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West African ECO: 9 things to know about new currency

West African ECO: 9 things to know about new currency


July. 08, 2019

Fifteen countries in West African already agreed to use the single currency called “Eco” by 2020, even as experts are divided on the positive gains the currency will have on the region’s economy.

BBCC News reported that negotiations for the currency have been on for 30 years before it was formally adopted.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has, however, said that the rollout of the currency will follow a gradual process.

If you live in any of the countries in the region, it is important to know some things about the currency that would drive West African economy when it finally launches.

Here are nine very important things to know about Eco:

1. Launch date

The ECO currency will launch in 2020, a year from now. However, the exact time for the currency is not known.

2. Flexible exchange rate

The currency promises to have a flexible exchange rate to ease the use of inter-country use so that users of the currencies can easily convert their local currency to the currency or vice versa.

3. Average annual inflation of less than 10%

Any of the 15 countries must have less than 10% average annual deflation as a condition the launch of the currency. What this means is that any country with a higher inflation rate would not be part of the team.

4. Budget deficit of not more 3%

Another condition for all the 15 countries adopting the new currency is that they must have not more than 3% budget deficit. This means that their annual spending must not be more than 3% of their budgets.

5. Availability of at least three months gross external reserves reports

Another condition is that the countries must be able to present their gross external reports of three months on their imports.

6. Central Banks financing of budget deficits must be checked

Whatever the central bank of any country will use to bail out budget deficits, it must nit be more than 10% of the revenue made from the country’s tax of the previous year.

7. Countries using CFA France slightly discouraged

Due to the low interest rate enjoyed by countries who use France-backed franc, such could be discouraged as the currency is already driving high investments for them already.

8. Mixed reactions that it could be dominated by Nigeria
While some slightly fear that it could dominated by Nigeria, the largest economy in the region, others believe that is a good thing and could offer the country access to a bigger market.

9. Appeal to cut of colonial link

The proposed new currency is also seen as a move to cut off colonial link where countries currencies are still heavily influenced by their colonial background, could have a currency of their own.

OPEN LETTER TO BUHARI AND ATIKU OVER RUGA SAGA - JEREMIAH ABIODUN JEREMIAH

My OPEN LETTER TO BUHARI AND ATIKU

Since you don't have any solution to Ruga, I am compelled to give you one. Who are the owners of those cows? Common sense shows that an ordinary fulani man can't own more than 20 cows, then who owns the 100s of thousands of cow causing this confusion in nigeria? Answer: Atiku, David mark, hausa/fulani big businessmen, Some Yoruba big businessmen and some igbo big businessmen; Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo politicians. These are the owners of all these cows herders protect, thereby causing mayhem.

SOLUTION: Very simple, government needs not to be involve since it's a private business enterprise. Buy land develop it into a modern ranch, provide every facilities needed to make it viable. Employ professional like you do in your various companies, the states will make sure that it will never be a settlement of any kind, it will not be turned into a community or an emirate,  there will be no arms of any kind except by state police employed by the company to control security. Total banning of open grazing. Since the north has 67 percent of the land mass, the industries should be site there because of proximity to labour. Dangote paid for the land he is building his refinery on, government did not gazette it to him. We should be thinking like human and not animals. Nothing like grazing route in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Turkey and the rest. Atiku if your statement is your solution to this simple issue, then you are not qualified to rule nigeria. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT BUHARI IS A COMPLETE FAILURE AND THIEF. You better go and collect ministerial appointment from Buhari. You have failed a simplest test.

SIGNED
JEREMIAH ABIODUN JEREMIAH

SOUTH-EAST YOUTH: IGBO GROUP DARES THE COALITION OF NORTHERN GROUPS

S-EAST YOUTH: IGBO GROUP DARES THE COALITION OF NORTHERN GROUPS

July 5, 2019

The Southeast Youth and Human Rights Group known as PEOPLES RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, in a press statement captured by our correspondent, has berated and dared the Coalition of Northern Groups who threatened in a broadcast by its spokesman, Abdul Azeez Suleiman, to commence the expulsion of the Southern Nigerians resident in the North if the Federal Government  refuses to rescind on the sudden suspension of its RUGA Cattle- Settlement policy in 30 days time.

