News

By Muhammad Sabiu

Idris Jere, the Nigeria Immigration Department’s (NIS) interim comptroller general (CG), has stated that the service is now seeking to hire an additional 5,000 officers.

This, according to Mr Jere, was made to help the NIS fill a manpower shortage, he said while answering questions from reporters in Dutse on Saturday.

“With regards to inadequate personnel in the NIS, as you know, we’ve just concluded recruitment into the service, and we’re training those recruits now.

“As you’re also aware, the government has placed embargo on recruitment, but lifted that on security agencies, because security is key.

“So, we’ve written to the President and I’m very sure we will get approval to recruit about 5,000 more personnel into the NIS,” Mr Jere said.

He noted that President Muhammadu Buhari had received a memorandum from Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, who expressed his readiness to grant the request.

The CG travelled to Jigawa to visit hospitalized personnel and offer condolences to the family of one of its officers, who was slain on August 9 by suspected bandits.

The personnel were attacked at one of the Immigration Service’s bases in the state’s Birniwa Local Government Area, which is along the Birniwa-Galadi axis.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Uneasy calm as the Former Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over an alleged plan to assassinate him

Dogara alleged that inspector Dakat Samuel and Inspector Auwalu Mohammed were conspiring with one Barau Joel Amos (Sarkin Yaki) to hatch the assassination plan.

This was disclosed in a petition signed by Dogara himself. However, the matter is currently before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department and Bauchi Command of the force.

He said, “I am sure you are apprised of the matter since it involves looting of your armory in Bauchi by the very officers who are entrusted with the safe custody of your arms and a constituent of mine, Barau Joel Amos, who sought to buy or has been buying assault rifles from the officers.

“I have been authoritatively informed that the said Barau Joel Amos has confessed that the reason he sought to buy the rifles is to kill me and three of my constituents, vis: Bar Istifanus Bala Gambar, Rev Markus Musa (CAN Chairman, T/Balewa) and Emmanuel (Chairman NL, T/Balewa).

I find it worrisome that there has been no official advise from the police relating to this credible threat to our lives to enable us beef up security around us or just to be careful about our movements. More so, there is a spike in cases of kidnappings and killings by unknown gunmen especially in Lere District of T/Balewa. A case in point was the attack at Boto town where some relations of a former Governor of the State were killed while some were abducted.

“In view of the deteriorating security situation in T/Balewa LGA where the suspect comes from, I wish to appeal to you to use your good offices to ensure that a thorough and all encompassing investigation is carried out so that all those in the loop are apprehended and brought to book in order to restore lasting peace in the Lere District of T/Balewa LGA. With all due respect, this is a matter that must not be handled with kid gloves.

“His confession relating to those who gave him or contributed the money for him to be using to procure weapons. His Bank Statements and phone call logs will definitely collaborate his confessions. Granted his meager salary as a store keeper in a Secondary School, it will have taken him a lifetime savings to be able to raise the N1.2m cash which he wanted to use to buy the two rifles.

“It must be noted that he does not earn any additional dime from any known legitimate business he is known to operate. So the said Barau Joel Amos could not have been acting alone, it is clear that he is being fully funded by his ilks; some evil and criminally minded people.

“Is it in vain that upon hearing that Barau Joel Amos has been arrested and detained that his closest associates all fled T/Balewa town? It will be important to apprehend them no matter where they may be hiding within the country so that they may tell the authorities what they know that scared them to the point of abandoning their families at home while they live as fugitives elsewhere”

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, has decried the worrisome development of ‘sex for grades’ rocking the tertiary institutions in Nigeria today, urging the male lecturers to zip up trousers.

The senator representing Delta State described the development as an “extraordinary harm that negatively impacts the standard of education.”

The Daily Trust reported that Omo-Agege made the disclosure Saturday, August 20, 2022, at Sofadondo 2023 National Conference in Abuja.

The conference was themed; “Sex For Marks And Marks For Sex, Establishing The Change Mantra For National Growth And Development”.

