Headlines

Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who utilized taxpayers’ funds for his journey to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to partake in the 37th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government, has drawn attention for being observed sleeping during the summit.

The two-day meeting, addressing the AU’s theme for 2024, “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century,” gathered African leaders to discuss crucial continental issues.

Criticism arose on social media, with Nigerians expressing discontent over Tinubu’s perceived lack of engagement during the summit.

Some of the Tweets from Nigerians, “@Michegwu stated, See the way he be like burnt offering, the shege wey his administration dey bring still dey do press up

Another Nigerian with the username, See today’s fashion stated, ” Mahmoud u just destroyed Nigeria.

Another called Citizen stated, “The meeting was held at 4am and that is the time daddy sleeps. We will hit the street when bread starts selling for 10k per loaf.

Commenting on the picture, another called, J.D stated, “He should be at home enjoying the company of his ground kids but no, greed won’t allow Emilokan to rest, illegitimate president. anu mpama

Commenting on the picture, another called, J.D stated, “He should be at home enjoying the company of his ground kids but no, greed won’t allow Emilokan to rest, illegitimate president. anu mpama

Another called, Onudez tweeted, “Sleeping drug baron. He just needed to sign some papers and leave. Incoherent old man 👴

Another called, Amazing Jaypee articulated, “Sleeping while the country is slipping into destruction.

Another Nigerian called, Proper Idoma boy stated, “Too much drugs.

Another known as, Peter obi’s advocate stated, “He has passed his prime. They said they don’t need his body but his brain. Shior!!

Notably, President Mohamed Ghazouani of Mauritania emerged as the new chairman of the African Union for the year 2024. The election took place during the 37th AU summit, with President Ghazouani succeeding President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros, who held the AU Chairperson role in 2023.

As the All Progressives Congress, APC, was conducting its primary election on Saturday to nominate a candidate for the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, the news broke that one of the party’s aspirants, Dr Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, had withdrawn from the race.

LeadingReporters gathered that Umakhihe’s withdrawal brings the total number of aspirants that have withdrawn from the primary election so far to three.

Those who had earlier backed out of the race are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Chief Lucky Imasuen, the former deputy governor of the state.

In the letter personally signed and addressed to the Edo State acting chairman of the party, Jarrett Tenebe, he said he decided to withdraw from the contest after his “latest interactions” with the party’s leadership.

The letter of withdrawal by Umakhihe, the immediate past Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, was dated February 16 and titled, “Discontinuation of My Campaign.”

Umakhihe said he took the decision because the campaign could not go on ‘under the present circumstances.’

The African School of Economics (ASE) has officially been announced as the Research and Implementation Partner for the country-wide innovative strengthening of smallholder farmers and productive land restoration project.

The project which was set up by the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA NEPAD) in Nigeria aims to mitigate the growing food crisis in the country.

The announcement was made at a high-level engagement event for the project earlier in the week, which was held over two days at the Presidential Banquet Hall in Aso Villa, Abuja FCT.

The was attended by the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, the AU Special Envoy on Food Systems, Ibrahim Mayaki, among other representatives from the Federal and State governments, as well as other stakeholders from Nigeria, Africa, and the rest of the world.

ASE, which was represented on the day by the Director of Communications Obinna Obiwulu, also presented its technical and research partners from Start North, Aalto University and LUT University in Finland, Kwakol Markets in Nigeria, and DHA East Africa from Kenya, with whom they will work for research and project implementation.

Work on the project is scheduled to commence in March.

Barely 24 hours after its closure, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has reopened Sahad Stores, a popular supermarket located in Area 11, Garki District of Abuja.

LeadingReporters gathered that on Saturday that business activities were gradually picking up at the business centre 24 hours after it was sealed on Friday.

Recall that the supermarket was sealed off by an enforcement team of the regulatory ageny for engaging in “misleading pricing and lack of transparency in pricing”.

The FCCPC, in a statement had said investigations revealed that Sahad Stores displayed lower prices on shelves and charged higher prices at checkout points.

The commission said the investigation included all Sahad Stores branches in Abuja, in a bid to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issues, and implement corrective measures across the entire chain.

According to the agency’s acting executive Vice Chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, the commission had invited members of the supermarket management to defend themselves, but they failed to show up.
 
