News
Nigeria had to buy emergency supplies of Canadian potash in April after the country was unable to import the key fertilizer from Russia due to the impact of Western sanctions, head of Nigeria's sovereign investment authority NSIA said.
Uche Orji, head of NSIA, declined to comment on prices. However, spot prices today are up more than 250% for deliveries to west Africa compared to last year, according to commodities pricing agency Argus Media, dealing a further blow to the country's finances.
The move shows one of many unintended negative consequences of sanctions to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, which it calls a "special military operation".
The International Monetary Fund said last week that the invasion had delivered a further "huge negative shock" to sub-Saharan Africa, driving food and energy prices higher and putting the most vulnerable people at risk of hunger.
The extra pressure comes as many countries are still reeling from the protracted Covid-19 pandemic.
Nigeria has for years been battling double-digit inflation, which quickened to 15.92% last month, and its population of 200 million will face even higher food costs this year and the next as the agricultural sector passes on the higher costs of imported wheat, diesel and fertilizer.
"Russia was unable to deliver so we bought spot from traders in Canada. The Canadian High Commission in Nigeria helped start the conversation with producers," Orji told Reuters.
NSIA negotiates imports of raw fertilizer materials like potash as part of the Nigerian government's programme to develop its capacity to produce blended fertilizer.
Orji said Nigeria has enough potash inventories to cover 40% of blending demand and bought three cargoes of Canadian potash, which should arrive within the next month. Normally, the country takes five Russian cargoes a year.
Western sanctions and self-sanctioning by many global companies and financial institutions have created chaos for anyone dealing in products of Russian origin and sent many energy and commodity prices to record highs.
Russia's Uralkali, a major global producer of the crop nutrient, has been Nigeria's exclusive supplier since 2019.
Uralkali declined comment. A spokesperson for the Canadian government said it "is aware of the challenges being experienced with accessing potash as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and we are working closely with our Nigerian counterparts to explore sustainable solutions."
The potash producer has not itself been targeted by sanctions so far but Russian businessman Dmitry Mazepin left the board and cut his controlling stake in Uralchem after he was hit by EU sanctions in March. Uralchem owns the majority of Uralkali.
Orji said there were ongoing discussions to see if a Russian delivery could still be made.
The price of potash has been on the rise since last year after the EU imposed some sanctions on Belarus, the world's third biggest producer after Russia and Canada.
The price skyrocketed in early March following financial sanctions on Russia, hitting a record $1,125 per tonne at the end of April for product on a delivered basis to South Africa, according to commodity pricing agency Argus Media. Combined, Belarus and Russia account for 38% of global potash supplies, which are now uncertain.
Nigeria imported about 200,000 tonnes of potash last year, one of three key ingredients for fertilizer blending, according to the local fertilizer association FEPSAN. Nigeria's raw material imports meet just under 40% of Nigeria's needs, the rest is sourced domestically, and local blended output was 1.5 million tonnes last year, nearly equal to domestic consumption.
"The Canadian potash will hopefully arrive just in the nick of time for the planting season, which starts as early as end-May in some parts," FEPSAN executive director Gideon Negedu said, adding the association has a strategy to prioritise crops that need more potash.
Death toll at the collapsed three-storey building in Lagos has risen to 10, an official has said.
Margaret Adeseye, director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, via the agency’s Twitter handle on Monday said that responders were already concluding their operations.
A three-storey building collapsed at 24, Ibadan Street, off Herbert Macaulay Way, Ebute-Metta on Sunday night.
The incident happened when the residents had gone to bed, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Adeseye said that 10 bodies had been recovered – six males and four females.
“24 (twenty-four) were rescued with varying degrees of injury and all in stable condition, including 2 (two) who are responding to treatment,” she added.
The fire service director said the responders are about to reach ground zero of the search and rescue operations.
“All the first and major responders are still collaborating to mop up the incident scene,” she said.
