The probe instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the use of foreign exchange by some companies and financial institutions under the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele is to be spread to at least 20 banks, sources close to the commission have said.

Nigerian Tribune was reliably told at the weekend that the probe, which has seen operatives storm corporate offices of Dangote Group and some others would be extended to at least 20 commercial banks, while some merchant banks would also be investigated.

The source said that the investigation would span at least nine years, adding that commercial banks, merchant banks and some other companies are being investigated.

“I cannot say how the media got the figure of 52 companies, but they are quite a number. This is a general investigation on the use of foreign exchange in nearly the past nine years and it is not an isolated case targeted at a particular company,” a source said, adding that a whole lot of issues are being looked and the issue of forex is ringing bell because of its implication for the national economy.”

The source also added that the EFCC was looking into allocation of foreign exchange to friends and associates of Emefiele by the former CBN governor.

Another source said that the EFCC got Emefiele released to it by the Department of State Services (DSS) in October and since then a lot of investigations have gone into his activities at the helm of affairs at the CBN, adding that what is ongoing is an all-encompassing investigation into the roles of banks and financial institutions as well as heavy forex users around the time in question.

A source close to the development, however, said that the paucity of information of the matter so far was as a result of the need for the EFCC to avoid being accused of media trial and that the commission was carefully perusing all documents needed to make conclusive deductions.

“What is happening is a general investigation into forex allocations under Emefiele. It is not intended to embarrass any corporation or agency,” a source close to the commission said.

Concerning the ongoing probe of the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, HajiaSadiya Umar-Farouk, who is being investigated over alleged N37 billion fraud, a source said that the former minister may be given a deadline to appear before the commission this week.

The former minister had failed to appear before the commission all through last week on indications that she was suffering from illness.

A source who spoke on the suspended Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Hajia Halima Shehu said that the suspended CEO has been cooperating with investigators and that she has been appearing before investigators since last week.

A source close to the development told the Nigerian Tribune: “I can confirm to you that Halima, CEO of NSIPA has been appearing before investigators. She resumes in the morning and closes at the end of the day. That should continue this week until investigators are satisfied. As for Umar-Farouk, the commission may have to come hard on this suspect because she has not appeared at all. A day will be set for her appearance.”

The 2027 presidential election is three years away but political realignments have begun, mainly within the opposition camp.

This came to the fore yesterday as the group of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors reaffirmed support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027.

The five governors, who worked against their party’s candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 general election, stated this yesterday at a New Year luncheon organised by minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, at his private residence at Rumueprikom in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Members of the G-5 governors – former governors Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Seyi Makinde (incumbent governor of Oyo) – had supported President Bola Tinubu, then the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, in the 2023 election.

The event also had in attendance serving and former members of the National Assembly and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

Earlier in the day, however, a coalition of opposition platforms disclosed moves to birth what they call an ultra-political party ahead of the 2027 polls.

This was disclosed by the National Consultative Front (NCFront) which also revealed that its inaugural meeting will be held this month.

Interestingly, the Labour Party and the PDP had at different times, last year, distanced themselves from talks of a merger following Atiku’s call for a united front among the opposition leaders.

While the Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi, recently declared that his party was ready to be Nigeria’s main opposition party this year, one of Atiku’s spokesmen, Daniel Bwala, stated that his boss will contest the 2027 election, warning that the opposition must unite behind him if they intend to unseat the APC.

But in a dramatic twist, the Coalition for United Political Parties (CUPP) yesterday rejected Atiku as the rallying point of the opposition parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

Pundits and analysts had blamed divisions for the opposition’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
Recall that major PDP figures had split from the part ahead of the 2023 polls. Obi had switched to the Labour Party; Dr Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso to the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), while the G-5 governors supported the rival APC. Atiku retained what was left.

This was a clear contrast from the 2013 merger of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a part of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which defeated a hitherto behemoth PDP in 2015.

However, the National Consultative Front (NCFront), yesterday, said the opposition is working to initiate a new ultra-mega political party to rescue Nigeria from the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The group, led by former presidential candidate, Prof Pat Utomi, said while it was aware of the dissenting views so far, a meeting held over the weekend (Saturday) among key opposition leaders showed that they were poised towards forming a mega party.

It added that a Merger Facilitation Group had been put in place to ensure the process succeeds.
The group issued a statement debunking insinuations that Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso were already jostling to run for the presidency in the next round of general elections in 2027.
Acting spokesperson of NCFront, Mallam Hamisu San Turaki, said consultations are ongoing on how to streamline and strengthen their political forces to be able to rescue the country from the dangerous slide into misrule and anarchy foisted by the APC.

Turaki, in the statement yesterday, said the “current erroneous view in the media is a panicky and mischievous agenda of hatchet jobbers to divide the opposition and frustrate the merger proposal for leading opposition parties mooted by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar before it takes off, knowing fully well that the unity of the opposition in Nigeria will, without stress, defeat and overthrow the present flip-flop governance and wrongheaded policies of the present Tinubu-led APC administration.

“For the avoidance of doubt, leading opposition leaders and parties in Nigeria are at the moment not focused on contesting for political offices in 2027 but presently holding consultations on how to streamline and strengthen their political forces to be able to rescue the country from the dangerous slide into misrule and anarchy foisted by the All Progressives Congress-led federal government as well as its exploitative economic policies which have landed millions of households and citizens in Nigeria into abject poverty and penury, making the renewed hope mantra of the Tinubu government a mere consolidation of the rudderless policies of despair and hopelessness of the Buhari regime.”

Throwing more light on the unfolding realignment, Turaki told LEADERSHIP that the organisers reached out to all the stakeholders, including key leaders of PDP, Labour Party and NNPP.
He revealed that at the meeting held in Abuja over the weekend, the various party leaders gave their blessing before the statement unveiling their intention was issued.

“We had a meeting with all of them. Peter Obi was part of the meeting. Even some key members of PDP also all agreed to it. We held the meeting yesterday (Saturday) in Abuja.
“In forming a thing like this, we are also aware of the challenges but we have made good progress,” he said.

While he noted the dissenting posture from some members in the opposition party towards the emergence of a united opposition political front, he stressed that genuine lovers of democracy and good governance are already aligned with the drive to rescue Nigeria.

He, however, noted that they are aware of other real concerns from those who have good intentions and would be open to listening to proactive measures to make the union better.

He maintained that the inaugural meeting will be held before the end of the month.
When contacted, the camp of former Vice President Atiku admitted that its principal was in consonance with the position of NCFront.

This was confirmed to LEADERSHIP by Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, who replied “Yes!”, when asked if the platform’s position reflected that of the former presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, the G-5 governors, who worked against PDP in the 2023 general election, reactivated their machinery ahead of the 2027 election at the New Year luncheon organised by Wike in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
However, speaking during the luncheon, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who reaffirmed Wike as the leader of the group, pledged the group’s continuous support to the presidency of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Ortom said: “All of us are here today to support Nyesom Ezenwo Wike as leader of the G-5. We are here because we recognise Wike as the leader of G-5. I am speaking on behalf of G-5 governors.

“Governor Ikpeazu is not here because his son is getting married in Lagos today. We have to sacrifice that event with his consent, so that we will be able to honour this invitation, even though belated.

“Governor Seyi Makinde, who is the youth leader of the G-5 governors is in the United States on vacation with his family. Of course, you know if he were in Nigeria, he would have done everything to be around because he respects Wike.

“Today, the G-5 governors are going to talk about President Tinubu, Wike and Rivers State. Tinubu, we are very proud of you. The demand of G-5 governors was that a Southerner should emerge as president. All of us supported Tinubu during the election and we are going to continue to support his presidency.”
On his part, Wike admonished his supporters not to be pained about the sacrifices they made during the 2023 election in the state which produced Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The FCT minister, who has been locked in a battle of wits with his successor and estranged political godson, Fubara, had during a private visit to the residence of the APC national vice chairman, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom, at Bera community in Gokana local government area of the state, boasted that the true political leaders of the state would be unveiled in due time.

At yesterday’s luncheon Wike said, “It is not everything you invest in that you will reap in. People establish a company and it crumbles. They have to be alive to make sure the companies stay.

“So, you cannot say I did this and that. God knows why things happen the way they happen. But what is important is life; to God be the glory. Life continues for us to see what is happening. When a man is dead, he doesn’t know what is happening.

“So, you should be able to advise your children, you should be able to advise your friends. I was alive and this is what I saw; don’t allow yourself to be a victim.”
Also in attendance at the gathering were the acting PDP chairman in the state, Hon. Chukwuemeka Aaron, and the chairman, caretaker committee chairman of the APC, Chief Tony Okocha, as well as chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state.

The faceoff between governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and his immediate-predecessor and benefactor, Nyesom Wike, adds to a seeming political culture of intense friction between hitherto godfather and their sons in Nigeria since 1999.

This trend, which has transcended almost all the geo-political regions of the country, has remained constant in every constitutionally-mandated power transition season since the return to democracy.

While the Rivers scenario, reputed as the first and fastest falling out between successor and predecessor, indications have emerged that some other states are on the verge of having similar political friction.

Recall that stakeholders had strongly urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the Fubara/Wike rift spite of the intra-party nature of the tussle. While Wike, a serving minister, and Fubara are of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) extraction, Tinubu is of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, the intervention of the president, by way of eight directives signed by Fubara and Wike, has been criticised as being void in light of the legal and constitutional implications, one of which is the status of the 27 lawmakers who defected from the PDP to the APC.

Nevertheless, checks by LEADERSHIP Sunday revealed that in most of the major frictions (with few exceptions), which border on control of political structure in the state serving governors prevailed, in spite of interventions by the presidency, party and other stakeholders.

While incumbents cite the overbearing influence of their predecessors, the godfathers cite disloyalty of their godsons.


Wamakko/Tambuwal (Sokoto)

In 2015, former governor, Aliyu Wamakko, now senator, supported then House of Representatives speaker, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, to be governor of Sokoto State. They had both dumped the ruling PDP for the new formed APC which was sweeping through the polity.

However, after a bit of a battle with his predecessor, the former speaker returned to the PDP. While Tambuwal won the 2019 election by a slim margin to serve a second term, his party, the PDP lost the governorship election in 2023, allowing Wamakko to retain control of the state.

Interestingly, Wamakko had also fought his predecessor, Attahiru Bafarawa for the political structure of the state.


