Crime Facts

REPORT: Suspected Air Force Bombing Kills One Civilian In Katsina Community

  The Nigeria Air Force may have mistakenly bombed a community in Katsina State hours after suspected terrorists attacked a presidential advance convoy in the state. Channels Television gathered that the bombing took place on Tuesday. An eyewitness said the bomb destroyed at least one building sheltering several persons at Kunkuna village, Safana Local Government Area of the state, killing an elderly woman and injuring 27 others. READ ALSO: NAF Airstrikes Kill ‘Six Children’ In Niger The Nigerian Air Force has not reacted to the incident as military officials directed journalists to the Force Headquarters in Abuja. This is not the first time innocent Nigerians will be killed in an aerial bombardment by the military in an effort to rid the nation of bandits and insurgents ravaging parts of the country. Last April, no fewer than six children lost their lives to an explosion from a fighter jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force in Kurebe, Shiroro Local Government of Niger State. The incident happened on April 13 when the children were coming back to fetch water from a motorized borehole within the Kurebe community. Similarly, about nine people were killed when a NAF fighter jet rained bullets from the skies in the Buhari community, Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State on September 15, 2021. After initial denial, the Nigerian Air Force on September 16 admitted that one of its fighter jets on a mission against terrorists “unfortunately” bombed civilians in Yobe State. NAF spokesman at the time, Edward Gabkwet, said the military had launched an investigation into the incident. In April 2021, over 20 soldiers were allegedly killed in Mainok, Borno State, when a NAF fighter jet responding to attacks on a military camp by Boko Haram insurgents bombed the military camp based on a wrong coordinate.

Herdsmen still kidnapping our people like fowls, Abia communities cry out

  Communities in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State have lamented that kidnapping in the area by suspected herdsmen has become a daily routine despite efforts by the State Government to curb the menace. Youth Leader of Umunneochi LGA, Prince Divine Uche said this Wednesday at Umunneochi Council headquarters when Senator Mao Ohuabunwa who represented Abia North in the eight senates visited the people to identify with them over their predicaments, vowed that the youths would no longer watch helplessly if Government failed to take action. According to him, after the kidnap of the Methodist Prelate, Dr Samuel Uche, herdsmen kidnapped people like fowls around Umunneochi despite the presence of military checkpoint at Lomara junction. ” Three days ago, a boy of less than 15 years was Kidnapped. The other day, they also Kidnapped another boy riding motorcycle and took him to the bush demanding N3 million ransom. But the boy is a prayer warrior, he prayed and they slept then he escaped but he was severely tortured.” The youth leader further lamented that before now, only women who went to the farm were abducted and raped by the rampaging herders but nowadays, they invade homes to grab women for rape. According to him, the herders stormed Umuerem village to grab a woman in her house but unfortunately for them the villagers raised alarm and they fled back to the forest. He lamented that despite the continued presence of soldiers at Lomara military checkpoint, kidnapping for ransom and criminal activities of herdsmen had gone on unchallenged. The youth leader expressed rage that the soldiers had refused to unblock the road linking Ihube community in Imo State with Isuochi despite the order by the State Government. He queried the desirability of the continued presence of the military at the checkpoint, alleging that most of the crimes in the area occur around the vicinity. ” One of our problems is the military checkpoint at Lomara junction. When the Army Commander came here after our protest and said that we indicted the Army, we reminded him that the Army Captain linked with the Taraba kidnap kingpin, Wadume was the man that headed that checkpoint last before he was posted to Taraba State. ” Why is it that the road leading to Ihube from that junction is still blocked despite the order by the Governor that it should be opened? Why is it that kidnappings and ransoms paid are still around that vicinity?” But when contacted, an anonymous source at 14 Brigade Nigeria Army Ohafia, said the Army “does not shield criminals”, adding that the Nigeria Army is determined to stamp out perpetrators of insecurity in various parts of the country. Prince Uche who said that Umunneochi youths were ready and prepared to secure their communities, vowed that the youths despite frustrations by the security operatives would not allow Fulani herdsmen to take over their forests. He thanked Senator Ohuabunwa for coming to identify with the people even though he was no longer in power, while pleading with him to explore his network and contacts to help end the people’s misery. He said that the activities of kidnappers had crippled the economy of Umunneochi as traders have deserted their markets while their people living abroad also avoid coming home. Responding, Sen. Ohuabunwa decried the menacing activities of kidnappers in the area and the failure of the federal government to arrest the situation. The former Leader ECOWAS Parliament said he was disturbed as he read about the activities of kidnappers in the area, and decided to solidarize with the people because of his affection for them. He said that only proper legislation would arrest the festering insecurity in the country as the Executive Arm of Government has failed to take necessary action to curb and menace. The former Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health and Communicable Diseases, recalled that while he was still in the Senate, he was the first Senator to raise the alarm on the floor of the Senate over the dangers posed by herdsmen in Umunneochi following a complaint by a traditional ruler that a primary school and a police post at Lokpa were sacked by herders with their cows. Ohuabunwa who said that “Nigeria is sitting on a key of gun powder” as a result of worsening insecurity, challenged security agencies to rise to the occasion. He noted that self defense would be the natural response to invasion of ones domain by strangers. ” If you are in your house and someone comes to kill you what will you do? Government should not allow this situation to escalate”. He assured the youths of his total support towards efforts to contain insecurity in the area but pleaded with them not to take laws into their hands. Senator Ohuabunwa regretted that ” those who boasted of bringing RUGA and cattle market to the area have all gone mute as the people are being consumed by the dividends of their RUGA”. ” I’m ashamed of the condition of Abia North. Somebody who proudly said he brought RUGA to Umunneochi is there and the people are getting consumed by what he brought. Instead of bringing solution, he is busy proposing Muslim/ Muslim ticket, and talking of how he will be sweeping Aso Rock if his friend becomes the President; meanwhile, his home is on fire”. Urging the people to remain security conscious, Ohuabunwa enjoined them to get their voter’s card ready ahead of 2023 , and use it to end bad governance and “government of insecurity”. In a remark, member representing Umunneochi state constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Okey Igwe, noted that what is happening in the area was a microcosm of the breakdown in the security architecture of the country. He regretted that the security agencies had not been able to arrest the situation but hinted that local solution was being worked out. Hon. Igwe who is the running mate to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate,

