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The federation account allocation committee (FAAC) says it shared N725.57 billion with the federal, states and local governments for March 2022.
The figure represents an increase of 23 per cent or N135 billion compared to the February allocation.
For February, the three tiers had shared N590.546 billion.
The details are contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a virtual meeting of FAAC for March 2022.
The communiqué noted that petroleum profit tax, oil and gas royalties, import and excise duties, companies income tax and value-added tax recorded tremendous increases.
According to the statement, the total revenue of N725.57 billion, distributable for the current month, was drawn from statutory revenue of N521.16 billion and value-added tax (VAT) of N204.40 billion.
The federal government received N277.10 billion, states received N227.2 billion, while local government areas received N167.91 billion.
On the total VAT distribution, federal government got N30.66 billion, states received N102.20 billion, while the local government got N71.54 billion.
The statement also highlighted the breakdown of the statutory revenue allocation as follows: federal government received N246.44 billion, states N125 billion, and local governments received N96.36 billion, while oil-producing states received N53.35 billion.
Additionally, oil-producing states received N53.35 billion as derivation or 13 per cent of mineral revenue.
It added that the balance in the excess crude account (ECA) as of April 27, 2022, was $35.37 million.
Africa Finance Corporation/Mota Engel Consortium, Africa Plus Partners Consortium, Dafac Consortium and Enyimba Economic City Development Company Consortium, among others, are the shortlisted preferred bidders for the 12 federal highways put up for concession by the Federal Government.
It would be recalled that Federal Government had identified preferred/reserved bidders for the highways under the Highway Development and Management Initiative. The government was, however, silent on the identities of the preferred bidders.
It had explained that this was following the conclusion of the evaluation of the proposals submitted for phase one of the value-added concession under the HDMI.
The HDMI is a PPP initiative of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing that seeks to attract sustainable investment and funding in the development of road infrastructure and maximise the use of assets along the right-of-way of federal highways across the country.
The first phase of the value-added concession under the HDMI seeks to concession 12 economically viable road corridors to technically and financially capable private sector firms/consortia.
The 12 highways represent 1,963km or 5.6 per cent of Nigeria’s 35,000km federal highways, which include Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Katsina, Onitsha-Owerri-Aba, Sagamu-Benin and Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga highways.
Others include Kano-Maiduguri (Kano-Shuarin), Kano-Maiduguri (Potiskum-Damaturu), Lokoja-Benin, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta and Lagos-Badagry-Seme border.
Documents seen by our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday named some of the preferred bidders selected for the 12 roads including Africa Finance Corporation/Mota Engel Consortium to handle the Shagamu-Benin and Lagos-Badagry road.
Others include Africa Plus Partners Consortium to handle Benin-Asaba and Lagos-Abeokuta; CCCC-CGC-Hdwaks Joint Venture: Ilorin-Jebba; Dafac Consortium: Kano-Shuari; and Enyimba Economic City Development Company Consortium: Enugu-Port Harcourt and Onitsha-Aba.
This came as sources familiar with the HDMI concession programme process confirmed that the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission had commenced notification of preferred bidders for the programme.
“The next phase of the programme is the negotiation stage, during which preferred bidders will be invited to negotiate financial terms,” an official with the FMWH stated.
The official added, “These terms shall then be used by the ministry and its advisers to develop and submit a full business case to the ICRC for compliance certification and onward transmission to the Federal Executive Council for final approval.”
In a previous engagement with the media, acting Director-General, ICRC, Mike Ohiani, said Nigeria’s new tolling policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2021 and that the ICRC, in the exercise of its statutory mandate, reviewed and certified the 12 OBCs to enable the project move to the private sector procurement stage.
“In doing that, the commission provided PPP pre-contract regulatory guidance to the Federal Ministry of Works for the bid documents,” Ohiani had stated.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had also stated that the policy was developed after due consultations with various stakeholders in the transportation sector.
A total of 75 bidders had responded to the initial Request-For-Qualification, 12 bidders were shortlisted for the Request-For-Proposal.
It was learnt that companies/consortia participating in the process include Africa Finance Corporation/Mota Engil Consortium, Africa Plus Partners Nigeria Limited Consortium, Avia Infrastructure Services Limited and CCCC-CGC-Hdwaks Joint Venture.
