A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on Tuesday has renewed and extended the interim order in favour of the Chief of Staff to Rivers State Government, Edison Ehie, against the Nigerian Police and other security agencies from arresting and detaining him until the substantive suit is determined. Trial Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku gave the order following a complaint by Counsel to Edison Ehie, Demain Okoro, SAN who informed the court that despite the interim order served on the Police, they went ahead to declare the applicant wanted. Justice Aprioku sighted order Four Rule Four C or Administration of Criminal Justice which gives him power to renew and extend orders where the application is made ex parte. Justice Aprioku who also ruled on the application for an extension of time by respondent counsel, Celestine Dickson gave three days extension for the counsel to respond to the process while the applicant was given two days to reply. Justice Aprioku thereafter adjourned till the 15th of February, 2024 for the commencement of the hearing of the substantive suit. The PUNCH reports that the kinsmen of Ehie, embattled former factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, have described allegations of murder and terrorism against their son as shameful and unacceptable. Ehie was declared wanted by the police in connection with the invasion of the State House of Assembly on 29th September 2023

  The Imo State Police Command has declared missing one Michael Nnenna of Umuoba Eziachi in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State. According to the command’s spokesperson, Henry Okoye on Tuesday, Michael Nnenna is Eighteen years of age, dark in complexion, 5ft ‘6 tall, has no tribal marks and speaks Igbo and English languages fluently. “She packed her belongings and left the house of her guardian one Ukwuoma Chimezie on 30 January 2024 at about 1600hrs, to an unknown destination and has not returned since then. All efforts made to trace her whereabouts proved abortive. “Anyone with useful information regarding her whereabouts should kindly report to the nearest police station or call the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on 08148024755. In another development, the Imo State Police Command informed the general public of a found male child named Goodluck Sunday Effiong, Ten (10) years old, of Akwa Ibom State. He was found wandering about along Umuhu, Aba/Owerri Express Highway in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State on 5/02/2024. “He claims to hail from Akwa Ibom State, and mentioned the name of his father as Effiong from Akwa Ibom State. “However, members of the public who may know the child’s parents or relatives are by this press release advised to come to the office of the Police Public Relations Office, Police Headquarters, Owerri, or call the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) on 08148024755 for identification and collection, please.

  Yemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), says the foreign exchange (FX) demand for education and healthcare in the past decade has significantly eroded the strength of the naira. Cardoso spoke on Tuesday when he appeared before the plenary of the house of representatives. The CBN governor said between 2010 and 2020, foreign education expenses amounted to $28.65 billion while healthcare incurred $11.01 billion. His appearance at the lower chamber followed the depreciation of the naira after the local currency hit an all-time low on January 29, 2024, when it traded at N1,348.63/$ in the official window. Also, the highest exchange rate was recorded in the parallel market on January 31, as the naira traded at N1,530 against the dollar. However, at the end of business hours on February 5, the exchange rate closed at N1,419.86/$ at the official window, while the parallel market reported N1,450 per dollar. Speaking further on FX demand for education and healthcare, Cardoso said they amount to $40 billion, exceeding the total current foreign exchange reserves of the CBN. The apex bank governor said “mitigating a significant portion” of the FX demand “could have resulted in a considerably stronger naira”. “The exchange rate in Nigeria has increased/depreciated due to the simultaneous occurrence of two factors: A decline in the supply of US dollars coinciding with a surge in the demand for US dollars,” the CBN governor said. “Looking at the demand side of the exchange rate, it is important to note the growing number of Nigerian students studying abroad. In the 1980s and 1990s, the need for US dollars for their living expenses was minimal. “However, recent data shows a significant change. According to UNESCO’s Institute of Statistics, the number of Nigerian students abroad increased from less than 15,000 in 1998 to over 71,000 in 2015. “By 2018, this figure had reached 96,702 students, as per the World Bank. Another report projects the number of Nigerian students studying abroad to exceed 100,000 by 2022. Additionally, the UK’s higher education statistic agency noted a 64 percent increase in Nigerian students studying in the country, rising from 13,020 in the 2019/2020 academic session to 21,305 by the 2020/2021 session. “Given this data, it’s crucial to highlight that between 2010 and 2020, foreign education expenses amounted to a substantial US$28.65 billion, as per the CBN’s publicly available balance of payments statistics. Similarly, medical treatment abroad has incurred around US$11.01 billion in costs during the same period. “Consequently, over the past decade, foreign exchange demand for education and healthcare has totalled nearly US$40 billion.” Cardoso said personal travel allowances accounted for a total of $58.7 billion during the same period, with the CBN disbursing $9.01 billion to Nigerians for personal foreign travel between January and September 2019. The CBN governor said the nation’s annual imports, which require dollars for payment, amounted to $16.65 billion in 1980, but by 2014, the figure rose to $67.05 billion, although it gradually decreased to $54.71 billion as of 2023. Cardoso said food imports increased from $2.63 billion in 1980 to $14.84 billion in 2019. In 1980, according to Cardoso, more than 75 percent of the vehicles used in Nigeria were domestically produced by companies like Volkswagen in Lagos, Peugeot in Kaduna, among others, however, presently, over 99 percent of the cars driven are imported, necessitating dollar payments. “Similarly, in 1980, the majority of the clothing worn was sourced from Nigerian textile mills in Funtua, Asaba, Kano, Lagos, and various other towns and cities. Today, nearly all the clothing worn is made from imported fabrics,” he said. “Given the substantial demand for education, healthcare, professional services, personal travel, and similar needs, the exchange rate is bound to face ongoing pressure. “From the aforementioned points, we can infer that the genuine issue impacting the exchange rate is the simultaneous decrease in the supply of, and increase in the demand for US dollars.” Cardoso said while stabilising the exchange rate is an official mandate of the CBN, it also requires attitudinal change in Nigerians.

