The House of Representatives has demanded the details of an Oil Consortium involved in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement.

This followed a resolution by the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee investigating the daily consumption of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country, Abdulkadir Sa’ad Abdullahi.

The resolution followed submissions by the representatives of the consortium at the investigative hearing on Wednesday.

The consortium which consists of three companies namely; Ashgroup Energy Ltd; Jack Energy Solutions Ltd and Vitol SA, a Switzerland based company, entered into the DSDP agreement with the NNPC Ltd.

The DSDP agreement was a scheme introduced by the NNPC Ltd in which oil companies lift crude oil and bring in same value in refined products into the country.

The consortium was represented by the Commercial Manager, Ashgroup Energy Ltd, Nazifi Alhassan and Murtala Baloni, Head, Public Affairs, Mansel Commercial Company, an affiliate company linked to Vitol SA.

However, members of the committee were not satisfied with the explanations given by Baloni about the involvement of the consortium and the role of Mansel in the scheme.

A member of the committee, Nkem Abonta (PDP Abia), who objected to the operations of a foreign company that failed to avail the committee with information on a transaction in Nigerian crude, said the consortium needed to be further scrutinised regarding the DSDP arrangement.

The lawmaker berated Vitol SA over the letter sent to the committee requesting that, the National Assembly should write their request through the Swiss Embassy to get the records.

Citing a similar request by the Senate, the company stated that, the communication went through the same channel and all the required information was provided to the Senate committee.

The representative of the company emphasised that, as stated in the letter, Vitol SA will run foul of a particular Swiss law if it divulges the information without the consent of Swiss authorities.

Baloni reiterated that, the company is ready to provide all the necessary information regarding the DSDP arrangement with the NNPC.

However, angered by the response, Abonta said the partners in Nigeria, particularly Mansel, should be invited to explain.

After the interactions with the representatives of the consortium, Chairman of the committee, directed the Clerk to write a letter inviting the Managing Director (MD) of Mansel Commercial Company Ltd to appear before the committee next Tuesday.

Representative of the company, Baloni, promised to come along with the MD on the appointed date with all the necessary documents as requested by the committee.

Similarly, the committee has also directed Oando Plc to avail it with the details of crude lifting, importation of refined products and other information as regards the DSDP arrangement.

Oando Business Development Manager, Mukhtar Danjuma, who appeared before the committee, promised to bring all the needed documents.

Earlier, the committee chairman read out a letter sent by the General Manager, Corporate Development, Oando Plc, Effanga Effanga explaining his inability to attend the sitting.

Other oil companies also appeared before the ad-hoc committee during its sitting on Wednesday.

Source: Dailytrust

The suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and three others standing trial over alleged N109.5 billion fraud, have sought a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, who disclosed this at the resumed hearing on Wednesday, told the court that the defendants had sent someone to the EFCC asking for a plea bargain.

Justice O. Adeyemi Ajayi, however, adjourned the case until Oct 4 after listening to the submissions of all the counsel in the matter.

Other defendants are Olusegun Akindele, Mohammed Usman and Gezawa Commodity Market and Exchange Limited.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, had charged the defendants 14 counts of alleged misappropriation of N109.5 billion. At an FCT High Court.

The EFCC alleged that between February and December, 2021, Mr Idris accepted gratification from Mr Akindele, a gratification to accelerate the payment of 13 per cent derivation to the nine oil producing Sates, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

It also alleged that N84. 3 billion was converted from the federal government’s account by the former accountant general and second defendant between February and November 2021.

The EFCC said the offence contravenes the provisions of sections 155 and 315 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Republic of Cameroon on Wednesday in Abuja sought for support of Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria, AIB-N, on investigation of an air crash that occurred in the sister African country.

The accident, involving a Havilland DHC 400 Twin Otter aircraft, occurred on May 11, in Cameroon.

Essimi Dine, the Director of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Transportation, Cameroon, led a team from Cameroon to AIB-N headquarters on the matter.

She said the support of AIB was necessary due to its advanced infrastructure for accident investigation.

