Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 14th September 2021
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 14/09/21
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C4%B7s-havoc-abuja Three Dead, Cars Swept Away As Flood Wrea?s Havoc In Abuja
File photo used to illustrate story.
No fewer than three persons were reported dead in a flood disaster that ravaged TradeMoore Estate, along Airport Road, in the Lugbe area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
SaharaReporters learnt that the incident occurred on Sunday night following a heavy downpour which swept away three persons when their car was submerged by the flood.
File photo used to illustrate story.
An eyewitness on Monday said the incident happened at about 10pm shortly after the torrential rain began which also sacked the entire estate as residents scampered for safety.
He explained that many houses, property and cars were washed away in the process while many families were rendered homeless
SaharaReporters was told that officials from FCT Fire Service have commenced search-and-rescue operations at the scene of the incident.
Recall that a resident, Garba Joseph, had in August lost his life when his lifeless body was recovered after a two-day search from a flooded river in the same estate.
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Activist Drags Central Bank Of Nigeria Governor, Emefiele To Court Over Incompetence, Harassment Of #EndSARS Protesters
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
An Abuja-based activist, Sesugh Akume, has filed a suit before a Federal High Court in the nation’s capital, asking it to determine whether or not the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has not been grossly incompetent by failing to provide price control, a strong Naira and a stable exchange rate.
Akume also asked the court to stop Emefiele and the CBN from further lending to the Nigerian government until the trillions of Naira allegedly owed are refunded in full.
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
He wants the court to also compel the CBN never to lend beyond the prescribed 5% of the previous year’s revenues.
The activist in a statement obtained by SaharaReporters said the apex bank under Emefiele had been engaged in the illegality of lending to the Nigerian government more than the prescribed 5% of the revenues of the previous year.
He said, “The principal duties of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are to ensure price control, a strong naira, a stable exchange rate, etc. Ironically and sadly, under Godwin Emefiele as CBN governor since June 2014, only the reverse has been consistently achieved.
“Inflation (increase in the price of goods and services) has gone through the roof (from 7% in 2014 to 18% presently) as against the role of the CBN to stabilise and preferably lower it. Between May 2020 and June this year alone, the naira has been devalued by the CBN thrice (as the Bank said Wednesday last week, 8 September, that it was not bothered about the valuation of the naira!).
“As of the time Mr Emefiele resumed at the CBN, the official naira/US dollar exchange rate was 155 naira/US dollar, today it has been between 407 and 412 naira/US dollar in the past 3 months (and exchanged at 535 naira/US dollar as of Friday 10 September) the worst in the history of the country.
“To worsen matters, the CBN under Mr Emefiele has been engaged in the illegality of lending to the federal government more than the prescribed 5% of the government’s revenues of the previous year. In 2020, for instance, the Bank lent the government 2.8 trillion naira which is 62% of 2019 revenues! The Bank further lends to the federal government even when it is yet to refund what was previously borrowed (presently, the federal government owes the CBN 15.51 trillion naira, 14.86 trillion of this under the Buhari regime) contrary to the express provisions of section 38 of the CBN Act.”
He added, “These are some of the bad policies of the CBN under Mr Emefiele which cause the high inflation, a weakened naira, a poor exchange rate, instability in the economy, etc, and not just the unstable price of crude oil in the global market as many like to deceive the unsuspecting public.
“Instead of focusing on his job of delivering on the mandate of the CBN (which he is obviously failing at), Mr Emefiele has been using the CBN as a political tool of the regime by, for instance, having the bank accounts of #EndSARS protesters sealed by the courts over false, bogus and malicious charges, which is not in any way the business of the CBN.
“By engaging in extralegal and ultra vires activities to please the regime and be its easy tool, Mr Emefiele has made the Bank lose its independence (and credibility), contrary to section 1(3) of the CBN Act.
