Buhari, Tinubu meet in Aso Rock By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday morning met with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The APC national leader arrived at the residence of the Presidential Villa, at about 11 am and the meeting lasted for about one hour. The agenda of the closed-door meeting was not made public but it may not be unconnected to the activities of the ruling party as regards its convention and the zoning of the political offices, especially the presidency for the 2023 elections. The APC national leader came alone this time, unlike the previous visits he normally comes with the pioneer interim chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande. The visit also came a few hours after the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, concluded its rancor-free convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja, where most of the positions were through consensus. Recall that President Buhari had a few months ago, visited the APC national leader in London when the latter was said to be receiving medical treatment. Vanguard News

Pandora Papers: Inside the secret assets of a Nigerian lawmaker, and how he serially broke the law by Nicholas IbekweByNicholas Ibekwe

Nicholas Mutu, Nigeria's longest-serving legislator, appears a lawless lawmaker. Evidence shows he serially violated the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. With more than 20 years in the House of Representatives, Nicholas Mutu, 61, is the longest-serving member of Nigeria’s lower legislative chamber, the House of Representatives. But apart from his record-making stay in parliament, Mr Mutu, who represents the Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency in the oil-rich but poverty-stricken Delta State, has also been in the news over fraud-related allegations. On February 3, 2020, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him at the Federal High Court in Abuja for alleged fraud and abuse of office. The case is ongoing. Mr Mutu’s problems with the law is about to get bigger. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation has now unveiled him as a serial violator of Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act that forbids public office holders from engaging in or directing private businesses, except farming, while in office. Our investigation also revealed how Mr Mutu set up an offshore company in Seychelles, a tax haven, to secretly purchase a London property valued at N566 million. Details of the lawmaker’s secret London property was obtained as part of the Pandora Papers investigation, a massive leak from firms that specialise in setting up offshore companies in tax-haven territories such as the British Virgin Islands and Panama. Pandora Papers The Pandora Papers project, the biggest cross-border collaboration of journalists in history, is an investigation into a vast amount of previously hidden offshore companies, exposing secret assets, covert deals and hidden fortunes of the super-rich – among them more than 130 billionaires – and the powerful, including more than 30 world leaders and hundreds of former and serving public officials across the world. The confidential documents also feature a global cast of fugitives, convicts, celebrities, football stars and others, including judges, tax officials, spy chiefs and mayors. The leaked records came from 14 offshore services firms from around the world that set up shell companies and other offshore jurisdictions for clients who seek to conceal their financial activities, some of which are suspicious and criminal. Mr Mutu and his London property According to records held on file by Alemán, Cordero, Galindo & Lee (Alcogal), an offshore law firm, Mr Mutu, in 2010, while a lawmaker, incorporated the Forest Group of Company in Seychelles. In 2012, this offshore company bought a property in north London for £620,000.00 and sold it in 2014 for £730,000.00, approximately N566 million using the parallel market rate of N775 to a pound, according to U.K. Land Registry records. There is no evidence that Mr Mutu declared this asset to Nigerian authorities as demanded by law. In a brief telephone call, the lawmaker claimed he was never a director of the offshore company, that it was owned and controlled by his wife and not by him, and that it had never owned any UK property. But his claims are false as they are at odds with documents from the UK Land Registry and the Pandora Papers, which combined to properly document him as director, shareholder and beneficial owner of Forest Group of Company. The documentation include a copy of his passport which he voluntarily provided to his secrecy provider as part of an extensive due diligence requirement. It is not illegal to secretly buy British properties using anonymous offshore companies. But under Nigerian law, public officials — including parliamentarians — must declare “all properties, assets and liabilities” to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). As asset declarations by Nigerian officials are not public, PREMIUM TIMES and Finance Uncovered could not determine if Mr Mutu included the north London property he owned between 2012 to 2014 in his asset declaration disclosures. The lawmaker declined to provide evidence he did so despite requests by reporters. But the Code also prohibits public officials from maintaining or operating any foreign bank accounts. When Mr Mutu was asked whether he used any non-Nigerian bank accounts to transact in the UK property and whether he declared them, he did not respond.

If found to be in breach of asset declaration law by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, public officers face a range of sanctions including “vacation of [their] seat in any legislative house” as well as disqualification from “holding any public office for a period not exceeding ten years”.

Mr Mutu declined to receive written questions unless they were delivered personally to his office. He later sent a confrontational SMS, claiming to have unmasked the journalist who contacted him as an agent of his political rival. “I have found you,” he wrote. “You work for my political opponent [name withheld for legal reasons]. You don’t have any dignity. Shame.” Mr Mutu and his directorship in multiple companies On October 27, 2003, just six months after he was sworn in for his second term as a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Mutu set up Forest Group of Company Limited with registration number: RC 497907. In flagrant disregard of Section Six of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Mr Mutu was listed as director of the company. Other directors are Blessing Mutu, his wife (also charged by the EFCC), Faith Agbede, Isaac Enifome Azeza, and Rapheal Ebomo. Also listed as directors and shareholders of the company are three other companies – Gracious Access Limited, Seem Trust Limited and Mutabless International Ltd. A further search of the registration details of the listed companies revealed that Mr Mutu is a director in all three companies. Our finding revealed that two of the companies were set up after Mr Mutu had become a public office holder. However, one of the companies, Mutabless International Ltd, was set up in 1998 just before Mr Mutu was elected member of the House of Representatives. Seem Trust Limited, with registration number 394580, was set up on 31 October 2000 just over a year after he was elected to the lower legislative chamber. Mr Mutu, with perhaps two of his relatives – John Mutu and Seigha Mutu listed as directors of the company. Gracious Access Limited was set up in May 2001 with registration number 410184, about six months after Seem Trust Limited with Mr Mutu listed as director. Other directors of the company are Blessing Mutu, Benjamin Ogbalor, and Afonibe Wendy Ogbalor. Other businessness being illegally run by the lawmaker while being a public officer are Forest Shippers Limited (RC 1081322), incorporated on November 29, 2012; Legacy Grips Limited (RC 1279869), established on August 11, 2015; and Pleutoral Legacy Limited (RC 1283877), incorporated on August 27, 2015. He is listed as director and shareholders of these companies in what is a clear breach of the code of conduct law. Mr Mutu did not respond to requests asking for comments about his directorship of these companies. His EFCC problem Between 2009 and 2019, Mr Mutu chaired the house committee responsible for oversight of a federal agency called the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), charged with “offering a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta”. In early 2020, the lawmaker was arrested and charged with fraud and abuse of office, according to a press release issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He was accused of concealing N320m in payments from an NDDC contractor between 2014 and 2016, which he “ought to have known formed part of [the] proceeds of corruption”. Mr Mutu’s trial commenced in February 2020. He has pleaded not guilty. According to the EFCC, which began investigating a number of NDDC contracts in 2019, Mr Mutu wielded his influence as chair of the House Committee to ensure that a company which had been controversially awarded a lucrative contract to recover unpaid levies from oil and gas companies operating in the Delta was paid out by the NDDC. Earlier on October 31, 2019, the EFCC announced it obtained an interim court order compelling Mr Mutu to forfeit N150m which the agency said was part of “bribes and kickbacks” he received from Starline Consultancy Services. An EFCC spokesperson confirmed that Mr Mutu’s fraud and abuse of office trial has been adjourned until November 2021, and that the final asset forfeiture application is ongoing. ***Additional reporting for this story was provided by Finance Uncovered

Government workers’ future shaky as 20 states shun contributory pension scheme by Nike Popoola and Adepeju Adenuga

