TINUBU HAS SPENT TRILLIONS OF NAIRA ON SUBSIDY SINCE INCEPTION – EL RUFAI
TINUBU HAS SPENT TRILLIONS OF NAIRA ON SUBSIDY SINCE INCEPTION – EL-RUFAI Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai, has revealed President Bola Tinubu’s government is still paying for fuel subsidy. El-Rufai who is the immediate past governor of Kaduna state, said the Federal Government has been subsidizing petrol known as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) which have so far cost the present administration trillions of naira since inception in May 29th, 2023. Recall that Tinubu had after he was sworn in said subsidy payment was over. According to El-Rufai, if not because of the subsidy payments, the price of petrol per litre could have been much higher than the diesel which is now sold above N1,000 depending on the location, compared to PMS which is about N600 to 750 per litre. The former Kaduna state governor spoke on Monday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital while delivering a Lead Paper at the occasion of Capacity Building Workshop on Enhancing Skills of Government Officials in Policy Implementation and Productive Human Management Resources for honourable Commissioners, Chief Advisers and Special Advisers, Senior Technical Advisers, to Governor Babagana Zulum, Heads or Chief Executives of Agencies and Departments, Tertiary Institutions and local government Chairmen at International Conference Centre, Musa Usman Secretariat, Maiduguri. In an interview with Journalists after delivering his paper on the theme: ‘Leadership and Public Policy: Navigating Challenges and Lessons’, El-Rufai said, “a good leader must be decisive and have the ability to make good decisions, trustworthy, empower others irrespective of political, religious or ethnic considerations, have clear communication skills and resilient in all ramifications. “Though, it is too early to judge the present administration, is just been there for only nine (9) months, and you know leadership is work in progress, you start something as I said in my speech, you start a policy because you are absolutely sure is the right policy, but in the course of implementation, if you see bottlenecks, you modify, because the key word in leadership in my view is not ideology or anything, is pragmatism. You should always be pragmatic. You are not God, only God is perfect, so as a good leader, when you make a policy and you started implementing, and it doesn’t seem to work well, you should have the humility to stand back and said, this is not working. “For example, if you appoint a person to a position and he is not performing to expectation, you should have the humility to say look, I need a better person to do the job perfectly. Leadership is a continuous thing and in a term of four years, you can’t assess a government of nine months. “But as I also said earlier during my presentation, the removal of fuel subsidy by the present administration is another good policy by President Tinubu. I have always supported withdrawal of fuel subsidy. But as you can see, in the course of implementation, the government has now realized that the subsidy has to be back, because right now, we are paying a lot of money amounting to trillions of naira for subsidy even more than before, because the impact has been seen and the packages of support that will reduce the impact have not been effective in reducing the impact, and so, the federal government has to backpedal by subsidizing petrol. Many people don’t know this. If they want to know whether there is fuel subsidy or not, they should compare the prices of petrol and diesel per litre. This is because, under normal circumstances, petrol suppose to be more expensive than diesel. As it is, diesel is above N1000, while petrol stood at about N600 per litre. So we are still subsidizing for fuel in Nigeria.” He…
BOBRISKY’S MALE ORGAN INTACT – CORRECTIONAL SERVICE
BOBRISKY’S MALE ORGAN INTACT – CORRECTIONAL SERVICE The Nigerian Correctional Service has disclosed that the male genitalia of the crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, remain intact despite his incarceration. A senior official at the prison facility where Bobrisky is currently serving a six-month sentence revealed to Punch newspaper that a thorough examination was conducted on the inmate upon his admission. The source stated that following the assessment, no alterations or realignment of Bobrisky’s genital organs were found, as his male biological features remained unchanged. The official remarked, “Bobrisky made a public declaration that he was a male, and court proceedings are public records. Every inmate brought into a facility during admission is examined. He was equally examined, and no realignment of gender or genital organ was discovered. The male biological features were the same.”Furthermore, the source confirmed that Bobrisky will be held and protected within the male prison population, in accordance with the Correctional Service’s established policies.