  An Ekiti State Chief Magistrate Court, Ado Ekiti District, has sentenced a 40-year-old university former Librarian, Adedeji Ogunleye, to five years imprisonment for selling the institution’s books. Ogunleye was arraigned before the court on a two-count charge of stealing and fraud on January 9, 2023. According to the charge, Ogunleye stole and fraudulently obtained N17.5m being the money accrued from sales of the university books and converted the money to personal use. The prosecutor, Inspector Elijah Adejare, said, “The offences contravened sections 302 and 329 (3) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2021. THE ROUND TABLE: EFCC UNCOVERS RELIGIOUS SECT LAUNDERING MONEY FOR TERRORISTS0.00 / 0.00 Adejare called four witnesses and tendered auditor’s statements and report, university bookshop receipts among others as exhibits. The convict who was granted bail at arraignment jumped the bail, while all efforts made to prove his innocence before the court proved abortive. In the judgment, Magistrate Olatomiwa Daramola, said, “This court is fortified with the decision in the case of Maina Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria (2022) LPELR-58942 (CA) to deliver this judgment in the absence of the defendant”. Daramola held, “I find the defendant guilty and I convict him accordingly. He is hereby sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour or an option of restitution in the sum of N17,466,692.46”. The restitution, the court said, was in favour of the university bookshop being the amount the court found to have been stolen by the defendant in lieu of imprisonment. The judge pronounced, “All security agencies are hereby put on alert to apprehend the fugitive wherever and whenever sighted to serve his term of imprisonment

  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday sealed three alcoholic beverage producing factories in Jos, for not complying with good manufacturing practice and operating without NAFDAC certification. Mr Umar Suleiman, the Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Federal Task Force Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, disclosed this when he led a team on the raid in Jos. Suleiman said that one of the factories was also sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages, adding that it also produced other products without the agency’s registration. He said that Bemag Industries Nigeria Ltd. and Good Life Global Beverages Ltd. were sealed for none adherence to good manufacturing practice. He revealed that Stevenson Multi Global Ltd. was sealed for producing banned alcoholic beverages in sachets worth N6 million, adding that the agency sealed it for none adherence to good manufacturing practice and for producing without the agency’s registration. Suleiman, who said that the raid was conducting nationwide followed the Jan. 31, 2024 deadline given by the agency in 2018 to producers of alcoholic beverages to desist from producing alcohol in 100ml. 20ml, 30 ml and in sachets. He said the move was to help reduce the menace of alcohol abuse in the nation especially among the youths. Suleiman cautioned producers of alcoholic beverages to desist from producing what had been banned by the agency as the raid was continuous. He cautioned sellers to desist from selling alcoholic beverages in sachets, small volume plastic and glass bottles from 100ml and below. Suleiman also warned the public to desist from purchasing products without NAFDAC certification, as most of the products without NAFDAC certification were not good for human consumption. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency has stopped the registration of alcohol in sachet and small volume PET and Glass bottles below 200ml amidst other stringent regulatory measures. This followed the recommendation of the committee of Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in December 2018, to reduce the availability and curb abuse of alcohol in the country. (NAN)