Akpabio vs Udom (Akwa Ibom)

Also in 2015, then governor and now senate president, Godswill Akpabio, solely picked Udom Emmanuel, his then commissioner, as his successor in Akwa Ibom State. But the political romance collapsed a little over a year later, forcing Akpabio to leave the PDP for the APC.

Udom won his re-election in 2019 and successfully transferred power to his preferred successor in 2023.

While Akpabio continued to enjoy national positions, as minister and senate president, he has not been able to regain control of the state.


Obi vs Obiano (Anambra)

Former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi also had a falling out with his successor, Willie Obiano, whom he supported to win office in 2014. They were both in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

However, their political alliance soon failed. Obi left APGA and joined the PDP.

During the 2017 election, Obi produced the PDP candidate, Oseloka Obaze, who could not stop Obiano’s quest for a second term in office.


The battle of the Orjis (Abia)

In 2007, then governor, Orji Uzor Kalu ensured that Theodore Orji succeeded him even though the latter was detained in prison over alleged financial crimes. That was a first in Nigeria’s political history.

But it showed how powerful Kalu was at the time, being the presidential candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), which he formed at the time.

Theodore Orji was Chief of Staff to Kalu. But the arrangement eventually collapsed as Orji left the PPA for the PDP in 2010. He contested and won a second term.


Nnamani vs Chime (Enugu)

Just like in Abia, the 2007 governorship election produced Barr Sullivan Chime, who was backed by then governor, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, the influential leader of the Ebeano political dynasty.

Chime was the attorney-general and commissioner for Justice in Enugu State at the time.

Against most speculations, Nnamani settled for a quiet and unassuming Chime. However, months after he became governor, he banned the Ebeano group, starting off a political battle which saw his predecessor failing to retain his senatorial mandate and almost being sent on exile from the state.

Chime secured his second term and installed Rt Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as his successor in 2015 who also handed over power to the incumbent Emeka Mbah. Interestingly, Nnamani had also fought off his political godfather, Senator Jim Nwobodo in the state.


Kwankwaso vs Ganduje (Kano)

Perhaps the most intense of such battles was between Rabiu Kwankwaso and Umar Ganduje. They were a team so formidable that it seemed one could win the governorship election without the other. It was such that after they, as governor (Kwankwaso) and deputy (Ganduje), could not secure a second term in 2003 cycle, Kwankwaso, upon being appointed as the minister of Defence by Olusegun Obasanjo, took Ganduje along to Abuja.

In 2011, Kwankwaso sought a second term with Ganduje as his deputy and won. By 2015, after they had dumped the PDP for the APC, it seemed convenient for Kwankwaso to hand over power to Ganduje. But months after Ganduje, the romance broke down, leading to immense political casualties, especially, the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, a Kwankwaso ally, losing his throne.

The battle was so fierce that not even the intervention of former President Muhammadu Buhari could reconcile them. Ganduje narrowly won his reelection bid in 2019, but was unable to ensure his party retained power in 2023. Kwankwaso, having consolidated in the NNPP, got his pound of flesh by ensuring his party won the governorship poll, even though the election outcome is in dispute at the court.

The rivalry between Kwankwaso and Ganduje has since spilled into Tinubu’s villa as the latter, sensing the former’s renewed political romance with the president, pulled a masterstroke to emerge the APC national chairman, hence sealing any hopes of a Tinubu/Kwankwaso political deal. However, Kwankwaso is one of the 1999 set of governors to produce his successor in two election cycles.


Oshiomhole vs Obaseki (Edo)

Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, in 2018, campaigned and fought a tough battle for the incumbent, Godwin Obaseki, to succeed him.

Obaseki was Oshiomhole’s ace, having served as the chairman of the Edo State Economic Team.

But after the relationship broke down, the battle between the two was fierce, consuming members of the State House of Assembly.

The peak of the battle was when Oshiomhole, as APC national chairman, leveraged his influence to disqualify Obaseki during the APC primaries. Obaseki fired back by initiating Oshiomhole’s suspension at the ward level. Obaseki however moved to the PDP and won re-election.


Imoke vs Ayade (Cross River)

In 2015, former Governor Liyel Imoke supported then Senator Ben Ayade to emerge governor. Not long after, Ayade, in trying to push his influence within the party, was resisted by forces loyal to Imoke.

Ayade eventually left the PDP and joined the APC. It is worthy to note that Imoke had also fought his predecessor, Donald Duke shortly after he took over, forcing the latter to abandon politics in the state for a long while.


Akume, Suswan, Ortom saga (Benue)

The serving secretary to the government of the federation, Senator George Akume, ensured that Senator Gabriel Suswam became his successor in 2007.

As the pattern goes, they both clashed, ultimately leading to Akume’s exit from the PDP to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Although Suswam secured his second term in 2011, Akume prevailed in 2015 when he supported Samuel Ortom to emerge governor on the platform of the APC.

Like in the case of Suswam, Ortom, months after, fell out with Akume and later dumped the APC for the PDP where he had served as a national officer before moving to the APC.

Akume, however, made another rebound in 2023 by yet again helping to produce the incumbent governor, Hyacinth Alia. Hence, he is one of the few governors of the 1999 set that has produced three governors and stopped incumbents from producing their successors.


Sheriff vs Shettima (Borno)

Former governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff supported current vice president, Senator Kashim Shettima to become governor in 2011.

Shettima had served as commissioner for local government and later as finance commissioner in the Sheriff’s administration. But not long after the latter became governor he fell out with his predecessor. The rivalry was so intense that Sheriff left the APC and joined the PDP. But Shettima was able to serve out his constitutionally guaranteed two terms and produced his successor, incumbent governor, Babagana Zulum.


Egwu v Elechi (Ebonyi)

At the end of his tenure as governor, Senator Sam Egwu picked Martins Elechi as his successor and he followed through with it. But the political arrangement was not to last long as a cold war soon emerged between them which saw the shrinking of Egwu’s influence to just his senatorial district where he was able to win elections. Egwu however got his pound of flesh in 2015 when he teamed up with other stakeholders to stop Elechi from producing his successor. The current minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, who became the beneficiary of the tussle, would later clash with Egwu and produce his successor and incumbent governor, Francis Nwifuru.


Selfish Politics Behind Governors, Predecessors’ Fight – CSOs

Meanwhile, civil society organisations (CSOs) have attributed selfish politics as being the motivating factor behind the culture of crisis between governors and their predecessors.

According to the CSOs, the impact of the crisis between the governors and their predecessors have been so vicious to the states and the society at large adding that such crises impede development.

To this end, CSOs have called on Nigerians to rise up against such politics adding that they must take over the polity and decide who governs them.

The CSOs who spoke with LEADERSHIP Sunday are Transparency International (TI), the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG).

Speaking through their leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, the CSOs said if the politicians understand and appreciate the fact that democracy is about the people, good governance and transparent leadership they will not support candidates while having an ulterior motive.

“If Nigerians begin to work against any politician that supports candidates with ulterior motives, Nigeria will move forward.

“These crises are happening because of commercialisation of politics. The governors who dictate the people that come to power think they can still control how the resources of the states are spent,” the CSOs said, adding that the desperation to loot the state resources is the reason the governors and their predecessors are fighting.

“The outgoing governors feel it must continue the way they were doing it before. Once the new person comes, they want to continue.

“Also, they are fighting because of the political arrangement they made in the past, not based on a political manifesto. These agreements are not always for the interest of the people,” Rafsanjani said.

According to him, there is no way someone will run the government rather than the person elected, adding that such differences always bring fight.

“If we understand that democracy is about the people, they will be fighting because they will know that in another election, they will all be voted out.

“The outgoing governors did not allow a transparent process but they put the people they will manipulate. This is the reason for the continued fight,” the CSOs added.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has directed banks to commence the deduction of the sum of N50 as electronic money transfer levy (ETML) from foreign currency (FCY) transactions.

The EMTL is a single, one-off charge of N50 on electronic receipt or transfer of money deposited in any commercial money bank or financial institution on any type of account on sums of N10,000 and above.

Revenue derived from the EMTL is shared among the three tiers of government by the federation account allocation committee (FAAC).

In separate emails banks sent to customers, FIRS said the directive follows the implementation of section 48 of the Finance Act of 2020, and section 89a (1) of the Stamp Duty Act of 2004.

The agency also asked financial institutions to apply the deductions on foreign currency transactions executed from January 1, 2021 (when the Finance Act became effective) to December 2023.


ACCESS, FIRST, POLARIS BANKS BEGIN COMPLIANCE

In compliance with the directive, Access Bank said the EMTL deduction on international transactions in arrears of three years (2021 to 2023) will commence from January 31, 2024.

“Previously, the Electronic Money Transfer Levy was solely applicable to accounts receiving electronic deposits of N10,000 and above or its equivalent. However, starting January 2, 2024, the deduction will be extended to FCY inflows equivalent of N10,000 and above, incurring a charge of N50 (FCY equivalent),” Access said in a notice.

“In compliance with this notice, outstanding Electronic Money Transfer Levy on FCY inflows from January 2021 to December 2023 are also to be deducted by January 31, 2024.”

Similarly, Polaris Bank also announced that compliance with FIRS’ directive would begin from January 2, 2024, noting that the funds will be remitted to the federal government.

Polaris told customers that deductions of N50 would also be made on previous FCY transactions that were executed over the aforementioned three years period.

First Bank also informed customers about the development, stating that the levy would be imposed on “recipients of any electronic receipts or transfers of N10,000 or above on any type of account”.

“This deduction will commence immediately and will be remitted to the FIRS as mandated by regulatory authorities,” First Bank said.

“Furthermore, the FIRS has instructed the deduction of the EMTL on qualifying transactions processed from January 2021 to the last week of December 2023. This will also be remitted accordingly.”

Other commercial banks, such as Stanbic IBTC, Union Bank, and the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), recently announced the implementation of the policy.

President Bola Tinubu aims to achieve a $1 trillion economy by 2026.

On November 20, 2023, Wale Edun, the minister of finance, said the streamlining and widening of the tax net is paramount in achieving the government’s revenue goals.

Edun, addressing lawmakers at the lower chamber of the national assembly on December 12, 2023, called for a centralised revenue collection system which the FIRS will spearhead.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Muritala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) disclosed on Friday that it intercepted combat-ready Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, alongside military hardware.

Speaking to reporters in his office regarding the command’s activities in 2023, the Customs Area Controller, Compt. Charles Orbih, also revealed that the command generated N30.5 billion in revenue between January and December 2023.

