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#News The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Mrs Vicky Haastrup has been appointed as the Patroness of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA). Haastrup’s investiture, along with the investiture of three others appointed as Patrons of the association, was held on Thursday 15th February 2024 in Abuja during the relaunch of COWA. COWA President, Kikelomo Adeniyi, said Princess Haastrup was honoured with the position of Patroness of the association in view of her outstanding contributions to the Nigerian economy especially through the maritime sector and her support for the cause of women. Speaking during her investiture, Princess Haastrup, who is also the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of ENL Consortium, thanked COWA for the honour of appointing her as the Patroness of the non-governmental organisation. She commended the COWA President for relaunching and breathing new life into the association. She also commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi for supporting the resuscitation of COWA after an eight-year hiatus. She said, “The theme of this event — COWA 2.0: Shared Values, Integrated Community is apt. The theme denotes a rebirth and the institutionalisation of a more advanced version of the original concept of COWA. It means you plan to do something different and impactful. This is good and must be encouraged. “I thank the Comptroller-General of Customs, my dearest brother Wale Adeniyi, for supporting the cause of women. Thank you for giving your wife the platform to contribute to national development. Your predecessor, as you know, decided to keep COWA in the cooler, but I am happy that you are towing a different path. “I am a strong advocate of women education and empowerment, so the objectives of COWA resonate strongly with me. You have heard it said again and again that when you train a woman, you train a nation. This is a time-tested truth because when a woman is educated, she becomes empowered to change not only her own life, but also the lives of those around her: her children, her family, her friends and her community. Give a woman quality education and watch how she’ll quickly influence the broader society,” she said

#News Chuks Okocha in Abuja A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr Kanu Agabi, has said if not for the interventions of the courts at different times, the country would have long disintegrated.He however noted that the nation’s judiciary was better than the legislature and the executive put together, stating that it was the best best arm of government in the country. Agabi stated this in Abuja on Saturday, at a book launch entitled: “Court and Politics” authored by Dr Umar Ardo, the former Special Adviser on Research and Strategy to former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar. According to Agabi, “I wish to say that speaking for the judiciary, we have a good judiciary, our judges are competent, it doesn’t mean that every one of them is good, there may be one or two here and there who are failing.“There’s no system that is perfect, but of the three arms of government, the best arm is the judiciary. The judiciary is better than the legislature. It is better than the executive. “Had it not been for the judiciary, this country will long have disintegrated. It is true. I’ve been a lawyer for 51 years. I work in the courts. I’m not an arbitrator. I don’t work for banks. I don’t sell land.“I work in the courts, and when I tell you that the courts have saved this nation, please believe it,” he said. Agabi said Nigerian judges should not be blamed for the inconsistencies in judgments, stressing that the laws should be blamed rather.The former Minister of Justice, who recalled that he was one of the lawyers that worked for one of parties in one of the 11 cases Ardo mentioned in his book, commended the courage and perseverance of the author, saying  justice was according to law, not at random.“I give you a typical example in election matters. The grounds must be consistent. If the grounds are inconsistent with one another or inconsistent with the relief, such a petition will fail. “I did the petition recently where the grounds were inconsistent with one another and inconsistent with the reliefs.“And Court of Appeal said, well, such a petition is speculative and ought not to be held. That’s the law. It’s not the fault of the judges, and it makes sense,” he said.Agabi said the reason the courts were congested was because people had filled a number of speculative and frivolous actions with the hope that they could manipulate the judges. “Sometimes they tire the judges and succeed. More often than not, they fail. It is not because the judges are corrupt or because they’re incompetent. No, it’s the law. The law is set to be dynamic because of the lack of experience, we go on changing them,” Agabi said. A former national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, called for a judicial reforms into political activities as elections ought to be through voting by the people, but lamented that the courts now determine victors at the polls and not the courts. “This calls for national discourse. The actions of courts is becoming worrisome to electoral activities. They have consequences. Recall the action of the supreme court in the case of Emeka Ihedioha in Imo State, where the fourth person became the winner of the election,” he said. Another former national chairman of PDP, Okwsikieze Nwodo, said the only way to limit the intervention of courts in political parties affairs was for the parties to play by the rules by ensuring internal democracy in the affairs of political parties. Otherwise, the courts, Nwodo said, must interfere where the rules are not adhered to.

