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FG Shuts Channels TV, Arrests Journalists Over Anti-Government Views

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Channels TV

By Akinwale Kasali

The President Muhammadu Buhari Government on Thursday morning descended on Channels Television. The Television station’s Licence has been suspended, and three of its members of staff arrested by Security Operatives.

The suspension of the Licence was carried out through the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC.

The actions against Channels and its staff are a consequence of interviews granted to them by two high profile individuals – Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and a retired Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi. Both interviews were very critical of the Federal Government over the worsening insecurity in the country which culminated in the unprecedented invasion of the Military’s premier institution, the Nigeria Defence Academy on August 25, 2021 by heavily armed gunmen. During the attack which occurred at about 1.00am, five flats were broken into. The result was the killing of two officers, the critical wounding of one and the abduction of another. The abductors of the officer have,  according to  reports, demanded ransom money to the tune of N200m. This medium was not able to confirm this demand, but an embarrassed Military is in hot pursuit of the devils to rescue the officer, and has set up a Board to investigate  the security breach.

In the interview granted to Channels, Ortom had alleged that a plot by the All Progressives Congress, APC, Federal Government to Islamize the nation and accused it of a Fulanisation agenda. The Presidency fired back by accusing Ortom of hate speech, capable of triggering genocide in the country.

In the case of  Retired Navy Commodore Olawunmi he  alleged that the FG is in the know of the sponsors of Boko Haram and Bandits claiming that a number of them are in Government  and well known to Security Agents. He also accused the FG of paying lip service to the fight against the terrorist groups.

Both interviews have since gone viral on every social media platform.

In descending on Channels, the  FG is using Section 39(1) of the constitution against the media outfit.

According to a source, “the move by the Government to shut Channels TV and arrest journalists is a dangerous regression to Decree Number 4 used to jail them during the first outing of  Buhari as a Military Head of State.

“The government did not refute facts advanced by the guest, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (retd.), that the Government has the names of sponsors linked to the conviction of Boko Haram sponsors in the United Arab Emirates.

“Rather than provide a concrete refutation, the Government is trying to gag the media by attacking the constitutional rights of the media and the journalist to practice their profession unfettered,” the source added.

It is not known why the anchors of the interview Chamberlain Usoh and his colleagues, were arrested, but Ortom is covered by a constitutional immunity. At the time writing this it is not known if the retired Navy Commodore will be invited for questioning by Security Agents or not.

It would be recalled that gagging of the media by this present administration has been on since it came on board in 2015.

In 2019, the Commission suspended Daar Communication’s AIT in the heat of the run-off to the 2019 general elections for being too critical of the Federal Government.

Also in April 2021, NBC suspended Channels Television for airing an Indigenous People Of Biafra interview.

NBC had said the IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, made derogatory and misleading statements about the Nigerian Army.

According to the Commission, airing the interview breached the broadcast code. The NBC slammed a fine on the broadcasting company to the tune of N5million.

Buhari Warns Ortom Against Genocide

By
Bayo Bernard
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By James Orji

President Muhammadu Buhari has accused Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state of trying to re-enact the Rwandan Genocide in Nigeria. The president said this in response to the Benue governor’s outrage against the federal government’s plan to establish grazing routes in 25 states of the country.

The world was shaken in 1994, after mutual suspicion between two major ethnic groups in Rwanda led to the killing of over 800,000 people in just one 100 days.

The once devastated nation has since left behind its ugly past to become one of the forward moving countries in the continent, with major development straddling its landscape under the watch of President Paul Kegame.

Governor Ortom who has been a virulent critic of the president said his state will not allow any land in the state to be used for the proposed grazing reserves. He accused the president of trying to hand over lands belonging to other ethnic groups to the Fulani’

President Buhari is a Fulani man from Katsina state and his relationship with the Benue helmsman has been marked by allegation that the president is taking sides in the perennial clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers. Buhari has denied the allegation.

Responding to the latest outburst against his government, Buhari in a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity said Ortom is an unstable politician whose views on salient national issues cannot be trusted.