Omo-Agege asserted that harassment instils fear, and fear has no place in the world of intellectualism.

He added, “Without question, the scourge of sexual harassment with its obnoxious sub-culture of sex for grades in our tertiary institutions is extraordinary harm that negatively impacts the standards of education in our tertiary institutions.

“The sexual harassment law protects the right of students to learn peaceably deprived of any form of harassment. Without any doubt, our students, especially daughters and wives, deserve tertiary learning environments devoid of sexual harassment.

“The essence of university education is to expose students to new research and technology. Studying at a university encourages creative and independent thought, which could bring about positive socioeconomic transformation in society. 

“Higher institutions retain the singular ability to transform this nation for greater developmental exploits because that is where the base of our most productive youths reside. They represent the hope of our salvation for national growth and development.

“Harassment instils fear, and fear has no place in the world of intellectualism. If students are unable to express themselves because lecturers are mean, fraudulent, lecherous, manipulating and self-seeking, predatory, wicked, and uncaring, then where will innovations come from? 

“Through such a process, the lecturers will promote those who are undeserving, elevate the mediocre and frustrate brilliant students.

“University education is a serious business that requires commitment and focus. We, therefore, need to create a new paradigm for university education in the country. We need to change the objective of education so that we work towards productivity. We must see our children inventing and innovating things and taking control of their own future and the future of the country.

“It is now the responsibility of every Nigerian to fight this tyranny on campuses. Society itself needs to deliberately give proper orientation to our children. There is a need to break the culture of silence come out of stigmatization. 

The more people speak out about this evil and call out its perpetrators, the more we liberate Nigeria’s youth from bondage and ensure the country’s future. This will also activate the legal and judicial system, which is not just largely untested but also overdue for an overhaul to take care of this menace.

“I also call on journalists, human rights activists, and indeed all stakeholders to be part of this fight. I urge male lecturers to zip up and uphold the ethics of their profession. They should not hesitate to cry out in good time when experiencing any pressure from any female student, whether directly or indirectly,” he stated.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has expressed grievance over the 34-year prison sentence of one Saudi woman, Ms Salma Al-Shehab, 34.

Al-Shehab, a doctoral student, was sentenced to 34-year imprisonment for following and retweeting so-called dissidents and activists.

She was arrested in Saudi Arabia in 2021 while on holiday from her studies at Leeds University in the UK.

The woman, who has two small kids, was sentenced to jail, followed by a 34-year travel ban in connection with a series of tweets and retweets on political and human rights issues in Saudi Arabia,

OHCHR expressed concern in a statement by its spokesperson, Liz Throssell, urging the Saudi authorities to quash her conviction and release her immediately and unconditionally.

The statement read, in part, reads, “She should never have been arrested and charged in the first place for such conduct.”

“Saudi Arabia must not only release Al-Shehab so that she can re-join her family but also review all convictions stemming from free expression against human rights defenders.

“The government should release those jailed, including women who were jailed after they legitimately demanded reforms of discriminatory policies, as well as religious leaders and journalists,” Throssell said.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Hundreds of job seekers from different parts of Nigeria trooped into Kano State Thursday to jostle for the West African Examinations Council (WEAC) jobs.

The examination body was hiring assistant registrar, accountant, quantity surveyor, registered builder and network administrator, among other posts.

The job seekers sat for a computer-based aptitude test organized by the examination body at a CBT centre along Gwarzo Raod in Kano.

Unemployment is one of the lingering issues currently flogging the Nigerian graduates, making it a serious challenge, especially to the government.

A recent Bloomberg report shows that unemployment in Nigeria has surged to the second-highest on the global list, jumping to 33.3%.

Unemployment alarming

Musa Musa Dangwangwani, surprised by the number of applicants who trooped into the state to sit for the CBT, said the unemployment rate in the country is alarming.

Dangwangwani, an applicant from Katsina State, said, “Despite the high unemployment rate, job opportunities are very scarce. I’m therefore pleading with the government to provide job opportunities in the country.

