An Nnobi Chief Magistrate Court in Idemili South local government area of Anambra State has heard a pathetic story of an orphan, Miss Victoria Mbachu how her boyfriend, Mr. Olufemi Salako, from Republic of Benin collected N8.3 million out of N10 million proceed from a property she sold in Nnobi. Salako, a bricklayer, has been cohabiting with Mbachu since 2018 and they have two children together. The landed property was sold to the United States of America, USA, based Mr. Bonaventure Ezekwenna in 2021, but shortly after the sale, Salako took Mbachu to Ogun State where he convinced her to pay for an uncompleted bungalow at a cost of N2.8 million and subsequently collected additional N5.5 million from her. Salako and one Chijioke Okaa, a native doctor, are facing two count charge for defrauding Mbachu of her property by tricking her to pat with the documents after promising that they would build a house for her. Narrating her story amidst sobs in court, Mbachu said: “In 2020, Femi brought Chijioke Okaa to me that Okaa wanted to buy my land. “We agreed to sell the land for N10 million and Okaa promised to build a house for me somewhere. Femi and Okaa later brought documents for me to sign and I refused to do so because he had not fulfilled the promise of building a house for me. ” It was Femi that assured me that Okaa would not deceive me and that was why I later signed. However, he did not pay for the land, neither did he build the house for me, as he kept telling me that he had not found land. “So when someone brought Bonaventure Ezekwenna for the purchase of the land, I sold it to him at the cost of N10 million and he paid me in full and I signed the documents for him.” According to Mbachu, Femi was aware of the transaction and he also signed the documents. She said she was, however, surprised when Femi suggested that they should run away from Nnobi to Lagos, adding that although she told him that he did not want to go, as she was already making plans to relocate to Nnewi, he prevailed on her to go to with him.. She added: “Femi insisted that we must leave Nnobi and he brought a vehicle and forced me and the children to go with him. “When we got to Lagos, he said he found land at Ota, Ogun State and asked me to pay N2.8 million for the land and the uncompleted bungalow on it. ” He later asked for N4 million to enable him complete the house and I transferred the money to him. Apart from when he took me to the place when we arrived in Lagos, Femi had refused to take me to the house. “Because he has access to my ATM card, he later withdrew another N1 million and another N500,000 which he said he wanted to give his father to do some work on the house. “When I insisted on seeing the house, he took me to the place and I saw that they only roofed it. Also when I demanded for the documents of the house, he asked me if I was going to cook with it and that was when I began to doubt if he actually bought the house. “Another thing that surprised me was that when we discovered that the police was tracking me, Femi suggested that we should escape to Benin Republic because, according to him, that is actually his country, and I refused. “He told me he is not from Ogun State, but from Benin Republic,” Mbachu said. Earlier under cross examination, Bonaventure Ezekwenna had told the court that before he paid, he involved Salako who assured him that the land was not in dispute. He said he was surprised to see that the materials he assembled at the site for construction, including cement, iron rods, sand and other building materials, were either destroyed, or stolen. He said that information made available to the police showed Salako’s neck deep involvement in the decision of Mbachu to run away from Nnobi to Lagos after collecting the N10 million. The presiding Chief Magistrate, Ken Nwoye adjourned further hearing to August 18. said. Earlier under cross examination, Bonaventure Ezekwenna had told the court that before he paid, he involved Salako who assured him that the land was not in dispute. He said he was surprised to see that the materials he assembled at the site for construction, including cement, iron rods, sand and other building materials, were either destroyed, or stolen. He said that information made available to the police showed Salako’s neck deep involvement in the decision of Mbachu to run away from Nnobi to Lagos after collecting the N10 million. The presiding Chief Magistrate, Ken Nwoye adjourned further hearing to August 18.

  Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas over “the unlawful plan to spend N40bn on 465 exotic and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials, and N70bn as ‘palliatives’ for new members.” The suit is coming on the heels of the statement by Mr Akpabio that the Clerk of the National Assembly had sent “holiday allowances” into the “various bank accounts of senators”. Some 137 million Nigerians face extreme poverty. In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1606/2023 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to review and reduce the N40 billion budgeted to buy 465 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.”   SERAP is seeking: “an order restraining Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas from demanding or receiving the N40 billion to buy 465 SUVs and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials until an assessment of the socio-economic impact of the spending on the 137 million poor Nigerians is carried out in the public interest.”   SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas to repeal the Supplementary Appropriation Act 2022 to reduce the budget for the National Assembly by N110bn to reflect the current economic realities in the country.” In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Nigerians have a right to honest and faithful performance by their public officials including lawmakers, as public officials owe a fiduciary duty to the general citizenry.” SERAP is arguing that, “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the lawmakers will spend the N110bn, and the travesty, and apparent conflicts of interest and self-dealing by members of the National Assembly would continue.” SERAP is also arguing that, “It a fundamental breach of their fiduciary duties for members of the National Assembly to arbitrarily increase their own budget and to use the budget as a tool to satisfy the lifestyle of lawmakers.” According to SERAP, “While N70 billion ‘support allowance’ is budgeted for 306 new lawmakers, only N500 billion worth of palliatives is budgeted for 12 million poor Nigerians. N40 billion is also allocated to buy 465 SUVs and bulletproof cars for members and principal officials.” The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Blessing Ogwuche, read in part: “The plan to spend N110bn is a fundamental breach of constitutional and international human rights obligations.”   “The planned spending of N110bn is a breach of section 57 (4) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 which provides that: ‘All persons in whose hands public funds may be entrusted for whatever purpose should bear in mind that its utilization should be Judicious.’” “It is also a grave violation of the public trust and constitutional oath of office for members of the National Assembly to unjustifiably increase their own budget at a time when over 137 million poor Nigerians are living in extreme poverty exacerbated by the removal of fuel subsidy.” “Rather than exercising their constitutional and oversight functions to pursue the public interest by considering bills to improve the conditions of the over 137 million poor Nigerians who are facing the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy, the lawmakers appear to be looking after themselves.” “According to reports, no fewer than 107 units of the 2023 model of the Toyota Landcruiser and 358 units of the 2023 model of Toyota Prado would be bought for the use of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively.” “The planned purchase is different from the official bulletproof vehicles expected to be purchased for the four presiding officers of the National Assembly.” “The proposed spending of N110 billion by members of the National Assembly is apparently on top of the N281 billion already provided for the lawmakers in the 2023 National Assembly budget. The proposed spending is also different from the N30.17 billion budgeted for the ‘inauguration expenses’ for new members.” “The budget for the National Assembly may further be increased as members are reportedly demanding an upward review of their salaries and allowances purportedly to offset the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy.” “Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 [as amended] provides that, ‘the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” “Under Section 16(1)(a)(b), the National Assembly has the obligations to ‘harness the resources of the nation and promote national prosperity and an efficient, a dynamic and self-reliant economy’, and to ‘secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen.’” “Cutting the N110 billion from the budget of the National Assembly would be entirely consistent with members’ constitutional oath of office, and the letter and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, as it would promote efficient, honest, and legal spending of public money.” No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

  Senior Pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church, formerly known as the Latter Rain Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, on Sunday, lamented that the subsidy removal is having adverse effects on Nigerians just as he urged President Bola Tinubu to tackle corruption and not Nigerians. On the fuel subsidy removal and its harsh economic impact on Nigerians, Bakare said: “Mr President, kill corruption, and not Nigerians. No economy can thrive on impunity” Speaking on the theme ‘Vice, virtue and time: The three things that shall never stand still’ at the church auditorium, located on Kuditat Abiola way, Ikeja in Lagos, the cleric faulted the proposed military intervention in Niger Republic by ECOWAS. He said: “Local support for Nigeria by Nigeriens is at an all-time low. It is, therefore, counter-productive to engage in a warfare. While we condemn coup d’etat in West Africa, we recognize that the situation calls for deep, introspection on the part of African leaders. We call upon Nigeria at this time to provide good leadership. The real question is whether President Tinubu has capacity to provide the moral leadership even in the domestic context.” Expressing optimism that God will move in Nigeria after his state of the nation broadcast, he said: “We must share what the Lord has said to us and what he has shown to us. Today’s state of the nation broadcast is a by product of what we have seen and what we have heard. “You’re going to see God’s move in our nation after this state of the nation broadcast. Today will mark the time, day and season that God intervened in Nigeria’s affairs.”

  The Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Mr Richard Olatunde has stated that the governor was still recuperating in a hospital in Germany. The governor recently appeared in a viral video, working in an environment that looks like an airport, as a helicopter was seeing behind him, giving the impression that he had returned to the state. Reacting to the viral video, in a statement issued on Sunday, the CPS said the video was not recent as it was recorded during the election campaign. The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a recent video circulating on social media, suggesting the return of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, from his medical vacation. “While we acknowledge the eagerness of the people of the state, as well as supporters and well-wishers from both within and outside the country to have the governor back, we want to clarify that Governor Akeredolu is currently in Germany, focused on his full recovery. “Governor Akeredolu extends his deep appreciation to the citizens of Ondo State for their unwavering prayers and support. Their genuine concern and compassion have been instrumental in aiding his recovery journey. “It’s important to note that Governor Akeredolu will return to the state very soon to continue executing his administration’s Redeemed agenda and providing impactful governance. His commitment to delivering positive and lasting development remains steadfast. “The video in question, which is circulating, was captured during the Governor’s campaign tour in preparation for the last Presidential and National Assembly elections.” Olatunde noted that the governor was eagerly looking forward to reuniting with the people of the sunshine state. “He is deeply moved by the outpouring of love and support, and he can’t wait to continue working towards a brighter future for Ondo State,” he stressed.