“Today, my lawyers filed an action against the CBN and Mr Emefiele (as CBN governor) at the Federal High Court, Abuja marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1051/2021 seeking the court to determine whether or not Mr Emefiele and the CBN have not been grossly incompetent by failing to provide price control, a strong naira, a stable exchange rate, etc but rather skyrocketing prices, inconsistent and poor monetary policies, a weak and unstable naira, uncontrollable exchange rate, etc? Whether or not lending to the government above 5% of the previous year’s revenues and further lending when previous loans are not repaid are illegal?
“We ask the court to weigh what is before it and come to the inevitable conclusion that Mr Emefiele and the CBN are grossly incompetent; to stop them from further lending to the government under ways and means until the trillions of naira owed are refunded in full, and to never lend beyond the prescribed 5% of the previous year’s revenues.
“The suit is further strengthened by strong corroborating evidence from my good friends, economic and financial experts and analysts, Samson Galadima Simon, and Tosin Adeoti on oath. This is possibly a novel lawsuit asking the court to declare a public institution/officer incompetent based on the evidence before it, and establish that public institutions/officers can be held liable/accountable for their failures, especially as they affect the public negatively.”
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Son Of Kano Governor, Ganduje Drags Mother To Anti-graft Commission, EFCC Over Fraud
Hafsat Ganduje
Hafsat Ganduje, the wife of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, shunned an invitation extended to her by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to report for questioning, last week, over a bribery and land fraud case reported by her son, Abdualzeez.
According to Premium Times, Mrs Ganduje was invited to report last Thursday to the Abuja headquarters of the EFCC.
Hafsat Ganduje
Abdulazeez had dragged his mum, Hafsat Ganduje, to the EFCC, sources familiar with the matter said, suggesting a pattern of corruptly using family access to power for private enrichment.
Ganduje, the governor, had previously been involved in a corruption-related scandal.
He has struggled to untangle himself from the public perception that he is a corrupt public servant since 2018 when Daily Nigerian published a series of videos that showed the governor collecting money from a government contractor.
Abdulazeez reported to the anti-graft agency that he was approached by a property developer to help facilitate the acquisition of some plots of land in Kano with some hundreds of thousands of US dollars and at least N35million as “facilitation commission.”
It was further learnt that Abdulazeez said he paid the sum in dollars to his mother, Mrs Ganduje.
“But three months later, (the property developer) discovered that the plots of land he wanted and had paid the first family for had been allocated to other buyers and he then requested to be refunded,” a source was quoted as saying.
Asked to comment on the matter, a spokesperson for Kano State Government, Mohammed Garba, said, “I am not aware” and, so, he could not comment.
EFCC’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, did not comment on the matter when contacted on Monday.
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Twitter Speaks On Ongoing Negotiations With Nigerian Government
Micro-blogging platform, Twitter, has disclosed that its talks with Nigeria Government over the restoration of its services in the country have been “respectful and productive.”
Twitter spokesperson made this known in a statement to Peoples Gazette on Monday evening.
The company noted that it is committed to charting a path forward to the restoration of Twitter for everyone in Nigeria.
“Discussions with the Nigerian government have been respectful and productive – we look forward to seeing the service restored very soon.
“We continue to engage with the Nigerian government to discuss why Twitter has been blocked and ways to resolve the matter. We are committed to charting a path forward to the restoration of Twitter for everyone in Nigeria.”
The statement comes a day after the controversial ban hit 100 days, with rights activists expressing fears that the regime was not in a hurry to rescind its action and allow the constitutional rights of Nigerians prevail.
The Muhammadu Buhari-led government had on June 4 announced the suspension of Twitter in Nigeria. Telecommunication companies started blocking access to Twitter on June 5, after they received a directive from the Nigerian Communications Commission to block access to Twitter.
The Nigerian government had cited the persistent use of the platform for activities capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence as the reason for the suspension.
Following the ban, groups including the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had dragged the government to the ECOWAS court.
The government however told a Federal High Court in Lagos that it had not stopped Nigerians from using Twitter, adding that many Nigerians still used it every day.