Reacting over the 30-day ultimatum against the Southerners resident in the North, the Spokesman of the Southeast and Peoples Rights Organization, Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku, lambasted and dared the Northern Groups to do their worst. Comrade Paul, described them as illiterates and xenophobic elements who delight in terrorism, rape, land grabbing, maiming, religious bigotry, kidnapping, wandering, banditry,  bombing, killing and butchering of innocent and defenseless Nigerians and Christians.

"It has come to our notice that the emissary of juvenile delinquency, stupidity, illiteracy and clueless xenophobia have permanently dominated the cognitive domain of the unproductive and callous Coalition of Northern Groups and other elements orchestrated by the Northern ruling class and her elites.

"The unsolicited effrontery exhibited by one aged Abdul Azeez Suleiman, who situates as the spokesperson of the naive Coalition of Northern Groups in which he deluded in a national television few days ago when he threatened the Federal Government of Nigeria with an ultimatum of 30 days to rescind her decision over the suspension of the Jihadist Fulanization and Islamization policy propagated and organised against the indigenous Southern natives otherwise "RUGA". This cowardly threat will not be tolerated by the Southeast youths. 

"We therefore dare Mallam Abdul Azeez Suleman and his sponsored collaborators to attempt accomplishing their empty threats of annihilating and evicting the law-abiding Southern Nigerians resident in the North at the expiration of their 30-day dateline.

"We are stating it unequivocally that the Southeastern youths will rise up to the occasion to engage the Northern youths in a war. We will crush you in your web and bodybags if you push us. We will be bloody against Northerners resident in the Southern Nigeria should Abdul's bloody threat is accomplished by the Coalition Groups.  We must protect and defend ourselves to the compatibility of the Southern sensibilities. We will not allow people with a framed tendency to crawl into our house and dominate our environment by RUGA-bloodbaths. RUGA crusaders can not be trusted by anyone with proper sensory organs and stimuli.

"The unlawful and irresponsible rhythmic and monotonous war- mongering by the Northern Coalition groups is a confirmation that Nigeria must be restructured or divided. The Igbos are no more interested in this fraudulent marriage of the Caliphate-imposed contraption called Nigeria. We are not callous and lazy. Our natural resources are used to develop and feed the lazy Northern Groups who always threaten to maim, expel and kill their Southern landlords. 

"These sons of perdition, uncircumcised Philistines and bunch of intellectually kwashiokored quota system elements masquerading as the Coalition of Northern Groups must be careful not to be mangled into a complete mangle of metals.

"When would these descendants of Usman Danfodio begin to excel in many other fields of human endeavors like education, business, sports and entertainments than indulging in rape, terrorism, maiming, banditry, land-grabbing, killings, bombing and butchering of the defenseless and Innocent Nigerians? 

"RUGA, should be resisted from the Middle Belt to the Atlantic. It is a policy of a jihadist pointer of the Fulanization and Islamization agenda which utterly violates  our constitution and the Supreme court decisions on the Land Use Act. The size of the RUGA Fulani settlement budgeted by the Buhari-led government under the sponsorship of oil funds from the Southern Nigeria and tax-payers' money, grossly violate the Universal principles of unbiased governance, equity, good conscience and patriotic mindset expected of any good leader and statesman under any constitutional democracy.

"Its suspension is still a deceit and a gross violation of our common Land Use laws. Why did Mr.President have to suspend RUGA? The protest and rejection was only in the South. Most Northern States want the RUGA cattle policy. Suspending the RUGA programme because the South rejected it, means that  the project was obviously aimed at  land grabbing in the South. It means that Buhari wants to use federal might to forcefully grab Southern lands and settle his wandering Fulani family who are being rejected across Africa due to their crude and outdated 11th Century mentality of cattle-rearing in the modern 21st Century.

"It is pertinent to notify the Northern Coalition Groups that Buhari does not genuinely love the Northern-Fulani caliphate. He has been attracting more global hate than love for his people. If he does love his people, the amount of funds budgeted for RUGA should have gone a long way to fighting insecurity, poverty, diseases, Boko haram, Fulani banditry and illiteracy in the North. All that matters to Buhari since he came into office is Fulani herdsmen, open-grazing route, RUGA, Fulani this, Fulani that. If Buhari  actually has good intention for his own Northern people, the huge funds wasted in search of the imaginary oil at the Lake Chad region including the huge funds embezzled in the fake war against Boko Haram, should have been invested properly in the North.

