Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, says he can end banditry in the state if he takes charge of security forces deployed by the federal government. Benue, among several states of the country, has witnessed attacks by gunmen which have led to killings, abductions and displacement. On August 4, the governor had set up a security outfit as part of efforts to address insecurity in the state. He had also expressed his intention to procure sophisticated weapons to arm the volunteer guards, but the federal government had kicked against the move. Speaking on Thursday when he paid a visit to Ekpe Ogbu, the commissioner for housing and urban development, who was recently kidnapped, Ortom said the federal government is not doing enough to end banditry. “Others who are in government today can pretend about this but the government is complicit at the federal level. They are part of it. Whatever they are saying now is pretence. They are telling lies and they do not want to give attention to the insecurity situation,” he said. “If the federal government, whose responsibility is to provide security for lives and property and who have the coercive forces of the security architecture of the country, decides that terrorism, kidnappings and evil should end today, it will end. “If the federal government is in doubt, let them make an executive order, just like the president makes executive orders in other areas, and give me the responsibility to look after the coercive forces that are in Benue state. “Tell them to take instructions from me. We will end the evil, armed robbery, banditry and everything; we will end it today in Benue state. “We are not going to relent on this war and there is no way we will compromise and allow kidnappers to have their way in this state. “I challenge our people to rise up and not to allow kidnappers in their communities. When you suspect them, don’t hesitate to involve the security agencies so that they will not come back again. “There is no way we can add value to the development of our state when we have kidnappers all over the place terrorising our communities. “There is no way foreigners will come here and invest in our state with challenges like this. There is no way we can do everything on our own and make things work. So, we must stop this.”

  An Abia state magistrate’s court in Umuahia has convicted Uche Ogah, a former minister of state for mines and steel development, for forgery. In the suit marked UMSC/362/2022, Ogah was sued by the Abia state chapter of the APC on the grounds that he fabricated the party’s direct primary election result sheet “with intent that it may be acted on as genuine”, despite not participating in the party’s May 26, 2022 governorship primary. The plaintiff submitted that Ogah’s falsification was detrimental to the party and Ikechi Emenike, whom the party recognises as its “authentic governorship flagbearer”. The offence, according to Abia APC, is in contravention of section 465 of the Criminal Code (as it applies in Abia) and punishable under section 467.” Delivering judgment on Thursday, Ngozi Nwangwa, the presiding magistrate, held that the defendant/respondent “is guilty as charged”. “I’m convinced that the defendant has no defence,” the magistrate said. “I hereby commit Dr Uche Ogah for the offence as charged.” The defendant was not present in court, so the magistrate gave security services the order to arrest him wherever he may be and hold him in any correctional facility until the day he is brought to court for sentencing. Ogah had failed to appear before the court since November when the matter came up for hearing, and he also did not have a legal representative. The magistrate, however, said Ogah had written a petition to both the chief judge and the attorney-general alleging “bias and compromise”. The APC had called Chidi Avajah, state secretary of Abia APC, as its sole witness on November 30. They also tendered as exhibits, affidavits deposed by Tony Obiefuna, a represent of the APC governorship primary election panel for Abia, and one Chukwudi Kanu, respectively, stating that their signatures were forged by Ogah. Since the respondent failed to open his defence on the charges against him, the prosecution, after making its submissions, closed its case and urged the court “to accept the documentary evidence, rely on them and act on them”. Meanwhile, a federal high court in Abuja had, on November 11, nullified the primary which produced Emenike and affirmed Ogah as the Abia APC governorship candidate.

  The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Kasuwan Magani district church council (DCC) in Kaduna, says 807 members of the church were abducted between January and November 2022. Kasuwan Magani is a town in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state. Speaking on Thursday at a media briefing, Timothy Maigida, chairman of ECWA Kasuwan Magani DCC, said ECWA churches in Kajuru LGA have been under constant attack by bandits. “In 2016 when the terrorism and kidnapping for ransom started, 38 people were abducted in all. Eight of the victims were killed, and the remaining were released after the payment of ransom,” he said. “In 2017, the number of people killed was 35. In 2018, a crisis erupted in Kasuwan Magani market on October 10, 2018. That single incident claimed the lives of 286 identified locals that went to the market that day. “That was apart from those from outside the local government that were not identified. “The following day, 19/10/2018, the late Agom Adara, HRH (Dr.) Maiwada Raphael Galadima, was ambushed, abducted, and later murdered. “In 2019, we lost 196 members to armed bandits in an attack on churches in six communities. “We have suffered and still suffering both the kidnapping and killing of our people. From January to November, 807 people were abducted by bandits.” Speaking further, Maigada said the church had decided to hold a sober reflection service on December 10. “It is in view of all these devastations that we as a church and people have endured, that we have decided to hold a sober reflection service on 10th December, 2022 in Kasuwan Magani and bring in people within and outside Kaduna that would help us to rebuild our homes, churches and communities,” he said.

