Category: News

The Permanent Secretary, Ecological Project Office (EPO), Shehu Ibrahim has said the Federal Government is planning a holistic approach to end the flooding menace in the Trademore Mega-City Estate and its environs.

Ibrahim said this in a statement issued after an on-the-spot assessment tour of the flood-ravaged Abuja estate and its environs.

The statement, signed by Mrs. Eno Olotu and issued to newsmen on Tuesday, quoted Ibrahim as saying that the tour was to enable EPO put up a comprehensive report for the government’s further action.

The flooding incident occurred last Friday which left the estate located along Airport Road badly hit.

Ibrahim decried the level of devastation caused by the flood, adding that the problem was beyond the capacity of one agency of government.

He said the challenge required collaboration with sister agencies to come up with a comprehensive plan of intervention.

“From our own assessment, two factors are responsible for the flood – human and natural factors.

“It is something that will go beyond one agency, so we are looking at areas we need to come in and intervene and will liaise with other sister government agencies.

“Agencies like the Federal Capital Development Agency (FCDA), Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and Federal Ministry of Environment must work together.

“We must come up with a comprehensive plan to see how we can address this issue and avoid a future occurrence,” he said.

Ibrahim, who said the natural factor resulted from the raining season, blamed the human factor and compromise by the developers, as well as indiscriminate dumping of refuse on waterways by residents.

He advised on crucial and proper sensitisation on change of attitude.

“The assessment tour is part of the Federal Government’s proactive efforts to hasten the provision of a lasting solution to flooding in the area.

“Government will do its best to intervene on ecological issues and also send officers to go round to assess other areas affected.

“Government cannot sit down and allow things like this to happen,” lbrahim said.

High inflation rates have pushed an additional four million Nigerians into the poverty bracket in the first five months of the year, the World Bank has said.

Annual inflation in Nigeria has been in double digits since 2016 and climbed to an almost two-decade high of 22.4 percent last month on the back of soaring food and non-alcoholic beverage prices and elevated energy costs, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Nigeria has one of the highest inflation rates in Africa.

According to the National Bureau of Bureau in a report last year, 133 million Nigerians people are “multi-dimensionally poor” meaning they lack adequate access to food, healthcare and sanitation, in addition to suffering financial hardships.

According to World Bank lead economist in Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, the effect of slowing the pace of inflation in many countries, as monetary policymakers raised rates, has not been visible in Nigeria.

“There is an entrenched structural inflation that has taken hold that cannot be explained by some of the global supply chain issues or the energy crisis,”

Sienaert said, as the bank launched its latest development update on the country. However, the bank said the policies adopted by the new government of president Bola Tinubu, who took office last month, offered an opportunity to boost growth. Nigeria’s central bank has raised the key interest rate by 700 basis points since May 2022 and mopped up liquidity at commercial lenders with a cash reserve ratio that has been raised by 500bp in the same period as it seeks to tame inflation.

The World Bank said those measures were “undermined by monetisation of the budget deficit and other inconsistent policies”.

Sienaert said other trade and industrial policies — such as directed credit to businesses, the closure of land borders since 2019, use of multiple exchange rates and bans on certain industries accessing foreign exchange from the central bank — had also fuelled inflationary pressures in Nigeria.

“All of these things have increased the cost structure in the economy. It’s quite difficult to pinpoint the single silver-bullet factor. But it seems quite clear that the previous mix of domestic policies have been the driver of what is clearly the higher structural rate of inflation in Nigeria than elsewhere in the region on average.”

The Washington-based lender maintained its forecast for Nigerian gross domestic product to grow by 3.3 per cent this year, a level which was “not enough to meaningfully lift incomes per person and help to reduce poverty”.

The economy was dealt a further blow earlier this year when the central bank’s redesign of the country’s highest denomination currency notes led to a scarcity of cash. Low oil production also contributed to a contraction in the first quarter of the year to 2.4 per cent this year from 3.3 per cent in the same period last year.

Nigeria Economic overhaul raises hopes for Nigeria’s new leader Tinubu’s new government has eliminated most of Nigeria’s costly $10bn-a-year petrol subsidies and suspended central bank governor Godwin Emefiele, who artificially propped up the value of the local Naira currency against the dollar. Since Emefiele’s removal earlier this month, the bank has abandoned the currency peg and allowed the Naira to reflect close to its real value against the greenback.

