The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, has denied his alleged involvement in the disbursement of grants from the United Nations. Malami, in a statement that was signed by his media aide, Dr. Umaru Gwandu, said his attention was drawn to a viral Social Media message on “the so-called disbursement of UN grants”. He described the circulating message as the handiwork of people bent on tarnishing his public image. Malami explained that though he is a member of the Executive Council of the Federal Government, his office, is not connected with a such an international program. “We have noticed that the aim of the message was crowd-sourcing to persuade the gullible public to perpetuate an attempt by agents of blackmail, merchant of acrimony and peddlers of falsehood and hatred to reincarnate for the umpteenth time their vituperation to bring the name of Abubakar Malami and the office of Honourable Attorney General of the Federation into disrepute. “We deem it pertinent to put the record straight. We want to make it unambiguously clear that neither in his individual capacity nor as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, CON, has any link with the so-called United Nations Grant. He does not have any inkling as to what they were referring to and could not have in any way stoop so low to hijack such a process which at any rate was not part of his constitutional mandate. “The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is not a meddlesome interloper. He is engrossed in discharging the befitting constitutionally recognised responsibility and statutory mandates accorded his Office. “If the grant is ‘given to Nigerians by the United Nations’ as claimed by the writer of the message, one wonders how could a member of the Executive Council of the Federal Government who is not in any way connected with such ‘international progra’ scuttle or serve as an encumbrance to what is supposed to be laid down internationally recognised processes and procedures. “We will appreciate if the names of the individuals and personalities mentioned in the write up including the alleged signatory could: Voice out personal testimonies as to who was the Malami they were referring to? “How did the so-called Malami and the Cabal reach out to them? “Expose the agents or vendors, if any, that were used to block their access to the so-called grant. “It is evident the ulterior motive of the writer of the message was to garner public support in a morbid attempt, groping to bring to ridicule Nigeria’s pristine image. “The demand that Nigeria is sanctioned is not only laughable but demonstrated the shallow mindset and intellectual superficiality of the writer who appears to be bereft of ideas and apparently ignorant of international processes and procedures of financial engagements between nations and financial institutions and organizations. “We call on the general public to disregard the statement and its content in entirety as it is characterised by evincing factually incorrect statements as to the knowledge of the operations, convention and procedures of a highly regarded international organisation. “The statement is replete with falsehood and vilification in an unsuccessful attempt to cast aspersions against the Attorney-General General of the Federation”, the statement further read.

  At least 40 people were killed Sunday and many others seriously injured in a bus crash in central Senegal, according to the country’s president. “I am deeply saddened by today’s tragic road accident in Gniby, where 40 people died and many were seriously injured. “I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” President Macky Sall said in a tweet The incident involved two buses that collided with one another, according to Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS), the country’s public broadcaster. The western African nation will observe three days of national mourning for the victims, starting on January 9, the president announced. The reason for the crash is as yet unknown. CNN has reached out to the Senegalese Transport Ministry for comment. Dakar will also call an inter-ministerial council on January 9 to discuss “firm measures” to ensure transport safety, according to Sall. CNN

  The leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, has debunked claims that he has endorsed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the presidency. El-Zakzaky made this disclaimer through one of his lawyers, Marshall Abubakar, ashe described the rumours as false and urged Nigerians to disregard them. Marshall said, “That is fake news. I can confirm to you that there is nothing of such, though some presidential candidates have reached out to him, he has refrained from endorsing any of them because he believes the 2023 presidential contest is bereft of ideological leaning.” However, El-Zakzaky noted that some presidential candidates approached him so that he can endorse them. The Muslim group leader called the public to ignore the viral reports and described them as falsehood. Recall that recently, there were viral online reports that El-Zakzaky called his IMN members to get the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and vote for Obi during the February 25 election.