  Hundreds of journalists and other employees at The New York Times have begun a strike over the demand for better salaries and improved health insurance funding. In a statement on Wednesday, The NewsGuild of New York, a union of media workers, said the action followed the company’s refusal to reach a contract agreed with the workers. Over 400 New York Times tech members have also sent a petition to management announcing their intent to walk out for one hour because of “similar struggles that they’ve faced at the bargaining table”. “Today’s bargaining was a planned session; the company has otherwise refused to enter into additional marathon bargaining, which the members requested in their letter to CEO Meredith Kopit Levien and Publisher A.G. Sulzberger as a way to reach a decision on a contract before their planned one-day walkout on Thursday, December 8,” the statement reads. “The major sticking points continue to be around economics, especially wages, a $65,000 salary floor proposed by the Guild, and funding employees’ health insurance sustainably. “The company has frequently misrepresented its own proposals to the public and the press, especially by claiming ‘increases’ in compensation that are really unspoken hypotheticals neither side recognizes as possible outcomes of bargaining. “All workers who signed the walkout pledge are anticipated to participate in the one-day work stoppage, with some major desks losing 90% of their workforce that day, and other departments being essentially empty of Guild employees.” Susan DeCarava, president, NewsGuild of New York, said the strike, which is the first in 40 years, is to ensure that the company rewards those behind its success. “The New York Times, which has not seen a work stoppage of this scale since the ’70s, is on notice. Our members understand the value of their labor, and it’s time for Times management to demonstrate the same,” DeCarava said. “Guild members at The New York Times are determined to ensure that, through collective action, the company lives up to its mission when it comes to all the workers responsible for its meteoric success during the past several years.” Speaking on the matter in a statement, workers at the New York Times described the decision as a difficult one and asked readers to boycott the paper for a day in solidarity. “This is not a decision we take lightly. We know you count on us for vital news and information,” the statement reads. “Our fight to ensure a living wage for the most vulnerable of us and fair pay for everyone, for evaluations free of racial bias and to protect our health care is really about the future of journalism at The New York Times. “Without these protections and benefits, our journalism suffers and our newsroom will fall behind those of our competitors. “So today we are asking that you take a further step to support us: For 24 hours beginning at midnight. E.S.T. Thursday and continuing through 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. Thursday.” “We are committed to winning the union contract we all deserve – one that truly values our work – and appreciate your support in that fight. “Everyone benefits when workers get a fair deal, and that’s what we’re fighting for.”

  The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Thursday briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on the new Naira in Daura and announced that there is no going back on the issuance of the new bank notes, as part of the CBN cashless policy. Legislators in the National Assembly have expressed some concerns about the policy but the CBN boss said that it was in the interest of the Nigerian economy and should be supported by well-meaning members of the Nigerian public. According to Mr. Emefiele, the Nigerian payment system has been deepened enough for the cashless policy, announced about 10 years ago. He told journalists in an interview after the visit, “I am visiting the President to brief him as part of the normal briefing that we do. “I have come to brief the President on what is happening at the Central Bank and the economy in general. Issues bordering on the new currency. Mr. President is happy with us and told us to carry on with our work, no need to fear, no need to worry about anybody. “Only yesterday, the new currency reached the banks and we expect the banks to begin to distribute it to members of the Public who are their customers.” Asked if the CBN would change the policy given the concerns expressed by the federal legislators, Mr. Emefiele said, “I am aware that they have asked for some briefings and we will brief them. “But it is important for me to say that the policy started in 2012 but we had to step down the policy three or four times because we felt that there was need for us and to deepen our payment system in Nigeria. “Between 2012 and now, we believe that a lot of the electronic channels have been put in place to help people in conducting banking business in Nigeria. “In rural areas , we have 1. 4 million Super Agents in all LGs. We will publish the names of all these Super Agents on CBN website. “We need to lip frog the cashless policy. We will not allow the situation where over 85 percent of the cash that is in circulation is outside the banking system. “More and more countries, have gone into cashless . This is not targeted at anybody. It is just for the good of the Nigerian economy, and we can only appeal to Nigerians to see this policy the way we have presented it. “We will be reviewing it from time to time. We are not going to be rigid. But that is not to say that we will reverse. We are not going to change the timing. “if it is to review the amount to be a little bit higher or a little bit lower, we are going to do so because we do not want to make life difficult for our people. “So there is no need for anybody to worry. CBN is monitoring what is happening and I can assure you that we will do what is right for Nigeria and for Nigerians. “CBN and bank have taken about a trillion. Moved more people from other departments to Currency Processing, so that they can process this cash as quickly as possible so that banks can now move what they have with them Department to the CBN.”