Others include China Harbour Engineering Company, Craneberg Construction Company Limited, Dafac Consortium, Deanshanger Consortium, Enyimba Economic City Development Company Consortium, Julius Berger and Setraco.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun says there was no place, he admitted to committing any crime in the letter written by Afe Babalola & Co. in response to a petition filed by one Ayodele Oludiran on behalf of Oluwatobi Sofela.
The governor speaking through his commissioner for information, Waheed Odusile in a press release said the story published by some media organisations was fallacious, warning that 'appropriate legal steps will be taken against the purveyors of the blatant falsehood'.
The statement reads "our attention has been drawn to a story with a misleading caption in some online newspapers.
"To say this story is fallacious is to say the least. It is an admission to the fact that the journalism profession, which we still hold as noble has been thrown to the dogs.
"Journalists are expected to fact check their information before going to the press.
"This particular story was purportedly from a letter written by Afe Babalola & Co, to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a response to a petition written by a political mercenary.
"Nowhere in the letter written by the Afe Babalola & Co. was there any admission by Prince Dapo Abiodun to have admitted to committing any crime.
"The letter written by the governor’s lawyers was twisted and presented to suit a particular purpose best known to those that authored / sponsored it.
"It should, however, be noted that their obvious game plan is to discredit the governor and get through the backdoor, what they could not get through the ballot.
"Prince Dapo Abiodun is unperturbed by this machination. Just like they failed in 2019, they will also fail this time around.
"For the avoidance of doubt, let it be noted that Prince Dapo Abiodun did not admit ever being convicted of any crime.
"While we enjoined journalists to comply strictly to the ethics of their profession, we shall however not hesitate to take appropriate legal step against the purveyors of this blatant falsehood, the statement warned.
The petitioner, Ayodele Oludiran had alleged that Abiodun was convicted over a credit card fraud in the US, with jail number 8600B9436, and later filed an application for a redaction of his criminal records in Miami Dade, Florida and it was granted in 2015.
He cautioned that the discrepancies in the governor’s educational qualifications and the alleged criminal status might cause opposition parties to question the eligibility of Mr Abiodun’s re-election bid, swaying the electorates to their side.
“If action is not taken, the chances of our great party, the APC, retaining the governorship seat in Ogun State shall be in jeopardy as previously seen in Bayelsa and Zamfara States,” wrote Mr Oludiran in a statement.
Meanwhile, Afe Babalola and Co, representing Abiodun’s legal team argued that the governor’s probable arrest was not a conviction and hence was not answerable to the laws that applied to criminals.
“An aspirant or candidate will only be disqualified by the court if the false information he gives relates to a constitutional requirement of eligibility. APC is not a court of law. Accordingly, it cannot disqualify our client,” the governor’s lawyer wrote Abdulahi Adamu, APC chairman, citing section 29(6) of the Electoral Act 2022
Even if he was convicted in 1986, the governor’s legal counsel asserted the Nigerian constitution only disqualifies ex-felons from contesting political offices if their sentence was less than 10 years before the election date.
“In any event, assuming but not conceding that our client was even convicted in 1986, he would still not be affected or caught by Section 182 (1) (e) of the CFRN because the CFRN requires that the conviction which would disqualify a person from the position of the governor must have occurred ten years before the date of election to the office,” wrote Abiodun’s lawyer.
A mortuary attendant identified as Lukman Kushimo who allegedly severed the head of a minor in Oke-Yidi Cemetery area of Abeokuta in Ogun State, has confessed that he carried out the operation on request by ‘yahoo boys’, for ritual purposes
The suspect made the confession on Wednesday when he was paraded at the Ogun State Police Command, Eleweran, alongside other suspects for various crimes.
The suspect popularly called ‘Werepe’ disclosed that the job to look for a fresh head was given to him by one Awurela Ifakorede, having offered him the sum of N15, 000, while the severed head was to be used for ritual.
In his words, he said “the reason I cut the child’s head is that Awurela Ifa korede said they need biscuit (human head), that he wants to use it to do a job for yahoo boys. They brought the child to me from FMC to cemetery at Oke Yidi where I buried the child. The following morning I went to dig the child and cut the head” he said.
The suspect confessed that the corpse of the 6 year old boy was brought to him from Federal Medical Centre (FMC)Idi-Aba to the cemetery for burial, while he returned the following day to cut-off the head of the boy.
House of Representatives member and Rivers state 2023 governorship aspirant, Farah Dagogo, declared wanted Wednesday by Governor Nyesom Wike was on Thursday arrested by armed security operatives at Port Harcourt, Vanguard has reported.