Gunmen on Monday, killed four persons, including a police officer, in two communities in Anambra State, Nigeria’s Southeast.
Two of the victims who were killed in Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area, were brothers.
The duo, identified as Godwin Ikechukwu Modobi and Nnajiofor Modobi hailed from Umuhu village in the community.
Two other persons were killed near a church, along Udorji road, Ozubulu, in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of the state.
The latest attacks were coming barely four days after about five persons were killed at a beer parlour in Osumenyi, Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state.
Nnajiofor was said to have been killed in their house, before his younger brother, Ikechukwu, was blindfolded and abducted by the gunmen.
Ikechukwu was later killed by the gunmen near Utuh Junction.
His corpse was dumped at the centre of the road.
In a viral video of the incident which was shared in various WhatsApp groups, about four fired bullets were seen close to his corpse as blood gushed out.
The police spokesperson in Anambra State, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incidents.
He said one of the victims of the attack at Utuh was a police officer, while the second victim was later identified as a former youth chairman in the area.
Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police, said a Toyota Camry reportedly belonging to one of the victims was recovered by the police.
“We got information of two lifeless bodies along Nnewi/Ozubulu road. Our operatives quickly went there and recovered the two bodies,” he said.
Sit-at-home
In another development, gunmen, believed to be enforcing the suspended sit-at-home order, attacked a shop owner at a market in Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, Ihiala Local Government Area of the state.
The attack happened on Monday near Uli campus of the institution formerly known as Anambra State University.
A student of the institution, Lilian Anna, who said the incident happened close to her lodge, said the gunmen were angry that the shop owner opened for business on a sit-at-home day.
She said: “They did not kill anybody. The man they attacked had a chemist shop. He opened his shop and at the same time switched on his generator. He was the only one who opened today.
“So, they (gunmen) came there, beat him up and set his generator ablaze.”
Gunmen, on Saturday, killed two soldiers, at an unknown location in Imo State, Nigeria’s Southeast, Premium Times has reported.
The victims, A. M. Linus, said to be a Sergeant of the Nigerian Army, and his unidentified wife, said to be a lance corporal in the Army, were reportedly beheaded after being shot dead by the gunmen.
Their corpses were said to have been dismembered by the gunmen. A gory image of their heads has gone viral on various social media platforms.
A phone conversation with the suspected gunmen, believed to have been initiated by a friend to the slain female soldier, has surfaced online.
In the phone conversation, a suspected gunman admitted that he killed the couple.
The gunman said they were aggrieved that the military has been consistently killing innocent residents in efforts to attack them (gunmen).
“It’s quite unfortunate that it is this way. I killed both of them yesterday,” the suspected gunman was heard saying in the phone conversation.
As the caller burst into tears after hearing that her friend and her husband had been killed by the gunmen, the gunman was heard making a joke of her.
Confirming the attack, Army spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu said on Monday that military authorities have received information about the killing of two of their personnel.
Nwachukwu said the military personnel were travelling for their “traditional marriage formalities” in Imo State when they were attacked by the gunmen.
“This is a very dastardly act unleashed on our personnel by some criminals,” he said in a text message.
The army spokesperson said authorities of the Nigerian Army had commenced investigations “to unmask and bring to book the criminals behind the murder.”
Attacks by gunmen have increased in the Southeast in recent times. The attacks often target security agencies and government facilities.
Federal government has accused the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the Southeast. But the group has repeatedly denied their involvement in the attacks.
The separatist group is leading the agitation for an independent state of Biafra to be carved out from the South-east and some parts of the Southsouth Nigeria.
The leader of the secessionist group, Nnamdi Kanu, is currently detained in Abuja where he is facing trial for alleged treason.
Armed gangs who kidnapped dozens of passengers in an attack on Abuja-Kaduna train are using civilians as human shields, making it difficult for the military to carry out a rescue mission, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday accordingto a Reuters report.
