PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of the former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Director, Human Resources, Edward Adamu, for the position of Deputy Governor of the nation’s apex bank. According to the letter, read on Tuesday during plenary by the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, the nomination of Adamu is for the second and last time in office. President Buhari has also written the Senate, asking for the screening and confirmation of the CBN Deputy Governor, Mrs Aisha Ndanusa Ahmad for the second and last time in that position. communication was in line with the provisions of Section 8(1) (2) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (Establishment) Act 2007. Also, President Buhari has written the Senate, seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of Ambassador Ayuba Ngbako from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as member of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC. President Buhari has also forwarded the 2023 Statutory budget proposals of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the Senate for consideration and approval. Buhari, according to the President of the Senate, sent the proposal pursuant to section 121 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, the Federal Capital Territory 2023 Statutory budget proposal for the kind consideration of the Senate.

  Indonesia’s parliament has approved a new law that prohibits anyone in the country from having extramarital sex. According to the new law, which takes effect in three years, sex outside marriage will carry a jail term of up to a year. The new law also restricts political freedoms, a development that comes after a rise in religious conservatism in the Muslim-majority country. Meanwhile, critics described the laws as a “disaster” for human rights, and a potential blow to tourism and investment. Several groups of mainly young people protested against the legislation outside parliament in Jakarta this week. The new laws, it is expected, will be challenged in court. The laws apply equally to locals and to foreigners living in Indonesia, or visiting holiday destinations such as Bali. Under the laws, unmarried couples caught having sex can be jailed for up to a year. They are also banned from living together – an act for which people could be jailed for up to six months. Adultery will also be an offence for which people can be jailed. Ajeng, a 28-year-old Muslim woman living in the West Java city of Depok, told BBC that she was now at risk for living with her partner for the past five years. “With the new law, both of us can go to jail if one of the family decides to make a police report. “What if there’s one family member who has a problem with me and decides to send me to jail? “I think living together or having sex outside of marriage is not a crime. In my religion, it’s considered a sin. But I don’t think the criminal code should be based on a certain religion.” She said she had joined the nationwide protests in 2019 when the law had first been broached. She took the sign: “For the right to cuddle, I took to the streets.”

  The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has ordered its members and residents of the South-East region to ignore the 5-day sit-at-home exercise called by Nnamdi Kanu’s self-acclaimed disciple, Simon Ekpa. IPOB said it did not issue any sit-at-home while reacting to Ekpa’s earlier directive that people should boycott social and commercial activities from 9 to 14 of December. According to the Finland-based IPOB member, the sit-at-home would serve as a protest in Igbo land against the forthcoming general elections next year. Buhari urges Nigerian Army to remain apolitical Reacting to the call, a statement by IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Tuesday, said, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu wish to state unequivocally to the people of Biafra, friends of Biafra, and lovers of Biafra freedom that IPOB leadership did not issue any sit-at-home order on 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th or 14th of December 2022. “IPOB never issued any sit-at-home order on these days mentioned above because we are not miscreants, senseless, or jobless people. “Every Biafran and residents in Biafra Land should ignore such order from untrained and brainless individuals whose agenda is to make Biafra agitation unattractive to our people. Every Biafran must go to their normal business on those days.” The statement further read, “IPOB who is concerned about our people cannot issue such brainless uncaring 5-day consecutive sit-at-home order to suffer our people during this critical time of the year when people are trying to make up in their businesses for the year. “Their agenda is to create insecurity and unnecessary hardships to make our people jettison Biafra’s freedom. How wicked!” IPOB also urged people that are interested in getting Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to do so as it is their right, reiterating its position that the group is not interested in elections. “Again, everyone has his or her right to go and collect his or her PVC from their polling and registration centres without molestations. IPOB never boycott elections and has nothing to do with Nigerian elections. “Our people should be prepared and ready to confront any fool who dares to enforce such wicked sit-at-home. Moreso, ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers will be out on these dates to protect our people and the markets.”

  A police officer, two Ebubeagu operatives, and a hoodlum were reportedly killed on Monday night during a fierce gun battle in the State. The victims met their Waterloo when the Police clashed with unknown gunmen at the Presco campus area of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Vanguard gathered that following the gun battle, passersby and residents of the Abakaliki metropolis were seen scampering for safety. According to sources, the incident occurred around 8 p.m., when the unknown gunmen attacked police officers on their duty post in the Area. The exchange of gunfire between members of Ebubeagu Security outfit, the Police, and the unknown gunmen resulted in several casualties. A resident of Abakaliki metropolis (names withheld) added that: “Nawaooooo the shooting last night was not small even inside the house, we took cover. I heard they killed one of the gunmen making it four persons that were killed. “The police officer who is from Akwa Ibom state is married to an Eddah woman with 5 kids. My neighbour just came back from their place, now at Police headquarters. The oldest of the children is just 10 years old. “Police just confirmed that a police officer and one of the gunmen were killed but didn’t disclose that of Ebubeagu. Contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Chris Anyanwu confirmed the incident. Anyanwu said one policeman and an unknown gunman were shot dead during the clash between the Police and the unknown gunmen. In a telephone chat, the State Commander of Ebubeagu Security outfit, Mr. Nnana Friday disclosed that no Ebubeagu operative was involved in the incident. “No Ebubeagu operative is not involved. It’s IPOB, not Ebubeagu.” Recall that penultimate week, two Ebubeagu Security operatives were reportedly killed by unknown gunmen in the State. Ends