Mrs Dine said the AIB-N would help the Cameroon authorities to download and analyse information from the recorder of the aircraft on the accident that occurred in Cameroon.

According to her, the Republic of Cameroon will further collaborate with AIB-N on capacity building in accident investigation.

“We have come to see how AIB is doing things. What they can do in terms of equipment and infrastructure they have.

“Thank you for your warm welcome here in Nigeria. We appreciate the support of the AIB. We are sure that the cause of the accident will be resolved after our work here.

“We will further request for other areas of collaboration. We really appreciate the support of AIB,“ she said.

Earlier, Akin Olateru, the Commissioner of AIB-N, said the bureau would be part of the accident investigation being carried out by Cameroon, noting that Nigerians were on board.

According to him, two Nigerian pilots and a Cameroonian operator were involved in the accident.

“Cameroon has decided to seek assistance of AIB-N in terms of the investigation to help with the download of the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR), analysis of information and animation of how it happened.

“As you are aware, we have one of the best accident investigation laboratories in the world. We have capability of getting information from the damaged recorder which the aircraft came with.

“The aircraft came with a highly burned recorder. We will be able to retrieve information from it, “ he said.

Mr Olateru said the AIB-N had previously helped some African countries including Niger Republic, Gambia and Sierra Leone in a related development.

He said that AIB-N had just received approval from the Ministry of Justice to sign an MOU with Sierra Leone to help the country to set up an Independent Accident Investigation Centre.

The Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said that suspected bandits have killed one of its officers and injured two others in the Birniwa Local Government Area of the state.

The Comptroller of the NIS in the state, ACG Ismail Abba, confirmed this when he briefed newsmen about the incident in Dutse on Wednesday.

Abba said the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 11:20pm, when the bandits attacked one of its patrol bases on Birniwa-Galadi axis.

“The bandits arrived at the base on two motorcycles, one is carrying three persons and the other one is carrying two persons.

“Immediately on arrival, they opened fire on the Immigration staff on patrol, which resulted in the death of one of the staff named Abdullahi Mohammed (CIA) and another two of the team members sustained serious bullet wounds; they are Abba Musa Kiyawa (DSI) and Zubairu Garba (AII).

“As a result of heavy exchange of fire, the bandits fled into the bush and abandoned their motorcycles and handset (Techno T5 mobile phone).

“The 2 motorcycles are Bajaj with chasis no: MD2A18AXS7MWK81092 and Royal with chasis no: RY157FMINILI2607, all now in our custody,” Abba said.

The comptroller added that the injured staff were taken to the hospital for medication and observation, while the deceased officer had been buried.

According to him, the abandoned motorcycles and mobile phone would be handed over to the police for further investigation and action.

“I must commend the officers for their gallantry in repelling the attackers that made them take to their heels and abandon their motorcycles and phone.

“This shows that the NIS is willing and ever ready to defend the nation and will not relent in the fight against crimes in the state,” Abba said.

Two more high profile members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) linked with the deadly attack on worshippers in Owo, Ondo State have been arrested, the military disclosed on Thursday.

The suspects, Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris, were apprehended at Omialafara (Omulafa) in Ose Council Area of Ondo State.

Bandits attacked the St.Francis Catholic during Sunday Mass on June 5, which resulted to the death of about 30 worshippers.

The Director Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor, in a statement, noted that one of the suspects, Abdulhaleem, alongside other high profile ISWAP Commanders “had also previously coordinated attacks on military targets in Okene, Okene LGA, Kogi State resulting in casualties”.

The statement reads, “Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, during his parley with media executives and editors yesterday, Tuesday 9 August 2022, informed of the arrest of 4 terrorists among those who carried out the attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo on 5 June 2022.

“They were arrested through a combined operation by military and DSS personnel at Eika, Okehi LGA, Kogi State on 1 August 2022. Those arrested include Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (a.k.a Bin Malik), Momoh Otohu Abubakar, Aliyu Yusuf Itopa and Auwal Ishaq Onimisi.

