withinnigeria.com

Author: Adejayan Gbenga Gsong

  • BREAKING: Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, is dead

    BREAKING: Second Republic lawmaker, Junaid Mohammed, is dead

    A Second Republic member of the House of Representatives from Kano State, Dr Junaid Mohammed is dead.

    His brother, Dr Ahmed Salik, a former lecturer with the Bayero University Kano and also a former member of the House of Representatives confirmed his death this evening.

    Late Junaid, a Soviet trained Medical Doctor died on Thursday evening at his residence in Kano after a protracted illness.

    His death was announced shortly after former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Dikko, passed on.

    WITHIN NIGERIA had reported that he died at a hospital in Abuja.

    The Katsina State indigene, who led the NCS from 2009 to 2015, had been facing a probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

    More to come…

  • Compensate herders/farmers crisis victims – NEC tells States

    Compensate herders/farmers crisis victims – NEC tells States

    The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday asked the state governments to compensate victims of farmers/herders crises, who have lost livelihoods.

    The Council also resolved that states should incorporate non-indigenous/minority residents into local security initiatives to ensure adequate representation.

    The Council, which was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, also encouraged states to promote the modernisation of livestock farming.

    These were some of the decisions reached during the meeting, which was held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Aso Rock Presidential villa, Abuja.

    Two representatives of the Council, Ogun and Kebbi Governors Dapo Abiodun and Abubakar Bagudu as well as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Office of the Vice President, Mr Laolu Akande, briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting.

    Abiodun noted many people suffered losses in targeted attacks and must be made to have a sense of compensation.

    He said NEC has resolved there must be public condemnation of hatred against minority groups, as it advised that members of non-indigenous groups should be incorporated into local security groups.

    Abiodun said the council also deliberated on ways to better manage forests to deter criminals from inhabiting them for nefarious activities.

    He said the council noted it is encouraged and delighted by the outcome of the Nigeria Governors Forum meeting, saying: “Council noted that it is the courage of leaders that will make a change.

    “Governors should tell their citizens that there are criminals among the herders, but law-abiding citizens should be protected.”

    NEC also affirmed that the sub-Committee on National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) developed by the council is voluntary.

    Abiodun added: “Every States must have a choice on how it wants to implement it.

    “Council also noted that forest has become a hide-out for criminals and said nobody should live in the forest. Governors in Southern States should visit the Northern States in crisis.

    “Governors should develop a plan to deescalate tension and implement it faithfully to diffuse tension. Council generally agreed that the principal thing is to de-escalate the tension and take control of some of the narratives to remove fear.”

    Bagudu said NEC received a presentation on PEAC Poverty Eradication and Growth Strategy from Roundtable IV–(NEC).

    He said findings indicated there are many ad-hoc schemes, interventions, programmes but poorly coordinated and without holistic agenda or framework to address poverty, frequent policy changes and inconsistencies in implementation of projects and programmes, good ideas without coherence or holistic agenda, poor adaptation to beneficiary needs, and limited scale of operation/ coverage, among others.

  • Nigeria exits recession as GDP grows by 0.11% in Q4

    Nigeria exits recession as GDP grows by 0.11% in Q4

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says Nigeria’s GDP grew by 0.11 per cent in Quarter Four (Q4) 2020, from the 6.11 per cent contraction in Q3, signaling a gradual recovery from recession.

    The NBS said this in the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Report (Q4 and Full Year 2020) released on its website on Thursday in Abuja.

    The bureau said this represented the first positive quarterly growth in the last three quarters.

    “Though weak, the positive growth reflects the gradual return of economic activities following the easing of restricted movements and limited local and international commercial activities in the preceding quarters.

    “As a result, while the Q4 2020 growth rate was lower than growth rate recorded the previous year by –2.44 per cent, it was higher by 3.74 per cent compared to Q3 2020.

    “On a quarter-on-quarter basis, real GDP growth was 9.68 per cent indicating a second positive consecutive quarter-on-quarter real growth rate in 2020, after two negative quarters,” the report noted.

    The NBS said overall, in 2020, the annual growth of real GDP was estimated at –1.92 per cent, a decline of –4.20 per cent when compared to the 2.27 per cent recorded in 2019.

    It said in the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N43.564 billion in nominal terms.

    This performance, the bureau said was higher when compared to Q4 2019, which recorded a GDP aggregate of N39.577 billion, representing a year-on-year nominal growth rate of 10.07 per cent.

    The NBS classified the Nigerian economy into the oil and non-oil sectors.

    For the oil sector, in Q4, an average daily oil production of 1.56 million barrels per day (mbpd) was recorded.

    This was lower than the daily average production of 2.00 mbpd recorded in the same quarter of 2019 by -0.44 mbpd and Q3 2020 by –0.11 mbpd.

    It added that real growth of the oil sector was –19.76 per cent (year-on-year) in Q4 indicating a decrease by –26.12 per cent relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2019.

    “Growth decreased by –5.87 per cent when compared to Q3 2020, while quarter-on-quarter, the oil sector recorded a growth rate of –26.27 per cent in Q4.