#News Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have begun to unmask members of an organized criminal network behind the recent importation of two containers laden with illicit drugs as well as assorted arms and ammunition from Durban, South Africa, to the Tincan Seaport in Lagos.A press statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency Femi Babafemi said among those already arrested as members of the syndicate are: a clearing and notify party of the two containers, Falowo Kayode; a dock worker, Anjorin Idowu and Uzairu Iguda who is in charge of the five-star terminal at the port. Another dock worker at the terminal, Mohammed Sule (alias organizer) who is equally linked to the syndicate is currently at large.Babafemi said based on credible intelligence, the agency had requested for a 100 percent joint examination of two containers marked MSCU 4581770 and TRHU 7968071 from South Africa.As a result, the exercise was conducted with other stakeholders on 18th and 19th of January, 2024, during which 56.39 kilogrammes cocaine and 795 kilogrammes Colorado, a synthetic strong strain of cannabis, among other illegal items, were recovered from the containers. He said following a tasking order by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (Retd) to a combined team of specialized units of the agency to unravel those behind the importation of the large consignments of the illicit drugs, ongoing investigations have led to the discovery of more bags of Colorado weighing 192.7 kilogrammes, a pistol, and rounds of ammunition removed from the container, MSCU 4581770 and hidden in an empty container before the 100 percent joint examination at the five-star terminal. He said as a result, two suspects: Uzairu Iguda who is in charge of the terminal’s container positioning and stacking, and Anjorin Idowu who is a dock worker in the terminal were arrested.Another suspect, Mohammed Muktar Sule (alias organizer), now at large, is also a dock worker in the terminal. Investigations revealed that the three suspects conspired with the agent and notify party, Falowo Kayode, to remove the 192.7 kilogrammes Colorado, pistol and rounds of ammunition from the container to an empty container in the terminal. He noted that the latest seizure brings the total recovered from the two containers to 56.39 kilogrammes of cocaine and 987.9 kilogrammes of Colorado with a combined weight of 1,044.29 kilogrammes.He added that investigations have also revealed three kingpins believed to be based in South Africa and connected with the importation of the containers are  Odeyemi Taiwo; Akinyemi Olayinka and Adebayo Adewole  who are now on the agency’s wanted list.In Edo State, NDLEA officers last Tuesday 20th raided a drug joint under Powerline, off Etete Road, GRA Benin City, where they arrested a salesgirl, Jessica Destiny, 24, and recovered assorted illicit drugs.A follow up operation the following day led to the arrest of the owner of the joint, 36-year-old Ibrahim Sani who is the Commander, Arewa Association Vigilantes in the area. A consignment of 179 kilogrammes cannabis was recovered by operatives at Badagry Waterside, Lagos last Wednesday, while a 67-year-old grandpa, Rafiu Ogunro was nabbed last at Magbon, Ogun State with 57 kilogrammes cannabis, 2,700 pills of tramadol, and 231 bottles of Codeine syrup, weighing 2.31 litres.In Borno, a 25-year-old lady, Zara Mele was arrested with quantities of cocaine and heroin at Baga checkpoint last Tuesday, while Usman Shuaibu, 26, and Mohammed Lawan, 22, were also nabbed with quantities of the same class A drug at Meri and Babban Layi areas of Maiduguri the same day respectively.Babafemi said no less than 44,820 pills of opioids being taken to Zamfara State by Tasiu Mohammed, 25, and Abubakar Tanko, 54, were intercepted along Jega-Sokoto road by NDLEA officers in Kebbi state, while a farmer Ali Abdulhamid, 35, was arrested in his farm where he grows tomatoes and some stems of cannabis sativa weighing 73 kilogrammes at Bakin Kasuwa Village, Birnin Yero area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Two suspects: Shuaibu Ahmed, 38, and Tanimu Abdullahi, 29, travelling in a commercial bus from Lagos to Kano with 99 blocks of cannabis weighing 37 kilogrammes were intercepted by NDLEA officers along Kwali-Gwagwalada express road, Abuja on Monday 19th Feb, while one Michael Okefi was arrested at Upper Iweka area of Onitsha, Anambra State with 483 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup concealed in two 50-litre kegs. A follow up operation led to the arrest of the suspected actual owner, Osinachi Jasper. Babafemi also revealed that at least 540 grammes of cocaine concealed in canvas shoes heading to the United Kingdom were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos last Friday by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI.Equally, a consignment of tramadol 225mg hidden in ladies headgear going to the United Kingdom was also seized same day at the courier house, while another parcel containing ecstasy concealed in body cream container meant for Cyprus was also intercepted.In Kano State, different quantities of opioids and other illicit drugs were recovered from at least 12 young men arrested in parts of Kano between Monday 19th and Friday 23rd February. Some of the suspects include: Yusuf Abdullahi,20; Usman Muhammed,18; Sadiq Jibrin, 20; Ibrahim Lawan, 25; Ukasha Usaini,19; Sahabi Lamini,15; Isiyaka Mohammed, 28; Bashir Ayuba, 36; Ahmad Idris,18; Abubakar Sani,29; Bashir Mohammed, 21 and Udochukwu Ezekiel, 35.He said NDLEA Commands across the country continued to intensify their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) advocacy lectures. Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has applauded officers of the agency across the country for continued arrest of drug traffickers and intensifying the WADA advocacy lectures, thus creating parity between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction activities.