APC SUSPENDS GANDUJE OVER CORRUPTION ALLEGATION
APC SUSPENDS GANDUJE OVER CORRUPTION ALLEGATION The All Progressives Congress (APC) has suspended Abdullahi Ganduje, the former governor of Kano State. Ganduje is the current national chairman of the ruling APC. Ganduje’s suspension was communicated by Halliru Gwanzo, the legal adviser of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State. Addressing journalists in Kano on Monday, Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje leveled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension. “We decided to suspend Dr. Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo stated. According to the ward APC leaders, the suspension is effective from Monday, 15 April, 2024 until Ganduje clears himself from the allegations. Recall that the Kano State Government had dragged Ganduje before the Kano High Court on charges bothering on allegations of bribery, diversion, and misappropriation of funds, including the purported acceptance of $413,000 and N1.38 billion in bribes. The Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, said Ganduje would be arraigned alongside his wife, son and five others. The accused individuals, as listed in the writ of summon, include Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises. Meanwhile, palpable fear and uncertainty have enveloped Kano as the government of Abba Kabir Yusuf moves to arraign the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and a former Governor of the State, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, over allegations of financial misappropriation. Some residents are reportedly planning to vacate their homes for fear of mayhem by political thugs in the state. The ruling New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and the state government filed charges against Ganduje, his wife and six others at the Kano State High Court last Tuesday. The NNPP-led administration in the state had last week launched an assault on two major grounds, a commission of Inquiry to probe Ganduje’s eight years tenure and litigation over alleged abuse of office. Support for or against the impending litigation in the volatile city had dominated political discussion on local radio stations, and social media amid caution and threat. Many residents who spoke over the current development expressed apprehension that the war may snowball into a security breach against the backdrop of deep-seated animosity between the feuding parties. Yakubu Isa, a resident of Hotoro said, “I think the timing, and every other time isn’t the best to instigate a political war against one another, after all, the religion is against probe.” Tanimu Auwalu of Rijiyallemo on his part advised Abba Kabir Yusuf to draw a line, and face governance to justify his mandate. Rijiyallemo explained that “the government should preoccupy itself with the execution of blueprints instead of the needless war on political opponents.” Hajiya Ayi isa Dosa on her part appealed to the governor to resist all forms of distraction because time is not on his side. She stressed that “voters will be swayed by the level of infrastructure on ground than what Ganduje has done wrong.” On his part, Garba Kore, a stalwart of the APC, in a radio interview that is being serialized in Kano warned that the governor’s action is not in good faith. Kore accused the governor of “fighting a proxy war against a respected former governor”, stressing that “in the interest of equity and fairness, let them extend the Dr. Ganduje probe to cover his tenure as Kwankwaso’s deputy.” Similarly, another APC chieftain, Alhaji Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso, warned: “Let it be known to Governor Yusuf, that who is living inside a glass house should not throw stones, because the stone may eventually hit him”. The Kano chapter of the APC in its official reaction by the tough-talking…
‘REPENTANT’ BOKO HARAM MEMBER WHO JOINED ARMY SLITS WOMAN’S THROAT IN ENUGU
‘REPENTANT’ BOKO HARAM MEMBER WHO JOINED ARMY SLITS WOMAN’S THROAT IN ENUGU Private Mohammed Adamu, service number 21NA/80/0365, has been identified as the accused killer of the lady stabbed within the Nigerian Army’s 82nd (Airborne and Amphibious) Division. This was revealed by SaharaReporters who noted that senior officers sources in the army revealed this to their reporters. According to SaharaReporters the corpse of a lady wearing hijab was discovered on Friday by the daughter of an army lieutenant near the division’s commanders’ quarters. “A lifeless body of a lady who was stabbed by an unknown person was discovered yesterday in 82 division barracks,” a source had said. “The body was discovered by the daughter of an Army lieutenant who was taking food to her dad who is working on their farm somewhere around the division officer’s quarters “And the knife used in killing the same lady was dropped off close to the body while the body was wrapped with the hijab she was wearing.” While army officials have declined to comment on the event, SaharaReporters learned on Saturday evening that the killer has been identified as Pte Mohammed Adamu, who works with the division’s legal section. According to two senior military commanders who communicated with SaharaReporters, the suspect (soldier) was a repentant Boko Haram member who joined the Civilian Joint Task Force before being enrolled into the Nigerian Army in 2021. Between 2020 and 2021, the Nigerian Army absorbed 400 civilian JTF members to help fight the Boko Haram militants. “The suspect behind the murder of Miss Hauwa, the hijab woman is 21NA/80/0365 Pte Mohammed Adamu of 82Div legal services. “Unfortunately, Pte Mohammed Adamu is a repented Boko Haram member who after his repentance joined the civilian JTF. It was from being a CJTF that he was enlisted into the Army in the year 2021. “Investigation revealed that Miss Hauwa and Pte Mohammed Adamu were both lovers and from the same town in Biu local government area of Borno State. He, Pte Mohammed Adamu paid her transport to come over to Enugu and killed her. He is currently in custody of the military police and his statement has been taken in which he confessed to the act. “The late Hauwa was