No fewer than 20 states have yet to commence the payment of pensions to retirees after opting to join the Contributory Pension Scheme, investigations by our correspondents have revealed. The CPS was established by the Pension Reform Act, 2004 to provide a sustainable system of pension payment and correct abnormalities in the pay-as-you-go Defined Pension Scheme under which retirees suffered awaiting their stipends, while many died without getting their entitlements. Industry stakeholders are worried that the non-payment of pensions, which characterised the old scheme, has begun to affect the CPS. A report by the National Pension Commission titled, ‘Level of implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme by states as of June 2021’, which was obtained by The PUNCH on Thursday, showed that 25 states had enacted laws to join the scheme. The states include Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Delta, Ekiti, Ondo, Edo, Benue, Kebbi, Niger, Rivers, Ogun, Bayelsa, Kogi, Anambra, Abia, Taraba and Imo. Others are Sokoto, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Enugu, Oyo and the Federal Capital Territory. The report, however, showed that only five states – Lagos, Osun, Kaduna, Delta and the FCT – were paying pensions to retirees under the CPS and funding the accrued rights (benefits under the old pension scheme that the retirees are also entitled to). Despite enacting their CPS laws, Anambra, Abia, Taraba, Imo, Sokoto, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Enugu and Oyo states have yet to establish pension bureaux to commence the scheme. According to PenCom, seven states are at the bill formation stage to enable them to migrate from the old scheme to the CPS. They are Kwara, Plateau, Cross River, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi and Katsina. Five states have, however, opted for other pension schemes. They are Jigawa, Kano, Yobe, Gombe and Zamfara. Reacting to the development, the Head, Corporate Communications, PenCom, Peter Aghahowa, noted that the states had different peculiarities. He said, “The process of enacting the law is the first thing; then, you will put the structures in place; for example, you have to put a pension bureau in place and you have to train people to understand how the CPS works. Then, you start getting the employees of the states to register with the PFAs before remittances will start. “But apart from that, the most important thing is that the government must have the will to implement, to deduct and to remit pensions. “We try to be detailed on a state by state basis. You can’t generalise. “If you don’t implement in time, you will have a lot of arrears to pay.” The Director, Centre for Pension Rights Advocacy, Ivor Takor, said prior to the PRA 2004, state and local government employees’ pensions were administered under the Pension Act, 1990. He said, “The reform of pension administration in Nigeria was necessitated by the many problems that confronted both the public and private sector pension schemes. “In the public sector, the federal, states and local governments operated the Defined Benefits Scheme under the Pension Act, 1990, which was of universal application in the whole public services in the country. “The scheme was unsustainable due to the lack of adequate and timely budgetary provisions and increase in salaries and pensions. There were demographic shifts due to rising life expectancy as pensioners were beginning to live longer. “Pension administration in the public sector had been largely weak, inefficient, less transparent, very corrupt and cumbersome.” Takor noted that the reform brought about the enactment of the PRA 2004, which introduced the CPS. While the PRA 2004 prescribed pensions for workers in the public service of the federation, the FCT and the private sector, it omitted state and local government employees. Takor stated, “The exclusion was not an oversight by the committee that carried out the reform. State and local government employees were not covered in the Executive Bill that was sent to the National Assembly, but they were covered in what was sent by the President to the National Assembly. “When the bill got to the National Assembly, governors mobilised their states’ representatives in both chambers to remove state and local government employees from the bill before it was passed into law. “Their reason was that the country was under civil rule and the National Assembly could not make laws for the states on an issue like pension, which is not on the exclusive legislative list.” He, however, said the problem was corrected in the Pension Reform Act, 2014. t PUNCH.

My 48-hour ordeal in France over Nigeria’s COVID-19 permit – Soyinka by Gbenga Adeniji

Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, on Thursday said he was prevented from boarding at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, for failing to obtain what the airline staff described as a ‘permit to travel’ to Nigeria. Soyinka spoke in Lagos on the theme, ‘COVID, technology and citizen banishment,’ during an interaction with journalists. The essayist said although no attempt was made to banish him, he nevertheless felt like serving a decree of banishment for 48 hours that the event lasted. Every in-bound traveller is expected to upload their COVID result on a portal created by the Federal Government, with the traveller’s details including passport, ticket numbers. At the end of the exercise, a barcode is generated, indicating a permit to travel. The playwright who lamented his experience said, “Of course, there is something known as force majeure that means you cannot help it. If there are floods, or there is turbulence and your plane cannot land and it is turned somewhere else, yes we understand that.” He added that when an individual “is prevented from entering his own country through the lapses of others, then there is problem.” The elder statesman, who recounted two experiences, stated, “I had my vaccination, I have taken the 72 hours COVID test and I was negative. But apparently, there was one more, a new one called PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), which the Nigerian government had begun to insist upon. I was away from the country at the time. I didn’t know this. I thought I was all geared up. I couldn’t get on that plane. I had to go back to Paris. I spent three extra days in Paris before I could get back to the airport, after taking the test and getting my result. “But it happened the second time, just about a week ago. This time, I had my PCR, and I still remained vaccinated. And of course, it did not happen to me alone; there were other Nigerians who passed the night at the airport. They couldn’t leave the airport because they had already passed through immigration. But at the gate, they were also turned back. This time, it was not PCR, or whatever it is called. It was that they had not gone to something called the Nigerian Travel Porter and obtained a permit to travel. Again, it was my turn. I said I have got everything, that I have the PCR. But they said no, that there was one more item which the Nigerian government now requires. So, I had to go back into Paris. Then I was directed where to go through a machine, and pay the necessary amount and then permission will be generated from Nigeria so that I could travel back to my own country. I rebooked, and the following morning, I was back at Air France. At the hotel, we tried to get on this porter, but we could not.” He added that by 10am, he realised that he might miss his flight again, so he told the Air France about his challenge. Soyinka said, “Together with Air France staff, between 10am and 2pm, we kept working. They brought their computers, some changed my password for me so that they could then try through their own but they could not. We succeeded maybe around 12 something in the receipt of the payment of my credit card being acknowledged. But it did not generate the permit to enter Nigeria, which has a square barcode. The process itself is really remarkable. I don’t believe that it was the Ministry of Health who created that questionnaire. I think it must be the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I invite you all to attempt to get on that portal and tell me what it has to do with COVID after the first couple of questions. What the majority of those questions have to do with COVID I understand. I asked them if there are other flights going to West African countries, which do not require this kind of secret service questionnaire, because that was what I consider it to be. And they said there was a flight leaving for Lome at 4.30pm. I told them to put me on it. Boarding began about 2.40pm; I carried my bags ready to go to Lome. In the meantime, one of the supervisors had come from the office. She was working with the phones like mad; sddenly, she broke into a sigh of relief and came running to where I was with my bags. She told me that she has good news for me, that I have been given special permission to enter my country. I don’t believe that I or any Nigerian should require special permission to enter his or her own country.” Soyinka added that he didn’t believe that other nationals were obstructed from entering their countries the way Nigeria did for its citizens. He added, “This is a plea to the Ministry of Health, Internal Affairs, which I am convinced must have participated in this form, to find out what is going on and why one should be subjected to this ordeal. Let us go out through the front door and come back through the front door as it is befitting to all normal citizens. “Stop treating Nigerians like criminals and illegal immigrants who end up sleeping on couches or on the floor of the airport.’’ Commenting on the November 6, 2021 Anambra governorship poll which the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra had declared a one-week sit-at-home ahead of its conduct, Soyinka said, “We are in a mess. This country is in a mess. It is disintegrating before our very eyes. The government is floundering.” PUNCH.

COVID-19: New US travel requirements take effect Nov 8 by Adelani Adepegba

Beginning on November 8, foreign air travellers to the United States will be required, with only limited exceptions, to be fully vaccinated and to provide proof of vaccination status before boarding a plane to the US. This new global travel system replaces the existing country-by-country restrictions, putting in place a consistent approach worldwide, the US has said. With the implementation of these new vaccine requirements, the US government explained that foreign national travellers who had been in one of the 33 countries with restrictions do not need to obtain national interest exceptions to travel to the US. According to a statement on Friday, titled, ‘New vaccine requirements for travel to the United States starting November 8, 2021,’ the US Centre for Disease Control has determined that for the purposes of entry, vaccines accepted will include those approved or authorised by the Food and Drugs Administration as well as vaccines with an emergency use listing from the World Health Organisation. It noted, “When it comes to testing, fully vaccinated air travellers will continue to be required to show documentation of a pre-departure negative viral test taken within three calendar days of travel to the United States before boarding. “That includes all travellers – US citizens, lawful permanent residents and foreign nationals. For example, if a vaccinated traveller is travelling to the United States on Saturday, they can test from Wednesday on.” “To further strengthen protections, unvaccinated travellers – whether US citizens, LPRs or the small number of exempted unvaccinated foreign nationals – will now need to show proof of a negative test within one calendar day of travel to the United States,” the government further said.

