Proliferation Of Small Arms Behind Killings – Senate [LEADERSHIP]
The Senate yesterday linked killings, kidnappings, banditry and other forms of insecurity in the country to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
The Senate also accused the security agencies of giving weapons to criminals, even as the lawmakers indicted the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service of conniving with criminals who illegally smuggle arms and ammunition into the country.
These comments were made during yesterday‘s Senate debate on a Bill entitled „a Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of the Nigeria National Commission against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and for Related Matters,“ sponsored by Senator Smart Adeyemi.
The Bill, which passed second reading on the floor of the Senate, was referred to the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, to report back in two weeks for further legislative actions.
In his lead debate, Senator Adeyemi said that the Bill, which was read for the first time in the Senate yesterday, sought to provide for the establishment of the national commission against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons to coordinate and implement activities to combat the problems of small arms and light weapon in Nigeria in line with ECOWAS’ statutes on small arms and light weapons.
Ahead Of April 1 New Tariff Take-off, FG Withdraws Electricity Subsidy [LEADERSHIP]
About six weeks to the April 1, 2020 date for a new electricity tariff to come into effect in the country, the federal government has disclosed that it cannot continue to subsidise the power sector because electricity distribution companies (DisCos) have failed to make optimum use of the financial interventions.
Minister of power, Saleh Mamman disclosed this to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, yesterday.
According to him , his ministry had submitted a memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to decide the fate of electricity distribution companies that have failed to honour their commitments to buy and distribute adequate power generated for them by the generation companies (GenCos).
He explained that the DisCos do not evacuate all of the about 13,000 megawatts generated by the GenCos, and while 7,000 megawatts out of this is transmitted, the DisCos manage to eventually pay for only 15 percent of the 3,000 megawatts they are able to distribute.
The implication is technical economic losses as the GenCos don’t get value for the electricity they generate and the end consumers also do not get adequate electricity despite the output of the GenCos, the minister said.
Lassa Fever Death Toll Rises To 103 [LEADERSHIP]
The death toll from Lassa fever has risen to 103 in the country with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirming 258 cases of the disease in 101 local government areas nationwide.
The Centre, in its weekly epidemological report for week 07, said the number of new confirmed cases increased from 109 cases in week 06 to 115 cases in week seven.
According to the report, the reported cases for week 07 were from 16 states: Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi, Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Enugu, Abia, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Sokoto and Katsina.
”Cumulatively from week 1 to week 07, 2020, 103 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.6 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2019 (21.1per cent).
”In total for 2020, 26 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 101 local government areas. Of all confirmed cases, Edo has 35%, Ondo 32% and Ebonyi 6%.
”The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (range: <1 to 78 years, median age: 33 years). The male to female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:1.2. The number of suspected cases has significantly increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2019.
“Two new health care workers were affected in Bauchi and Katsina states in week 07,” the report explained.
Manhunt For Killers Of Aso Rock Official [THE NATION]
THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has mounted a manhunt for the killers of an Assistant Director at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Laetitia Naankang Dagan.
Dagan was killed in her Abuja home on Monday around 11pm.
One person has been arrested in connection with the murder.
Command’s spokesman DSP Anjuguri Manzah said on Wednesday in a statement that there were indications that the suspect, Edirin Ohonre, conspired with others, now at large, to perpetrate the crime.
The statement read, “Preliminary investigation into the suspected murder of Laetitia Naankang Dagan ‘f’, an Assistant Director with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, by the Criminal Investigation Department of the FCT Police Command led to the arrest of one Edirin Ohonre ‘m’ who is suspected to have conspired with others now at large to perpetrate the crime.
Excess Crude Account Drops From $325m To $70m In One Month [THE NATION]
EXPERTS on Wednesday expressed concern following a report that the Excess Crude Account(ECA) was depleted from $325 million to $70 million within a month.
The experts blamed it on profound revenue challenges and lack of rules governing deposits and withdrawals from the special account.
They argued that the depletion would not have been so massive if state governors had not insisted on sharing of monies in the ECA, a special account for keeping extra oil revenue above budgeted oil benchmark.
The implication of the drop, according to them, is a likely crash of the exchange rate, which invariably would result in devaluation of the naira.
A statement from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) yesterday said the strategic reserve account now has $71.814 million down from the $324.968 million recorded on January 15.
Details of the huge depletion was not provided by the FAAC team that issued the statement.
Last month, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) warned the fiscal authorities to build up buffers against revenue shocks by saving for the rainy day.
CAN Leaders March For Leah Sharibu [THE NATION]
CHRISTIAN Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Wednesday held a church service and a peaceful march to mark the second year of Miss Leah Sharibu in Boko Haram captivity.
In Abuja, CAN President Rev. Samson Ayokunle and the Senior Pastor, Dunamis International Gospel Center, Dr. Paul Enenche, warned that killings in the country could lead to anarchy
Leah along with over 100 girls were forcibly abducted by Boko Haram insurgents from their hostel at the Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State February 19,2018. Though her mates were later released, she was held back for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. There were reports late January that she had given birth to a boy.
The Yobe Christians, who came out in large numbers, prayed to God for the release of the young girl and later staged a peaceful protest from the EWCA Church to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Damaturu.