"Buhari should have built artisan opportunities for the Fulani killer pastoralists and Northern bandits who have vacated most prominent Northern Chiefs and traditional rulers out of town. He should have also built over 1,000 dams from the Futa Jalon to Lake Chad instead of the Refinery in Kastina and a rail connection to Niger Republic that have no economic benefit. If Buhari had built or maintained a dam for his Fulani brothers in the North, the Sahel Green, should have been grown in ranches to stop his Fulani family from shamelessly roaming across Nigeria looking for peoples' land to grab. 

"The Northern Coalition Groups must be informed that we will continue to resist the Buhari's clandestine deception of importing his homeless Fulani brothers from Chad, Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Mali and Libya into Nigeria at our deadly risk and disposition.

"However, we want Ruga  to be outrightly terminated and permanently canceled. We are on guard. We do not need your cattle. Since the inception of this administration, the country has gone to the dog. It has been nothing but blood, tears and sorrow flowing from Jos, Taraba, Sokoto, Ekiti, Imo, Southern Kaduna, Benueand across Nigerian States.

"We hereby instruct the Northern foreign Fulani youths to go and graze their cattle in Sambisa forest. Lands in the Northwest Nigeria can contain and contend all the Fulani and their cattle in Africa.  Graze in your region and forego the jihadist RUGA settlement programme. Cattle business is a personal business. We will never tolerate further threats from the Northern war-mongers in spite of the deadly crises and unconventional genocide across the country by the Fulani killer herdsmen.

"We want to categorically remind the Coalition of Northern Groups that Fulanis are foreigners from the Futa Jalon in the modern day Guinea who migrated to Nigeria in 1804. Fulanis do not represent 3% of the Nigerian population and her ethnic groups. In other words, Buhari's solution for  this crises must not be encouragement, romancing, petting and funding the killer herders against the indigenous Nigerians. He must stop giving them fire for more fire against Nigerians. First, it was the reported 100 billion naira given to the Fulanis. Second, was the exclusive Fulani radio while today is the RUGA  settlement programme. Since RUGA is a Fulani word for village, we therefore refuse our villages to be used as a RUGA. We are fully prepared to defend ourselves in a relentless war with you if you dare us with a war and ejection". Comrade Njoku, wrote.

ECOBANK MOBILE BANKING APP

Ecobank Mobile Banking App: How To Install And Use The MobileMoney App Platform


The Ecobank Mobile app was build based on popular demand as the world of IT is a global village. The Ecobank MobileMoney allows you to do all your money and mobile Banking Transactions in one place on your phone. It integrates the services into a new, more easy-to-use e-wallet on your phone. It is currently available in Nigeria and Kenya, where it replaces Ecobank MobileMoney and Ecobank Mobile Banking.



What Transactions Can Be Performed On Ecobank Mobile App
Please see below some transactions you can perform on the Ecobank Mobile Banking App.

You can Make account deposits
Do account-based payments/Transactions.
Pay regular bills and tolls, e.g. LLC
Make balance enquiries
See mini account statements
Send money transfers
Buy travel tickets




HOW  TO  ACTIVATE  YOUR  APP
For first-time Mobile Banking customers
If you’re a new Ecobank Mobile user:

Download the app and click on New User to register
Once registered, you’ll receive an SMS with a one-time 6 digit PIN
Log-in to the app with the 6-digit PIN
Change the PIN to a new 6-digit PIN of your choice
To access your bank account on the app, visit any Ecobank branch and fill in an activation form




READ ALSO- PayWithCapture By Access Bank Mobile: How To Setup And Use The Web & Mobile App Platform




FOR  EXISTING  MOBILE  CUSTOMERS

How to download your new mobile app:

Go to the app store on your mobile device (Nokia App store, Google Play,
Blackberry App World and Apple App Store)
Type Ecobank Mobile, find the app, then click Install
Once the app is installed, exit the app store
To launch the app, click on the Ecobank Mobile icon on your mobile phone
To verify your mobile device, dial *326# using your registered number and perform a PIN change
Log-in to the app and start banking


MobileMoney from Ecobank  lets you send and receive money, make payments and buy airtime. It’s a clever electronic wallet that lives on your phone and links your mobile quickly and safely to all your banking transactions.



