Crime Facts

Buhari to extend validity of old naira notes till April 10

  President Muhammadu Buhari is considering extending the validity of old naira notes by 60 days, TheCable understands. This is to avoid disobeying the order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria which ruled that the old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes remain valid until it delivers judgment in the case filed by some states against the federal government. The CBN had insisted that the deadline of February 10 would not be changed but a senior government official told TheCable that Buhari was worried about the hardship faced by Nigerians as well as the legal implications of disobeying the order of the constitutional court. The official told TheCable that this was the focus of a meeting between presidency officials and the leadership of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) as well as the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) until the early hours of Wednesday. The governors were then expected to withdraw their case at the apex court. “The resolution was to give room for President Buhari to make concession on the monetary policy and make the following announcements public,” the official said. “One, that the old naira notes of N200 be allowed free movement in and out of the banks for the next 60 days. “Two, that all three notes will be legal tender during this period, but that any old N500 or N1,000 that goes into a bank will not be sent back into circulation.” The official said that while others were “on the same page with the president”, Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state, insisted on total cancellation of the policy. Buhari, who had earlier delayed attending the federal executive council (FEC) meeting by 40 minutes to monitor the development at the Supreme Court, was disappointed that the governors reneged on their promise to withdraw the case. He had, after the meeting on Wednesday, met with Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor, and Modibbo Tukur, the director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), on the need to allow all old notes circulate in the system to ease hardship on ordinary Nigerians. “The president will not disobey the court. But he is also concerned about the suffering of Nigerians and wants the to find lasting solution to it,” the official further explained to TheCable. “It is clear that some militancy is being propagated against the people by the elite who have the means to secure the new notes no matter what while the people continue to suffer. “The president will continue to engage and see the way out of the logjam.” Editor’s note: A slight correction has been done to the story to reflect that only old N200 notes will be allowed to go in and out of the banking system till April 10. Old N1,000 and N500 notes will not be dispensed by banks under the imminent concession.

Reject Old Naira, Face Prosecution, Sanwo-Olu Warns

  Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned those rejecting old naira notes to desist or face prosecution.   He said the rejection of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes is contrary to the position of the Supreme Court. The governor made this known in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso on Wednesday. Sanwo-Olu’s warning comes after the Supreme Court adjourned the case on the naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) till February 22 for hearing of the consolidated suits by 10 states. The statement read in part, “When the matter first came up on February 8, the apex court said the old notes remained legal tender. “That position has not changed. The State Government hereby warns those rejecting the old notes to desist from doing so or face prosecution. It is against the law to reject the old notes as doing so is contrary to the position of the Supreme Court.”

Presidential Election: Peter Obi Maintains Lead In Third Anap Poll

  Obi, Tinubu, Atiku and Kwankwaso Ahead of the February 25 presidential election, the flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has maintained a lead in a third and final nationwide opinion poll commissioned by Anap Foundation and conducted by NOI Polls Limited (NOIPolls). The result of the fresh poll was released on Wednesday by the President and Founder of Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside. The third poll which was concluded in the first half of February 2023 followed two earlier polls carried in September and December 2022. “For the avoidance of doubt, it is pertinent to mention that the methodology used by NOI polls is almost the exact same methodology that was used in previous presidential polls that they handled for us in 2011, 2015 and 2019,” Anap said in a statement. “In all those past presidential polls, the front-runner that was identified by our polls ended up winning the elections, irrespective of a rather large percentage of voters who were undecided and/or refused to indicate who their preferred candidate was. “We have also applied the exact same methodology in our various governorship polls carried out in 2011, 2014, 2015, 2019 and 2022 and the methodology generally held up well.”   Anap said its third and final poll result in February 2023 showed that Obi of the Labour Party remains in the lead, with Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) both trailing him while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) emerged as the “lone outsider”.   Poll Question: Suppose the presidential election is being conducted today, who are you likely to vote for? Total (%) Distribution across Geo-Political Zones Poll Ranking North Central North East North West South East South South South West Peter Obi (LP) 21% 24% 6% 8% 53% 38% 14% 1st Bola Tinubu (APC) 13% 16% 16% 20% 1% 3% 15% 2nd Atiku Abubakar (PDP) 10% 4% 17% 20% 3% 5% 3% 3rd Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP) 3% 1% 4% 8% 0% 1% 0% 4th Undecided 23% 20% 28% 26% 7% 19% 30% Refused 30% 35% 29% 18% 36% 34% 38% Total 100% Source: NOIPolls – February2023 “Obi leads with 21% of registered voters proposing to vote for him if the presidential election were to be conducted today; and 13% proposing to vote for Tinubu who fell in second place. Atiku was third with 10% and Kwankwaso was a distant fourth with 3% of voters proposing to vote for him.   “Given the large pool of undecided voters and/or those who refused to disclose their preferred choice, Mr. Peter Obi’s 8%-point lead at this stage is significant, but not sufficient to separate him from a leading pack of candidates scoring 13%, 10% and 3%. “Undecided voters and those who prefer not to reveal their preferred candidate add up to a whopping 23% and 30% respectively. The gender split of undecided voters shows that 27% of women are undecided versus 18% of male registered voters,” Anap said.