Another applicant from Kogi State told our reporter that the issue of unemployment in Nigeria is seriously killing graduates, urging the government to do the needful to mitigate the problem.

‘The future is bleak’

“We have a lot of graduates out there that already lost hope. If you speak to them about any job opportunity, they will tell you they don’t want to apply for any because they are rigged out.

“One has to have a godfather before he secures a job now. But I have been trying my best. Wherever I heard of any opportunity, I apply, believing that one day I will succeed,” Dangwangwani said.

A female applicant from Kaduna State, who did not want her name in print, said the gathering was suggestive of the country’s high unemployment rate.

She said, “The way people gathered here tells me about the high rate of unemployment in the country. The government needs to do something to end this issue.

“Government should revive the number of factories shut down over the years. I think that will really help.

I lost my job due to insecurity – Applicant

An applicant from Bauchi State told The Daily Reality how he lost his job to the security challenge in Nigeria.

He said that was the reason he was now seeking another job.

He said, “I had my business. I’m a network engineer. My job was to provide internet service to the people mining in the bushes, but because of the current insecurity in the country, we can’t risk our lives; thus, I am jobless now.”

The Daily Reality recalls that professionals have argued that there is a need for urgent intervention to save the country from an impending danger posed by the exponential increase in unemployment.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, said the country’s future is in the hands of youths.

The ex-president, who put all hopes in youths, stated that the solution to the country’s challenges was in their hands.

Obasanjo charged the youths to do the needful and change Nigeria into a better country in a chat with a famous singer, Charly Boy.

He said in parts, “I am the father of frustrated youths in Nigeria. That we are poor and frustrated is not the fault of God. 

“It is the choice of our leaders, and if we are going to change that situation, the youths have to change leadership. Pure and simple. There is nobody who will do it other than the youths.”

Many people in Nigeria share this belief that the solution to the country’s challenges is in the hands of the youths.

However, still few people, on the other hand, argue that the youths are not even ready to shoulder this responsibility.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Reports from Plateau State have disclosed that two police officers were shot dead while on duty at Kuru community of Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that the bandits stormed the security personnel in a checking point while on duty in the area and went away with the rifles of the slain officers.

The Daily Reality learned that the incident happened at a security checkpoint close to Kuru Government Science Secondary School.

One of the deceased was said to have been buried, and until his death, the victim was attached to the counter-terrorism unit of the state police command.

Insecurity has been one of the security challenges in Nigeria over the years, leading to the deaths of many innocent souls, including women and children. 

The insurgence has also orphaned children and widowed women and displaced many locals from their community.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro is set to leave Real Madrid for Manchester United for close to £60m after negotiations between the Laliga and the Premier League giants.

Fabrizio Romano, a journalist in the know of the deal, quoted Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to have said, “I have spoken with Casemiro. He wants to try a new challenge. We understand his decision”.

“Negotiations are ongoing, but he has decided to leave Real Madrid”.

The Brazilian footballer has been playing at Santiago since 2013. He won 5 Champions League trophies, Laliga titles and other domestic trophies.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced the revocation of the licence of some broadcast media organizations in Nigeria.

NBC stated that the decision followed over failure to renew their broadcast licences amounting to N2.66 billion.

The affected media include AIT, Silverbird TV, Raypower FM, and Rhythm FM, amongst others.

A statement on Friday, August 19, 2022, disclosed the revocation, adding that a two-week waiver was given to them in May to do so, after which they risked the revocation of their broadcast licences.

The statement added, “Some licensees are yet to pay their outstanding debts, in contravention of the National Broadcasting Commission Act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10(a) of the third schedule of the Act.

“Therefore, after due consideration, NBC hereby announces the revocation of the licenses of the…stations and gives them 24 hours to shut down their operations.

“Our offices nationwide are hereby directed to collaborate with security agencies to ensure immediate compliance.”

“The Commission also calls on all IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) and all other broadcast stations that are streaming online to register with the Commission to avoid disconnection,” it added.

“Broadcasters should note that having a DTT or FM license does not warrant a broadcaster to stream online; they are two different licences,” the statement concluded.