The value of the currency has plummeted more than 60 per cent, while petrol and transport costs have risen sharply.

Shubham Chaudhuri, the bank’s country director in Nigeria, told the FT that Tinubu’s government was making “bold steps” with the reforms and urged the administration to provide “robust” support — such as targeted cash transfers to cope with rising costs, to stop more Nigerians falling into poverty.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 40,000 personnel to provide security across the country during the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

This is contained in a statement by NSCDC Director of Public Relations, Olusola Odumosu, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Odumosu said that NSCDC Commandant General (CG), Ahmed Audi, had ordered the personnel to ensure proper protection of critical national assets and infrastructure in joint operations with sister agencies.

The CG also directed the personnel to man strategic locations such as places of worship, recreational centers, markets, shopping malls, motor parks, and all other sensitive locations.

He charged heads of formation to more vigilant and highly sensitive to their environment to avoid unpleasant surprises from enemies of the country.

“You must be on top of your game, be very vigilant and highly sensitive to your environment because we are not going to take any chances,” he said.

He further charged all commands to be proactive, so as to achieve greater results.

“An intelligent-driven approach must be adopted to nip crime in the bud, be proactive and make sure you engage intelligent driven strategies.

“This will help to get credible information about intended plans of criminal elements so that we can crush them before they strike,” Audi said.

Audi further warned all Zonal Commanders to effectively coordinate the formations under their jurisdiction to prevent any breach of the peace.

“All Special Forces of the Corps must be fully engaged during the Sallah celebration to guarantee the safety of lives of our people.

“I will hold Zonal Commanders responsible and State Commandants accountable for any breach of peace in any state,” he warned.

He called on all Nigerians to use the festive period to pray for the peace and unity of the country, and success of the new administration.

The CG charged all personnel to cooperate and synergise with other security agencies to degrade criminals. 

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court Lagos has adjourned the trial of a former Attorney General of Lagos State, Mr. Olasupo Shasore, until October 4, for a hearing.

The defendant was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 20, 2022, on four counts charge of money laundering.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

Shasore served as the Attorney-General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, during former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s tenure.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Mr. Bala Sanga announced an appearance for the prosecution while Mr. Olawale Akoni (SAN) announced an appearance for the defendant.

Akoni told the court that the matter for the day was for hearing of their application dated and filed February 17.

He, however, told the court that there were some developments in the matter, which might affect the hearing of the application.

Akoni told the court that the recent event showed the possibility of an amicable resolution of the matter, saying that a similar case was also pending before the Lagos High Court in Ikeja.

He, therefore, requested an adjournment to enable parties succinctly exhaust discussions and reach an agreement on the matter.

The prosecution counsel, who confirmed Akoni’s submission, did not object to his plea for adjournment.

Consequently, Aneke, acquiesced to Akoni’s request and adjourned the matter to Oct.4 for hearing.

In the charge, the former AG was alleged to have made a cash payment of 100,000 dollars to one Olufolakemi Adelore through one Auwalu Habu and Wole Aboderin.

He was alleged to have committed the offenses on or about November 18, 2014.

EFCC also alleged that the defendant made a cash payment of 100,000 dollars to one Ikechukwu Oguine without going through a financial institution.

The offenses, the anti-graft agency, said contravene the provisions of sections 1(a) 16(1) (d), 18(c), and 78(c) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended).

Major-General John Ochai has assumed duty as the 32nd Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna.

A statement by the NDA Public Relations Officer, Maj. Victor Olukoya on Tuesday in Kaduna, said Ochai took over from Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf retired from active military service on June 26.

In his remarks before the handing over, Yusuf thanked God for a successful career and fruitful tenure as Commandant NDA.

He appreciated the entire NDA community for their support and urged them to extend the same cooperation to his successor.

Yusuf described Ochai as a highly decorated military officer and the right man for the job.

Responding, the new commandant described his appointment as a privilege to serve the country.

He appreciated his predecessor for the transformation recorded during his tenure, saying it would be difficult to fill the shoes he left.

Ochai expressed readiness to learn, noting that every appointment is an opportunity for learning and improvement.

The Commandant congratulated Yusuf for his successful retirement and thanked him for his impressive service to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the nation.