What exactly will eNaira achieve? byAbimbola Adelakun

Months after the Nigerian digital currency, the eNaira, was announced, they still have not told us what exactly it can achieve that is not already possible. From everything they have said so far, eNaira seems like a duplication of existing efforts in the electronic banking sector. After an initial false start and several technological hitches, the Central Bank of Nigeria finally launched the eNaira on Monday at the State House in the Federal Capital Territory. The occasion was a chance to address the question of the point of the eNaira but the President, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), did not go beyond echoing the same old story. He said the digital naira would increase remittances, foster cross-border trade, improve financial inclusion, make monetary policy more effective, and enable the government to send direct payments to citizens eligible for specific welfare programs. Almost each of those achievements Buhari listed is at least two decades old, thanks to the advent of internet technology and the globalisation of the banking system. In the case of Nigeria – and perhaps most African countries – we also have the influx of relatively cheap China phones to thank for facilitating electronic banking and financial inclusion. Apart from Buhari’s address, I have also followed several “expert” opinions on the eNaira. While some praised the initiative as a game-changer, none of these enthusiasts pointed out what a digital currency does differently from the electronic transactions people conduct on the internet, banks, cash apps, and POS machines. The fact that we live in a country where a pastor conjured “miracle money” is an indication of liquified fiduciary instruments have become. Unlike some misinformed assertions in some quarters, the eNaira is not “cryptocurrency.” It is not going to rise in value like bitcoin or similar forms. The eNaira is the same money you currently have in your bank account and which you already transact through bank apps. There is probably nothing you want to do with the eNaira locally and internationally that you probably cannot do already with your ATM card. When it comes to international transactions, the eNaira will face the same hurdles people currently deal with when paying for certain goods and services from Nigeria. While interrogated during a live TV interview, a CBN director said the eNaira was the beginning of the “march to prosperity” for Nigeria. Unless the CBN has something else they are not telling us yet, the digital currency is not the revolution they are making it out to be. It is a reinvention of the wheel, albeit in a digital format. Making exaggerated claims that the eNaira will lead Nigeria to prosperity is unnecessary and likely to sow distrust in a populace already cynical about the efficiency of our institutions. Countries prosper based on productivity index, not because they created one more means of making payments to compete with existing organisations. It is even problematic that the CBN presents itself as a competitor against other agencies that already deliver the same services effectively. Before you know it, the CBN will make monopolist policies to squeeze the life out of those finance organisations so their eNaira can thrive. The fact that the CBN currently undersells the potentials of the digital currency by focusing on how it duplicates existing efforts does not make the initiative an entirely useless idea. Countries like China and Sweden also issuing digital currencies – the e-renminbi and the e-krona respectively – have spoken about how electronic money will improve transparency in global financial transactions. Some other countries currently piloting the digital currency project have also focused on how they plan to use the digital currency to curtail money counterfeiting, develop stronger oversight systems to monitor terrorism funding, fight corruption by discouraging shadow transactions, and confront money laundering. For Nigeria, one would expect the CBN to show how the digital currency can support anti-corruption efforts, and their plans to heighten surveillance of illicit cash transactions regularly conducted in high places. For instance, how will the traceability of eNaira transactions make it harder for the politicians who commandeer a bullion van to their private houses during general elections to do whatever they do with that much money? In the wake of the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers’ exposés of illicit global financial transactions, how do you intensify supervision of international money transfers? Instead, the CBN is selling the most basic functions of e-transactions. So far, nothing they claim the eNaira will achieve departs from the same things garrulous Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said when, as the CBN governor, he was promoting the “cashless society” policy. For a country that lacked basic infrastructure, some of the ideas that Sanusi introduced to facilitate cashless policy turned out to be merely punitive. When summoned to the national assembly to clarify issues, Sanusi overpromised on how they would achieve cashless transactions and artfully skirted the real issues – the level of infrastructure Nigeria required to transition to a cashless society was barely available. Today, the legacies of their aspiration toward becoming a “cashless” society are evident in the pains of transacting business in Nigerian banks. Nigeria is one of those few places in the world where you see up to a mile of people queue in front of an ATM. Those machines were designed for/by societies that are already “cashless,” not to replace regular banking services but to complement them. But the way we use it in Nigeria is abuse, and that is because our society likes to run before it can even walk. A decade after we embarked on the path to “cashlessness” the CBN is still trumpeting almost the same things as potential achievements of the eNaira. Digital currencies are not exactly a novelty, although a necessary response to our modern world where technology is radically changing the meaning of “national borders.” Some experts project that cash will eventually phase out with more electronic transactions now possible, consequence of the ubiquity of digital technology. The time is coming when countries’ central banks will be considerably weakened because people can effectively transact business globally without recourse to their national currency. Digital currencies are one of the means of anticipating that possibility. But it is not enough that Nigeria merely replicates what already exists and sells it as a novelty. They should at least go further to identify the gaps in what subsists and address them too. Countries like Senegal and Ecuador also launched their digital currencies, but they eventually cancelled them. Senegal’s e-CFA failed because it mostly followed the same top-down approach of the conventional banking system and the millions of people who could have participated were subsequently excluded. As for Ecuador, the digital currency was massively unpopular because people could not just trust their central bank to run an efficient digital monetary system. They also trusted the dollar more than their local currency. Meanwhile, Kenya has been running MPesa – its mobile financial transaction system – since 2007, and it is a roaring success. The MPesa has been extensively studied in institutions worldwide as an example of how modern technology can promote financial inclusion among the unbanked. Compared to Senegal and Ecuador, the lesson is that technological breakthroughs thrive better when a public relates well to them and also takes up organic initiatives that establish them. Nothing the CBN is selling through the eNaira project is new. They are not even responding sufficiently to the realities of an emerging world where government institutions are more easily bypassable by people who can opt for the more efficient services provided by transnational corporations. For instance, Facebook, a platform that connects about half of the world’s population is working on its digital currency, Libra. The scale of their reach makes Facebook the world’s largest country. When they launch Libra, it will not only be a strong global currency, it will also be autonomous. When that happens, what becomes of the eNaira? The relative ease with which millions of Nigerians sidestepped Buhari’s Twitter ban by downloading VPN has revealed the limits of government control in a world revolutionised by technology. Agencies like the CBN had better start thinking radically before they become entirely irrelevant. aadelakun@punchng.com PUNCH

“Ignore Lai Mohammed”, Tinubu Urges Governor AbdulRazaq By Sheedah Lawal

Expecting a response to the comments by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed from Kwara state Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq may not be so soon. Information gathered from close associates from the corridors of power in Kwara state has revealed that it took a lot of time for the governor to grant the last interview where he exposed the underhand tactics employed by Mohammed to devalue his personality and government. Recall that Governor had alluded to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s advice to ignore Lai Mohammed. “When he now made this noise and came and insulted me, on two occasions I tried to say something and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said I should forget this thing. I shouldn’t talk and I should forget it,” Abdulrazaq stated in the interview. The reliable source, however, stated that it is the opinions of the majority within government circle that it is silly for anyone to expect that Governor Abdulrazaq will respond to the attack by Lai Mohammed in his recent interview. A close source to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at his Bourdillon residence in Ikoyi area of Lagos said the APC National leader has beckoned on the Presidency to fix the former Kwara APC Chairman Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa with an appointment to leave the political scene in Kwara and allow the Governor take charge of the state ahead of 2023, the more reason bigwigs from the Lai Mohammed group distanced themselves from any parallel Congress in the state. “Asiwaju also warned that going to the radio or any media to attack your party’s government is the greatest anti-party which comes with severe penalties” the source added. As at the time of filing this report it was noticed that bigwigs of the Lai Mohammed camp have stayed away from featuring on their regular radio programs and reduced their altercation again Governor AbdulRazaq and the Kwara State Government.

Tinubu, Osinbajo 2023 Presidential ambition: Mischief makers at work By John Mayaki

In Nigeria today, as the politics of 2023 takes center stage, it has become glaringly obvious that the nightmare scenario for a number of political actors is for the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, to stand before a camera and make the following declaration: “I accept the call to run for the office of the Presidency.” The reason is uncomplicated. For these persons who are already having wet dreams of ‘life in Aso Villa’, this outcome, in which the Vice President heeds what is now a deafening call from virtually every inch of the country to succeed his principal, represents a crushing blow. It is a prospect they fear would present them a hurdle too tall to scale. It threatens their cute, little project of running the country and emerging the Lords of the manor. To borrow a local saying, they are terrified that “e go pour sand sand for their garri.” It is Yemi Osinbajo, the professor of law, foremost intellectual and outstanding public administrator. The one who as State Attorney General achieved feats no one else has been able to repeat. The Vice President who increased the stock and size of the office with his loyal, competent, and unblemished service. How do you compete against that? The argument for his emergence as President is ironclad. Best fitting as a natural successor, widely admired and trusted by all. He carries no ‘baggage’ at all. When the topic is Yemi Osinbajo, Nigerians set aside their partisan leanings and acknowledge that “he is a good man”. His support is widespread and organic. To many, he is a source of inspiration. Others say he has returned the dignity of public service. His speech and conduct elicit the highest form of endorsement from Nigerian parents across the country – a recommendation to their wards that he, the Vice President, is worthy of emulation. Love and respect that transcends politics; natural in origination, compelling in intensity. How do you convince the people otherwise, even as the man continues to break new grounds? This is what troubles the political actors. It is the cause of their affliction. Therefore, to avert this nightmare, they have entered into a frantic race, a war with their own insecurity and apprehensions. With the complicity of a section of the media desperately craving political drama to increase clicks and sales, they have spent most of the year pitting the Vice President against interests and individuals he personally has no problem with. The latest of the attention-seeking headlines they sponsored with their tattletales to the press, is that the Vice President was snubbed in London by the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, because the timing of his visit to the recuperating political leader was, according to them, questionable. Whereas the Vice President held the fort at the presidency in the absence of the President, thus making the President’s trip and consequent visit to the National Leader possible, these persons twisted the events and gave it their own conspiratorial interpretation. Instead of deeming the Vice President’s visit a mark of his goodwill as any other normal party would, especially after taking on extra duties to facilitate the President’s preceding visit, they chose malice and discord, and sold the same to the press. To shoehorn benign events into their set narrative and project their political calculations on the Vice President, they have bent themselves into pretzels, holding up unrelated and innocent actions as the evidence of a grand plot. Per their reasoning, the fallout of the events in London has forced the Vice President to “throw his hat in the ring” and enter into a “fight of his life.” Anyone with the littlest knowledge of the Vice President knows he is not one for messy political drama let alone a desperate fight for a position when it is God and God alone who gives power. His approach to all things, including politics, is informed by the biblical instruction contained in the book of Romans chapter 12 verse 18: “if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” It’s the reason he has successfully built a popular support base that transcends ethnic, religious, regional, and partisan divides. Even his strongest critics attest to his discipline, open-mindedness, and commitment to collective progress. The real fight for Osinbajo is for these afflicted persons who need an open conflict to fill their pockets, titillate their crowd, and further their agenda to leave him alone and confront their insecurities. Because unlike them, he has elevated work to do, one that affects the fates of millions of Nigerians. He needs no further distractions.