“Barely few hours after the disclosure by the CDS of the arrest of four of the Owo Catholic Church attackers, 2 additional ISWAP terrorists, who were also connected to the attack on the church were apprehended at Omialafara (Omulafa), Ose LGA, Ondo State yesterday, 9 August 2022.

“The arrests were made through the collaborative effort by military and DSS personnel. The suspects are Al-Qasim Idris and Abdulhaleem Idris. It is instructive to note that Abdulhaleem, alongside other high profile ISWAP commanders, had also previously coordinated attacks on military targets in Okene, Okene LGA, Kogi State resulting in casualties.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has reversed his earlier decision, authorising the acquisition of Exxon Mobil shares in the United States of America by Seplat Energy Offshore Limited.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, confirmed this in a statement.

Shehu said the President had decided to support the regulator, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), which had on Tuesday insisted on its refusal of assent to the ExxonMobil/Seplat Energy share acquisition worth $1.3 billion.

The presidential spokesman said President Buhari now wanted NUPRC position be supported, and noted that the confusion set in because “various agencies involved in (the) decision had not coordinated well among themselves.”

Shehu had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that, “It has become clear that the various agencies involved in decision had not coordinated well among themselves and having looked at all of the facts with all of the ramifications, the president decided the position of the regulator is to be supported.”

News Band reports that a Presidency statement on Monday announced that President Buhari had granted assent to the deal in which Seplat will acquire a 40 per cent stake of ExxonMobil oil assets around Akwa Ibom State.

The statement cited the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, as an incentive to drive Foreign Direct Investment and raise oil production from the assets.

However, in a statement released not long afterward, the NUPRC clarified that the Commission in line with the provisions of the PIA 2021 is the sole regulator in dealing with such matters in the Nigerian upstream sector.

A former governor of Plateau State, Senator Joshua Dariye, who was recently released from prison custody is reportedly set to declare interest to contest the Plateau Central senatorial seat on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

Dariye and Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and three others were, on Monday released from prison three months after their pardon by the Council of State led by President Muhammadu Buhari, on April 14, 2022.

Dariye, who was serving 10 years’ imprisonment for N1.126 billion fraud, was released after about four years in prison.

Dailytrust quoting credible sources said that the Plateau State chapter of LP has concluded arrangements to receive the former Plateau governor from Abuja to pick the party’s senatorial form.

Dariye, who served as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor, defected from the party. He contested and won a senatorial seat in 2011 on the platform of LP.

A Labour Party official, who preferred not to be named, said: “Yes, it is true that he (Dariye) will be running for a Senate seat. We are making arrangements for him to come from Abuja for the senatorial declaration.”

The source said Dariye would spring surprises at the polls because he remained loved by many in the state.

Dariye’s homecoming, the source said, has also given a boost to the governorship bid of the party’s governorship candidate, Patrick Dakum, who defected to the Labour Party, after failing to secure the ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Labour Party’s chairperson for Plateau State, Hon Grace Zamfara, could not be reached for comments.

The Director-General (DG) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, has said that the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis, was not opposed to him serving as Director General of APC’s presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Lalong said he remains a staunch Catholic despite his decision to accept to lead the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket campaign of the APC.

The governor had been attacked by many groups opposed to the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Some even “disowned” him on the grounds that he ought to have joined the league of those calling for a Muslim-Christian ticket in APC.

But Lalong said on Wednesday that he was unperturbed.

He stated this while fielding questions from State House reporters after a closed-door with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Tinubu had since picked a former governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

Lalong said that as a born, baptised and confirmed Catholic, who has the highest award from the papacy, Knight of Saint Gregory the Great, the Pope has not told him that it was wrong for him to lead the Muslim-Muslim presidential campaign team.

He said; “As a Catholic, everything we do, we send the advice to the Pope. The Pope has not told me that what I am doing is bad to accept the director general (offer). As a Catholic, we take that direction,” he said.

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Wednesday disclosed that tertiary education is not meant for everybody.

