Over 72.77 million active telecommunication subscribers have been barred from making calls on their SIMs, following a directive from the Federal Government to telecommunication companies.

On Monday, the Federal Government ordered telecommunications companies to enforce compliance with its National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module policy by restricting outgoing calls on all unlinked lines as the deadline for the verification expired on March 31.

This directive was contained in a joint statement signed by Director of Public Affairs of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Ikechukwu Adinde, and Head, Corporate Communications at the Nigeria Identity Management Commission, Kayode Adegoke.

According to the statement, 125 million SIMs have submitted their NINs for linkage, while over 78 million unique NINs have been issued. It said the deadline for the NIN-SIM linkage had been extended on multiple occasions to allow Nigerians to comply with the policy.

It stated, “Accordingly, Mr. President graciously approved the many requests to extend deadlines for the NIN-SIM linkage. At this point, however, the government has determined that the NIN-SIM policy implementation can proceed, as machinery has already been put in place to ensure compliance by citizens and legal residents.

“The implementation impacts on government’s strategic planning, particularly in the areas of security and socio-economic projections.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the implementation of the policy with effect from April 4, 2022. Consequently, the Federal Government has directed all telcos to strictly enforce the policy on all SIMs issued (existing and new) in Nigeria.

“Outgoing calls will subsequently be barred for telephone lines that have not complied with the NIN-SIM linkage policy from April 4, 2022.”

The Federal Government added that subscribers yet to link their SIMs to their NINs should do so before their lines are completely restricted.

According to the NCC, there were 197.77 million active telecom subscribers as of February 2022. 125 million subscribers have submitted their NINs for verification, leaving 72.77 million subscribers on the receiving end of the Federal Government’s new directive.

A source in one of the telecom companies said the affected subscribers would still be able to receive calls, send and receive text messages, and use the Internet, in the meantime. The source added that telcos had begun to comply with the directive.

The source said, “Part of the Act that set up the NCC, by extension operators, mandates us to disconnect SIMs whenever the government tells us to do so. We are under an obligation to oblige the government when they ask us to disconnect SIMs. It is part of the Act setting us up.

“Yes, we have started complying. When the news broke today, they were yet to officially notify us, but now, the NCC has officially written us, and we have received their directive on it. We have started the implementation.

“There are two buckets to this directive, there are people who have linked their NINs to their SIMs. Do not forget that part of the reason why they kept on extending their deadline was because of the NIMC’s failure.

“NIMC has not been able to do the required integration from the backend. The telcos have done their part, but the challenge is that the NIMC does not have the means to have that firm handshake from the backend. And once the handshake is not done, it is as good as not doing any linkage. People fall into the second bucket.

“The question now is when you direct us to disconnect, who are you referring to? This is so because if we add the second pool, we will virtually disconnect everyone. For now, we are dealing with people who have not linked their SIMs to their NINs at all.”

Bandits have raided some houses at Anguwar Maji in Jere town along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway and abducted 22 villagers.

This happened barely 24 hours after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, visited the highway.

Jere, which shares a boundary with Tafa-Sabon -Wuse in Niger State, is located on the ever-busy Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

A resident of Anguwar Maji, Shehu Bala, who confirmed the latest abduction through a telephone conversation with our reporter, said the incident happened around 11pm on Sunday.

He said the bandits, who came in large numbers, invaded some houses and whisked away 22 residents, including five women.

“The bandits came in their large numbers as some of them wore army uniforms.

“They moved from house to house and woke their victims up before they marched them into the bush at gunpoint,” he said.

According to him, the bandits operated silently in the community for over an hour.

He added that they only started shooting sporadically to scare people from coming after them after leaving the community.

Bala, however, said one among the 22 kidnapped victims escaped from his abductors while being led into the bush.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mohammed Jalinge, could not be reached at the time of filing this report.

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and two-term governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole, has declared his intention to represent Edo North Senatorial district at the Senate.

Oshiomhole made the declaration during his 70th birthday at his country home in Iyamho, Etsako West local government of Edo state.

APC local government and ward chairmen had called on him to represent the district at the Senate

“I said until APC is fixed, you cannot talk of contesting election using the platform. I have been chairman of the party, I know the danger we face if we are not able to fix the party and this was completed and consummated on the 26th of March 2022, with the election of a new National Working Committee and National Executive Council under the able leadership of a former governor, a former minister and a current Senator, Adamu Abdulahi”.

“It is true that for sometime now, many of our people have asked me, why don’t you contest for the Senate seat? I answered that first, APC has crisis, let us fix the crisis and let there be convention.

“You can’t begin to discuss what kind of baby you are going to have when you are not married and we have done what we need to do and I am inspired by the position of the new leadership as it relates to retaining power in 2023.”

Oshiomhole said he was convinced that this is the time to proceed to the next step of the conversation of the person to lead Edo North in the senate by 2023.

