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The Federal Government, yesterday, criticised Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his ‘unbridled’ comments which it claimed was indirectly helping terrorists restrategise as well as endanger those in captivity. In fact, it accused him of divulging classified information.
National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Munguno, disclosed this after a meeting of the National Security Council at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
Responding to a question on El-Rufai’s claim that intelligence was made available to the military early enough on hideout of bandits and planned attacks, but that they failed to act, the NSA said the governor’s comments could compromise the security situation as bandits could relocate to other destinations if they knew that their current hideout was known.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai spoke about the security agencies saying we know who they are, where they are. Again, that is the danger. When you start talking too much, you give away a lot, I agree. Now, even if they say we know where they are, that in itself is already a problem because once you say it, whether it is true or false, the person who has your people in captivity will move to another location. It’s just as simple as that. So, sometime, it is best to just keep silent; mum is the word.”
He said Buhari has issued fresh orders to security chiefs to rescue all persons abducted during the Kaduna train attack and other persons still in captivity across the country.
Munguno, who briefed alongside the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, said the Abuja-Kaduna train attack was the last straw leading to deaths of some passengers and scores of kidnapped individuals. He said the president was saddened by the security situation in the country and demanded immediate action from the security chiefs.
He said the president consequently ordered rescue of all kidnapped persons unhurt using the train attack as fulcrum.
The NSA also said the president has ordered the tightening of all borders to curb insecurity, noting that without the intelligence and support of the local communities it will be difficult to tame the rising insecurity in the country.
The NSA noted that the president felt that enough was not being done by the security agencies despite what had been provided.
He said the president alone cannot completely receive the blame for insecurity in the country as his part is to make strategic decisions he has been doing.
“It has to be contained collectively by both the armed forces as well as the constabulary forces; the Nigerian Police Force, civil defence, but the intelligence agencies also have been directed to enhance the acquisition of intelligence.
“The present situation in the country calls for a collective effort by all, not just those that have been charged with the responsibility of physically securing the country. The most important thing, for now, is the acquisition of intelligence and the type of intelligence that is needed is human intelligence
“And I need to make it very clear, I have to be very honest; unless the wider society, right down to the local governments, is willing to give the type of information that is needed to block the activities of these criminals, this situation will continue to linger beyond whatever timeframe we’re looking at, towards ending this great problem.”
On why is it difficult to deploy technology, especially in some areas where the military has been having problems, he said: “One, technology is expensive. Technology takes time to acquire - since we do not produce this very, very delicate equipment.
“It’s not as if the government is not making any effort to acquire but we need to know who to acquire this technology from, where, when and there are certain processes.”
He added that the surrendering of Boko Haram elements had not engendered the desired result in stemming insurgency in the country.
The NSA also spoke on the threats coming from the country’s vast land borders and the need to replicate in them what has been achieved in the maritime borders.
Google Africa has announced the arrival of its Equiano submarine cable in Lagos, Nigeria, the second city in Africa.
Juliet Ehimuan, director, Google West Africa, disclosed this in a note on Thursday.
Last month, the subsea cable landed in Togo, and it is expected to run from Portugal along the West Coast of Africa connecting Europe to Togo, Nigeria, Namibia, South Africa, and Saint. Helena.
Ehimuan said the Equiano cable has a special resonance for Nigeria, as it is named after Olaudah Equiano, a Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist.
Equiano went through slavery as an African child. He was taken to the Caribbean and sold as a slave to a Royal Navy officer. He later purchased his freedom in 1766 and supported the British abolitionist movement. He died in 1797 at the age of 52.
“Today, we’re thrilled to announce our second Africa landing in Lagos, Nigeria. While many subsea cables are named after historical luminaries, the Equiano cable has special resonance for Nigeria. It’s named after Olaudah Equiano, a Nigerian-born writer and abolitionist, so it’s landing in Lagos, Nigeria today is like a homecoming,” the statement reads.
“Nigeria is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest economy. Still, the share of people using the internet was approximately 35% as of 2020 – double what it was in 2012. Across much of the country, people lack affordable, reliable & quality access, which limits their ability to benefit from, and contribute to, the digital economy.”
Ehimuan said the subsea cable would benefit not just the government but businesses as well as individuals in multiple ways.
She added that there would be a mutual agreement with key players to ensure a wider reach for consumers across Africa.
“Since 2017, the Nigerian government has been actively working on its digital transformation programs as part of plans to grow its domestic sectors.
These initiatives have proven pivotal to the success of many industries in the country, especially the startup space. In the last five years, startups in Nigeria have produced five unicorns (startups valued at over a billion dollars).
