Folarin Kehinde

The Central Bank of Nigeria has reassured Nigerians that there are enough naira notes in circulation to meet their cash needs.

CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Ali, gave the assurance in a statement on Wednesday.

This came amid growing apprehension over cash scarcity in different parts of the country, especially among bank customers.

Ali however said naira notes in circulation had increased from N1tn in February to N3.4tn in December. This, according to her, indicates that there is sufficient cash in circulation, which she blamed on the hoarding of the naira by some persons due to the challenges they faced during the naira redesign project.

She said the CBN was monitoring the situation and had released sufficient cash to its branches nationwide for onward distribution to Deposit Money Banks.

She stated, “The CBN has adequate cash to meet the day-to-day transaction needs of Nigerians. We appeal to Nigerians to be patient while the CBN does the needful to ensure the availability of cash, particularly during the Yuletide and beyond.”

She urged members of the public to continue accepting all naira notes, while encouraging them to embrace alternative modes of payment, especially e-channels, to reduce the pressure on cash.

THE deputy editor-in-chief of Vladimir Putin’s favourite newspaper has been found dead in Moscow marking the latest in a series of mysterious deaths in Russia.

The body of Anna Tsareva, 35, was discovered at her home in the capital’s Bolshoy Tishinsky Lane – nearly a year after the death of her boss Vladimir Sungorkin, 68.

Police have opened an investigation into the death of Tsareva, the deputy editor of pro-Putin Komsomolskaya Pravda [KP], reported Baza online news outlet.

Initial reports say there was no indication of a break-in to her apartment.

“No signs of violent death were found,” said the report.

It is known she had developed an unspecified acute respiratory viral infection, and had suffered a high fever for several days.

However, Shot media reported today that it is suspected she died of “acute heart failure”.

Her body was found by her father who became worried that she had not been in touch since Sunday.

Tsareva was reported to be in charge of content on Komsomolskaya Pravda’s website, including stories about Putin’s war against Ukraine.

It is the biggest news website in Russia with 83.9 million readers in October 2023.

President of the Abuja Newspapers Distributors Association, John Emmanuel, has been kidnapped by some unknown gunmen.

Mr Emmanuel was abducted by gunmen in a ‘one-chance’ vehicle in the Giri area of the Federal Capital Territory at about 8pm on Tuesday night.

It was gathered that the kidnappers are currently demanding the sum of N15 million as ransom from his family.

The victim’s wife, Mrs Uche Emmanuel, on Wednesday, confirmed her husband’s abduction while also noting that his abductors have reached out to the family demanding N 15 million ransom for his freedom.

“Yes, my husband was kidnapped in Giri yesterday at about 8pm. He was in a public taxi on his way back home, unfortunately, the vehicle was a one-chance vehicle, and they’re demanding N15 million before they’ll release him,” she told Punch.

Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command said the incident has yet to be reported to the police for intervention.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said, “There is no such incident reported at any of our stations for now. Maybe the family has not contacted or reported to us (the police) yet; we can’t know what is not reported to us.”

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong has resigned his appointment as a member of the Federal Executive Council to go to the Senate.

Sources say the minister will, however, wait for President Bola Tinubu’s decision before proceeding to the upper chamber.

Recall that on November 7, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of the tribunal that recently sacked the elected members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Plateau State, and Lalong was declared the winner of the Plateau South Senatorial election held on February 25, 2023.

The Minister fortnight ago was issued with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after the appeal court judgment.

Sources close to the Minister, who was the immediate former governor of Plateau State and Director-General of the Tinubu Presidential Council, said: “The Minister will join the Senate. He will go there to ensure that President Bola Tinubu succeeds. The Senate is where the elders are, and he wants to join them.

“A new younger person will be appointed by Mr. President as the Minister representing Plateau State to replace His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, as soon as he resigns.

“You know the role played by the Minister during the campaigns, he believes in Asiwaju and is ready to contribute to ensure that the government succeeds.”

The Rivers State Government has said the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex is due to structural defects.

The announcement was made in a statement issued by the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Joseph Johnson.

The statement said that the decision to demolish the complex was made after a visit by the Governor to inspect the level of damage done to the building on the day of the fire incident.

“After the assessment of the integrity of the complex, the experts warned the government that continuing to use the building in its present state would be disastrous,” said Mr. Johnson.

The statement also said that the government had tried all cost-saving measures towards the repair of the complex but ultimately decided to rebuild it.

“In the interim, the Rivers State Government has provided an alternative venue for the House of Assembly to conduct their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex,” the statement added.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has sent birthday wishes to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), despite simmering tensions between the two over the control of the state’s political structure.

In a message released on Wednesday, Fubara offered his congratulations to Wike on his 56th birthday, stating: “I congratulate my Oga, His Excellency, Chief (Dr.) Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, GSSRS, Life Bencher, Immediate Past Governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, on his 56th birthday today, December 13, 2023.”

“Your Excellency, my dear wife and I, and the good people of Rivers State, join your family and friends to felicitate you on this day. We sincerely pray that your new age brings you joy and good health. Once again, happy birthday and hearty congratulations.”

However, these outward expressions of goodwill are in contrast to the escalating political crisis brewing in Rivers State, especially with the recent defection of 27 House of Assembly members to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the demolition of the assembly complex.

It can be recalled that Fubara recently declared that he would not “surrender our mandate and progress to intimidation, blackmail and deliberate sabotage.”

Wike, for his part, vowed to protect his influence in the state, accusing Fubara of “importing the crisis through his actions.” He further stated: “Let me tell you – I don’t like ingrates. I can’t stand it. What is happening now (in Rivers) is what Odili said in his book: ‘Give a man power and money, then you will know the person.’ If you haven’t given man power and money, then you don’t know the person.”

The Rivers State Assembly Complex is currently being demolished.

This development comes amidst a tense political situation in the state, with Governor Siminalayi Fubara engaged in a power struggle with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The demolition reportedly began moments ago, with heavy machinery on site tearing down the building.

The reason for the demolition is unclear at this time, but it is believed to be connected to the ongoing political situation in the state.

Recall that just this morning, Rt. Hon. Barr. Ehie Edison, the factional Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, reportedly presided over a plenary session of the 10th Assembly. Ehie Edison is a close ally of Governor Fubara.

This session follows a recent court order that declared Ehie the legitimate Speaker and barred his rival, Martins Amaewhule, from claiming leadership. Amaewhule is believed to be backed by Nyesom Wike.

The tension in the state came to public notice in October when a section of the assembly complex was burned down, allegedly by supporters of Fubara, in an attempt to prevent impeachment proceedings against him. The process was ultimately stalled by the intervention of President Tinubu.