Dagogo was arrested at the South South Zonal Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he appeared among other South South governorship aspirants for screening ahead of the party primaries.
Dagogo, member representing Degema-Bonny Federal Constituency had showed up past 6pm at the hall where the Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri chaired Screening Committee was on duty when armed men swooped on him.
Moments later, the lawmaker, the most voiceful of Rivers 2023 governorship aspirants so far was escorted out by heavily armed security operatives who whisked him off in a patrol van labeled, ‘Operation C4i-027’.
Governor Wike had in a statement by his Media Aide, Kelvin Ebiri, accused Dagogo of masterminding cultists disturbance at the screening of Rivers State National and State Assembly aspirants Wednesday in Port Harcourt.
The embattled lawmaker had in a swift response denied the accusation, counter accusing Wike of deliberately giving him a bad name to deny him Thursday’s screening for the state governorship where he was arrested.
Relatedly a Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt same Thursday remanded 15 persons to a correctional center for unlawful gathering connected with the alleged disturbance at the Rivers PDP Secretariat over which Dagogo has also been arrested.
Meanwhile, the South South governorship aspirants screening opened in Port Harcourt under tight security with Committee Chairman and Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri assuring of a transparent process.
Though aspirants started arriving the South South PDP Zonal Office venue as early as about 9am, screening didn’t start with Cross Rivers state aspirants till about 2pm.
Some of the aspirants who arrived early include Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, Sen Lee Maeba, Hon Onofiok Luke, long serving Delta Senator, James Manager and late arrival Reps member Dagogo who was arrested as well as Umo Eno amongst others.
Diri on a note of caution told the aspirants that as senior citizens of the party, state and country at large, they were expected to comport selves during the screening.
Diri further advised the aspirants to do all they could and stay away from any act capable of bringing the name of the PDP into disrepute.
Eleven aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 gubernatorial elections in three Southwest states, namely; Oyo, Ogun and Lagos States, on Thursday presented themselves for screening before a committee set up by the party.
The 7- man screening committee led by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, took place at the Southwest PDP secretariat, old Bodija, Ibadan.
The aspirants from Ogun state are Segun Sowunmi; Jimi Lawal and Oladipupo Adebutu, while two aspirants from Oyo state are Hazeem Gbolarumi and the state governor, Seyi Makinde.
Six aspirants from Lagos state are David Kolawole; Shamsideen Dosumu; Jimi Karmal; AbdulAzeez Adediran; Adedeji Doherty and Rhodes Gbadebo.
Speaking with newsmen on the exercise, Makarfi said the aspirants must comply 100 per cent with the PDP guidelines and the electoral act.
He stressed that the screening was to ensure that the candidates or aspirants of the party are in full compliance with the law.
A member of the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC), Stephanie Terungwa, who was declared missing on April 14, has been found dead.
Eddy Megwa, Director of Press and Public Relations, NYSC, made this known on Thursday, stating that the corpse was found wearing the NYSC Khaki trouser with the face defaced beyond recognition.
He stated, “The attention of NYSC management has been drawn to the pictures making the rounds in the social media of a missing corps member deployed to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
"The corpse was found wearing the NYSC Khaki trouser with the face defaced beyond recognition.
"On account of this, management reported the discovery to relevant security agencies to help identify the body. It was later confirmed that the remains was that of a missing corps member, Stephanie Se-Ember Terungwa, with State Code Number FC/21B/5807.
"Investigations are, however, currently on-going to unravel the identity of the perpetrators of the dastardly act in order to bring them to justice. May her soul rest in peace.”
A Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant Segun Showunmi has vowed to probe and jail any individual found guilty of stealing Ogun State resources, if made governor of the State in the 2023 elections.
He stated this at his Abeokuta, residence during Iftar (breaking of Ramadan fast) with journalists in the state stating confidently that he would defeat his co-aspirant, Oladipupo Adebutu like a baby as he is poised to winning the PDP governorship primaries.
Showunmi who claimed to have remained in PDP since 1999, said no aspirant can “claim to be more PDP than him, adding that he is searching for a deputy that is more than a spare tyre.”
He said his intention is to run the state like a country if he’s elected governor next year.
The governorship aspirant promised to run a government with “complete paradigm shift from the status quo,” by making Ogun “absolutely self sufficient.”
He accused the present state government of paying lip services to security, health, education and development issues in the state.
The PDP aspirant noted that lack of effective social welfare programmes and policies have turned children of the poor to beggars in the state.