#News The  Chairman, Nigeria Association of Patent and Propriety Medicine Dealers in Kano State, Alhaji Musbahu Khalid, on Sunday, expressed the concern that over 50,000 members of the association have been out of jobs following the government’s decision to relocate them to the Kano Economic City at Dangwauro area. According to Khalid, shops in the new location are expensive and many of the patent store owners may not be able to afford the rent. The PUNCH reports that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in collaboration with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, last Monday, raided and sealed not less than 1,321 patent medicine stores in the Sabon Gari open market of Kano. The operation took place 72 hours after the Federal High Court ordered the drug dealers to vacate their open market premises and relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre at Dangwauro village on Zaria Road in the state. The raid and shutting down of the drug stores provoked a protest by the patent medicine store owners, who marched to the Kano State Government House to express their displeasure. Speaking with our correspondent on the phone on Sunday, the leader of the patent medicine dealers contended that relocating would increase their running costs and result in a hike in the prices of medicines. “We have been sent out of business for about nine days now. Do they want us to engage in armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry, or what? The government should consider its action, especially with the current economic predicament in the country. Over 50,000 Kano patent medicine dealers out of job – Chairman 26th February 2024 Medicine-store By Tukur Muntari The  Chairman, Nigeria Association of Patent and Propriety Medicine Dealers in Kano State, Alhaji Musbahu Khalid, on Sunday, expressed the concern that over 50,000 members of the association have been out of jobs following the government’s decision to relocate them to the Kano Economic City at Dangwauro area. According to Khalid, shops in the new location are expensive and many of the patent store owners may not be able to afford the rent. The PUNCH reports that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in collaboration with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, last Monday, raided and sealed not less than 1,321 patent medicine stores in the Sabon Gari open market of Kano. The operation took place 72 hours after the Federal High Court ordered the drug dealers to vacate their open market premises and relocate to the Coordinated Wholesale Centre at Dangwauro village on Zaria Road in the state. Punchers FC Take On Media Amalgamated As PUNCH Marks 50th Anniversary 0:01 / 1:01 The raid and shutting down of the drug stores provoked a protest by the patent medicine store owners, who marched to the Kano State Government House to express their displeasure. Speaking with our correspondent on the phone on Sunday, the leader of the patent medicine dealers contended that relocating would increase their running costs and result in a hike in the prices of medicines. “We have been sent out of business for about nine days now. Do they want us to engage in armed robbery, kidnapping, banditry, or what? The government should consider its action, especially with the current economic predicament in the country. Related News Protests as NAFDAC seals 1,321 medicine stores in Kano Economic hardship: Kano traders slash prices of essential goods Fire guts Kano police station “If we relocate to the new place, a sachet of paracetamol, which costs N70 now, would cost N400 because each of our members will be expected to pay nothing less than N2. 5m as rent annually. “The shops at the economic city are not wholly owned by the state government; they are owned by private individuals. “Besides, the shops are not only too small in size but are also grossly inadequate to accommodate all our members when we relocate there. “For example, in one plaza at our present location, we have over 1,000 shops, and most of the shops we are occupying now at the Sabon Gari market and Mallam Kato are owned by our members while the rest are being rented at cheaper rates.” Khalid since the association had appealed the judgment, which ordered their relocation, the government ought to have waited for the outcome of the appeal before ejecting them. “The state government should have allowed us to stay in our places of business for two to three months or until after the determination of our case by the Court of Appeal since we have appealed the judgment of the  Federal High Court in Kano. “We are appealing to the government to provide us with a more suitable place to continue with our business because we’re law-abiding citizens,” he said.

