Wednesday 17 July 2024 Minimum wage: Labour threatens 30-day strike, alleges plan to decentralise talks FG warns 22 states of five-day massive flooding Crypto billionaire, technopreneur arrested for alleged fraud, terrorism funding TASUED suspends final year activities after student’s death Trump running mate Vance to light up Republican convention Gov Abba Reinstates Gaya Emir, Appoints Two Other Second-Class Emirs IMF Slashes Nigeria’s Economic Growth Forecast To 3.1% FG, States, LGs Share ₦1.35trn In June 2024 Appointments: Tinubu Not Unfair To Northerners, Says APC Spokesman Court Dismisses Suit Challenging Arabic Inscriptions On Naira Notes France’s Macron Accepts Prime Minister’s Resignation Binance Chief: Court Orders Arrest Of Kuje Prison Doctor Court Declines Emefiele’s Request To Travel Abroad For Medical Checkup Pro-Fubara Lawmakers Counter Amaewhule, Gives Gov Go-Ahead To Spend Govt Funds Katsina Singer’s Mother Regains Freedom 18 Days After Abduction Five Suspected Cultists, Others Arrested In Kogi Poly Edo LG Chairman Impeached Over Alleged ₦1.7bn Budget Padding, Others FG’s policies crippling businesses — NECA, MAN, NACCIMA Scammers hack Osun gov’s phone number —Aide Jos Building Collapse: Investigative committee releases preliminary report Gunmen kidnap naval officer, seven others in Akwa Ibom Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday dismissed a suit challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes. Justices Yellin Bogoro held that Section 53 (1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) empowers the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to print, design and issue the currency and compels the need to establish bad faith before an action can be brought to challenge the act or omission of the Federal Government or the apex court. The court also held that the suit brought by a Lagos-based lawyer, Malcom Omirhobo, challenging the Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes failed to establish that the CBN’s powers were exercised in bad faith. Omirhobo had filed the suit against the CBN in Jan. 2020 contending amongst other things that Arabic is not one of the four official languages of Nigeria namely English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo. He contended that Arabic is not indigenous to Nigeria and to have it on our country’s currency offends certain provisions of the Constitution. The CBN, in its response, had filed a preliminary objection insisting that Omirhobo had no locus standi to file the matter. The bank also filed a defence. Three other interested persons joined the suits as defendants, the Incorporated Trustees of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), its Founder, Ishaq Akintola; and a Kebbi-based legal practitioner, Umar Kalgo. After listening to all the defendants in May 2024, the court fixed its judgement for today (Tuesday). First, Justice Bogoro dismissed the CBN’s preliminary objection and held that Omirhobo had the locus standi to institute the action of being a taxpayer. The court also held that public interest actions must be encouraged. The court, however, held that Omirhobo failed to prove that the CBN acted Mala Fide, in bad faith and accordingly dismissed the suit. In his reaction to the judgment, Omirhobo said he had applied for a Certified True Copy of the judgement and would study the same to decide his next line of action. According to Omirhobo, the court also noted that Nigeria is a secular state and as such no religion is superior to the other. The lawyer also said the court noted that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and religious country and that no ethnic group or religion is superior to the other. The lawyer claimed that the court held that Arabic is not Nigeria’s official Language and advised that for Nigerians to coexist in harmony, perhaps it is time for the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government to remove the Arabic inscription on the N200, N500 and N1000 naira notes since it has been removed from the N5, N10, N50 and N100. Reacting to the judgement, MURIC described the judgement as far-reaching, profound, didactic and monumental. Akintola, in a statement, said, “This is a sweet victory. Once again the Nigerian judiciary has demonstrated courage, intellectual excellence and jurisprudential exactitude. This judgement is far-reaching, profound, didactic and monumental. “Omirhobo’s approach is not only naïve, it is pedestrian and kindergarten. This suit against Arabic on naira manifests acute desertification of religious tolerance… We have been vindicated.”