‘Our guns were no match for theirs’ — soldier speaks on Kuje prison attack

  No resident in Kuje expected that as the sun in the area council dropped over the hazy horizon and twilight slithered over the sky to usher in the night, gunshots and explosions would throw them into panic and interrupt their sleep. The Kuje correctional facility, situated in the federal capital territory (FCT) was attacked on Tuesday night and many inmates — including “all Boko Haram suspects” — escaped. Bashir Magashi, minister of defence, said the attackers are members of the Boko Haram who came to free their comrades who were detained in the facility. “The people who came to do this for the records belong to a particular group. From all indicators, they are Boko Haram,” he said on Wednesday. “Currently, there are about 64 of them as inmates and we could not locate them.” Abubakar Umar, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) spokesperson, said a total of 879 inmates escaped and that security operatives have recaptured 443 of them. ‘ATTACKERS CAME IN FROM MANY ROUTES’ Emmanuel Abiodun, a resident of Kuje, told TheCable they began hearing “heavy gunshots” around 10:15pm, followed by explosions that lasted more than two hours. Abiodun, whose home is a fence away from the prison, said gunfire was heard from all the adjoining streets that lead to the prison. Amid the panic, Abiodun and his siblings raced to the lavatory and laid face down in fear. “It was around 10:15 at night when we started hearing gunshots,” he said. “Before then, a friend of mine, who was accompanying a colleague of his down to the junction, said he saw some strange people that were just hanging around. “He returned home and after a few minutes, we started hearing gunshots. The gunshots were so rapid. Even in the house where I stay — the room shares a fence with the prison — we were just hearing bomb blasts and gunshots continuously. “The operation lasted like three hours. There was no intervention, we were so scared. We were wondering if some of those we heard running will jump into our compound. “They were clearly terrorists. They kept chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, and saying: ‘we have gained victory’ in Hausa language. “They were bombing everywhere with explosives; it was shaking the room and the whole ground. We were so scared. The sound was so intense that it was like the blast was happening behind my room. They were chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, gyrating and marching.” ‘I THOUGHT IT WAS A ROBBERY’ A woman, who chose to be unnamed, said she had just finished her night prayer when she heard the “heavy gunshots”. “My house is closer to the prison, but we didn’t know that it was inside the prison that the blast was taking place. We thought it was a robbery attack,” she said. She added that repeated calls to the police hotline that night caused her phone to shut down. “They didn’t come because their base was far,” she said. According to her, residents were afraid to come out of their houses on Wednesday morning, because they were still worried about their safety. ‘GRENADES WERE USED TO BREAK THE WALLS’ An army officer at the facility told TheCable that 30 soldiers were deployed to the prison facility less than 24 hours before the attackers arrived. He said, according to practice, soldiers guarding the facility are always redeployed every month and that his batch had yet to be familiarised with the area before the attackers struck. The soldier, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to TheCable, said the attackers raided the facility with general-purpose machine guns (GMP). “Our guns do not match their own. They used grenades and other explosives to bomb the building where the inmates were kept,” he added.