#News The biggest political scandal of the modern world, Watergate, which forced a US President to resign for the first and, so far, the only time in history, started from leaks. I thought of this matter at the weekend because right now, the Tinubu Presidency is plagued with leaks and is struggling to plug them. Did I say “plug” them? That was exactly what Richard Nixon’s Administration tried to do in the early 1970s and it ultimately led to Watergate, but first things first. At the weekend, we had the issue of the leaked Qatar note verbale. President Tinubu is planning a visit to Qatar in early March, and a leaked document indicated that the Qataris had turned down a Nigerian proposal to hold a business forum on the sidelines of the presidential visit. Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar issued a statement confirming that Tinubu will indeed go to Qatar, as the document indicated. As to the business forum issue, the minister said he will not comment on leaked documents. Which created the impression in skeptical minds that the document is true. Which indeed it is because on Saturday evening, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement saying, “We are aware of a leaked diplomatic correspondence between the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Abuja and our Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Qatar between 2 and 3 March, 2024. The leaked diplomatic paper by mischief makers about an investment forum is not in any way a snub on President Tinubu by the Qatari government. The Note Verbale is about a private sector-led Business and Investment Forum to be held on the margins of President Bola Tinubu’s State Visit.” In other words, the Qataris did turn down the proposed forum, for which they gave three reasons, but it was not a snub. The only problem I see there was that they addressed their letter to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not to the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). We heard late Sunday that the Qataris backtracked and the forum will now hold. Snub or not, the leaked Qatari letter is only the latest leaked document that has shaken the Presidency. If I remember right, the first such leak was of a September 2023 memo by State House permanent secretary, in which the president approved $422,000 for his hotel reservation to attend the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, and another $84,000 for meals and transport. It was shocking that such a deep inside State House document leaked. Two months later in early December, the media reported that Nigeria sent a large delegation of 1,400 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [Cope 28] in Dubai. While that information was openly sourced, leaked papers soon followed about the composition of the delegation, which the government struggled to explain, including by publishing a statement that only about 400 were government-sponsored delegates. Most damaging however was the leaked document in early January showing Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu requesting Accountant General of the Federation to transfer N585 million into the personal account of a civil servant, said to be in charge of grant to vulnerable groups in four states. Although the Accountant General turned down the instruction, it turned out that the money was paid. The source of the leak was not very difficult to fathom because only two days earlier, Edu herself got the Presidency to suspend the head of National Social Investment Program Agency [NSIPA] for moving funds into other accounts. The minister has been on suspension ever since. Hardly a week later, another memo leaked, showing that Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila conveyed to Betta Edu the president’s approval to use N3 billion from the COVID palliative funds to verify the National Social Register. Apparently, it was part of these funds that she sought to transfer to a personal account, which ignited the scandal. Yet another document soon leaked, that Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s firm, New Planet Projects, got a N438 million contract from the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry for the verification of the National Social Register. The minister said he resigned from being the firm’s chairman five years ago, but admitted that his wife still runs it. Then early in February, still another document leaked, indicating that Secretary to the Government of the Federation [SGF] George Akume requested for N1.8 billion for the inauguration of the tripartite committee to renegotiate the national minimum wage. The president turned down the request as too high; it was reduced to N1 billion, and he said they should “start with 500 million first.” While the memo suggested the money was only for the 37-member committee’s inauguration, the president appeared to think it was for its entire work, by saying “start with” this sum first. The government was so unhappy with all these leaks that on February 20, it launched a campaign to plug them. Head of Civil Service of the Federation Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan issued a memo warning all civil servants against leaking and circulating official information and documents. She said any