Key Features Of Ecobank MobileMoney

Deposit and withdraw money
Send money to friends and family for them to redeem at our agents
Receive money
Purchase airtime
Pay for bills, goods and services
Check your account
Agents and small businesses can make collections electronically


How To Register For Free with country codes
To Register on the Mobile Money platform, follow the steps below.

Step1. Dial  *326# on your mobile device.

Step2. Enter your option number.

The remaining steps are easy to pull through.

Note that this service is only open to Customers using Glo, Airtel and Etisalat Mobile Network Subscribers.



You can reach the Ecobank Customer Careline here in case of any irregularity.

T: 08003262265 (0800 ECOBANK)
E: Engcontactcentre@ecobank.com

By Olubode Olusesan

Herdsmen rape 72-year-old woman

Peter Dada,  Akure

A woman identified only as Victoria has been allegedly raped by some suspected Fulani herdsmen in Ore,  in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Speaking on her ordeal in the hands of the rapists, the septuagenarian explained that she was working on her farm when the two herdsmen attacked her.

“Before I could question them on their mission in my farm, they gagged me and tore my clothes. They raped me one after the other. They threatened to kill me if I made any noise and left me on the farm after injuring me,” she added. 

Youths and farmers across the 18 local government areas of the state on Wednesday protested against the incident.

The protesters threatened to take the law into their own hands if the state government and security agencies failed to address the issue urgently.

The coordinator of the group,  Mr. Oluwatuyi Adekanmbi, said herdsmen had constituted themselves into terror in Ondo State by perpetrating different crimes, including rape, destruction of farms, killing, as well as kidnapping.He called on the state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, and the Ondo State House of Assembly to enact a law that would effectively protect farmers, their wives and their farmland.

He said  “One of our farmers, Orimisan Omowole, was murdered on his farm in the Odigbo area. After killing him, they took out his heart and placed it on his chest.

“We are not against cattle rearing, but we don’t want free grazing on our farmland and at our expense with wanton destruction of our means of livelihood.”

Copyright PUNCH.                
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Inspector kills police superintendent over money, commits suicide

Cop shoots man for picking stolen money

Etim Ekpimah  and Peter Dada

A policeman, Abraham Arowogun, attached to the Kajola Police Station, Kajola town, in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has committed suicide by jumping into a deep well in the station.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, was mysterious to other police officers in the division as well as members of the community. A police source told PUNCH Metro that Arowogun did not have any history of mental instability.

According to the source, the deceased inspector had first shot dead the Divisional Crime Office,  SP Timothy Aruehi,  after they had a disagreement over money.

Our correspondent gathered that Aruehi had received a complaint that Arowogun, while investigating a case, diverted a sum of money to private use.

The source said, “Arowogun was investigating a case and the DCO discovered that a sum of N150,000 was involved. He further discovered that he (Arowogun) had actually converted the money to private use.

“The DCO called and querried him for the action.

“In the course of interrogating him, he stormed out angrily. He returned with a gun which he used to shoot Arowogun dead.”

The police source added that after killing the DCO, there was confusion in the station as other officers fled for safety.

“After killing the DCO, he knew that what he did was unprofessional and unpardonable in the police force. He just left the scene and jumped into the well at the back of the station,” the source added.

The corpses of the two policemen were said to have been deposited in a mortuary in the Ondo State General Hospital, Ore.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident, adding that investigation had commenced.

“It was an unfortunate incident; but we have begun investigation. The command is very saddened and our hearts are heavy. We are doing everything possible to dig further into the matter and talk to our officers and men to avert a recurrence,” the PPRO said.

In a related development, the police in Akwa Ibom State on Wednesday shot a resident for allegedly picking stolen money which dropped along Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo.

Our correspondent gathered that a three-man gang had snatched the money from occupants of a government-owned car .

The gang was reportedly moving the money into a getaway vehicle seized from a female motorist, when some of the cash fell on the road.