Compt. Orbih said that in addition to the combat drone’s specifications—equipped with first aid box space, weapon storage, and capable of 70 hours of flight—another 154 drones were either seized or detained by the command.

He further stressed that these drones lacked the essential End User Certificate (EUC) from the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and exceeded the allowed specifications for entry into the country.

He said, “While the country allows drones of up to 250 grammes, this combat drone weighs about 5,000 grammes. With a flight capacity of over 70 hours and space for weapon handling, it can be utilized as a weapon of war and it lacks the essential EUC from the National Security Adviser (NSA).”

The Customs CAC also revealed that the revenue generated in 2023 exceeded its yearly target by 5 per cent, reaching N30.5 billion from imports.

He said, “The Muritala Mohammed International Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected the sum of N30.5 billion as revenue from 1st January to 31st December 2023. The revenue collected exceeded the revenue target given to the Command by the NCS Headquarters of N29.14 billion with a total sum of N1.35 billion which implies that the Command surpassed its revenue target by 5% for the year under review.

“A comparative analysis of the revenue collected for the corresponding year 2022 of N20.89 billion which revealed a 46% increase in total revenue collection with a difference of N9.6 billion. Since my assumption of office in the Command, it is worthy to note that the Command has consecutively surpassed its monthly target from September to December 2023 as represented in the total revenue collected within the period under review.”

The CAC also detailed the seizure of 330 military and other security wares, 126 walkie-talkies, and their accessories.

He said, “According to Section 245 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which empowers a Customs Officer to seize and detain prohibited goods, the Command also made 125 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N801.56 million for the year 2023.

“The items intercepted include 89 Seized Drones; 66 Drones Detained; 330 Military and other Security Wares; 700 rolls of Cigarettes each containing 10 packs;126 Walkie Talkies and their Accessories; 87 pieces of Artifacts and Antiquities; 22 pieces of Elephant Tusks; $10,000 counterfeit notes handed over to Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and $8,800 concealed in an album.

“Other seizures include 300 pieces of lady’s footwear, 2 bags of Precious stones and other numerous items; three suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures. While investigation is ongoing, they will be charged to court as soon as it is completed.”

“The commitment and diligence of the officers and men of the Command and other Units including the Valuation Unit, Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) and the Customs Police enabled seamless operation of carrying out these enormous tasks.”

BY IDRIS SHEHU


On Wednesday, MultiChoice Group revealed that it had failed to acquire the broadcasting rights for the African Cup Of Nations (AFCON).

The broadcast powerhouse said its SuperSport channel is unlikely to show the competition billed to commence on January 13 in Ivory Coast.

Super Eagles will play the host country, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau in Group A — and Nigerian football fans had hoped to watch the competition live on SuperSport.

With less than ten days to the tournament, the news by MultiChoice has hurt the viewing options of many football fans in sub-Saharan African countries.

MultiChoice, through DStv and GOtv, has over 23 million subscribers across 50 African countries. The company remains one of Africa’s biggest broadcast powerhouses with a lengthy history of consistently broadcasting continental football competitions.


HOW THEN DID MULTICHOICE FAIL TO SECURE BROADCASTING RIGHTS?

In December 2023, CAF announced a “historic media rights agreement” with New World TV, a Togolese audio-visual group, to broadcast all the federation’s 13 competitions to the sub-Saharan African audience for two years.

Patrice Motsepe, CAF president, described the contract as “the biggest investment by a Pan-African broadcaster in CAF’s history”.

The deal, which will hold from 2023-2025, encompasses the forthcoming AFCON and the tournament’s next edition.

According to SABC, the broadcast contract is worth R1.5 billion or $80 million.

The deal means that any TV station that intends to broadcast the tournaments would have to go through New World TV, effectively knocking MultiChoice out of the race.


WHAT IS NEW WORLD TV?

New World TV is a broadcast company founded in 2015 in Lome, the capital of Togo. The company has Free-to-Air (FTA) and Pay TV licences and is active in over 16 African countries — mainly Francophone nations.

However, in March 2021, the broadcast company from a tiny West African country with a gross domestic product (GDP) of just $8 billion stunned the world when it acquired the rights to broadcast the Qatar 2022 World Cup in Francophone countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The company also secured the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2024/2028 European Championships rights.

According to The Africa Report, New World TV is run by a Paris-based team headed by Kolani Nimonka, the company’s general manager.

There are reports that the Togolese government backs the company. The claims began after the government reportedly provided logistical and security support when New World TV brought several football stars like Emmanuel Petit, Marcel Desailly, and Emmanuel Adebayor to the country for a two-day workshop in September 2023.

However, New World TV refuted the reports. The company said it is being backed by local banks in Togo.


THE LIMITATIONS OF NEW WORLD TV

For all its ambition and financial muscle, New World TV is still in its infancy regarding audience reach across Africa. Its operation is still limited to 19 Francophone countries across the continent.

New World TV had a little over 100,000 subscribers in mid-2022. The number pales in comparison to the cross-continental spread of MultiChoice, Canal+ and BeIn.

There were also reports that the company suffered cyberattacks during its 2022 FIFA World Cup broadcast.

Due to its limited audience reach, New World TV would be looking to sub-licence the AFCON broadcast rights to Free-To-Air stations in African countries and Pay TV platforms.


WHERE CAN WE WATCH AFCON THEN?

Except for audiences in Francophone countries, no other Pay TV provider has announced plans to air the forthcoming AFCON.

There are reports that MultiChoice is still in talks with New World TV over sublicencing for English-speaking countries, but the details or stage of the deal remain candlestine.

On January 2, StarTimes Kenya announced that it would be airing the competition.

“AFCON 2023 will be live on StarTimes! Which team are you supporting to win the title? You can watch ALL AFCON matches live on StarTimes sports channels or stream via the StarTimes ON mobile app starting Jan 13!” the company said on Instagram.

A source close to StarTimes Nigeria told TheCable that the broadcast service will air the competition in Nigeria. He added that StarTimes had struck a sublicencing deal with New World TV, and an official announcement would be made soon.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has identified at least 58 illegal universities or satellite campuses operating in Nigeria, warning that Certificates obtained from the institutions will not be recognised for the purposes of compulsory one-year national service, employment, and further studies.

Acting executive secretary of NUC, Chris Maiyaki, disclosed this on Wednesday when he spoke with Channels Television in Abuja, saying that some arrests have been made in connection with the fake institutions.

Maiyaki said the Department of State Services (DSS) was involved in the clampdown on the illegal institutions and their promoters.

The NUC secretary urged parents and guardians to check the commission’s website for legal and illegal universities in Nigeria so that their children and wards don’t fall victims.

The revelations followed the suspension of degree certificates from two francophone West African countries and other countries after an undercover journalist detailed how he acquired a degree from a university in the neighbouring Benin Republic under two months and was subsequently deployed for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Also, in a public announcement by the Commission signed by the acting executive secretary of NUC where the fake institutions were listed, Maiyaki said that in addition to their closure, other nine institutions/campuses, which he described as “Degree Mills”, were undergoing further investigations and/or ongoing court actions.

He noted that the purpose of the actions was to prosecute the proprietors and recover illegal fees and charges on subscribers.

They include; National University of Nigeria, Keffi, Nasarawa State: North Central University, Otukpo, Benue State; Christ Alive Christian Seminary and University, Enugu; Richmond Open University, Arochukwu, Abia State;
West Coast University, Umuahia; Saint Clements University, lyin Ekiti, Ekiti State; Volta University College, Aba, Abia State; Illegal Satellite Campuses of Ambrose Alli University, and L.I.F.E Leadership University, Benin City, Edo State.

“For the avoidance of doubt, anybody who patronises or obtains any certificate from any of these illegal institutions does so at his or her own risk.

“Certificates obtained from these sources will not be recognised for the purposes of NYSC, employment, and further studies,” Maiyaki warned.

See Full List of Illegal Universities/Campuses Below:

1. University of Accountancy and Management Studies, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
2. Christians of Charity American University of Science & Technology, Nkpor, Anambra State or any ofits other campuses
3. University of Industry, Yaba, Lagos or any of its other campuses
4. University of Applied Sciences & Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin or any of its other campuses in Nigeria
5. Blacksmith University, Awka or any of its other campuses
6. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana or any of its other campuses in Nigeria
7. Royal University Izhia, P.O. Box 800, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State or any ofits other campuses
8. Atlanta University, Anyigba, Kogi State or any of its other campuses
9. United Christian University, Macotis Campus, Imo State or any of its other campuses.
10. United Nigeria University College, Okija, Anambra State or any of its other campuses.

11. Samuel Ahmadu University, Makurdi, Benue State or any of its other campuses.
12. UNESCO University, Ndoni, Rivers State or any of its other campuses.
13. Saint Augustine’s University of Technology, Jos, Plateau State or any of its other campuses
14. The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria
15. Collumbus University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria
16. Tiu International University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria
17. Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria
18. London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
19. Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
20. Lobi Business School Makurdi, Benue State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.

21. West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria.
22. Bolta University College Aba or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
23. JBC Seminary Inc. (Wukari Jubilee University) Kaduna IllegalCampus
24. Westlan University, Esie, Kwara State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
25. St. Andrews University College, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
26. EC-Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.
27. Atlas University, Ikot Udoso Uko, Uyo Akwa Ibom State or any of its campuses in Nigeria
28. Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria
29. Halifax Gateway University, Ikeja or any of its campuses in Nigeria
30. Kingdom of Christ University, Abuja or any of its campuses in Nigeria

31. Acada University, Akinlalu, Oyo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria.
32. Fifom University, Mbaise, Imo State or any of its campuses in Nigeria
33. Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria.
34. Atlantic Intercontinental University, Okija, Anambra State
35. Open International University, Akure
36. Middle Belt University (North Central University), Otukpo
37. Leadway University, Ughelli, Delta State
38. Metro University, Dutse/Bwari, Abuja
39. Southend University, Ngwuro Egeru (Afam) Ndoki, Rivers State

40. Olympic University, Nsukka, Enugu State
41. Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Abuja.
42. Temple University, Abuja
43. Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
44. National University of Technology, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
45. University of Accountancy and Management Studies, Mowe, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and its Annex at 41, Ikorodu Road, Lagos.
46. University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
47. Cape Coast University, Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
48. African University Cooperative Development (AUCD), Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
49. Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study

50. Evangel University of America & Chudick Management Academic, Lagos
51. Enugu State University of Science and Technology (Gboko Campus)
52. Career Light Resources Centre, Jos
53. University of West Africa, Kwali-Abuja, FCT
54. Coastal University, Iba-Oku, Akwa-Ibom State
55. Kaduna Business School, Kaduna
56. Royal University of Theology, Minna, Niger State
57. West African Union University, in Collaboration with International Professional College of Administration, Science and Technology Nigeria, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
58. Gospel Missionary Foundation (GMF), Theological University. 165 Iselo road, Cele bus stop, Egbe-Ikotun, Lagos.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tracked N30 billion of the N44 billion moved from the accounts of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

The multiple accounts to which the funds were moved by some NSIPA officials have been frozen by the anti-graft agency as part of an ongoing probe.

