Politics

FG evacuates 100 Nigerians from Libya

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The Federal Government has evacuated 100 Nigerians stranded in Libya.

The Chargé D’affaires en titre of the Nigerian Embassy in Libya, Kabiru Musa, disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Tripoli.

He said the returnees are expected to arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Friday night.

The official added that another set of 100 stranded Nigerians would return home in the next 10 days.

Musa said among those to be repatriated are victims of human trafficking and persons detained in Libyan prisons for migration offences, among others.

He revealed that the exercise was coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of the Ministry of Defence

.

The embassy official said: “Under the special arrangements, NAF aircraft C-130 H evacuated 100 stranded Nigerians detained in various Libyan prisons after they had served respective jail terms.

“The aircraft arrived in Tripoli on Friday, 13th August 2021 at 2.00 pm local time for the evacuation exercise.

The repatriated Nigerians included men, women, and children some of whom were either victims of human trafficking or ISIS reign of terror. They were held captives for several years until their captors were killed.

“Others were jailed for committing migration offenses.

“The Embassy in fulfilling its obligations to Nigerian citizens exerted efforts with coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the return of the Nigerians home and to reunite them with their families.

“The exercise was successfully carried out with the support of the Ministry of Defense which provided the aircraft.

The exercise will be a continuous one until all Nigerians stranded in Libya are returned home. Already, another batch of 100 Nigerians will be evacuated in 10 days.”

He thanked the Libyan authorities for ensuring the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Politics

13 die, scores injured as floods ravage Bauchi

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13 people have been confirmed dead, with several others injured as floods continue to ravage parts of Bauchi State.

The state Emergency Management Agency (BSEMA) in a statement on Friday, announced that five bodies were discovered in Jama’are and Darazo Local Government Areas of the state on Thursday following the discovery of eight bodies in other parts of the state during the week.

According to an official of the BSEMA. four bodies were recovered in Jama’are LGA, while the remaining one was found in Darazo LGA, bringing the total death recorded so far this year to 13, with 24 persons sustaining varying degree of injuries in floodings recorded in 18 local government areas of the state.

“Out of the 13 deaths recorded, five were from Jama’are LGA, three each in Gamawa and Toro LGAs, while Toro and Darazo LGAs had one death each,” the official said.

Out of the 13 deaths recorded, five were from Jama’are LGA, three each in Gamawa and Toro LGAs, while Toro and Darazo LGAs had one death each,” the official said.

The BSEMA Coordinator, Dr Abubakar Umar Gabarin, who also confirmed the incident, said there were new deaths from flooding in the state, but was silent on the number.

“Initially, we told you that the number of dead people is eight but we heard that some people died. We are still collecting information,” he said.

Gabarin added that of the 24 injured people, some were treated and discharged, while few were still receiving treatment in hospitals across the state.

According to him, 2, 000 people were affected by floodings in which property worth N9.3m were affected, adding that a total of 1,600 houses were destroyed and over 5, 000 farmlands washed away.

He revealed that those who lost their lives to floods had been buried after due process was followed, while information was still being gathered with a view to ascertaining the actual number of those affected.

“Some of the affected settlements are hard to reach, while in some areas the bridges that linked the affected communities or culverts were washed away by the flood, and it is still raining,” he said.

The coordinator, however, appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Presidential Taskforce on Flood, philanthropists and donor agencies to come to the aid of the state government considering the magnitude of damages done by floods in the state so far.

Politics

Abdulsalami counsels IPOB, Yoruba Nation group, others

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A former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd) on Thursday urged the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Yoruba Nation agitators to embrace Nigeria’s diversity and other enduring attributes.

Abdulsalami, who made the call at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) Legacy Dialogue 2021 in Minna, Niger State, urged the separatist groups to maintain the unity of Nigeria by exposing the people behind insecurity in the country.
The ex-military ruler insisted that the best option for the country in its current state was to remain united.

He said: “Even if you break Nigeria now, how are you going to do? When everybody, every Nigerian, anywhere you go in the village, you will find a Hausa man, a Yoruba man, an Igbo man, Itsekiri, and so on and so forth.