officer caught engaging in such acts would be severely punished in accordance with the Public Service Rules. She said government “observed with dismay, the increase in the cases of leakage of sensitive official documents in Ministries, Departments and Agencies. This is very embarrassing to the government and therefore unacceptable.” This memo, warning against leaks, was soon leaked to the social media. One site even celebrated that “The memo against official leaks has leaked!” The Head of Service did proffer a solution to the leaks, saying all permanent secretaries should fast-track the migration to the digitalised workflow system and ensure effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management Solution. “This will reduce physical contact with official documents thereby checking the increasing incidence of leakage and circulation of same. Furthermore, permanent secretaries are advised to strongly warn all staff against leaking and circulating official information and documents.” Apparently they did not migrate fast enough because it did not prevent a leaking of the Qatar note verbale. Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga had a more combative solution. He said government should take action in identifying and removing individuals leaking classified documents and are believed to have allegiance to the opposition. He added, “There are so many moles around who are probably doing the bid of the opposition. They are not respecting the civil service rule for handling official secrets. And it shows that the government should look inwards to probe how memos between officials are getting into the public space. Memos that are supposed to be secret are not supposed to be flying all over the place.” I am not saying that government should not plug leaks, but in doing so, it should be mindful of historical precedents. That is where Watergate comes in. Almost from its start in January 1969, US President Richard Nixon’s Administration was plagued with leaks. There are a few historical parallels that I see between the Nixon and Tinubu presidencies. The election of both men was a strong three-way contest. In the December 1968 American poll, Republican candidate Nixon got 43.4% of the vote; Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey got 42.7%- and third-party candidate George Wallace [of the American Independent Party] grabbed 13.5% of the vote. In the 2023 Nigerian case, President Tinubu got 36.6% of the votes, Atiku Abubakar got 29% while Peter Obi got 25%. The problem with being elected with less than an overwhelming majority is that you will have many disgruntled people to contend with, including civil servants and security agents who supported other candidates. Most of them are faithful officials who return to their duties once the election is over, but you cannot rule out the “moles” that Onanuga was talking about who are bent on continuing the political struggle by other means. In the American case, the main motive is ideological and political. During the Nixon era, probably a majority of US civil servants were liberals who did not like his conservative Administration. They had the ready support of top American media houses, which were mostly liberal-inclined. In our own case, there aren’t many left wingers in the Nigerian civil service these days who will oppose the Presidency’s socio-economic policies on ideological grounds. There are even fewer of them in the security services and the military. The few areas in Nigeria today where there is more than a sprinkling of left-wingers is in academia and the human rights groups. Even Nigerian students are no longer left-wing these days. So, while we have few left wingers around, the Administration still has lots of opponents who support rival parties and candidates for regional, ethnic, religious or other reasons. That’s a lot of moles. The leak that drove the Nixon Administration over the edge was the Pentagon Papers leak by Daniel Elsberg in 1971, which revealed it had secretly been bombing the “Ho Chi Minh Trail” in Cambodia  as part of the larger war in Vietnam. Soon afterwards, top Nixon staff created what they called White House Special Investigations Unit, also called “Room 16 Project” and sometimes, “The Plumbers.” Their work was to investigate and plug leaks. It was this team, led by David Young and the former CIA and FBI agents E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy [they took their name styles from the legendary FBI director J. Edgar Hoover] that sought to plug leaks. Together with the four professional Cuban burglars hired from Florida, they later graduated into the team that burgled Democratic Party Chairman Larry O’Brien’s office in the Watergate Hotel Complex. They were caught, and the scandal ultimately brought down Richard Nixon. I agree with the Presidency that it should try to stop embarrassing leaks of official documents. One way to do it is ensure that top officials stop generating embarrassing documents and relying on official secrecy to hide it. I agree with Oga Bayo Onanuga that there are moles buried deep in the public service. But in trying to uproot them, the Presidency should be mindful not to create a monster that will go the way of the White House Plumbers and precipitate an even bigger crisis.