A witness, Mr. Joe Inyang, said, “The people who owned the money were in a Toyota Camry with a government number plate, AK 705 C01. They appeared to be coming from one of the new generation banks, where they withdrew the huge amount.

“As their driver was going through Paul Bassey Street, he noticed the robbers, who were in a Toyota Corolla. They were on his trail.

“As he tried to link Brooks Street, he rammed the vehicle into an oncoming Toyota Camry. It was then that the robbers blocked access to the government car.

“At that point, the robbers seized the vehicle and started shooting continously into the air. They shattered the boot and doors of the car with bullets to get access to the money, which was in Ghana-Must-Go bags.

“It was in the process of moving the money into another vehicle they seized from a woman that some residents scrambled for the fallen cash. The man the police shot rushed out of his office to pick the cash which littered the road.”

The woman whose car was used as a getaway by the robbers; the man who sustained gunshot injuries; and the driver and other occupants of the government vehicle, were seen by our correspondent at the ‘A Division’ of the state police command on Wednesday.

A resident, who did not want his name in print, told PUNCH Metro that the robbery could not have occurred without the involvement of people in government or the bank, adding that the money could not be less than N50m.

The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mu’azu Zubairu, did not answer calls that were put across to his telephone. He did not also respond to a text message sent to his line.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chukwu Ikechukwu, when contacted, said he was not in the state.

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All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Jonathan ignores Reps'

$1.1bn Malabu oil deal: 48 days after, Jonathan ignores Reps’ invitation




John Ameh, Abuja

Forty-eight days after he was invited to testifyin the investigations into the controversial sale of Oil Prospecting Licence 245, former President Goodluck Jonathan has yet to reply the House of Representatives, The PUNCHlearnt on Wednesday.

Better known as $1.1bn Malabu Oil deal, an ad hoc committee of the House has been investigating the alleged “diversion” of the money, which was the Federal Government’s share of the deal.

The committee is chaired by a member of the All Progressives Congress from Kwara State, Mr. Razak Atunwa.

Malabu: Some people are threatened by my international profile, says Jonathan

The panel had invited Jonathan on July 5 after it said evidence in the line of the investigations indicated that the former President had issues to clarify.

But, as of Wednesday (yesterday), checks at the committee showed that Jonathan had not responded to any enquiries by the committee.

Findings revealed that though the committee had written him to either appear or respond to questions by submitting documents, Jonathan had yet to reply the panel.

Atunwa confirmed the development when The PUNCH sought his comments on Wednesday.

He said, “Yes, we invited the former President already. The committee wrote him a letter, but he has not responded. He has not sent in any replies. We are still waiting for him.”

When asked what the committee would do next since Jonathan had not replied after 48 days of the committee forwarding a letter to him, Atunwa replied that a decision would be taken after September 19.

The National Assembly is on annual vacation till September 19.

“When we resume, we will review the situation and decide on the next line of action,” he added.

In making the panel’s decision to invite Jonathan in July, Atunwa had stated that certain information in the public domain had made the need to hear from the former President necessary, before the probe could be considered conclusive.

He explained that hearing from Jonathan was also an indication that “thoroughness, natural justice and fair play” was applied to the investigation.

Malabu deal: Reps should compel Jonathan’s appearance, says MEND

Atunwa gave the grounds for inviting the former President, “Mr. Jonathan was the President at the material time that (his cabinet) ministers brokered the deal that led to the allegation of $1bn diversion of funds.

“Mr. Jonathan’s name features in the proceedings initiated by the Public Prosecutor of Milan in Italy. A United Kingdom court judgment in relation to an application to return part of the money being restrained, castigated the Jonathan administration as not having acted in the best interest of Nigeria in relation to the ‘deal.’

“The Attorney General of the Federation at the material time, Mohammed Bello-Adoke, has recently instituted proceedings in court wherein he pleads that all his actions were as instructed by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of the (1999) Constitution, the committee has decided to request that former President Goodluck Jonathan give evidence as to his role in the matter.”

When Atunwa was asked in July whether the invitation meant that Jonathan would come personally before the committee or the committee would meet him at a location chosen by the former President, Atunwa replied that what was most important was to write to him.

“There are parliamentary procedures, so we don’t jump the gun.What we have said here is to ask for his response. When he responds, that is when we go further.