They carried placards with different inscriptions condemning the deteriorating security in the country and calling on President Buhari to ensure the protection of lives and property.
The protesting Christians sent a message of hope to Leah and others in captivity, including Muslims and remembered Mr. Bitrus Zakka from Adamawa State, who was recently murdered by Boko Haram.
The state CAN Chairman Rev. Fr. Philibus Yakubu, said the Christian community in the state is still hopeful for the release of Leah .
Ikorodu Land Tussle: Court Grants Septuagenarian, 3 Others Bail [SUN]
A Lagos Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to seventy-year-old Nosiru Akolemobasi ,and three other members of the Sonmolu and Aro Efolu families of Itamaga in Ikorodu for alleged malicious damage.
Akolemobasi was granted bail alongside Otunba Gbenga Kuti, 69, Jamiu Aro, 66,and Sanni Yusuf, 53, by Magistrate A.O. Alogba following their arraignment on five-counts of conspiracy, malicious damage and breach of peace preferred against them by the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) Alagbon.
Their arraignment occurred after the defendants, Akolemobasi and others petitioned the Inspector -General of Police about the activities FCIID, Alagbon over the Ikorodu land dispute.
Police Nab Suspected Killer Of State House Staff [SUN]
The Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Police command has arrested Ohonre, suspected to have taken part in the killing of Laetitia Naankang Dagan, an Assistant director with the Office of the Secretary to the Government.
Dagan, 47, from Plateau State, was murdered at her residence at Gaduwa, after which she was set ablaze.
FCT police public relations officer, Mr Anjuguri Manzah, said the suspect has made useful statement that would lead to the arrest of the other suspects who are at large.
Labour, LCCI Kick As FG Takes $2.2bn World Bank Loan [SUN]
Nigerians yesterday condemned the Federal Government’s defiance to the people’s will in taking a fresh $2.2 billion loans from the World Bank on Tuesday.
Nigerians professionals from Organised Labour and the Organised Private Sector had kicked against the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s penchant for increasing the nation’s debt profile now standing at over $80billion.
Although the World Bank said the loan was given to the administration for investment in six priority projects, the new addition is said to have pushed Nigeria’s domestic and foreign debts to over $80 billion.
Illegal Migration: We May Impose Tough Visa Rules On Nigeria, EU Warns [PUNCH]
The European Union says it can impose restrictive visa implementation rules on Nigeria, if it fails to play its part in the return and readmission of its nationals staying illegally in the EU.
The EU, which comprises Germany, Italy, Spain, France and 23 other countries, further stated that although it would not place a visa ban on Nigeria, it could make its visas more difficult for Nigerian applicants if Nigeria failed to meet its standards.
The EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Virginie Battu-Henriksson, said this in an email chat with The PUNCH on Tuesday.
Recall that the United States had last month imposed immigrant visa ban on Nigeria and five other countries.
Under the new policy, citizens of the affected countries would not be allowed to apply for visas to emigrate to the US under the policy aimed at tightening “security for countries that don’t comply with the US minimum security standards or cooperate to prevent illegal immigration.”
Oil Discovery In North Will Aid Restructuring — Afe Babalola [PUNCH]
The founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has said the news of crude oil discovery in the North gladdens his heart, because such a discovery will hasten the restructuring of the country.
This was as he backed the new constitution being proposed by the National Assembly, saying it would ensure rapid development of Nigeria’s federating states and geopolitical zones.
Babalola spoke in Lagos on Wednesday at the maiden edition of the Goke Omisore Annual Lecture organised by the Voice of Reason.
The lecture, with the theme, ‘Restructuring: Building a knowledge-based society,’ held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan and Babalola was represented by the Provost, Postgraduate School, Afe Babalola University, Prof. Kunle Olowu, as chairman on the occasion.
It’s Wrong To Think National Assembly Members Are Overpaid – Buhari [PUNCH]
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said it is wrong for Nigerians to perceive the National Assembly as being “highly overpaid” for doing little.
He said the lack of trust in the lawmakers had made their critics not to see the enormous work they were doing for the country.
Senate Moves To Enforce Compliance With Audit Rules [THE GARDIAN]
The Senate is working on a legislation to compel the Federal Government and its agencies to submit their accounts for audit as required by the 1999 Constitution.
It was learnt that the new law prescribes a five-year jail term for defaulting government officials, in addition to the payment of N2 million fine.
It was also learnt that the lawmakers’ move was triggered by frustration being encountered in getting the Federal Government to embrace the audit system as the main weapon to prevent and fight corruption.
Again, CAN, Others Allege Persecution Of Christians [THE GUARDIAN]
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samson Ayokunle, Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche and some civil society groups yesterday in Abuja decried attacks against Christians across the country, insisting that the current administration has not done enough to halt the growing insecurity.
Ayokunle, who spoke at a press conference organised by Dunamis to mark the second year anniversary of Leah Sharibu in captivity, said the country had drifted into anarchy, insisting that Christians were being targeted amid the insecurity in the country.
Speaking amid tears from victims, families of victims and sympathisers, who narrated ordeals of onslaught by Boko Haram and kidnappers, especially in the Northeast, Ayokunle, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Caleb Ahima, said: “We call on the Federal Government today that we are getting to a point of anarchy. It is the constitutional responsibility of government to protect lives and property of citizens.”