However, the United States Government described the ban on the operations of Twitter in Nigeria and the directive that all social media platforms operating in the country must register and obtain a licence as worrisome.
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Aisha Buhari Counters Sheikh Gumi, Demands Military Action Against Bandits In Other States Like Zamfara
Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari says security agents must go after bandits in Northern states and kill them.
The First Lady also said her Sunday Instagram post showing the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, shedding tears during one of his sermons was about fearing God and not man.
Aisha had earlier shared a video showing Pantami crying after his reciter read a verse of the Holy Quran.
“That is the Garden we shall give as their own to those of Our servants who were devout,” read the reciter from Surah Maryam, Verse 63.
In response, Pantami sobbed, “O Allah! Make me one of them. O Allah! Make me one of them!”
Clarifying why she posted the video in another post on Instagram on Monday, the First Lady said in Hausa, “Tafsir na Malam kan tsoron Allah ba tsoron mutum ba! Da aka cire tsoro da son Kai aka shiga Jihar Zamfara, abubuwa sun fara kyau. Sai a dage a shigo sauran wurare da ke bukatan haka. which can be interpreted as”, which can be interpreted as “Malam’s Tafsir was a about fearing God and not man! When fear and selfishness were removed and Zamfara State was entered, things started to go well. We need to move on to other areas that need it.”
Her post is coming amidst heightened offensive by the military in Zamfara state.
Many of the bandits’ leaders and their foot soldiers were said to have been killed since the blockage of communication and restriction of movement in the state.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had last week mandated all telecommunication operators in the country to stop extending services to Zamfara and its environs, effective Friday, September 3, 2021.
This was barely six months after the Nigerian government declared Zamfara State a ‘no-fly zone’ in a renewed effort to fight banditry and other forms of insecurity in the state.
This however countered the stance of a popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who stated that killing bandits would only worsen the security situation in the country.
Gumi who has been visiting bandits in the forest in an attempt to negotiate a peace deal with them had urged the Nigerian government to create a Ministry of Nomadic Affairs.
The cleric had in a Facebook post last Friday said, “By the way, what you may not hear, is that the bandits over the years have developed escape routes from aerial bombardments. They told us: you can only kill our women and children with your attacks!
“Just yesterday, two contingents of banditry victims came to me that their loved ones were abducted by bandits in Kaduna suburbs – Rigachukun and Keke. An escapee engineer in the later said, when he overheard and understood that they were strangers in the area as they were calling the locals to lead them, that gave him the courage to slip through densely grown maize plantations to escape. The point is that, if Zamfara is on fire for them, definitely it goes without saying that they will migrate to other areas. So, is the whole of Nigeria going to be under lock-up in incommunicado?
“As for the economic impact of the areas now under siege, it’s just a matter of time, you’ll hear them crying out. Already yesterday a man from Tsafe came begging because of economic stagnation, one would have thought that Gusau the capital is closer than Kaduna to beg.
“As for those cynics that have no value to add in the dilemma except vituperation, and abuses, we know that is the substance they are made up of. No qualms whatsoever! you don’t expect fragrance from feces. So, what is the solution?
“Good Intelligence! Good proficient policing, engagement of the local herdsmen in policing, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and reparation of all victims of banditry. The good honest judiciary that protects people’s rights. Money and time well spent on these will surely kill the disease and heal the nation of this delinquency, crimes, and bad governance.”
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Nigeria Deports Beninese Woman Based In Kwara, Impregnated By Son
Fati Sime, a Benin Republic woman immigrant, who bore three children for her son, Adamu, has been repatriated.
It had been reported how operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kwara State arrested the Beninise woman and her son for incest.
Daily Post
The duo were arrested after the district head of Mose community in Kaima Local Government Area of the state called the attention of the people to the calamitous relationship.
The incident had sent a wave of shock across the country.