Showunmi said “I intend to run Ogun State as if it is a country.
“I am looking to create an Ogun that will be absolutely self sufficient.
“One of the first things that we are going to do if I win and may God let me win, is to create an Ogun Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, where bright minds of Ogun will seat down every blessed day, crafting solutions to problems of now and even problems of the future.”
The aspirant also promised what he called “indigenisation of Ogun Government contracts” by allowing indigenes to be part of projects to be executed by any contractor.
He vowed to ensure those who have stolen the state’s resources are jailed, even as he said he should be jailed if found to have stolen from the state.
According to him “I’m chasing immortality by the policies and programmes that we will run here. And if one day you find me a thief, jail me, because I will jail those who have stolen before me.
“Let nobody be deceived, I’m not asking to “I am looking to create an Ogun that will be absolutely self sufficient.i did not say I would lead Ogun so that we can pamper ourselves, no!.
“Government business is a sacred trust which you hold on behalf of all the collectives.
“This is Ogun. The vast majority of people living here are bona-fide citizens of this place whose parents are the owners of this land. You can not be in charge of our land, asset, taxes and goodwill, and all you will do is to steal and they will not probe you? You must be joking. Showunmi said”
One of the pregnant women abducted from a train in Kaduna on March 28, 2022, has given birth.
A family member of the victim disclosed this in an interview with ARISE TV.
According to the television station, the relation said a doctor was sneaked into the camp to attend to the woman.
Sources said the terrorists are organised and coordinated because of the way they were able to get medical supplies into the forest, a development they described as still shocking to both government and security operatives.
“The woman who was reportedly eight months pregnant at the time of the attack, gave birth safely after the terrorists were said to have invited the medical personnel to attend to her. The state of health of the baby is however unknown.”
“According to reports by family sources, she gave birth with the aid of doctors brought in by the terrorists. We can also report that the terrorists are demanding the release of their top commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers,” ARISE said in its report.
The families of the kidnapped have appealed to the government to secure their release, but the terrorists have demanded to swap them with their commanders who are currently in detention.
Earlier in the week, the terrorists released pictures of the victims in captivity.
Among those seen were a couple with their four kids, two elderly women and 17 men.
At least nine persons were killed after the terrorists bombed the rail track and opened fire on the passengers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has extradited one Adedunmola Gbadegesin to the United States over a wire fraud scam worth $148,000.
Gbadegesin, who was extradited on Monday, is wanted in the US over an alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.
According to the EFCC, the office of the attorney-general of the federation made a request for Gbadegesin’s extradition following a court order to the effect.
“The offences contravene Title 18, US Code, Section 1349 and 1956 (h) and carries a maximum jail term of 20 years was extradited on Monday,” the statement reads.
“His extradition was coordinated by the EFCC following a request from the office of the attorney-general of the federation, pursuant to a February 11, 2022 Order by D.E Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/765/21, which granted a request to extradite the suspect to the United States to answer to criminal charges bordering on romance scam, wire fraud and money laundering.
“Gbadegesin who was arrested on September 2, 2021, is alleged to have defrauded an American lady living in Kentucky, United States, of over $148,000.”
According to the anti-graft agency, the suspect is billed to appear before a United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
He is expected to be charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
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Senate on Wednesday passed a bill imposing jail terms of at least 15 years for paying a ransom to free someone who has been kidnapped, and made abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.
Armed gangs operating mostly in Northeastern and Northcentral states of Nigeria have for more than a decade spread terror through kidnappings for ransom, targeting students, villagers and motorists on highways. They have also killed thousands of people.
The bill, which amends Nigeria's terrorism law, mandates the death penalty for convicted kidnappers where the abduction leads to loss of life, and life imprisonment in other cases.
Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the Senate's judiciary, human rights and legal committee, told the Senate that making ransom payment punishable with jail would "discourage the rising spate of kidnapping and abduction for ransom in Nigeria, which is fast spreading across the country".
President Muhammadu Buhari's government has already classified the armed kidnapping gangs, known locally as "bandits", as terrorists this year - but that has not stemmed the kidnappings, now almost a daily occurrence.
The bill will be debated in the lower House of Representatives before being sent for the president to sign.
Senator Ibikunle Amosun has declared his intention to contest the presidential seat in the 2023 general election, promising to help Nigeria “achieve her manifest destiny”, channels Television has reported.