pregnant for Pte Adamu Mohammed before he slit her throat, stabbed her belly multiple times and tied her up in the bush near the 82Div officer’s quarters, in the early hours of Friday 12th of April. “In his statement, Pte Mohammed Adamu claimed that the pregnancy the late Hauwa was carrying wasn’t his own, and he is not ready to father any child yet and he lured her out.” When confronted that the Nigerian army had denied recruiting ex-Boko Haram into the military, the source said, “Not everything the army headquarters will agree to, we in the system understand better. “These are the people we work with every day. They repent first and join the CJTF, it’s from the CTJF that they join the military. That’s how it’s being done, not that they do join immediately after repentance. Another source verified Adamu’s arrest as the murderer of the pregnant mother. “I know Mohammed Adamu is in the custody of the military police and has narrated that he killed Miss Hauwa and stabbed the baby in her stomach. “Adamu is the bathman to Major HY Shehu, the persecuting counsel and also DDLS of 82 Division. He killed her with pregnancy over alleged infidelity and her body has been deposited at the 82 division military hospital.“The body was discovered by the daughter of Lieutenant A Jackson on her way to meet her dad on the farm.
WE’VE NOT CLEARED ANYONE INVOLVED IN FRAUD AT HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS MINISTRY – EFCC
WE’VE NOT CLEARED ANYONE INVOLVED IN FRAUD AT HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS MINISTRY – EFCC The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied reports that it has cleared some persons said to be involved in financial misappropriation at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. In a statement by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, tagged ‘Setting the Records Straight on Investigations of Humanitarian Ministry’, the anti-graft agency maintained that investigations are still ongoing, adding that it has so far recovered N32.7 billion and $445,000 from the Ministry. Oyewale, who did not mention any name, said the Commission issued the statement due to insinuations that some persons have been exonerated in the course of the investigation. The spokesperson, who stressed that the investigations were not targeted at any person, noted, “At the outset of investigations, past and suspended officials of the Humanitarian Ministry were invited by the Commission and investigations into the alleged fraud involving them have yielded the recovery of N32.7 billion and $445,000, so far. “Discreet investigations by the EFCC have opened other fraudulent dealings involving COVID-19 funds, the World Bank loan, and Abacha recovered loot released to the Ministry by the Federal Government to execute its poverty alleviation mandate. “Investigations have also linked several interdicted and suspended officials of the Ministry to the alleged financial malfeasance. “It is instructive to stress that the Commission’s investigations are not about individuals. The EFCC is investigating a system and intricate web of fraudulent practices. Banks involved in the alleged fraud are being investigated. Managing Directors of the indicted banks have made useful statements to investigators digging into the infractions. “Those found wanting will be prosecuted accordingly. Additionally, the EFCC has not cleared anyone allegedly involved in the fraud.“Investigations are ongoing and advancing steadily. The public is enjoined to ignore any claim to the contrary.”
IGR: OUR TARGET IS PAYMENT OF SALARIES WITHOUT FAAC – ENUGU GOVT
IGR: OUR TARGET IS PAYMENT OF SALARIES WITHOUT FAAC – ENUGU GOVT The Enugu State Government says its target this year is to pay salaries from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) rather than relying on allocation from the Federal Government. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Chidiebere Onyia made the disclosure at the 49th Annual Synod of the Enugu Archdiocese of the Methodist Church on Sunday. According to the SSG, who represented the governor, Mr Peter Mbah at the event, the government is determined to improve the revenue earnings of the state as well as boost its Gross Domestic Product from N4 billion to N40 billion. Onyia explained that the government did not increase taxes but to block the loopholes in revenue generation and capture businesses that had not been paying taxes. He encouraged residents of the state especially the private sector to pay their taxes direct to government coffers. “We have succeeded in blocking people from printing fake receipts on behalf of the government and ensured that all tax payments are paid to the government. “Our target is to pay salaries without allocation from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) but from our IGR,” the SSG said. He also disclosed that in the next 40 days, there would be pipe borne water in most parts of the state capital adding that major road constructions and rehabilitations in some parts of the state would also be completed. The SSG thanked the Methodist Church for its support to the government especially during elections. Onyia urged the clergy to assist in teaching the people on behavioral change by encouraging their members to perform their civic responsibilities including payments of taxes. Earlier, the Methodist Archbishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Christopher Edeh commended the governor for its achievements since assumption of office 10 months ago. The archbishop however, urged the government to reconsider its method of collecting taxes as the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs were finding it difficult to cope with the tax agents. Edeh also advised the governor to consider existing primary and secondary schools in its Smart School project noting that the government seemed to ignore the old schools while erecting new ones. He explained that the annual synod was the highest decision making body of the church where it reviewed and improve on its activities.The archbishop appealed to the government to include the church in its development programmes especially in appointive positions.
