Alleged molestation of Nigerians: Chinese govt defends action [SUN]
In spite of the public outcry over the forceful testing, quarantine and maltreatment of Africans in China, particularly Nigerians in Guangdong Province, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, has said the Chinese authorities did nothing inappropriate.
This was the position of China in a statement yesterday in Abuja in reaction to the video that emanated from Guangzhou, which showed footage of evicted Nigerians from their residences.
The statement said at the meeting between the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Zhou Pingjian and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on April 10, the Ambassador was made to watch a mobile phone video clip about the improper treatment of some Nigerians in Guangzhou.
“During the meeting, the ambassador made it clear that judging from the one video clip on that mobile phone, the approach of the relevant epidemic prevention and control personnel was not inappropriate. We treat all foreign nationals equally in China. We reject differential treatment and have zero tolerance for discrimination.”
The Chinese Government further said to prevent and control the pandemic, China needed understanding, support and cooperation from foreign nationals.
“We urge foreigners in China to strictly observe local anti-epidemic regulations. China values her friendly relations with Nigeria. The embassy stands ready to keep in communication with the Nigerian side in this regard.”
He any other interpretation of the scene does not conform with what was actually there during the meeting.
Police arrest 100, warn robbers, cultists to leave Lagos [SUN]
…2 teenagers drown in Lagos beach
Commissioner of Police, Lagos State police Command, Hakeem Odumosu has warned armed robbers and cultists to leave the state or face the consequences of crime.
The warning followed reports of robberies and battle of supremacy between cult groups in some areas of the state. The Police Commissioner instructed the commanders of tactical units in the state to deal decisively with armed hoodlums daring the collective will of the state.
Odumosu who spoke through Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, said that two suspected armed robbers and 98 suspected cultists have been arrested already in different parts of the state.
Elkana said: “On April 12 at about 21 am, acting on credible information, operatives from Ikorodu Police Station supported by operatives from the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), deployed by the Commissioner of Police marrested Toheeb Sanusi, 21 and Adewale Adeshina, 24 , around Benson area of Ikorodu. One locally made revolver pistol and one cutlass were recovered from them. The suspects confessed that they were in the area to rob unsuspecting members of the public. Investigation is ongoing, the suspects will soon be charged to Court.
Elkanah stated further that the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu has warned parents to advise their children to stay at home as the police were ready to deal with hoodlums of any kind in the state.
He also warned hoodlums either to leave the state or repent from their evil ways as it was no more business as usual.
In another development, Elkana said an unfortunate incident happened on Easter Eve as two teenagers drowned in a community beach at the Ibeju area of the state. He said:”On April 11, at about 3p.m., the police received a distress call that Dare ,16 , and Fawas ,15, residents of Epelemeje Orofun community, Akodo, Ibeju-lekki, allegedly got drowned while playing in the community beach.”
He said the Command had deployed its Marine police team to the area on search and rescue operations. The Command advised parents to monitor their children and ensure that they remain at home during this lockdown period”.
N123/litre: NNPC outlets, others defy FG’s directive [SUN]
- We’re yet to dispense old stock
Two weeks after the Federal Government reduced retail pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol, from N145 per litre to N123.50, majority of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) fuel stations have yet to comply with the directive.
This was as the NNPC weekend said all of its over 600 retail outlets adjusted to the new price immediately the pricing regulatory agency came up with the new price band of between N123.50 and N125.
Investigations by Daily Sun across most NNPC retail outlets in Lagos revealed non-compliance by its fuel stations as they were yet to adjust their pump price to N123.50.
A visit to the NNPC fuel stations on Charity Road, Iju Road and College road, all in Ifako Ijaiye Local Government in Lagos, revealed that they were yet to revert to the new pump price of petrol.
Also in this category of non-compliance are fuel stations belonging to members of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and that of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN.
Majority of the operators of the fuel stations who spoke to Daily Sun claimed that they were yet to dispense of their old stock cited as a reason for their inability to comply with the new pump price.
They lamented the lockdown has badly affected sales volume, with a 33,000 litre of petrol usually sold in 2-days now lasting as much as 3-days.
But the NNPC had in a statement last week, said that all its filling stations across Nigeria were selling petrol within the official price band announced by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for the month of April.
The Corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, who quoted the Managing Director of NNPC Retail Ltd, Sir Billy Okoye, as saying that all of the company’s over 600 retail outlets adjusted to the new price immediately the pricing regulatory agency came up with the new price band of between N123.50 and N125.
The NNPC Retail boss explained that the company was the first in the country to comply with the PPPRA price advisory issued on 19th March, 2020, by adjusting its pumps to N125 per litre from the old price of N145 per litre.
“Last week, (now two weeks), the PPPRA announced the new pump price range of N123.50 to N125 for the month of April 2020. What this means is that all stations in Nigeria cannot sell below N123.50 and cannot sell above N125 per litre for the month of April 2020.
NNPC Retail Ltd is fully complying with the PPPRA directive as we are neither selling below N123.50 nor selling above N125 per litre in all NNPC Retail’s stations nationwide,” Sir Okoye affirmed.