  The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has cautioned South-East states against participating in the planned nationwide protests scheduled for August 1-10, 2024. The protests, organised by various groups, aim to express frustration over escalating living costs and hardships faced by Nigerians. The Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a released statement on Tuesday, explained the organisation’s stance citing historical incidents where Igbo people have suffered disproportionately in the aftermath of major protests and riots. “Reflecting on the poignant history of the Igbo people in Nigeria, particularly in the aftermath of significant riots and protests… It is evident that Igbos have often been unfairly treated as sacrificial lambs amidst the turmoil,” Isiguzoro stated. The organisation highlighted several past events, including the 1978 “ALI MUST GO” protests, the 1989 anti-SAP riots, the 1993 June 12 protests, the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests, and the 2020 END SARS protests, where Igbos reportedly faced significant losses of life and property. Ohanaeze Ndigbo provided multiple reasons for their advisory against participation including security challenges in the Southeast region making safe protest conduct impossible, among others. The statement said, “First and foremost, the prevailing security challenges in the Southeast region pose insurmountable obstacles to the safe conduct of protests and riots. In recognition of this reality, any Nationwide Protest scheduled within the Southeast is hereby revoked, with a clear directive that Igbos will not partake. “Enforcing such protests risks exacerbating the existing security dilemmas in the Southeast, creating opportunities for criminal elements and external Igbo detractors to exploit the situation and instigate further chaos. Thus, it is in the best interest of all concerned parties to refrain from organizing any protests within the region. “Secondly, the fear of Igbos once again being perceived as sacrificial lambs in the forthcoming nationwide protests is a legitimate concern. In this regard, OHANAEZE NDIGBO calls upon Igbo residents in the 19 northern states and Southwest regions to boycott the looming protests for their safety and security.” The statement further urged Igbo residents in northern states and the Southwest to boycott the protests for their safety. “Demonstrating restraint and prudence by avoiding involvement in the protests is imperative to safeguard their well-being during this period,” Isiguzoro emphasized. Furthermore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo stressed that the primary focus for the Southeast region should be the release of Nnamdi Kanu, rather than engaging in nationwide protests.

  The Federation Account Allocation Committee has disclosed that the three tiers of government shared a total sum of N1.35 trillion in June. The amount shared was out of the total sum of N2.48tn revenue generated by various agencies and N150m more than the N1.2tn shared in May. A statement by the Director, of Information and Public Relations, Finance Ministry, Mohammed Manga, on Tuesday said the Federal Government received a total sum of N459.776bn, the States received N461.979bn, the Local Government Councils got N337.019bn. The Director however didn’t confirm if LGCs administrated by the caretaker committee received statutory allocations as directed by the Supreme Court. Last week, the apex court ordered the Federal Government to immediately start the direct payment of local government funds to the latter’s exclusive accounts. The court ordered immediate compliance with the judgement, stating that no state government should be paid monies meant for Local Governments. The statement read, “The Federation Account Allocation Committee, at its July 2024 meeting chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, shared a total sum of N1,35tn to the three tiers of government as Federation Allocation for m a gross total of N2,48tn. “From the stated amount inclusive of Gross Statutory Revenue, Value Added Tax, Electronic Money Transfer Levy, Exchange Difference, and an Augmentation of N200 Billion, the Federal Government received N459.776 Billion, the States received N461.979 Billion, the Local Government Councils got N337.019 Billion, while the Oil Producing States received N95.598 Billion as Derivation, (13 per cent of Mineral Revenue).” It added that the sum of N92.11bn was given for the cost of collection, while N1.037bn was allocated for transfer Intervention and refunds. It said CoCompanies’ncome Tax and Value Added Tax increased significantly, Import and Excise Duties and Electronic Money Transfer levies increased marginally while Petroleum Profit, Royalty Crude, Rentals and Customs External tariff levies recorded considerably decreases. The sum of N92.11bn was given for the cost of collection, while N1.037bn was allocated for transfer intervention and refunds. The Communique issued by the committee at the end of the meeting indicated that the Gross Revenue available from the Value Added Tax for June 2024, was N562.685bn as against N497.66bn distributed in the preceding month, increasing to N65.020bn. The Communique stated, “From that amount, the sum of N22.507bn was allocated for the cost of collection and the sum of N16.205bn was given for transfers, intervention and refunds. “The remaining sum of N523.973bn was distributed to the three tiers of government, of which the Federal Government got N78.596bn, the States received N261.987bn and Local Government Councils got N183.39bn. Accordingly, the Gross Statutory Revenue of N1.24tn was received for the month. From the stated amount, the sum of N68.95bn was allocated for the cost of collection and a total sum of N1.02tn for transfers, intervention and refunds. The remaining balance of N142.514bn was distributed as follows to the three tiers of government: Federal Government got the sum of N48.95bn, States received N24.83bn, the sum of N19.14bn was allocated to LGCs and N49.59bn was given to Derivation Revenue (13 per cent Mineral producing States). Also, the sum of N16.35bn from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy was distributed to the three tiers of government as follows: the Federal Government received N2.354bn, States got N7.85bn, Local Government Councils received N5.49bn, while N0.654bn was allocated for the cost of collection. The Communique also disclosed the sum of N472.19bn from Exchange Difference, which was shared as follows: Federal Government received N224.51bn, States got N113.88bn, the sum of N87.79bn was allocated to Local Government Councils, N46.01bn was given for Derivation (13 per cent of Mineral Revenue). It further disclosed an Augmentation of N200bn which was shared as follows: the Federal Government got N105.4bn, the States received the sum of N53.44bn, while the sum of N41.200bn was allocated to Local Government Councils. Companies’ Income Tax and Value Added Tax increased significantly, while Import and Excise Duties and Electronic Money Transfer Levies increased marginally. Petroleum Profit, Royalty Crude, Rentals and Customs External Tariff levies recorded considerable decreases. According to the Communique, the total revenue distributable for the current month of June 2024, was drawn from Statutory Revenue of N142.5bn, Value Added Tax of N523.98bn, N15.69bn from Electronic Money Transfer Levy, N472.19bn from Exchange Difference and Augmentation of N200bn, bringing the total distributable amount for the month to N1.36tn. “The balance in the Excess Crude Account as of July 2024 stands at $473,754.57,” the Communique said.