Umahi made this assertion on Wednesday when he received a delegation from the Nigerian Police Trust Fund by Dr. Ben Akabueze, in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The governor noted that it is unreasonable for the Federal Government led by the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to borrow over N1 trillion to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

Umahi’s assertion comes in the backdrop of the ongoing industrial action by lecturers at the nation’s varsities.

The chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum said education and security were the most challenging problems bedeviling Nigeria.

Umahi, who said Nigeria’s education’s system was not properly articulated, added that the basic education any nation strived to attain was secondary or vocational education.

He said, “Our basic problem in this country remains security, health and education. Let me say a little about education which is in our public domain and which is the ASUU. I think that our education system is not being properly articulated.

“University education is not for everybody and that is the truth. The basic education every country strives to attain is secondary school and vocational schools. These are the basic schools and when you have these qualifications, you will be able to use it either to start up something or to be able to use it to be employed,” he added.

Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi, has revealed that his daughter-in-law has been abducted by terror bandits in Kaduna State.

This is coming after Sadiq, one of the sons of Ango, was released from captivity.

He confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, saying the victim’s four children were also abducted.

“My daughter-in-law, Ramatu Samaila, was among the abductees including her four children. She is the wife of my son-in-law who is the village head of Yakawada,” he said.

Sources said that bandits stormed Yakawada village in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna on Tuesday night and immediately invaded the residence of Alhaji Rilwanu Saidu, the village head.

This paper gathered that after abducting the village head’s immediate family members, they also kidnapped some victims at the residence of the monarch’s neighbour.

“They also went to the resident of the neighbour to the village head and kidnapped the house hold, Abubakar Mijinyawa along with his two wives, namely Aisha and Hajara. And the two wives were both nursing mothers who were abducted with their little babies.”

The source further stated that the bandits killed one patrol guard, Aminu Lawal during the attack.

Three people, who sustained injuries in the attack, are said to be receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria.

Ango Abdullahi’s son was among the over 60 passengers abducted on a Kaduna-bound train in March. He was released after four months in captivity.

A suspected lesbian was arrested with her married partner in Onitsha, Anambra State over alleged stabbing her partner’s husband to death.

According to Nation, it was gathered that the incident occurred on Wednesday in inland town in the Commercial City.

It was said that the suspect was cut in the act with her partner by the young man before the incident.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Ikenga Tochukwu, confirmed the incident.

He told The Nation the Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng, had ordered that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department SCID for proper investigation.

The Nation further gathered the victim was a worker with one of the School of Health in Anambra State.
According to a source, he got married and wedded his heartthrob in 2019.

“That handsome man was every woman’s dream because of how handsome he was. He gave me their wedding invitation in 2019 and I attended the wedding.

” But look at how some useless people have ended his youthful life,” the source said.

The yet-to-be-identified lesbian, it was gathered, went to her married partner’s house when the man had left the house.

It was gathered that the suspect attacked and killed the deceased, identified as Ikechukwu.

The victim, it was gathered, came home unexpectedly and met his wife making out with her lesbian partner
And in the course of an argument and in the heat of the moment, the suspect stabbed him and he died immediately.

The hike in diesel price has forced the Nigeria Railway Corporation to reduce the number of trips on the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service by about 66.67 per cent, it was gathered on Tuesday.

It was also learnt that the corporation had sent recommendations to the Federal Ministry of Transportation for an adjustment in the transport fare on the train service.

The Managing Director, NRC, Fidet Okhiria, told our correspondent that though the service was still running, its trips had been reduced due to the persistent hike in diesel price.

Diesel prices have risen by over 300 per cent in a few months, forcing transporters of petrol, who power their trucks with diesel, to threaten strike before the prompt intervention of the Federal Government.

The spike in diesel price also warranted some level of petrol scarcity in Abuja and neighbouring states, as many truck owners could not afford the high cost, a development that made the Federal Government to raise the bridging claims being paid to petrol transporters.

Speaking on the impact of the high cost of diesel in the rail sector, Okhiria told our correspondent that the NRC had to cut down its trips, particularly on the Lagos-Ibadan route.