He said NNPC Retail Ltd prides itself as the company with the best in terms of price, products quality and quantity (meter integrity), stressing that the company and its stations, being part of the NNPC, were owned by Nigerians and so would always strive to protect the interest of Nigerians.
He disclosed that the company was planning to extend its services to neighbouring West African countries, having introduced its high quality lubricants into the market recently as it works to consolidate on its role as a state-owned company for the economic benefit of Nigerians.
Okoye called on members of the public to always use any of the company’s feedback mechanisms well displayed at all its retail outlets to report any sharp practices, adding that the management would not fail to sanction erring dealers.
Bishop takes up FG on palliatives [SUN]
Anglican Bishop of the Niger Diocese, Rt. Rev Owen Nwokolo, has criticised the Federal Government for allged failure to ensure equitable distribution of palliatives to cushion the effect of the stay-at-home order imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
He claimed monies contributed by corporate and individual donors had not been evenly distributed, as some of the geo-political zones were shortchanged.
Bishop Nwokolo, in his Easter message at the All Saints’ Cathedral, Onitsha, Anambra State, yesterday, warned against the siphoning, diversion or misappropriation of monies meant for poor and vulnerable Nigerians who are trapped in the stay-at-home order.
“We only hear some of those things in the news, the palliative measures. The economy is biting hard on the populace. The palliatives should be distributed equally to all parts of the country. We hear they were sent to some parts of the North; even some of them in the North say the usual N5,000 they have been receiving does not come longer. The Federal Government should not be shutting down movements without palliatives to survive it. It is not a time to divert anything. Let those who have the responsibility of distributing those things spread them without hiding them from people who they are meant for or hoarding them,” he said.
He described Easter as a period of victory from principalities and powers and enjoined Christians to apply the philosophy of victory in all they do having in mind that with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, their victory was assured.
The Bishop whose sermon was: “Victory” said Christ had already given victory to Christians over COVID-19, adding that all they needed to do was invoke that resurrection power to overcome their challenges.
He cited the story of the Israelites who on their way to the Promised Land from Egypt found themselves between the Red Sea and the Egyptians’ army pursuing them “but God gave them victory over their enemies when He divided the Red Sea through his servant Moses and the Egyptians they saw that day, they did not see anymore.”
Foreign reserves dip by $34.55b [THE NATION]
- Nigeria joins OPEC on 9.7m barrel cut agreement
Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves have dipped by $34.58 billion, a 10.25 per cent decline year-to-date. The reserves stood at $38.53 billion on January 2 and have been drawn down by $3.95 billion in the last three months.
There are new fears of further devaluation of the naira due to dip in foreign exchange earnings and reserves as crude oil prices continue to decline.
The naira has tumbled to its weakest level in five years in the parallel market at N415 to a dollar, widening the gap with an official rate of N360 to a dollar. The naira has continued to come under pressure despite COVID-19 lockdown that slowed economic activities and reduced import demand for the dollar.
Given Nigeria’s reliance on crude oil for 90 per cent of foreign exchange revenue, the stability of the naira depends largely on crude oil prices, which have disappointed in recent months. The extended drop in oil prices is increasing pressure on the naira, with continuation around the $25 a barrel levels posing a risk of further devaluation.
Afrinvest Securities Head of Research Abiodun Keripe said a second level naira adjustment was inevitable.
He said: “Agreeably, there is relatively slow down on economic activities, which have moderated pressure on the naira. As activities return to normal after the COVID-19 lockdown, and businesses begin to demand more dollars to cover import needs, there will be renewed pressure on the naira, and a second level adjustment will occur.”
Keripe said whatever gain would be made through the OPEC‘s decision to cut oil production will have little or no effect on the state of the reserves and Nigeria’s dollar earnings, making further devaluation of the naira inevitable.
In a report titled: ‘Low Oil Pressures Naira’, Trading Desk Manager, at AZA (a non-bank currency broker), Murega Mungai, said: “The naira tumbled to its weakest level in five years in the parallel market at 415 per dollar, widening the gap with an official rate of 380. Given Nigeria’s reliance on crude for 90 per cent of foreign exchange revenue, all eyes are on the oil markets. The extended drop in oil prices today will increase pressure on the naira, with continuation around the $25 a barrel levels posing a risk of further devaluation.”
Nigeria on Sunday joined its other Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)+ counterparts to bring into effect the agreement to cut 9.7 million barrels of supply.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva, in a statement, said the development followed the alignment of Mexico.
He added that the “ intervention of the United States of America resulted in Mexico agreeing to a cut of 100 KBOPD and to be complemented by an additional 300 KBOPD by US Producers.”
Syva said this would enable the rebalancing of the oil markets and the expected rebound of prices by $15 per barrel in the short term.
He added: “As agreed, Nigeria will join OPEC+ to cut supply by 9.7 Million Barrels per day between May and June 2020, Eight (8) Million Barrels per day between July and December 2020 and Six (6) Million barrels per day from January 2021 to April 2022, respectively.