Maj.-Gen. Ochai is a member of 39 Regular Course and a highly decorated officer of the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps.

His previous appointments include Director of Operations, Army Headquarters, and Commandant, Nigerian Army Armour School Bauchi, among others. 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ondo State Command, says it has arrested no fewer than 243 motorists without drivers’ licences within one month across the state.

Mr Ezekiel SonAllah, State Sector Commander of FRSC, made this known at a one-day mega rally organised by the FRSC to sensitise motorists ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in the state.

SonAllah, who said that the arrest was made through the special patrol embarked upon in the month of May, said that the motive was to eradicate road crashes in the state.

The sector commander, therefore, called on motorists to always check their vehicles’ eligibility before embarking on any journey, saying it had become necessary for motorists to shun whatever would cause crashes on highways.

SonAllah, who charged drivers to see themselves as professionals in their chosen carriers, said that drivers are as good as pilots or captains of ships that need to be careful when operating.

According to him, “We are in the rainy season now, therefore, we must have functional wipers, light systems and standard tyres to avoid crashes.

“Please, don’t manage your life because as a breadwinner of your family, many people are looking and waiting to celebrate the Sallah with you and remember that only the living can celebrate.

“More so, a drivers’ licence is the only legal document that permits you to drive. Some drivers will tell you they have been driving for years and they are masters but you are not a master if you don’t obey traffic rules.

“So, if it’s a must for you to drive to stay alive, you must have a drivers’ licence because we will not allow you to ply our roads without a drivers’ licence. All hands must be on deck to ensure that life is safe here in Ondo State,” he said.

Mr Jacob Adebo, Chairman, Park Management Committee (PMC) in Ondo State, appreciated the FRSC for organising the programme, saying that it would go a long way to help motorists, especially commercial drivers.

Adebo, who explained that he established a PMC taskforce in the state to arrest any driver going against road traffic rules, cautioned drivers to always cross-check passengers’ luggage before embarking on any journey during the festival period.

“Don’t drink while driving. Respect FRSC officials and other security agencies on the highways because they are not there to victimize you but to protect and save you from unforeseen circumstances.

“And our task force is everywhere within the state to support the FRSC and will be arresting any erring driver,” he said. 

 The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged President Bola Tinubu to appoint a southerner as the next Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This is contained in a statement signed by the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, and made available to newsmen in Owerri.

HURIWA expressed concern over the consistent appointment of individuals from the Northern part of Nigeria as EFCC Chairmen since the establishment of the commission.

This trend, the organisation noted, had led to the perception that the position is micro-zoned to the North, depriving equally competent individuals of the South the opportunity to contribute to the fight against corruption.

The association described Tinubu as a prominent leader known for his commitment to fairness and justice and equity and urged him to exhibit the same by appointing a candidate from the South as the next EFCC Chairman.

“Such a decision would send a powerful message of unity and inclusivity, fostering a harmonious and balanced Nigeria.

“We firmly believe that a candidate from the southern region should be appointed as the next EFCC Chairman to ensure a fair distribution of power and showcase the competence of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

“It is essential to rectify the existing regional imbalance within the EFCC by appointing a candidate from the South as the next chairman, to address the perception of bias and create a more balanced representation within the institution.

HURIWA further emphasised the need for national institutions such as the EFCC to reflect Nigeria’s diversity and promote all-inclusion.

It called for the appointment of the EFCC chairman based on merit, competence, and a proven track record in the fight against corruption.

It also called for the nationalisation of the EFCC Chairmanship to ensure equitable representation from all regions of Nigeria.

By fostering transparency and credibility in the appointment process, HURIWA believes Nigeria can strengthen its fight against economic and financial crimes and promote a more inclusive and united nation. 

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, June 28, and Thursday, June 29 as public holidays in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

This is contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade in Abuja.

Akinlade, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, heartily felicitated with the Muslim Ummah.

“In the spirit of this special occasion that we commemorate the great virtues of obedience, sacrifice, and faith as exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim, Muslims and indeed all Nigerians are enjoined to make sacrifices for the growth and development of our communities and Nigeria at large,” she said in the statement.

The Permanent Secretary expressed hope that the prayers and sacrifices that come with the celebration and message of Eid-el-Kabir would bring about peace, unity, and progress in the country.

She wished all Muslim Ummah a happy celebration.