February 2022 – Page 29

Post Date : February 21, 2022

TERRORISM: Igbo Man Swears Affidavit To Testify Against Nnamdi Kanu

One Chizorom Harrison Ofoegbu has deposed to an affidavit to testify against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB who’s currently standing trial for treasonable felony. Mr Ofoegbu, popularly known as ‘Ijele Speaks’ in a copy of the affidavit he posted on his social media page said he’s ready to testify against Kanu and his group; IPOB in any radio or television station. “That I wish to state that everything I would say about the group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) over any radio or on television station is absolute truth,” part of the affidavit before a High Court of Justice in Abuja reads. Mr Ofoegbu who hails from Umudim, Umuduru Amandugba, Isu local government of Imo State deposed to the affidavit on Thursday, 17th February, 2022. Ijele, as he’s popularly known on social media has been very vocal in condemning the activities of IPOB and her militia wing, Eastern Security Network, ESN and has been part of many Protests against Kanu on days he makes appearance in court. According to him, the group is responsible for the wanton killings going on in the South East.

Post Date : February 21, 2022

Ebonyi Assembly: Impeachment plot over Deputy Speakership thickens

There are strong indications that some members of Ebonyi State House of Assembly have begun the process for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa from office. This is coming on the heels of his (Odefa) refusal to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State. Vanguard reliably gathered that the number of those plotting the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker is not up to the quorum required for such exercise. A source close to the Ebonyi House of Assembly added: “The plot for the removal of the Deputy Speaker has thickened as there are have been series of meetings to that regard. They don’t have the number and we are worried what the State is turning into.” Vanguard learnt that the State House of Assembly is currently under siege by security operatives as some House members are said to be inside the floor of the House for an emergency sitting. Many are of the view that the purpose of the sitting is related to the plot for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa. … details later

Post Date : February 21, 2022

Many Killed’ As Explosion Rocks Niger Community

Explosives believed to have been planted by terrorists have gone off at Galadima-Kogo, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. This happened few hours after bandits invaded three communities, few meters away from Galadima-Kogo. Details of casualties were sketchy as at the time of filing this report, but Sani Abubakar Yusuf Kokki, the Co-Convener of Concern Shiroro Youths, told our correspondent that many people might have been killed. Details later…

Post Date : February 21, 2022

FG lacks integrity, can’t be trusted — ASUU

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, weekend, described the Federal Government as an entity that lacked integrity and should not be trusted. It also described the government as slave merchant, which only listened to and implement destructive policy recommendations of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and World Bank against the larger interest of Nigerians. This came as Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, weekend, said the adoption of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, as the payment platform for university workers was unsuitable for the university system. It would be recalled that ASUU declared a month warning strike last Monday to press government to implement the agreement the union had with it and withdraw the IPPIS payment platform and replace it with the University Transparency and Accountability System, UTAS. Chairman of the union at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ayo Akinwole, who stated this in a reaction to claims by the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, that he was looking for ASUU to resolve the issues before he heard that ASUU had declared strike. He said: “The Federal Government lacks integrity. It is sad. The government cannot be trusted any longer. We have been on the same salary for 13 years and it is even shameful to show anyone your pay slip. ‘’When compared to the work we do, we have sacrificed for Nigeria to the detriment of our well-being and this is already dampening morale of our people. “The Federal Government should sign the renegotiated agreement, implement it, roll out UTAS, pay unpaid earned academic allowances and commit more funds into the revitalisation of universities.” Akinwole, however, urged parents to impress it on government to sign the new welfare package for ASUU members. “If we fail to fight for our rights, the slave merchants in government will continue to trade with our future and future of the children of the masses,” he said. Akinwole maintained that poor policy formulation and implementation in the education sector had been making government to treat lecturers like slaves, warning that the union would battle the slave merchant and liberate lecturers in Nigeria by getting better conditions of service, including salaries, allowances as well as preferred conductive working and learning environments for students. According to him, the Federal Government and those put in charge of education ministry have displayed total incompetence and nonchalant attitudes to what mattered to Nigerians. He said it was total falsehood for anyone in Nigeria to claim not to have heard or read series of ASUU warnings on the pages of newspapers at least one month before the union resolved to proceed on one-month warning strike. Akinwole said due to the stress arising from failure of Federal Government to recruit more staff, ASUU had lost many of its members to death, while others had simply moved out of the country in search of greener pastures.