It was learnt that the N44 billion was suspiciously moved from NSIPA’s accounts into private and corporate accounts linked to those serving as fronts.

Some of the officials of the agency have been undergoing investigation.

For hours yesterday, EFCC interrogators grilled the suspended National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency, Halima Shehu.

The anti-graft commission also arrested NSIPA’s immediate past Director of Finance and Accounts (DFA), Mr. Bwai Adamu Hamza.

Hamza retired from the agency in December.

Shehu and Hamza were subjected to interrogation yesterday by a special team.

Former Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development minister, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, failed to honour the EFCC invitation to appear for interrogation.

She also did not send any message on why she did not turn up.

Officials designated to interrogate her waited in vain.

The EFCC invited Umar-Farouq over the alleged laundering of N37, 170,855,753.44 during her tenure through a contractor, James Okwete. The former minister denied the allegations.

There were strong indications last night that having failed to turn up without explanation, the former minister might be declared wanted by the EFCC.

Investigations showed that the ongoing probe of NSIPA assumed a new dimension following the discovery that the total cash taken out of the agency’s vaults was N44 billion.

But, after tracking the movement of the cash, the EFCC recovered and froze the N30 billion it traced to multiple accounts.

As of Tuesday, the agency had intercepted and seized N17 billion.

Within 24 hours, the commission traced and froze an additional N13 billion in some accounts, raising the cash seized to N30 billion.

Detectives were still profiling many accounts last night to uncover the balance of N14 billion.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the EFCC Executive Chairman. Mr. Ola Olukoyede was personally leading the probe.

The source said: “After hours of interrogation and profiling of many accounts, the EFCC was able to confirm that unauthorised N44 billion was suspiciously moved out of NSIPA’s account to some private and corporate accounts.

Read Also: EFCC to probe former minister Farouk Sadiya over alleged N37bn fraud
“So far, N30billion has been traced to some accounts and frozen.

“Our operatives are on the trail of the owners and alleged fronts or firms used to siphon the cash.

“Records showed that the N44 billion was hurriedly moved out of NSIPA’s account in one week.”

As of press time, the EFCC had arrested Hamza in connection with the action.

According to the investigation, Hamza, who retired on December 29, was picked up to clarify the movement of the cash under his watch.

Shehu and Hamza were said to have “worked closely” in the agency.

Another source said: “The National Coordinator and the ex-DFA were grilled by our investigating team for hours on Wednesday. Halima was taken into custody on Tuesday while Hamza was arrested yesterday.

“Based on the new focus of the EFCC chairman, Halima was, on compassionate ground, allowed to go home at about 11pm on Tuesday. She reported for another round of interaction yesterday.

“For Hamza, the EFCC arrested him following intelligence that he might travel out of the country for an engagement.”

The source added: “The two persons have made useful statements and we have recovered some records which enabled us to trace and freeze N30 billion. For a long time, the two officials have been working together.

“Immediately Hamza retired, Halima appointed him as a Special Adviser on Finance. He was expected to resume work on Tuesday.

“Our team is, however, working round the clock to uncover the accounts where the remaining N14 billion was hidden.”

On Umar-Farouq’s connection with the matter, her accuser, Okwete was in EFCC’s custody yesterday awaiting her arrival for a face-to-face interrogation.

“We will give her some grace and if she does not honour our invitation, the EFCC will have no choice but to declare the ex-minister wanted.”

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says it did not clash with any party over petrol subsidy removal.

Media reports, on Wednesday morning, had said the national oil company clashed with oil marketers over whether the federal government was paying subsidy on petrol or otherwise.

In a terse statement shared with TheCable, the oil firm denied having such a fallout with oil marketers.

“The publication sought confirmation on alleged subsidy reduction, to which NNPC responded that subsidy has been entirely removed,” Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s chief corporate communications officer, said.

In his inauguration speech in May 2023, President Bola Tinubu had announced that “petrol subsidy is gone”.

However, the full implementation of the policy has been mired in doubts, with the World Bank arguing that the subsidy removal was partial.

But on October 9, 2023, Mele Kyari, NNPC’s group chief executive officer (GCEO), said the federal government was not making any under-recovery payments.

He had also said the national oil company was recovering its full cost from imported products.

“No subsidy whatsoever. We are recovering our full cost from the products that we import. We sell to the market,” Kyari said.

“We understand why marketers are unable to import. We hope that they begin to do so very quickly and these are some of the interventions government is making. There is no subsidy.”

On October 21, 2023, Tinubu had said the removal of subsidy on petrol was imperative to prevent Nigeria’s collapse.

BY DESMOND OKON


Weeks after the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) said it generated N56 billion and remitted only N22.4 billion to the federation account in 2022, the federal government has issued a circular directing “automatic” 50 percent remittance of the total revenue of all its self-funded enterprises.

It is unclear if the two events are related, but a presidency source told TheCable the reform was “long overdue”.

Previously, self-funded agencies, also called “Super Agencies”, were allowed to claim up to 50 percent of their revenue as expenditure and keep 20 percent of the balance as “operating surplus” — the excess of revenue over expenditure.

“Super Agencies” — so called because of the enormous financial resources at their disposal — keep a combined total of over N1 trillion annually from the revenues collected by them.

Although they receive no budgetary allocation from the federal government, questions have been raised over the huge sums they retain — with some agencies getting more than the legislative and judicial arms of government.

Some of the major agencies affected are the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).

Waziri Adio, executive director of Agora Policy, the respected public policy think-tank based in Abuja, recently raised an issue with the funding arrangement, warning that “these cash-saturated agencies become founts of mind-blowing profligacy and sleazy vehicles for patronage and rent-extraction. A variant of Parkinson’s Law states that expenditure always rises to meet income. In short: more money in this form leads to more expenses, not more sense. And this is exactly what happens to these agencies.”


IMMEDIATE IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation of the new order followed a presidential directive, according to a circular from the ministry of finance, dated December 28, 2023.

The directive was sequel to a similar circular dated December 20, 2021, addressing agencies’ revenue remittances to the consolidated revenue fund (CRF).

The 2021 circular had asked all self-funded federal government agencies and parastatals to remit only 80 percent of the 50 percent accruable to the sub-recurrent account (SRA), allowing such agency to retain 20 percent in its general reserve as operating surpluses.

This means that if 50 percent of an agency’s total revenue is N20 million, N16 million (80 percent) will go to the SRA. The remaining N4 million (20 percent) will be kept in the agency’s general reserve.

However, issuing fresh guidelines for implementation in the latest circular, the finance ministry directed agencies and parastatals to remit 50 percent of their gross internally generated revenue (IGR) to the SRA — a sub-component of the CRF.

While there was no mention of accruals into the general reserve of agencies, the deductions will also be implemented on all statutory revenue lines like tender fees, contractor’s registration, sales of government assets, TheCable understands.

In addition, the finance ministry said all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) that are fully funded through the federal government budget and on the schedule of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007, should “remit one hundred percent (100%)” of their IGR to the SRA.

“All partially funded Federal Government Agencies/Parastatals (receiving capital or overhead allocation from the Federal Government Budget) should remit fifty percent (50%) of their gross Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), while all statutory revenue like tender fees, contractor’s registration, sales of government assets etc should be remitted one hundred percent (100%) to the Sub-Recurrent Account,” the finance ministry added.

According to the circular, the deductions will be implemented in the accounts of 68 agencies listed under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007.


NEW ACCOUNTS FOR AGENCIES

For effective implementation, the office of the accountant-general of the federation (OAGF) was instructed to open new treasury single accounts (TSA) for all the agencies listed in the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

According to the finance ministry, the TSA sub-accounts currently operated and maintained by the agencies for receiving revenue from the public shall be blocked from access, and placed under the full control of Wale Edun, the minister of finance and co-ordinating minister of the economy and the accountant-general of the federation.

It was also learnt that the new accounts shall be credited with inflows in the “old accounts based on the new policy implementation of 50 percent auto deduction in line with Finance Act,2020 and Finance Circular, 2021, 50% cost to revenue ratio”.

“The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), subject to the categorization of Agencies shall map and automatically effect direct deduction of 50% (fifty percent) on gross revenue of Self/partially funded Agency/Parastatals and 100% (one hundred percent) for fully funded Agencies/ Parastatals as interim remittance of amount due to the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” circular reads.

The federal government said the move is meant to improve revenue generation, fiscal discipline, accountability and transparency in the management of government financial resources and prevention of waste and inefficiencies.

While this may be unsavoury for the agencies, the deductions may be applauded by pundits who believe some agencies generate too much money than they may need.

For instance, in the 2024 budget of government enterprises, NPA projects N538 billion in revenue, and an expenditure of N349 billion, with a CRF remittance of N149 billion (28 percent). NUPRC expects to generate N232 billion but is billed to remit only N2 billion (0.88 percent).

The CAC, on the other hand, projects a N28 billion revenue, a CRF transfer of N11 billion (40 percent), and an expenditure of N14 billion. Similarly, the NMDPRA said it will rake in N212 billion and transfer only N84 billion (40 percent) to the CRF.

Analysts view such humongous revenue generation by agencies as problematic and often counter-productive as some organisations tend to prioritise money at the expense of their core mandates or impose unnecessary costs on businesses which could undermine national competitiveness.


‘DEAFULTING ACCOUNT OFFICERS WILL BE PUNISHED’

The effective implementation of the deduction means that agencies will have just enough revenue to fund their expenditures as the federal government will now collect the excess.

Therefore, the ministry urged all accounting officers, directors of finance and accounts, directors of internal audit, heads of accounts and heads of internal audit units of MDAs “to give this circular the widest circulation and ensure strict compliance”.