Businesses are also benefiting significantly from the usage of internet platforms, with total e-commerce annual expenditure predicted to climb to $75 billion by 2025, up from its current projection of US $12 billion,” she added.
“Equiano’s arrival in Nigeria is expected to result in faster internet speeds and significantly improve people’s experiences while online. Internet speeds in Nigeria are expected to grow almost six-fold by 2025, and retail internet prices are forecasted to decline by 21% over the same period.
“The same study found that by 2025, real GDP in Nigeria is forecast to be USD 10.1 billion higher than it otherwise would have been without Equiano and that the cable would indirectly generate roughly 1.6 million new jobs between 2022 and 2025.
“We are partnering with multiple key telecom players, including our landing party, the West Indian Ocean Cable Company (WIOCC), where Equiano lands to ensure that the cable can reach more businesses and end-users across Nigeria and the African continent more broadly.”
The United States embassy in Nigeria has said that individuals studying in the US may be eligible to renew their student visa without an interview when they return to Nigeria this summer.
However, to qualify for the procedure, the applicant must be physically present to renew a student visa that is still valid or has expired within the last 24 months.
The embassy in a statement in Abuja on Thursday further explained that an eligible student must continue participation in the same major course of study even if at a different institution or attend the same institution even if in a different major course of study.
It stated, “To qualify for this procedure, you must be physically in Nigeria renewing a student visa that is still valid or has expired within the past 24 months and is renewing your visa either to: (a) continue participation in the same major course of study even if at a different institution; or (b) attend the same institution even if in a different major course of study.”
PRESS RELEASE
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mrs Matilda Mmegwa as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Employment and Job Creation (Office of the Minister of Labour and Employment.)
The Senior Special Assistant, who has held a number of posts in the private sector in Canada and international organisations, will work under the leadership of the Minister of Labour and Employment on issues of job creation.
Mmegwa brings to the position over 30 years’ experience in the field of strategic leadership, corporate governance, social inclusion and economic development.
She is an internationally decorated Presenter/Keynote Speaker and was the lead discussant at the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) conference in Tanzania in 2009.
Mmegwa has served as Senior Consultant and Strategy Advisor with the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) an initiative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Ghana.
She holds a degree in Industrial Chemistry, professional qualifications as Chartered Accountant in both Nigeria and Canada, and a Master’s degree in Strategy and Corporate Governance.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 21, 2022
Debt Management Office (DMO) has announced offers for subscription, by auction, of three batches of N75 billion bonds.
In a statement yesterday, it stated that the auction date is April 25, 2022, while settlement would be on April 27, 2022.
It said the N75bn bond would have a 13.53 per cent interest rate maturing by March 2025 with a 10-year re-opening. The next is also a N75bn bond maturing by April 2032 as a 10-year new issue; while the third is also a N75bn bond of 13% with January 2042 maturity (20 years re-opening).
It said the units of sale is N1,000 per unit subject to a minimum subscription of N50m and in multiples of N1,000 thereafter.
All FGN Bonds qualify as liquid assets for liquidity ratio calculation for banks, DMO stated.
It added that all federal government’s bonds are backed by the full faith and credit and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.”
Some officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have allegedly assaulted a driver and injured him in front of his children, wife and mother after seizing his vehicle particulars and mobile phone along Ejule Road in Kogi State.
The officers were also alleged to have invited some thugs to attack other motorists and passengers who had pleaded with the officers to take the driver to the hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, when the victim was returning to Abuja from Okigwe in Imo State.
The victim, Okafor Dodoh who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday in Abuja said they sighted a man with blood-stained clothes, standing close to the FRSC Patrol vehicle at a checkpoint on the road alongside two women and children who were crying.
He said their driver stopped to find out what had gone wrong and if there was any way they could offer help.
He said the driver narrated to them how he was manhandled and beaten to a stupor by FRSC officers, who also seized his vehicle particulars and mobile phone.
Okafor said, “We approached the senior officer in charge to plead that they return the man’s papers to him so that he could continue his journey as he was travelling with his family. We later learnt that the women wailing and crying were the injured man’s mother and wife. His children we saw were also crying inside his vehicle.
“An argument ensued when the senior marshal refused to release the man’s particulars. We insisted that the man needed treatment and has to be allowed to go treat himself or at least get some first aid since the men (FRSC officials) said they cannot offer any assistance to reduce the bleeding.