    “For 2020, the oil sector grew at –8.89 per cent compared to 4.59 per cent in 2019,” the report stated.

    It added that the oil sector contributed 5.87 per cent to total real GDP in Q4, down from the corresponding period of 2019 and the preceding quarter, where it contributed 7.32 per cent and 8.73 per cent respectively.

    The nation’s non-oil sector grew by 1.69 per cent in real terms in Q4 2020, slower than the 2.26 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2019, the NBS said.

    It, however, said it was better than the –2.51 per cent growth rate recorded in the preceding quarter.

    The NBS added that for the full year of 2020, the non-oil sector grew by –1.25 per cent compared to 2.06 per cent in 2019.

    It said said growth in the sector was driven by information and communication (Telecommunications and Broadcasting).

    Other drivers were agriculture (crop production), real estate, manufacturing (food, beverage and tobacco), mining and quarrying (quarrying and other minerals) and construction, accounting for positive GDP.

    “In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 94.13 per cent to the nation’s GDP in Q4 2020, higher than the share recorded in Q4 2019 (92.68 per cent) and Q3 2020 (91.27 per cent).

    “For 2020, the non-oil sector contributed 91.84 per cent to real GDP, higher than 91.22 per cent recorded in 2019,” the NBS report said.

    The bureau explained that Quarterly National Accounts (QNA) were an integrated system of macroeconomic accounts designed to describe the entire system of production in a nation on a quarterly basis.

    They provide a picture of the current economic status of an economy on a more frequent basis than Annual National Accounts (ANA).

    In providing a reasonable level of detailed information of the economy, QNA allows the government to regularly access analyse and monitor economic developments.

  • EFCC uncovers internet fraud training centre in Abuja, arrest 27

    EFCC uncovers internet fraud training centre in Abuja, arrest 27

    Operatives of the Abuja Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have uncovered underworld ‘academy’ for the grooming of internet fraudsters.

    WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the ‘academy’ located in Arab Contractors Area of Mpape Hills, a suburb of Abuja, was discovered when operatives, acting on intelligence, stormed the base on Thursday February 18, and arrested 27 internet fraud suspects.

    The coordinator of the ‘academy’ is said to be 30-year-old Emmanuel Clement, and his ‘students’ are mostly young school leavers, ladies inclusive, within the age range of 18 to 25 years.

    Items recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Venza car, 30 mobile phones and one laptop.

    According to the anti-graft agency, they will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

  • BREAKING: Former Customs boss, Dikko, is dead

    BREAKING: Former Customs boss, Dikko, is dead

    Former Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Abdullahi Dikko is dead.

    A source close to the deceased confirmed that he had died in Abuja after a long protracted illness.

    Dikko was the Comptroller-General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) between August 2009 and August 2015.

    He left office after President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.

    Abdullahi joined the Customs in 1988. He was born on 11 May 1960 in Musawa town, a Local Government in Katsina State.

    The former customs boss had been facing a probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

    His house said to be worth N1.1bn as well as cars worth hundreds of millions of naira were seized by the EFCC under the leadership of erstwhile Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

    However, his case could not proceed due to his failing health.

    In December 2020, the ICPC and its Chairman, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, were restrained from arresting and prosecuting Dikko.

    Mr Dikko was born on 11 May 1960 in Musawa town, a local government area of Katsina State.

    He attended Government College, Kaduna in 1974 where he obtained the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in 1980.

    He later obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a Master of Science degree in finance from the University of Dimitrov Apostle Tshenov, Svishtov, Bulgaria.

    He joined the Nigerian Customs Service in 1988 and became the CG from 2009 to 2015.

    He has served in various customs commands including Seme Border, Tincan Island Port, Apapa, Imo Command, Kaduna, Badagry Area Command, Investigation and Inspection Headquarters, Abuja Badagry Area Command before he was appointed as Controller-General of Nigerian Customs Service on 26 August 2009.

    His tenure as the comptroller General of Customs has been described as exemplary, as he had played a significant role in the transformation of the NCS.

  • PDP lifts suspension on Elumelu, Toby Okechukwu, Wole Oke, others

    PDP lifts suspension on Elumelu, Toby Okechukwu, Wole Oke, others

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday announced the lifting of the suspension placed on seven of its members in the House of Representatives.

    The members are Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Hon. Wole Oke, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, Hon. Anayo Edwin, Hon. Gideon Gwani, Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Hon. Adekoya Addul-majid.

    The lawmakers were suspended for going against the party’s decision on the Minority Leader’s position in the House of Representatives at the commencement of the present Assembly.

    A statement issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary announced that the National Working Committee (NWC) noted that the lifting of the suspension was based on the recommendations of a various committee set on issues relating to the suspension.

    The party charged the lawmakers to be loyal to the party and obey its directives in line with its constitution and vision of its founding fathers.

    The party maintains that it continues to recognize the PDP Caucus of the House of Representatives as led by Hon. Kingsley Chinda and charged all members elected on the platform of the party to continue to participate in the activities of the caucus.

    The PDP urged the lawmakers to ensure a stronger and more viable opposition that speaks with one voice in the legislative house.