The ministry also said it would partner with the OAGF on appropriate disciplinary actions and sanctions against “defaulting accounting officers of agencies/parastatals found culpable of violating the contents of this Finance Circular and in accordance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act”

The recent suspension of accreditation for degrees from the Republic of Benin and Togo by the Nigerian government has sparked debate about the responsibility of individuals pursuing dubious qualifications, with a former National Universities Commission (NUC) Secretary, Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, declaring that Nigerians acquiring such degrees are “clear-headed crooks,” not victims.

Ramon-Yusuf made this statement when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday. His strong statement follows a revelation of the ease with which some have allegedly acquired degrees in these countries, with one investigative report detailing a degree obtained within two months.

Mr. Ramon-Yusuf argues that this system benefits Francophone countries financially while hindering Africa’s progress towards educational unity, citing the continent’s earlier efforts at mutual recognition of certificates.

He said, “Many of these francophone countries have benefited so much from the dubious degrees they give to Nigerians and that is why Africa cannot achieve the same level of mobility that people enjoy in Europe under the Erasmus programme.”

However, he doesn’t shy away from placing responsibility on individuals seeking these degrees. He stressed that many knowingly choose this route due to challenges in Nigerian university admissions, often lacking basic qualifications or failing entrance exams. He characterizes them as “shopping” for bogus institutions to obtain bogus qualifications.

He said, “There is no victim, all those people with these certificates are clear-headed crooks who knew what they were paying for because some of them are people who cannot pass the UTME, and some do not have five O-level credits.

“So they go shopping for these bogus institutions where they get their bogus qualifications from.”

While acknowledging the government’s suspension, Dr. Ramon-Yusuf urged deeper solutions. He called for collaboration with affected countries to establish robust quality assurance agencies, stressing the need for national standards across Africa.

He also advocated for the NUC’s involvement in any investigation, given its expertise in Nigerian education quality.

He said, “We need to do more than that because this is not the first time this matter is coming to the fore. Now, we need to do something different. Many of these francophone countries don’t have national quality assurance agencies.”

Gunmen have been operating in the North-Central and North-Western parts of the country despite the presence of security operatives.

Some gunmen have kidnapped the Chairman of the Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Safiyanu Isa Andaha.

The victim was whisked away on night of the New Year Day at Ningo village along Andaha – Akwanga Road, alongside a native of the area, police authorities said.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, security personnel comprising the police and other agencies have swiftly begun the trail of the abductors to ensure the release of the victims.

Gunmen have been operating in the North-Central and North-Western parts of the country despite the presence of security operatives.

Monday’s incident comes a few weeks after gunmen ambushed a convoy in Rivers, killing four soldiers, and two civilian drivers and abducting two Korean workers, according to the police.

Nasarawa, just like Zamfara, is one of several states in northwestern and central Nigeria terrorised by bandits who raid villages, kill and abduct residents as well as burn homes after looting them.

The gangs maintain camps in a huge forest straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states.

The country is facing a myriad of security challenges, including a 14-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast that has killed at least 40,000 people and forced more than two million others to flee their homes.

BY SAMAD UTHMAN


Dele Alake, the minister of solid minerals development, says about 163,878 Nigerians have enjoyed the transportation rebate introduced by the federal government.

Alake, who doubles as the chairman of the committee on the implementation of the end-of-the-year transportation subsidy programme, spoke in a statement issued on Monday by Kehinde Bamigbetan, his aide.

On December 19, the government announced free transportation on the routes of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) and a 50 percent subsidy on transport fares for passengers travelling on 30 routes serviced by bus operators under the umbrella of the Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON).

Alake said the committee took some remedial measures by adding two more routes, engaging other bus-owning stakeholders, such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the state-owned transport companies, and the Private Transport Operators Association (PTONA).

He said between December 21 and 31, 2023, the NRC transported 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under ALBON carried 77,122 travellers.

Alake added that 652 bus trips originating travels from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766 passengers.

“Between December 21 and December 31, 2023, figures avaialable show that the NRC conveyed 71,000 passengers, while buses operating under the auspices of ALBON carried 77, 122 passengers, and 652 bus trips originating travels from Oshodi Interchange in Lagos carried 15,766,” the statement reads.

“This means no fewer than 163, 878 passengers benefitted in the first 10 days of the programme.

“Secondly, while train-bound passengers enjoyed total free service, road travellers paid only 50 percent of the fares.

“The subsidies depended on the fares ranging from a saving of N21,500 on a Lagos-Abuja road trip fare of N43,000 and N15,000 on a Lagos –Onisha bus fare of N30,000.”

He appealed for the cooperation of the bus companies to manage the return of passengers from their respective locations till January 4, noting that the programme is still ongoing.

Written by Anayo Onukwugha


Facts have emerged as to the resignation of Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Ehie, recognised by an order of the Rivers State High Court, was loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The lawmaker, who represented Ahoada-East Constituency 2 in the State House of Assembly, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening, also vacated his seat as a member of the House.

LEADERSHIP observed that the resignation of the factional speaker was never part of the resolutions reached during a peace parley on the Rivers State political crisis, presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja in December 2023.

Sources, however, hinted that Ehie resigned his position to allegedly create a vacuum in the House in order to accommodate some of the resolutions of the Abuja peace pact.

Feelers also suggest that the decision was to allegedly pave way for his appointment as the Chief of Staff to the Governor, even though the current Chief of Staff, Hon. Chidi Amadi, is yet to resign his appointment.

Another reason adduced to Ehie’s resignation was to allow the National Assembly to take over the Rivers State House of Assembly since the House has only five members following the declaration of the seats of 25 members vacant after their defection from PDP to APC.

By Dalhatu Liman


Thousands of Israeli protesters have held protests, calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over his handling of the ongoing war on the Gaza Strip and failure to secure the release of the remaining captives held in the Palestinian territory.

The anti-regime demonstrations took place on Saturday night outside the Israeli military’s headquarters in Tel Aviv and Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea.

The protesters demanded immediate elections and a deal with the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement to release all the Israeli captives.

They carried banners reading, “Elections now,” “A diplomatic agreement,” “The cry of mothers: Get our soldiers out of Gaza now” and “Israel will not survive if we don’t bring him (Netanyahu) down.”

Israel waged the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

However, almost three months into the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has failed to achieve its objectives of “destroying Hamas” and finding Israeli captives despite killing more than 21, 000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, with tens of thousands injured.

A week-long humanitarian ceasefire in late November saw an exchange between 240 Palestinian abductees held by Israel and 105 captives, including 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners, in Gaza.

Israel believes about 129 captives are still being held in Gaza, while 7,000 Palestinians are believed to be in Israeli prisons, many detained without charge.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, at least 68 Palestinians have been killed in fresh Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, according to the official Wafa news agency.

Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on the Zaitoun neighbourhood, leaving 48 dead and scores injured, Wafa said citing local sources.

Another 20 people were killed in airstrikes in the vicinity of Al Aqsa University, the broadcaster said.

Palestinian health authorities are yet to confirm the fatalities.

Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in clashes with Palestinian resistance fighters in Gaza, the Israeli army said.

A military statement said a soldier lost his life in central Gaza, while the other was killed in Gaza’s north.

According to military figures, at least 506 soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of the conflict on October 7.

In another development, dozens of Israeli soldiers stationed near the Gaza border are suspected of having the skin disease leishmaniasis, an Israeli newspaper has revealed in its report.

They are suspected of having skin lesions caused by the Leishmania parasite, which causes Rose of Jericho disease (leishmaniasis) because they have “ulcerative skin lesions,” the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on Sunday.

Some soldiers were sent to conduct laboratory tests, the results of which have yet to be received, while others were transferred to dermatology clinics for treatment, it added.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and nine governors of oil-producing states are heading for a collision over N84.7 billion siphoned from the statutory 13 per cent derivation meant for the nine oil-producing states, THISDAY has learnt.

THISDAY gathered that another bone of contention was the request for the release of N52 billion recovered from former Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and some of his accomplices.


Idris is standing trial over an alleged N109 billion money laundering charge, diversion of public funds, abuse of office, and conspiracy, preferred against him by the EFCC.

THISDAY checks revealed that EFCC’s investigation uncovered N84.7 billion siphoned from the statutory 13 per cent derivation meant for the nine oil-producing states.


The states are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers.
The money was allegedly siphoned by a consultancy firm, Olusegun Akindele Consultancy, and other accomplices engaged by the nine NDDC states to review and reconcile the payments due to them from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) between 2004 and 2016.

Specifically, Olusegun Akindele Consultancy firm received a total sum of N84. 7 billion, being 9.84 per cent of N861,135,887,749.10 as consultancy fees and the money was shared among four groups.


THISDAY gathered that through diligent investigation, the EFCC was able to recover the total sum of N52 billion from fictitious consultancy contracts awarded to three out of the four groups.
The funds belong to the nine oil-producing states as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in their meeting on August 20, 2021.

Further investigation showed that several correspondences were made between the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, on behalf of the nine states, and the EFCC.


The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Eno, wrote the EFCC seeking the release of the N52 billion to the nine states to a consultant, Messrs Platinum Resources Limited.
THISDAY further gathered that the EFCC turned down the request, insisting that each of the states should send the account details of their government for the release of the money.
However, the EFCC’s directive was not complied with as Eno was said to have sent the account details of only four states – Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, and Rivers to the EFCC, while the account details of the remaining five states were not sent.


Further investigation showed that the EFCC insisted that all the account details of the nine states should be provided.

THISDAY has learnt that the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, is planning to pay the money into the CBN derivation account of each of the states.

“This development is the basis of the fight of the governors of the nine states with the commission. The EFCC’s position is to allow for transparency and accountability concerning the use of the recovered funds,” a competent source familiar with the development, said.
When THISDAY contacted the spokesman of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, he declined to comment.

Nigeria will join other countries across the world to say goodbye to 2023 and welcome the New Year 2024. The trepidation with which Nigerians look to 2024 should not spoil the fun.

Therefore, let’s meet the first country to say ‘Happy New Year’.

The Pacific nation of Kiribati will be the first to celebrate the new year while we are still at 11 a.m. in Nigeria.

Specifically, Kiritimati Island will taste 2024 first. It is part of the Republic of Kiribati. Also called “Christmas Island”, it is in the farthest forward time zone. Imagine full 19 hours ahead of New York City.

Okay, NYC is far from us. Kiritimati Island is 13 hours ahead of Abuja Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT. So far!

Now, an hour after Kiritimati Island sees the new year, Auckland, New Zealand, will start saying ‘Happy New Year’. That’s around 12 noon Nigerian time.