The Presidency said the governor has been used to fanning ethnic embers to  score chief political goals, adding that such action is dangerous in a multi-religious and ethnic nation like Nigeria.

According to the statement ‘Governor Samuel Ortom has few political principles. We can see this from the fact that he has changed political party five times during his undistinguished career.

Every time he feels the wind may be blowing in a certain direction, he follows it.

“Unfortunately, for the good citizens of Benue State, the most dangerous direction he blows in today is that of sectarianism and ethnicity.

“In an attempt to boost his sinking political fortunes, Ortom takes the cheapest and lowest route possible by playing on ethnic themes – and in doing so knowingly causes deaths of innocent Nigerians by inciting farmers against herders, and Christians against Muslims.

Governor Ortom is walking a dangerous path as his action is capable of leading the country into genocide, the Presidency said in the statement.

“Specifically, Ortom stirs up hatred by targeting one single ethnic group in Nigeria – using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide.

“As was the case in Rwanda where the then Hutu leaders of the country incited their countrymen against each other, claiming there was a “secret Tutsi agenda” over the Hutu, Ortom claims there is a “secret Fulanization agenda” over other ethnic groups in his state and in Nigeria. This is a copy of the language of Hutu Power – which falsely, and intentionally, accused the Rwandan Tutsi of plans to dominate the country.

“This wicked talk is aimed at giving cover to his so-called “policy” on the Ranches Establishment Law – which in reality is purely an act of denial of the law – intended to withhold rights and freedoms from one ethnic group alone, whilst inciting race hatred against them amongst all others.These are not the actions of a man who should be trusted with running public services or holding public office.

“For the governor of a major state in Nigeria to be politically driven by ethnic hatred is a stain on our country.

“The good, and fair-minded people of Benue State deserve more than this, and we look forward to the next elections when they have an opportunity to restore its greatness,” Shehu said.

 

PDP Crisis: Oyinlola Wants Secondus’ Office; Dep. Nat. Chairman, Suspends NWC Meeting

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Military Governor of Lagos State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chieftain, Brigadier General Olagunsoye Oyinlola, rtd, have indicated interest in vying for the position of the National Chairman of PDP.

Oyinlola made his interest known in the wake of the suspension of embattled PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus, by Rivers State High Court on Monday August 23, 2021, and the order by an Abuja High Court stopping him from parading himself as Chairman of the opposition Party.

Oyinyola who was, also, a former Osun State Governor said that his aspiration would depend on two conditions, which will include if the position is zoned to the South West and his ability to muster the stakeholders of the party.

At a Current Affairs Radio Programme  in Osogbo, Osun State Capital, to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Osun State, on Monday, August 25th, 2021, Oyinlola revealed that he is more prepared to serve in the office of PDP National Chairman because he has garnered a decade of cumulative experience in governance both as Military Administrator of Lagos State and third Civilian Governor of Osun State.

While describing his achievements in Government as no mean feat, he accused those using his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 to attack him as cheap blackmailers.

According to him, his leaving the PDP was because the party drove him away by engineering his removal.

He said a plan was concocted because President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wanted to run for a second term in 2015.

The former Commander of Nigerian  Military Contingent to Somalia stated that for such positions, it is only capacity, capability and integrity that mattered.

Stressing further on his ability in that capacity, he said that his records speak for him because he had served in two states in Nigeria without being found wanting.

Meanwhile, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Yemi Akinwunmi, has suspended the meeting of the party’s National Working Committee indefinitely.

Akinwunmi gave the directive on Tuesday following the restraining order issued against Secondus, by a Rivers High Court in Port Harcourt.

Secondus had said he was unperturbed by the Court ruling restraining him as the Chairman of the PDP.

Speaking through his Media Aide, Ike Abonyi, he said in a statement; “If Secondus and the party are taken to court, they will defend themselves.

“PDP and Secondus are not afraid of court; this party is a child of history, owned by Nigerians, bigger than any individual or group, including desperadoes.”

