Tuesday April 11 2023 Displaced from homes, herdsmen extend killings to Benue IDP camp Six arrested for stripping Ekiti lady, posting video online Interim government controversy shakes polity, deepens APC, opposition rift Experts kick as 40 presidential panels gulp N20bn Peak Milk apologises to CAN over ‘offensive’ Easter advert APC kicks as northern senators insist on Senate Presidency 2023 polls: Candidates from 10 parties file 436 petitions Insecurity: Buhari leaving Nigeria far better than he met it — Presidency Fake News: Not our duty to monitor social media content — NCC IPOB bemoans over S-Court delay in hearing Nnamdi Kanu’s appeal Motorcycle importation falls 42% to N212.64bn FIRS, Customs collect N12.7trn revenue in 2022 Rivers police probe officers assaulting man in viral video Otti to Aba traders: Don’t allow fraudsters use my name to extort you Appointment Of Service Chiefs Not Subject To Ethnic Balancing, Federal Character – Presidency UK Stops ‘Active Recruitment’ Of Health Workers From Nigeria, 53 Others We Can Only Fight On As United Nigerians, Says Obi Buhari to depart Abuja Tuesday for Saudi Arabia — his last visit to kingdom as president Edwin Clark: Lai spreading fake news about Obi — he should be prosecuted Falana asks Buhari to sign bill seeking to make education free, compulsory Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  nday, General Secretary of CAN, Barrister Joseph Daramola, asked the company to retract the advert, tender an apology to Christians or face legal action and boycott of their products. In the controversial advert, the company used the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a metaphor to promote their product. “We find this advert to be insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable. Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians all over the world, a day we commemorate the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for our sins. It is not a day to be used for crass commercial purposes,” Daramola said. He added that FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC’s action was disrespectful to the Christian faith and an affront to millions of Christians in Nigeria and beyond. He said, “We are deeply disappointed that a company of such repute would stoop so low to exploit the religious sentiments of its customers for profit. “We call on the company to issue an unreserved apology to the Christian community and withdraw the offensive advert immediately.” He recalled a similar incident in the past when Sterling Bank Plc used crucifixion imagery to promote its product, stating that it condemned it then and now. “We, therefore, urge all companies and organizations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products. We will not tolerate any attempt to trivialize or disrespect our faith. Be warned,” Daramola said. Culled from DailyTrust

  Edwin Clark, an Ijaw national leader and convener of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), says Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, should be prosecuted for spreading fake news against Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP). On April 4, speaking in Washington DC during an engagement with some international media organisations, Mohammed warned Obi and Datti Baba-Ahmed, his running mate, against inciting violence over the outcome of the election. Baba-Ahmed had said in an interview with Channels Television that Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, did not meet the constitutional requirements to become Nigeria’s president. He said Tinubu failed to fulfill the requirements stipulated for election to the office of the president and asked the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) not to swear him in as president.   His statement received backlash from prominent Nigerians, including Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, but Mohammed took the criticism of the remark to an international level. Reacting to this in a statement on Monday, Clark said the minister of information misused the office to commit an illegitimate act. He called on the attorney general of the nation to “undertake thorough investigation of the activities” of Mohammed and charge him to court for constituting himself as “mastermind and disseminator of fake news”.   Clark added that the discovery of a plot of an interim government aimed at overthrowing the federal government was malicious and untrue. “Like I said, Lai Mohammed did not base his information on any credible intelligence report from the state agencies, but on propaganda and falsity. Therefore, I am of the opinion that he should be charged for spreading unhealthy information and fake news against an innocent Nigerian who is very prominent and has proven his worth in the country. Lai Mohammed used the exalted position of the office of the nation’s ministry of information to commit this perfidy,” he said. “As Lai Mohammed knows well, most Nigerians today are very keen observers of what is going on in the country. We have also continued to watch and closely watch actions, inactions, and utterances by the key political actors and their close associates. It is therefore totally unacceptable that a minister in charge of a sensitive government department as dissemination of information should constitute himself to become the purveyor of false information, innuendos, and even fake news. “It is clear therefore that the minister of information has constituted himself to become the mastermind and disseminator of fake news. This leaves us with no option than to call on the attorney general of the nation to undertake thorough investigation of the activities of the minister and charge him to court. “It is criminal, unpatriotic, and wicked for anyone to draw the name of Peter Obi who fully participated in the 2023 presidential election and who has gone to court to express his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the presidential election and his popularity which has spread to all part of the country as a wildfire has no doubt caused a great embarrassment to the federal government. “What is being alleged as a discovery of a plot to overthrow the federal government by DSS is malicious and untrue.”

  THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, has frowned at the long delay by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in hearing the appeal lodged before it by the Federal Government against the decision of the Court of Appeal which acquitted their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPoB said the delay is worrisome because considering all the accelerated hearing processes filed on the case. The Biafra agitation group said it is suspecting that the recent political developments and ethnic profiling of Ndigbo in Nigeria are also playing out in the case of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wondered why a case of fundamental rights abuse has been held down at the Supreme court for so long. IPoB in a statement by its spokesman, Comrade Emma Powerful said they have witnessed the Supreme Court have accelerated hearings in political cases and wondered why the case of Kanu is different and accused the Supreme Court Justices of not being neutral. “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great prophet and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu questions the silence and refusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to hear the appeal case of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu despite all the accelerated hearing processes filed on the case. “It is evident that the lives of Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, are endangered in Nigeria. We have witnessed the Supreme Court of Nigeria giving accelerated hearings to political cases brought before them but have kept mute over the human rights abuse of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is illegally detained at the DSS solitary confinement or dungeon for almost 2 years now. “The continuous silence and refusal of the Justices of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to set a date of hearing on the appeals brought before them by the Federal Government against the discharge and acquittal order from the Abuja Appeal Court has shown that the apex Court is not neutral in this case. “Mazi Nnamdi KANU, a prisoner of conscience, was abducted and tortured in Kenya before he was renditioned to Nigeria by the Nigerian State Secret Agents. On October 13, 2022, the Abuja Appeal Court discharged and acquitted Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ordered the Nigerian government to pay him adequate compensation. “Instead of releasing MNK as ordered by the Appeal Court, the Federal Government ran to the Supreme Court to frustrate the Appeal Court Orders and appealed the case. Over 150 days after this appeal was lodged, the apex Court which ought to be the last hope of the common man has maintained silence thereby giving the Nigeria government the opportunity to continue the torture and illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in DSS solitary dungeon for confinement. “The subversion of law and justice in the continuing persecution of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, irrespective of his failing health condition, is regrettable, unfortunate, and in clear violations of his fundamental human rights according to the Nigeria Constitution and International Laws. “On the other hand, the criminal silence of the British government and the Commonwealth Office to use their diplomatic offices to demand for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen, as ordered by the Appeal Court is degrading to the British global influence. “Why will Britain and the Commonwealth Office allow their citizen to be in detention without charge? Where in the world has that happened before? only in the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because of the Nigeria government’s hatred of Ndi Igbo and of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in particular. “If the British government abandoned her citizen who was abducted and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria because of their vested interest in Ala Igbo’s oil and gas resources, they should consider that the same resources will still be available when Biafra becomes a nation of it’s own. “The case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shows that holding a British passport is meaningless for a Biafran. It is sad that British aged-longed hatred and dislike for Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, is also extended to Biafrans who are British citizens. “This same Britain had in the past severed or cut off diplomatic relationship with Nigeria for their failed attempt to kidnap and parcel back to Nigeria the Late Umaru Dikko in a diplomatic duffle bag from London to Nigeria under this same Muhammadu Buhari’s military dictatorship. “Umaru Dikko was not a British citizen, but Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a British citizen. What is the difference between the two abductees from the same tyrant? Umaru was a Fulani, friend of Britain, while Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a Biafran, the perceived foe of Britain. This development should also inform Biafrans in the UK who have been granted British citizenship and British passport to remember that Britain will never protect you as their citizen in time of need. “The Supreme Court has shown that Biafrans are not safe in Nigeria. These actions justify Biafrans’ quest for a referendum to decide our economic and political future as an Independent Nation. Gone are the days when it is said that the judiciary is the hope of the common man, not any more in Nigeria. “Nigeria’s executive arm of government has subjugated both the judiciary and the legislative arms of the same government. The apex cum Constitutional Court must understand that the abuse of Appeal Court orders, because it is ruled in favour of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, will ridicule them before the whole world and eventually embolden the Executive branch to become a law unto itself going forward. “We want the Supreme Court Justices of Nigeria and the British government to understand that neither Mazi Nnamdi Kanu nor IPoB will back down on the struggle for Biafra referendum and independence. “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is an oracle that Biafrans revere and can not and will not be traded or exchanged for anything in this world”, the statement said.