The last place to join the new year train will be Baker Island. Now, wonder of wonders! Baker Island is 650 miles (1,046.074 kilometres) from Kiribati. However, it is about 26 hours behind due to time zones quirk.

Now, to be very explanatory, at the time of publishing this story (10:30 a.m.), Kiritimati was 30 minutes away from the New Year 2024!

Meanwhile, over 100,000 people are expected to watch London’s sold-out New Year’s Eve display in person.

But, these time zones magic should humble us to disturb less with “Happy New Year”. For some have been in 2024 for almost half a day before you. No, it shouldn’t dampen the fun.

By Philip Shimnom Clement, Abdullateef Aliyu


The estacodes and airfares of ministers, heads of agencies, directors and other federal government-sponsored delegates from Nigeria to the recent United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, gulped over N2.78billion, findings by Daily Trust on Sunday have shown.
The conference was held from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

Nigeria had a 1,114-member delegation to the conference, but the Presidency clarified that only 422 officials were sponsored by the federal government.

According to the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the per diem of a minister, a chief executive of an agency and a permanent secretary, cost $900 per night.

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Directors of ministries, agencies and parastatals of government also take $500 per night as per diem.

A breakdown of the list of delegates showed that among those sponsored by the government were 27 ministers.

This implies that each of them must have taken about N900,000 per night at the current exchange rate, which fluctuates between N1,000 and N1,100 per dollar.

As such, for the 12-day outing in Dubai, the government must have spent N10.8million on each of the ministers, translating to N291m for the 27 of them.

Daily Trust on Sunday reports that some of the ministers and other top government functionaries returned to the country before the conference ended, and they might have received escacodes for the whole period of the conference.

The government must have also spent N900,000 per diem on each of the 15 chief executives of government agencies who were also on the delegation, translating to N162m for the 12 days they stayed in the United Arab Emirate.

Checks by Daily Trust on Sunday showed that 95 directors from different ministries and agencies were also sponsored to the conference, costing the government $500 on each of them, translating to N570m on all of them.

Checks by Daily Trust on Sunday also indicated that a one-way economy flight from Abuja to Dubai costs between N1.2m and N3m, depending on the airline.

Some of the popular airlines on the routes are Qatar Airways, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Air, RwandAir, among others.

In the absence of Emirates and Etihad, which are Dubai-based airlines, the Arab carriers become the first options for many passengers before going for other carriers.

As at the time of the COP28 trip, a return ticket on Qatar Airways was between $2,228 and $2,242, which translated to N2.6m at the exchange rate of N1,200 at the time, while a return ticket would amount to N5.2m. A business class ticket on the same airline is above N8m.

Ethiopian Airlines fares cost between N1.2m and N1.4m and a return ticket is about N3m. For Ethiopian Airlines, a business class ticket for the Abuja-Dubai flight is N4.3m and N8.6m for a return ticket.

RwandAir ticket, on the other hand, was priced at $1,630 or N2.8m, while Egypt Air ticket was $1,354 or N2.5m as at that time.

Depending on the airline used by the participants, at least each of them would pay a minimum of N4m for the return ticket, being the least for the flight ticket if they all fly economy.

Going by the high cost of flight tickets, over N1.6billion would have been spent on flight tickets alone as the base fare for an economy ticket.

With some senior government officials preferring to travel on business class, it was possible that airfare would have gulped more to sponsor participants to the conference.

Nigerians, including the presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) in the last general elections, as well as other civil society groups, had knocked the government for the trip, which they described as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

The criticisms were hinged on the hardship in the land, believed to have been largely sparked by the present administration’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and currency floating.

The federal government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had defended the trip, saying it was necessary due to Nigeria’s stake in global climate change action.

“The federal government-funded delegation is made up of a total of 422 persons as follows: National Council on Climate Change, 32; Federal Ministry of Environment, 34; all ministries, 167; Presidency, 67; Office of the Vice President, 9; National Assembly, 40; federal parastatals/agencies, 73.

“As the biggest economy and most populous country in Africa, with a substantial extractive economy and extensive vulnerability to climate change, Nigeria has a significant stake in climate action, and our active and robust participation at COP is therefore not unwarranted,” the minister had stated.


Govt only interested in reckless spending – CeFTIW

A development expert and the head of publicity at the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity Watch (CeFTIW) Victor Agi, said the amount of money spent on the trip showed that the government was not interested in managing the resources of the country but spending it recklessly.

“To say that the spending is ridiculous is to put it mildly, especially at a time the government has told Nigerians to make sacrifices. This is even more so when you cannot point to the socio-economic impact of the trip to the country. I personally cannot point to any nationwide climate action arising from the summit.

“This is not the first time the government has participated in such international conferences, but when you seek to know what exactly is the benefit of such travels to our ailing economy (with huge debt burden), you can’t point to anything. The issue is not that government should not be represented in such international fora, but our representation should be reasonable.

“From what has transpired in the past months, it may not be out of place to say that our problem is mostly spending issue and not necessarily a revenue one.

“With the removal of fuel subsidy we can now see that the government now has money to throw away. And it is not just about the CoP28, we have seen that some spending proposal in the budget before the National Assembly clearly points to the fact that the government is not interested in fiscal prudence but wants to continue with reckless spending,” Agi said.

He added that as a result of politicians’ quest for such unwarranted spending, Nigeria’s recurrent expenditure (36.1%) “is higher than capital (31.9%), with debt servicing gulping as much as 30 per cent in the current budget.”

Speaking on solutions, he stated, “If we must make any progress, the government must be intentional about cutting the cost of governance and frivolity.

“Who says that 50 or a maximum of 100 government delegates who are business-minded cannot get the work done at CoSP28? Government-sponsored travels should be purely business and not some jamboree to reward cronies.

“Until and except we approach governance with a business mind, the so-called removal of subsidy will only be another policy that will further impoverish the people while the political elites grow fatter.”

By Lubabatu Garba


hafsat and nafiu when the going was good


More questions have continued to trail the murder of a Bauchi State indigene, Nafiu Hafiz Gorondo, killed in Kano allegedly by a housewife who was his ex-girlfriend, Hafsat Suraj, popularly known as Chuchu.

The victim was stabbed to death barely two weeks ago allegedly by Chuchu at their Unguwa Uku residence.

While the police identified the victim, Gorondo, as a domestic help to Chuchu’s husband, some said he was her business partner.

Followers of the suspect on her social media handles such as Tiktok and Instagram believe nothing other than intimate friendship existed between the two.

Though the deceased’s father, Alhaji Hafiz Salisu, accused Chuchu’s husband, Dayyabu Abdullahi, of organising the killing, because, according to him, he (Dayyabu) owed his son some money, but many people believe that Gorondo was killed out of jealousy.

Findings by Daily Trust Saturday on Isa Dagwanje lane in Unguwa Uku where Chuchu was born revealed that she and Gorondo enjoyed an intimate relationship for a long time.

A resident who simply identified himself as Dagwanje told our correspondent that the two took the advantage of a business relationship and continued with their hidden love for a long period of time which the husband was not aware of or pretended as if nothing was happening.

Dagwanje said, “Gorondo was Hafsat’s ex-boyfriend. After she got married to another person, her Islamiyya teacher, Malam Dayyabu, the relationship with Gorondo took a new turn and became a business/love affair.


inside story of bauchi man killed by ex girlfriend in kano


“We used to see them together in their car. And sometimes he (Gorondo) comes to her parent’s house. It was later that we got to know that they were conducting business together to the extent that they lived in the same apartment.”

Findings revealed that the relationship got sour when Gorondo expressed desire to get married to a woman from his native Bauchi State and Chuchu was vehemently opposed to it.

When Daily Trust Saturday visited the house where the victim and the suspect were residing at Unguwa Uku, neighbours told our correspondent that they didn’t know that Chuchu and Gorondo were not married until when the incident occurred.

A woman said, “Throughout the time they stayed in this house we thought they were married until when this tragic incident happened. We knew Gorondo very well. He was a kind person as he sometimes used to stay outside and play with our children.”

Another neighbour who also preferred to remain anonymous said, “Since when they relocated to this house they were not even mingling with us (neighbours). We didn’t even know that there was another man in the house apart from the deceased. That was why we assumed that he was the husband of Chuchu. We always saw them together.”

Daily Trust Saturday found that the victim was neither a house help nor a driver to Chuchu’s husband as was reported.

Dagwanje explained that, “Gorondo was a successful businessman who dealt in soft drinks and medicine. He had never been a house help to Chuchu’s husband. I can even exaggerate by saying that the husband was a ‘boy’ to the deceased as he was the one that facilitated and connected Dayyabu to Chinese people in Kwari Market.”

Daily Trust Saturday visited one of the suspect’s shops at a shopping mall on Zoo Road, where she sells abayas and perfumes.

Her neighbours there explained that the shop was run by both Chuchu and Gorondo.

A neighbor said, “She sometimes stayed in the shop, and at times they stayed together. Unless recently they got a sales girl who oversees the shop. We thought they were married.”


My daughter has psychiatric problem – Chuchu’s mum

When Daily Trust Saturday contacted Chuchu’s mother, Hajiya Hajara Suraj, she said her daughter had a psychiatric problem.

Hajiya Hajara said, “Everybody knows that my daughter has a psychiatric problem. Even her Islamiyya and secondary school teachers have the record of her problem. She sometimes gets out of her senses and does a lot of things. She even has a file in a psychiatric hospital at Dawanau.”

She added that she knew nothing about the relationship between her daughter and the deceased other than the business relationship.


I doubt if only Chuchu killed my giant son – Deceased’s dad

The deceased’s father, Alhaji Hafiz Gorondo, doubted the way and manner in which Chuchu singlehandedly committed the act, urging the security to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.

He said, “I am still wondering how a small girl like Chuchu singlehandedly committed such an act without help from another person. I doubt much. If you look at late Nafiu, he was a giant; how could he allow such a small girl to attack and stab him severally to death.

It would be recalled that the Kano State Police Command arrested Chuchu for allegedly stabbing her “house help” to death.

In a statement, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the police received a report from the deceased’s father that he received a phone call from one Dayyabu Abdullahi that his son, Nafiu, was dead.

He explained that when the father arrived at the residence in Unguwa Uku, he discovered several stab injuries on the corpse.

He said the suspect confessed to have singlehandedly committed the act by stabbing the victim as he was trying to prevent her from committing suicide.

