Tinubu Gets Reps Approval For N500 Billion Palliatives For Nigerians

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July 13, 2023

By Ayodele Oni

The House of Representatives has approved the request by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for an amendment to the 2022 appropriation act to allow the Government take N500 billion for palliatives to Nigerians to cushion the pains of subsidy removal.

The House approved the President’s request after contributions by members who called for proper utilisation of the funds for the purpose to what it was meant for.

Members took turns to commend the President for taking a bold step to remove fuel subsidy and for showing to Nigerians that he was a listening President.

The House Leader, Julius Ihonvbare, who presented the request to members for debate said the country now has a President who listens to the yearning of the people.

The Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda however said the proper yardstick to measure a government is whether the government is responsible and responsive.

He said approving the palliatives is not the only thing, but that the House should put in place mechanism to monitor the use of the palliatives and ensure that the purpose for which it is meant for is achieved.

President Bola Tinubu had written to the national assembly on Tuesday, requesting the approval of N500 billion for palliatives to mitigate the effect of the recent removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.

The request was contained in a letter to the Senate and was read by the Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Thursday.

The letter is titled “Request for the amendment of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.”

And it reads: “I write to request the approval of the Senate for the amendment of the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act.

“The request has become necessary in order to among other things, source the funds necessary to provide palliatives to mitigate the effect of the recent removal of fuel subsidy on Nigerians.

“The sum of N500 billion had been extracted from the 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Act of N819,536,937,815 for the provision of palliatives to Nigerians to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.”

In a letter accompany the request, President Tinubu explained that 12m families will get N8, 000 over a period of six months to ameliorate the hardships faced by Nigerians as a result of subsidy removal.

In a letter to the House of Representatives read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Tuesday, Tinubu said it was support to enable poor and vulnerable Nigerians cope with the cost of meeting basic needs.

The organized Labour has however rejected the president’s move, insisting that only an increment in salary and wages can cushion the effect of the subsidy withdrawal.

Sodomy: Ondo NSCDC Arrests Okada Man

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Ayodele Oni

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July 13, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), has arrested a 35 years old man Mr Nweke Peter, an okada rider for allegedly raping a 15 years old boy.

NSCDC spokesman in Ondo state, Daniel Aidamenbor announced in a statement on Thursday that the incident happened at Willy Bright, Elewa junction, Abusoro, Ijoka road, Akure.

NSCDC statement added that: “The suspect was apprehended by the collective effort of the community, who observed the strange movement of the suspect around his residence on daily basis.

“Nweke Peter will always lure his victim from school to his house and return the victim to the victim’s house of close proximity at about 1800hours daily. The neighbors noticed this trend and reported to the landlord.

“On Thursday, 6th July, 2023, he was caught in the act of molesting the child, but ran away.

“On Tuesday, 11th July, 2023, luck ran out on the suspect and he was apprehended by the victim’s uncle and handed over to the command.

“The suspect, who has contravened sections 31(1)(2) of the Ondo States Child’s Right Law 2007 and section 3(1)(a)(b)(c) of the Ondo State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law 2021 will be charged to court accordingly after the conclusion of investigation.”

Obi Says Stakeholders In South East Must Rise, Stop Continued Sit-At-Home Order

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Ayodele Oni

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July 13, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

The Labour Party,(LP) Presidential Candidate in the February 25, 2023, Presidential Election, Peter Obi, has said disruption of businesses and social activities in the South-east geopolitical zone occasioned by sit-at-home order amounts to ‘criminal activity’.

Obi said the Sit-at-Home directive purported to be coming from the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB), when the body has publicly denied issuing such directive, needs to be handled with strategy and intelligence.

The LP chieftain in a tweet on Thursday declared that “What is going on in the South East, therefore, is essentially a criminal activity that must be nipped in the bud, with all hands being on deck, security agencies, and the people alike.”

According to him, though the activities are being attributed to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, the proscribed group has constantly distanced itself from the crimes.

“What is going on in the South-East therefore is essentially a criminal activity.”

While commending the Governors from the region, he said the States’ helmsmen needs to be more strategic and intelligence-driven.

“The South East Governors are to be commended for their renewed efforts at curbing this menace but there is a need to be more strategic and intelligence-driven in our approach to reducing the suffering of innocent people.

“Security Agencies should take necessary and quick steps to arrest the ugly incidents because the country cannot just be spilling the blood of innocent citizens.

“We, as a people, through our various Governments should up our value for human lives in the way and manner we respond to issues that touch lives.

“The implications of an insecure environment for development are far-reaching because no investor will consider going to an area where their resources will not be safe and secured.

“Therefore, I will like to urge critical stakeholders in these areas, traditional, Christian, and Muslim leaders to continue pushing for peace among their people in the way and manner they conduct themselves.

“The various governments at all levels should also take deliberate steps to address the issue of poverty and youth unemployment because the provision of stomach infrastructure is the surer way to tackle insecurity.