Post Date : February 21, 2022

IMF: Using eNaira for cross-border payments may boost money laundering, terrorism financing

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the expansion of eNaira for cross-border transfers and agency banking may boost money-laundering/financing of terrorism. The Bretton Woods institution said this in its recently released staff country report titled ‘Nigeria: 2021 Article IV Consultation’. In October 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) unveiled the country’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) known as the eNaira. The IMF said the digital currency is envisaged to bring multiple benefits, including increased financial inclusion, facilitation of remittances, reduced informality and illegal activities as eNaira transactions are in principle fully traceable. It, however, said the eNaira carries macro-financial, cyber security, operational, financial integrity and stability, and legal risks. “Unforeseen legal issues, including for private law aspects of its operations (e.g., the exact nature of legal relationship between the wallet providers and CBDC holders), may subject eNaira to litigation and operational risks,” the report reads. “There are financial integrity risks which are mitigated by using a tiered identity verification system and applying more stringent controls to relatively less verified users. “Prospective expansion of eNaira use to cross-border fund transfers and agency bank networks may cause new money laundering/financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks.” The IMF emphasised the need to fix existing deficiencies in the anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. It also recommended that the apex bank prioritise risk-sensitive mitigation measures. “Staff welcomed the gradual rollout of the CBDC and highlighted the need for vigilance to various risks, including for monetary policy implementation, bank funding, cyber security, operational resilience, and financial integrity and stability, through regular risk assessment and contingency planning,” the report adds. “The eNaira offers low-cost and phone-enabled financial transactions outside established channels. This could potentially increase financial inclusion over time in rural areas and help meet the authorities’ ambitious target to increase the share of financially included adults to 95 percent. “While preventive measures and the planned AML/CFT regulations for eNaira intermediaries are welcome, a money laundering/terrorist financing risk assessment of domestic and cross-border uses of eNaira and the adoption and implementation of the regulation along with putting in place risk-sensitive mitigation measures should be a priority. “Staff noted that a dynamic digital lending ecosystem dominated by fintech implies greater competition with traditional service providers but also raises consumer protection issues.”

Post Date : February 21, 2022

BREAKING: Abba Kyari drags FG to court, seeks bail

The suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, who is currently in custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, over his alleged involvement in drug trafficking, on Monday, took the Federal Government to court. Kyari, in his suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/182/22, is praying the court to compel the NDLEA to grant him bail on health ground, pending the hearing and determination of his fundamental right enforcement application. In an ex-parte motion he filed through his lawyer, Mrs. P. O. Ikenna, the embattled former head of the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, told the court that he was being held “on the basis of a false allegation that was levelled against him”. However, when the case was called up, Justice Inyang Ekwo, noted that the suit contained some averments that would require FG’s response. “Upon studying the process of the Applicant and averments in support thereon, I am of the opinion that the Respondent should be put on notice”, the Judge held. Effort my counsel to the Applicant to persuade the court to order Kyari’s release on the ground that “his health has deteriorated badly”, failed. Rather, Justice Ekwo ordered that all the relevant processes should be served on FG which was cited as the sole Respondent, even as he adjourned the case till February 24 for hearing. (VANGUARD)

Post Date : February 21, 2022

We Weren’t Informed Of Airfare Increase – FG

The Federal Government says it has not been informed of the hike in air fares effected by airline operators. Domestic airlines have hiked their fares by about 100 per cent, with a one-way economy ticket selling for over N50,000 Speaking with Daily Trust, the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Captain Musa Nuhu, stated though air fares had been deregulated and determined by the market forces, each airline was supposed to file their new prices and the reasons for the increment to the agency. He said, “It is an individual airline, not as a group that can make that decision (increase air fares). You cannot make that decision as AON, that’s anti-competition but each airline on its own can adjust the air fare but they must file with NCAA the reason for the increase in air fares before it comes into effect. As I said the air fares are deregulated. We do not regulate air fares.” He, however, promised to confer with the airlines and check if the reasons cited for the increase were genuine. Daily Trust reports that this is coming after the airline operators revealed through a statement that they were experiencing operational challenges which have majorly been responsible for the numerous flight delays and cancellations