Similarly, her husband, Dayyabu Abdullahi, and their gateman, Adamu Mohammad, were arrested for aiding, packaging and concealing the corpse.

Meanwhile, the suspect and her suspected accomplices were Wednesday arraigned before a magistrates’ court sitting at Yankaba, Kano, where she pleaded guilty to the charge of attempt to commit suicide but pleaded not guilty to the charge of culpable homicide.

The Magistrate, Hadiza Abdurrahman, ordered that all the defendants be remanded in prison and adjourned the case to February 1, 2024.

By Damilola Aina


The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission on Friday, said it approved tax holidays for 34 companies seeking tax incentives and waivers under the Industrial Development Income Tax Act in 2023.

This was disclosed by the Head of incentives administration, to Lovina Kayode, during an end-of-the-year press briefing organised by the commission in Abuja.

She said tax incentives which had been a contentious issue due to the high amount of revenue lost to waivers granted every year, were meant to boost foreign investments into the country.

Saturday PUNCH recalls that the Federal Government in September, said companies operating in Nigeria receive tax incentives worth N6tn annually.

The Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, who made the disclosure, said a comprehensive review to reduce tax waiver would be implemented.

Earlier reports had put the average annual tax waiver figure at about N5tn. Companies including Dangote Sinotrucks West Africa Limited, Lafarge Africa Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Jigawa Rice Limited, and Stallion Motors Limited, among others had benefited from tax waivers from pioneer status incentives.

But speaking at the press briefing, Lovina indicated that not all companies are granted tax breaks due to stringent procedures followed by the commission on waivers award.

She said, “The pioneer status incentive is a stimulus that allows a company to get three years of not paying corporate income tax, just to get more investments.

“This process is stringent because our parent ministry and the federal inland revenue service are involved to make sure the right investors get this incentive.

“So far this year, we granted 34 applications have been approved and one of the things we intend to do is to ensure we are not just giving incentives to underserving companies. However, there is already a notion that Nigeria gives out too many waivers, incentives, and concessions.

“However, tax expenditure which means what government has lost by granting pioneers status incentive is just a small amount compared to what the country gains by granting these incentives to qualified companies.”

She further revealed plans by the commission would publish impact reports on the effectiveness of the pioneer status report on job creation and other economic activities to promote investments.

“On impact, that is one thing NIPC is planning on, next year, it is one of our biggest tasks to do an impact assessment. These incentives we gave out, how have they impacted the country in terms of job creation?

“How many jobs are the companies creating and what kind of import substitution has come about because we have granted these incentives and how much would the government gain after the three years of them not paying these taxes,” she added.

On her part, the commission’s Executive Secretary, Aisha Rimi, in her virtual address, reiterated commitment to facilitating and assisting investors to gain inroad into the country in the New Year.

He said, “So as I continue to settle down, I will also continue to depend on and rely on your support to promote the activities of the commission. The commission, as you all know, was set up really to facilitate, promote, and assist investors into the country and the ones already in the country. Because if nobody traps these people and gives them the support that they need, other countries are competing with Nigeria. So we have to be very intentional.”

Federal civil servants across the country are grumbling over the delay in payment of their December 2023 salaries.

They said it was sad they marked Christmas yesterday without money, a development that affected their families, especially those who had no savings.

Many of those who spoke to our correspondent lamented that they did not celebrate Christmas in line with tradition of merriments, heavy cooking, and visitations.

Findings revealed that all the workers in federal ministries, some in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF), and others in Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) said the development was unexpected.

It was learnt that the situation was the same with federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and associated federal institutions all over the country.

Sources said only workers in revenue generating agencies like NNPC, NPA, NIMASA, NCC, CBN, FIRS, among many others got their salaries for December.

In separate interviews with Daily Trust, the distraught workers lamented the inability of the government to pay their salaries, especially in the Christmas celebration season.

“Despite the general misgivings about previous administrations, I cannot remember anytime our December salaries were delayed,” one of the workers said.

“With the way things are ‘tough’ in the country, we don’t even have savings. We were excited when they announced a 50 per cent discount on transportation, but sadly despite the support many people could not travel ahead of Christmas.

“How can we travel and enjoy the so called 50 per cent transport reduction, when we don’t have monies in our pockets?” another civil servant asked.

Others who spoke to Daily Trust said that the delay would have a negative impact on their celebration and even in January when the schools would have resumed.

A lecturer at the University of Abuja said he was not happy.

“How can you be happy when you cannot make your family happy at this auspicious occasion?” she asked.

I cannot really comprehend where the problem lies, the government should come out and explain the real problem. The minimum expectation of a civil servant is to have his salary paid even if it is nothing to write home about,” he said.

“Some years back, apart from salary, some categories of workers get 13th Month bonus, others get all kinds of interventions to support them at the end of the year and encourage them to do better next year. May we witness those moments again,” he said.

Another lecturer said failure to pay salaries by this administration is an indictment.

“There is no excuse whatsoever, to say the truth. They removed the subsidy, they said they have been saving monies since June. This is over six months but we rarely get our salaries before the end of the month.

“I got my November salary in the second week of December. Now that it is the end of the year and it is the Christmas season, we thought they would pay us around the 20th or 22nd. Sadly, they did not…We only went to church, returned home and we are waiting for the public holiday to end so that we can continue with our life,” he said.

A teacher at the Federal Government Girls College, Bajoga, Gombe State, said it was a dull Christmas.

“I managed and bought one chicken for the children, but we thank God for life. We are yet to get our December salary and that is how we celebrated our Christmas. Our prayer is that they should pay us before the end of the month so that we can put a smile on the faces of our children ahead of New Year,” the teacher said.


We’ve no control – OHoCSF

When contacted, the Director of Communication in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF), Mallam Mohammed Ahmed, said that they were not in charge of payment of salaries and that he believed something was being done by the appropriate authorities.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Mallam Bawa Mokwa, said that the process was ongoing and workers would soon receive their salaries.

However, a top government official confided in Daily Trust that the delay was due to a technical glitch that was being addressed and that workers would be receiving their salaries before the end of the day (Monday).

Eko Hotels sets new record with longest Christmas Cake

The talented team of chefs at Eko Hotels in Nigeria, led by Chef George, has crafted a record-breaking Christmas cake, stretching an impressive 80 meters in length. The hotel, known for its culinary excellence, embarked on this ambitious project to spread holiday cheer and celebrate Christmas in a grand style.

The grandiose and elegant cake, adorned with intricate festive decorations, showcased the creativity and skill of the culinary team led by Chef George. The confectionery masterpiece incorporated traditional Christmas flavors, promising a delectable experience for those fortunate enough to partake in this monumental celebration.

The General Manager of Eko Hotels, Mr Danny, led the cutting of cake amid cheers from guests. “This is what the Tropical Christmas Wonderland is all about: pace-setting, magical experiences and excellent service. We are excited about this feat and we’re glad to put smilies on the faces of the hundreds of families celebrating Christmas with us.”

Additionally, the hotel’s management expressed their pride in the achievement, emphasizing the dedication and passion displayed by the culinary team throughout the cake’s creation.

The domestic debt stock of 22 states and the federal capital territory (FCT) shrunk by a significant N176.3 billion in the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, according to data from the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The DMO said the total domestic debt for the 36 states and the FCT reduced by N74.64 billion in three months.

As at June 2023, the states’ domestic debt stood at N5.82 trillion but fell to N5.74 trillion in September, the agency said.

According to the latest report, only 22 out of 36 states and the FCT reduced their debts in Q3, compared to 15 states in the second quarter (Q2).

The states were Delta, Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Adamawa, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Ekiti, Niger, Kogi, Ondo, Taraba, Enugu, Kaduna, Oyo, Kwara, Osun, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kebbi, and FCT.

In a quarter marked by debt reduction efforts across the states, Delta emerged top, slashing its domestic liabilities by a jaw-dropping N93.9 billion, compared to Lagos’ N35.94 billion and FCT’s N7.79 billion.


Here is a breakdown of states that reduced domestic debts in Q3:

Delta: N93.92 billion
Lagos: N35.94 billion
FCT: N7.79 billion
Akwa Ibom: N6.13 billion
Bayelsa: N5.18 billion
Adamawa: N5.16 billion
Abia: N3.69 billion
Anambra: N2.68 billion
Ebonyi: N2.54 billion
Imo: N1.94 billion
Ekiti: N1.89 billion
Niger: N1.76 billion
Kogi: N1.35 billion
Ondo: N1.28 billion
Tarawa: N1.02 billion
Enugu: N983.96 million
Kaduna: N697.18 million
Oyo: N634.50 million
Kwara: N618.21 million
Osun: N437.88 million
Sokoto: N300.11 million
Jigawa: N242 million
Kebbi: N67.09 million


KANO, OGUN DEBT REMAINS UNCHANGED

Meanwhile, the debt burden of Kano and Ogun remained unchanged in Q3 this year, TheCable Index analysis of the data shows.

The two states maintained their domestic debt levels at N122.36 billion and N293.20 billion respectively, while 12 other states saw their debt profiles rise in the past three months.

The DMO said Katsina led the pack in debt growth, with a N36.94 billion jump (59% increase), leaving Bauchi (N15.13 billion), Zamfara (N11.99 billion), and Plateau (N11.86 billion) behind.

Here is a list of 12 states that increased their domestic debt in Q3:

Katsina: N36.94 billion
Bauchi: N15.13 billion
Zamfara: N11.99 billion
Plateau: N11,86 billion
Borno: N8.65 billion
Cross River: N7.99 billion
Rivers: N7.07 billion
Gombe: N1.044 billion
Yobe: N342.16 million
Benue: N241.19 million
Nasarawa: N192.79 million
Edo: N174.95 million

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Mightymiracle:
850 per kg at Gasland,sango-UI road Ibadan with 5% discount and a cupcake 🧁🧁

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and his ex-deputies approved for themselves an upward review of their salaries without presidential approval.

The CBN Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, who disclosed this in his report to President Bola Tinubu, said the former CBN governor and his deputies decided at the 758th meeting of the Committee of Governors held on September 14, 2022.

The investigation report asserted that the review was not approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, the agency that oversees the disbursement of funds from the Federal Account.

Tinubu had in a letter dated July 28, 2023, named a former Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, Obazee, as the CBN special investigator.

The PUNCH had on Friday reported that Emefiele, allegedly lodged public funds in no fewer than 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China without the approval of the apex bank’s board of directors and the CBN Investment Committee.