Nigeria's state railway company said last month that 168 people were missing following the March 28 attack.
Local media last week showed a video of victims of the kidnap, including a baby recently born to one of the abducted women. Reuters could not verify the video's authenticity.
Buhari said the government, which has been criticised for not doing enough to rescue the passengers, was trying to avoid a "tragic outcome" in any rescue operation.
"They (the kidnappers) are using civilians as human shields, thereby making it difficult to confront them directly," he said in a statement.
"It's a delicate situation ... Any rescue operation that results in the death of any hostage cannot be deemed a success."
Abductions have become almost a daily occurrence in Nigeria, where the armed gangs abduct people for ransom and hide in forests.
The brutal nature of the attacks have increased insecurity fears in a country also grappling with an insurgency in the northeast and rising criminality around the country.
Homicide detectives at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested Terungwa Edward Achado, the husband of the late member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Stephanie Se-ember Terungwa Edward Achado and two others in respect of her death, the guardian has reported.
A source disclosed that all the people that last saw her are suspects.
According to the source, “Police arrested the husband yesterday night (Saturday) and two others, who last called her number. It does not mean they are guilty. The suspects are with the homicide section of FCT Police Command. Their arrest would aid investigation by detectives.”
The late Stephanie, who left behind a baby was declared missing on April 14 in Abuja, but was later found dead with her body dismembered.
Her body was found in NYSC uniform, almost two weeks after she disappeared in the Lokogoma area of the FCT.
FCT police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Josephine Adeh, said the Command has assembled the best hands to unearth the mysteries behind her killing.
She was said to have left home in her NYSC uniform to participate in the community development programme, but never returned.
Stephanie, who hails from Benue State, studied Microbiology.
The death toll recorded during the building collapse, which happened Sunday, on Ibadan Street, in the Ebute Metta area of Lagos State, has increased to eight.
A statement by the National Emergency Management Agency confirmed the development on Monday.
“Two male additional bodies recovered, making eight deaths,” the acting coordinator, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, said.
It was observed that emergency responders put the recovered corpses in body bags.
The recovered corpses were deposited in some of the vehicles the emergency responders brought to the scene of the incident.
Thereafter, the corpses were taken to the mortuary.
No fewer than 23 persons including children were said to have been rescued alive.
The occupants were said to be in their various apartments when the building suddenly collapsed and trapped some of them.
Farinloye, who had confirmed the death of five occupants, said the collapsed structure had been marked for demolition.
He said, “Another three-storey building, on Lagos Street, about 200 metres away from the current scene has shown signs of distress with part throwing pebbles and falling off.
“The building had also been marked as distressed but the occupants were deviant.
However, the building has been re-sealed and occupants evacuated by officers of Lagos State Buildings Control Agency.
“Four deaths including two male and two female. 23 people have been rescued alive including seven children and 16 adults. Another young man, Tahin has just been recovered making five deaths.”
The Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, in a statement late Sunday, had said some of the injured victims were rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for urgent treatment.
Terrorists who kidnapped the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers have released Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, son of the Chairman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi.
Sadiq, who has spent over one month in captivity with other victims, was said to have been released last Friday after the payment of ransom to the terrorists.
Sadiq, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, was among those in the Business Class coach of the train, who were abducted by the gunmen.
Sadiq had on February 5, 2022 dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress for the PDP.
Terrorists had on March 29 bombed the Abuja-Kaduna rail tracks and attacked a train filled with passengers. About nine passengers lost their lives while many were taken into captivity by the terrorists. One of the victims, who was eight months pregnant was reported to have given birth last week.
Godwin Obaseki, Edo governor, has approved N40,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state.
Obaseki made the announcement on Sunday while delivering his 2022 Workers’ Day speech.
He said his government will continue to prioritise the welfare of Edo workers and equip them with the capacity to deliver quality service.