“At this material point, we have invited him and that is where the case will rest for now.” he added.

He spoke 48 days ago at the National Assembly in Abuja.

$1.3bn Malabu scam: Jonathan may have received $200m, says report

The House had first investigated the deal in the 7th Assembly (2011-2015), but not satisfied with the outcome of the probe, the current 8th House revisited it.

This second phase of the probe was launched in October 2016 with the committee taking representations from Shell, Agip and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

It also received the submissions of the current AGF, Mr. Abubakar Malami, among others.

However, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources under the Jonathan administration, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and Bello-Adoke, reportedly shunned the panel.

According to the House, OPL 245 occupies an area of 1,958 square kilometres and holds up to “9.2 billion” barrels of crude oil.

Recalling how the deal started, the committee said Chief Dan Etete, a former minister under the administration of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, awarded the block to himself in 1998, using Malabu Oil and Gas.

“He awarded it to himself for just $20m, out of which he paid only $2m,” the committee stated.

It added that former President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked the block, but it was later sold to Shell at $210m, a development, which sparked off a series of legal tussles.

The committee recalled that while Malabu was still in court, Bello-Adoke and Alison-Madueke were alleged to have “contrived a series of complex agreements of a questionable nature.

$1.1bn Malabu scam: Adoke, others face extradition

“The summary of the agreement was that Shell and Nigeria Agip Exploration paid $1.1bn to the Federal Government for the oil block.”

However, instead of paying the money into the Federation Account, the committee stated that Bello-Adoke and Alison-Madueke “caused the money to be transferred to Malabu, which then spirited the money to various foreign bank accounts.

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All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

Military monitoring social media for hate speech – Enenche


Dreamers2202/ Tuesday, 23-08-17



Social media is no longer a hiding place for hate speech, anti-government and anti-security in Nigeria as the platforms are now being monitored for information by the military.

Director of Defence Information, Major-General John Enenche, made the revelation onChannels Television’s News at 10 on Wednesday, saying the move became necessary in the light of troubling activities and misinformation capable of jeopardizing the unity of the country.

Enenche made the comment less than 48 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari said, in his national broadcast, that some of the discussion on social media in his absence crossed the line and left him distressed.

Enenche held that the social media has always been a challenge all over the world and for the military, it is no different.

“It is a double-edged sword and we are also having a bit of it,” he said.

“Imagine when the President came back and addressed the nation, not up to 30 minutes later, a fake speech of the Commander-In-Chief was being circulated in order to do what? To derail the people. If you are not very sharp and if you didn’t listen to the speech or you don’t have a copy of it like I had it almost immediately, you wouldn’t know. So, looking at it from that perspective, it is a challenge everywhere.”

“What are we doing? In the military, we are now taking on it more seriously than ever. We have our strategic media centres that monitor the social media to be able to sieve out and react to all the ones that will be anti-government, be anti-military, (and) be anti-security,” the military chief continued.

“We tackle them appropriately with appropriate responses. Ahead of that, we are also proactive. We have measures in place, scientific measures to be able to sieve this information and also to get the public and let them know that some of this information they are getting is not genuine are not true and their objective is an anti-corporate existence of this country.”



 (BREAKING) SGF/NIA boss: Osinbajo submits probe report to Buhari

Dreamers2202/ Tuesday, 23-08-17



Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday submitted the report of the committee that investigated the allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The committee which had the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, as members was initially billed to submit its report to Buhari on May 8 but could not do so because the President left the country on May 7 for medical follow-up in London.

Speaking to State House correspondents after submitting the report, Osinbajo said he would not divulge the details of the report.

He said the ball was now in the President’s court to study the report and take decisions based on the recommendations.

When asked whether he would disclose a brief of what is contained in the report, Osinbajo said, “Of course not. This is a report which contains recommendations to the President.

“It is a fact-finding committee as you know and what our terms of reference were was to find out based on the fact available to us and based on the interviews of witnesses of what transpired in those cases, one involving the SGF and the other the DG of NIA.

“We have now concluded that and we submitted a full report with recommendations to the President.

“We cannot, of course, give you any kind of details because the President has to look at the report, study it and then make his own decisions based on that report.”