  The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has cautioned Simon Ekpa, the self-acclaimed disciple of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, over his recent directive that residents of the South-East should observe a 5-day sit-at-home from December 9. In the same vein, the group chided the President of Ohanaeze Youth Council over his recent call that Igbo youths should carry arms in self-defence. Ohanaeze while cautioning the duo and other elements of such said the statements are “inflammatory, subversive and incendiary broadcasts” from the people it labelled “latter-day Biafran warriors. According to the statement titled, ‘Simon Ekpa: Hero or villain?’ signed by Ohanaeze spokesperson, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, on Tuesday, the divisive statements could “constitute monumental problems for the Igbo in relation to the larger Nigeria.” While the highest Igbo group reiterated that the agitation for Biafra was the answer to injustice and alienation meted out towards the Southeast, it said the hostile statements from Igbo youths were not the solution. The statement partly read, “The attention of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a video broadcast circulating in the social media by one Mr Simon Ekpa directing the people of the South East of Nigeria that “in preparation to stop election from taking place in Biafra-Land, there should be a chain of “sit at home on Friday December 9; Saturday December 10; Sunday, December 11; Monday December 12; and Wednesday December 14, 2022”. The instruction added that “Tuesday December 13, 2022 is set aside for market and all these are in preparation for the exit of Biafra from Nigeria”. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo laments the unruly behaviour among the Igbo youths. In their utopia, they think they are making both name and cheap money, while in the true sense, they are digging abysmal pits for themselves. “Last week, a young boy that claims to be the President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) directed ‘the Igbo youths to arm themselves.’ Our major concern is that all these unguarded, inflammatory, subversive and incendiary broadcasts by these latter-day Biafran warriors in their delusions, constitute monumental problems for the Igbo in relation to the larger Nigeria. “Ohanaeze wonders how somebody that proclaims himself a leader will neither seek the opinion nor weigh the aspirations and political barometer of his people before going gaga. “For purpose of clarification, Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the then Military Governor of the Eastern Region made several consultations and finally summoned a meeting of almost all the important dignitaries in the Eastern Region, comprising the present Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi States and the Anioma in Delta State.” It further said, “There is no gainsaying that the concept of Biafra was a response to a question for the Eastern Nigeria ‘to be and not to be?’ and that the spirit of Biafra has been sustained by a prevalence of orchestrated injustice, alienation and marginalisation more specifically of the South East from the centres of power. “The foregoing remarks are to justify the incessant agitations by the Igbo youths, however, it is as ridiculous as it is inconceivable that at a time the Nigerian youths and several elder statesmen such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief E K Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr Bitrus Borgu among others have lent their unalloyed support to equity, justice, competence and track record of accomplishments, in supporting the most viable candidate for the presidency for the 2023 general election, in the name of Mr Peter Obi, some persons in foreign countries who are not properly schooled in the political history of Nigeria will go on air and begin to broadcast Biafra, thereby creating an absurd Sisyphean circus for the Igbo.” Ohanaeze also urged eminent Nigerians of Igbo extraction to call Ekpa to order, as it said the sit-at-home exercise has not in any way been of an economic advantage to the region. “The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Prof. George Obiozor and indeed all the well-meaning sons and daughters of Igbo land, with all sense of responsibility, hereby call on the Regent of Umueziaka community, the home of Mr Simon Ekpa; the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government, Hon Ikechukwu Odono; Member representing Ohaukwu South in the State Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Onah; Member for Ohaukwu and Ebonyi Federal Constituency, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku; the Senator for Ebonyi North, Sen. Dr Sam Ominyi Egwu and the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi to rein in Mr Simon Ekpa and compel him to desist from his unreflective youthful exuberance. They should remind Ekpa that the world has never recorded a freedom fighter that faces the barrel of the gun inwards. “Elementary logic questions the rationale for a young man to wake up and begin to suffocate the very people he claims to protect. When the Igbo are undergoing excruciating hardship arising from orchestrated injustice, a young man or rather a self-styled hero will be busy crippling the Igbo economy thereby adding salt to injury,” Ohanaeze added. Meanwhile, IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, has said it has no hand in the sit-at-home and called its members and Igbo people in the South-East to go about their business without fear of molestation.

  Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, has vowed to unleash violence on Nigerians who will not vote for the All Progressive Congress (APC). Mr Doguwa was seen issuing the threat in a trending video clip on social media, vowing to ensure electorates who refuse to vote for the ruling party are violently dealt with. “On the election day, it’s either you vote for APC or you are dealt with,” the lawmaker representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada federal constituency of Kano State said using local language while campaigning. His comments comes weeks after the state chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Abbas, vowed to ensure his party wins “by hook or crook.” “People are saying that I should stop saying the APC will capture Kano by hook or crook. I want to tell this gathering that the APC will capture Kano by hook or crook,” Mr Abbas said. Kano ranks among states with the highest number of registered voters. According to the voter register released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in October, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna and Rivers States have the highest voters. Lagos has 7,075,192 registered voters, followed by Kano with 5,927,565 registered voters, and Kaduna with 4,345,469 registered voters, then Rivers at 3,532,990