“The Lagos-Ibadan train service is running but we have reduced the number of trips on that route because of the diesel problem. We reduced the number of trips we are running because of the hike in diesel price,” he stated.

The presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi and his running mate, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed will Thursday deliver lectures at a meeting between the leadership of the Labour Party, Candidates and a coalition of 64 Support Groups.

The event which is organized by the Labour Party and the Coalition for Peter Obi is themed, “Youth, Governances and New Nigeria” and will take place at the International Conference Centre Abuja, on Thursday, 11 August 2022.

In a statement issued and signed by Marcel Ngogbehei, Chairman of Coalition for Peter Obi (CPO) the organisers said programmes lined up at the event will give orientation about the agenda of Peter Obi for a new Nigeria.

“Apart from Peter Obi and his running mate that will deliver lectures at the event, former Special Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Doyin Okupe and the National Chairman of Labour Party will also deliver lectures at the event”, Mr Ngogbehei stated.

The statement reads, “Our presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi and his running mate, Alhaji Yusuf Datti Baba- Ahmed will on Thursday, August 11, deliver a lecture to sensitize all the candidates of Labour party and support groups about the agenda of the Presidential candidate for the ‘New Nigeria ‘.

“It will be a leadership programme that will emphasize how the Presidential candidate and his running mate will bring solutions to the various problem facing the country and how the candidates and support groups can partner to ensure a rebirth of the country from insecurity and economic backwardness.

“Others expected to deliver lectures at the event are former Special Adviser to President, Dr. Doyin Okupe and the National Chairman of Labour Party, Comrade Julius Abure Esq.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has thrown his weight behind the call by Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu for the campaign, whenever it starts, to be based on issues and not personality.

Obi was reacting to the call by Tinubu, through his campaign organization, for the candidates and their supporters to base their electioneering on issues that would, in their words, “advance the growth, progress and stability of Nigeria”.

A statement signed by Obi’s Media Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, said the statement by APC advising candidates to “desist from spreading lies, malice and denigrating other candidates,” exactly mirrored what Obi had propagated over the years.

He said if supporters were mindful of this, some articles published in some newspapers against Obi would not have been published, including those with offensive titles.

On the alleged fake Letter from the President of Ghana and the alleged request of 50 Billion Naira monthly payment, Obienyem said that while Obi was not bothered about their authenticity, it was wickedness to link them to his supporters, insisting that any publication from Obi’s group was always properly signed and the place it was coming from very clearly spelt out.

Obienyem also described as the height of mischief, the attempt to link his campaign to IPOB. In his words: “We know that things are not well in Nigeria. We know of the agitations in different parts of the country, our principal has always said what he would do with such organizations to stop their agitation and bring then back to Nigeria as one happy family. Rather than others say what they will do, they are here creating more problems by trying vainly and wickedly to link their follow contestants to some of those organisations.”

He expressed happiness that Nigerians knew the truth and that such gimmicks used to deceive them would no longer work.

Concluding, Obienyem said that right from Obi’s position as the Governor, he was not known for the habit of attacking people or building lies against others. Obienyem said Obi’s disposition was contrary to those of some of his opponents, whom, he said, actually originated most of those fake news, published them under false names and turned round to ascribe them to Obi or his supporters

The executive governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu has cleared the air on a mix-up in the identity of a Kuje escapee.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, had reportedly listed one Idris Ojo among those arrested in connection with the attack on St Frnacis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo.

Over 40 worshippers were killed in the attack which happened on June 5, 2022.

Meanwhile, Ojo escaped from Kuje Prison when the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) invaded the facility exactly one month after the Owo attack.

However, Irabo was said to have listed Ojo among those arrested over Owo attack.

While clarifying the issue in a statement Richard Olatunde, his spokesman, signed on his behalf, Akeredolu said the arrest of the escapee coincided with that of the church attackers, hence the mix-up.

“The attention of Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has been drawn to the announcement of Idris Ojo as one of the attackers of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, arrested by the security agencies.