  As the nation waits for a new National Minimum Wage, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has threatened to shut down the country for a month over plans by the National Assembly to deregulate the Minimum Wage. President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, who spoke on the sideline of the 67th Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Lagos, insisted that minimum wage is a national issue. Ajaero warned that organised labour would not accept a situation where governors working with the members of the National Assembly would imposed slave wage and poverty on workers and Nigerian citizens. According to the NLC President: “As we are here, a Joint Committee of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Judiciary are meeting. They have decided to remove section 34 from the Exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list so that the state governors can determine what to pay you and so that there will be no minimum wage again. You cannot decide what you should earn. The very moment the House of Representatives and the Senate come up with such a law that will not benefit Nigerian workers, they will be their drivers and gatemen, and there will be no movement for one month. We cannot accept any situation where the governors and the National Assembly members will foist a slave wage on workers and force poverty on the citizens. Organised Labour will not accept it.”

  A High Court sitting at Asaba, the Delta State capital, has sentenced one Onuwa Ijie to death, and Nwanozie Uzor to 14 years imprisonment for murder and conspiracy to commit the murder of twin boys, Chidalu and Chigozie Agwunobi. The court presided over by Justice Onome Marshal-Umukoro sentenced two convicts over the murder of the seven-year-old boys. The prosecution conducted by a Deputy Director in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs Paula Akpoguma, in proof of the case called five witnesses. The court held that the testimony of the five witnesses proved the case against the two defendants beyond reasonable doubt.   The prosecution stated that tragedy struck the family of Olise Agwunobi of Oko-Ogbele Community on March 5, 2020, when their seven-year-old twin boys were lured by the defendants to a bush and they proceeded to cut off their penis, eyes, tongues and hands which they hurriedly took to a native doctor at Aguleri in Anambra State. “One of the defendants had earlier gone to the school of the twin children to take them but was turned down by the school teacher, one Mrs Emelda Ezekwude,” she said. Delivering his judgment, Justice Marshal-Umukoro stated that after carefully evaluating the evidence presented before him, the prosecution had discharged the burden of proof as the first defendant from his confessional statement was the person who sowed the seed of committing human rituals in the mind of the second defendant by giving the phone number of one Chukwudi Edemuzor who was alleged to be searching for twins to kill for money. The court maintained that the law is settled that the testimony of an investigating police officer was not hearsay evidence, and the court can rely on it. Speaking with journalists after the judgment on Tuesday, the prosecuting counsel, Akpoguma thanked the court for upholding the cause of justice, “reaffirming that the judicial system works.”

  Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel for the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has claimed that the IPOB leader is ill and is being denied medical attention. Ejimakor disclosed this in a tweet on X.com on Tuesday. According to him, Kanu was found unwell during a visit on Monday, exhibiting shortness of breath, low blood pressure, and general discomfort. He added that a request for a doctor’s visit was submitted but reportedly denied by the Department of State Services, where Kanu is currently detained. Ejimakor wrote, “Yesterday, during our visitation with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we found him ill, with shortness of breath, low BP, and general malaise.   “For this reason, he requested to see his doctor, and we submitted a letter in this regard. Today, the doctor arrived at the DSS but was denied access to #MNK.” PUNCH reported in March that IPOB called on the Federal Government to release its leader, saying that his health is deteriorating in detention. His family had also claimed that he needed a cardiologist and urged President Bola Tinubu not to allow him to die in DSS custody.

  President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame has won 99.15 percent of the votes from Monday’s presidential election to secure a fourth term in office. Only about 79 percent of ballots have been counted, according to the country’s electoral commission. Authorities said 9.5 million Rwandans registered to vote. The country has a population of 14 million. Kagame’s opponents — Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana — each received less than one percent in the provisional results.