Gunmen attack Adamawa Reverend, kill sons, abduct daughter

  Gunmen have invaded the residence of Reverend Daniel Umaru of the EYN Church Njairi, Mubi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, killing his sons and abducting his 13-year-old daughter. The incident occurred on Tuesday night, on the same day unknown gunmen attacked an advanced team, on the convoy of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.,) which was on its way to Katsina, ahead of the Sallah celebrations. Umaru, who reportedly survived the attacks, on his residence is said to be in critical condition while his wife is yet to come out of a coma over the gruesome murder of their two sons in the attacks. According to reports, the unknown gunmen, who stormed the residence of Reverend Daniel, at about 2:00 GMT shot, him and his two sons who died instantly from the gunfire. The gruesome attack was said to have left his wife, who thought the husband died, to fall into a coma, as the gunmen also made away with their only daughter. The clergy is currently recuperating at the hospital, though in critical condition while his wife who witnessed the attack, is reportedly still in a coma as of yesterday (Wednesday). The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed the attack, said the attackers stormed the residence of the clergyman located in Mararaba Mubi around 1-2 am, in the early hours of Wednesday. He said the police commissioner in the state has deployed its personnel to rescue the abducted daughter of the cleric, while it has made available a huge financial reward for anyone with information that will lead to arrest of the culprits. Also, the state Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who’s currently on Hajj pilgrimage, while reacting to the incident, said the government would stop at nothing in bringing the perpetrators to book. In a press release, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, Fintiri described the attack as “shocking and barbaric” and charged security operatives to go after the attackers. Fintiri said, “The State Government condemns in the strongest terms the despicable attack on this innocent family; the perpetrators of this heinous act must be brought to justice, and we have offered our full support to the Security Agencies to do so.” Fintiri who offered his “deepest condolences” to the victims’ families and loved ones, including the Church, assured that his government will continue to confront crime in all its forms, including the threat posed by kidnappers.