“And it is time for me to join the race to represent Edo North in the Senate. I have also been examining myself because I do not want to go to the senate and sit down, listen to motions and collect salary at the end of the month,” he said.

He said he doesn’t believe in going to the senate to take a sabbatical because it is an important institution where men and women are elected by their people to contribute to affairs that affect them, adding that it has to do with how funds are allocated and ensure that the people of Nigeria get value for their resources and money.

“We lay more emphasis on the rotation of people but I am more concerned about even development. I have made it clear before as president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) that democracy means that the leaders must listen to the people and if he deviates from what the people want, they have the right to interrogate the leader”

”If I did that as ordinary Nigerian, I believe that as a senator, your interest cannot be ignored in the red chamber in Abuja.

“By my antecedent, I am a believer that this country has come to stay and our business is not to lament the imperfections but dedicate ourselves to the challenge of fixing the nation so that we can create a nation where every citizen will have a basis to be proud that he is a Nigerian. With your mandate, if I get to the senate I will do that.”

Oshiomhole joined the senate race 24 hours after Francis Alimikhena, who currently represents the district, declared his intention to run for a third term.

Alimikhena was elected into the senate in 2015 when Oshiomhole was governor.

Twenty two (22) suspected cultists have been arrested in different parts of Ogun state within a spate of 48 hours, the State Police Command has said.

This was disclosed in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Monday by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi.

Oyeyemi noted that the state police command had set up a special squad headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations to checkmate the disturbing activities of cultists across the state.

The police spokesman explained that the squad had swung into action and arrested no fewer than 22 cultists in different parts of the state.

Oyeyemi stated that the arrested cultists who had affirmed their membership of Aiye and Eiye confraternities were apprehended when the squad stormed their hideouts at Mayas in Lafenwa and Oju Ogbara in Sapon area of Abeokuta.

“Some of the suspects were also apprehended in Sagamu during the similar operation carried out by the squad.

“All the arrested suspects are currently being investigated to ascertain their roles in the cult war that engulfed the state recently which claimed the life of some cult members,” he said.

Oyeyemi noted that the State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole who commended the quick response of the squad had urged them to take the battle to the doorsteps of all known cultists in the state.

The PPRO added that the Commissioner had appealed to members of the public to cooperate with the team by giving them necessary information that would enhance their operation, saying that security remained everybody’s business.

Senator Muhammadu Dansadau, Chairman of the Mosque Committee where an Abuja Imam, Sheikh Nuru Khalid (the Digital Imam) was suspended, has said that the Mosque has finally expelled Sheikh Khalid for allegedly, not showing any remorse. 

The Abuja Imam, however, was quoted as saying that he will rather be carrying load for pay than to stop telling the truth, according to a vanguard report.

Recall that Senator Dansadau had earlier announced the suspension of Sheikh Nuru Khalid before he subsequently said the ‘Digital Imam’ was finally expelled.

Senator Saidu Dansadau was acting in his capacity as the Chairman of Mosque Committee at the Apo Legislative Quarters in Abuja.

He told journalists that the latest action on the Imam was a development from the episode of Saturday, April 2nd in Abuja.

A letter the Mosque Committee issued on Monday, signed by Dansadau and was issued to the Digital Imam, stated that a decision was taken to finally relieve the Imam of his duty because he had not shown any remorse over the issue, since his suspension.

In the letter, the committee told the Imam that he was conversant that inculcating good manners was imperative in Islam towards bringing up individuals with good attitude.

The committee, however expressed regrets that the Imam’s reactions after his suspension were not acceptable, talk less of expecting any show of remorse from him over his remarks.

The committee reminded the Imam of what was expected from leaders, pointing out that if the citizens felt bad rather than good from his sermons, it behoves on them to take the appropriate action on the Imam.

They said from all indications, the Imam had no intention of changing the tune of his last Friday’s sermon to be in line with how insecurity could be tackled in Nigeria.

Dansadau said Sheikh Nuru Khalid said in an interview that he had no iota of regret over his action.

“You can see why we cannot sit with him over the matter,” he said in an interview with the BBC Hausa.

“He cannot lead us in prayers. The religious tenet agrees if you cannot be led in prayers by someone, you can change the Mosque where you worship,” he said.

“A Mosque is a place of worship, not an arena to criticise government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kaduna based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has condemned Sheikh Nuru Khalid’s sermon and described it as “sentiments overriding intellect”.

According him, the Abuja Imam was wrong for trying to discourage Nigerians from participating in the election to vote out bad leaders.

He said the action was, worse than kidnappers.

“It’s a case of sentiments overriding intellect. Calling masses not to vote out incompetent government by massive voting is worse than the few kidnappings and a misplaced judgment,” Gumi was quoted to have said.

