National

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Department of State Services (DSS) Thursday said that it has charged the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the court.

This was coming as a response to the order by a Federal High Court sitting at Maitama in Abuja which it ordered that Emefiele should either be released or charged to court.

Recall that in a judgement delivered by Justice Hamza Mu’azu, the court held that Emefiele’s continued detention without trial, amounted to a gross violation of his fundamental right.

Responding, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said, “Sequel to an Abuja High Court Order of today, 13th July, 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

“The public may recall that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

“Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June, 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

“The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law,” he added.

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ilorin have apprehended 13 Chinese nationals for illegal mining activities in Kwara State.
 
The EFCC revealed this via a statement on its social media handles on Friday evening.
 
According to the anti-graft body, “the offence is contrary to and punishable under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983.”
 
This paper understands that the suspects, who include a female and 12 males, were detained on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Government Reserved Area, G.R.A. Ilorin, after obtaining reliable information about their unlawful activities, which included illegal mining and failure to pay royalties to the Federal Government as required by law.
 
The EFFC’s statement further reads, “Prior to their arrest, discrete investigations on the activities of illegal mining operators in Kwara State revealed that the operators have different illegal mining sites in almost all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.”

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

In a letter addressed to the House of Representatives, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stated that 12 million families will receive N8,000 for a duration of six months. This is aimed at easing the difficulties experienced by Nigerians due to the removal of subsidies.

The President announced an initiative that aims to assist impoverished and vulnerable Nigerians in managing the expenses associated with meeting their fundamental necessities.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A Federal High Court sitting at Maitama in Abuja has ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to release the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefele, from detention.

The court order on Thursday asked the DSS to, within seven days, release Emefele or charge him to court as his continued detention is tantamount to a breach of his fundamental human rights.

In a judgement that was delivered by Justice Hamza Muazu, the court held that Emefiele’s continued detention without trial, amounted to a gross violation of his rights.

He added that since allegations against the embattled suspended CBN Governor contained bailable offences, the DSS ought to grant him administrative bail, pending his prosecution.

The judge was quoted to have said, “Though I am in sympathy with the Applicant (Emefiele), my sentiment will not go far to deliver judgement by granting all the reliefs sought by the Applicant.

“The Applicant has not shown that his arrest, detention and investigation were unlawful.

“However, I am concerned that the application is not without merit. The Applicant is entitled to a fair hearing.

“At this point, the continued detention of the Applicant cannot be justified in the absence of any charge against him.

“At the very least, justice demands that Applicant should be released on administrative bail.

“Consequently, I hereby male an order, directing the Respondents to, within one week, charge the Applicant to court or release him on administrative bail,” the court held.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Nigerian Army has sworn blind to deal adequately with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on its unlawful sit-at-home order throughout the Southeat states.

It was gathered that Maj. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, ordered troops to raid IPOB hideouts and stop them from unlawfully enforcing residents to remain indoors for two weeks.

The Daily Reality reports that the order came after Simon Ekpa, a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, announced that there would be a two-week sit-at-home in the South-East region from July 31.

Ekpa disclosed that the order was to demand the immediate and unconditional release of the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, as well as facilitate the freedom of Biafra nation, among others.

He also threw threat that anybody or group of people that refuse to comply with the the sit-at-home order would attract ‘heavy consequences’.

However, speaking with the journalists, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, declared that such an announcement was unlawful and would not be condoned.

Onyema said, “The renewed threat by IPOB to compel the people in southeastern Nigeria to sit at home is not only appalling but a violation of the fundamental rights of southeastern Nigerians and, therefore, unlawful. This will never be condoned.

“The Chief of Army Staff has handed down clear directives to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army operating in synergy with other security agencies to ensure robust patrols to dominate all flashpoints and emplace measures to ensure citizens are free to go about their legitimate businesses.

“Strangely, Simon Ekpa, a notorious terrorist and self-acclaimed leader of IPOB, is in Finland making a living for himself and his family, but ordering the people to shut down their means of livelihood by sitting at home,” he added.

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

The immediate former Nigerian Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has been appointed Global Advisor to Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).  

The former VP disclosed his new appointment in a tweet on Tuesday. 

He is to assist GEAPP’s mission of clean energy and facilitate deployment in developing countries.

Announcing the appointment, he wrote : ” I am excited to announce that I have been appointed Global Advisor to Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet @EnergyAlliance.”

While commending the GEEAP, he also said:

“GEAPP in such a short period have demonstrated a commitment to support developing countries’ shift to a clean energy using models that ensure universal energy access as well as drive economic growth, generate jobs & sustainable livelihoods and meet urgent climate goals.”

By Muhammad Abdurrahman

An Islamic human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has faulted the final report of the European Union observer team on Nigeria’s 2023 general election. MURIC described the report as an imperialist agenda.   

The group spoke on Tuesday, 4^th July 2023, through its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

His full statement:

“The Chief Observer of the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM), Barry Andrews, at a news conference in Abuja last week presented its final report on the 2023 general election in Nigeria. The report was an undisguised indictment of Nigeria’s electoral system.

“We are nonplussed by this blatant attempt to push an imperialist agenda down the throat of Nigerians. The report is a premeditated attempt at inciting anarchy in the country with the hope of gaining political and economic influence at the outbreak of commotion.