The Senator, who represents Ogun Central Senatorial District, made the decision known in a letter he wrote to the Senate.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan read the former governor’s letter during a plenary session on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to the letter, the lawmaker says his experience makes him fit for the seat
“I have been blessed by God to serve as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 2003 and 2007 and as a two-term Governor of Ogun State between 2011 and 2019. I have also had the privilege to be elected a second time to the Senate of the Federal Republic in 2019 where I currently serve the good people of Ogun Central Senatorial District,” the letter read.
“My varied experience in private and public life has imbued me with requisite insights, experiences, and network of relationships adequate to provide a leadership that will galvanize our dear country to achieve her manifest destiny as a leader in Africa and of the black race.”
The letter noted that the official declaration will take place on Thursday, 05 May 2022, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, CBD, Abuja.
Amosun’s declaration further adds to the growing list of politicians who have declared their intention to vie for Nigeria’s number one position under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Already, a chieftain of the party and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; a former Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha among others, have indicated their interest for the APC ticket.
Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River had yesterday visited President Muhammadu Buhari, saying the Nigerian leader had given him the go-ahead to contest for the post.
Also, there are speculations that former President Goodluck Jonathan will soon declare his intention.
The Cross River leader, however, said if “the APC feels that President Jonathan is the appropriate candidate that will take us to victory, I will turn my support for him”.
On Tuesday, the APC started the sales of Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms to intending aspirants.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun says his alleged arrest in the United States over credit card fraud and forgery in 1986 can not be a sufficient ground for his disqualification by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Abiodun said APC as a political party lacked the power to disqualify him, stressing that only a competent court of law could do so had the statutes of limitations for such matters not passed.
Governor Abiodun in a 14 page document was reacting to a petition submitted by a member of the APC, Ayodele Oludiran on behalf of Oluwatobi Sofela of Ogun Bibire Unity Forum, who warned that the party might lose the governorship seat in Ogun due to Mr Abiodun’s criminal history and its concealment from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) despite swearing an oath.
Represented by Afe Babalola and Co, Mr Abiodun’s legal team argued that the governor’s probable arrest was not a conviction and hence was not answerable to the laws that applied to criminals.
“An aspirant or candidate will only be disqualified by the court if the false information he gives relates to a constitutional requirement of eligibility. APC is not a court of law. Accordingly, it cannot disqualify our client,” the governor’s lawyer wrote Abdulahi Adamu, APC chairman, citing section 29(6) of the Electoral Act 2022
Even if he was convicted in 1986, the governor’s legal counsel asserted the Nigerian constitution only disqualifies ex-felons from contesting political offices if their sentence was less than 10 years before the election date.
“In any event, assuming but not conceding that our client was even convicted in 1986, he would still not be affected or caught by Section 182 (1) (e) of the CFRN because the CFRN requires that the conviction which would disqualify a person from the position of the governor must have occurred ten years before the date of election to the office,” wrote Mr Abiodun’s lawyer.
The petitioner, Ayodele Oludiran had cautioned that the discrepancies in the governor’s educational qualifications might also cause opposition parties to question the eligibility of Mr Abiodun’s re-election bid, swaying the electorates to their side.
“If action is not taken, the chances of our great party, the APC, retaining the governorship seat in Ogun State shall be in jeopardy as previously seen in Bayelsa and Zamfara States,” wrote Mr Sofela in a statement.
Mr Abiodun, allegedly with jail number 8600B9436, had filed an application for a redaction of his criminal records in Miami Dade, Florida and it was granted in 2015.
Last May, Abidemi Rufai, a longtime associate of Mr Abiodun, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the U.S. for his role in a $650 million (N312 billion) employment fraud.
Airtel Africa has confirmed that Central Bank of Nigeria has awarded its subsidiary, Airtel Mobile Commerce Nigeria Ltd, with a full super-agent licence.
According to the firm, this licence will allow it to create an agency network that can service customers of licenced banks, payment service banks, and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.
In a statement, the firm said, “Further to our announcement of 15 November 2021, Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with presence in 14 countries across Africa, today confirms that the CBN has awarded its subsidiary, Airtel Mobile Commerce Nigeria Ltd, with a full super-agent licence.
“The licence allows us to create an agency network that can service the customers of licenced Nigerian banks, payment service banks and licenced mobile money operators in Nigeria.”
Super agents are firms approved by CBN to recruit agents for agency banking, such as financial services within communities on behalf of banks in order to deepen financial inclusion.
This development is coming about five months after the telco was granted an approval-in-principle licence.