Aregbesola shuns Akande’s meeting with APC elders’ caucus by Bola Bamigbola

MINISTER of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was noticeably absent at a meeting held at the Ila country home of the ex-Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, to discuss party unity. The gathering was a meeting of the Osun APC Elders’ Caucus designed to unite party members. It was gathered that when one of the conveners of the meeting raised the issue Aregbesola’s absence, one of the conveners of the meeting, reportedly explained that the ex-governor was duly invited. Although the meeting was held behind closed doors, it was learnt that the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, said many party members were aggrieved as a result of the 2018 Osun APC Governorship primary. He appealed to the elder statesman to assist in reconciliatory efforts before the next cycle of elections. Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Akande, said the elders met regularly to discuss party issues, until the advent of COVID-19 last year. He said, “the meeting had always existed, but because of COVID-19, the meeting had not been held for a very long time. It is the beginning of elders’ activities to move the party forward in Osun. “We are doing all our best to resolve every crisis. I can assure you that there will be no crisis within our party before the election. We come from different constituencies in Osun and we are going back to let our people know we have started to be more active than before.” Asked who would be flagbearer of the party in the next year’s governorship poll in Osun, Akande said, “I don’t know who our candidate may be in the forthcoming guber election, but I can assure you that our candidate will win the election in 2022.” On the issue of the zoning of the APC 2023 Presidential ticket, he said the South will square up with the North, and “whoever becomes our candidate will win the presidency.” Those at the meeting include: Senator Iyiola Omisore, ex Osun Deputy Governor, Titi Laoye-Ponle, ex deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuff, Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, ex- Health Minister, Dr. Isaac Adewole, among others, commenced around 11:15 and ended around 1:30pm. PUNCH

NNPC, marketers inflated imported petrol figures under Buhari, Jonathan – Sanusi by Femi Asu

A former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi, said on Tuesday that petrol imports figures were inflated when global oil prices went up during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and the regime of the current President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) Sanusi, who spoke on Tuesday at a panel session during the 27th National Economic Summit in Abuja, said the subsidy on petrol was responsible for the inflated figures. Until May 2016, when the Federal Government announced a new petrol price band of N135 to N145 per litre of petrol, private marketers imported petrol into the country and were paid subsidy claims by the government in order to keep the pump price lower than the expected open market price of the product. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, which has been the sole importer of petrol into the country in recent years, has been bearing the subsidy cost. It does the importation through the Direct Purchase Direct Sale arrangement. Under the DSDP scheme, selected overseas refiners, trading companies and indigenous companies are allocated crude supplies in exchange for the delivery of an equal value of petrol and other refined products to the NNPC. Sanusi said, “I have said this over and over again, and when I say this, I want it to be clear that I said this when I was governor of the central bank under the previous government. What I say is not about a particular government. “In 2015 or 2016, Minister Kachikwu came out and said Nigeria was importing 30 million litres of fuel a day after eliminating corruption and having transparency. In 2019, the NNPC came out and said we were importing 59 million litres per day after oil prices have gone up. And I have been asking the question: what happened between 2015 and 2019 that our consumption doubled? “This was the same thing that happened under the previous government; in Nigeria, when the oil price goes up – unlike all other products when it gets more expensive, you have a reduction in demand – the NNPC says we are importing more. Why because as the price of oil goes up, the arbitrage between the subsidised price and the market price is so high; there is an incentive to inflate those numbers.” The NNPC, in the latest monthly report on its website, said a total of 1.67 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), translating to 55.79 million litres per day were supplied in April. Sanusi said, “I have produced evidence before the National Assembly historically of cases where the NNPC would say we have imported fuel, use the name of a vessel – people say they imported fuel; you go and check and the vessel was nowhere near Nigeria on the day they said it was in Lagos, and people have collected subsidy on those things. “For me, all the drawbacks of this regime, what it is costing Nigeria is not just the cost of subsidy; it is the cost of the corruption. What we need to do is to scrap it.” The ex-CBN boss added, “This money coming from petroleum belongs to the federation account; the Federal Government does not have the constitutional right to pay subsidy on behalf of the federation. “So, that is a fundamental constitutional issue because this is money that should go to the federal, state and local governments. Yet money that belongs to the federation is carried out as a central government expenditure. So, you can see so many complex issues – there are legal and economic issues. What we need to do is stop this thing.” PUNCH

22 govs apply as FG begins model ranch fund’s disbursement next week by Our Reporters

