News

By Muhammadu Sabiu

A new core investor, Strategic Capital Investment Limited (SCIL), has finished the processes involved in purchasing or acquiring Polaris Bank from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In a statement, Osita Nwanisobi, the CBN’s director of corporate communications, said that the investment business received 100% stock holdings in Polaris Bank.

SCIL reportedly paid N50 billion upfront to purchase the shares, according to the statement released on Thursday. 

Since the apex bank intervened to suspend the former Skye Bank Plc’s licence in 2018 and established a bridge bank to take over its assets and some of its liabilities, the bank has been operating as a bridge bank.

CBN Governor Mr Godwin Emefiele was quoted as saying, “This sale marks the completion of a landmark intervention in a strategic institution in the Nigerian banking sector by the CBN and AMCON. We commend the outgoing board and management for their vital role since the bridge bank was established; in stabilising the Bank’s operations and its balance sheet and implementing strong governance structures to address the issues that led to the intervention.

“This process has provided the CBN with an unprecedented opportunity to recover its intervention funds in full and promote financial stability and inclusive growth. We wish SCIL well as they implement growth plans to build the bank from the strong foundations that have been established.”

Meanwhile, it can be recalled that Polaris Bank was recently enmeshed in a controversial drama characterised by a viral screenshot of an email allegedly from a supervisor of the bank, in which some Muslim employees were queried for attending a Juma’at service.

The email provoked an uproar from the Muslim faithful and forced a number of them to withdraw their money from the bank.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The lives of journalists in Zamfara State are in danger as suspected thugs allegedly threatened to deal with working journalists in the state. 

The frustrated thugs reportedly beat up the state chairman of Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Ibrahim Musa Maizare. 

The Secretary of the Union, Ibrahim Ahmad Gada, who spoke to journalists, said the traumatic incident happened on Thursday. 

Gada alleged that, after beating the union chairman, the thugs also threatened to kill some of them, calling on the authority to intervene on the issue. 

It was gathered that the thugs decided to deal with the NUJ chairman after he asked some workers who were at the NUJ Shops Complex at the Union’s Secretariat to renovate a shop for use as a campaign office to stop the work.

The thugs vowed not to stop the work or leave the place because it was given to them by a politician, and as long as that politician is breathing. 

“If an armed thug can threaten to kill working journalists, what do you expect? The safety of all working journalists must be guaranteed. 

“We are calling all the stakeholders to intervene. How can a thug dictate the way we can use our property in the state,” Gada said.

Although a team of police arrived at the NUJ Secretariat to settle the dispute, the thugs continued to hurl insults at the officials and other members of the union.

By Muhammadu Sabiu

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed that all providers of telecommunications services roll back the increased pricing adjustments for a select number of voice and data services.

This was revealed in a statement released on Wednesday by Reuben Muoka, head of public affairs at NCC.

The commission instructed the involved Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to reverse the increased price adjustment in a letter dated October 12, 2022, adding that the service providers’ networks’ unilateral 10 per cent upward price increases for some phone and data services had been approved and put into effect.

It noted that the order was issued in order to allow for further consultation for the good of both the service providers and consumers.

“The consideration for 10 per cent approval for tariff adjustments for different voice and data packages was in line with the mandates of the commission as provided by the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, and other extant Regulations and Guidelines, as this was within the provisions of the existing price floor and price cap as determined for the industry,” the commission said.

“The decision was also taken after a critical and realistic review and analysis of the operational environment and the current business climate in Nigeria, as it affects all sectors of the economy.

“Furthermore, even though the tariff adjustment was proposed and provisionally approved by the management, pending the final approval of the board of the commission, in the end, it did not have the approval of the board of the commission. As a result, it is reversed.

“The honourable minister of communications and digital economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has maintained that his priority is to protect the citizens and ensure justice to all stakeholders involved. As such, anything that will bring more hardship at this critical time will not be accepted.  

“This was also why he obtained the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the suspension of the proposed 5 per cent excise duty in order to maintain a conducive enabling environment for the telecom operators. Much as there is an increase in the cost of production, the provision of telecom services is still very profitable, and the subscribers mustn’t be subjected to a hike in charges.”

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i, has appointed Prof. Abdullahi I. Musa as the substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Kaduna State University (KASU).

A statement made available to journalists in Kaduna shows that Prof. Musa is the current University’s librarian.

He holds a PhD in Library Science from Emporia University, Kansas, and an MBA from Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

The new vice-chancellor also obtained his bachelor’s degree in Library Science from BUK and a master’s in Library Science from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A woman who regained freedom from bandits’ captivity said her abductors gave her N2,000 as transportation fare after collecting N6 million ransom from her husband.

The woman, Hajiya Fatima Ibrahim, said this when she appeared before a High Court in Zaria as prosecution witness (PW).

She was testifying as PW two at the resumed hearing of the case at Kaduna State High Court 1, Dogarawa Zaria.

Hajiya Fatima recounted, “On Jan. 2, 2021, in the night, I heard some strange noises in the house. As I woke up and switched on the lights, I saw the four defendants with a gun and machetes.

”They wanted to know where my husband was. I told them he was away. They kidnapped me and took me to Galadimawa Forest in Giwa Local Government Kaduna state after they had taken away money, children’s clothes and other valuables from the house.

