The Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has suspended the Rector of the Osun State Polytechnic, Dr Tajudeen Odetayo, in the light of corruption allegations levelled against him. According to a July 11, 2023 memo by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Muritala Jimoh, addressed to the Acting Registrar of the polytechnic, Odetayo is facing an investigation over “allegations of financial recklessness, corruption and misappropriation of funds and abuse of office”. The governor also approved the appointment of Mr Alabi Kehinde Adeyemi as the acting Rector with immediate effect, “pending the time the allegations against him are properly investigated by relevant bodies”.

  The balance in the Excess Crude Account has remained stagnant at about $474m in the last two years despite remittance of N907bn to the Federal Account Allocation Committee by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The NNPCL had resumed remittances to FAAC in June after failing to do so due to huge fuel subsidies expenses. According to a communiqué issued at the end of the FAAC meeting for July 2023, seen by The PUNCH, NNPCL said the balance in the excess crude account was $473,754 as of June 2023, the same amount in the purse as of December 15, 2022, while it paid N907.054bn into the FAAC purse. The meeting was chaired by the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein. From the total distributable revenue of N907bn; the Federal Government received N345bn, the State Governments received about N296bn and the Local Government Councils received N218bn. A total sum of N47bn was shared to the relevant states as 13 per cent derivation revenue. Energy expert, Bala Zaka, described the trend as “very dangerous and negative.” The ECA is an account created to save the extra funds made anytime the country sold crude oil higher than the approved benchmark in the budget. For example, if the crude oil benchmark was $70 per barrel and the commodity sold for $75 per barrel, the excess $5 was saved for rainy days. While Nigeria had benchmarked crude oil price for 2023 at $75 per barrel, international Brent had risen to $82 per barrel last week before dropping to $80 per barrel as at Friday. It is worthy of note that Nigeria’s crude grade, Bonny Light usually preferred by international refinners, sells +$1 above dated Brent. The account had declined by 89 per cent in the last eight years, moving from $4.1b in November 2014 to $472,513 in the same period of 2022. Professor of Economics at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun state, Sheriffdeen Tella, said the unfortunate situation occurred due to government’s discipline. “You will recall that the Governors’ Forum kicked against the account claiming it is their money and the Federal Government has no right to deny them of its use. “So, if money is transferred into such account now, the same argument will arise. It’s a practice worldwide but Nigerian governments are not disciplined. Many are always looking for money to steal; to live big, to amass personal wealth and remain greedy.” In a separate statement released by the NNPCL Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya, the firm said it also remitted N123bn(N81bn as monthly interim dividend and N42bn as 40 per cent Production Sharing Contract on profit oil) in addition to compliance on payment of royalties and taxes. Ajiya did not disclose how much it paid in taxes and royalties. “This clearly shows that the company under the leadership of Mallam Mele Kyari is moving in a positive trajectory as enshrined in the PIA,” the statement said.

  The Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul Rasheed Na’Allah, says it has become compulsory for every student of the institution to register a company as a pre-requisite for graduation. Addressing journalists on some of his administration’s achievements in the last four years, Na’Allah said his team had made a major move to change the landscape of the university in infrastructure, learning and industry. He said in partnership with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce, the curriculum of the school had been improved and the students had been taught how to register their own companies and not depend on government and companies for employment. He said: “The industry is always on our campus to teach our students to contribute to our curriculum, they’re constantly working with us and every time we’re always seeing something new. One of the new things this time around is that more than 1000 students have registered their companies with CAC in this university, students having companies and some of them are graduating, some in 300 level with opportunities to even practise the companies they have registered. “What we’re saying to our students is that we’re not giving you certificate only to go and look for employment, we’re charging you to employ yourself and create wealth, charging them to change their mindset, many of them have registered their companies, go to CAC and see the record. “Know that no student will graduate from the University of Abuja without having a company registered with CAC, it’s now a law in this university; you cannot graduate from this university if you don’t have a company that you’ve registered. You must even practise this company because you must have registered the company a year or two before you graduate.”

  Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Tuesday, re-arrested suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, after a tussle with officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS). Emefiele’s re-arrest occurred on the premises of a Federal High Court in Lagos sitting in Ikoyi after Justice Nicholas Oweibo admitted the embattled and suspended apex bank chief to bail in the sum of the N20m. The judge also ordered that Emefiele be remanded at the correctional center pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions. Battle For Emefiele’s Custody Shortly after the ruling, DSS operatives strategically positioned their Hilux Pick Up van used in bring Emefiele to court, in a manner suggesting that they wanted to take him back to their detention centre. This prompted Emefiele’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and other lawyers to raise an alarm about their client’s planned re-arrest by the secret police. After the court ruling, the suspended CBN governor holed up inside the courtroom with his lawyers. However, when the prison officials moved to take Emefiele into custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions, the secret police challenged them and it led to a fight. Amid the clash, Emefiele’s lawyers “reluctantly allowed the DSS disobey court order and take custody of their client” to avoid a gun battle. The prison officials then exited the court in their vehicle and the DSS took charge.