He said following a mutual understanding and commitment from Sahad Stores to implement transparent pricing practices, “the FCCPC reopened the store on February 16, 2024, at about 7:00 PM.”

“Businesses are expected to display transparent pricing information to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions, especially during challenging economic times,” the statement reads.

“The FCCPC remains committed to combating all forms of exploitative or misleading practices that undermine consumer rights.

“The FCCPA protects consumer rights and prohibits deceptive business practices. Section 115 outlines potential penalties for violations, including fines for organisations and imprisonment for directors.

“The FCCPC encourages all businesses to adhere to fair and transparent pricing practices to ensure consumer protection and a healthy market environment.”

A yet to be identified naval personnel attached to the Naval College of Administration and Finance, Owerri-Nta, Abia State, has shot dead a man identified as Majo Nwogu, for refusing to stop at a checkpoint, along Umuezegwu – Mbawsi road,in Isiala Ngwa North council area of the State.

Eyewitnesses stated that the deceased was shot as he rode through the naval checkpoint on his motorcycle and refused to stop as he was flagged down by the naval personnel.

Angered by the action, one of the naval personnel shot him on the back and he lay in a pool of blood as he battled for survival.

However, the Navy told Vanguard that the deceased was invited over a case of tricycle theft reported against him at Umunkpeyi-Nvosi and got shot in the course of arrest while struggling with the gun of a naval personnel.

Vanguard also gathered that the naval personnel had erected a barricade in the area where they demand motorcycle riders to disembark and trek through the barricade before continuing their journey.

A motorcycle rider in the area who pleaded anonymity, lamented the series of humiliation they have continued to suffer at the hands of naval personnel for not stopping to trek over the checkpoint,adding that Majo was killed for not stopping at the checkpoint.

Following the incident, the naval personnel allegedly asked other motorcycle riders to take the deceased to the hospital, and were said to have jumped into their van and fled the scene.

Sympathizers and kinsmen of the deceased who had gathered at the scene made efforts to take him to the hospital,but he died before he could get medical attention.

Vanguard gathered that the kinsmen later deposited his corpse at an undisclosed morgue in the area

Troops of the Nigerian Army have intercepted two Dangote trucks and three others allegedly transporting banned goods to the Republic of Cameroon, Leading reporters has learnt.

The trucks, loaded with 600 50kg bags of cement each, were on Friday paraded to journalists at the headquarters of the Nigerian police in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

The interception followed an executive order banning the transportation of building materials across the country’s border through Adamawa routes by the Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.

While jointly displaying the vehicles, the spokespersons for the governor and the police command, Humwashi Wonosikou and SP Suleiman Nguroje respectively, told journalists that the trucks were intercepted a few kilometres before Jamtari, a border village between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Wonosikou said, “We’re here to address a disturbing trend in the state. As if the hardship on the people is not enough; there are some people who would want to test the will of the government and the government is saying such actions are unacceptable.

“We’re all living witnesses when the government came up with a policy of banning the movement of building materials across the country’s border. We’re a border state and we’ve had issues where items are transported across the border.

“But then the government, for building materials, would not want them transported out of the country. You can see behind me are trucks that were apprehended and brought here. They were intercepted by the military.

“And it is believed that these products are being transported out of the country, because if you look at it, where is the community at the border area in Adamawa State that requires this amount of cement to be used?”

On his part, Nguroje said, “Personnel have been deployed throughout the state to enforce the government order, banning transportation of building materials across the border.”

However, officials of the Yola depot of Dangote Cement, who were on the ground, vehemently denied that the products were being taken to Cameroon.

One of them who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority argued, “This is a clear violation of our right to do business! It is absolutely wrong for our trucks to be intercepted within the Nigerian territory.

“The goods in these trucks were procured by our customer, who requested them to be conveyed to Jamtari. It is therefore not in our right to demand an explanation as to why he wants them there.”

But in a dramatic twist, one Abiola Oyetunji, identified on the waybill as the contact person, expressed surprise that the truck had left the company’s depot in Yola.

According to her, the trucks can leave the depot only after the goods have been sold.

“I’ve not sold the cement yet; how could the truck have moved out of the depot in Yola? The driver told me he was at the depot up to this time,” she added.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared a two-day nationwide mass protest for February 27 and 28, 2024, over biting economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.

NLC president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, stated this at the Labour House headquarters of the Labour movement in Abuja, at a press conference on Friday.