  Gunmen have burnt the home of Eze Kanu Ikenolu, the traditional ruler of Ndia Iche Arondizuogu community in the Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State The development has caused panic in the community as villagers including the household of the monarch fled into bushes. LN247 correspondent gathered that on arrival, the attackers threw explosives into the mansion which led to the burning of the house, the properties in it and vehicles parked at the compound. Our correspondent further learnt that the compound which houses the traditional ruler’s home and his palace were heavily attacked by the invaders. A villager who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed by the arsonists. He decried the police’s inability to intervene as the were told as the arsonists struck. The villager said” the palace of HRH Eze Ikenolu, the Eze of Ndia iche Arondizuogu has been invaded by the Unknown Gunmen and the people are in the bushes now.” Frustrated by the police’s inability to respond, in an update a while later he said “until now no response from the police about the palace of HRH Eze Kanu in Ndianiche Arondizuogu, where cars, house and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed. Or is Arondizuogu no longer part of Imo State?.” The spokesperson for the police in the state Henry Okoye who confirmed the arson to our correspondent said “frantic investigating efforts are on top gear to arrest the arsonists and bring them to justice.”

  Sunday 13 August 2023 Japa: ‘How we survived 14 days on ship’s rudder from Nigeria to Brazil’ IPOB rules out sit-at-home in Biafra struggle Decomposed body of kidnapped retired School Principal, 74, found in shallow grave Police arrest NURTW National President, Baruwa, 3 others Tension in Immigration over plans to extend service of Acting Comptroller General Imo Guber: Uzodimma Drops Deputy, Picks New Running Mate Niger: Junta Finally Grants Bazoum Access To His Doctor Niger Crisis: Border Communities Decry Rising Food Prices, Troops Lament Hunger Fintiri Orders Probe Into Torture, Death Of 17-Year-Old CAN asks FG to investigate Zaria central mosque collapse Anthony Joshua beats Helenius to secure first knockout win in three years LP to Tinubu: Fix Nigeria first before meddling in Niger Republic affairs ECOWAS parliament divided over option of military deployment in Niger Nigerians have high expectations of you, Tinubu tells new police officers ‘Furniture, housing, transport’ — CBN staff allowances gulped N155bn in 2022 Nigerian embassy debunks report of protesters burning down office in Niger Obi to youths: Our nation’s situation shouldn’t discourage you, a new Nigeria is coming Obasanjo Laments Pervasive Corruption In Nigerian Politics Troops Kill Three Bandits In Kaduna, Rescue 10 Kidnap Victims Uba Sani Denies Opposing El-Rufai’s Ministerial Replacement Gov. Oyebanji Suspends Commissioner Less Than A Week After Inauguration Lagos governorship election petition tribunal reserves judgment Kano withdraws operating licences of over 4,000 private schools Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says staff allowances gulped N155.63 billion in 2022. The bank disclosed this in its audited financial statements for 2016-2022 released on Thursday. The regulator said the financial statements of the last seven years — posted on its website — had been approved by its board in accordance with the provisions of the CBN Act of 2007. According to the report, the staff allowances include furniture, housing, leave, transport, productivity allowances and “others paid to staff during the period”. The figure is N90 billion higher than CBN’s recorded profit of N65.63 billion within the period examined, TheCable Index analyses show. It is also 37.2 percent more than the N113.35 billion spent on staff allowances in 2021. Further checks of the financial statement show that the bank also spent the sum N40.66 billion on staff loans in 2022. The amount is 133.3 percent higher than the N17.42 billion loan disbursed to staff in 2021. CBN did not provide details on the number of staff members who were beneficiaries of the loan. But information on its website provides insight into the bank’s current staff strength. “…from a bank-wide staff strength of 10,000 staff, excluding the over 2,000 casuals in the HQ and branches as at 1999, the bank operates with a substantially reduced staff strength of and (sic) 4,914 by December 2005, further down from 6,119 as at December 2004. It should be noted further that 79 percent of current staff are now professionals,” the firm said. Meanwhile, the CBN is currently facing an investigation of its operations. Last month, President Bola Tinubu appointed Jim Obazee, former chief executive officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, as a special investigator to probe the CBN and related entities. The development had followed the arrest of Godwin Emefiele, the erstwhile CBN governor, who had been on the radar of the Department of State Services (DSS) since 2022 over alleged terrorism financing.