Two million people will start receiving about N20bn from June this year as basic cash transfers and conditional cash transfers under the National Cash Transfer Programme, the Federal Government has said.

It was gathered that the Federal Government would pay the two million people N5,000 each under the basic cash transfer and an additional N5,000 under the conditional cash transfer. This implies that the government would be spending N20bn on the beneficiaries.

A March 2022 document on the strategic roadmap and activities of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, showed that the number of people receiving cash transfers from the government had been increasing.

The report stated that in 2018, a total of 19 states were covered under the National Cash Transfer Programme, as this increased to 24 states in 2019 and moved up to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2022, covering 1.6 million people.

But the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, stated in the document that the number would increase further in June. Under the cash transfer scheme, the Federal Government supports poor and vulnerable households with cash on a monthly basis.

“By June 2022 we would be paying two million people N5,000 basic cash transfer and an additional N5,000 on conditional cash transfers, which is conditioned on good health-seeking/behaviour, school retention, and good water and hygiene conditions in their environment/homes,” Farouq stated.

She explained that the ministry designed and piloted a shock-responsive social register, called the Rapid Response Register to capture urban poor informal workers, who were daily wage earners, working across towns and cities, and impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown.

The minister said, “To date, of this one million targeted by the government, we have been able to pay the sum of N5000 to 850,000 beneficiaries digitally through the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System, where each account is carefully validated by the system before payment.

“150,000 will be paid by the end of April 2022. Each of these beneficiaries is receiving six months of support in cash.”

Under the National Social Register, the ministry stated that 46 million persons in the 36 states and FCT, in 11 million households, had been registered as of 2022.

The ministry stated that the N-Power volunteer scheme provided temporary job opportunities for 498,602 graduates under Batches A and B, while 450,000 graduates under Batch C Stream 1 were also engaged.

It added that 390,000 others were being onboarded for Batch C Stream 2, and that there was presidential approval to enroll additional one million beneficiaries.

It further stated in the document that 174 of the 1,850 mobile agents trained, kitted, and registered with the Central Bank of Nigeria – Shared Agents Network Expansion Facility for agency banking achieved a transaction volume of over N657m between January 1 and March 25, 2022.

“The top 10 mobile money agents executed transactions totaling N300,095,545.06 and earned N1,852,499.00 between January and March 25, 2022,” the ministry stated.

The report indicated that 9.8 million pupils were being fed daily under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, while 127,000 cooks had been engaged and 98 aggregators were supplying various protein products.

The school feeding programme is one of the four clusters of the National Social Investment Programme which seeks to provide one free daily meal to pupils on the programme.

The NHGSFP is designed as a collaboration between the Federal Government and state governments. The Federal Government is responsible for the release of funds, guidelines, policies, and monitoring.

The state carries out the day-to-day implementation including procurement of food items, and selection of cooks and vendors who prepare, cook, and serve the meals to the pupils.

The governor of a state so besieged by terrorists that he has asked residents to take up arms and defend themselves has described President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s best president ever.

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina has repeatedly lamented the security situation in his state, saying security agencies are overwhelmed and residents should take up arms to defend themselves.

Nigeria operates a unitary security system with all the security agencies under the control of the Nigerian president.

Thousands of people have been killed or kidnapped by terrorists, also called bandits, in Katsina and other Northwest states in the past few years.

Amidst the worsening insecurity, another governor of a Northwestern state, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna, suggested the hiring of foreign mercenaries to address the situation.

But the insecurity did not deter Masari from describing Buhari as Nigeria’s best president ever.

“Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, the country has never had a better government and President like Muhammad Buhari,” Masari said.

The governor disclosed this on Saturday in Katsina during a rally organised by the beneficiaries of the federal government’s National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) in the state.

The rally was organised under the leadership of the Social Protection and Good Family Value Initiative (SPGFVI).

The rally was aimed at calling on the federal government and the national assembly to enact a law that would make the programme a permanent one.

According to Masari, Buhari has laid a significant foundation that if properly utilised by the next administration, will assist in removing many Nigerians from poverty.

“Therefore, with this initiative which no administration has ever thought of, the president needs more commendation and support to achieve the purpose of the programme.

“I wish to inform you that I am totally in support of this call for the president to make it law before the end of his tenure. By doing such, it will continue to reduce the challenges Nigerians are facing.

“It is unfortunate for someone to wake up in the morning, thinking of what to eat, how to go to hospital or take their children to school, but this programme has reduced such difficulties for people.

“And if a law is enacted and it becomes permanent, no government will come and stop it, and Nigerians will continue to enjoy the programme and it will continue to reduce unemployment,” he said.

Masari assured beneficiaries of the programme that their message will get to Buhari and the national assembly.

He further called on the beneficiaries to also write to their representatives at the national assembly on their demands.