#news Nigeria’s northern senators urge Niger military junta to begin democratic process© provided by Daily Post Nigeria Following the lifting of sanctions imposed on Niger Republic and others by the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, the Northern Senators Forum, NSF, has asked the government and people of the country to seize the opportunity to hasten the process of returning to democratic governance. This, according to the Senators, is to build a stronger and more prosperous nation, harnessing their resilient spirit and unwavering determination. ECOWAS, on Saturday, lifted economic sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso with immediate effect after hours of deliberation by the Authority of Heads of State and Government at an extraordinary summit on the political, peace, and security situation in the region at the State House, Abuja. In a statement signed by the NSF spokesperson, Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila (NNPP Kano South), they expressed appreciation to the leaders of ECOWAS led by President Bola Tinubu for their decisive action in lifting the sanctions imposed on Niger Republic as a result of the military takeover on July 26, 2023. The lawmakers commended ECOWAS for responding to “the progressive requests” made by them individually and collectively on the subject matter, noting that the decision made by the body was a testament to its commitment to regional solidarity, cooperation, and respect for human rights. “We are confident that this decision will leave an indelible mark on the collective consciousness of all West African nations and serve as a shining example for resolving differences through dialogue and diplomacy,” they stated. They, therefore, urged all regional stakeholders to continue engaging in dialogue and pursuing peaceful solutions to address any remaining concerns, fostering a harmonious environment for progress and development. “We understand that this action will go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the people of Niger Republic, as well as ensuring the restoration of stability and economic prosperity in our region. “We are particularly grateful that ECOWAS leaders have considered our pleas to restore electricity, open borders, and lift the sanctions on Niger Republic. These measures will not only have crucial humanitarian implications but will also foster regional integration, trade, and cooperation. “We firmly believe that this step taken by ECOWAS will positively impact the lives of the people of Niger Republic and Nigeria and facilitate the restoration of trust and harmony among all member states. “As representatives of the people and advocates for justice and democracy, we commend ECOWAS for their responsiveness and understanding of the immense challenges faced by our fellow West African nation. “The Northern Senators Forum stands in solidarity with ECOWAS in restoring democracy and the rule of law in Niger Republic and other West African countries, and we are committed to working to promote stability, peace, and socioeconomic development throughout the region,” the statement added. Nigeria’s northern senators urge Niger military junta to begin democratic process

#news #updates Despite the growth of mobile money in Nigeria, women prefer traditional saving systems such as Ajo, GSMA has disclosed. The 2024 report on “Women’s Trust of Mobile Money and Agents in Nigeria and Senegal’, revealed that trust in mobile money and agents is a substantial barrier to the ownership and usage of mobile money among women in Nigeria and Senegal. It said, “While some women use mobile wallets, most opt for the familiarity and trust embedded in informal savings groups such as Ajo.” Access to mobile money is critical to improving financial inclusion, the Global Association for Telecommunication Firms noted. Trust in a mobile money platform centres around its functionality and security. This trust can be influenced by features such as real-time payment notifications and allowances to cancel or reverse erroneous transactions, GSMA highlighted. “In Nigeria, frequent service downtime compels some female users to promptly withdraw funds when rumours of service interruptions start circulating. Many female users also limit the amount of money kept in their accounts as a precaution,” it said. The lack of this trust is motivating women to trust traditional savings platforms. “As a businessperson, using kolo can be wrong because any time you need money, you can easily return to it and get all your money. But for daily, weekly, or monthly contributions, you must wait until the month’s end. So, that’s why I prefer Ajo,” one female trader said. “Ajo has fit into both traditional and modern banking methods. Despite the population of aged people enrolling, you still find vibrant and enlightened youth marking papers daily. I sell food here with my husband, and I know how much we save daily from Ajo,” Faith Ugba, a food seller at Liasu, Ilewe, told BusinessDay. According to Ugba, the system has also helped many low-income earners to set savings targets. “Many people I know with little income also survive with this mode. I have a tailor friend who introduced me to this banking system that contributes 3,000 daily, and I can tell you she is paying her bills. She doesn’t have a bank account but has trusted this system over the years. The savings system helps in cutting down expenses and building self-discipline. When you have an account in the bank, you might be forced to withdraw at any given time, but this is different because you have already set a project out,” she said. Nigeria is a largely unbanked country. According to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, the number of bank accounts with Bank Verification Numbers is currently at 60.5 million. At the same time, the country’s adult population stands at 124 million. The percentage of the Unbanked population in Nigeria is estimated at over 28,9 million, according to data from Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access. According to a 2023 GSMA survey, out of the estimated 106 million female population in Nigeria, only 9 percent use mobile money services.