  The Nigeria Railway Corporation on Sunday announced the closure of Ekehen Station in Edo State till further notice. The organisation said the decision became necessary following rising security challenges. The incident came barely one year after the March 28, 2022 attack by bandits on the Abuja-Kaduna train, resulting in the death of about 14 passengers while 65 others were abducted. One of the victims and 21-year-old student of Kaduna State University, Lois Azurfa John, told our correspondent why she declined marriage proposals by the Boko Haram commander while in the custody of the insurgents. A public announcement by the NRC posted on the passengers’ WhatsApp Group obtained by our correspondent said the closure was “till further notice.” The statement reads, “Public Announcement: This is to inform our general public and most especially our esteemed passengers, that Ekehen Station has been temporarily closed due to security issues, till further notice.” Another notice reads, “Due to the incident at Ekehen station on Saturday, WITS 01/ 02 will no longer stop at Ekehen Station. Please advise our customers.” The PUNCH reported that gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Saturday evening abducted many passengers waiting to board a train from the Igueben station in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State to Warri in Delta State, while many others sustained injuries. The Spokesperson for Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident in a statement. According to him, the abductors, armed with AK 47, invaded the train station and shot sporadically into the air before abducting scores of intending travellers into the bush. Nwabuzor said that many of the passengers sustained bullet wounds, assuring that operatives were on the trail of the abductors with an aim to rescue those the kidnappers herded into the bush. He said, “This is to inform the gentlemen of the press that on January 7, 2023, at about 1600hrs, an unspecified number of herdsmen armed with AK-47 riffles attacked the train station at Igueben, Edo State and kidnapped an unspecified number of passengers who were waiting to board the train to Warri. “The kidnappers who shot sporadically into the air before kidnapping some passengers left some persons with bullet wounds. The Area Commander Irrua, DPO Igueben Division, and men have visited the scene of the crime with members of the Edo State Security Network, local vigilantes, and hunters with a view to protecting the lives and property of the remaining passengers. “Bush combing operations have commenced in order to rescue the victims and arrest the fleeing kidnappers. Further developments will be communicated.”

  About 100 people of African descent surrounded a police squad in the Neb Sarai district of South Delhi, on Saturday, clashed with them and freed Nigerian nationals who had been detained for visa expiration by force anti-drug. The detainees were taken to the police station. A team from the narcotics unit had gone at 2:30 pm to Raju Park in Neb Sarai for deportation proceedings for overstaying foreign nationals and picked up three Nigerian citizens whose visas had expired. Meanwhile, a mob of over 100 people of African descent surrounded them and obstructed the police operation. Two of the three inmates managed to escape during the chaos, but police managed to catch one of them again, 22-year-old Philip. Later, a joint team from Neb Sarai Police Station and Narcotics Squad again went to Raju Park at 6:30 p.m. and arrested four Nigerians, including a woman. In retaliation, 150 to 200 people of African descent again surrounded the police team and tried to help the detainees escape, police said. The police managed to control the escalation of the situation and brought the offenders to Neb Sarai police station, where their deportation process is underway.

  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reverse the unlawful, unjust and unreasonable increase in electricity tariff, which reportedly occurred in December 2022. SERAP, therefore, asked Buhari to direct the Minister of Power, Goddy Jedy-Agba and the Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Professor James Momoh to reverse the tarrif with immediate effect. “You should ensure the investigation of the spending of public funds as investments and bailouts by successive governments to electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and generating companies (GenCos) since 2005, and prosecution of cases of corruption and mismanagement,” the organization urged. The request followed reported approval by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), electricity tariffs were increased across DisCos in the country in December 2022. Several prepaid customers have reportedly confirmed the increase. Both the Minister of Power and NERC have refused to confirm or deny the increase. In the letter released at the weekend by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The increase in electricity tariff would exacerbate the extreme poverty across the country, and undermine the ability of millions of Nigerians to satisfy basic human needs. SERAP said, “the increase in electricity tariff failed to follow due process. It is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended], the Electric Power Sector Reform Act and the country’s international human rights obligations. According to SERAP, “Millions of Nigerians continue to live in darkness despite the spending by successive governments of trillions of naira as investments and bailouts to electricity companies. The letter, read in part: “The increase is unjustified, especially given the unreliable, inefficient and poor quality of electricity in the country. Rather than providing electricity discounts to poor Nigerians, successive governments continue to give bailouts to electricity companies. “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest. “Your government should have used the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which shows damning revelations that some 133 million Nigerians are poor as a basis to improve access to regular electricity supply, and extend electricity to remote rural households. “The latest increase in electricity tariff is coming on the heels of the NBC report which shows that over half of the population of Nigeria are multidimensionally poor and cook with dung, wood or charcoal, rather than clean energy. High deprivations also apparent nationally in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing. “The hike in tariff would increase financial burdens for socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians and further marginalize and disproportionately affect them, and exacerbate their vulnerability to discrimination. “The failure of successive governments and high-ranking government officials to prevent widespread and systematic corruption in the electricity sector and to bring suspected perpetrators to justice is the primary cause of the exploitation of electricity consumers. “Investigating the spending of investments and bailouts by successive governments in DISCOS and prosecuting anyone suspected of corruption and mismanagement of public funds, and recovering any proceeds of crime would end a culture of impunity in the power sector, and improve access to and affordability of electricity in Nigeria. “Successive governments have failed to increase power generation and provide Nigerians with regular and uninterrupted electricity supply, with many electricity contracts shrouded in secrecy, and trillions of Naira going down the drain. “Your government also has legal obligations to ensure that socially and economically vulnerable Nigerians including the 133 million the NBC documents as poor enjoy non-discriminatory access to basic household services including electricity.”