Abonyi claimed that the story of the restraining order originated through the special assistant on media to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike who has been spear-heading the Secondus   must-go agenda.

Shock, As Victory Army Ministries General Overseer, Pastor Joseph Agboli, Dies

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Joseph Dominic Agboli

By Akinwale Kasali

Founder of Victorious Army Ministries, VAM, Pastor Joseph Dominic Agboli, has died. Aged 58 years,  Agboli died in London, United Kingdom.

The death of the clergyman came  as a surprise to many who never knew he  had a heart related ailment he had been battling for sometime.

Breaking the news are members of his Church who are devastated and yet to come to terms with his sudden demise.

The Headquarters of the  is situated on Acme Road, in Ogba,

The late Clergyman was married to Blessing Agboli, and they both managed the Church which they co-founded in 1995, after pulling out of Pastor Patrick Anwuzia’s Zoe Ministries.

It would be recalled that their exit from Zoe Ministries, back then, ruffled a lot of feathers.

Born on November 29, 1963, he hailed from Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State.

The Church is yet to issue a formal statement on the demise of its General Overseer and founder.

VAM took off in Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, and had been thriving, until this sad story which has plunged the christendom into deep mourning.

According to the history of the Church, it began with a small congregation in 1995 right inside the late Agboli’s apartment in Opebi, Ikeja with just about 70 people.

In an interview, it said that the little over 70 people had stormed his home unannounced one Sunday morning after a night vigil had been held there. That Sunday morning, they had all left their various homes to come for a Church service at Pastor Agboli’s place.

According to them, they had been led by the Holy Spirit to go to his house for Church service.

Today, with its headquarters located along ACME road, Ogba, Ikeja, the Ministry boasts of a congregation of over 50,000 members. And commensurate with its growth, Victorious Army Ministries has impacted positively on its members and the society at large. VAM believes passionately in taking care of its people by way of empowering them, and it focuses particularly the needy.

Insecurity: Rtd Naval Officer, Kunle Olawunmi, Says FG Knows Sponsors Of Boko Haram

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Professor Kunle Olawunmi

By Akinwale Kasali

Following the shameful attack on Nigeria’s high profile Military Institution, Nigeria Defence Academy, NDA, a Retired Naval Officer and Professor of Global Security Studies, Kunle Olawunmi, has indicted the President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Federal Government for complacency.

More damning, the Professor who has a 35 year experience in Military intelligence, alleged that FG was in the know of sponsors of terrorists group, especially BokoHaram and Bandits who have wreaked havoc in the country, particularly in the North Eastern part of the country.

Speaking on Channels Television Wednesday, August 25, on Sunrise Daily Programme, Olawunmi said that some Governors, Ministers and Senators are the ones bankrolling Boko Haram, and the Government are aware of this.

The Security expert said that Bureau De Change operators like all the aforementioned politicians are also sponsors of Boko Haram.

Speaking on the attack on the NDA, Olawunmi said, “There will be breach in security, because every Friday, the NDA

and all government institutions are opened for Jumat prayers. They come on Friday for worship. Later they become members of the Officers Mess who will later spy on the institution and plan their attack.

“There are a lot of irresponsible people in the Military formation. The attack has an insider collaboration. Before you know it, arrests will be made and some apprehended, but that isn’t the solution”, he said.

The former Naval Officer stressed that the Government has continually played lip service to this Boko Haram insurgency, which depicts that the Government does not want to resolve this problem, rather they are escalating it.

“The solution is not Kinetic solution but non-kinetic. You identified the center of gravity, which had been identified. The center of gravity is the sponsors of Boko Haram and Bandits. Most of these sponsors are known within the Intelligence community.

“The DMI, DSS and Police intelligence know the sponsors very well.The DSS knows very well, with tons of files, on those sponsoring evil in this country. The defense headquarters knows all those who are behind the terror going on in Nigeria today.

“The Commander-in-chief knows exactly what is happening but he is quiet. When a fish is about to get rotten, the head is the first”.