  The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it is ready to meet with the incoming administration of Senator Bola Tinubu to find a permanent solution to its incessant face-off with the government only on one condition — the government must show determination to handle education issues with the seriousness they deserve. Speaking in a chat with Vanguard on Monday, the National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, however, said if the Tinubu administration would go the way of its predecessor, then the final nail would have been put on the coffin of tertiary education in the country. He said: “We can meet and are ready to meet with the incoming government if they would show more seriousness and willingness to accord education the pride of place it deserves.   “They just have to go many steps higher than what we have now. We hope they would see the need to give education top priority and save it from collapse,” he said. On the steps to resolve the issue of withheld salaries and other matters in contention with the outgoing government, Osodeke noted that no significant progress has been made. “We called off our industrial action about six months ago because of the pronouncement by the court, but up until now, the matter is still dragging at the court. “It was easy and quick for them to get us to suspend the strike, but it has taken ages for the matter to be resolved by the court. Out next hearing date is May 2, this year. “They are using bureaucratic bottlenecks to let the matter drag before the court. A number of things they said they would do, they have not done them. “Anyway, their time is almost spent,” he stated. Commenting on the N320 billion intervention fund that the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, said it would release to higher institutions this year, Osodeke said there was nothing spectacular about it. ” It is an intervention fund and it is also statutory as it is from the 2.5 percent Education Tax TETFund collects from the profits of public quoted companies. “Even that TETFund is in existence is courtesy of the struggle by ASUU. The government has not said anything about the N470 billion it promised to include in the 2023 budget and the year is almost halfway now,” he said. Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, NANS JCC, Ondo Axis, has said it will report any misuse of the N320 billion special intervention fund to be given tertiary institutions by TETFund, to anti-graft agencies. It has therefore warned the management of the beneficiary institutions to judiciously apply the funds. This was contained in a press statement issued yesterday by the Chairman, Comrade Akinola Elijah and the Public Relations Officer, Comrade Okeniyi Elijah. “We strongly believe this is a significant opportunity for schools to upgrade their facilities which will further enhance academic qualities and activities on campus. NANS Ondo JCC wishes to commend the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for its sincerity of purpose in line with the anti-corruption campaign of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, by announcing the figures to be disbursed to each university, polytechnic, and college of education. “Information at our disposal reveals each university will receive the sum of ₦1,154,732,133.00, while each polytechnic and college of education will get ₦699,344,867.00 and ₦800,862,602.00 respectively. “This is the highest disbursement to each beneficiary institution since the inception of TETFund. “NANS Ondo JCC is, however, sending a strong note of warning to the managements of Ondo State institutions to consider utilizing these funds effectively and judiciously for the development of our schools and other academic-related activities. “In view of this, NANS Ondo JCC will be setting up a task force basically to ensure that the funds are not diverted and mismanaged. The committee will be engaging the EFCC and ICPC should we suspect any financial misappropriation of the said fund by any school management. “We strongly believe that the disbursement of such a significant amount avails schools the opportunity of solving a few of the major challenges facing our schools, which include but are not limited to outdated facilities, poor infrastructure, inadequate academic resources, and security mechanisms among others which will lead to improvement in the quality of education and equally provide better opportunities for students to succeed upon graduation, with an assurance of not been half baked graduates. “Furthermore, following the release of the TETFUND intervention fund, we are once again urging and warning all school managements in Ondo State to refrain from considering increments in school fees as a means of generating funds for the development of schools. As it will be vehemently resisted by our leadership. “We are not unaware that the purpose of this intervention fund is primarily to improve the education sector and address basic challenges faced by schools, to reduce the burden of high school fees paid by students and their parents. “It should be noted that many of our students have dropped out of school as a result of high school fees which is most capable of discouraging students from pursuing higher education, especially the self-sponsored, vulnerable, and less privileged students, which could have a negative consequence on the education sector. “This laudable success is due to sustainable efforts aimed at expanding and increasing the efficiency of collection of the education tax and the gracious approval of Mr President for an increase in education tax from 2.0% to 2.5% in the year 2021. “Finally we are imploring the president-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to consider sticking to the UNESCO recommendation that 26 per cent of the national budget be spent on education, even as we do not doubt his committed and sincere love for education development in Nigeria.”

  Some Point of Sale (PoS) operators are still charging above the usual service charge in spite of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) directive. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored some PoS Points in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) satellite towns reports that they charged between N300 and N200 for N5,000 withdrawn. Mr Romanus Chukwu, a customer seen at one of the points in Nyanya, said the charge was still much when compared to what it was before the cash crunch. Chukwu appealed to the operators to return to the usual charge of N100 for every N5,000 and N10,000 withdrawn.   Another customer, Mrs Agnes Ike, appealed to the CBN to look into the situation to curtail extortion by operators. Meanwhile, a PoS operator in Nyanya who pleaded anonymity, said the high cost was still as a result of insufficient fund given to them in the banks. ”Some banks will give you only N20,000 while some will give N40,000. ”Sometimes, I go to three banks to be able to get the money that I will use for my business, so, I include all my expenses in the charges,” she said. NAN reports that the CBN had said it would withdraw the licences of PoS agents found culpable of inflating charges on customers who withdraw money from them.

  Some gunmen have reportedly abducted an Anambra businessman, Mr Alexander Nwosu. Nwosu also known as ‘Uyoo’ was said to have been abducted at his hometown in Umuchu Community, Ekwulobia, in the Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State on Friday, March 31 and his whereabouts are still unknown. It was gathered that the victim, who runs a petrol filling station and a hotel known as Uyo Cool Joint in the community, was abducted while he was at home with his wife and children. A family source who gave his name simply as Ginikanwa, told our correspondent on Monday that the gunmen, numbering about 10 and wearing masks, invaded the victim’s house in a Toyota Sienna vehicle and shot heavily into the air for several minutes before gaining entrance into the compound. Ginikanwa said, “The assailants shot heavily for several minutes that night before taking him away in the presence of his wife and children. The pressure sent panic to the whole community. His residence is located along the Isuofia-Ekwulobia Road, near the Ekwulobia Police Station. “Since the incident, his wife has not been seen and her telephone line has not been connecting. But last Friday, the captors called the family members and demanded N50m ransom after which we have not heard from them again.” The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not immediately be reached as messages sent to his telephone line have not been responded to as of the time of filing this report.