Earlier in his remarks, the state’s Coordinator of the SPGFVI, Mustapha Bara’u, said their main objective is to ensure the wellbeing of Nigerians, especially the youths, elderly, physically challenged people, women and pupils.

According to him, that is why they developed an interest in the NSIP programme because it is directly related to one of their major objectives.

He explained that the rally was earlier held at the ward levels across the state, where their commendation letters were presented to the district heads for further transmission to the president.

General overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye on Sunday disassociated himself from partisan politics, the Guardian reports.

“I have said it before, and I will say it again, I am not and will never be a politician, I am a pastor – that is what God has called me to be,” Adeboye said at the April thanksgiving service.

“Please do not distract me. My assignment is to be a pastor; to pray for you, to pray for nations, including Nigeria.”

Adeboye’s reaction may not be unconnected to a recent circular by the RCCG for the creation of a Directorate of Politics and Governance in the church.

Political analysts suggest that the RCCG might be positioning itself to be politically active in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

Current vice president Yemi Osinbajo, a pastor in the RCCG, is rumoured to have the ambition to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari with the newly created department to mobilise support for his ambition.

Adeboye, who spoke extensively on the current state of Nigeria, said it would be unfair on other members of the RCCG who are members of different political parties for him to be partisan.

“In the Redeemed Christian Church of God, every political party is heavily represented; APC, PDP, APGA, Labour and other parties you don’t even know their name,” Adeboye said.

“I have never told you which party to vote for whether in secret or in the open.

“So it will be unjust to tell you to support one party over another.”

The cleric noted that Nigeria might be sliding gradually towards bankruptcy, citing cases of oil theft in the country.

“It is in the news that 80% of oil in Nigeria is stolen and taken out of the country. Who is stealing the oil?

“Who is buying the oil? Are you even sure that the people buying the oil have your interest? If these continue, we might be sliding to bankruptcy.”

Adeboye also expressed fears for the economic future of Nigeria, stating that the debt-to-service- revenue-ratio might pose danger for decades.

Gunmen have killed 10 persons and injured 19 others during a cultural festival in Chando Zerreci community in Irigwe Chiefdom of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau, the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports 

Lawrence Zango, National Publicity Secretary, Irigwe Youth Movement, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Zango said criminals launched the attack on Saturday night during the annual ritual festival of ‘Zerreci’, which usually ushers the Plateau community into the new farming season.

Zongo, who condemned and described that act as ”sad and unfortunate”, added that the injured are currently receiving treatment at Enos Hospital Miango.

He called on the government at all levels and the security agencies to find lasting solution to the incessant attacks that usually lead to loss of lives and property.

”The government has a responsibility to promote and protect human rights, including the right to life, and a duty to protect civilians from attacks by taking effective measures to prevent and deter attacks on our people,” he said.

“The government must as a matter of urgency investigate the attack in Irigwe land and bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that families and other victims are adequately compensated

“Brutal attacks on our communities are becoming rampant and frequent and this is unacceptable.

”Government must take more concrete steps to protect lives and property across Iregwe chiefdom and neighboring communities.”

Zango also appealed to the International community to come to the aid of the people and to support them and address the huge humanitarian challenges caused by the attacks.

Ubah Ogaba, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Plateau State Police command in the state, confirmed the attack, adding that the command had mobilised armed officers to the place to restore normalcy.

Ogaba, an assistant superintendent of police, called on residents of the area and Plateau in general to remain calm and law abiding, adding that security agencies are working seriously to ensure their safety.

Gunmen on Sunday killed two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ezinifite, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Silas Okolie, a resident of the area, told our correspondent that the gunmen operated from the Oko-Ekwulobia area, but could not say if the attackers also killed any residents in the area before they attacked the FRSC officials.

FRSC spokesperson, Bisi Kazeem, confirmed the attack in a statement on Sunday according to a Premium Times report.

He said the gunmen opened fire on the officials at about 2:45 p.m. while they were conducting routine patrol operations along the Igbo-Uku-Uga route in the Ezinifite area of the state.

“A team of patrol operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps comprising an officer, a driver and two other staff on patrol operations have been attacked by unknown gunmen leading to the death of two personnel with one sustaining severe injuries,” Kazeem said in the statement.

He said one official escaped through the bush while they rushed an injured team leader to the hospital.

The Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, decried the attack and condoled with the families of the deceased officials, Kazeem said.

Oyeyemi said the FRSC was working with the police and other security agencies to track down the gunmen.

The attack comes three days after gunmen killed a security guard and razed the headquarters of Nnewi South Local Government Council in the state.

Police officers and officials of other security agencies have been the target of deadly attacks in the South-east; attacks on FRSC officials appear to be a novelty in the region.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, a group leading the agitation for the creation of an independent state of Biafra from the Southeast and some parts of the Southsouth, has been accused of being responsible for the deadly attacks in the two regions.