He also exposed the plan of the Insurgents, disclosing that the end game is to turn Nigeria into Taliban type of Country, alleging that the Defence Headquarters, Army Headquarters, Naval Headquarters  and Airforce Headquarters are all aware.

Olawunmi added that the United Arab Emirates Government knows the sponsors and they have sent the lists of names to President Buhari, but he has failed to act on it.

It would be recalled that a Minister under the current administration of President Buhari was indicated of appreciating and applauding terrorism, but has inexplicably remained in the

Cabinet, bossing a high profile Ministry.

Disturbed by the pathetic security situation of the country, Olawunmi said that the nation has been plunged into its worst since it tasted uninterrupted Democratic rule since 1999.

“The CIA actually didn’t trust Buhari before 2015. It took the Intelligence ommunity and (Bola) Tinubu to convince former USA President Barack Obama and CIA to accept him. They said he was a bigot and will plunge the country into chaos”, this he said is what is happening presently.

Incidentally, Tinubu had the same opinion on Buhari until they became great allies in the months following the 2015 General elections which swept Buhari into office.

The retired Naval Officer lamented that the Media have been cowed by the Present Government, forcing the media to be addressing Bandits as Unknown Gunmen so that the International Community will be mislead that they are not terrorists.

“Tagging them ‘Terrorists’ will invite the attention of the international community. The government does not want journalists to report the true picture of what is happening in the country”.

The Professor of Security Studies urged the FG to have a policy change, in which sponsors of Boko Haram should be apprehended and brought to justice.

He also alleged a plot to Islamize the Nigeria. He faulted the policies of the FG which he said was a pointer to the actualization of making the nation an Islamic country.

“This is a tyrannical government.The damage this government is going to do in the next two years will be more than what they had done in the past six.

“I belong to a group in the Military that’s not supposed to be seen or heard. Right now, I don’t care if I am eliminated, because the truth needs to be spoken”, he said.

The retired Commodore added that there will be 10 percent casualties to make the attacks and kidnappings look like it’s Banditry and not Islamization, which is why there are series of attacks in some Muslim areas so as to convince the international community that the Government knows nothing.

Many Nigerians, including the urbane Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, ha have pooh-pooed the idea that Nigeria would, or could be Islamised. Many also have reservations on the notion the Federal Government is complacent in its fight against insurgents in the North, considering the heavy casualties on the side of the Military and the insurgents.

Lagos PDP Chairman, Adegbola, Dies Of COVID-19

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Dominic Adegbola

By Akinwale Kasali

For the second time within 48 hours, two prominent Nigerians have died in Lagos State of COVID-19 related complications.

The first was Senator Biyi Durojaiye who passed on Tuesday, August 24, 2021.

And, on Wednesday, August 25, the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was been thrown into mourning, following the death of its Party’s Chairman, Dr Dominic Adegbola.

Adegbola, too, reportedly died of COVID-19 related complications.

The late Medical practitioner-turned-politician was the Director of Santa Maria Hospital and was also an astute grassroots politician.

Confirming his death, the Lagos State PDP Publicity Secretary , Taofik Gani, eulogized the late Adegbola for being an exceptional politician who had deployed much of his hard earned money into philanthropism.

Adegbola has been in politics from the days of Action Group under the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo.

He had held many political positions, notable amongst being State SDP officer; State Chairman of PAC; National Chairman of APN (Founded by late Jakande); State Chairman of Lagos PDP.

He had also contested lagos State Governorship under the platform of APGA. He was the Jakande group’s candidate for the Lagos- west Senatorial primary of the SDP, a contest between him and Bola Tinubu.

“The death of Adegbola can be described as Martyrdom as he was dogged about the emancipation of the oppressed, pauperized and less privileged.

“He stood for the development of lagos and he sure regrets that this lagos is not as he wished. He will be forever remembered in Lagos Politics. We condole with his family.

“All PDP flags In the State shall fly at halfmast. All PDP meetings at this time are to be prayers for him.

“Burial arrangements shall be as presented by the family”, Gani said.