“Also, urgent steps should be taken consciously and intentionally to ameliorate the hardship of the people.”

NCAA Suspends Max Air Indefinitely

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Akinwale Kasali

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July 13, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

Max Airline, one of the domestic Airlines in Nigeria has been suspended indefinitely by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

In a statement on Thursday, July 13th, 2023, the NCAA stated that it ordered the suspension of Parts A3 and D43 with regards to the operation of Max Air Boeing 737 Aircraft type with immediate effect.

The letter dated July 12, 2023 and marked NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/363, was titled, ‘Suspension of Parts A3 and D43 of the Operations Specifications Issued to Max Air with Immediate Effect’. It was signed by the NCAA Director of Operations, Training and Licensing, Capt. Ibrahim Bello Dambazau, on behalf of NCAA Director General, Capt. Musa Nuhu.

By implication, all domestic flights of the airline will be on hold until the suspension is lifted.

The letter reads in part: “The Authority’s action is due to the several occurrences that involved your Boeing B737 aircraft as listed hereunder:

“Loss of Number 1 Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel during the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBD which occurred between Take-off at Yola Airport Adamawa State and on landing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Nigeria on 7th May, 2023.

“Fuel Contamination of the main fuel tanks of aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM, leading to the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) shutdown on ground Yola Airport on the 7th of July, 2023.

“Aborted take-off of Boeing 737-400 aircraft, registration marks 5N-MBD, which occurred at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) due to high Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) indication on the 11th of July, 2023.

“An air return by aircraft B737-300, Registration Marks; 5N-MHM to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) due to duct overheat indication in the cockpit on the 11th of July, 2023.

“The authority has constituted a team of Inspectors to conduct an audit of your organization. The result of this audit, must be found satisfactory by the Authority prior to considering the restoration of the privileges of the operations specifications to your organisation to further operate the aircraft type.”

Ekiti Chief Judge, Escapes Death, Injured As Section Of Office Collapses

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Ayodele Oni

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July 13, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

A section of Ekiti State High Court complex, collapsed on the State Chief Judge, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, who sustained injuries.

The three storey complex, was completed about six years ago during the regime of former Governor Ayodele Fayose who commissioned it.

The last floor of the complex houses the Chief Judge’s office and that of other officers of the State Judiciary.

It was gathered that Justice Adeyeye sustained mild injury.

Though no life was lost, report stated that the injured CJ was rushed to the hospital for attention.

The CJ was said to be having conversation with a guest at almost the time for close of work when the incident occurred.

It led to an uneasy calm at the Court premises as everyone wondered what could have led to such situation.

Abductors Free Ekiti APC Chairman

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Ayodele Oni

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July 13, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Barrister Paul Omotoso, who was abducted last Saturday has been set free.

Omotoso, who was abducted, on his way to his country home, Imesi – Ile while returning from an outing, was released after spending almost six days in the kidnappers’ den.

Social media posts from his family members and political associates confirmed his release late Wednesday by his abductors.

Earlier in the week, report had it that the abductors demanded for N30 million, but it could not be immediately ascertained whether the demand was met.

The State Government had promised that the Chairman would be released unharmed by his abductors as everything was being done in that respect.

It was gathered that the State Government resolved to handle negotiations for the APC Chairman’s release secretly without attracting reactions from the public.

Emefiele’s Right Violated – Court, Orders Release

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Ayodele Oni

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July 13, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered the immediate release of suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of the Department of State Security, (DSS).

The presiding judge, Hon. Justice Hamza Muazu, while ruling on the allegation of violation of his fundamental human rights brought before it by Emefiele, said his arrest by the DSS violated his rights.

Muazu further said the way the DSS went about the arrest as if Emefiele was a criminal seems politically motivated.

The CBN Governor was picked up at his Lagos home over a month ago by officers of the secret service and flown to Abuja.

He had since been held by the DSS. No charges have been brought against him.

FG Unveils Plan To Boost Rice, Wheat Production

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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July 13, 2023

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The Federal government has disclosed that plan is underway to boost the production of rice, Wheat, Soghum through the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket, NAGSAP.

The government said the plan will be implemented in five states of Niger, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano and Sokoto through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase-One (ATASP-1) Project.

NAGSAP is an Information Communication Technology (ICT)-based platform for the delivery of farm inputs such as fertiliser, seeds, agrochemicals, among others, to the farmers across the country.

The programme, being implemented through the ATASP-1 project of the Federal Government, funded by African Development Bank (AfDB), is a direct replacement of the former Growth Enhancement Support (GES) which was re-introduced to address the yearnings of different value chain players.

Speaking in Abuja during a preparatory meeting of stakeholders for the implementation of the project, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, said the key objective is to increase the production of wheat, rice, maize, sorghum and soybean through the provision of relevant farm inputs to small scale farmers during wet and dry season farming.