Why Kaduna Train Attackers Invaded Kuje Prison

  The Kuje prison in Abuja was attacked on Tuesday by the terrorists who bombed the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28 in order to set their members free, credible sources told the Daily Trust Wednesday. One of the sources said the terrorists attacked the facility and freed their high profile members because their plan to use the abducted passengers of the Abuja-Kaduna train in exchange for their members was not yielding any result as the federal government was adamant. He said the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre was brought down using explosive devices that gave them easy access. The source said in addition to the request for the release of their young children by the federal government in exchange for the Kaduna bound train captives, the terrorists, loyal to Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), also demanded the release of some terrorists held in Kuje and some facilities. “They discovered that their demands would not be met and therefore, they set out for full scale war,” he said. He said they were also planning to attack the Special Tactical Squad (STS), formerly the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) headquarters in Abuja which they attacked in 2012. ‘Intelligence ignored’ Another source said vital intelligence provided by relevant agencies was ignored by those that matter, a development that gave the terrorists unfettered access to the Kuje facility around 10.30pm. Apart from warders at the Kuje prison, there was a task force comprising the military, police, SSS and civil defence guarding the place because high profile criminals were kept there, he said. “Sadly there are moles everywhere and therefore, even though the security operatives were alerted, the terrorists had their way,” he said. “And that is why they perpetrated the nefarious act with precision. Some of them distracted attention of the security operatives by detonating many explosives outside the facility after destroying the main entrance, which gave a different group task with the responsibility of bringing out their members unfettered access. “Those that gained access went straight to the cells where the Boko Haram members were incarcerated and set them free…There was no serious resistance,” he said. The invaders reportedly used dynamites and destroyed the heavily fortified facility, including the Central Terrorism Unit (CTU), freeing all the terrorists there. “Those freed would definitely unsettle Nigeria’s security architecture; they would disrupt peace unless something is done. “And as you can see, the VIP section was not compromised because those incarcerated there were not their targets,” he said. Another source said, “The attack at night was deliberate because they know we don’t have the capacity to resist invasion at night. “They shepherded their members overnight and disappeared,” he said. ‘2 police operatives nabbed’ Daily Trust gathered that two police officers have been arrested after their communication with some of the escapees was intercepted. “Two of the terrorists that escaped called a police investigation officer (IPO) in one of our stations and spoke to him in a compromising manner…They are now being investigated to know their level of complicity,” he said. Other attacks loom It was learnt that the terrorists were planning a deliberate and massive attack on the military detention facility in Kainji as well as the prisons in Bida and Minna. “What they want to achieve is to set free members of the terrorist organisation who are detained in those facilities. “They are planning to do this on Sallah day and unless something is done, it will come to pass,” he said. I shared intelligence with govt – Negotiator Mallam Tukur Mamu, a Kaduna-based newspaper publisher who has played an intermediary role with the train attackers said they hinted about the Tuesday night jailbreak. He made the claim Wednesday in a statement issued to journalists in Kaduna. Mamu said he had shared intelligence reports with authorities concerned but they allegedly failed to act on the information. The publisher frowned at the failure of the government to respond to the group’s threat. “I can confirm without doubt that the Kuje Correctional Centre attack was executed and coordinated by the same group that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train because they gave indications of imminent attacks to that effect which I shared. “For the records, they requested for the release of 51 of their members. But through the power of dialogue and engagement, I was able to single-handedly scaled that number to only 10 and communicated with audio backing the development to the relevant authorities. “There was an unnecessary delay on giving them even a precise feedback by the government and now they have not only succeeded in carrying out another successful attack that indicts the nature of our intelligence and capacity to respond promptly but have also succeeded in releasing dozens of their members, which would have been averted if actions has been taken to give them only 10 and secure the release of the train victims,” Mamu said. “In all this risky, painful and frustrating engagement, which government is yet to acknowledge and appreciate, I have more than 100 documented audios that I shared with the relevant authorities. For the purpose of this important press release and to authenticate my claims, I will also share four of the latest audios,” he said. ISWAP claims attack, releases video ISWAP Wednesday night claimed responsibility for the jailbreak. The group had previously claimed responsibility for attacks on police and other facilities in nearby areas of Suleja and Kogi State. In a statement posted on the Islamic State media channel, Amaq, the group stated: “Islamic State fighters invaded a government prison in Kuje, a suburb of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, where they destroyed the perimeter fence and successfully freed tens of prisoners, yesterday”. The IS media platform later released a 33-second video with the sound of explosives and heavy gunshots. The attackers were jubilating and chanting Allahu Akbar. Part of the video showed raging fire-consuming vehicles and parts of the building. However, the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) said that only four inmates were killed, 16 injured, while 443 escaped