No fewer than 22 states have written to the Federal Government to indicate interest in the National Livestock Transformation Programme. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture, Andrew Kwasari, who also coordinates the NLTP, disclosed this in an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday, adding that the Federal Government would start disbursing funds for model ranches in the next one week. According to him, states whose governors have written the Federal Government include, Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Zamfara, Kano, Ondo, Katsina, Bauchi, Yobe, Borno, Gombe, Nasarawa, Niger, Sokoto, Ekiti, Kogi, Ebonyi and Kwara. Following incessant clashes between farmers and herders, the Federal Government in 2018 came up with various ranching models, including Ruga and the NLTP, to settle nomadic herdsmen, who are mostly Fulani. On Sunday, the President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, in a write-up in response to a story published by The Economist of London, said the Federal Government’s ranching programme had reduced insecurity in the country in the last 12 months. He, therefore, urged state governors, who had not embraced the scheme, to do so Kwasari said, “I have the list of all the governors, who have written to participate in the NLTP. There are 22 governors, who wrote to express interest in the NLTP. “That is the first condition in the NLTP document. This project is not just something that is done on paper. There are guidelines as approved by the National Economic Council.” Although he did not specify the amount that would be disbursed, the presidential aide said two of the states, Nasarawa and Plateau, would be getting financial support from the Federal Government for the establishment of model ranches in about a week. He stated, “In fact, this morning (Tuesday), I was following up with the accountant-general’s office concerning the pilot money to Nasarawa and Plateau. “We are expecting the Federal Government to credit Nasarawa and Plateau’s accounts; their sites are ready for take-off to build the first ranch and to train pastoralists in how to build ranches.” Kwasari said Adamawa and Kaduna states were among the 10 states that had established offices and prepared for the programme. “The government will support them, but they have their own contributions to make. We are also working with the Dutch Government, which has also given some support,” he added. The presidential aide explained that the model ranches would be used to train pastoralists and help them build their own ranches. He noted that some people had described the NLTP as another Ruga project. He stated, “But the bottom-line is that the NLTP is an ecosystem approach. It has six pillars that address all the things that have gone wrong with our livestock production system. “I just spoke with the office of the accountant-general and by Friday or in a week’s time, I should be able to tell you that the money has been credited to the Nasarawa and Plateau NLTP accounts. “I will also be able to tell you when work will start on the model projects; to me, that is the most important thing.” Kwasari added that states like Nasarawa, Adamawa, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe, Kogi, Kwara and Ondo, which had met the NLTP conditions, should be supported by the Federal Government in establishing model ranches. Asked how much the Federal Government would give as support, he stated, “To build a pilot ranch for the training of pastoralists and crop farmers costs about N400m. “However, some states have counterpart funding; for instance, Nasarawa has counterpart funding of up to 50 per cent from the Dutch Government. So, to build the ranch and run it for three years will cost about N400m.” Animals in the ranches will not be allowed to leave the facility all year round, while households will send in representatives, who will be trained in the model ranches in the pilot states. Kwasari noted that once the pastoralists were able to get feed and water for their livestock, they would have no business moving cattle from one state to another. We’ve submitted business plan, says Ondo When contacted, the Ondo State Government confirmed that it had submitted its business plan to the NLTP. Read Also Ebonyi, three others get N24bn for ranching from FG -President's aide States differ as Zamfara, Gombe begin ranching, Oyo, Cross River, others oppose project NLTP is RUGA in disguise –SMBLF The Special Adviser to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu on Agriculture and Agric-business, Mr Akin Olotu, said the decision was in response to the Presidency asking the governors to provide land for ranching. Olotu, however, did not say if the state would give land for ranching or not, but noted that Ondo was waiting for the NLTP’s action on the business plan. “We have submitted our business plan to the National Livestock Transformation Programme since last year and we are still waiting for action on their part,” he simply stated. Animal production a private venture – Enugu But the Enugu State Government said that rearing cattle was a private venture like every other livestock production business. The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Matthew Idu, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents. When asked if the state government would provide land for ranching, Idu asked, “Is it the Federal Government that is rearing the cattle? There are questions you people shouldn’t be asking; cattle rearing is an individual business, just as you have people rearing fish and other livestock.” Ekiti has keyed into FG’s NLTP – Commissioner On his part, the Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Olabode Adetoyi, said the state already had a ranch at Ikun Ekiti in the Moba Local Government Area of the state. Adetoyi, who said there had been no discussion on the Federal Government’s appeal to states for land, said, “We already have a ranch at the Ikun Dairy Farm. There is no farm without a ranching facility there. For now, that is what we have on the ground. “We have keyed into the National Livestock Transformation Plan. The Ikun Dairy Farm is the best ranch that any government can have in the country. It is a public-private partnership between the Ekiti State Government and Promasidor, the makers of Cowbell Milk, where we target the production of 10,000 litres of milk per day. At present, we are producing more than 100,000 litres per month.” Herdsmen should buy land, Delta insists The Delta State Government says it supports ranching as a panacea for the herders-farmers’ crises in the country. The state Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH in Asaba. He said, “Delta is in total support of ranching, but we do not have land to give. Without ranching, there can’t be any reasonable solution. “Cattle rearing is a private business and anybody who engages in the business should look for land and acquire it. “It is not the duty of the government to do so. If we begin to get land for cattle rearing, we should also get land for those who are into poultry and other businesses.” Katsina earmarks 122,000 hectares for cattle grazing In Katsina State, there are over 122,000 hectares of land for grazing sites out of which 7,000 hectares are currently being utilised for ranching. It was also found out that ranching was being executed in 10 local government areas of Batsari, Jibia, Kurfi, Dutsin-ma, Safana, Danmusa, Kankara, Faskari, Sabuwa and Dandume. Oyo rules out building ranches for herders The Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, stated that the anti-grazing law enacted by the Seyi Makinde administration would strictly guide livestock production in the state. He stated, “Oyo State has an anti-open grazing law, which was signed into law in 2019. This has comprehensively spelt out the processes for the establishment of ranches by any intending livestock farmer. “The Oyo State anti-open grazing law sees ranching as a personal business. Herdsmen are free to apply for land for that purpose. “The disposition of the Oyo State Government is not in support of giving land for grazing reserves. The grazing control law does not give land, but for the herder to rent and renew land at intervals. The landowner too cannot sell land to any herdsman.” By Okechukwu Nnodim, Peter Dada, Abiodun Nejo, Raphael Ede, Matthew Ochei, Olaide Oyelude and Olufemi Olaniyi PUNCH

FG lists Diezani’s buildings, jewellery, bras for sale, values Badeh’s mansions by Eniola Akinkuotu

1,620 items including cars, houses, phones, laptops, vessels listed The Federal Government has begun the process for the valuation of property belonging to several politically exposed persons, including the embattled former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke. The Diezani property located in highbrow Banana Island Foreshore Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos, include 18 flats and six penthouses located at Building 3, Block B, Bella Vista, Plot 1, Zone N, Federal Government Layout. Other notable property listed include those belonging to the late Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, whose houses in the Wuse 2 and Maitama high-end neighbourhoods of Abuja were seized. They include No. 14 Adzope Crescent, off Kumasi Crescent; 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2; and 6 Umme Street, Wuse 2. Other recovered items listed are 125 pieces of wedding gowns, 13 pieces of small gowns, 41 pieces of waist trainers, 73 pieces of hard flower, 11 pieces of suit, 11 pieces of invisible bra, 73 pieces of veils, 30 pieces of braziers, two pieces of standing fan, 17 pieces of magic skits, six packets of blankets, one table blanket and 64 pairs of shoes. The Federal Government had last week begun the process of screening 613 independent valuers expected to manage the sale of the assets alleged to have been illegally acquired, which have now been permanently forfeited to it in about 25 locations throughout the country. The total number of property marked for auction across the country is 1,620, including cars, houses, phones, laptops, vessels and other valuables. Lagos has the highest number of property that will be auctioned, including 31 houses and 589 vehicles. At the expiration of the deadline, 284 firms submitted bids for the valuation of landed property, including residential, commercial, institutional and underdeveloped plots of land slated for disposal. The Chairman, Inter-ministerial Committee on the Disposal of Forfeited Assets, Mohammed Etsu, told journalists lasts week that 229 proposals were received for the valuation of plants, machinery, motor vehicles, furniture and equipment, while 75 companies submitted bids for the valuation of water vessels for disposal, and 25 companies presented bids for the valuation of jewellery, ornaments and clothing materials for disposal. Etsu, who is also the Solicitor-General of the Federation, stated that the committee would ensure a harmonised and transparent process to safeguard the recovered assets by the relevant agencies. The solicitor-general said the sub-committee on valuation and due process had earlier conducted the technical evaluation of the bids received from interested valuers, adding that only clothing materials were available for valuation at the moment. Etsu noted that pieces of jewellery were still subjects of litigation and therefore were not part of the process for now, reminding the successful valuers of the need to be thorough. Diezani, who was minister under former President Goodluck Jonathan, has been in the United Kingdom since 2015 and has refused to return to Nigeria ever since. The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, stated before the House of Representatives in May that jewellery worth N14bn was seized from Diezani. PUNCH

Oshoala rated Barca Femeni 8th most expensive player by Ebenezer Bajela

Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala, is Barcelona Femeni’s eighth Most Valuable Player, according to reputable Spanish football statistics website, soccerdonna.de. The website valued the Nigerian at €175,000 with a year left on her Barca contract. Spanish midfielder, Alexia Putellas, is the player with the highest market value at €350,000, while Caroline Graham Hansen, Lieke Martens and Jennifer Hermoso are joint second with a market value of €300,000. Occupying the fifth position are Patri Guijarro and Mariona Caldentey who are valued at €250,000. Spanish midfielder, Aitana Bonmatí, is in seventh position at €225,000. María León shares eighth position with Oshoala with a market value of €175,000, while Sandra Paños and Irene Paredes complete the Top 10 with €125,000. The 27-year-old Oshoala joined Barcelona in 2019, initially on loan, and has flourished since then, scoring 40 goals in 39 appearances. Oshoala became the first African woman to win the UEFA Champions League after Barcelona defeated Chelsea 4–0 in the final last season. Other titles won by the African Women’s Footballer of the Year are Primera División in 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, Supercopa Femenina in 2020 and Copa de la Reina. PUNCH