“So, when you say you divide, where do you draw the line with the inter-marriages and so on and so forth? It is going to be difficult.

“I advice Nigerians that all hands should be on deck to address the menace, calling on Nigerians to expose perpetrators of insecurity.

“So, let us expose them to the authorities and let us put our hands on deck to tackle the security challenges.”

Politics

Your husband died in military operation,’ Nigerian Army tells Sakaba’s widow

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The Nigerian Army has dismissed claims that one of its officers, Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, was assassinated for refusing to loot funds meant to prosecute the fight against the Boko Haram sect.

The late Sakaba’s widow, Oluwaseun, had accused the Nigerian Army of assassinating her husband for refusing to be part of an alleged plot to loot funds meant for the counter-insurgency operation in the North East.

The woman’s statement came a few days after the army claimed that 1,081 Boko Haram terrorists had surrendered to troops in Bama, Borno State and begged for forgiveness from Nigerians.

The Director of Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, who reacted to Mrs. Sakaba’s claim in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, said the officer was not assassinated neither was there any plot to loot military funds.

He said the late soldier died during a military operation.

The statement read: “The Nigerian Army has been notified of an article making the rounds online in which an allegation credited to Mrs. Oluwaseun Sakaba, the widow of late Col Ibrahim Sakaba alleged that the late senior officer was assassinated for refusing to loot funds meant for fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.

The late senior officer’s widow was quoted to have made several uncomplimentary comments about the institution of the Nigerian Army, making reference to unfounded and baseless claims devoid of any fact.

While the Nigerian Army is not interested in joining issues with anyone with respect to the enormous sacrifices made daily by our gallant troops, it is however expedient to address the weighty allegations credited to the widow.

The Nigerian Army acknowledges the emotional agony associated with losing loved ones and that cannot be quantified by any unit of measure.

“The demise of late Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, like those of other officers and soldiers who paid the supreme price in the war against terrorism in the North-East, is one that is painful to the Nigerian Army. These men and women died serving our nation, fighting to restore peace and stability in the North East.

This is in tandem with the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Therefore, it will be totally mischief and an assault on the psyche of our troops, who are relentlessly fighting, to begin to insinuate any plot against one of our own. And what is the plot here? That troops were led by their commander for an operational engagement is not a plot, as anyone may want to insinuate. Rather, it was a clear military mission with a clear objective.”

Politics

Nigerian Mission in London closed as officials test positive for Covid-19

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The Nigerian Mission in London, United Kingdom, has been shut for 10 days as two of its officials tested positive for covid-19 on Thursday.

One of the Nigerian officials had gone to the UK Home Office for a meeting where a test revealed his status, which prompted the testing of other staff of the Mission resulting in another positive case.

Following the incident, the Mission in line with the COVID-19 regulation and need to adhere to the rules and regulation of the host country, said it will close down for the next 10 days, to observe the mandatory isolation of those who were in contact with the affected officials.

In a statement on Thursday titled, ‘Closure of Nigerian High Commission, London,’ the Mission said, “This afternoon, the Head of Immigration Section and two other officials went for a meeting at the Home Office.

At the entrance, Covid test was administered on them and one of them tested positive to COVID-19. The affected officer immediately isolated while the other officials, who tested negative will also isolate for the next 10 days.

“In response to this challenge, the Mission embarked on testing all officials of the Mission, after which another official of the Mission tested positive.

“In line with COVID-19 regulation and the need to adhere to the rules and regulation of the host country, the Mission will close down for the next 10 days, in order to observe the mandatory isolation of those who were in contact with the affected officials.

“While the High Commission regrets any inconvenience that this may have caused, we solicit the cooperation of the general public.

Politics

Buhari visits Tinubu in London

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday visited the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in London.

The President travelled to the United Kingdom late last month for a routine medical checkup.

He later attended the Global Education Summit on Financing Global Partnership for Education (GPE 2021-2025).

Buhari is expected back in the country later this week.

On the other hand, the former Lagos State governor left the country over one month ago.