NGF: States in fiscal stress… petrol subsidy affecting payment of salaries

  The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) says petrol subsidy is causing states to experience fiscal stress and impacting salaries. The NGF said this in a memo forwarded to Abdulkadir Abdullahi, chairman of the house of representatives ad hoc committee investigating the volume of daily fuel consumption in Nigeria. The memo was signed by Fatima Usman Katsina, head, legislative liaison, peace and security, NGF. On Tuesday, the committee summoned Mele Kyari, group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, to appear before it to provide details on the volume of petrol consumed in the country. The ad hoc committee also summoned Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, budget and national planning and the permanent secretary of ministry; accountant-general of the federation; managing director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC); and Timipre Sylva, minister of state for petroleum resources and permanent secretary of the ministry. According to the memo, the governors said PMS consumption by states showed that a third of the country accounts for over 65 percent of the consumption, adding that most states with high consumption have borders with neighbouring countries. With high petrol subsidy costs, they said allocation from the federation account would not be enough to cover even salaries. The state governors referred the lower chamber of the national assembly to a November 2021 report by its national executive council’s ad hoc committee interfacing with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation on the appropriate pricing of PMS in Nigeria, chaired by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna. TheCable had reported that the committee recommended N302 per litre as the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), better known as petrol, from February 2022. “The following are some of the major findings relating to the volume of fuel consumed in the country,” the memo reads. “Remittances to the Federation Account Allocation Committee have continued to shrink as NNPC recovers shortfall quite arbitrarily from the Federation’s crude oil sales revenue. FAAC deductions for PMS subsidy are above 2019 levels, even without adjusting for the reduced purchasing power of the naira due to inflation and FX rate deterioration. “An analysis of the average monthly PMS consumption by states showed that a third of the country accounts for over 65 percent consumption of PMS. The analysis showed that the following states Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Abuja, Delta, Kano, Kwara, Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kebbi and Adamawa accounted for 65 per cent of PMS consumption in the country. Most states with high PMS consumption either have borders with neighbouring countries or are in close proximity, this has been an avenue for smugglers to benefit from profitable arbitrage opportunities in PMS pricing. “Households directly consume only about 25 per cent of the PMS that is consumed nationally, with the remaining three-quarters being consumed by firms, MDAs, transport operators or smuggled to neighbouring countries where the PMS price is nearly three times what it is in Nigeria; and of the PMS consumed by households, the richest 40 per cent of households account for over three-quarters of the PMS purchased by households, while the poorest 40 per cent of households purchased less than 3 per cent of all PMS sold in Nigeria. “In the current fiscal regime, remittances to FAAC would continue to shrink as NNPC recovers this shortfall from the Federation as a result of crude oil price recovery. The report recommended a PMS pricing structure that addresses regional arbitrage and smuggling of PMS and provides additional revenue to the Federation Account. There is a significant market opportunity for additional export revenue streams for Nigeria to be had given the price parity with our neighbouring countries. “Privatisation of the three government refineries as is, or after their full rehabilitation if affordable and viable, and expediting the licensing procedure for modular refineries will reduce the recurring government expenditure on refinery maintenance and increase the country’s refining capacity.” “Rising prices are pushing millions of Nigerians into poverty. Rising inflation between 2020 and 2021 is expected to have pushed an additional 5-6 million Nigerians into poverty. Food insecurity is increasing in both poor and non-poor households, with some adults skipping meals. Because inflation is high, even if it remains stable, it will continue to push many more Nigerians into poverty. The memo added that most states are “already experiencing fiscal stress, with 30 out of 36 states recording fiscal deficits in 2020, including Lagos”. “Fiscal pressures are growing unsustainably with the PMS subsidy significantly reducing the flow of revenues into the Federation Account. Thirty-five out of 36 states are likely to see transfers from the federation fall (in nominal terms) between 2021 and 2022, with the average decline projected to be about 11 per cent. Most states are already experiencing fiscal stress, with 30 out of 36 states recording fiscal deficits in 2020, including Lagos and every oil-producing state except Akwa Ibom. “With the projected decline in gross distributable federation revenues in 2022, fiscal deficits and debt burdens will grow even larger and faster. This will mean that transfers from the federation will not be enough to cover even salaries, and certainly not recurrent costs, which are growing in nominal terms. “With the coming into effect of the Petroleum Industry Act, gross oil & gas revenues could be (much) lower than currently projected because of the new fiscal terms and the earmarking of deductible revenues specified in the PIA, and that could reduce net oil & gas revenues even further.”