Why EFCC detained me ―Ex-senate president Anyim by Edward Nnachi

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has explained he went to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja, on his own volition, on Sunday, when he heard that his name was mentioned by someone who was being investigated by the anti-graft agency. According to Anyim, who was also a former President of the Senate, the anti-graft agency never invited him, adding rather, he went there himself when he got information that someone under investigation mentioned his name. A Peoples Democratic Party’s Chieftain, Anyim observed he was, however, surprised that after his engagement with the EFCC officers, he was not allowed to return home. Anyim narrated his encounter with the EFCC in a statement by his Media Adviser, Sam Nwaobasi, on Tuesday evening. The statement, said, “Anyim had been inundated with inquiries from friends, associates, PDP faithful and the general public. “These were with regards to media reports that he was invited and detained “as part of an investigation in a case of alleged corruption and diversion of public funds.” “It has, therefore, become necessary to put the records straight on what went on between Sunday, 24, to Tuesday, 26 of October. “Senator Anyim got information that some person invited by the EFCC in connection with some matter it was investigating mentioned his name in the statement made to the EFCC. “Determined, as always, to ensure that the truth prevails, Senator Anyim reached out to the officer handling the matter and offered, of his own volition, to come over to the EFCC to clarify any issues around which his name was mentioned. “The officer was delighted and they agreed to meet in his office at the EFCC by 3p.m., on Sunday, October 24. “At the agreed time Senator Anyim arrived at the EFCC office. He was never invited by the EFCC. “After his engagement, during which Senator Anyim was as candid as could be, to his utter surprise he was told he would not be going home that day. “By the next day, the EFCC gave the conditions for his release, which were met promptly. “It took up to Tuesday, 26, for EFCC to complete their processes after which he was allowed to go home “Senator Anyim, as a law-abiding citizen, will always submit himself to any process required by any agency of the government in the discharge of its duties. “Senator Anyim, though not disturbed or worried by his encounter with the EFCC, after all he went to their office by himself, has however noted some reports in some social media platforms that deliberately distorted the facts just to call his integrity to question. “Senator Anyim remains steadfast in his commitment to join hands with men and women of goodwill to unite, heal and advance the cause of our dear country Nigeria. “He will continue to offer himself and services to the pursuit of same, notwithstanding the blackmail, falsehood, misinformation and misrepresentation that some opportunists will seek to make out of such episodes like his recent encounter with the EFCC. “Senator Anyim is very humbled and touched by the spontaneous responses and concern shown by his numerous friends, associates, supporters, especially PDP faithful and the general public. “He believes that together we shall all build a better Nigeria.”

Security agencies lack intelligence, can’t arrest insecurity – VC by Adelani Adepegba

THE Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, has said the security agencies and the political class were not doing enough to curb the insecurity in the country. He blamed the lack of intelligence for the failure of the security forces to arrest the deteriorating security situation. Na’Allah made the remarks, while speaking at a symposium with the theme, ‘Kinetic and non-kinetic application in the fight against insecurity in Nigeria.’ It was organised to mark the inauguration of the University’s Centre for Security and Legal Studies, in Abuja on Tuesday. Na’Allah said, “The lapse on the part of key players to avert abductions or destruction of lives and property by criminal elements is a disgrace to the country and the academia.” The VC stressed that the university could not be absolved of blame, given its failure to explore research and collaboration with security agencies to proffer workable solutions to end insurgency, banditry, kidnappings and other crimes. He said, “We have a lot of lessons to learn, we have a lot of work to do. We must sit down in our laboratories to think through the current challenges we have in our nation and figure out how Nigerians can go about their businesses without fear. “We can’t mobilise intelligence to know what is going to happen the next hour; it is a total failure. How can we have a nation where today it is bombing, tomorrow it is another crisis? “The birth of this centre is a challenge this university is throwing to all our military institutions and civilian institutions that we must come together to get through this war of the 21st century.” The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, who was represented by his Security Adviser, Navy Commander Jerry Omodara, (retd.), said the emerging trend reinforced the need to deploy kinetic and non- kinetic approach in achieving the desired results. PUNCH

FG ignoring agreement, we’ll wait till Nov 3, says NARD by Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

The court hearing between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has been scheduled for November 3, 2021. This is as the Association accused the Federal Government of failing to honour the agreement it signed with the association which led to the suspension of the NARD’s industrial action. The National President of NARD, Dr Godiya Ishaya, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja. Recall that NARD had suspended its 64-day old strike over the promise of the Federal Government to keep to the agreements it signed with the doctors. Some of the agreements included withdrawal of the court case against the association by the Federal Government and payment of August and September salaries, among others. However, our correspondent learnt on Monday that not only had the Federal Government failed to withdraw the court case, it also failed to honour other agreements. Ishaya said, “The agreement we signed in the Memoranda of Understanding was that we call off our strike and then they would withdraw the court case, pay our outstanding salaries and also pay the MRT. “As at today, the Federal Government has failed to withdraw the court case as we have been notified that our hearing is on November 3. Our salaries have also not been paid. How can we move forward if they fail to do these things? Some of our members didn’t want us to call off the strike initially because they felt the government won’t honour their side of the agreement. See what is happening now. “For the MRT, they will recommence the payment tomorrow, remember we told you they debited those that they paid earlier, they will start the payment again tomorrow. “We are giving them till November 3, which is the day of the court hearing. If they fail to withdraw the case then we will know their position.” PUNCH

E-Naira speed wallet disappears from Google Play Store after 100k downloads by Eniola Akinkuotu

The E-Naira speed wallet has disappeared from the Google Play Store barely 48 hours after its launch, The PUNCH has observed. However, our correspondent learnt that the eNaira merchant wallet, which is designed for businesses, is still running and has over 10,000 downloads on the Google Play Store made available to Android users. Checks on the Apple App Store showed that the eNaira speed wallet was still active but had been upgraded. Read Also Beware of fake eNaira social media accounts, CBN warns Nigerians eNaira app hits 100,000 downloads in 24hrs amid complaints Complaints as over 50,000 users download eNaira App in 24 hours To access the eNaira, users have to download the ‘speed wallet’, which allows them to conduct transactions with speed and ease. It is a digital storage that holds the eNaira and is held and managed on a distributed ledger. Before it disappeared, the speed wallet had a rating of 2.0 from 2, 150 reviews as of Tuesday evening with many complaining of glitches.

EFCC displays 51,933 pages, showing content of Naira Marley’s iPhone Agency Report

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, displayed before a Federal High Court in Lagos, a virtual projection of a Compact Disc with 51,933 pages analysis of the iPhone of popular Nigerian singer, Azeez Fashola a.k.a Naira Marley. The EFCC projected the virtual, through its second witness, Mr Augustine Anosike, a forensic analyst. Anosike was still leading pieces of evidence in the trial of the defendant, who is facing 11 counts, bordering on conspiracy, possession of counterfeit credit cards as well as fraud. The anti-graft agency preferred the charges on May 14, 2019, on Naira Marley, who sang the popular song: “Am I a Yahoo Boy”. He was consequently, arraigned on May 20, 2019, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, but he pleaded not guilty. The court had accordingly, granted him bail in the sum of two million naira, with two sureties in like sum. The trial had since commenced in the case and the second prosecution witness who began his testimony shortly before the covid 19 lockdown in 2020, continued his evidence on Wednesday. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the witness who resumed his testimony on Tuesday concluded his evidence after the virtual display. The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the court at the last adjourned date, that the prosecution only printed out hard copies of relevant portions of the exhibit, which it considered key to its case. He had told the court that a full version of the total analysis was contained in a compact disc. The printed copies of the exhibit is labelled ‘exhibit F’ while the CD containing full analysis is ‘exhibit F1’ The court had granted prosecution leave to display the CD in a projector, in order to discharge its burden of proof as required by law. Also on the last adjourned date, the witness had narrated, how different text messages and chats containing credit card details, were exchanged between the defendant and another recipient identified as Yadd. When the trial resumed on Wednesday, the witness, again reiterated portions of his earlier testimonies of October 26, and indicated the visual spots of those testimonies, on the screen of the projected CD. For instance, the witness showed visual displays of the credit card numbers, chats, as well as incoming and outgoing short message services, which were analysed from the defendant’s iPhone. The witness typically identified the “message trafficking” between the numbers +447426343432 and +447548061528. On the whole, he told the court that the CD contained a total of 51,933 pages of the analysis conducted on the defendant device. After the CD was displayed for about 45 minutes, the prosecutor then asked the witness to confirm if exhibits A and D, were vital elements of his analysis, and he replied in the affirmative. Exhibit A is the Forensic Report Form, while exhibit D is the iPhone of the defendant. Oyedepo then indicated to the court, that he had concluded the examination of the witness, adding that whatever remained was left for his address During cross-examination, defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), first sought leave of court to apply for a variation of its order and prayed that the court takes custody of the iPhone of the defendant who had been in the custody of the prosecution. According to him, the Federal High Court is well capable of keeping the exhibits in its custody, adding that it would also create ease for the defence to apply for the exhibits if needed. The court noted the requested. Fielding questions from Ojo, the witness confirmed to the court that he had confined his analysis within the compass of his forensic reports. When the defence counsel asked the witness to confirm if his analysis had also covered the possible number of persons that had used the said iPhone of the defendant, the witness replied that the number of persons was not ascertained. The defence asked, “As an experienced operative, are you aware that it is possible for a person other than the owner of a phone to have access to the use of that phone?” The witness replied, “That will only be possible where the owner grants access.” When the witness was asked who supplied him with the password to the iPhone, he told the court that the defendant provided the password to the investigating operatives who consequently, transmitted the same to him for his analysis. He told the court that he only had knowledge of the period the iPhone was brought to him for forensics and not when it was taken from the defendant. When asked to confirm the number on the iPhone the witness told the court that the registered number on the phone is iCloud +447426343432. Meanwhile, when the defence counsel reminded the witness that he had told the court during the examination, that the telephone number of the defendant was 07426343732, the witness replied that any sim can be inserted into a device. When asked to confirm if there is a difference between the owner and user of a device, the witness answered, “The names on a phone can be changed depending on what the owner chooses to use.” The defence then asked the witness to show to the court from the two pages of his analysis summary, where he had indicated that there was a change of names in the device. The witness replied that although it was not captured, the content of his report also reflects the content of the device as recovered therein. Justice Oweibo adjourned the trial until November 30, December 13, and December 14. According to the EFCC, the defendant committed the offence on different dates between November 26, 2018, and December 11, 2018, as well as May 10, 2019. The commission alleged that Naira Marley and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM cards to defraud their victims. It alleged that the defendant used a bank credit card issued to another person, in a bid to obtain fraudulent financial gains. The EFCC also said that the defendant possessed counterfeit credit cards belonging to different people, with intent to defraud which amounted to theft. The alleged offence contravenes the provisions of sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015.