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has frozen an account belonging to Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, brother of immediate-past minister Hadi Sirika, over an alleged N8.06 billion contract fraud in the Federal Ministry of Aviation. According to a report in The Nation, the anti-graft agency made this known after the arrest of Abubakar Sirika over contract fraud worth about N3.2 billion that was traced to his private company, Engirios Nigeria Limited. Abubakar Sirika is also a Level-16 officer and a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.   It was gathered that four big contracts were awarded to Abubakar’s Engirios Nigeria Limited when his brother was in charge of the ministry. According to EFCC investigators, Abubakar Ahmad Sirika is listed as the company’s MD/CEO and the sole signatory to the two accounts linked to the firm with two banks. The four contracts the ex-minister awarded to his brother which were not executed are: Construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport (N1.3 billion); Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport (N3.8 billion); Procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners and power generator house in Aviation House, Abuja (N615 million); Procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (N2.3 billion). Investigators revealed a payment of N3.2 billion out of the total contract sum to Engirios Nigeria Limited. Upon receipt of the payment, he allegedly transferred it to different companies and individuals. The investigators also alleged that no trace of work had been done on any of the contract items to date. Hadi Sirika was the substantive Minister of Aviation for Nigeria after former President Buhari Muhammadu was re-elected in 2019 but was minister of State in 2015. Sirika was also associated with the now infamous Nigeria Air scandal.

  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed two factories for producing 100-millilitre plastic alcoholic beverages and lack of Good Manufacturing practice (GMP) in Enugu State. NAFDAC enforcement operatives focused on raiding seven marked alcoholic beverage factories in two days within the state; four factories in Nsukka axis and three factories in Enugu axis. In the Nsukka axis, two factories were sealed, in another factory its workers ran away on sighting NAFDAC enforcement officers and the last factory was yet to start production. In the Enugu axis, two of the factories sought for were not in existence and the remaining one relocated out of its known neighbourhood within the metropolis. Speaking on the development on Monday, the leader of the NAFDAC enforcement team, Mr Wafar Elam, decried the negative effects of irresponsible alcoholic beverage consumption on the health, safety and security of the public. Elam, who is from the Investigative and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC (covering South-South and South-East), said that relative ease and affordability of the small alcoholic beverage and its pocket-size nature had made some school children take the beverage at will.   According to him, uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachets and small volume or glass bottles have been put forward as a factor contributing to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria with its negative impact on the society. He explained that the consumption alcoholic beverage can lead to renal (or kidney) failure and all sorts of cancer as well as respiratory track infections “We are here to take an action and enforce the ban on the production of alcoholic drinks in sachets, small volume of plastic and glass bottles below 200 milliliters. “During the raid, it was discovered that some factories had finished products, while others still have packaging materials in their possession,” he said. Elam said that the raid followed the expiration of the deadline earlier given by NAFDAC for the ban on the production of alcoholic drinks in sachets, small volume glass and bottles across the country.     He said: “The body had in 2018 directed the stoppage of production or sale of all alcoholic drinks in sachets, small volume glasses and bottles by the end of December 2023. “This followed the recommendation of a committee comprising the Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and Industry in December 2018. “The committee premised their arguments on the fact that the rate at which the underage population has access to alcohol was quite alarming because the manufacturers of the products make it accessible and affordable to everyone. “It argued that due to its availability in sachets, many people are exposed to drinking too much alcoholic beverage at an early stage in life. As a result, underage drinking has become a major public health problem in the country.”