Reports had said the APC chieftain was treated for an undisclosed illness in a United States hospital.

However, some of Tinubu’s associates including the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had dismissed the reports.

Sanwo-Olu, who visited the ex-governor in London recently, insisted that he was “hale and hearty.”

He said: “I went to see things for myself. It is just to put the minds and hearts of people to rest that there is nothing for us to worry about.”

Politics

Nigeria records daily average of 700 new cases as COVID-19 Delta variant spreads

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The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed that the country is averaging more than 700 new cases daily as the COVID-19 Delta variant spreads across the states.

The NCDC disclosed this via its verified website on Thursday morning

According to the organisation, the country registered 790 additional infections on Wednesday, a sharp increase from the 610 cases it registered a day earlier.

Wednesday’s increase, driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant, was the highest since February.

The surge resulted in the federal government calling on citizens to take responsibility and adhere to preventive measures in the country, especially as the caseload keeps rising on the heels of an ongoing doctors strike.

The NCDC noted that states nationwide were struggling to curb the spread of the Delta variant, with the situation becoming alarming particularly in Lagos, Akwa-Ibom, Rivers , Oyo states and the FCT, where the strain was accounting for a large number of the cases.

Due to the spread, NCDC observed that Lagos state set a new record for COVID-19 on Wednesday with 574 cases, and infections in Rivers state jumped to 83, Ondo-38, Ogun-31, Oyo-23, Delta-10, the FCT-9, Ekiti-7, Edo-6, Osun-4.

Anambra and Bayelsa recorded 2 cases each and Plateau-1, while three states, Kano, Nasarawa and Sokoto, reported zero cases, NCDC said.

One new death was also recorded on Wednesday, bringing the nation’s fatality count, since the start of the pandemic, to 2,195.

A total of 74 people recovered and were discharged from various isolation centres in the country on Wednesday, with total recoveries nationwide since the onset of the pandemic clocking 166,203, the NCDC added.

The agency said that the country had tested more than 2.5 million samples for the virus out its roughly 200 million population, with an average test positivity rate of six percent.

It also disclosed that the country’s active cases had soared to 11,500.

Politics

31 Northern lawyers offer to defend Kyari

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At least 31 lawyers from the Northern part of Nigeria on Wednesday declared their intention to defend the suspended Head of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari, following his indictment by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for alleged link with the suspected fraudster, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi.

Barr. Bappah Salisu, who spoke on behalf of a group of lawyers drawn from the 19 Northern states in the country, said in a statement in Abuja, his colleagues had agreed to provide free legal services to Kyari.

He said the decision was in response to the recent call by the Coalition of Northern Group (CNG) on the matter.

Salisu said there were several procedural lapses in the FBI attempt to extradite the police officer to the US to face criminal charges.

He said: “We would raise questions involving the possibility of breaches to Kyari’s fundamental rights entrenched in Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which essentially states that every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person and every individual shall have the right to have his cause heard.

“This comprises the right to an appeal to competent national organs against acts of violating his fundamental rights as recognized and guaranteed by conventions, laws, regulations, and customs in force.

“The right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court or tribunal; the right to defence, including the right to be defended by counsel of his choice; the right to be tried within a reasonable time by an impartial court or tribunal.”

Politics

DSS invites ex-Adamawa gov, Bindow, others over ‘anti-Buhari’ meeting

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A former Governor of Adamawa State, Senator Jibrilla Bindow was grilled by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday.

It was gathered that his questioning by the state service was related to a meeting he attended, where some attendees reportedly abused President Muhammadu Buhari and wished him dead.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the leaked audio of the same meeting, led to the suspension of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker chairman in Yola South, Suleiman Adamu, by the national body of the party.

Speaking on the saga, the media aide to the governor, Sadiq Abdullateef in a statement, confirmed the interaction between the DSS and Bindow on Wednesday, noting that some other people were also invited by the secret police.

He listed five other persons interviewed by the DSS on the same development as Kabiru Mijinyawa, former speaker Adamawa house of assembly; Sulaiman Adamu, acting APC chairman Yola south; Mustapha Barkindo, former adviser during Bindow’s administration; Abubakar Umar Sirimbai, former commissioner, and Yusha’u Adamu.

