Andrew Mailafia

The Nigeria Customs Service has said it intercepted 203 bags of imported rice, five vehicles, and 1,245 rounds of live ammunition worth N17 million abandoned in a bush path in the Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, August 14, the state’s Area Comptroller, Bamidele Makinde, said that Command was examining the seized vehicles when it found out that live ammunition was concealed in 20 bags of rice.

According to Makinde, “At about 0024 hours on Friday, 12th August, 2023, the Roving B Team of the Command intercepted five old vehicles, (Toyota Camry with Chassis No. 4TIBG22KIWU312145, Toyota Camry with Chassis No. 4TIXK1263NU108237 and three Mazda 626 cars with Chassis Nos. JM2GD14H201568566, JMZGF14F201173029, and JMZGF14P20141862 respectively), loaded with 203 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50kg each abandoned in a bush path at Tobolo Junction, close to an exit point to the Republic of Benin, and near Ijoun, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria.”

Stressing that about 1,245 rounds of 70mm (2¾”) live ammunition of Lion, Trust, Supreme and Redstar branded cartridges were found to have been ingeniously concealed in 20 bags of the intercepted foreign rice.

Bamidele noted the items have been deposited for safekeeping while an investigation has commenced to identify the smugglers.

“The Duty Paid Value of the seized ammunition and rice is N17,638,145.00 The items have been deposited for safekeeping, pending further necessary action.

“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the cartel responsible for the attempted smuggling of the items for arrest and prosecution,” he added.

The Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have vowed to adopt force to dislodge the junta in Niger if it remains adamant.

The West African leaders arrived at the resolution at their meeting in Abuja Thursday after reviewing happenings since Sunday when the one-week ultimatum issued to the junta lapsed.

According to the communique read by ECOWAS President Omar Touray, the leaders noted that all diplomatic efforts made by ECOWAS, in resolving the crisis have been repelled by the military leadership of the Republic of Niger.”

It also stressed that the one-week ultimatum given for the restoration of constitutional order in the Republic of Niger has expired.

Stressing that ECOWAS leaders had directed the Committee of the chief of defence staff to activate the ECOWAS standby force with all its elements immediately.

They also ordered “the deployment of the ECOWAS standby force to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger.”

The embattled Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, to put an end to further prosecution from the Federal Government, through the Department of State Services.

The suspended CBN governor was arraigned by the DSS on July 25 for allegedly possessing a firearm illegally.

He was ordered to be remanded in custody and admitted to bail but he was rearrested by the DSS.

Emefiele is seeking an order from the court to clear all charges brought against him by the DSS in a new application before Justice Nicholas Oweibo.

Noting that Emefiele’s arrest and the actions of DSS were in “brazen disobedience” of the court orders granting him bail on July 25, 2023, Emefiele’s attorney, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, said he had requested an order barring the Federal Government from receiving any future judicial indulgences unless and until it complies with the bail finding.

“Relying on Section 6(6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), relevant sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and under the inherent powers of the court, Emefiele wants the court to stay further proceedings in the current charge until he exhausts all the remedies available to him in law to compel the government and the DSS to obey the order of the court admitting him to bail or remanding him in prison custody until he perfects his bail terms.

“In the application, he is seeking to invoke the jurisdiction of the court to enforce its orders, so as not to be seen “as a toothless bulldog or paper tiger.”

Emefiele claims that the purpose of his most recent application is to safeguard and uphold the “efficacy, majesty, and integrity of the court as well as the rule of law in our democracy.”

The DSS has also filed complaints against him, and the court will hear the new application today.

The senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe in the red chamber, has said that she is yet to receive an extra allowance.

During plenary session on Monday, Godswill Akpabio, the senate president, said money has been sent by Magaji Tambuwal, clerk of the national assembly, to the senators to enable them “enjoy” their holidays.

Akpabio was quickly informed by his colleagues that he was speaking before live television and press cameras.

Realising the magnitude of his comment, the senate president beat a hasty retreat.

“I withdraw that statement,” he said.

“In order to allow you to enjoy your holiday, the senate president has sent prayers to your mail boxes to assist you to go on a safe journey and return.”

Akpabio’s initial remark elicited angry reactions on social media platforms, with many Nigerians positing that federal lawmakers are tone deaf and reside in a bubble, amid the economic hardship besetting the average citizen.

Asked about the senate president’s comment, Kingibe said Akpabio was referring to “statutory” allowance paid to senators.

“I did not receive any prayer but I will check my emails for the prayers.

Truthfully, I don’t know what he was talking about,” she added.

“Most people assumed that our allowances are being paid — some statutory things that we are paid.

“I don’t think it was anything extra that we’re supposed to be given. I certainly haven’t seen anything extra.”

