Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has disclosed that each state governor has been allocated an extra N30 billion to address the challenges of food scarcity and hardships confronting Nigerians.

Akpabio said each state should properly utilize the money towards ensuring the availability of food.

Speaking on the floor of the senate, Akapbio said: “I must say that unverified report has it that each of the state government in the last few months received additional N30 billion from Federal Inland Revenue Service, outside their normal allocation from the federation account to assist them in ameliorating the food situation.

“We believe that every state government should utilise the funds so received towards ensuring that food is available.”

The current economic hardship has led to a hike in the prices of foodstuffs across the country.

The shortage of foodstuffs was also linked to the hoarding by some people and illegal smuggling to neighbouring countries.

Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima had disclosed how security operatives discovered 32 illegal routes being used to smuggle foodstuffs and other items to neighbouring countries from Nigeria.

Shettima said security agents intercepted 45 trucks smuggling maize to neighbouring countries.

He noted that the price of “maize” came down by N10,000. The price of maize allegedly came down from N60,000 to N50,000″ when the trucks were intercepted.

Operatives of the Kaduna Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested one Captain Nuhu Haruna for an alleged criminal breach of trust to the tune of N1,020,000.000, One Billion, Twenty Million Naira only.

The suspect was arrested when a petitioner alleged that sometime in December 2023, he was introduced to the suspect for the purpose of a foreign exchange transaction involving N1,020,000.00.

He allegedly paid the money into the suspect’s account to offer him its dollar equivalent.

He explained that the suspect furnished him with evidence of payments made which turned out to be false as he never received the dollar equivalent.

Preliminary investigation showed that Haruna, who claimed to be an airline captain, allegedly diverted the money for his personal use by buying properties and vehicles which he intended to use for the start-up of his alleged airline company, Air Unity Aviation Services.

A landed property purchased at N155,000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand Naira) and another purchased at N350,000.000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira), three 18-seater Toyota Hiace buses imprinted with the logo of Air Unity Aviation Services and four exotic cars were traced to the suspect.

The Commission added that the suspect would be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations

Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa of Ondo state, has declared Thursday, 22nd and Friday, 23rd of February 2024 as public holidays in the State.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, who said the holiday is in honour of the former Governor of the State, late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu.

Adeniyan said the two work-free days will allow the people of the State to participate in the burial activities of the former Governor who died last December.

According to him, the burial activities, which started last Thursday, continue as follows:

XWednesday, February 21, Ajabue (Traditional Rites) in Owo at 9am till 4pm

“A Special Court Session at Court 1, Ondo State High Court Headquarters,Hospital Road, Akure, at 10am

“Lying in State and Commendation Service Akure Township Stadium Time: 1pm, Evening of Tributes at St Andrews Church, Imola Street, Owo between 4pm and 7pm

“On Thursday, February 22 (Public holiday):

Service of Songs at St Andrews Cathedral, Imola Street, Owo at 4pm while Wake-Keep holds at Maranatha Villa, Owo at 8pm

And candlelight Procession & World Gyration by the Kegites Club from 8pm till Dawn.

According to him, Friday, February 23 (Public holiday):Funeral Service at St Andrews Church, Imola Street, Owo at 10am and interment follows immediately after the burial service at the burial site, Owo. (Strictly for immediate family) while Reception at Mydas Hotel and Resort, Ikare Road, Owo by 1pm.

Saturday, February 24, 2024: Akeredolu Memorial Friendly football match Akure Township Stadium, Akure at 3 pm

And the Thanksgiving Service at St Andrews Church, Imola Street, Owo on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at 10 am.

Following crisis that rocked last Saturday’s Edo State All Progressives Congress (APC) Gubernatorial Primary Election, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has declared the shadow election inconclusive.

The party said it will conclude the exercise on Thursday, February 22. 

A decision to this effect was reached on Tuesday night at an emergency meeting of the NWC to consider the report of the election submitted by Gov. Hope Uzodinma’s primary election committee at the party’s headquarters in Abuja.

The Nation learnt that the National Chairman  Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the National Secretary, Sen. Ajibola Basiru briefed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Villa of the outcome of the election. 

Though details of the meeting at the Villa were not made public, a source said the President expressed concerns at the turn of events during the shadow election and directed the NWC ensure that the exercise was concluded.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, which lasted about three hours, National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said that based on the election report, NWC resolved that the primary election was not completed.

According to Morka: “At its emergency meeting held today, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, to consider the report on the Edo State Governorship Primary Election, the National Working Committee (NWC) deliberated on the report and resolved that the Edo State Governorship Primary Election has not been completed, and has now fixed Thursday, February 22, 2024, for the completion of the Primary Election Process.”

Three of the 10 aspirants who contested the election are laying claim to victory. Two aspirants withdrew from the election a few hours before commencement.

Governor Hope Uzodinma’s Primary Election Committee on Saturday declared Hon. Dennis Idahosa winner having polled 40,453 votes, while Senator Okpebholo was returned winner by the Chief Returning Officer, Dr. Stanley Ugboaja and Hon. Anamero Sunday Dekeri was declared victorious by the spokesman of local government returning officers, Mr Ojo Babatunde.

As of the close of work on Tuesday, three of the aspirants have filed their petition to the Appeal Committee and the office of the national chairman of the party.