Politicians dividing Nigeria with ethnicity – Northern Elders Forum

  The Northern Elders Forum on Wednesday raised fears that ethnicity and greed were threatening to frustrate the emergence of a country with the capacity to turn around its fortunes in 2023. The organisation expressed concern over developments in many aspects of Nigerian politics as they relate to preparations for the 2023 elections and beyond, the organisation. A statement by the NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in Abuja accused politicians of “desperately shepherding Nigerians into two irreconcilable religious divides, all in a bid to garner undeserved advantages at the expense of religious tolerance and coexistence.” He said, “These developments threaten our already distressed democratic process. Our politics now operates outside safe and tolerable boundaries, and the nation will pay dearly for the desperation and limitations of those who ought to show leadership and responsibility among our politicians. “It is not responsible to resist the urge to caution politicians only on the ground that many matters that will impact on our lives and the quality of our national existence are purely internal affairs of political parties. “The search for a running mate for the APC’s presidential candidate with religious faith of two individuals as the sole issue at stake represents a sad reminder that our politicians will not allow our democratic system to grow beyond the narrowest of confinements. “Nigerians take their faith seriously, but we are also painfully aware that the faith of our leaders has never been a factor in the manner we are governed. The political maneuvers in the APC now divert attention from serious issues around the quality of governance, and point to the danger that we are a multi-religious country whose citizens will pay dearly if one politician is not a Christian or Muslim. “The melodrama around selection of the PDP’s presidential candidate’s running mate, and the role of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike will remain constant reminders that power and wealth, irrespective of how they are acquired, have made our political process its hostage. “The ransom that will be paid to free our democratic process may be such that the nation cannot afford it. Our nation is being carved into strongholds controlled by powerful individual politicians who must be placated at all cost, and we will pay a huge price if these politicians succeed in stamping their personalities into the democratic process. “Among a handful of other parties with the potential to make a difference, ethnicity and greed are threatening to frustrate the emergence of a nation with the capacity to turn around its fortunes in 2023. “Instead of exploring options and opportunities that will improve their chances of giving Nigerians real and credible, we only witness frightening levels of hostility and ethnic chauvinism, as we saw recently in exchanges between Labour Party and NNPP leaders. Ethnic identity in particular looks capable of being elevated to a point where it alone can cripple a successful transition to 2023 and beyond. “Our politics has become an additional burden on the Nigerian citizen, even dwarfing the spreading insecurity, poverty and cynicism over the prospects of our survival as one one nation. If the way our politicians are seeking power is any indicator for the quality of leadership they will provide, then the nation has a very genuine reason to worry over its future. Other leaders representing particular interests compound our worries with periodic threats and ultimatums that an already weakened leadership has no solution for. “The prospects for safe conduct of electoral activities and a free and fair election are being threatened by the conduct of our politicians. We must find the resolve and the strength to step back and pull the nation away from its current precarious position.What is at stake is more than an election. It is the survival of our country.”

Boko Haram Stole N82M, $36,000 Cash Belonging To Inmates – Prison Officials

  Inmates held at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja are threatening a deadly riot after officials claimed a large chunk of money kept for the prisoners had been carted away by Boko Haram insurgents who breached the facility on Tuesday night, two sources with information have informed Peoples Gazette. The money had been kept with at least five prison officials, including those manning the commissary, for several months, officials said. “One prison guard told 13 inmates this afternoon that all the money they kept with him had been stolen,” an official said. “He bluntly told them that the N26 million is no longer in his possession.” The prison, about 43 kilometres southwest of downtown Abuja, was breached at about 10:00 p.m. by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. While some detainees refused to take advantage of the jailbreak, all prisoners affiliated with Boko Haram escaped, according to defence minister Bashir Magashi. As the president departed the scene, prisoners began shouting that they’d lost money during the raid, while some threatened violence should officials fail to return their cash. “Yes, that is the problem we’re confronting now,” an official said when asked for corroboration Wednesday evening. “Some people lost money in naira while some lost in dollars.” The official said the money belong to wealthy individuals inside the prison. “It’s those big men that are more enraged because they kept millions with the warders,” the official said. “About N82 million was declared missing and four people are looking for $36,000.” “We don’t know what the prison management will do about the matter because the money was not kept with the warders officially,” our source added. The officials spoke under anonymity because they did not receive permission to comment on internal prison disputes.  

Central African Republic to launch digital currency — two months after adopting Bitcoin

  The Central African Republic (CAR) says it is planning to launch its own national digital currency called ‘Sango Coin’. CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra announced this during the Sango Genesis Event, a recent virtual event launching the country’s crypto hub initiative. The development comes two months after the country became the first in Africa to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender and the second in the world after El Salvador. According to Touadéra, Sango Coin will be the next-generation currency for the country and will be a gateway to the country’s natural resources. The president said that Sango Coin is part of the CAR’s vision to have an integrated capital market that could stimulate commerce and sustain growth. He talked about the need for financial inclusion and the need for the country’s citizens to easily have access to cryptocurrencies via smartphones. Explaining the project’s benefits, he said, “the citizens will gain at every level, they will live in a country in full economic development, which means employment and prosperity.”   “Moreover, they will benefit from virtual transactions which, in contrast to traditional banking, have the advantage of rapid access, fast execution, lack of bureaucracy, and low cost. For us, a formal economy is no longer an option.” Bloomberg reports that the digital currency may be rolled out in the third quarter.