#news #updates The Federal Government has expressed commitment to implementing the agreements it entered with organised labour on the general welfare of workers and other issues. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Information, office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, in Abuja. Imohiosen said the Federal Government reviewed the commitments made with the organised labour at a meeting attended by the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and other dignitaries. He revealed that substantial progress had been made in the agreements, including payment of four months from six months wage award promised to the organised labour. “From the payment of a wage award of N35,000 for six months, the government had so far paid for four months up to Dec. 31 2023. “The remaining two months of January and February, 2024 are being processed,” he said. According to him, the Federal Government had also inaugurated a 37-member Minimum Wage Committee to review and come up with an acceptable and sustainable minimum wage for the Nigerian workers. On the provision of CNG buses and conversion kits, the director said the government had so far made substantial financial commitments, stressing that the buses would be rolled out in no distant time to alleviate the transportation challenges being faced by Nigerians.

#news #updates The Nigeria Police Force has revealed plans to reconsider the current prohibition on the issuance of tinted glass permits. This announcement was made in a press release by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday. Recall that back in June 2022, the issuance of these permits was halted by the Nigeria Police Force as part of a strategy to bolster national security and combat the criminal misuse of tinted glasses in committing serious offenses, including kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal arms transport, and human trafficking, among others. Following a thorough review of the permit issuance process, the statement indicated the Police’s intention to lift the ban, introducing a series of rigorous measures designed to prevent misuse and ensure adherence to the regulations associated with tinted glass permits once the prohibition is lifted. Measures by the Police targeted at preventing abuse of tinted glass The Police have developed a comprehensive strategy to ensure rigorous adherence to the regulations governing tinted glass permits, which will be implemented upon the eventual lifting of the current prohibition. This strategy includes the following key components: A detailed training program for ICT analysts and enforcement officers across the Nigeria Police Force is set to take place on February 29, 2024. This initiative is designed as a preparatory step for the resumption of tinted glass permit issuance. The training aims to equip participants with the necessary expertise to manage the registration process efficiently, provide guidance to applicants on navigating the online portal, address public inquiries, and enforce the new guidelines effectively. The curriculum will emphasize the critical balance between public safety and individual rights, ensuring national security is not compromised. The revamped tinted glass permit system will feature advanced security measures to streamline enforcement and verification processes. These enhancements include the integration of QR codes linked to a central database for instant validation, unique serial numbers that tie permits to specific vehicles and their owners, and digital holograms to guarantee the permits’ authenticity and prevent tampering. These innovations are part of a broader effort to bolster security and compliance, the statement further stated. Additionally, the Police have affirmed that the issuance of tinted glass permits and the regulation of tinted glass usage will be conducted in strict compliance with the MOTOR VEHICLES (PROHIBITION OF TINTED GLASS) ACT 1991 and all other pertinent laws, ensuring a lawful and transparent approach to managing tinted glass permits.