Funke “Jenifer” Akindele: Why My Marriage Crashed

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Funke Akindele

By Akinwale Kasali

Respected and Talanted Nollywood all-rounder, Funke Akindele, has explained why her eight month old (first) crashed.

Akindele could have been the First Lady of the rich  Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area, as her first husband Kehinde Oloyede Almaroof is the current Chairman. She was never pregnant for him.

Not a few people blamed her for being impatient. But in a post on her Instagram page on August 23, 2021, to celebrate her fifth wedding anniversary to Musician and former JJC Squad Leader, Abdulrasheed Bello,

Akindele-Bello, popular known as Jenifa, for her role in her Television Sitcom, Jenifa, revealed that she rushed into marriage. She put the blame on societal pressure to get married – family, friends, associates, non-associates – on why the marriage crashed. Therefore, she advised young women not to succumb to the pressure she succumbed to as she does not want them to suffer her fate.

She spoke of her pains then at the crash, especially, as she read about it on social media, and said, it was a bad crash. But she overcame her heartbreak because her mother was solidly behind her, and asked her to move on with her life.

She advised single ladies to take their time in getting married, warning that if they rushed into it, they would rush out as well.

Her first marriage was to property merchant and politician, Oloyede-Almaroof, popularly known as Kendoo. It crashed in 2013.

Funke to single ladies: “Calm down. Take your time. If you rush in, you would rush out. Lesson learnt. I am not trying to drag anybody. I am going to talk about me.

“You know, I just wanted to get married. I want to do things right, have children and all that pressure. And I went into the (first) marriage, it didn’t work fine. God bless everybody. Everybody is doing well and it ended in a very bad way, on social media, the noise was everywhere. I was actually filming and somebody called me and told me, I wanted to die!

“You know I cried, lost some good deals then. But I didn’t let it break me.”

Thanking her creator for giving her a loving mother who encouraged her not to be devastated but  be strong and go back to  work, that helped her to get through the sad experience.

She advised women never to get married because their friends are getting married or because their parents are urging them to. She stressed that women should do what makes them happy.

”As a young lady out there, do not be pressured to get married. Get married because you want to get married, get married because you love him, you want to spend the rest of your life with him. Don’t get married because mummy and daddy are saying get married or your friend just got married. Have children because you want to have children, you want to be blessed with children, you love children.

“Don’t have children because the society will say ‘Ah she’s barren ohh, 12 years 6 years e never marry’. Ignore the gossips, ignore the naysayers, give them ‘sorry, the middle finger, I don’t care’. Yes, ignore because you have your life, do what makes you happy.” she said.

Akindele-Bello read Law at the University of Lagos, UNILAG,  but has never practiced because she is not a lawyer having not gone to the Law School. She veered off to another career, and has done exceedingly well to the applause of everybody. Her marriage to her second husband has produced two kids – Twins.

Multichoice Loses N1.8 trn Tax Case Against FG

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
By Fola James
Multichoice, owners of Nigeria’s biggest television cable service provider must go ahead to pay the federal government a whopping N900 billion as tax backlog.
This is contained in a ruling by the Tax Appeal Tribunal sitting in Lagos, on Tuesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. The sum amounted to 50 per cent of N1.8 trillion the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS earlier claimed as tax backlog from the entertainment service provider.
Communications and Liaison Department of the FIRS, Abdullahi Ahmad, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ahmad explained that FIRS discovered the backlog through a forensic audit, as it allegedly showed that Multichoice Nigeria Limited had failed to pay to the federal government in past assessment years.

He said the five-member Tribunal, led by its chairman, Prof. A.B. Ahmed, issued the order following an application to it by the counsel to FIRS.

He stated that the counsel made the application under Order XI of the Tribunal Procedure Rules 2010, which requires Multichoice or any other taxpayer who disputes their tax assessments, to make the statutory deposit required under Paragraph 15(7) of the Fifth Schedule to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2007 (FIRS Act).

According to him, these relevant laws are conditions that must be fulfilled before the prosecution of the appeal brought before the Tribunal.