    Furthermore, the party directed the Harmonization Committee led by Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to further meet with our members in the House of Representatives with a view to ensuring harmonious relationship among them.

  • Alleged N1.4bn fraud: EFCC closes case against ex-NBA President Usoro

    Alleged N1.4bn fraud: EFCC closes case against ex-NBA President Usoro

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Thursday closed its case in the ongoing alleged N1.4billion fraud trial of an embattled former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President, Mr Paul Usoro, SAN.

    EFCC Counsel Mr Uduak Kufre told Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos that the prosecution was pleased with the evidence it adduced so far in the case.

    He prayed the court to discharge the agency’s second and last witness, Mohammed Arabo.

    Responding, Mr Effiong O. Effiong, SAN, who led other three Senior Advocates of Nigeria including Shina Sofola as Counsel to Usoro, informed the court of the defendant’s intention to file a ‘no case’ submission.

    Justice Aikawa adjourned till March 12, for adoption of the no case submission.

    Usoro was arraigned for the alleged offence on December 18, 2018 before Justice Muslim Hassan of the same court.

    He was re-arraigned on March 1, 2019, on a 10-count charge bordering on laundering money for the Akwa-Ibom State officials to the tune of N1.4bn.

    One of the counts against the defendant reads: “That you, Paul Usoro, SAN, Emmanuel Udom (currently constitutionally immune against criminal prosecution), Uwemedimo Thomas Nwoko (still at large), Nsikan Linus Nkan, Commissioner of Finance, Akwa Ibom State (still at large), Mfon Jacobson Udomah, Accountant-General, Akwa Ibom State (still at large) and Margaret Thompson Ukpe (still at large), sometime in 2015 in Nigeria, conspired…to commit an offence, to wit: conversion of N1,410,000,000,000 property of the Government of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.”

    The EFCC claimed that they reasonably ought to have known the money was “part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 as amended and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

    Usoro pleaded “not guilty”.

  • Buhari appoints new heads for Civil Defence, Correctional Service

    Buhari appoints new heads for Civil Defence, Correctional Service

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ahmed Abubakar Audi as the new Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola confirmed on Thursday.

    He said the appointment followed the retirement from service of Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, in January.

    The Minister also added that the President approved the nomination of Haliru Nababa as the new Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

    A statement signed by the Ministry of Interior’s Director of Press, Mohammed Manga said Malam Ahmed Audi, emerged the top best candidate out of those that went through the transparent selection process initiated by the Ministry.

    According to him the exercise was done through the Board to ensure that the most suitable among the top-ranking officers in the service was appointed to replace the out-going Commandant-General of the NSCDC.

    Furthermore, President Muhammadu Buhari has also nominated Haliru Nababa mni, as the new Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).

    He said the nomination is subject to the confirmation of the Senate in line with the provision of the new Act establishing the Nigerian Correctional Service 2019.

    The Minister of Interior and Chairman, Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Board (CDCFIB), Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola who congratulated the new appointees, called on them to ensure full implementation of the mandate of their services as well as to ensure synergy with other security agencies in the country.

    He added that the call became necessary with the view to providing efficient internal security services and citizenship integrity for Nigerians and foreigners alike in line with the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration.

  • It will take 20 years to address security challenges in Nigeria, says Buratai

    It will take 20 years to address security challenges in Nigeria, says Buratai

    The Immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has told the Senate that it will take Nigeria the next twenty years to address the security challenges bedviling the country at the moment.

    Speaking on Thursday when he appeared before the Senator Adamu Muhammad Bulkachuwa, APC, Bauchi North led Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening as an Ambassadorial Nominee, Buratai said that It will take 20 good years to address this insecurity.

    According to him, intelligence capacity of the army was so low, but now it is first class, cyber command is a top notch.

    Speaking further, Buratai who noted that the warfare has permeated the society, said that they have won the communities to their side, adding that It requires a multi pronged approach and that millitary warfare is just one aspect.

    He said, ” The military alone cannot solve this. There should be hospitals, schools, roads and govt presence in these communities. There are so many ungovernable spaces and until these spaces have government presence, it will not be resolved.”

    The former Service Chiefs who were appointed ambassador-designates have appeared for the screening which is still on going.

    They are retired Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin, former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, former Navy Chief, Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas and former Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar.

  • Suspected herdsmen kill seven in Edo

    Suspected herdsmen kill seven in Edo

    Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Thursday, reportedly killed no fewer than seven persons, four of whom were farmers, returning from their farms in Edo State.

    It was gathered that the incident occurred at Ugboke, Oshodi, Okokodo, Ariyan and Yoruba camp, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

    There have been reported influx of herdsmen into Edo State from the neighbouring Ondo State in the last two weeks.

    The Edo Police Command spokesman, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the incident and said all efforts were being made to arrest the perpetrators.

    “The State Police Command is aware of the incident that happened within the jurisdiction of Ekhiadolor Divisional Police Command. The DPO and his operatives visited the crime site, evacuated the bodies and moves are on to ensure that place is calm and lives return to normalcy,” he said.

    He added that the Command “is carrying out its investigation to effect the arrest of the criminal herdsmen who perpetrated the dastardly acts. The command is bent on using every legal means to fish out the criminals.”