For some days, veteran Nigerian singer, Edris Abdulkareem, has been trending over a controversial interview with ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast. Reports that Abdulkareem, in the interview, spoke about his loggerheads with his colleague, Charly Boy, stating he is greedy and cannot be trusted with money. He claimed that he, alongside Blackface, influenced the music career of legendary singer, 2face Idibia and founded the defunct music group ‘The Remedies,’ which Eddy Remedy and Tony Tetuila later debunked. Speaking further, Abdulkareem spoke about his fight with American rapper 50 Cent and also claimed Nigerian comedian, Seyi Law, during a recent event, said supporting President Bola Tinubu, during the last election was his biggest regret, but the latter denied it. The series of revelations have continued to buzz online. However, in this article, highlights 10 things young music enthusiasts might not know about Eedris. 1. Eedris Abdulkareem was born into a polygamous family in Kano, Nigeria, on December 24, 1974. 2. His father hailed from Ilesha, Osun State, while his mother was from Ogun State. (Both parents are late). 3. He is one of the pioneers of Nigerian hip-hop and is regarded as one of the most influential Nigerian Rappers of all time. He has also explored other genres like R&B and Afrobeat. 4. In 2004, Abdulkareem achieved a significant breakthrough with the release of his hit single “Jaga Jaga”, which stirred controversy with its socio-political commentary, shedding light on the challenges faced by ordinary Nigerians. 5. He was the lead rapper of the defunct Nigerian hip-hop music band ‘The Remedies’. 6. In 2021, the ace rapper made headlines after he rekindled his beef with Dancehall singer, Timaya, whom he tagged an ingrate. Timaya also recounted how he served Eedris for three years in 2017, dragging the rapper and referring to him as an empty barrel. 7. In 2000, Abdulkareem was among the personalities voted for by the Nigerian public to carry the Olympic torch in a relay through the country 8. In 2017, Nigerian entertainer D’banj, aka Koko Master, expressed displeasure after Eedris Abdulkareem, in a viral interview, said he was not talented. Eedris said that D’banj was a fool for letting Mavin label boss, Don Jazzy go as he (D’banj) doesn’t have the talent to remain relevant. In response, D’banj questioned Eedris’ role model status, stating he feels ashamed that the rapper would stoop so low to insult artistes young enough to be his children. 9. Abdulkareem is married to Yetunde, and they have three children. 10. In 2022, the singer battled with a kidney-related ailment before his wife donated her kidney to save him.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has confirmed the arrest of the Labour Party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure. ADVERTISEMENT Naija News earlier reported that Abure was arrested on Wednesday afternoon by the Police in Benin City, the Edo State capital. Addressing reporters on Wednesday evening, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force Zone 5, Tijani Momoh, said Abure was arrested for attempted murder, illegal possession of firearms, and related offences. Momoh said that Abure and four others were arrested over a petition written against them by a petitioner whose name he did not mention. According to Momoh, an allegation of attempted murder was levelled against Abure by a member of the party. He said, “I wish to confirm the arrest of the factional chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure and four others. “It has to do with a written petition that was endorsed by the AIG Zone 5 from the office of the Inspector General of Police. “There are video clips, recordings of the petitioner being assaulted, being beaten when he came home last year to conduct ward matters. “It is a case of attempted murder, conspiracy, illegal possession of arms and other related offences. “They were also in possession of firearms; a short gun and three rounds of ammunition. “Investigation is ongoing. They were just arrested today. More details will be provided later.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the chairman of the Edo State governorship primary election committee. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the chairman of the Edo State governorship primary election committee. ADVERTISEMENT The APC replaced Uzodinma with his Cross River State counterpart, Governor Bassey Otu. This development was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the APC National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu. The APC also named six other persons as the members of the revised 2024 Edo State gubernatorial primary election committee. Similarly, the party named Barrister C.C Udenwa as the chairman of the primary election appeal committee, while Yunusa Mohammed would serve as the secretary of the appeal committee. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has removed Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the chairman of the Edo State governorship primary election committee. ADVERTISEMENT The APC replaced Uzodinma with his Cross River State counterpart, Governor Bassey Otu. This development was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday by the APC National Organizing Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu. The APC also named six other persons as the members of the revised 2024 Edo State gubernatorial primary election committee. Similarly, the party named Barrister C.C Udenwa as the chairman of the primary election appeal committee, while Yunusa Mohammed would serve as the secretary of the appeal committee. Recall Governor Uzodinma supervised the botched and controversial APC governorship primaries in Edo State over the weekend. But in a twist to the unfolding political drama in Edo State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) announced the primary election held on Saturday was inconclusive. This decision comes in the wake of a contentious primary that saw three different candidates being proclaimed as winners, leading to confusion and unrest within the party ranks. The primary election, marred by disputes, initially had a member of the House of Representatives, Dennis Idahosa, declared the winner by Governor Hope Uzodimma, the chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee, at the Protea Hotel in Benin. In a parallel development, Senator Monday Okpebholo was announced as the victor at a separate event held at the residence of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, also in Benin City. Adding to the complexity, Ojo Babatunde, speaking on behalf of local government returning officers, later proclaimed Anamero Sunday Dekeri, another House of Representatives member, as the winner of the contentious poll. The conflicting declarations led to unrest, with protests erupting on Monday as disgruntled youths and women converged on the party’s secretariat, forcefully expelling members of the State Working Committee led by Jarret Tenabe.