“In certain defined circumstances to which the Multichoice appeal fits, paragraph 15(7) of the fifth schedule to the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 requires persons or companies seeking to contest a tax assessment to pay all or a stipulated percentage of the tax assessed before they can be allowed to argue their appeal contesting the assessment at TAT.

“Multichoice Nigeria Limited filed the matter at the Lagos TAT following its dispute over FIRS issuance of Notices of Assessment and Demand Note in the sum of N1,822,923,909,313.94k on 7 April, 2021.

‘The amount constitutes what the FIRS calculated as due in taxation to the Federal Government of Nigeria from Multichoice after an investigation over several months to determine the extent to which Multichoice has been evading taxes in Nigeria,” he explained.

Ahmad noted that at Tuesday’s hearing of the matter in Appeal, Multichoice Nigeria Limited amended its Notice of Appeal and thereafter sought, through its counsel, Bidemi Olumide of AO2 Law Firm, for an adjournment of the proceedings to enable it to respond to the FIRS’ formal application for accelerated hearing of the appeal.

“In response, the FIRS counsel asked TAT to issue an order requiring that Multichoice make the statutory deposit of 50 per cent of the disputed sum.

“After hearing arguments from both sides, TAT upheld the FIRS Act and directed Multichoice Nigeria Limited to deposit with the FIRS the amount prescribed by the law, which is an amount equal to the tax charged upon Multichoice in the preceding year of assessment.

“Or one half of the tax charged by the assessment under appeal (whichever is lesser), plus a sum equal to 10 percent of the said deposit as a condition precedent for further hearing of the Appeal.

“Thereafter, TAT adjourned the Appeal to September 23, 2021 for the continuation of the hearing, subject to compliance with the Tribunal’s order,” he said.

The FIRS had, in July, announced its plan to engage some commercial banks as agents to freeze and recover N1.8trn from accounts of Messrs MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (MCN) And MultiChoice Africa (MCA).

CNPP to Lawan: Your Advice Against External Borrowing Belated, Smack of Level Incompetence in Buhari Administration

By
The Source
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Chief Willy Ezugwu

…Wants Bribery for PIB Passage Allegation Investigated

…Calls for Recovery and Prosecution of Heads of agencies with Unremitted IGR

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has described as “belated and a clear sign of the level of incompetence and lack of foresight in and around the President Muhammadu Buhari administration” the advice by senate President Ahmad Lawan for reduction in borrowing to fund annual budget.

The umbrella body of all registered political parties and political associations in the country also called on anti-graft agencies to identify, recover stolen revenues, arrest and prosecute all heads of agencies and ministries involved in the alleged unremitted internally generated revenue (IGR) in the country.

Senate President Ahmed-Lawan
Senate President, Ahmed Lawan

CNPP in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu while reacting to the advice by Senator Lawan also called for investigation of his denial of bribery allegation relating to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

“Senator Ahmad Lawan even went ahead to confirm that ‘so many agencies of government that are not remitting their internally generated revenues and this is something that we have to address and address as stiffly as possible and as quickly as possible because we need to find a way of reducing the borrowing that we do’ which vindicated CNPP’s long standing position that Buhari administration is full of incompetent persons.

“For the top principal officer of the National Assembly to suddenly realise that the Buhari administration is borrowing too much money after the same lawmakers consistently approved external borrowing, including permitting clauses that signed out Nigeria’s sovereignty is belated and a clear sign of the level of incompetence and lack of foresight in and around the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

“The President of the Senate progressively held the view that any bill or request by President Buhari will be passed by the Senate. Several Senate’s approvals of requests by President Buhari or bills that cover the interest of appointees of the President or his party, including unbridled external borrowing against public outcry by Nigerians.

“It is a shame that Nigeria has the current Principal Officers of the National Assembly, the worse anti-people legislative leaders since the advent of the current democratic experiment.

“With the confirmation by the President of the Senate that several agencies of the federal government are not remitting their internally generated revenues to the national treasury depicts of the unprecedented level of hypocrisy in the fight against corruption by the Buhari administration.