The statement however cleared Bindow of any blame for attending the meeting, noting that those who recorded and leaked the audio of the meeting were only trying to blackmail Bindow.

Also, the statement explained that when Bindow noticed that some people who attended the meeting were cursing President Buhari, he cautioned them but before the audio was leaked to the public, it had been doctored.

The statement read: “Former Adamawa State Governor, Senator Muhammad Umar Jibrilla Bindow was invited to a party meeting because some members of the party were aggrieved about the just concluded primaries, which he attended as an elder of the party.

It’s worthy of note that, there was no program in the said meeting, he went there and sat and listened to the aggrieved members’ complains, and there was an unwarranted outburst from some members which he cautioned, it’s sad that some people are using that outburst with a recording to malign the former governor.

”The said recording was doctored and if you listened to it very well, there are some conversations that were skipped, Senator Bindow cautioned the members making those unwarranted utterances thrice in the meeting and even threatened to walk out.

”His words were, ‘please this is not right, you don’t wish anybody death because of political reasons, talk less of our leader and father, the president. Let’s make progress please, or I am leaving’.

But because it’s a planned recording to malign and create problems where there is none, his utterances condemning what has been said wasn’t even in the circulated recording.

”As far as we are concerned, we were invited to a meeting and things were said in public and Senator Bindow cautioned the people making those utterances and that was it.

”President Muhammadu Buhari is like a father to Bindow and he will never entertain anything of such on the president.”

Politics

Reports on Assembly’s approval of LCC takeover wrong – Lagos govt

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The Lagos State government on Tuesday dismissed reports that the State House of Assembly had granted its request to take over the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

Reports had claimed on Monday that the state government would get a 75 percent stake in LCC after the House approved its request to take over the company during its plenary held at the Assembly complex in Ikeja.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, who reacted to the claim in a statement posted on his Facebook, urged the public to disregard it.

He said the government did not make any request to take over LCC at the Assembly, adding that it assumed full ownership of the company in 2014.

The commissioner stressed that the only request sent to the parliament was for the conversion of the loan given to LCC by the African Development Bank (AfDB) to sovereign (public sector) facility.

According to him, the public sector facility attracts a lower interest rate and will enable the company to make some savings.

Omotoso said: “Reports that the Lagos State House of Assembly has granted the State Government the go-ahead to take over the Lekki Concession Company (LCC) are wrong. The government did not make such a request.

“Its request was to convert the African Development Bank loan from a private sector (commercial) loan to a sovereign (public sector) loan, which attracts a lower interest rate. This will enable the company to make some savings.

The government, in fact, acquired the full shares/equity of the former owners of the company in 2014. There was no need to take such a request to the House.

“Following the Lagos State Government’s full ownership of LCC in December 2014, the loan became eligible for conversion to a Sovereign facility with an attendant significant lower interest rate of LIBOR plus 80 basis points and extended tenor.

“In the recent past, there have been discussions amongst LCC/LASG, AfDB and the relevant Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies concerning conversion of the loan to a Sovereign facility. Upon the completion of the conversion, there will be a significant reduction of applicable interest rate and extended tenor.

The Sovereign loan conversion will also lead to a crash of the applicable interest rate on the facility to circa 1.8 percent per annum compared to the current interest rate of circa 4.12 percent per annum.

“Besides, the conversion will increase the tenor of the facility from the current five years to 15 years. This has the impact of spreading the cash flow impact by an additional 10 years.

“One of the requirements stipulated by the Federal Ministry of Finance for the loan conversion is the approval of the Lagos State House of Assembly. This is the approval given by the Lagos State House of Assembly on 5th August, and NOT an approval for taking over of LCC, as reported. As stated earlier, Lagos State government took over the shares of the previous private shareholders of the company in December 2014.

Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC) is a Special Purpose Vehicle set up specifically to execute the Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Toll Road Concession Project. The project is designed to deliver essential road infrastructure and services along the Lekki Peninsular of Lagos.”