There are fears that the findings of the special investigator may further compound the woes of the ex-CBN governor who is being prosecuted for N1.2 billion procurement fraud

Obazee in his report recommended that Emefiele and the Deputy CBN governors and directors should be charged for various criminal offences.

The report read in part, “The then CBN governor and his Committee of Governors held their 758th meeting on September 14, 2022, and approved for themselves upward review of salaries (referred to as annual pay parity in US dollars), sitting allowances, air tickets, and incidental expenses of the board and Monetary Policy Committee members.

“This was carried out without the approval of the President nor in consultation with the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. The Secretary to the Board of the CBN kept mute over this development and the board members looked the other way.’’

The report further highlighted how the apex financial institution allegedly printed money and converted it to its use, stressing that there was no legal provision for the action.

It stated that the financial statements of the bank did not tally with its numerous financial interventions, suggesting that the CBN under Emefiele operated secret reserves whose location was only known to it and not disclosed in its financial statements.

Shedding light on the allegation, the report said, ‘’For instance, the huge liquidity intervention in the banking sector by the CBN from 2014 to date was not derived from the operational income stream of the CBN.

“On request, the CBN officials could not show the source of this fund. It is observed that the CBN determines the financial reporting standards; it ended up mixing up cash basis with cash accruals in its accounting system.

“The bank’s statement of account cash flow in the audited financial statements fails to show the source and application of the huge banking sector intervention and other 43 intervention programmes in several trillions of naira from 2014.

“The overflow of this in subsequent years is indicative since the opening balance of one year is logically the ending balance of the preceding year. In situations like this, the only explanation is that money was printed by the CBN and same was converted to its own use.’’

Calls to the line of the counsel for Emefiele, Matthew Burkaa, SAN indicated that it was not reachable.

However, he has yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a former deputy governor of the CBN, Kingsley Moghalu, has accused Emefiele of being the worst governor the apex bank has ever produced in the history of the country.

Moghalu said this in a lengthy post on the X platform via his verified handle on Saturday.

He cited Emefiele’s incompetence, performance regarding the stability of the naira exchange rate and inflation, the brazen provision of Ways and Means lending to the government, including his attempt to run for president, and the “incompetent” manner in which the naira redesign policy was handled.

He wrote, “The foregoing notwithstanding, my views on Emefiele’s performance as CBN Governor have been a matter of record even when many now opining on the matter of his performance on the job were mute.

“He is, without debate, the worst and most damaging Central Bank Governor in Nigeria’s history- incompetent and ill-prepared for the role, and from all available information from his actions, doubtlessly severely challenged with integrity.’’

“Four things make this clear; his performance regarding the stability of the naira exchange rate, as well as inflation; the brazen illegal provisions of Ways & Means lending to @NigeriaGov; Emefiele’s illegal attempt to run for President, in clear contravention of section 9 of the CBN Act of 2007, which precludes the Governor and Deputy Governors from engaging in activities outside their functions; and the incompetent manner in which the Naira Redesign Policy was handled, and its consequent negative, indeed disastrous impact on Nigeria’s economy,” he noted.

While describing the central bank of any country as a very sensitive institution, he said confidence (or the lack of it) in the institution has practical consequences for Nigeria’s economy.

He stressed that corruption has robbed Nigeria of its destiny and impoverished the citizens while enriching “at insane levels” a select few.

“Combating it has to be a holistic affair, not just politically convenient media trials,” he added.

Moghalu argued that Nigeria’s political leadership culture and governance needed a complete overhaul, adding, “The current approach to the matter to Emefiele, who undoubtedly deserves his trial, is not quite the optimal path when placed under close scrutiny.”

The award of millions of naira in costs against some senior lawyers by the courts have created surprises among legal observers.

Many Nigerians are familiar with punitive fines or damages imposed by the courts against parties in matters deserving of such, but not much is known about lawyers being directly penalised for bringing some actions before the courts.

Some of the prominent costs by the courts include the Supreme Court’s award of N40m against Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and N30m each which were imposed on SANs Afe Babalola and Wole Olanipekun, while N10m was awarded against Festus Keyamo, N20m was against Chuks Nwachukwu, N40m and N2m against Daniel Elombah.

In the latest award on December 5, a five-member panel of justices presided over by Justice Inyang Okoro fined Ozekhome N40m after deeming his application on behalf of a former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, to be frivolous and brought outside the jurisdiction of the court.

PDP and Ihedioha’s application had sought to remove Governor Hope Uzodinma from office on the premise that he was not validly nominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest the election that led to his first tenure in 2019.

The application further sought to invalidate the years that Uzodinma spent in office as governor.

The PDP and Ihedioha had applied to join the appeal challenging Uzodinma’s qualification, which was originally filed by Uche Nwosu, who was the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA).

Specifically, the PDP and Ihedioha asked the Supreme Court to give effect to its 2019 verdict that disqualified Nwosu on the ground that he was nominated by both the AA and the APC to contest the election, and as such APC had no candidate in the election.

Similarly, the Supreme Court on February 26, 2020, imposed N30m against Babalola and Olanipekun over the application seeking a review of the judgment in the APC and its governorship candidate and running mate in the Bayelsa State election, David Lyon Pereworinmin and Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, respectively.

A seven-member panel led by Justice Amina Augie, in the lead ruling, rebuked both lawyers while awarding the N30m punitive cost against each of them.

Both lawyers, however, forwarded protest letters to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), insisting that they did no wrong by asking the court to take a second look at its earlier judgment in the matter.

Similarly, on May 25, the Court of Appeal in Abuja awarded the sum of N40m in costs against a former presidential candidate, Ambrose Owuru, for filing a “frivolous suit” seeking to stop the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu.

The lead judgment in the matter read by Justice Jamil Tukur held that Owuru’s action was a gross abuse of court process, a “vexatious and irritating suit to provoke the respondents.”

Owuru had in 2019 filed the appeal seeking to declare the office of the president vacant and he be sworn in as the president because he won the presidential election and had not completed his term of office.

Also, on May 29, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit seeking to stop the inauguration of Bola Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29.

A group, the Concerned Nigerians, filed the suit seeking the disqualification of Tinubu over alleged perjury on his dual citizenship of Nigeria and Guinea.

Justice James Omotosho held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

The court also held that the applicants, being participants as only voters in the February 25, presidential election did not afford them the locus standi to bring the action.

The court ordered the applicants, Praise Ilemona Isaiah, Pastor Paul Isaac Audu and Dr Anongu Moses and their lawyer, Daniel Elombah, to pay N17m to Tinubu and APC.

The judge ordered a 10 per cent interest on the cost until it was liquidated.

Earlier, the judge said the suit was an abuse of the court as the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear all post-election matters.

On June 6, Justice Mike Omotosho imposed the sum of N10m against Keyamo, who is currently the Minister of Aviation, over a “frivolous application”.

Keyamo had filed a suit seeking an order to compel investigative agencies to investigate former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the election, Atiku Abubakar, for allegedly using a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to corruptly enrich himself.

But the judge said Keyamo lacked the locus standi to institute the suit having failed to establish any special interest over and beyond other members of the public, or show any damage suffered by him.

On June 6, a Federal High Court in Abuja imposed the sum of N20m in cost against Chuks Nwachukwu over engaging in professional misconduct in instituting a frivolous suit challenging Tinubu’s failure to obtain 25 per cent of the votes in the last general elections.

The residents/voters were represented by Anyaegbunam Ubaka Okoye, David Aondover Adzer, Jeffrey Oheobeh Ucheh, Osang Paul and Chibuke Nwachukwu.

The judge, who condemned Nwachukwu’s comments in the media, said that if the lawyer had been in the courtroom, he would have been barred “from practising until he appeared before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) to determine whether he was fit to practice the profession.

“But since he is not in court, I make an order, directing the registrar to forward all the processes to LPDC to determine whether he is fit to practice the profession.”


Lawyers speak

Reacting, Chuks Nwachukwu said lawyers who had been imposed with costs in millions of naira didn’t necessarily have to pay the fines except the opponents were keen on receiving same.

“The costs are usually symbolic and are not to the court but to the opponent,” he said.

In his view, E M D Umukoro said there were two ways: as where the lawyer advised the client against such a decision, naturally the lawyer would ask the client to pay because he or she insisted, but if it was the lawyer, he had to pay.

“Maybe the middle ground may be that the client may say that, ‘I trust you and you are doing it for me’, so he will take the responsibility.”

Also responding, Chinelo Ogbazor said costs were usually awarded in favour of the adverse party and personally against the lawyer. So, the lawyer would be expected to pay to the account which would be provided by that party.

There is a crack within the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) Secretariat in Abuja, as top officials of the forum are at daggers drawn over alleged financial fraud and recklessness.

This has triggered a letter to the NGF chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, by the NGF Director, Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo.
Barkindo in a leaked letter addressed to Governor AbdulRasaq and sighted by our correspondent, opened a can of worms on the running of the secretariat, saying the NGF is now more transactional than developmental.

He stressed that it is not an agent of change but “a conduit pipe for a few individuals”, and demanded a forensic audit of all the NGF accounts including those that were opened during crises periods to avoid the “prying eyes of governors in the name of NIGOFO among others.”

Barkindo said the NGF accounts had not been audited for 10 years or more, stressing that a few individuals had turned the Forum and its finances into their personal fiefdom.

The letter reads in part, “The secretariat’s accounts have not been audited in the last decade to say the least, that even the phony auditors invited to mock the auditing process have at various times confessed that the job they are doing for the secretariat is a wash.
“Has anyone ever wondered why an institution that midwife’s huge monetary deals like the Paris-London refunds does not have a qualified accountant? In an organisation that makes over three billion Naira annually, the total annual income of its entire staff is seventy million naira. Staff of the Forum are always asking where all the money goes. There is a staff that earns N20,000 a month ($20.)
“There are instances. The N630m deductions from the N5bn infrastructure support fund which ended in a shouting bout among governors while you are chairman was a deliberate ploy to make you look bad among your colleagues.

“The secretariat did not brief you adequately. Their instructions from their master’s house, across the street, was to set booby traps and obstacles in your path. I am a witness. On the Paris-London Club transaction which the NGF midwifed, the NGF made close to N19bn out of which the staff of the NGF were to be rewarded with N850m by the Chairman of the Forum, at the time Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State.

“In my opinion, the NGF requires a forensic audit of all its accounts including those that were opened during crises periods to avoid the prying eyes of governors in the name of NIGOFO among others.”