“We call on all relevant anti-graft agencies to rise up to their duties to not only prevent the looting of the nation’s treasury but to also swing into action immediately to identify, recover stolen revenues, arrest and prosecute all heads of agencies and ministries involved in the alleged unremitted internally generated revenues to the Treasury Single Account (TSA)”, the CNPP charged.

On allegation that Senator Lawan got $2 million (about N823 million) while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila was paid $1.5 million (about N617 million) as bribes to facilitate the now distasteful percentage for oil producing communities in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which Lawan denied, the CNPP said, “it is trite in law that you cannot be a judge in your own case.

“We equally call on all anti-corruption agencies in the country to investigate this bribery allegation and bring all those involved to book. Nobody expects any accused public officer to easily own up to his or her crime. The denial by the Senator makes no meaning to us.

“The alleged source of the funds, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, each senator who was said to had received $20, 000 (about N8.2 million) and members of the House of Representatives who allegedly got $5,000 (about N2 million) each, should publicly investigated to determine what actually transpired beyond mere denial”, the CNPP stated.

Banks Move to Curb Forex Racketeering

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
CBN Gov Emefiele

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Commercial banks in the country are taking serious steps to deal with forex racketeering to prevent sanctions from the Central bank of Nigeria, CBN, the magazine has learnt.

The CBN, had last month, directed commercials bank in the country to sell forex directly to customers after it stopped forex sales to bureau de change. Godwin Emefiele, the apex bank Governor said the measure became necessary after he raised concern “that BDCs have allowed themselves to be used for graft”.

The CBN boss later said the regulator has taken measures to prevent banks from turning forex sales to a racket, warning that “we will deal with them ruthlessly and we will report the international bodies.”

The banks, obviously, do not want to fall under the hammer of the CBN and have therefore, on their own part taken measures to ensure seamless sales of forex to customers, devoid of any fraud.

The first indication to this emerged penultimate week after bank chief executive officers, said at a press briefing after the Bankers’ Committee meeting that they have set up teller points in their respective banks to attend to customers’ forex needs.

The managing director of Access Bank and Chairman of the committee, Herbert Wigwe, who spoke after the meeting, however, warned customers to comply with the rules stipulated by the CBN, as those who do otherwise would be reported to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

The magazine learnt that the banks have since followed up by sending messages to their customers to make proper documentation for their forex request as any infraction on their part will attract sanctions.

One of the banks, the United Bank for Africa, UBA, in a statement, urged customers to follow the CBN set rules for their forex request, while submitting documents to obtain Forex for personal, business and travel use.

Kennedy Uzoka
Uzoka; Warns Customers Against Forex Racket

This includes payment for overseas education, medical and other eligible invisible transactions, the bank said in the statement.

The bank said one of the rules is that forex will only be sold for legitimate travel purpose as applicants are required to provide a valid Nigerian passport and a valid visa to an international destination.

UBA said “Your ticket must be to an international destination outside of West Africa and Cameroon. You are required to provide an international return ticket, with a travel date not more than 14 days from the date of PTA/BTA purchase,” the statement reads. PTA and BTA requests are limited to a maximum of $4,000 and $5,000 per quarter per applicant respectively.

 

 

“Customers are required to return purchased PTA/BTA to their bank within two (2) weeks from the date of purchase if not utilized for the intended purpose or if for any reason the scheduled trip is cancelled.”

Application on behalf of a third party is not allowed for forex requests the bank said, warning customers against the use of fake document to avoid being punished.

It warned customers not to “Apply on Behalf of a Third Party. FX will only be sold directly to applicants who shall be Nigerians who are 18 years and above and have a valid Bank Verification Number, BVN.

“False application and use of fake documents to purchase PTA/BTA is strictly prohibited and is a financial crime punishable under the applicable laws in Nigeria.

“Defaulters of this FX policy may face sanctions that include being barred from accessing FX from the official FX market in the future, restrictions on their bank account(s) for such periods as may be determined by CBN as well as possible criminal prosecution,” the Kenneth Uzoka-led bank said.

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