”They called my husband and negotiated a ransom of N6 million to be paid in two instalments. The money was paid in my presence and the fourth Defendant (Usman) gave me N2,000 out of the money as transportation fare,” she told the court,” she stated.

She added that the defendants directed her on where to board a vehicle that will take her home and assured her that nothing will happen to her.

The police charged the arrested Dalhatu Shehu, Lawal Aliyu-Bullet, Nuhu Ismaila and Nura Usman with criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession of a firearm and kidnapping.

The police said the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 59 (1), 246 (a-b) of the Penal Code and section 6 (b) of the Fire Arms Special Provision Act.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, denied the allegation made by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufa’i that he was detained during Anambra governorship election in 2013.

El-Rufa’i laid the claim on Monday at an event for presidential candidates organised by the Arewa Joint Committee, saying that Obi ordered security operatives to detain him some nine years ago.

Responding, the LP candidate stated that he was not behind the directive for El-Rufai’s detention in Anambra.

He said, “When I came in now, somebody told me that my brother, the governor of Kaduna state, said that he came to my state and I detained him. Let me tell you, it is good when these things happen, you clarify them.

“Number one, in my eight years of being governor, only in the first three months did I have a commissioner that is not from the north — Commissioner of Police. And that’s because I met the person.

“At the time the governor said this, it was during election. The police commissioner that was there then was from Adamawa — CP Gwari from Adamawa. The AIG that supervised that election was CP Nasarawa from the north. The DIG that came for that election was from Kano.

“Tell me my power, that I was in APGA — government was PDP and APC. Tell me how APGA person will issue order for somebody to be detained. Even me was detained in my local government.

“However, the only offence I committed is that when they asked me, I said ‘that’s how they treat everybody; that I wouldn’t be in Kaduna on the day of election’. That was the only thing.

“I cannot do that. As governor of Anambra state, I had the best ADC in Nigeria — the best policeman. My ADC, Mohammed, is from Kano. He’s the best policeman that I have ever met. Who will I give the order? How will I tell who lives in my house every day; I’m close to his family; I get up and say ‘Mohammed, I want to deal with your people’, and he will stay there.

“Call my ADC today. I will give you his phone number. He’s the best policeman. He’s a CSP now. So, when people say Peter Obi is black. 2019, I was [vice-presidential candidate], I was a good man. Now that I want to be president, I’ve become a bad man. I did not do anything wrong. I want to change Nigeria.”

By Sumayyah Auwal Ishaq

The popular shopping center in Kaduna metropolis, Ramat Shopping Mall is currently on fire.

For now the cause of the fire outbreak is yet to be ascertained.

More details later.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The BUA Group responded to the threat by the Kogi State Assembly to revoke the 500-hectare land allocated to the company a decade ago, saying the group is no longer interested in the land.

On Monday, the Kogi State House of Assembly summoned the cement firm to account for why it failed to pay the premium and other charges.

The assembly alleged that the company did not pay the charges despite being issued a certificate of occupancy

But, the management of the company, in a statement Tuesday, said the feasibility studies had shown that only about 30% of the entire land mass is suitable for their investment, while the rest (66%) consists of rocky, hilly and/or undulating areas.

The company also stated that the government had failed to provide infrastructure to make the area accessible, adding, “The land could also be reached by water.”

This is, however, coming amidst a crisis with the Dangote Group over the ownership of the Obajana cement plant in Kogi State.

The conflict deepened last weekend as the state government and Dangote Cement Plc continued to lay claims to the facility.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The police operatives in Bauchi State killed two suspected bandits during an exchange of gunfire and also recovered machine guns and N8.4m ransom generated from victims in the state.

A 20-year-old bandit was also arrested by police in the incident that took place on Tuesday at Maina-Maji village, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.

CP Umar Mamman Sanda, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, made this disclosure to journalists while parading the suspect on Tuesday.

He added, “Security concerns in our society have assumed alarming dimensions ranging from gender-based violence, thuggery, armed robbery, kidnapping, and banditry, among others.

“This necessitates a review of our modus operandi to contain the current security challenges bedeviling our dear state.

“On 07/09/2022, a patrol team attached to Maina-Maji Divisional Police Headquarters, in collaboration with a vigilante group, acted on credible intelligence and raided a suspected kidnappers’ den.

“On arrival, the kidnappers opened fire on the Police operatives. While returning fire, two of the kidnappers were neutralized at the spot.”

By News Desk

An Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has congratulated the new governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), on his assumption of office. The group also felicitated with the newly appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Habibat Omolara Adubiaro.

The statement, which was issued on Monday, 17^th October 2022, was signed by the group’s director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

MURIC recalled that Muslims in the state had been politically marginalised in the past. It commended the new governor for deeming it fit to pick a Muslim as his SSG. The group, therefore, described the Oyebanji administration as one which prepared to herald a new dawn. It urged the governor to strengthen his position further by running an inclusive government.

The statement added that both Muslims and Christians have a lot in common as adherents of the Abrahamic faith. It, therefore, advised Governor Oyebanji to appoint more Muslims into his cabinet in order to draw Muslims in the state closer to his administration. Finally, we implore citizens of Ekiti State to cooperate with the new governor in order to take the state to new heights.