  THE Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed told the Senate yesterday that criteria currently being used for disbursement of N500billion Development Fund across the six geo – political zones would be reviewed for evenness and to avoid disparity. Ahmed spoke yesterday in Abuja when she appeared before the Senator Sani Musa, APC, Niger East led Senate Ad- hoc Committee that is probing into the alleged un-even disbursement of the N500bn Federal Government loans already given out to Micro Small and Medium Enterprise ( MSMEs in the six geo-political regions by Development Bank of Nigeria.(DBN). The Minister who pledged to meet with the development banks management and their regulators, the Central Bank of Nigeria, to carry out the review of the criteria for loans disbursement, however, cautioned that such review would not be too flexible to ensure the sustainability of the development banks. The Minister said, “I have been given copies of reports already submitted to the committee by the development bank and promised to look into the criteria of accessing funds from the development banks with a view to making adjustments where possible.” “The criteria to access funds from the development banks are set by the supersing ministry. The last one was targeted at the technology sustainability plan. “The Development Bank of Nigeria was set up to enhance the development of the MSMEs across the country but it doesn’t lend directly to the beneficiary businesses. Instead it lend to them through microfinance banks. The MFBs also provide criteria for the lendee and do credit analysis. They send their reports to the DBN which would collate the report and approve for disbursement. “The criteria set by the DBN was reviewed by the regulator and approved by CBN. The Bank of Industry was set up to also stay healthy as a bank. It has done very well in terms of loans repayment. it is the only financial development institution that is giving dividends to the Federal Government. “Whatever we lend to them is not enough to make them carry out their objective. We will provide to the Committee, the criteria for disbursing loans, the schedule of shareholding of the federal government in each of the development banks and the list of other shareholders. We will also provide how much intervention we had had put in to the banks as a government over a period of time.” Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sani Musa who noted that the Federal Government supported the development banks so that they would not be using the same considerations that commercial banks are using, said, “We want to know the conditionalities that are making it very difficult for the MSMEs to access funds from the development banks, there is the need to look at it critically. “We want to know the criteria being used by the development banks to disbusrse funds because we know that the standards were set by the Central Bank of Nigeria. “The criteria should be such that the weak MSMEs would be able to access it. The Bank of Industry for instance, was set up to industrialize Nigeria. It means every part of the country must be considered. “The Nigerian economy is being run by the MSMEs because we have about 39 million of them across the country. We need to ensure their survival.” Also, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, APC, Jigawa South East said, “There is the need for us to know the criteria used in the disbursement of the loans. We need to know the core objective of establishing the BoI. Is it for it to generate profit alone? It is a development bank not necessarily means that it had to generate income. Income generation could be a secondary objective, it shouldn’t be the primary purpose. What is important is that we should have the criteria. The bulk of the money is from the Federal Government it has to be spread across the country. It is meant to intervene and provide support for the micro enterprises. Only 16 per cent of the funds to manufacturing and six per cent to agriculture. It is meant to breach the gap between a state that is above the poverty line and those that a wallowing in poverty”. On his part, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, APC, Taraba Central said, “If the loans being disbursed by development banks were guaranteed by the Federal Government, they are sovereign loans which must be guided by the principles of even distribution. The DBN said the PFIs which are primarily commercial banks and micro finance banks use their own criteria to give out loans not by geographical consideration. The PFIs and Commercial banks are basically for profit and not for development.” The Senate had following a motion by Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South set up the adhoc panel chaired by Senator Sani Musa to investigate the matter. Ndume had claimed that the South-West geopolitical zone in the country, especially Lagos State, had the largest number of the laons beneficiaries. The chief executive officers of the affected banks like the Development Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry among others had told the panel that they adhered strictly to the criteria set up by their regulators and not geopolitical considerations in giving out loans which made the committee to summon the Minister of Finance.

  Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday, said that the recently-introduced policy on cash withdrawal limit was not meant to hurt anybody but to strengthen the nation’s economy. The CBN governor, who stated this while speaking with State House correspondents after meeting behind closed-doors with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State, assured that the apex bank will not be rigid on the policy following criticism from the Senate, business experts and some stakeholders. Recall that the CBN had, on Tuesday, unveiled a revised cash withdrawal limit with a maximum of N100,000 cash withdrawal per week for individuals and N500,000 cash per week for corporate bodies. But the Senate faulted the bank on the grounds of timing, arguing that it might worsen the tight economic environment. Besides, stakeholders have expressed worry about the possibility of implementing hitch-free cash withdrawal limits in communities with ‘blind spots or poor network connectivity.’ However, the CBN governor explained that more and more countries that are embracing digitisation have gone into cashless and that this policy not targeted at anybody. Emefiele, who said he visited Daura to greet Mr. President and to brief him about what is happening in Central Bank and the economy, revealed that President Buhari was very happy “and said we should carry on our work, no need to fear, no need to bother about anybody.” He said that the new policy of the apex bank is for the good and development of the Nigerian economy, adding “we can only continue to appeal to Nigerians to please see this policy the way we have presented it.” Responding to the objection of the Senate, he said, “Well, the Senate of the Federal Republic is the National Assembly. “They are legislative arm of the government and from time to time we brief them about what is happening and about our policies and I’m aware that they have asked for some briefings and we will brief them. “But I think it’s important for me to say that the cashless policy started in 2012. “But almost three to four occasions we had to step down the policy because we felt that there is a need for us to prepare ourselves and deepen our payment system infrastructure in Nigeria. “Between 2012 and now 2022, almost about 10 years, we believe that a lot of electronic channels have been put in place that will aid people in conducting banking and financial service transactions in Nigeria. “We heard about people talk about some of the people in the rural areas and the truth is that even online banking; as I was coming out to Daura, I saw a kiosk that has super agent today. “It’s because of the way we felt that there was a need for us to deepen the payment system infrastructure. “We have 1.4 million super agents that are all over different parts of the country, all local governments, and all villages in this country. “And I have told my colleagues, some of their names are already on the CBN website and we will publish all the names of all the super agents. “And having super agent which is different from the banks which is different from microfinance banks, which is different from other financial institutions. “Having 1.4 million of them is as good as having 1.4 million banking points where people can conduct services. “We think, Nigeria as a big country, the biggest economy in Africa that we need to leapfrog into the cashless economy. “We cannot continue to allow a situation where over 85 per cent of the cash that is in circulation is outside the bank. More and more countries that are embracing digitisation have gone into cashless.” “We will be reviewing from time to time how this is working because I cannot say that we are going to be rigid. “But it is not to say that we will reverse, it is not to say that we will change the timing, but whether it is about tricking some amount to be a little bit higher or a little bit lower, and all the rest of them. “We will do so because we are humans, we want to make sure that we are make life good for our people. “We do not want to make life difficult for them. So there is no need for anybody to worry, the central bank is monitoring what is happening and I can assure everyone that we are up and alive to our responsibilities and we will do what is right for Nigeria and Nigerians. “We do not want to make life difficult for them. So there is no need for anybody to worry, the central bank is monitoring what is happening and I can assure everyone that we are up and alive to our responsibilities and we will do what is right for Nigeria and Nigerians.” “I can only just assured you that it will go round, let us just be calm, luckily the old currency continued to be legal tender till January 31, 2023. “So, I want to crack a joke, both the painted (new notes) and unpainted (old notes) will operate concurrently as a legal tender. “But by January 31, the unpainted one will not be useful you again, so please take it to your bank as quickly as possible,” he added.

  The Department of State Services has given Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and other stakeholders in the downstream sector 48 hours to end the lingering fuel scarcity across the country. Addressing journalists at the DSS headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said they held a closed door meeting with stakeholders who agreed to end the scarcity. He said all DSS commands had been placed on red alert and would commence operations to bring defaulters to book. Afunanya said the service summoned the meeting and subsequently issued the ultimatum based on its mandate of detecting and preventing threats against the internal security of the country. He said, “Today we held a meeting with NNPLC and other stakeholders in the down steam sector which include: the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, depot operators among others. “We were clear and told them enough is enough on the lingering fuel scarcity. We told them they should resolve the hurdles right away. Nigerians have rights to have access to petroleum products. We told them we would not continue to tolerate the scarcity. “You might be wondering what our business is on this issue. Don’t forget the Constitution charged us with the mandate of detecting and preventing any threat against our internal security. “We are also empowered to investigate economic sabotage of concern to national security. “The major takeaway from our deliberation is that there is sufficient fuel that would last us throughout the yultide and beyond in the country despite all other issues raised. “The NNPCL said there are 1.9 billion barrels of petroleum in stock and all the stakeholders agreed to that. “Among the resolution reached at the end of the meeting is that the marketers will be operating for 24 hours on daily basis. “Also, tanker operators assured that all hands will be on deck to ensure the lifting of the products. “Similarly, the NNPCL agreed to sell at ex-depot price. It also agreed to decentralise distributions to impact positively on marketers. “On our part, we agreed to provide security for seamless distribution of the products across the country. Distribution must improve and all challenges must be eliminated in the next 48 hours after which as a matter of urgency we will carry out operations across the country not minding whose ox is gored. “We sounded a clear note of warning to marketers and other persons involved in the process that it won’t be business as usual and that whatever needs to be done must be done. “Our commands have been placed on red alert and they would procure information on any obstructive tendency by any organisation against the agreed terms.” He, however, assured Nigerians that with the step taken, there won’t be acute scarcity during the yuletide season. Afunanya also warned individuals or groups planning to indulge in criminal activities as a result of the scarcity to desist from such, adding that the service would not condone it.