Two of the aspirants, Dekeri and Okpebholo asked the NWC to issue them certificates of return while Osunbor called for outright cancellation of the exercise, claiming there was no election in the 192 wards of the State last Saturday.

The three petitioners were billed to appear before the election appeal committee on Wednesday before the new development.

The Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria has again raised the exchange rate for cargo clearance to N1,605/$.

This is coming days after the rate rose to N1515/ $ and later dropped to N1,472.

Between January and now, the rate has risen a couple of times. It was moved from N952/$ in December to N1356/$. And was moved to N1,413/$ before it went to N1,444/$. The rate moved to N1,515 before finally getting to N1.605.

LeadingReporters gathered that on Wednesday, the rate for cargo clearance was noted at N1,605 per US dollar.

President Bola Tinubu has directed an immediate settlement of N342m as an outstanding electricity bill due to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company by the State House.

The President’s directive follows the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and AEDC.

“Contrary to the AEDC’s initial claim of N923m debt in paid advertorial in newspapers, the State House outstanding bill is N342.35m,” said the Presidency in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Tuesday.

The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu directs payment of State House electricity bill.’

The President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, assured the AEDC that the debt will be paid before the end of this week.

He also urged defaulting Mnistries, Departments and Agencies to clear their electricity bills as soon as possible.

Details shortly…

The early morning flood on Tuesday in Command and Ipaja communities in Lagos impacted about 151 houses.

Ibrahim Farinloye, Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said this in a statement.

Farinloye said preliminary assessments in some communities affected by the rainfall showed that residents were evacuated from 23 houses at Oke Ishagun.

He said 35 houses were affected at Isale Aboru, 29 houses at Ikola Community and 15 houses at Olubodun Majiyagbe-Ajayi.

Also affected were 12 houses on Makinde Street, 16 houses on Olokowo Street, and 21 houses on Adeola Street, among others.

Farinloye, who said NEMA was working with appropriate state MDAs to ameliorate the effect of the flood on residents, added that Lagos State had promised to make the state safer for residents.

He said Tuesday’s excessive downpour is a strong signal of what to expect with the outset of 2024 rainfall.

He said it was important to imbibe disaster risk reduction strategies.

“We must begin to adhere to safety measures against flood disasters. Thanks be to God that no life was lost and no one was injured,” Farinloye said.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Habib Ahmed, has appealed to Nigerians to start clearing their drainages and desilting them.

Ahmed urged Community Development Associations, CDAs, to be alive to their responsibility by coordinating the activities of neighbourhoods towards safer environments.

He appealed to local government authorities to sanction corporate organisations for blocking drainages around their offices.

He added that residents dumping refuse in drainages should be prosecuted for blockage of drainages, dumping of refuse in drainages as envisaged in environmental laws to save society.

The director-general expressed his support to the Lagos State government for its bold decision after the 2023 rainy season, when it pulled down structures obstructing drainages across the state.

He urged other state governments to emulate Lagos State by taking bold steps towards making the environment safer.

Suspected bandits have attacked Yar Nasarawa community in Faskari local government area of Katsina State, killing six persons, including a traditional ruler.

The attackers also burnt houses, vehicles and abducted about 38 residents of the area.

A credible source, who is a resident of the area, said about 10 persons also sustained various degrees of injuries, while eight commercial vehicles, six houses and shops were burnt in the community that is less than five kilometres from the Army Super Camp in Faskari local government area.

Residents said the terrorists abducted about 38 residents, including women and children and left 10 residents with gunshot injuries.

He said, “The assailants came prepared, I have never seen them in such number.”

An eyewitness, Auwal Liman, also said that he narrowly escaped to the bush during the attack. He explained that while some bandits were shooting indiscriminately, others were setting vehicles and buildings ablaze.
 
“We are in a sorrowful situation, we can’t go to the farm. And even when we decided to stay off from our farms and local markets, the terrorists still follow us to our communities and kill us. Our lives hardly matter,” he lamented.

Findings revealed that the terrorists stormed the community around 11pm and blocked all entry and exit points to ward off support from the military and members of the Community Watch Corps in the area.

The State Police Command’s spokesperson, Abubakar-Sadik Aliyu, confirmed the attack but did not provide the details.

The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has decided to suspend its planned nationwide strike following a meeting with the Federal Government and stakeholders on Monday.

The strike was intended in response to the harsh economic conditions affecting tanker drivers, who had halted operations and refused to transport petroleum products.

NARTO members had threatened a countrywide shutdown starting Monday due to the exorbitant cost of automotive gas oil (diesel), which is essential for fueling their trucks used in transporting petroleum products across Nigeria.

In the wake of the current high level of hardship in the country, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has disclosed plans to distribute seized food items to Nigerians.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the food items will be distributed after they have been certified fit for consumption.

In a statement by Customs National Public Relations officer, Abdullahi Maiwada on Tuesday, Adeniyi reaffirmed his commitment towards advancing President Bola Tinubu’s food security agenda.

“Furthermore, to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerians and improve access to essential food items, the Nigeria Customs Service will facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the Federal Government.

“These items will be certified fit for consumption by relevant agencies and made available to ordinary Nigerians nationwide through equitable distribution in our Areas of Operations,” he said.

The statement, however, did not disclose when the planned distribution will commence.