‘I will be president’, Tinubu boasts in Rivers

  The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, said on Wednesday that he will be the next president of Nigeria while soliciting the votes of the people of Rivers State. This is as Tinubu said he was not just looking for power, but that he wants power to be able to change the living conditions of citizens and make Nigeria a prosperous nation. Tinubu stated this at the APC presidential rally held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital on Wednesday. Tinubu, who arrived the venue at about 4pm for an event slated for 10am, was accompanied by the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, National Vice Chairman of the party, South-South, Chief Victor Giadom, Rivers State governorship candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole, among others. Although, former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi was conspicuously missing at the event, his loyalist, including the APC Chairman in the state, Emeka Beke and others were in attendamce. While apologising to the party faithful and crowd of supporters, Tinubu said it was neither his intention nor the fault of theirs for coming far behind schedule, saying, “This politics in political.” He further said, “Here we are again in Nigeria and in Rivers State. It is not fish that we are looking for, it is not crayfish because it is also in Lagos. “What we are looking for is authority to change lives for prosperity. Power and mandate to give you the best of lives to take care of your inheritance. “To make sure that all of you, particularly the youths, that you are empowered to have the best skills in the world that can we can manufacture and export to other countries. “Things we can produce to make Nigeria proud and be a nation of prosperity, joy and happiness beyond one day.” ticularly the youths, that you are empowered to have the best skills in the world that can we can manufacture and export to other countries. “Things we can produce to make Nigeria proud and be a nation of prosperity, joy and happiness beyond one day.” He however said the desired and envisaged ‘prosperity’ in Nigeria would be elusive without a peaceful environment and factories, including functional sea ports to create employment. “Without our own factory, without better utilisation of our ports, without peace and stability, we cannot achieve those aims and dreams. We want you to take your lives seriously beyond politics,” Tinubu said. While responding to the cheering crowd, Tinubu expressed happiness at the warm reception and ovation, saying, “You want the President? I will be (president) by the grace of God, become your president by the power of votes. Make sure you have your PVC. Make sure your votes and your ballot is ready. “I know already that you are looking for president. You will vote for me as your president. God will bless you. I pray one day you will be president too, let’s work together, let’s build the nation, a nation of joy, a nation of unity. “A nation that is hard working; that is working together, not killing one another. Today I am here. I don’t want to leave you in doubt. I am running for President. When you make me the president I will love you more.” Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu, said, “When you make promises, it is in the Bible, it is a burden. Promises must be kept. No excuses whatsoever. “The leadership of the PDP and preponderance of leaders in this part of the country wanted to have a southern president. “There are governors, there are ministers. You concluded you wanted President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor to be a Southerner. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is he a Southerner? Did the PDP keep its promise? We (APC) are honourable people. We honour our words.” Adamu added, “We have a full-blooded Southerner as our candidate and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is very much ready to succeed Buhari. So what the PDP fails to do and to give the South, we have given to the South. It is left for you now to keep your own side of the bargain. You need to vote for APC,” he said, even as he urged the people of the state to be ready with their Permanent Voter Cards.