“As we all know, the minimum of N30,000 can barely sustain a family. It will be immoral and mindless of us to continue to pretend that we do not know that our workers are suffering,” he said.
“The government of Edo has now decided to review the minimum for Edo workers from N30,000 to N40,000 a month. Undoubtedly, Edo is the first state since the current outbreak of coronavirus to take this initiative.”
The governor said his administration is sensitive to the impact of inflation in the country.
“Even though we would have loved to pay more, we hope that this little adjustment would enable us to cushion the impact of the inflation that we are faced with. There is no doubt that the financial implications will be heavy and put another burden on the government,” he said.
“But as a government, we are prepared to make the sacrifices so that the workers can live a better life. Your welfare is our number one priority.”
Obaseki also approved payment of harmonised pension from May 2022 in tandem with an agreement reached with pensioners.
“I am particularly interested in our senior citizens because they are one of the most vulnerable in our society. We took interest in payments of outstanding pensions to our pensioners in spite of the fact that these pensions were held by the previous administration,” he said.
“In view of the prevailing economic circumstances, I have now approved, effective this May, the agreement we reached with the Union of Pensioners that the harmonized amount would be paid from May 2022.
“Government is aware of the difficulties faced by the pensioners due to the non-payment of pension and gratuities to pensioners by previous governments. This responsibility is huge and it will require a substantial part of our resources to settle them.”
A three-story building on Sunday night collapsed at 32, Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service made the announcement late Sunday, adding that rescue operations have begun.
The announcement read, “An alert of a collapse of a three storey building by 32 Ibadan Street, Ebute Meta was received at 21:48 hours, Sunday with Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service already at the scene.
“Search and Rescue ongoing with updates to follow, please.”
Numbers of casualties can not be ascertained, if there is any as at the time of filing this report.
More details later.
More...
The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to disrupt all political activities in the build-up to 2023 general elections including party primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is not urgently resolved by the Federal Government.
The students have also criticised the Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, for obtaining the N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms to vie for the presidential ticket of APC while university students are “languishing” at home because of the ASUU strike.
NANS President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said it was unfortunate that politicians have really not shown concern to the plight of the Nigerian students.
He said the student body had given mediators time to prevail on the Federal Government to resolve issues with ASUU and ensure that students resume to their different campuses.
He, however, expressed disappointment that both ASUU and Federal Government are still grandstanding on the contentious issues without hope in sight for early resolution.
Members of ASUU had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14. On March 14, the union extended the industrial action by another two months to allow the government to meet all of its demands.
Asefon while expressing worries over the lingering crisis, vowed to ensure that the students are mobilised to frustrate all the activities leading to the selection of party candidates if the lecturers remain on strike.
He said: “I am compelled to write this morning being the beginning of a new month to address the unending ASUU strike.
“We have given mediators time to prevail on the Federal Government to resolve issues with ASUU and ensure our students resume to their different campuses but it seems all mediation failed or are failing as the case may be.
“We have also in the past weeks seen those saddled with great responsibility in the education sector and those saddled with responsibilities of resolving labour crises declaring interests to contest for the seat of the president come 2023.
“We are surprised by their effrontery and total disrespect to the Nigerian people for having the courage to even moot the idea of contesting, talkless of picking up the 100 million naira presidential form while students languish at home because of their collective failures.
“Politicians have shown no concern to the plight of the students but are only busy with their selfish and inordinate ambitions to become the next president.
“Let me say without mincing words, the two major political parties should forget any political gathering in Abuja or elsewhere except there is a solution to the lingering ASUU strike.
“We will frustrate all the activities leading to the selection of party candidates if we remain on strike. We also want to advise the government and the politicians who are busy campaigning to be president to either resolve the ASUU crisis or give direct orders to the security operatives to shoot us at sight during party conventions to select presidential candidates,” he said.
He insisted that “if we remain on strike, they should just forget it. Because they know our plans and how fearless we are while pursuing the interest of the students, we are aware they have bought some acclaimed student leaders with no conscience and no honour to divide us.”