“Governor Akeredolu acknowledged the confusion the statement has created in the public space, considering that the ugly event of June 5 attack in Owo preceded the unfortunate incident on Kuje prison.

“The Governor said there was a mix up in the announcement by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor. Governor Akeredolu explained that Idris Ojo, who is number 14 on the wanted list of Kuje Prison Escapees was arrested in his brother’s house in Akure.

“The announcement of the arrest of Idris Ojo as one of the perpetrators of the June 5 attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo was a mix up from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor.

“Idris Ojo, who is number 14 on the wanted list of the Kuje Prison Escapees was arrested in his brother’s house in Akure. His brother, Jimoh Rasheed Ibrahim, received and accommodated him after his escape from Kuje prison.

“He was thereafter moved and kept in the custody of the security operatives at the same time the attackers of Owo Catholic Church were arrested and brought into custody. Hence, the mix up,” the statement read.

Governor Akeredolu urged members of the public to remain vigilant and give necessary supports to the security agencies in the State.

The Presidency has said “too much criticism” by the media may send “the country into a tailspin”.

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said this Tuesday at State House, Abuja, when he received the Ace Leadership Award presented to him by the management of Love FM 104.5 Abuja as part of its Merit Awards 2022.

The presidential spokesman, in a statement issued Wednesday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director (Information), sought continued partnership with the media in order to help the government and citizens realise the Nigeria of their dream.

Adesina, while expressing his appreciation to the organisation for considering him worthy of the award, said: “The media should partner with the government instead of being adversaries. What you find in the media at times is that they are so adversarial to government, which does not have to be. This is our country and we don’t have any other one.

“If they send the country into a tailspin through too much criticism, even the media won’t even be able to do its work. So, we should always bear in mind that it is our country and whatever we make of it is what we get.”

Presenting the award, the representative of Love FM, Ewuzie Anele Lilian, expressed the organisation’s pride in the work of Mr Adesina as a journalist, having got to the peak of his career through dint of hard work.

“We are happy to identify with you because we know how you started. You rose through the ladder and here you are, still doing the media work. We know it is not everybody that will accept what you are doing.”

She assured the spokesman of the support of Love FM despite some reports that suggested otherwise. “Sometimes we criticise you, we learnt that from you anyway. Before you got here, you were criticising others. We have come to say congratulations despite all that has happened. We are proud at the level you have reached and pray that God will sustain you and give you more wisdom to deal with the challenges associated with the job,” she added.

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has said he increased minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000 due to the harsh economic reality in the country.

He said the increased minimum wage as well as payment of the harmonized pension to retirees was to provide succour to workers and pensioners.

Obaseki said this in Benin, the state capital, while speaking on his policies.

He said the state government remains committed to the welfare of workers and would sustain policies and programmes that can deliver quality service to Edo people.

“I want to assure workers in the state that, as a government, we feel their pains. We know that things are tough and wish we had more resources as a state government for our people.

“The N40, 000 minimum wage we introduced was because of the pain our people are facing. This was not when dollar was N700; it was when the dollar was still N400. So, you can imagine how the hardship of workers has progressed or is progressing.

He said as a government they will join the people to do everything possible to ensure that we get those who are in charge and responsible for managing this country at the national level to stop this pain.

Obaseki however commended workers for the harmonious relationship existing between his government and the state workers.

Recall that governor Obaseki had on 2022 Workers Day announced the payment of harmonized pension to retirees in the state after 21 years, as well as the increment of the minimum wage in the state from N30,000 to N40,000.

President Muhammadu Buhari has joined family and friends of renowned accountant, Chief Akintola Williams, to celebrate his 103rd birthday, appreciating God for grace of long life, strength and impact, particularly in service to the country.

Buhari felicitated with Chief Williams for scoring many firsts, which brought the spotlight to Nigeria and Africa, being the first Nigerian to qualify as a chartered accountant in England in 1949, and starting the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa in 1952.

The President further noted other historic achievements of the chartered accountant in establishing Association of Accountants in Nigeria in 1960 with the goal of training accountants, being a founding member and first President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and full involvement in setting up the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

On his 103rd birthday, President Buhari acknowledged the many recognitions and awards he has received, including appointment as Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1997.