Under the programme, Umakhihe stated that 60,000 smallholder farmers in 26 local government areas of the five ATASP-1 states that are involved in the cultivation of rice, maize and sorghum would be supported with critical farm inputs such as fertiliser, seeds and agrochemicals through the ICT-based delivery platform with a view to increasing their productivities, household incomes and livelihood.

He said the use of the ICT platform in implementing the scheme will not only help to easily evaluate the actual performances and impacts of the programme, but will as well track the transactions between the beneficiary farmers and the input providers with a view to promoting transparency and accountability in the input delivery process to guarantee sustenance of the scheme.

Umakhihe also stated that the project is targeted at supporting over 250,000 wheat farmers with relevant farm inputs to cultivate about 250,000 hectares with expected output of 1,250,000 metric tons of wheat to be added to the food reserve so as to reduce dependence on foreign importation of the product and increase domestic consumption, particularly for the flour millers.

On his part, the National Programme Coordinator, ATASP-1, Dr Ibrahim Arabi, said the objectives of NAGSAP are synonymous with the objectives of ATASP-1 which are; to ensure attainment of food and nutrition security, contribute to employment generation and wealth creation of the targeted beneficiaries along rice, sorghum and cassava value chains on sustainable basis.

Meanwhile not a few Nigerian have said that boosting wheat production is a plan in the right direction considering that it’s majorly used for bread, one of Nigerians staple food.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has led to a distortion in the supply of wheat, and a sharp increase in the price of bread.

Bakers in the country have just announced a 13 percent in the price of bread citing increase in the costs of production.

Senate Probes Dev Bank Disbursement Of N480bn SMEs Funds

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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July 13, 2023

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The Nigerian Senate has set up an ad-hoc committee to probe the disbursement of over N480 billion intervention funds by the Development Bank of Nigeria, DBN.

The Bank was established to assist Micro, Small, and Medium Scale Enterprises in Nigeria by providing finances, credit guarantees, and other technical services.

The probe was instituted by the upper legislative chamber following a recent allegation by Senator Ali Ndume that the fund was not fairly distributed to the six geo-political zones in the country.

The senator representing Borno South has accused the bank of shortchanging the 19 northern states in the distribution of the fund, saying that the modalities favoured the south.

For instance, Senator Ndume claimed that Lagos state received 47 percent, while the entire 19 northern states received 11 percent of the N483 billion.

According to the breakdown of the loan presented by Ndume, “the South West got 57 percent worth N274.740bn; South-South got 17 percent worth N81.94bn; North Central got 11 percent worth N53.02bn; South East got nine percent worth N43.38bn; North West got five percent worth N24.1bn; North West and North East got just one percent worth N4.82bn.”

In a bid to resolve the issue, the Senate has now set up a seven-man Ad- hoc Committee to carry out a thorough investigation. The committee has four weeks to report back to the Senate, according to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Akpabio named Senator David Umahi as the chairman of the committee while other members are senators Babangida Oseni, Ali Ndume, Sani Musa, Tokunbo Abiru, Ipalibo Banigo and Chizoba Chukwu.

No Amnesty For Bandits Army Chief Replies Yerima

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James Orji

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July 13, 2023

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Bandits and terrorists will capitalized on amnesty to regroup and attack Nigerians, the Chief of Army Staff, CoAS, Taoreed Laggbja has said, thus ruling out amnesty for criminals as being demanded by some prominent leaders in the Northern part of the country.

Lagbaja’s comment is not unconnected with the recent call for amnesty for bandits by a former Zamfara state governor, Sanni Yerima, according to those watching the polity.

On July 4, the former governor in an interview with BBC Hausa service said there was a need for the government to dialogue with the bandits.

Yerima said the government should adopt the carrot-and-stick approach used by the late President Umaru Yar’adua to make the Niger Delta militants lay down their arms.

“The best way to go about handling the issue of bandits is to introduce dialogue first. But as I said, if that fails, then the government will go all out to eliminate them,” he said.

According to him, “I believe that the Nigerian military has the capacity to deal with them (bandits) if so directed and given the resources, support, and political will.

“But the collateral damages that will be associated with the actions to be taken are what I believe should be avoided. If you send an aircraft now, not only bandits will be affected.

“Former President Umaru Yar’Adua had a similar interaction with the militants in the Niger Delta, and it was successful.”

But speaking to the Zamfara state governor, Dauda Lawal on Wednesday in his office, Lagbaja said dialogue with bandits has failed.

The CoAS said: “We also have the issue of the amnesty programme that has been instituted, and which has failed not only in Zamfara but in so many other states of the Northwest.

“So, I think we need to look at this issue of the amnesty programme because the criminal elements have proven to be incorrigible.

“The issue of amnesty has created an avenue for them to regroup and reorganise to launch attacks on our defenceless citizens. So I think we need to look at that.”

The COAS said he had ordered the deployment of more platforms and the release of funds to boost troops’ operations in the state.

Zamfara is one of the epicenters of banditry in Nigeria’s Northwest.

Just recently, the bandits were on the rampage killing over 80 persons in Zamfara and Sokoto states.