The NANS president advised student leaders who are paid to return the money to their paymasters, warning that the wrath of the students would not spare them.
“We will fish them out and make them pay for their betrayal and atrocities against the collective interest of the students we all swore to protect.
“If the politician holding the trust of the country are only concerned about the next election, we are more concerned about the next generation and if there is no next generation, the election will soon go into extinction.
“In short, end ASUU strike now or forget about party primaries,” he said.
Gunmen have invaded a ‘beer parlour’ in Obiofia village in Osumenyi, in the Nnewi-South Local Government Area of Anambra State, and killed five persons.
According to an eyewitness, the incident happened at the Uto Ndu beer drinking joint late Friday.
It was gathered that the unidentified gunmen invaded the restaurant at about 8:00pm on Friday and immediately opened fire on the customers who were drinking and having fun.
About five of them, including the owner of the restaurant, identified as Uto Ndu, were said to have been killed.
Videos from the scene of the incident, which are currently trending on social media, also showed that four of the victims were males, while one (the owner of the shop), a female, each lying lifeless in the pool of their own blood.
Sympathisers, friends and relatives of the victims were also seen mourning and lamenting as the corpses were being loaded in a Sienna ambulance bus, for evacuation to a mortuary.
A weeping feminine voice was also heard in the background lamenting (in Igbo language): “What have we done oooo? Who have we offended? What did we do to deserve all these?”
Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, is yet to confirm the last night attack as of the time of filing this report, as he said enquires were still ongoing and promised to revert.
At least five people including two personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been killed by suspected herdsmen, while others were injured in separate attacks on two local government areas of Benue State on Thursday and Friday last week.
It was gathered that two NSCDC personnel and a driver with the Benue Livestock Guards, were killed while they were on an official duty at Adaka community of Makurdi on Friday.
It was further gathered that two people were killed on Thursday evening at Tse-Tume in Turan council ward of Logo Local Government Area of the state.
According to a community leader from Logo LGA who did not want to be named for security reasons, the locals were killed while they were working on their farm.
The community leader who identified the deceased as Terkende Injarwua, and Mfaiga Ukor, said their remains had been recovered and buried on Friday.
Speaking on the attack, Chairman of Makurdi Local Government Area, Anthony Dyegeh, confirmed the killing of two NSCDC personnel and a driver to the Livestock Guards commander.
“The Civil Defense personnel were members of Agro Rangers who worked hand-in-hand with the Livestock Guards to enforce the state’s anti-open grazing law.
“So on Friday, they went to Adaka to arrest the herdsmen who were grazing their cattle; they went with their with livestock guards. Unfortunately, the herders engaged them and killed several people.
“The deceased have been taken to the mortuary while the injured ones were receiving treatment at Federal Medical Center, Apir, and teaching hospital in Makurdi.
When contacted, NSCDC’s Public Relations Officer, Michael Ejelikwu, promised to give a detailed account of the incident, but was yet to do so at the time of filing this report.
But when she was contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, said: “That was not reported to me.”
Popular Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has formed an advocacy group aimed at championing the rights of Fulani herders.
Gumi announced the creation of the group known as Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) during his Ramadan sermon at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna.
He said it will bring attention to the abuses and violations of rights of Fulani herders.
“We found it worthwhile to establish Nomadic Rights Concern (NORIC) to be headed by Umar Labbo. NORIC is supposed to be a channel whereby Nomads will have their complaints and agitation addressed to the right authorities.
“So many have complaints about the loss of family members. Others are in the prisons of security apparatus for many years without offence and trial in a competent court of justice.
“The organisation was established to address these fallouts, hopefully, nomads will follow the civil ways in addressing their grievances away from violence, it’s said that violence is the language of the unheard, Gumi said.
He said the nomads will channel their grievances to the NORIC, which will help them take legal means of getting redress.