Speaking with Daily Trust on Monday, NSCDC spokesman, Babawale Zaid Afolabi, said Fati and her son had been deported.
“Fati and her first son, Adamu, were deported with directive of Commandant’s after the investigation and handed over to the Benin Republic operatives at the border.”
“But during investigation, the first son, Adamu confessed that he has been having carnal knowledge of his mother for seven years,” Afolabi added.
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South-East Governor Leads Protest Against IPOB’s Sit-at-home Order, Asks Traders To Reopen Shops
The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday led a protest against the continued sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
IPOB had on July 30 ordered a sit-at-home in the region.
It threatened to shut down economic activities in the region, adding that violators of the order would be visited with violence.
On August 9, IPOB started the enforcement of the lockdown.
The sit-at-home order is to protest against the arrest and detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
However, on August 13, IPOB stated that the Ghost Monday would no longer hold every Monday based on the directive from its leader, Kanu who said it should be observed only on the day he appears in court.
Despite the suspension, the majority of South-East residents still observe the order, shunning business and commercial activities.
Anambra State had also witnessed some levels of compliance with this directive.
On Monday, the state government moved to some streets in Awka, the state capital to enforce the return to businesses in the state.
The governor, who led members of his executive council during the protest, visited banks and markets in the state capital.
At Eke Awka market, the governor asked traders to open their shops.
He said, “The state must avoid giving urchins the chance to take over the helm of affairs. I chose to lead from the front to end this fear of molestation, harassment, intimidation.”
It was gathered that socio-economic activities, including transportation, banking and market activities sprang up around 1pm in the area in earnest.
Obiano had on Sunday threatened to seal banks and punish market and motor-park leaders who would dare stay at home on Mondays or any day so declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He directed banks, markets and motor parks in the state to be in operation on Monday unfailingly.The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday led a protest against the continued sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra.
IPOB had on July 30 ordered a sit-at-home in the region.
It threatened to shut down economic activities in the region, adding that violators of the order would be visited with violence.
On August 9, IPOB started the enforcement of the lockdown.
The sit-at-home order is to protest against the arrest and detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
However, on August 13, IPOB stated that the Ghost Monday would no longer hold every Monday based on the directive from its leader, Kanu who said it should be observed only on the day he appears in court.
Despite the suspension, the majority of South-East residents still observe the order, shunning business and commercial activities.
Anambra State had also witnessed some levels of compliance with this directive.
On Monday, the state government moved to some streets in Awka, the state capital to enforce the return to businesses in the state.
The governor, who led members of his executive council during the protest, visited banks and markets in the state capital.
At Eke Awka market, the governor asked traders to open their shops.
He said, “The state must avoid giving urchins the chance to take over the helm of affairs. I chose to lead from the front to end this fear of molestation, harassment, intimidation.”
It was gathered that socio-economic activities, including transportation, banking and market activities sprang up around 1pm in the area in earnest.
Obiano had on Sunday threatened to seal banks and punish market and motor-park leaders who would dare stay at home on Mondays or any day so declared by the Indigenous People of Biafra.
He directed banks, markets and motor parks in the state to be in operation on Monday unfailingly.
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Police Confirm Abduction Of Four Travellers In Ekiti By Gunmen
At least four persons have reportedly been abducted by unknown armed men along Ayetoro Ekiti-Otun Road in Ekiti State.
The victims, who are yet to be identified, were waylaid by the attackers and ferried into the bush.
It was learnt that the incident happened after the gunmen ambushed two buses conveying passengers from Otun-Ekiti axis and whisked away four persons in the process.
Others were said to have escaped by the whiskers, Guardian reports.
A source stated that one of those who escaped told him that the gunmen took away four passengers from the two buses.
Another source added that when some hunters resident in the axis were being informed for action, said, “The hunters were called that some kidnappers were operating along Ayetoro – Otun Road.
“But before they got there, the gunmen had piloted two buses into the bush. At that point, we cannot say the number of people taken into the forest, but the buses were there.