  The Kano state government said all certificates of Private Schools operating in the state have been revoked with immediate effect. Special Adviser to the Governor on private and voluntary institutions, Baba Abubakar Umar, announced this at a meeting with the proprietors of the private schools on Saturday. Umar said all the schools were expected to collect new registration form to fill for new certificates to be issued. He pointed out that this is part of the state government’s commitment towards sanitizing the private schools operations and ensuring adherence to established laws and guidelines. Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Kayode Laro, is dead Nigerian stars shine as Sanwo-Olu Storms Emirates Stadium For Arsenal He charged the proprietors to pay their 10 percent tax to the government as at when due for the progress of the sector, adding that his return to the position of managing the private schools should not lead to intimidation as he doesn’t have intention to victimize anybody. He emphasized his stand for closing down any school that violates the operational laws of the state ranging from equipment, environment of operation, curriculum and Calendar while revealing that a software had been developed to address all concerns from the government, school proprietors, parents and even job seekers in private schools. Speaking on behalf of the proprietors, the Chairman, National Association of Private School Owners, Kano chapter, Muhammad Malam Adamu, described the move as fantastic and commendable.

  The Nigerian embassy in Niger has debunked reports circulating online that its office in Niamey was burned down by protesters. Recent videos online show what appears to be protesters burning down a building. The video was circulated online with the narrative that the building is the Nigerian embassy in Niger. In a statement on Friday signed by Liti I. Auwalu, on behalf of the ambassador, the envoy said though the protesters tried to gain access to the embassy, the Nigerien military and police managed the situation. Auwalu said the embassy is well guarded, while he added that the circulating videos be disregarded. “It has been brought to our notice that fake videos showing the torching of the Chancery Building in Niamey by protesters is circulating on various social media platforms,” Auwalu said. ”The Embassy wishes to inform the public that even though protesters tried to gain access to the Embassy on 30th July 2023, the Nigerien Military and Police Authorities promptly curtailed the situation. “At the moment, the Embassy is well guarded by the Nigerien Military and other Security Authorities. “We reiterate that the videos are fake and as such the public is enjoined to disregard such videos.”

  The Indigenous People of Biafra has begun the distribution of flyers and posters across the South-East to notify residents of the cancellation of sit-at-home exercise in the region. The pro-Biafran group said the exercise is aimed at conveying Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s pronouncement cancelling Monday sit-at-home and to inform the people that sit-at-home is not only “dead”, but will also never again be invoked or deployed as a tool of civil disobedience in the group’s quest for self-determination In a statement on Saturday, the spokesman for the group, Emma Powerful, said, “Any person or persons talking about a non-existent sit-at-home in Biafraland is an enemy of the people and shall be dealt with accordingly”. Powerful said the instructions to distribute the flyers by hand and paste posters to that effect was authorised by the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. The statement read, “This is to inform Biafrans about the flyers and posters being distributed all over the South-East conveying our leader’s famous pronouncement canceling Monday sit-at-home, and to inform the good people of Biafrans that sit at home is not only dead, but will never again be invoked or deployed as a tool of civil disobedience in our quest for self determination. “It is to be stated for the umpteenth time, for those who may feign ignorance of the laws governing the conduct expected of IPOB family worldwide that our supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has ordered the permanent end to Monday sit-at-home in Biafraland and anybody seen enforcing this illegal and non-existent Monday sit-at-home will be apprehended and summarily dealt with on the spot. “These criminal elements are not working for Biafra restoration nor the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is unlawfully detained in the DSS solitary confinement in Abuja Nigeria. “Those purporting to be running a Biafra Government in Exile group from somewhere in Finland also known as Autopilot are not IPOB members and their activities do not represent the views of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and rank and file IPOB membership nor the ESN operatives. “Moreso, it is a shame to the memory of our brave martyrs that gave their lives for the emancipation of Biafra that individuals that never led ordinary street protest in Biafraland or anywhere in the world in support of Biafra restoration can claim to lead our people. This is an absolute disgrace.” The group insisted that the Biafran struggle championed by IPOB do not have any government in exile and will never have any government in exile. “Whoever is foolish enough to associate with such fraudulent social media scam called Government in exile (Autopilot) is doing so at his or her own risk and must not link Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB to it. “Biafraland is owned by Biafrans and it’s the responsibility of all Biafrans to protect the land from government sponsored agents and armed criminal gangs hiding under the revered name of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra. “We encourage Biafrans to help in the distribution of the flyers, posters to communities, hinterlands and cities in Biafraland signifying the requim mass for the senseless Monday sit-at-home. “Anybody apprehended enforcing any sit-at-home is a goner. The Finland based criminal will not save you,” the group added.