  Tuesday 25 July 2023 Forex crisis: Passengers groan as foreign airlines hike fares Pregnant women, children among Ondo tanker fire victims -Eyewitness Most Nigerian leaders’ knowledge of development shallow – Obasanjo FG N1.3tn subsidy debt won’t affect dividend – NNPCL Excess crude account unchanged despite NNPCL’s N907bn FAAC remittance Mass Burial: Amnesty International Demands Coroner’s Inquest, Identities Of 103 ENDSARS Victims One Killed As Troops Raid Suspected IPOB Camps, Arrest Nine In Anambra Tribunal Sacks LP’s Okolie, Declares PDP’s Elumelu Winner Of Reps Seat In Delta Abbas Sets Up Reps Committee, To Meet With Tinubu Over Resident Doctors’ Planned Strike Death Toll Rises To 33 In Cameroon Building Collapse Twitter Website Replaces Bird Logo With X INEC Meets With Local Observers, CSOs For Review Of 2023 Elections Boat Capsizes, Killing 14 Off Senegal Capital Lagos Gov Poll: APC Files Final Written Address, Says GRV’s Petition ‘Dead On Arrival’ Adeleke Suspends Osun Poly Rector Over Corruption Allegations Adeleke Suspends Osun Poly Rector Over Corruption Allegations One Killed, Two Arrested After Deadly Attack On Policemen In Delta Tinubu Pays Tribute To First Female Professor Of Yoruba Studies Senator Ohuabunwa Loses Wife, Kalu Pays Respect Binani: INEC preventing my star witness, Adamawa REC, from testifying at tribunal Shettima to world leaders: Nigeria needs real investments, partnerships — NOT handouts Subsidy removal: Abdulrazaq approves N10k monthly palliative for all Kwara public workers Ministerial list: Anxiety as serving, ex-govs, others pile pressure on Tinubu How Nigerian leaders disappointed citizens, Africa, Black race, world — OBJ Pregnant woman, her 3 children, others die in Ondo tanker fire —Witnesses Residents protest sit-at-home order in Enugu Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  Amnesty International Nigeria has demanded a transparent coroner’s inquest on 103 slain EndSARS protesters for whom the Lagos State Government is planning a mass burial, saying the plans should be put on hold. This follows the emergence of a leaked memo addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Health indicating that the State Government approved N61,285,000 for the mass burial of 103 persons identified as 2020 EndSARS victims. The memo, dated July 19, 2023, capturing steps for the processing of funds after approval by the governor, surfaced on social media Sunday morning, sparking outrage. The Lagos State Government however maintained that the victims to be buried were not from the controversial Lekki Tollgate shooting. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, while confirming the letter, insisted that the victims were from incidents of violence that occurred in the aftermath of the EndSARS protests. Responding, the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, in a statement on Monday, said, “The Nigerian authorities must urgently halt their plans to carry out a secret mass burial of #EndSARS victims and instead carry out a thorough and independent investigation into the killings and ensure that those suspected to be responsible are brought to justice in fair trials.” The human rights group added that the authorities must also carry out transparent coroner inquests and autopsies on the 103 #EndSARS victims and publish their identities and the circumstances of their deaths. “It is appalling that the Lagos state government has not even mentioned that it has held the bodies of 103 #EndSARS victims in its custody since October 2020,” Sanusi said. “All those detained because of their role in the #EndSARS protests must be immediately released. The Nigerian authorities must also ensure that victims and their families are provided with access to justice and effective remedies, including adequate compensation.” The non-governmental organisation noted that it had been monitoring developments across Nigeria since the #EndSARS protests began on October 8, 2020. “In October 2020, an on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International confirmed that Nigerian security forces opened fire on thousands of peaceful protesters, who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality, killing at least 12 protesters at Lekki toll gate and in Alausa,” director Sanusi said. “Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters. “On 16 November 2020, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry set up to investigate the Lekki toll gate killings submitted its report, which indicted the military and the police for killing unarmed protesters, who were sitting on the floor and waving Nigerian flags and singing.”

  The Nigerian Army on Monday said troops of 302 Regiment operating under 82 Division of the Army destroyed camps belonging to fighters of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network. The operation was carried out in conjunction with Anambra Vigilante Group in Oroma and Umuewelum Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area of the state, a statement by the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said. Nwachukwu explained that the raid was part of ongoing clearance operations to ensure peace and security in South-East Nigeria. The troops were said to have raided the identified camps on Sunday, in an effort to curb the illicit activities of the fighters in the communities. “During the raid operation, the troops recovered one AK 47 Rifle, one AKMS Rifle, three Lexus SUVs and two Motorcycles. The troops also arrested eight brigands during the operation,” the statement said. “In a separate operation, troops also raided IPOB camp at Mmiata Anam in Anambra South, where the gallant troops came in contact with the irredentist group and in the encounter, neutralized one IPOB fighter, while another was captured alive. The troops also recovered one AK 47 Rifle, one Dane gun and police uniforms.” The Nigerian Army urged all law-abiding citizens and the good and enterprising people of the South-East to continue to support and cooperate with the troops and other security agencies in their efforts to end the insecurity in the region.

  The Enugu State Government on Monday sealed shops in major markets across the state that refused to do business in observance of the sit-at-home order of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This comes after last week’s warning by Governor Peter Mbah that businesses in the state should open for business or risk being sealed. According to the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, who led the team from the Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority, the operation was aimed at demonstrating seriousness on the part of the government. He added that it was to support those that showed their willingness to comply with the government directives.