“I advised the hunters and the security agents, who arrived at the scene, later that the kidnappers would have gone towards the Otun end and that they would not have gone far that time.
“Definitely, they were the ones who operated along Ayetoro – Ewu Road on Sunday evening. The Sunday operation was not successful and that was why they waited around to carry out this one,” the source said.
“Another twist to the incident was that the suspected kidnappers, upon realising that they had missed their prime target, on Sunday evening, started attacking commercial motorcyclists by shooting sporadically into the air to scare people.”
He added that “an okada rider was stopped at gunpoint and they took all his valuables, while another okada operator escaped into the bush. The kidnappers fled when they noticed the other okada rider had escaped.”
The spokesman of the Ekiti State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, however, said, “We heard the information and we have deployed our personnel there.
“There was a kidnap incident this morning. It began on Sunday evening when some suspected robbers attacked a man whom the police thereafter rescued. But this morning, we learned that the suspects were the ones who abducted some road users. The police are on their trail.”
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#BuhariMustGo: Sowore Knocks Nigerian Government As Naira Crashes Further To N550/Dollar
Omoyele Sowore
The value of the Nigerian Naira has crashed further to N550 against one dollar in the unofficial market.
This comes barely five days after the currency exchanged for N543 against the dollar, at the parallel market.
Omoyele Sowore
Taking to his Facebook page, human rights’ activist, Omoyele Sowore, highlighted the continual dwindling of the value of the naira while the minimum wage remained the same and unpaid by several states.
Sowore further condemned state governors who are yet to comply with the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage to workers.
He said, “The Naira is now N550 to $1. Meanwhile, minimum wage is still N30,000, largely unpaid by thieving state governors! #OccupyBuhariNYC #BuhariMustGo #RevolutionNow.”
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the N30,000 new National Minimum Wage Act into law, effective April 18, 2019, thus repealing the Minimum Wage Act of 2011.
Years after, several states had yet to begin implementation while some states are implementing partially amid the economic hardship in the country.
The Central Bank of Nigeria some months ago barred the sale of forex to all bureau de change operators across the country.
On June 27, 2021, the CBN ended the sales of Forex to BDCs saying the parallel market had become a conduit for illicit Forex flows and graft.
The CBN said it would also no longer process applications for BDC licences in the country.
Weekly sales of foreign exchange by the CBN will henceforth go directly to commercial banks, the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, said.
Several investment finances and economic research firms had warned that the naira faces the risk of precipitous fall and depreciation in the months to come except the apex bank takes urgent and coordinated measures to address pressure points and engender an enduring clarity in forex management.
Finance and economy experts had agreed that the naira faces a tough future and the Central Bank of Nigeria might be walking itself into a repeat of the 2016 scenario when similar uncoordinated decision led to more than 40 per cent depreciation in the national currency.
The Committee of Banks Chief Executive Officer headed by the CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, had stated that the exchange rate would drop.
Similarly, on August 9, 2021, the Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, said the naira would rise in the parallel market towards 490-495 against the dollar in August/September.
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E2%80%93-governor-uzodinma VIDEO: Buhari Insensitive To Yearnings Of Imo People, Igbo Nation – Governor Uzodinma
Hope Uzodinma
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State says President Muhammadu Buhari is being supported because he is “insensitive” to the yearnings of Imo people.
Uzodimma said this in a trending video of an interview he had with Channels Television on Buhari’s visit to the state.
Hope Uzodinma
Buhari had visited Imo to commission some projects executed by the governor.
“What is important to me is that Mr President visited and you could see the excitement of the entire Igbo nation. The leadership received Mr President, commended Mr President, pledged to support Mr President’s government and policies.
“When we say this, we mean it. We meant every inch of the word — that we are supporting the president; we are supporting his administration, and we are supporting his policies, because Mr President has shown sufficient interest in terms of pragmatic approach in listening and being insensitive to the yearnings of Imolites and Igbo people in general,” he said.
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