Osinbajo said members of the committee were fair-minded and the approach adopted was to ensure that justice was done in all cases.

He said it was in the interest of the government and the nation that things were done properly with the due process followed.

He assured all stakeholders that the right thing would be done in the two cases.

When asked how soon should Nigerians be expecting the President’s decision on the report, the Vice President said, “All I can say now is that we have submitted the report to the President and it is a very detailed report as a matter of fact. The President has to study the report and make decisions.

When again asked to give an insight into the report, Osinbajo said, “Of course? I cannot. How can I? This is a document which has just been submitted to the President. He is the one who will read the recommendations and the facts and then make a decision.”

On whether heads will roll based on the report, the Vice President said, “No, how can I tell you? If you want to know what is in the report, you have to wait. You really have to wait.”

Present at the brief ceremony where Osinbajo presented the report to the President were the two other members of the committee and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.

The President had on April 19 suspended Lawal and Oke and constituted a three-man committee led by Osinbajo to investigate them.

The panel investigated allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East while it probed Oke on the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, for which NIA is laying claim.



 South-East senators meet Kanu, call for caution


Dreamers2202/ Tuesday, 23-08-17



Leke Baiyewu, Abuja

The South East Caucus in the Senate has met with the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, members of the secession group over what it termed as the rising tension in the country.

Chairman of the Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia-South), in a statement on Wednesday, said the meeting was held in his Ohuru, Obingwa country home in Abia State on Tuesday.

The statement quoted Abaribe as telling journalists after the meeting that IPOB and other agitators in the country should let their actions conform with Nigeria’s laws and avoid any form of violence and abuse the rights of other Nigerians.

The lawmaker said while the consensus was to have unity and a peaceful Nigeria where equity and fairness were entrenched and no group or region is treated as second class citizens, the caucus would always support and work for a united Nigeria.

Abaribe added that the caucus demanded a total restructuring of the country and devolution of powers in such a manner that would assuage the feeling of despondency, injustice and near rejection within the Nigerian state, “which to us is the way to go.”

He said, “I thank Kanu for assuring (the caucus) to conduct his members in a peaceful manner and within the ambits of the law. This engagement is a continuous process that will lead us to find a lasting solution to whatever grievances that necessitated the agitations in Nigeria.

“The caucus will accordingly meet as soon as we resume from recess to continue the engagement for the good of our people and our dear country. All of us desire equality, equity, fairness in a peaceful and united Nigeria.”

The IPOB leader was quoted as assuring the lawmakers that his group would remain non-violent in its agitation.

Kanu, however, insisted that the group remained resolute in its demand for a fair and just society which, according to him, is the spirit behind the agitation for Biafra through a referendum.

“We are not afraid in our quest. What I promise my elder brother (Abaribe) is that we shall never fail them by resorting to violence. We can’t and it has never been our approach,” he said.

We no longer issue visas to Nigerians – Netherlands Embassy

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, on Tuesday, reminded Nigerians that it was no longer in the business of issuing them visas.

The Embassy’s Charge d’ Affaires, Mr Michel Deleen, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the Embassy had since 2013 swapped its visa issuance processes in Nigeria.

Deleen said that the Embassy had since 2013 swapped its visas issuance to Nigerians with the French Consulate General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

“Let me remind Nigerians that since 2013, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria had signed agreements with the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

“What this means is that we have swapped our visa application processes in Nigeria with the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

“Let me remind Nigerians that under these agreements, any Nigerian that wants to visit the Netherlands for business, study or tourism should always process their visa applications through the French Consulate-General
in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja,’’ he said.

Deleen also enjoined Nigerians to always apply for visas to the Netherlands, through VFS Global to the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

The Charge d’ Affaires said that it was important for Nigerians and other nationals in Nigeria to know that VFS Global was the internationally-authorized organisation for receiving all visa applications.

“Let me also advise anyone seeking visas to the Netherlands through the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja, to always first apply through VFS Global.

“When you first apply to VFS Global for visas to the Netherlands, VFS Global would thereafter send them to the French Consulate-General in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja for processing,’’ he said.

VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide.

The company manages administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to visas, passports, identity management and other citizen services for its client governments.(NAN)

NAN