Post Date : February 21, 2022

Abba Kyari: IRT coordinators, Team leaders to be redeployed

THE Police High Command has begun moves to sanitise its Intelligence Response Team, IRT, following the arrest of its former Commander, DCP Abba Kyari, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, last week, over his indictment in the 25kg cocaine deal . As at yesterday, Vanguard gathered that all state coordinators and team leaders in IRT annexes who were summoned to Abuja last Friday, would be deployed to other departments. Similarly, operatives who have spent up to five years in the IRT , are likely to be deployed too, as they have already been directed to discontinue all investigations at the annexes . Information at Vanguard’s disposal revealed that the Inspector-General of Police ,IGP Usman Alkali Baba , who was displeased with the ongoing cocaine saga , summoned a management meeting last Friday to deliberate on DCP Kyari’s indictment. He is expected to meet with key officers in the operations department between today and tomorrow to chart a new course for the IRT. Kyari as NDLEA probes N3bn Tramadol seizure Sources told Vanguard that before Kyari’s earlier suspension over his indictment by Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi, in his ongoing trial at a United States of America’s court, the Police High Command usually sent memos to IRT commanders and other tactical squads , cautioning them to avoid the mistakes committed by operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS. Vanguard was also reliably informed that IGP Baba personally invited DCP Abba Kyari to his office on several occasions to get a one-on-one debrief on activities in the IRT, by way of checkmating the tactical unit. Sources said: “ IGP Alkali Usman was disappointed when he was informed about Kyari’s latest indictment. This was because he reposed so much trust and confidence in him, owing to the sterling breakthroughs the IRT had made since inception. ”That was why he did not waste time to ensure all those involved were rounded up and handed over to the NDLEA. “At present, he is making a move to deploy those who have stayed over five years in IRT. There are operatives who have been there since inception and have never been transferred. Names of all the operatives have been compiled for onward redeployment. “ As part of the process, he has also called for investigation of some of the cases handled that had nothing to do with kidnapping. All IRT annexes remain shut at the moment.”

Post Date : February 21, 2022

2023: PDP, APC have nothing new to offer Nigerians, says Kwankwaso

Ahead of 2023 general elections, the immediate former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has disclosed that the All Progressives Congress and the People Democratic Party have nothing new to offer Nigerians. Kwankwaso made the assertion at the weekend while featuring on a local radio, Nasara FM, in Kano. According to him, the opposition PDP and ruling APC have nothing to show Nigerians to win the 2023 general elections. He said it was important for Nigerians to pitch their tent with another formidable third force that could rescue the country from her current travails. “I didn’t see anything that either APC or PDP will show or tell Nigerians to get convinced and vote for them in the coming 2023 elections. So I think people should now come to think of the right party and people to support and vote for so that we can rescue the present situation. “In 2015, we gave the leadership of the state to some, thinking that they will make it, but not knowing that it won’t yield any positive outcome. That is why we are back to rescue our state,” Daily Trust quoted Kwankwaso to have said during the radio programme.

Post Date : February 21, 2022

Tinubu to youths: You will become president… but after me

Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has informed Nigerian youths that they will become presidents of the country after him. There has been clamour for youths to occupy top political positions in the country, which gave birth to the #NotTooYoungToRun movement. Speaking on Sunday when he visited Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo, at the palace, Tinubu asked the youths to create room for elderly people. “You won’t allow the elderly ones to pass and you haven’t become president. What if you become president, will you chase us out of town?” Tinubu asked. “You will grow old and become president. But I will become the president first.” In January, Tinubu visited President Muhammadu Buhari during which he announced his intention to contest the presidency in 2023. The former Lagos governor has been travelling across the country to consult with stakeholders over his presidential ambition. In January, Tinubu visited Oyo state over the deaths of Jimoh Oyewumi, the Soun of Ogbomoso; Saliu Adetunji, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and Alao-Akala, former governor of Oyo. He also met with Seyi Makinde, the state governor, in Ibadan. On January 20, he also paid a visit to Minna, Niger state capital, to consult Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), former military head of state, and “receive his prayers”.