Speaking on the high cost of governance as it relates to senators’ allowances, the FCT senator said there is nothing she can do about it.

“Yes, truthfully, that is so. I know that I can’t change anything,” she said.

“So I have a constituency office and a development office where I do development programmes for the people.

“Hopefully, anything extra… I’m new and we’ve been paid very little. But as they come in, a lot of it will go towards funding that office, the development programmes.”

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that with the removal of fuel subsidy is aimed to save over 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in one year.

Speaking at on Tuesday, August 8, at a one-day workshop organised by the National Council on Climate Change with the theme “Unpacking the outcomes of the 58 sessions of the subsidiary bodies of the United Nations framework convention on climate change,” organised by the National Council on Climate Change.

Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Ibrahim Hassan, Shettima stressed that Nigeria was on course to achieve the nationally-determined contribution targets.

Leadingreporters earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu declared an end to the petrol subsidy.

Preliminary analysis conducted by the National Council on Climate Change on the co-benefits of fuel subsidy removal indicates that there has been about a 30 per cent reduction in daily fuel consumption, amounting to about 20 million litres, equivalent to an estimated daily saving of 42,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

“When projected over one year, it amounts to over 15 million tonnes of CO2 saved, representing about 40 per cent greenhouse gas reduction from the baseline projection of 45 million metric tonnes of total GHG carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030,” he said.

This places Nigeria on course to achieve our NDC targets ahead of time,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his commitment to end Nigeria’s over-reliance on borrowing to finance public spending.

Speaking at the inauguration of the presidential committee on fiscal policy and tax reforms on Tuesday, August 8, the president said the committee is in line with his promise to remove all barriers impeding business growth in Nigeria.

The committee which was set up on July 7, 2023, is chaired by Taiwo Oyedele, a tax and fiscal policy expert.

The committee, which comprises experts from both the private and public sectors, is responsible for the various aspects of tax law reform, fiscal policy design and coordination, harmonisation of taxes, and revenue administration.

Noting that the consequences of the ongoing failure of tax regime is real and significant, Tinubu vowed to raise Nigeria revenue.

The inability of the government to efficiently raise revenue has led directly to an overreliance on borrowing to finance public spending,” Tinubu said.

“A government that cannot properly fund itself will also lack the flexibility or fiscal scope to sensibly manage the economy or respond to external shocks.

“Instead, debt service begins to consume an ever greater portion of the government’s already meagre revenues.

“This traps the economy in a vicious cycle of borrowing simply to service previous debt and leaves almost no scope for socio-economic development.

“As President, I am determined to end this cycle. On the day of my inauguration, I promised that my administration would address all of the issues impeding investment and economic growth in Nigeria.

This promise is why I saw an end to the fuel subsidy.

It is the reason the Central Bank has called an end to its multiple exchange rate system under my watch.

“It is for the same reason we gather here today to inaugurate the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms

Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate spokesperson has revealed the reasons the Senate President, GodsWill Akpabio, on Monday, left for the Villa to see President Bola Tinubu during the screening of now-confirmed Festus Keyamo.

Speaking on Tuesday, August 8 on Channels Tv, Adaramodu stated that Akpabio had gone to the Villa to discuss issues on security as it relates to Niger Coup.

The motion to suspend the screening was initiated by Senator Darlington Nwokocha.

Accusing Keyamo of disrespecting the ninth National Assembly and leveling allegations of corruption against the previous administration, the deliberations resulted in a rowdy session after which Akpabio called for an executive session.

However, minutes later, the Senate President was spotted at the Villa.

Giving the reason for Akpabio’s presence at the Villa, Adaramodu explained that the (Senate) President stood up yesterday to go to the villa, not because of Festus Keyamo or any screening, there had been a prior invitation of the Senate President and the leadership of the Senate to the Villa based on the security situation, especially the coup d’etat in Niger Republic.

“There had been a meeting scheduled for 2:30 pm yesterday (Monday), but during the screening, we had already eaten into the time that the Senate President should have gone there.

“It was a security meeting. By the time he left around 3 pm to 3:30 pm, he could not come back until around 4 pm, but some people mistook it that he was summoned to the villa because of Festus Keyamo.

“Keyamo was just one out of 48 nominees that were screened, so one person cannot generate such a concern for the villa to be inviting the Senate (leadership) to the villa.

”Asked if the three nominees would still be confirmed, he said.

“The questions raised about them is an ongoing issue, so once the Senate is satisfied, if we need to invite them to the chamber for reconfirmation and screening, we will do that.”

When asked if the Senate would be satisfied to clear the nominees even if security (agencies) were not satisfied, Adaramodu said.

“If the security agencies are not satisfied, Senate cannot be satisfied. So, it depends on what security and the person that nominated them says.”