He said the decision was made to protest the current hardship being faced by Nigerians.

Details Later…

For the second time in two days, officials from Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Awka Capital Territory Development Agency (ACTDA) confiscated all newspapers from vendors in Anambra state. 

LeadingReporters gathered that on Thursday, February 15, the officials destroyed all the newspapers and smashed all the PoS machines belonging to the vendors, including their tables and umbrellas. 

The newspapers seized by the agents of the ACTDA, around 10am in Friday include The Nation, The SUN, Punch, Thisday, Vanguard and Guardian.

The officials of ACTDA maintained that the state government does not want any newspaper to be sold again on the streets. 

It was learnt that the vendors in the state were summoned on Friday by the Department of State Service (DSS). 

The DSS summon may not be unconnected to find a resolution to the issue between the vendors and the agency.

However, one of the government officials who spoke with The Nation said: “What they are doing is good. It is to make Anambra look good. But what the people are complaining is the crude way the enforcers are going about it. 

“They don’t have to burn the wares of people who want to make little money to feed their families, destroy bananas of petty traders, smash PoS of people among others.”

President Bola Tinubu has been appointed as the African Union (AU) Champion for Human Resources for Health and Community Health Delivery Partnership, reflecting his initiatives in the healthcare sector.

Acknowledging President Tinubu’s pledge to train 120,000 frontline health workers within 16 months, his commitment to doubling the number of primary health facilities across communities from 8,800 to over 17,000 in the next three years, and his visionary expansion of health personnel enrollment capacity, the African Union has rightfully identified him as a fitting champion for this continental cause.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) communicated this appointment to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasizing President Tinubu’s recommendation by the Committee of Heads of State and Government of Africa CDC, led by President Azali Assoumani of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union.

In his new role, President Tinubu has been invited to address the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme (MELP) under the theme, ‘Impactful Leadership in Health: A Whole Government Approach,’ scheduled for Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the Africa CDC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, coinciding with the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government.

The Tinubu administration’s commitment to attracting global investments in Nigeria’s health sector, fostering cutting-edge infrastructure, equipping facilities, and enhancing the healthcare workforce aligns with the overarching goal of providing quality healthcare access to all Nigerians.

 
The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, has threatened to stop the lifting of petrol from Monday over high cost of operation.

NARTO National President, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, said tanker owners have been recording huge losses due to high cost of operation which is no longer sustainable. 

He explained that members would park their trucks from Monday “because what we spend on operation is more than what we get in total: both in local and bridging”.

He said: “We will have to suspend operations between now and Monday. We cannot continue to operate at a loss. Most people have parked. A lot more are going to park.

“But from the point of view of the association itself, we are going to suspend operations on Monday.”

Othman disclosed that NARTO’s efforts at soliciting the intervention of all the key stakeholders in the Federal Government and industry have not yielded positive results.

“We have written letters up to the level of the Chief of Staff. We have written to the Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil). 

We have written to DG SSS. We have written to the GCEO. We have written to the Authority Chief Executive. We have written to the Major Marketers, yet no response.”

He noted that the N32 Lagos to Abuja freight rate that was implemented while the dollar was N650 is still retained now that dollar is N1,615.

“Everybody is aware that all our consumables in terms of operation are not produced in the country. So, by virtue of the rate of dollars, every consumable has increased. But the freight they are paying us has been the same even during Buhari’s time.So how is that feasible? 

He explained further: “What I mean by local is if you load Lagos, you discharge in Lagos. And bridging is if you load from Lagos, you come to Abuja. Lagos to Lagos, we are paid N120,000.

“AGO alone to distribute fuel within Lagos is N140,000 because it is N1,400 per litre. So, they give you N120,000 and you spend N140,000. How do you want to operate? We are not talking about cost of vehicles, cost of loading, driver’s allowance. That is for local. For bridging Lagos to Abuja, they gave us N32.

“If you have a truck of 40,000 litres, you are talking of N1,280,000-N1,216,000. Less 5% of the amount of N1,280,000 Withholding Tax N64,000. Less 55,000 loading expenses and 15,000 driver allowance. Total expenses N134,000 while balance is N1,146,000. AGO is N1400 for 900 litres, totalling N1,260,000. There is a total loss of N114,000. The diesel that you use from Lagos to Abuja is 900 litres”, he added.