By Muhammad Aminu 

The Federal Government (FG)has proposed June 2023 after the general election to eliminate subsidising fuel in Nigeria.

Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, disclosed this at the hearing of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee Investigating the Petroleum Products Subsidy paid between 2013 to 2022 on Thursday.

Ahmed, who disclosed that the FG is planning a new date to end payments on under-recovery between the landing cost and regulated pump price of PMS, stated that the subsidy regime was not sustainable and may force more borrowing in 2023.

She said that the government, in the 2023-2025 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper planned for payment of the subsidy for only the first six months of 2023. 

Ahmed further disclosed that President Buhari transmitted the MTEF/FSP to the Senate and the House of Representatives as approved by the National Economic Council and the Federal Executive Council.

“One thing that stands out in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework was that if the nation holds on to fuel subsidy as it is designed now, we will be incurring from January to December a subsidy cost of N6.4tn. But we suggested to the Federal Executive Council, and the council approved that maybe, we could look at the option of exiting the subsidy (regime) for half a year. So, if we did that, then the cost would be N3.35tn, which is half of the N6.7tn.

 “The Federal Executive Council approved the second option. That is the option that was conveyed by His Excellency, the President, to the National Assembly. But Let me also say that even though this is a reduced option, it would mean that we are borrowing more than we would have borrowed if we did not have fuel subsidies.  In 2022 we are carrying the cost of subsidy throughout the whole year.

“Recall that the initial MTEF and approval by the parliament was for us to exit the subsidy by June of this year. But during the course of the year, making assessment of the difficult fiscal challenges in the economy and the hardship that our citizens are bearing due to high inflation and other challenges, we were asked to re-submit our plans and review them to include provision for fuel subsidy throughout the year 2022. That was how we came back to parliament with an incremental expense from N443bn which we had planned to up to N4tn subsidy expense in 2022,” the minister said.

She added that“This situation is not desirable and it is not sustainable. It is putting the country in a very serious, dire financial situation and we do hope that we will be able to exit this subsidy regime in the shortest possible time.

“The N3.35tn in the approved MTEF that is now before the National Assembly for consideration could have been funds that would apply to other vital sectors of the economy such as health, education and social protection. So, we are carrying a burden and we must sit back as citizens and really assess whether it is beneficial for us to continue to do so.”

The minister also presented a breakdown of withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and the Excess Crude Account for payments to oil marketers under the subsidy regime.

She said, “Deduction of PMS under recovery shortfall by NNPC for the period 2013 to 2022: We are reporting that there is a total sum of N4.436 trillion which was deducted as PMS under-recovery by NNPC for the period January 2013 to December 2021.

“In this report, we are reporting the sum of N1.774 trillion has been paid to independent oil marketers as subsidies from 2013 to 2016.

“I will like to call the attention of the committee to note that the total sum of N6.210tn – that is the N4.4tn plus the N1.774tn – was expended on PMS under-recovery by NNPC as well as payment of subsidy to independent oil marketers from 2013 to 2021.

“I want to report on the funding of subsidy payments to independent oil marketers for 2013 to 2016. Payments that have been made to them were directly from the domestic Excess Crude Account through the reduction of Sovereign Debts Instruments that we call the SDIs.

“The SDIs are negotiable short-term instruments that were issued by the government at that time to give marketers comfort and enable them access financial support from their bankers for the importation of PMS. The instrument was approved by the then President in 2010.”

 She added, “It is also important to note that there were instances where funds were transferred from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to the domestic Excess Crude Account for subsidy payments.

 “For 2015, there are two instances: N31bn from the FGN’s excess domestic account, transferred from the CRF. Again in 2015, N156.1bn transferred from the CRF in another instance to the domestic Excess Crude Account.”

The minister, however, told the committee to request the statement of account of the NNPC from the company directly.

The committee resolved to request documentary evidence of the beneficiaries of the N500bn after some members expressed their reservations about the payments, especially without knowing the actual volume of PMS consumed daily.