21 CHIBOK GIRLS RETURN WITH 34 CHILDREN
21 CHIBOK GIRLS RETURN WITH 34 CHILDREN Between 2016 and 2023, no fewer than 21 Chibok girls who escaped captivity or were rescued by the military, returned with 34 children, a recent report by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation has shown. The children aged between five months and seven years now live with their mothers who struggle to move on from the trauma they went through. Some of the mothers, however, returned to their (former) Boko Haram husbands to nurture the children they had together while in captivity. In the early hours of 14 April 2014, Boko Haram insurgents seized 276 girls from their dormitories at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State. The terrorists put the girls in trucks and headed for Sambisa forest, but 57 girls were lucky to jump off the trucks. One of them later obtained an associate degree from a US college in 2019. Their abduction sparked local and international outrage, a scenario that birthed a global movement, known as #BringBackOurGirls. Subsequently, 128 others were rescued or escaped in batches between 2016 and 2023. However, 91 others are still missing and their parents still keep hope to reunite with them even though some of them are believed to have died. Some of the girls who returned home had, unwillingly, turned into mothers with some choosing to remain with their Boko Haram ‘husbands.’ “We had been childless for five years before Jinkai came. Her name means God’s Grace,” said Falmata Yama, the mother of Jinkai, one of the Chibok girls. Mrs Yama’s account of her experience was documented in a book — The Stolen Daughters of Chibok — authored by Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, a human rights activist. Jinkai spent eight years in captivity before returning home with three children. She was rescued alongside two others on 7 September 2022. Jinkai said she found love with her (former) Boko Haram husband whom she now lives with in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. However, the relationship between Jinkai and her parents has now strained, according to a BBC report. They are angry she decided to go back to a (former) terrorist. She was not alone in this tangle. Other Chibok escapees like Aisha Grema and Mary Dauda who escaped captivity in 2022 explained why they are still in love with their ex-Boko Haram fighters. “We have been married for eight years,” Grema, who escaped with her child, had said. “I first came out of the forest and then he followed me. There in the bush, we had no relatives, no brother, no sister, that is why we decided to come out.” She explained that her husband was deradicalised before they were allowed to stay together. The deradicalisation programme by the Borno State Government provides a window for the terrorists to be reintegrated back into society. More than 160,000 ex-terrorists have taken advantage of the amnesty. Out of the 219 girls who were taken into the forest, Amina Nkeki was the first to escape two years later. She was found with her insurgent husband, Mohammed Hayatu, with whom she had a girl child, now eight years old. Amina and some of the other victims of the Chibok abduction now study at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Adamawa State, on a government scholarship. Murtala Muhammed Foundation, in its recent report, detailed how the Chibok girls regained their freedom between 2014 and 2023. Five months after Amina was rescued in May 2016, 21 other Chibok girls were released after a swap deal brokered by the Swiss government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In November, another Chibok captive, Maryam Ali-Maiyanga was found with a child. In May 2017, 82 of the abducted girls were…
Dons Eze
- Entertainment
- April 15, 2024
- 52 views
JNR POPE WAS PROVIDED WITH LIFE JACKET BUT REJECTED IT BECAUSE WAS DIRTY – PRODUCER
JNR POPE WAS PROVIDED LIFE JACKET BUT REJECTED IT BECAUSE IT WAS DIRTY – PRODUCER Adanma Luke, the producer of the movie Junior Pope was shooting before he drowned has claimed that the later actor was given a life jacket but rejected it. Luke has been under heavy fire following the death of actor Junior Pope and three others after their boat capsized on the Anam River in Anambra State while returning from the location of her movie, ‘The Other Side Of Life.’ Breaking her silence since the incident, Luke Adanma claimed that Junior Pope was provided with a life jacket but rejected it because it was dirty. Speaking in a video message shared via her Instagram account, she said: “My director was on life jacket, Emeka the DOP was also on life jacket. There was still one life jacket available, I don’t know who took it. “My producer manager said they saw life jackets hanging and they took them. He said he even asked the late Friday to take one to Junior Pope but Junior Pope said it was dirty so he didn’t take it. “Those with life jackets survived the boat mishap. And they also told me that when they were in the water trying to survive, Junior Pope was also there asking, ‘Is everybody okay? Hope everybody is fine?’ They said they even threw a gallon to him to use and hold himself which he was holding but all of a sudden they didn’t see him again. “It was when they came out that they noticed that he was no longer there. They said divers came and reduced some of them while other divers were still there trying to rescue others.“I said what could have caused this accident? They said they don’t know but TC was standing on the speed boat rigging bell.”