The President however, rejoiced with the chartered accountant, and prayed for his wellbeing.

Personnel of Islamic police, Hisbah in Kano have forcibly shaved off the hair of some secondary school pupils in the state for being ‘unIslamic’.

Some of the pupils were also punished for dressing in ways the officials consider to be offensive to Islam.

Despite condemnation from Nigerians, the Hisbah group has continued its push for an Islamic agenda in the North.

The agency, established to enforce Sharia law has banned stylish haircuts, sagging of trousers, playing of music at social events by disk jockeys and tricycle riders from adorning their vehicles with pictures considered to be obscene and against the tenets of Islam in some states in the North.

A barber and his customers were in 2021 arrested for giving and having haircuts which were considered to be offensive to Islam.

Hisbah officials are also notorious for destroying truckloads of alcoholic drinks.

After it was knocked by the public for being silent on the photographs of the bridal shower of President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter-in-law, Hisbah responded by prohibiting the sharing of the bridal shower photographs.

The Kano State Hisbah Board has also banned the use of mannequins by fashion houses, stores, boutiques and tailors to display clothes.

Hisbah Commander-in-Chief, Ustaz Harun Muhammad Sani Ibn Sina, had said the use of mannequins by tailors, boutique owners and others contravenes the provision of Islamic injunctions.

He added that the agency would educate offenders on how Islam frowns on the use of mannequins. He said offenders would be arrested and prosecuted.

Ghananian President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has denied writing a letter to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, appealing to him to give the flagbearer of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi a chance in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

He also said he never told Tinubu to seek treatment for his health as contained in the purported letter making the rounds on social media.

Akufo-Addo, who advised people via his verified Twitter handle to discountenance the story, noted that the letter was false and mischievous.

According to him, “My attention has been drawn to a disturbing post making the rounds on social media, where it is alleged I have written to the 2023 presidential candidate of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to “give Peter Obi a chance and seek treatment for his health”.

“This is completely false and mischievous, with no iota of truth whatsoever in it.

“I have written no such letter to the APC leader, and it will not occur to me to do so. Ghana and Nigeria boast of decades of cordial, strong and brotherly relations, and I am not going to be the one to interfere in the internal affairs and politics of Nigeria.”

Four of the children who were abducted on a Kaduna-bound train in March have been released.

They were abducted alongside their parents and other passengers when the terrorists attacked the rail track and killed some passengers.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, Tukur Mamur, Kaduna-based publisher who negotiated the release of some of the passengers, said the children and their parents were released after the intervention of Sheik Ahmad Gumi.

He said, “Disturbed by the gory videos images of four teenage children belonging to same family he saw in the last video released by the attackers of the AK9 Train, Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Gumi for the first since the abduction of the innocent passengers of that train over 4 months ago has reached out to the abductors through his Media Consultant, sent Allah’s messages to them and consistently pleaded with them to consider the release of the poor children and their innocent parents. It was learnt that the health condition of two of the teenage children has deteriorated since the flogging incident that affected their helpless father. A total of additional 7 hostages were therefore released on Wednesday.”

“The husband of the four kids is a staff of the National Assembly Commission. There was no intervention from the Commission or NASS on his behalf since the travails begun.

“This is to confirm to the world that due to Sheikh Gumi’s efforts and with the support of a serving Senator from the North, (a God fearing personality that doesn’t have any relationship with the hostages) who chose to remain anonymous that all the family of six have regained their freedom on Wednesday morning. Also released is a 60 year old woman, one Hajia Aisha Hassan who was said to have been released due to life threatening health challenges that deteriorated recently.”

The names of the six family members that were released are Abubakar Idris Garba, who is the father of the four kids, his wife Maryama Abubakar Bobbo and their eldest son, Ibrahim Abubakar Garba who is 10 years old.

Others include Fatima Abubakar Garba 7 years, Imran Abubakar Garba 5 years old and youngest Zainab Abubakar Garba who is only one and half years.