Niger gov candidate issues death threat to supporters in viral video

  The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Niger State, Isah Liman Kantigi, has issued a death threat to prospective voters who have the intention to collect his money without voting for him in the general election. Kantigi made the threat while addressing his supporters in a viral video. Kantigi was a former Chairman of Edati Local Government Area and the ex-Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to former Governor, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu. The PDP candidate was recently in the news after he donated two electricity transformers to Dangana and Duma communities in Lapai. In November, his growing popularity in Niger State was tested after his candidacy was challenged by an aggrieved party member, Sani Idris Kutigi. He was, however, affirmed by a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, as the valid governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 governorship elections in Niger. Justice Zainab Abubakar, in a judgement, dismissed the suit brought by the plaintiff for lacking in merit. In the 25 seconds viral video trending on social media, the Niger PDP governorship candidate, who was dressed in a white long dress and a cap to match, was captured telling his supporters in English and Hausa languages that dire consequences await anyone who betray him at the poll. While describing himself as a generous man who looks out for others, Kantigi warned that those who collect his money without reciprocating with votes will be plagued with nightmares, and cold and would eventually die. He threatened, “If I give you and you spend it, from today, you will be receiving some kind of dream. After receiving the dreams, the next thing is that you will start feeling cold and after that, you will lose your life.”

New naira: FG, CBN will act after Supreme Court ruling – Presidency

  The Presidency has said that neither the Federal Government nor the Central Bank of Nigeria had taken a stand on the continued use of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes as legal tenders seeing that the case is still pending before the Supreme Court, which will hear it today (Wednesday). The Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the FG would make its position on the new naira policy known after the determination of the suit on Wednesday. In a response to our correspondent on Tuesday, he said “Following series of enquiries, we wish to state that it is not true that the FG or the CBN has taken a pre-emptive action on the legality of currency as a legal tender in view of the pendency of the case before the Supreme Court. “We wish to state that it is not true that the Federal Government or the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN have taken a preemptive action on the legality of currency as a legal tender in view of the pendency of the case before the Supreme Court. “The position of the government and the CBN will be made known upon the determination of the suit coming up tomorrow.” This comes about one week after the Supreme Court, in a ruling on February 8, suspended the CBN’s February 10 deadline to halt the use of old naira notes. The bank had ordered citizens to exchange old N200, N500 and N1,000, banknotes for a redesigned version of the same currencies. However, the Supreme Court, responding to an ex parte application filed by the governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara, stopped the CBN from effecting its ban on the old notes pending the hearing and determination of the case on Wednesday, February 15.

JAMB extends 2023 UTME registration by one week

  The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has extended its 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration by one week. The extension began from Wednesday, February 15, 2023. However, the sale of ePINs will end on February 20, 2023, while the UTME registration ends on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. “At the close of the sale of e-PINs on Tuesday, 14th February, 2023, 1,527,068 candidates had successfully registered for the 2023 UTME exercise inclusive of the 168,748, who indicated their interest to take the Mock-UTME,” the statement read. A total of 1,527,068 candidates had successfully registered for the 2023 UTME exercise.