Politics

APC suspends chairman in Adamawa for allegedly insulting Buhari in leaked audio clip

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Adamawa State has suspended the party’s chairman in Yola South local government area of the state, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, for allegedly insulting President Muhammadu Buhari on social media.

Adamu was heard on a viral audio clip saying it would have been better if COVID-19 had killed Buhari.

He also described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as a better President for Nigeria.

The APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Mohammed Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said the party got the audio clip, called an emergency State Working Committee (SWC) meeting where it was replayed and discussed by party members.

He said the committee had set up a seven-man disciplinary committee to investigate allegations of gross misconduct against the chairman.

Abdullahi said: “At the end, it was observed that some of the words in the audio clip were most unfortunate and required further investigation.

“Consequently, a seven-man disciplinary committee has been set up by the State Working Committee to investigate the issues in the audio clip and to make appropriate recommendations for action.”

Politics

Akpabio receives NDDC forensic audit report

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Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has revealed that the Federal Government will study the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) final forensic report in order to ensure the action of President Muhammadu Buhari over crucial areas.

Akpabio disclosed this in Abuja when he received the forensic audit report from the security team on Tuesday.

The Minister expressed satisfaction on the job done, maintaining that the report would be a turning point for the NDDC and development of the Niger Delta region.

This would pave the way for fresh nominations for a substantive board of the NDDC to the National Assembly, which had generated a lot of controversy,” Akpabio noted.

“It would also facilitate the process of constituting the board, boost development of the Niger Delta region and reposition the commission to ensure optimal performance, as against what obtained in the past.”

He restated Buhari’s directive for a holistic examination and review of NDDC’s operations, for the economic prosperity of the Niger Delta region.

Politics

Navy dismisses report on killing of personnel in Anambra

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The Nigerian Navy on Tuesday described as false reports that two of its personnel were killed by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Some online platforms had reported that two Naval officers were killed by IPOB members in a gun duel at Awkuzu area of Anambra on Monday night.

But the Commanding Officer of the Naval Outpost, Onitsha, Adekunle Okeniyi, who reacted to the report in a statement, said six suspected IPOB members were killed in the operation.

The statement read: “The attention of the Naval Outpost, Onitsha, has been drawn to some false publications that on the 9th August 2001, two naval personnel were killed at Awkuzu during a gun duel with suspected Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) members in Anambra State.

The Naval Outpost, Onitsha, clearly refutes this fake news and wishes to state categorically that none of own personnel suffered any casualty during the gun duel.

“Rather, the troops fought gallantly and were able to repel the attack which resulted in the loss of six suspected IPOB members while others suffered serious injuries.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Naval Outpost, Onitsha, calls for an immediate halt to the circulation of this fake news and wishes to advise the general public to disregard this fake news.”

Politics

EFCC grills NEPC chief, Sadiku for alleged corruption

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday grilled the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Yewande Sadiku, alleged abuse of office and contract fraud running into several millions of Naira.

Sadiku was quizzed by the EFCC operatives for nine hours at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development.

Sadiku was appointed the Executive Secretary/CEO of NIPC in November 2016.

She also served as Executive Director in charge of Corporate and Investment Banking business at Stanbic IBTC Group, among others.

Politics

NNPC redeploys staff, gets new spokesman

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The Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has approved the appointments and redeployment of some staff to fill key vacant positions in the corporation.

The management also approved the appointment of Garba Mohammed as the new Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division in the NNPC.

He replaced Dr. Kennie Obateru, who will retire from service in September as the corporation’s new spokesman.

Obateru, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the appointments and redeployments would strengthen and reposition the NNPC for future operations in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Also, Mr. Billy Okoye was appointed the new Group Executive Director (GED), Ventures and Business Development while Mrs. Aisha Ahmadu-Katagum was promoted to the position of the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services.

Until their new appointments, Okoye and Ahmadu-Katagum were Group General Managers, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) and Supply Chain Management Division respectively at NNPC.