  The bishop, Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki, Most Rev. Father. Peter Nworie Chukwu, has rejected an award offered to him by the Ebonyi State Government, saying he wants governor Umahi to facilitate speedy trial and termination of the murder and sundry charges against his priest and not recognition. The clergyman who is barely one year in office expressed surprise at his nomination for the award of Commander, Ebonyi Hall of Fame, CEHF, and advised governor Umahi to bestow the honour on his predecessor, Bishop Michael Okoro, who he said served long and meritoriously. This was contained in the bishop’s reply to Governor Umahi’s letter dated December 12, 2022, in which the governor personally conveyed to the bishop, the state government’s plan to confer on him the title of Commander, Ebonyi Hall of Fame for his illustrious service to Ebonyi State and humanity. In the reply, His Lordship acknowledged receipt of the letter but expressed surprise over his nomination for such an award and declined it. His words: “I am pleasantly surprised that I was selected for such an honour by your government”. Your Excellency, he continued: “I wish to respectfully decline this award. I am barely one year in office. I am still struggling to fit into the high demand of the ecclesiastic office of bishop. So, I feel that I have not achieved much to deserve an award. If I may suggest, I would rather wish that this award be bestowed on my predecessor, Most Rev. Michael Nnachi Okoro for his long and meritorious service to God and humanity. Rather than give me an award, I would prefer you set in motion, actions that would facilitate the termination of murder and sundry charges against my priest, Rev. Father Timoty Ngwuta”. Father Ngwuta, the priest of Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, Umuhali, who tried to intervene in the release of the car of his medical doctor friend parked at a Police Station in the state is standing trial for alleged murder, since December 2021 when he was arrested, detained, released after 12 days and re-arrested, a development that has continued to generate comments within and outside the country.

  The presidential candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged his supporters to work with them in destroying killer-structures over which the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, and its predecessor, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, brag. He also stressed the need for Nigerians to take back the country from sick, old and tired politicians with a sense of entitlement by voting for him and his running mate, Baba Datti-Ahmed in the February 2023 presidential election. He made the appeal at the presidential rally held at Freedom Park, Osogbo, yesterday. Obi said the parties that brag of structures can only point to killings, insecurity, intermittent strikes by university lecturers as major achievements. He said: “Nigerians are hungry, youths have no job, it is not safe to travel anywhere in Nigeria today. “All these challenges are caused by those who say they have party structure, but these structure have crippled Nigeria. “I want me and you to destroy these structures by voting them out next month. “We are going to secure and unite Nigeria, we want Nigerians to be proud of being a Nigerian. We will deliver a secured Nigeria. “We don’t want Nigerians to be in Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp. We don’t want you to be a slave in your own country. “We are going to govern this country with fear of God. We will give you jobs, we will change Nigeria from a consuming country to a producing one. “These people keep bragging that they have structures, yet they are not doing anything. They are not producing anything in this state, youths are unemployed, we will change these challenges.” While charging Nigerians not to vote based on religion or ethnic sentiments, he said that the country needs mentally and physically fits leaders to pull it out of the present quagmire. He also charged Nigerians to collect their money from those who stole them and vote them out of power.