Your picture of Nigeria selective, unfair to readers, envoy slams The Economist by Segun Adewole

The Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Isola, has described the article about Nigeria published by London-based magazine, The Economist, as unfair. The news magazine’s article titled, ‘Insurgency, Secessionism and Banditry Threaten Nigeria,’ accused the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of ineptitude, while lambasting the Nigerian military over the insurgency in the country. In a letter to the news magazine, the Nigerian envoy to the UK stated that the issues confronting Nigeria have been long-standing, adding that the regime of President Buhari is achieving tremendous results in tackling them. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘Your Picture Of Nigeria Is Selective And Unfair To Your Readers, Nigerian Envoy To Uk Tells The Economist Magazine,’ issued on Wednesday. Shehu quoted Isola as saying, “The Economist is correct to point out the multiple security and governance challenges that Nigeria presently faces. But the picture that you present is selective and unfair to your readers. The decay of agencies and institutions has gathered momentum for decades. There is no quick or simple fix. It is unwise to pretend otherwise.” Isola reminded the news magazine that President Buhari had been elected twice in national elections and was indeed making progress by working with international partners: “There has been progress. Nigeria works closely with partners in the Sahel region, Europe and the US on security and intelligence. It is not an accident that the leadership of militant groups is weaker than it has ever been. You highlight the need for police reform: this is a process that President Buhari’s administration has led, including the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). We are already working with the UK and others on training and equipment.” Shehu said the High Commissioner described Nigeria’s COVID-19 response as well as the President’s battle to provide stable energy for the country as noteworthy. “Nigeria has led the region in a robust response to COVID-19 that has helped keep infection levels well below many parts of the world, while also helping to mitigate the economic shocks from the global downturn for the most vulnerable. President Buhari has also championed reforms to the energy sector, the cradle for corruption, in the teeth of fierce resistance from the old, business-as-usual brigade,” the envoy said. Isola pointed out that progress being made by the administration in agriculture, creative arts and technology sectors among others does not sit well with corrupt-minded individuals in the country. He said, “Nigeria is far from being the only country that faces the challenge of trying to deliver overdue change in a political culture that tilts towards special interests that are often selfish and short-term. Optimism in sectors as diverse as agriculture, creative arts and technology point to the opportunities that are already being realised. It will be a long haul: a corrupt cabal will say we are not doing enough: what they mean is that we have already done too much, in terms ending the impunity enjoyed by the few and helping to enfranchise the many.” He concluded that President Buhari is also working with international partners to diminish problems associated with extremism and climate change and leave the country more united. “Nor indeed is this simply a Nigerian project. We are on the frontline of the international struggle against violent extremism, climate change and a host of other issues. These are common but complex challenges that require common and complex solutions. President Buhari, like millions of Nigerians, rejects the identity politics that has polarised so many other countries. Our diversity is our strength,” he said.

Missing journalist: IG reveals what the police know so far By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr Usman Alkali, has assured the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) that the police is making progress in its efforts to unravel disappearance of Mr Tordue Henry Salem, a reporter with the Vanguard Newspapers. The I-G gave the assurance when members of NUJ, FCT Council, carried out a peaceful march to his office on Monday in Abuja to express displeasure with the silence of the police on the matter. Alkali, represented by Mr Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed that Salem’s case was with them, explaining that it was officially reported to the National Assembly Police Station on Oct. 15. He said from their investigation, Salem slept in the house of his sister some where around Life Camp on Oct. 12, woke up on Oct. 13, took a Bolt Taxi to National Assembly, where he worked for Vanguard. “After close of work, he was last seen at the National Assembly between 4pm and 5pm on Oct. 13, and thereafter his colleagues never saw him again. “On Oct. 15, the matter was formally reported at the National Assembly’s Police Station. “The attention of the FCT Commissioner of Police and IG were drawn to the case. The IGP gave a firm instruction that all materials and human resources should be deployed at locating and understanding the rationale behind Salem’s disappearance. “As I speak to you, we have made significant process in investigation. “However, I am glad that the Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council, understood the significance of confidential briefing and because of that request, I would rather do more of confidential briefing. “But, we were able to trace when he left the National Assembly. We were able to interact with a young lady who spent time with him that night. “We have the recordings of the last call he made. Also, we were able to speak with six different persons he spoke to that night. “So, there are a lot of efforts behind the scene taking place. The Police intentionally kept quite on the case. “We call it ‘Technical Silence’, because, we want to get to a comfortable altitude before we talk to the public,” Alkali said. He said that the suspects or whoever had a hand was still out there, adding that the police would not want to provide too much for the suspects to know how much or how far the police had gone. “So, I just want to give a strong assurance that everything, humanly and operationally possible, would be done to solve this case. “We see the media as integral part of what we do. We appreciate Journalists’ collaboration and support.” Speaking earlier, the Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council, Mr Emmanuel Ogbeche, submitted a petition to Alkali signed by himself and Secretary of Council, Mr Ochiaka Ugwu. The petition is titled “Demand to expedite action for the locating of Mr Tordue Henry Salem, Journalist and Correspondent with the Vanguard Newspaper Who has Been Missing for 12 Days”. Ogbeche said the FCT Council was optimistic that with adequate funding, up-to-date deployment of technology, a well-motivated personnel and proper synergy, the Nigeria Police Force would be positioned to rise up to the task of securing our country alongside other security agencies. “The IG, Sir, as you are aware, a colleague of ours and a journalist of note, Mr Tordue Henry Salem of the Vanguard Newspapers, went missing on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021, right in front of the Total Filing Station less than a 100 meters from the Force Headquarters. “Some 48 hours after, fellow colleagues who cover the House of Representatives realised he had disappeared, a report was immediately incidented at the National Assembly Police Division. “This was followed by a petition to both your office and that of the Director-General of the Department of State Service by his employers, Vanguard Media Ltd. “This was outside calls by the leadership of the NUJ to senior officers of the Police. “It is regrettable to note that 12 days after Salem disappeared, nothing much has happened to indicate whether he is alive or dead, whether he is captive of the State, a non-state or an alien.

“It is relevant that we remind you that the State owes every Nigerian, particularly a journalist, protection and assurance of safety,” Ogbeche said. The FCT NUJ Chairman explained that Nigeria had continued to fare badly on the Press Freedom Index for six successive years and it would be most unfortunate if the disappearance of Salem added to the poor rating. Ogbeche noted that in 2020, a report of Reporters Without Borders showed that Nigeria went five spots down the Press Freedom Index from 115 to 120 out of 180 countries, with the telling remark that Nigeria remained “one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.” He further stated that a June 2021 report of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Media Foundation for West Africa revealed that the media industry recorded seven unresolved killings and 300 violations, affecting about 500 journalists, media workers, and media houses in Nigeria. “What all these underscore is that the prevailing environment is unsafe, suffocating and dangerous not just for journalists and other media workers but for the sustenance of democracy itself. “It is in this wise that we are here to demand that Mr Tordue Henry Salem not only be found, but that adequate protection be offered journalists going forward. That the culture of harassment, intimidation, brutalisation and disappearances ends. “Our demand is reinforced by the fact that as we approach 2023, a General Elections year in Nigeria, the political and economic elites become more desperate to hang on to power and because they will not want to be held accountable to the Nigerian people, the media become their major targets. “This culture of impunity should and must be arrested by the Nigeria Police as the primary security agency as well as other sister agencies,” Ogbeche stressed. Journalists during the March Meanwhile, some journalists who participated in the peaceful March spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria. Mr Olakunle Awoniyi of WE FM, Abuja said he was happy with what the IG said, adding that he was convinced that the Police would do the needful to find Salem. Miss Tina Olaitan of the ministry of Information said the disappearance of Salem was not the first of it kind in the country. “But it has to stop. It is not a crime to be a Journalist. Please the Police should look for Salem. “If he is dead, let us see his body. If he is alive, let is know what he did. We are worried,” she added. (NAN) CMY/KOO/DCU ============