MODUPE ABIOLA DECLARES SELF PRESIDENT OF ‘DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YORUBA NATION’
MODUPE ABIOLA DECLARES SELF PRESIDENT OF ‘DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YORUBA NATION’ One Ms Modupe Onitiri Abiola has declared herself the president of a new Democratic Republic of Yoruba Nation which she claimed seceded from Nigeria. Ms Abiola, in the treasonous move, made this known via a video feed being shared by supporters of the alleged new nation. She read out a speech to commemorate the occasion which took place on April 12 as she announced that the unrecognized nation had an army of its own. Recall that the Yoruba Nation self-determination group led by historian, Prof Banji Akintoye, and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, on Saturday condemned the “OminiraYoruba” group led by Ms Modupe Onitiri Abiola whose members and supporters allegedly invaded the Oyo State Government House. The attackers had later been detained with charms, guns and ammunition
UGWU-ONYEAMA: SCENE OF FREQUENT SHEDDING OF HUMAN BLOOD
UGWU-ONYEAMA: SCENE OF FREQUENT SHEDDING OF HUMAN BLOOD The about five kiịometres hilly stretch of road from Enugu Metropoịis, enroute the Ninth Mile Corner, along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, popularly called Ugwu-Onyeama, has become synonymous with Golgotha, scene of human sacrifice, place of many killings. Ugwu-Onyeama has remained a mightmare. For lvery ong years, that particular stretch of road has been under construction, while almost on daily basis, uncountable number of human lives and valuable properties are lost. The reason are blockages placed along the road both by different government security agencies and workers of the construction company working on the road, coupled with the very steep gradients of the hill. On one side of that five kilometers road, are about three check points manned by both the personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), while on the side, workers of the construction company, place heavy barricades on some parts of the road. The resultant effect has not only been long queues of vehicles that stretch on both sides of the road, but more tragically, the daily loss of human lives and destruction of properties, when very often, some articulated vehicles descending the hill ram them on these long queues of vehicles. Lamenting their plights while speaking to Peoplesvoice, some of the commuters complained that the blockages had resulted to several accidents with attendant loss of human lives and destruction of valuable properties. Mr. Ifeanyi Ude, a mini bus driver who plies Enugu to Ninth Mile Corner, recalled how a family of five who were on their way to Church service perished on the road when a truck fully loaded with cement fell on their car while trying to negotiate a barricade placed by the construction company working on the road. He claimed that a day hardly passes without one accident or the other happening on the road, and wondered why it is taking the construction company donkey years to complete the road project. Mr. Ude said he could not understand why workers of the construction firm would be blocking the road, thus causing hardships on commuters. Mr. Chidi Obidinma, another transporter whose Sienna car plies Enugu to Onitsha, said he had earlier lost one of his vehicles on the road when a big truck rammed on it, but was lucky not to have lost any life in the accident. Mr. Obidinma decried the many check points mounted along Enugu-Onitsha Expressway by different security agencies, and in particular at the Ugwu-Onyeama section of the road. According to him, at the foot of Ugwu-Onyeama hill, there is a check point, manned by both personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), while at the neck of the hill, is another check point manned by personnel of the Nigerian Army, and on top of the hill, there is another check point manned by personnel of the Nigerian Army.He wondered what was so special about Ugwu-Onyeama that security agencies would be mounting several road blocks at the place, thereby causing unnecessary traffic hold-ups that often result to road accidents.