Adeyemi Adetunji, formerly the Chief Operating Officer, Business and Ventures Development, becomes the Group Executive Director, Downstream.

Mr. Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, who was the Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services, has been appointed the Group Executive Director, Gas, and Power.

Politics

Why APC is afraid of e-transmission of election results – Delta commissioner

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The Delta State Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, said on Monday the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected the electronic transmission of election results over the fear of losing the 2023 general elections.

Aniagwu stated this in Asaba while briefing journalists on the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the state.

He stressed that Nigerians would never make the mistake of voting for APC in 2023.

The commissioner said politicians kicking against the electronic transmission of election planned to rig the 2023 election.

According to him, electronic transmission of results will ensure free and fair elections in the country and guide against interception and snatching of results at collation centres.

Aniagwu said: “Delta representatives in the National Assembly that voted against electronic transmission of election results did that for their own selfish desire and not the aspiration of Deltans.

APC is scared of electronic transmission of results because of its government’s abysmal failure in the last six years. Those kicking against electronic transmission of results are planning to rig election.

” Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has directed all government appointees to go back to their communities and mobilise their people to participate in the Continuous Voters Registration.

“Our people are not taking the advantage of the exercise, and therefore, the governor ordered all appointees to mobilise their people for the ongoing registration.

“Voters need to be educated because civil education in Nigeria is still low. So the governor also directed all state-own media houses to give the INEC free charge.”

Politics

Sit-at-home order 100% successful in South-East – IPOB

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) boasted on Monday that its sit-at-home directive was 100 percent successful in the South-East.

The group issued the directive last week to protest the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, by the Federal Government.

In a statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, IPOB commended the people of the region for complying fully with the directive.

It urged the people to remain resolute in their push for Biafra.

The statement read: “We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our prophet and liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, are delighted to note that this ghost town and sit-at-home order issued by IPOB leadership was 100 percent successful.

The quest to demand the release of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from DSS dungeons will continue but from another dimension until they release our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“We, therefore, warmly commend Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of Biafra freedom who made the exercise a huge success irrespective of counter orders from unknown men working for DSS to discredit IPOB and its leadership.

“We equally thank our gallant security outfit and volunteer members who made this exercise a successful event today, the 9th of August 2021.

“The huge success recorded in the sit-at-home order today has again further demonstrated that IPOB is intact and has no issues with anybody. We are in unity and we can restore Biafra sooner than expected.

“We, therefore, encourage all Biafrans to remain resolute in our struggle for self-determination which is our fundamental right.”

Politics

I agree with IBB, Nigerian leaders today are far more corrupt –Anambra ex-gov, Obi

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Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has said he agrees with the views of the former military president of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) that Nigerian leaders today are far more corrupt now than they were during the military era.

The former military dictator had in an exclusive interview on AriseTV on Friday, stated that former military leaders in the country were “saints when compared to the level of corruption in Nigeria today.”

IBB had stated that he “sacked a governor for misappropriating about N300,000”, noting that the case is different today as people who have stolen billions of naira walk the streets untouched, as “they are taken to court and they come out.”

However, in his views on the issue, Obi, also in an interview on AriseTV’s Good Morning Show on Monday, said if there was anything that had consistent growth in Nigeria, probably competing with the world level, it waa corruption.

The former governor maintained that the case was very simple, noting that IBB mentioned that he sacked a governor who misappropriated N300,000, which as at that time had an official rate of N17 and the black market rate of $15,000 compared to what is happening today.

“I had a meeting with General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd) and he told me that military governors then didn’t receive up to 10 per cent of what we received as governors.

So definitely corruption, and of course as you know is the biggest negatively impacting situation in our country today because corruption kills entrepreneurship. When people are working and nobody is being paid it kills hard work. So in a corrupt country, it’s difficult for anything to work,” he said.

When asked about the greatest fear he has about the country, Obi said he has the same fears about leadership and the lack of leaders with integrity, who would focus on the job of ensuring that they do the right thing for Nigerian.

Politics

Nigerian govt deceived Kenya over Kanu’s extradition —Lawyer

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Aloy Ejimakor, one of the special counsels to incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, has accused the Nigerian government of deceiving the government of Kenya to extradite the fugitive to Nigeria instead of the United Kingdom.