10 things to know about charges on eNaira platform by Sodiq Oyeleke

The Central Bank of Nigeria has released guidelines on charges on eNaira platform. This is after the launch of the application for the digital currency by the President, Major General Muhamadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday. Here are ten things you should know about the platform 1 – The charges for transactions that originate from the eNaira platform shall be free for the first 90 days commencing from October 25, 2021. 2 – Electronic Funds Transfer below N5,000 is charged N10; N5,001 – N50,000 is charged N25 and for above N50,000, a N50 charge is associated. 3 – Phone numbers without verified National Identification Number (Tier 0) will have a daily transaction limit of N20,000, while the maximum that the account can hold is N120,000. 4 – For phone numbers with verified NIN or Tier 1, CBN said they have a daily transaction cap of N50,000 and a maximum balance of N300,000. 5 – Tier Two accounts will have access to a daily transaction of N200,000, while N500,000 is the maximum balance that can be held. 6 – The Tier 3 account holder can transact a maximum of N1m daily, while the Maximum balance it can hold is N5m. 7 – Merchant accounts have access to unlimited transactions. Merchants are duly accredited individuals and non-individual (corporates) authorised to conduct business in Nigeria. 8 – eNaira Merchant speed wallets shall be used solely for receiving and making eNaira payments for goods and services. 8 – financial institutions were expected to maintain one treasury eNaira wallet to warehouse eNaira received from the CBN eNaira stock wallet. 9 – Financial Institutions (FI) may create eNaira sub-treasury wallets for branches tied to it and fund them from its single eNaira treasury wallet with the CBN and FI may create eNaira branch sub-wallets for its branches. 10 – To ensure security of funds, the eNaira has two-factor authentication and other measures.

World Bank blacklists 18 Nigerian firms, individuals for corruption –Report by Amarachi Orjiude and Sami Olatunji

The World Bank has blacklisted 18 Nigerian individuals and firms for engaging in corrupt practices, fraud and collusive practices in its 2021 fiscal year 2021, a new report has revealed. A list of debarred individuals and firms was presented in a new annual report titled World Bank Group Sanctions System FY21. The debarments were made by the World Bank Sanctions Board, World Bank Chief Suspension and Debarment Officer and the African Development Bank. The debarments made by AfDB were recognised by World Bank, making the affected firms to be barred under cross-debarment policy. Based on the World Bank Sanctions Board’s decision, Mr. Elie Abou Ghazaleh and Mr. Fadi Abou Ghazaleh, alongside their firm, Abou Ghazaleh Contracting Nigeria Limited, were debarred for six months for collusive practices. Based on the decision of the World Bank Chief Suspension and Debarment Officer, a Nigerian firm, Swansea Tools Resources, was debarred for fraudulent practices for two years and 10 months. Referred to under Sanctions Case No 651, it was disclosed that the firm misrepresented its past experience in its bid for a road maintenance contract. The report read in part, “The SDO determined that the respondent, a Nigerian firm, engaged in a fraudulent practice by misrepresenting its past experience in its bid for a road maintenance contract under a state employment and expenditure project in Nigeria. The SDO imposed on the respondent a debarment with conditional release for a minimum period of two years and 10 months. As a mitigating factor, the SDO considered the respondent’s limited cooperation with investigators, noting that the respondent produced documents and agreed to be interviewed but did not accept responsibility for the misconduct.” Another Nigerian firm, Juckon Construction and Allied Services Nigeria Limited, was debarred for corrupt practices for three years. Referred to under Sanctions Case No 649, it was disclosed that the firm made improper payment to a public official. The report read, “The SDO determined that the respondent, a Nigerian firm, engaged in a corrupt practice by making an improper payment to a public official in connection with the award and/or execution of two waste management and refuse collection contracts under a state employment and expenditure project in Nigeria. The SDO imposed on the respondent a debarment with conditional release for a minimum period of four years.” A Nigerian, Ms. Okafor Glory, was debarred for fraudulent practices for four years, while the firm involved, Unique Concept Enterprises, was debarred for five years for same reason. Another Nigerian firm, Asbeco Nigeria Limited, was debarred for five years for corrupt practices. The matter which involved Ms. Glory and the firm, Unique Concept Enterprises, was presented under Sanctions Case No 691. It read in part, “The SDO determined that the respondents, a Nigerian firm and a Nigerian citizen, engaged in fraudulent practices by submitting false documents in connection with two refuse collection and disposal contracts under a state employment and expenditure project in Nigeria. In particular, the SDO found that: (i) the corporate respondent submitted a falsified income tax clearance certificate in its bids for the contracts; and (ii) both respondents submitted a falsified advance payment guarantee in connection with the execution of one of the contracts. “The SDO imposed on the corporate respondent a debarment with conditional release for a minimum period of five years. On the individual respondent, the SDO imposed a debarment with conditional release for a minimum period of four years. As aggravating factors, the SDO considered that (i) the corporate respondent engaged in a repeated pattern of misconduct, and (ii) the individual respondent was the managing director of the corporate respondent.” The matter which involved Asbeco Nigeria was presented under Sanctions Case No 675. It read in part, “The SDO determined that the respondent, a Nigerian firm, engaged in corrupt practices in connection with an erosion control contract under an erosion and watershed management project in Nigeria. Specifically, the SDO found that the respondent (i) made a payment of N2m (approximately $12,000) to the project’s engineer to influence his actions in connection with the procurement and/or execution of the contract, and (ii) made a facilitation payment of N50,000 (approximately $160) to the project’s cashier to influence her actions in connection with the execution of the same contract. Read Also Buhari’s govt incompetent, failed to curb corruption —The Economist Preach against corruption, Bawa urges religious leaders EFCC raises alarm over 'deep' corrupt practices among bankers “The SDO imposed on the respondent a debarment with conditional release for a minimum period of five years. In determining this sanction, the SDO considered as aggravating factors the respondent’s (i) engagement in a repeated pattern of corrupt activity and (ii) interference with INT’s investigation, noting in particular that the respondent engaged in acts intended to materially impede the exercise of the Bank’s contractual audit rights.” Based on the World Bank’s Sanctions Board Decision, A.G. Vision Construction Nigeria Limited, was debarred for fraudulent practices and collusive practices for four years and six months. Not included in the report is a recent debarment of a Nigerian consultant, Mr Salihu Tijani, who is a consultant for the National Social Safety Nets Project, a project designed to ensure cash transfers to poor and vulnerable households in Nigeria. Tijani was barred for 38 months for engaging in corrupt practices. Aside from the firms mentioned so far, there are some firms that were debarred by other multilateral organisations under cross-debarment, which makes them debarred by the World Bank. Sangtech International Services Limited, Sangar & Associates (Nigeria) Limited, Mashad Integrated And Investment Co Limited, and Medniza Global Merchants Limited were debarred by the AfDB two years under cross-debarment recognised by the World Bank. ALG Global Concept Nigeria Limited, Abuharaira Labaran Gero, Qualitrends Global Solutions Nigeria Limited, and Maxicare Company Nigeria Limited were debarred by the AfDB for three years under cross-debarment recognised by the World Bank. In his opening message in the report, the World Bank Group’s David Malpass, stated that the bank had granted over $157bn to assist developing countries, as he emphasised the need for integrity and transparency standards in public finance. “Since the beginning of the global pandemic, the World Bank Group has deployed more than $157bn in critical assistance to developing countries. The crisis has required us to be rapid and innovative in mobilising this historic support. “Yet, for these resources to have the needed development impact on the hundreds of millions of people who live in extreme poverty, we must ensure that resources are used efficiently, effectively, and for their intended purposes. And that means remaining vigilant to the scourge of corruption and ensuring that we promote the highest integrity and transparency standards in public finance,” he said. He further highlighted some of the consequences of corruption, which he said could be devastating. Malpass said, “The negative impacts of corruption on lives and livelihoods are well known. Corruption diverts scarce development dollars from the people who need them most and corrodes the systems and services that are integral for reducing extreme poverty. “Entrenched corruption also comes with greater economic costs for countries, as it distorts public expenditures and leads to inefficient allocations of financing away from productive investments toward rent-seeking activities. And corruption increases the costs of doing business and deters foreign investors from entering new markets. “As the world moves toward recovering from the pandemic’s damaging impacts, these costs can also restrict the private sector, which plays an important role in revitalizing economic growth and development in our client countries,” he added. PUNCH.