“While the back and forth went on, one of the men made a call in a language I did not understand but before he ended the call, I heard him say ‘now, now.’ By now more vehicles had stopped and several passengers and drivers joined in pleading that the man whose papers had been confiscated after he had been beaten should be allowed to go treat himself immediately.
He said to their surprise less than five minutes later a group of thugs arrived at the location on the order of the leader of the team in a 406 Sedan and beat up everyone in sight while dragging people out of their vehicles.
He explained further that their driver in the process tried to manoeuvre his vehicle with the aim of leaving the scene but was blocked and beaten to a pulp.
“I was inside the vehicle but the thugs, targeting me directly on the instruction of the marshals began to hurl objects at me. Many of the thugs and two of the marshals attempted to drag me out of the vehicle and damaged my wristwatch.
“A woman and her baby sitting next to me were also beaten. We only managed to escape when a police patrol team arrived at the venue before the driver was allowed into his vehicle to take off,” Okafor added.
Meanwhile, in a petition exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters, written by Okafor and addressed to the Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Commission, Boboye Oyeyemi demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and payment of compensation to the affected driver and the passengers of the attack.
He also called for disciplinary action against the officers involved in the assault, adding that their action had brought shame and ridicule to the commission.
The petition read in part, “I write to bring to kindly bring to your attention sir, a very ugly experience I had on Tuesday, 19th April 2022 at around 3 pm while travelling in an Imo Transport Corporations’ Vehicle from Okigwe in Imo State to Abuja. We had a smooth journey until we arrived at a certain bad portion of the road at Ejule where men of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) mounted a checkpoint where they performed their legitimate duty of inspecting vehicles’ particulars.
“I would, with all sense of responsibility sir, expect a full investigation into this matter within the next fourteen days after which if nothing is done, I shall have no option but approach the court to demand the enforcement of my fundamental human rights and those of other victims “
Also, the video and pictures obtained from the scene of the incident showed FRSC hilux patrol vehicle with registration number C. 45RS and command code 8.31 ( A) with the driver soaked in blood and many other passengers with injuries.
Residents of Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo and members of civil society organisations, on Wednesday, stormed the Lagos-Benin Expressway to protest against incessant attacks by herdsmen on their communities.
The protest, which lasted for several hours led to a gridlock on the highway, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. According to the protesters who are from 10 communities, herdsmen often invade and destroy their farmlands.
They also alleged that the suspected herdsmen have been forcibly evicting them from their ancestral homes and killing their loved ones.
Some of the protesters were from Odiguetue, Ofintebe, Igolo, Okokuo, Abumwenre I and Abumwenre II, Obarenren, Uhiere, Uyimo I and Uyimo II.
A community leader, Osagie Obayuwana, said they were worried about the looming crisis brewing in the various communities and orchestrated by armed herdsmen.
“We are zeroing in on Ovia North-East communities; about ten communities have been under siege for some time now.
“It is one of the reasons the price of food is rising beyond the reach of even those in the middle class.
“Our people have gone to various relevant government offices to complain, but there has not been any response.
“We don’t want the Benue and Plateau experience where armed herdsmen drive people away from their communities, change the names of the communities and start to occupy the houses to be replicated in Edo,’’ he said.
A representative of the Edo State CSOs, Osazee Edigin, decried the level of insecurity in Edo communities and noted that it had gone from bad to worse.
“We have seen the high level of insecurity in the state, and we want the state government and law enforcement agencies to rescue the people.
“The government should step in. With no peace in the land, life will not flourish, and the economy will go down,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, James Chu, who represented the police commissioner, Abutu Yaro, appealed to the protesters and assured them that the police were making efforts to address the problem.
“There are critical strategies that are in place to ensure that the excesses of these herdsmen disturbing our villages are monitored and equally checked and stopped.
“I assure you that the police are not resting on this issue. We shall work hands-in-gloves with the communities to ensure the essence of this gathering,’’ Chu said.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for the immediate sacking of the Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman, over a controversial Easter advert.
In a statement signed on Wednesday by the National Secretary, Joseph Daramola, CAN stated that the advert was “wicked and insensisitve” towards Christians.
Sterling Bank had faced a backlash after the company published its Easter message, which compared the Resurrection of Jesus Christ to Agege bread.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria has been drawn to an ungodly, wicked, insensitive and deliberately provocative advertisement of Sterling Bank, comparing the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to ‘Agege bread’ amidst the Easter celebration.
“In case the management of Sterling Bank is not aware, the Resurrection of Jesus witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the Resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not worthy of our faith and worship.
