional Stabilisation Facility, born out of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum, has been instrumental in implementing the RS-SRR. Through collaborative efforts, we have been able to co-create practical and enduring solutions that have enabled nearly half a million internally displaced persons to return to their communities and significantly enhance their quality of life,” he said.

The Lake Chad Governors Forum, themed “New Opportunities for Peace in a Shifting Security Context,” aims to improve understanding of emerging security trends in the region and their implications to ongoing efforts to restore state authority. 

It also seeks to explore the future of the RS-SRR, which is now in its final year of implementation and find ways to scale up and forge partnerships to address the plight of forcibly displaced people, including refugees and internally displaced persons.

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio has assured foreign investors of the safety of their investments in Nigeria.

Akpabio, gave the assurance while receiving a delegation from Jampur International Group FZE, led by its CEO, Mohammed Shafiq in Abuja.

Akpabio reinstated Federal Government’s commitment to provide a conducive business environment for both local and foreign investors in Nigeria.

“I welcome you on behalf of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is very safe and ready for investors, I am aware you are already investing in Nigeria in the area of mining, power, and trading.

“Thank you for employing Nigerians in your companies”, Akpabio told the delegation

He said the decision of the Federal Government to unify the exchange was a deliberate attempt to further assure foreign investors of the safety of their investments anywhere in the country.

“The current administration has normalised our foreign exchange rate by having only one window.

“Investing in Nigeria is worth the while because of the returns in investments based on our population of over 200 million and the land mass.

“The President is ready to ensure that people get value for their investments, himself being a strong businessman”, the Senate President said.

He promised that the Federal Government would do everything legally possible to ensure that investors did not regret investing in Nigeria.

“I assure you that the Federal Government will do everything humanly possible to protect your investments by putting in place enabling laws on investments and security for its citizens and foreign investors”, he said.

Earlier, Shafiq said he was in the Senate to formally congratulate the Akpabio on his emergence as the Chairman of the National Assembly and to wish him well in office.

“We are here to congratulate you on your election as the President of the Senate and to intimate you on our readiness to continue to partner with the government in the area of mining, agriculture, and power”, he told Akpabio. 

The Defence Headquarters says troops of the armed forces have in the last three weeks eliminated 35 terrorists and apprehended others in various operations in the North-West.

Brig.-Gen. Abdullahi Ibrahim, who spoke on behalf of the Director, Defence Media Operations said this on Thursday in Abuja at the bi-weekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces.

He said troops of Operation HADIN KAI and other operations in the North East, eliminated 35 terrorists and apprehended 15 suspects.

Ibrahim said the troops in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force conducted ambush operation at Mandara mountain in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno and neutralised a notorious terrorist commander.

He said the offensive operations against the terrorists in various theatre of operations, also led to the surrender of 967 terrorists comprising of 82 adult males, 354 adult females and 531 children.

“In a related development, the air component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted air interdiction operation in some parts of Borno and observed active activities of terrorists.

“The locations were therefore, bombarded with feedback information showing that several terrorists were neutralised with their structure destroyed in the air strike,” he said.

Ibrahim also said troops of Operations SAFE HAVEN and WHIRL STROKE in the North Central had remained vigilant and resilient in their onslaught against terrorists and other criminals in the zone.

He said that the troops had within the weeks in review, neutralised seven terrorists and arrested 44 suspected criminals in the zone.

According to him, arms and ammunition of various calibre were recovered during the various operations in the zone.