“The EU EOM final report is the odd one out when juxtaposed with those of other election monitoring groups. We saw nothing close to this in the report of the US-based International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI). NDI/IRI came with 40 observers from 20 countries led by Dr. Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi. They did not sow any seed of confusion.

“229 different observer groups deployed 146,913 domestic and international monitors. 33 of these were international observer missions which deployed 2,113 observers and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INED) threw its doors wide open for them.

“Why is the EU EOM report a different cup of tea? Is this group trying to tell the world that the Commonwealth Observer Group led by Thabo Mbeki which also covered the elections is blind? The African Union had its team and so did the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) observer team led by Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan.

“Nigerians should not allow the EU EOM to destabilise the country. Imperialists will never teach you what will benefit your country but what will make you despise it. The aim is divide et impera. MURIC rejects this EU EOM report. It is jaundiced.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has offered N100,000 relief to over 125 Nigerians returning from Sudan to flee the incessant conflict in the country.

The returnees flown into Abuja on Saturday by Tarco Airline where each of them received N100,000 and dignity packs as a relief.

A statement by the foundation on Friday disclosed this, saying that the purpose was to enable the returnees address some of their problems.

The statement read, “One Hundred and Twenty-Five (125) persons including many disabled, flown into Abuja by Tarco Airline on Saturday, June 24th, each received N100,000 naira and dignity packs courtesy of the Aliko Dangote Foundation.

“It will be recalled that over 2,278 returnees received N100,000 Naira each in May, with care packs to help with their immediate needs, and enable them reunite with their families all across the country.

“ADF reactivated its intervention to help ease the return of stranded nationals evacuated from Sudan amongst them, older people, disabled persons- visually impaired, physically challenged, youth, women and children.

“Two men in their 70s who had planned to go on lesser Haj (umrah) by road through Khartoum got caught up in the war. Even though they tried another route, they were unable to reach their destination having lost all their belongings and their money.

“Several returnees had lost their various businesses to the war. Those businesses included leather, hides and skin, tailoring, shoe making, buying and selling scrap metal.

“An aged man, Muhammad Saidu Ahmed, said, “I came back from Sudan without a dime’, now I have N100,000 Naira! This is a welcome surprise – we never knew we would even survive the bombings.

“An aged woman narrated that when relatives in Sudan reported that they had lost her son while fleeing, she went in search of him only to discover that he died during a bomb blast.

“The 80 year old lady, said most of her family managed to escape death traps, bombings all the while desperately fighting hunger, the loss of their homes and livelihoods and displacement.

“They thanked the Aliko Dangote Foundation, ADF, for the intervention, which they described as unexpected, timely, and life-saving,” the statement added.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The former President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, denied the social media allegation that he asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to probe him and other ex-government officials.

The social media report had it that when Buhari and Tinubu met in London last week, the former pleaded with his successor not to probe his cabinet members.

However, Buhari who denied the allegation through his spokesperson on Thursday, Malam Garba Shehu, said the story was not true.

Shehu in a statement he titled ‘What Buhari didn’t say to President Tinubu’ said: “If social media is to be believed, former President Muhammadu Buhari is requesting his successor, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to investigate some former officials of his government.

“It is fake, let us not discuss it or give it energy or air of publicity. This is fake news, and nothing more. Thankfully, there was no one other than the two leaders in the room in which they met, so no one was there to report their conversation.

“As much as possible, the former President wishes to remain outside the spotlight so as not to distract the new administration.

“He chose to go home in Daura hoping to find the type of quiet he wished for himself but realizing that this was not the case, visitors trooping in morning, day and night, he moved out to a more distant place.

“It remains his wish that he be allowed to have his needed rest, and for the Tinubu administration to have the right atmosphere to work on the realisation of the promises they made,” he added.

By Aliyu Nuhu

The Petroleum Marketers, under the umbrella of IPMAN, are saying that petrol will be sold at N700 per litre if the next imported fuel arrives. But even at the current price, ask them “how market?”.

These days you see pump attendants sitting down for hours without selling 200ltrs. The moment they see a car approaching, they start shouting, ‘Come here! come here!’ It is now the buyer’s market; all that arrogance associated with the seller’s market during scarcity periods has vanished.

During fuel subsidy regimes, NMDPRA said we used to consume 66.8m ltrs of petrol daily. But after the withdrawal of the subsidy, the figure has dropped to 40m. If they increase the price to N700/ltr, the consumption may drop to 20m ltrs per day.

This will shrink the downstream industry and shut down half the filling stations in the country. Nigerians are resilient, and they know how to adjust to every difficult situation. People with many cars will sell them. Those with big cars will go for smaller, fuel-efficient cars. People will take Keke or bus and only travel when and where necessary.

The beauty of a free market economy is that the market forces of demand and supply will set price equilibrium to the acceptance of both sellers and buyers. There will be no market distortion, and petrol marketers will only make marginal gains relative to their level of capital and investment.

We are not scared of a free market. It is a waiting game. If they fail to sell their products due to low demand, they will lower the price. Otherwise, new entrants into the industry will come and offer lower prices for market penetration.

We are waiting.

Aliyu Nuhu writes from Abuja, Nigeria.