“Only He who created life can resurrect it after death; only He can reverse the mystery that is death itself, and only He can remove the sting and gain the victory over the grave (1 Corinthians 15:54–55). In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.”
Recall that after the backlash, Sterling Bank apologised for the error with another message, which called for forgiveness, but also received negative comments and was later followed up by an apology letter signed by Abubakar Suleiman, the bank’s CEO.
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), in a statement signed by its Registrar and Chief Executive, Olalekan Fadolapo, said the body would punish Sterling Bank for posting what it described as an offensive and provocative advert.
CAN advised Christians to be wary of the banks they patronise, insisting that Suleiman and the Management of the bank showed “hostility and hatred” for the Christian faith.
“The purported apology did not come from a penitent heart. How can someone in his right mind described the risen Christ as a loaf of bread. That is insulting, ridiculous and a mockery of Jesus Christ. We advise Christians to be wary of the banks and other financial institutions they are patronising.
“We learnt that the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria has reportedly intervened in the matter with a view to impose some sanctions against Sterling Bank. The Christian Association of Nigeria is waiting for the decision of the organisation.
“However, in the interim, we call for the immediate removal of the Chief Executive of Sterling Bank; Mr. Abubakar Suleiman with his Management whose actions have clearly shown their hostility and hatred for the Christian faith,” the stated further read.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has allotted 43,000 seats to Nigeria for the 2022 Hajj.
Sources confirmed this to Daily Trust on Wednesday, saying the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) is working on an official statement.
About 150,000 intending pilgrims may be jostling for the seats being backlog for 2020 and 2021 and a fraction of the 2019 intending pilgrims that couldn’t perform the exercise.
There was no hajj in 2020 and 2021 following the Covid-19 pandemic, which ravaged the world with several countries locking down to contain the spread of the virus.
Therefore, some of the thousands of intending pilgrims who paid for the spiritual journey in 2020 and 2021 said they hoped to perform the hajj exercise this year in addition to those hoping to pay also.
Respite came the way of many Muslims, especially intending pilgrims around the world when the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced about 10 days ago that one million pilgrims would perform the 2022 Hajj, out of which 85 per cent would be allocated to external pilgrims while the remaining percentage would be for Saudi residents.
The one million is 50 per cent less than the usual figure of two million pilgrims that performed the exercise pre-Covid-19.
All Progressives Congress (APC) has released its primary election timetable for various public offices ahead of the 2023 elections.
The timetable was released by the party after its national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.
The party’s presidential candidates are expected to pay N100 million to buy the nomination form while the governorship candidates will pay N50 million.
The price of nomination form for state house of assembly was pegged at N2 million while the house of representatives is N10 million and the senate is N20 million.
According to the schedule, a notice of election to state chapters would commence on April 22.
The party said the sale of forms for the various public offices will begin from April 23 to May 6.
It said the congress to elect state and national delegates would be held between May 7 and 9.
The ruling party said aspirants for the state house of assembly and governorship will be screened on May 12.
Those aspiring to hold seats in the house of representatives and senate will be screened on May 17 and those seeking to clinch the party’s presidential ticket will be screened on May 23.
The party said it will screen aspirants for positions of state house of assembly and governorship on May 14.
The primaries for governorship, state house of assembly, house of representatives, and senate will be held on May 18, 20, 22, and 24 respectively.
No date has been fixed for the presidential primary election.
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2023 PRESIDENCY: CAMPAIGN POSTERS URGING FORMER NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, JONATHAN TO CONTEST, FLOOD ABUJA
Posters with messages urging former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2023 presidential race have flooded major streets in Abuja, the capital city.
The posters simply say, “Goodluck Jonathan: You Must Run”.
The posters are on major streets but mostly concentrated on Blantyre Street in Wuse 2 District, where the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is located, Leadership reports.
The posters, however, do not bear the logo or name of any political party or group.
Since there is no provision for independent candidacy in the Electoral Act 2022, the former President will have to join a political party if he chooses to contest.
His spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, disassociated the former president from the posters but said Jonathan had been getting inquiries on whether or not he would contest the 2023 presidential election, and on what platform.
“We are not in any way associated with any campaign poster. Should His Excellency former President Goodluck Jonathan choose to contest, he is eminently qualified to do so.
“After all, in 2015, nobody advised Goodluck Jonathan before he called to concede defeat and congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari. In like manner, nobody should talk of influencing the former president to run or not to run.
“If he’s going to run or not, it’s a question of time and shall be his personal decision. It is within the rights of people to pressure him to run. But it is also within his own right to run or not. The fact remains that he is very constitutionally qualified to run,” Eze stated.