In a statement on his Facebook page on Sunday, Ejimakor explained that technically, Kanu is still in Kenya as he had traveled to the East African country on a British passport and as such, should have been extradited to the UK and not Nigeria.

“Kanu is technically still in Kenya. Yes, that’s right: In the purest interpretations of foreign relations law, as applied to Britain and Kenya, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is technically speaking, still in Kenya. How?

“Dual national or not, Kanu departed Britain and travelled to Kenya as a British citizen and Kenya admitted him as such. That’s the starting point.

“So, after his admission to Kenya, it happens that Kanu must be expelled from Kenyan soil (with or without due process), the next natural and legal thing to do is for Kenya to expel him to Britain, not Nigeria.

“Choosing to expel him to Nigeria means that he could’ve also been expelled to any other country than Nigeria.

Why? Because Kanu presented himself to Kenya as a British citizen, not a Nigerian citizen or even a dual citizen.

“In international law, it was clearly a three-way immigration contract between Kanu, Britain and Kenya.

“Nigeria was not a party to it; and Nigeria was never in reckoning at the Kenyan port of entry when Kanu presented himself for admission. Lawyers call it the privity of contract.

Counting from the time of Kanu’s abduction to the infamous rendition, Kenya sighted no other travel document that could’ve, in addition to Britain, attributed another nationality to Kanu, including that of Nigeria. Or, was Kanu admitted to Kenya on a Nigerian birth certificate?

“So, it’s dubious that Kenya attributed Nigerian citizenship to Kanu because sponsors of the abduction and rendition presumably told Kenya that Kanu was born in Nigeria.

“What about the credible claims (in public domain) that Kanu had renounced his Nigerian citizenship? If place of birth should count, then renunciation should count for more.

Kanu is 53 years old. Out of this, he has spent some 30 years in Britain and 23 years in Nigeria. His wife and children are domiciled in Britain and they are British citizens, either by birth or naturalization. Kanu has his home in Britain and pays his taxes there.

“Therefore, as a strict matter of foreign relations law, as applied to Britain and Kenya (minus Nigeria), Kanu is technically still in Kenya. How? Because Kenya was the last country in which Kanu – a bonafide British citizen was lawfully admitted.

“In view of the foregoing, the next best steps for Britain to take, especially in the face of Nigeria’s intransigence, is to ask Kenya to account for the whereabouts of her citizen, Nnamdi Kanu, last seen in Kenya as of June 19th, 2021, as her Majesty’s subject and a free citizen of Britain, not a criminal suspect.”

Entertainment, Politics

CBN explains why it can’t prosecute Obi Cubana, others for abuse of Naira

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Following reports of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) failing to sanction violators of the country’s currency, the apex bank has disclosed that it has no power to take such action.

Conversation about the abuse of naira grabbed headlines in July after Nightclub businessman, Obi Iyiegbu popularly known as Obi Cubana, and his friends were captured violating the currency during his mother’s burial in Oba, Anambra State.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Section 21 of CBN Act of 2007 frowns against the spraying of naira and stomping on it. The law states that any person caught violating the currency will be imprisoned for six months, with an option of fine – or both penalties will be meted on such individual.

However, the Acting Director of CBN’s Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi, contradicted the CBN rule, stating that the financial regulator is not a law enforcement agency.

Nwanisobi, who spoke at an interactive session with the organised labour in Calabar, Cross River state over the weekend, where he represented CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said, “CBN is not a law enforcement agency. But we completely frown at such an attitude where the national currency is not accorded its due respect as other nationals do their currencies.”

He said so much capital goes into the production of the naira, and this cost is passed on to Nigeria eventually.

This statement contradicts the CBN Act of 2007, which empowers the CBN to take action against abusers of naira. According to the act:

(1) A person who tampers with a coin or note issued by the Bank is guilty of an offence and shall face imprisonment for a term not less than six months or to a fine not less than N50,000 or to both such fine and imprisonment.”

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