CBN opens portal for deposit of old naira notes

  The Central Bank of Nigeira, CBN has opened a portal for Nigerians to to deposit the old Naira notes by filling up forms. This development comes after the adjournment of the case on the legality of the February 10, 2023 deadline for the Naira Swap to February 22 by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court adjourned the case till February 22, 2023, and ordered that the old Naira notes remain legal tender until it sits next week Wednesday. Meanwhile, the portal for depositing old Naira notes has opened up on the Central Bank’s official website. On the portal, which is on cbn.gov.ng, depositors are required to fill in their Bank Verification Number (BVN), phone number, email address, bank details, address, the amount to be deposited as well as the denominations to be deposited, after which a reference number is generated. A guideline on the deposit of the old N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes commenced on Wednesday afternoon and is expected to run till Friday, February 17. To deposit their old notes at the CBN branches, customers would be required to have a completed online application form, copy of valid means of identification, and a completed teller. Once the account is verified, the equivalent of the cash would then be deposited in the customer’s bank account. “The CBN Branches do not open accounts for individuals. As such, Individuals who wish to deposit their old, redesigned notes must have an active account with a Deposit Money Bank (Commercial Bank). “Individuals who wish to deposit their old, redesigned notes are required to be orderly and comply with the instructions of the security personnel and other staff when in the Bank’s premises. if validation turns out negative, the Bank will return the unvalidated old, redesigned notes in the form deposited,” the guideline reads.

Polls: Ebonyi govt to shutdown primary, secondary schools for 3 weeks

  Ebonyi State government, yesterday stated that all primary and secondary schools in the State would be shut for three weeks holiday beginning on February 22, to March 15th 2023, ahead of the 2023 general election. The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Barr. Uchenna Orji, who stated this while briefing Newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting, added that the decision was taken after considering the security and civic Rights of the students. Orji further disclosed that School’s Academic Calendar for the session had been extended by 3 weeks to make up for the lost academic period. He said:”Exco considered a memo presented by the Honourable Commissioner for Education requesting Exco to declare Public Holidays for the purpose of the forthcoming General Elections to enable the students and eligible voters to exercise their civic rights. Exco noted the reason behind the considerations sought, especially the security considerations and the sensitiveness of the 2023 General Elections. “Exco approved the request and directed that for the sake of the civic rights of the students and security considerations, all public and private primary and secondary schools shall observe Public Holidays effective 22nd February, 2023 from 4pm and resume by 8 am of 15th March, 2023 and that the school academic session be extended by 3 weeks to make up for the lost academic period.” The Information Commissioner further disclosed that the State Executive council received a young Ebonyian, Mr. Chidiebere Nwigboji from Ikwo Local Government Area and Student of Ebonyi State University Staff Secondary School, Abakaliki who was the 3rd overall best student in Nigeria at the 774 Young Nigerian Scientists Presidential Award (774 YONSPA 2022) . “It was noted that the award of Honour to this student was presented by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR* and it came with a scholarship up to PhD level. Ite was further noted that this singular performance of the student has made Ebonyi State the 3rd best State in School Science as pronounced by the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. “Exco made a cash donation of the sum of Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00) to the award recipient and approved that he be accorded the State Hall of Fame Honours,” Orji added. The Commissioner also announced the constitution of a peace committee over the Oso-Edda and Amasiri communal crisis to be chaired by Ezeogo Idam Onya and Chief Mike Okoro ad Co-chairman. “Exco considered a report on the immediate and remote causes of the renewed Amasiri /Oso Edda Communal crisis and resolved to set up a Peace Committee to find a lasting solution to the lingering communal conflict in Okporoja between Amasiri and Oso-Edda people”.

Insecurity in S/East: Nnamdi Kanu is in pains – Soludo

  ANAMBRA State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has said that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is in great pain as a result of insecurity in the South East geopolitical zone. Kanu is facing charges of a treasonable felony after he was brought back from Kenya. Speaking during the day of tribute for the late first Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, Soludo recalled that the late elder statesman made a strong call to President Muhammadu Buhari for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Describing that call as justified, the governor said: “Every criminal is claiming to be a freedom fighter in the South East and Kanu is in pain about what is happening in the region. “Mbazulike Amechi was from Ukpor and unfortunately many of the criminals operate from Ukpor and he believed that the release of Kanu would facilitate the end of the criminality which has become a big industry. “We want to separate the criminals from those agitating for one thing or the other. “When I visited Nnamdi Kanu in prison, I told him about how criminals posing as freedom fighters are kidnapping and killing people. He called it an abomination. “My goal in calling for Nnamdi Kanu’s release is to separate the chaff from the substance. When he is released, we will know who the true agitation fighters and criminals are. “This is why I’m pleading for his release and I am confident he will be released”.