SaharaReporters on March 31 reported that Jonathan had rejected some of the conditions given to him by members of the Aso Rock (Presidency) cabal to get the 2023 presidential automatic ticket of the ruling APC.
One of the conditions was that Jonathan must officially defect to the APC with some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors in the South-South and South-East regions.
The cabal, comprising some members of President Muhammadu Buhari’s extended family and friends, are the powers behind the throne.
This group is said to have the ears of the President, influence policy-making and determine those who get major appointments.
Sources said the former President rejected the conditions and told the cabal he did not have interest in the 2023 presidency again.
His response, it was gathered, embarrassed the cabal members who described the former President as a traitor.
“They are now accusing Jonathan of not fulfilling some of his promises after all the several meetings and soft-landing given to him.
“He was to come on board by converting some PDP states in the South-South and South-East to APC, and that way he would get the automatic ticket uncontested. Some other conditions were also given to him.
“But guess what? He told them he won’t contest again. They are now angry, saying he was deceitful. They said after getting some of his seized monies back, his wife’s monies returned to him, he finally decided not to contest,” a top source had disclosed.
"Members of the ‘Aso Rock cabal’ had promised Jonathan the 2023 presidential ticket of the ruling APC", the sources said.
It was also reported that the cabal members had warned the President against handing over to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo and Bola Tinubu, the national leader of the party.
President Muhammadu Buhari has hosted governors of the 36 states of the federation, security chiefs and heads of para-military organisations to Iftar dinner at the State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some of the presidential guests had earlier joined the president in performing the Magrib prayer at the Aso Villa Mosque before the commencement of the breaking of the fast.
The president had hosted the leadership of the nation’s judiciary to Iftar dinner on Thursday.
At the event, Buhari pledged that the executive arm of the government would continue to respect the judiciary within the boundaries laid out in the Constitution to strengthen the country’s democracy.
Buhari had on March 29 met behind closed doors with security chiefs after the terrorist attack on a Kaduna- bound train.
The train was conveying about 970 passengers from Abuja to Kaduna at about 7.45 p.m. on the fateful day.
Those at the meeting with the President included all service chiefs, Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba and Director-General of the State Security Services, Yusuf Bichi.
An aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has crashed in Kaduna State.
Details of the incident are still sketchy, but sources said the pilots of the ill-fated aircraft were killed in the incident.
A source within the force confirmed the development to Daily Trust.
According to the source, the deceased pilots were on training session at NAF base in Kaduna when the incident happened.
“It is sad that we’ve again lost two of our fine officers. May God rest their souls,” he said.
Spokesman of Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, an Air Commodore, could not be reached as calls to his mobile did not connect.
He had yet to reply a text message sent to his mobile phone or issued a statement as at when filing this report last night.
The accident happened less than one year after a NAF aircraft crashed in Kaduna.
The incident, which occurred in May 2021, involved a Beechcraft 350, and the aircraft crashed around the Kaduna international airport.
A former Chief of Army Staff, Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military officers who were on board when the plane crashed, were killed.
Attahiru was said to be on his way to Kaduna to attend a passing-out parade for army recruits.
African start-ups attracted a record $5.2 billion in venture capital last year, bouncing back from a pandemic-induced dip in 2020 with a nearly five-fold increase in investments, according to data released by an industry group on Tuesday and reported by Reuters.
The success of companies like Nigeria's Paystack, acquired in 2020 by U.S. payments firm Stripe, and fellow fintech Flutterwave, valued at over $3 billion, has fuelled international interest in up-and-coming businesses on the continent.
"African startups raised more in 2021 alone than the preceding seven years combined," the African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA), which promotes private investment on the continent, wrote in a report.
Much of the investor focus has been on fintech start-ups seeking to meet the needs of the continent's largely unbanked population. The data compiled by AVCA showed the financial sector accounted for 60% of the investments by value and nearly a third of deals by volume.
Nigeria, a hotbed of new fintech firms, was the leading destination for venture capital in Africa last year, surpassing South Africa, the continent's most developed economy.
Most venture capital deals were concentrated in early-stage funding rounds. However, late-stage funding ballooned in 2021, including a nearly 40-fold increase in financing raised by Series C fundraising rounds.
Fintechs Chipper Cash, MFS Africa, Yoco, and OPay together raised $833 million via Series C funding rounds.
While deals of less than $1 million represented nearly a third of transactions by volume, those worth over $50 million accounted for 62% of the total value of venture capital financing in Africa last year.