“Based on reference production of Nigeria of October 2018 of 1.829 Million Barrels per day of dry crude oil, Nigeria will now be producing 1.412 Million Barrels per day, 1.495 Million Barrels per day and 1.579 Million Barrels per day respectively for the corresponding periods in the agreement. This is in addition to condensate production of between 360-460 KBOPD of which are exempt from OPEC curtailment.”
Patience Jonathan’s hotel to become isolation centre [THE NATION]
200-bed facility to be handed over today
Ex-First Lady strikes deal with Aisha Buhari
Former First Lady Patience Jonathan has struck a deal to release her 200-bed hotel as COVID-19 Isolation and treatment centre.
The Abuja hotel, which is believed to be worth about N2 billion, is under interim forfeiture secured by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the court on April 30, 2018.
The former First Lady, it was learnt, struck the deal with First Lady Aisha Buhari, which led to her release of the hotel, under litigation, for use by the government at the critical time.
The First Lady, through her pet project, the Future Assured Programme, entered into separate agreements with Mrs. Jonathan and the Ministry of Health to convert the hotel into a COVID-19 treatment centre.
Mrs. Buhari made an offer to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to equip it as a treatment centre to international standards.
Although the hotel will be formally handed over to the Minister of Health on Monday, it will be managed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) COVID-19 committee.
The Future Assured Programme is providing facilities like water, furniture, beddings, fittings and modern health equipment used to manage COVID-19 cases.
It was gathered that the “deal” between the First Lady and her predecessor was struck at a recent meeting by the duo at the Presidential Villa.
A source quoted Mrs. Jonathan as saying: “This is the time we must all come together, irrespective of political differences, to assist this nation to fight the pandemic. It is a time to shun politics.
“I will do everything to help this great country that has also given me the opportunity to serve.”
Investigation revealed that the First Lady decided to collaborate with Mrs. Jonathan to avoid the Future Assured Programme running into any legal crisis.
A highly-placed source added: “Since the dispute over the property is still in court, the First Lady opted to seek the consent of Mrs. Patience Jonathan on the temporary use of the seized hotel. This mutual understanding has removed all legal hurdles.
“After the nation has overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel will be handed over to the Federal Ministry of Health, which will in turn revert back to the EFCC. Those involved are, therefore, the Future Assured Programme, the Ministry of Health, the EFCC and ex-First Lady Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
“All the existing agreements are without prejudice to the final decision of the court on the property, which the First Lady said is owned by a separate entity, Aurora Foundation.”
About 1.15pm on Sunday, about 30 workers were seen putting final touches to the centre.
A 20-man team of mobile policemen was on the alert to secure the sophisticated equipment already installed.
A source said: “It is a five-storey hotel which can actually be upgraded into 300 bedrooms. But so far, we have fitted the ground floor and three out of the other five floors.
“All things being equal, the hotel will be handed over on Monday by the First Lady. We have been working day and night on this project.
Asked to be specific on the cost being expended on the upgrading of the hotel to a medical centre for COVID-19, the source added: “Only the First Lady and the Future Assured Programme could account for such.”
The hotel is located in a valley in Mabushi part of Abuja, off the ever busy Mabushi Kado Expressway.
By the description of Abuja Geographic Information Systems(AGIS), an agency under the Federal Capital Administration, the property is located at Plot No. 1758, Cadastral Zone, B06 Mabushi, and Plot No.1350, Cadastral Zone, A00 Central Business District.
Being a reseved area, the five-storey hotel is unique with its ash colour paint.
It is easily noticed by shoppers who take the route to one of the biggest shopping complex in Abuja, the Jabi Lake Mall.
Less than two kilometres to Jabi Lake, the breeze from the lake at night provides additional ambience to the facility.
Lagos discharges five patients [THE NATION]
23 returnees isolated at border
Five new cases
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday announced the recovery and discharge of five more COVID-19 patients.
This brings to 55 the number of patients discharged from the isolation centres in the state.
The news on the discharge of the Lagos patients was followed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmation of five new cases in three states of Lagos and Kwara (two each) and one in Katsina.
According to the NCDC, the total number of confirmed cases stood at 323 with 85 persons discharged and 10 deaths recorded.
Sanwo-Olu, who said the patients were discharged after testing negative twice to the virus, identified in a statement that those discharged as four females and one male.
The statement reads: “Dear citizens, as we commemorate the sacrifice of Love this Easter, I bring to you more awesome news from our isolation facilities.
“Today, five more patients; four females, and one male have been discharged to reunite with their families and society.
“The patients were discharged having recovered fully and tested negative twice consecutively to #COVID19.”
The governor added: “This news, especially on this auspicious day, gives me joy and happiness and I am sure it does to you too.
“While we look forward to more great news from our effort to contain the pandemic, let’s all continue to show love and sacrifice for the course of humanity.
“Stay at home, practice Social Distancing Principle, observe the highest possible personal and hand hygiene and report the suspicion to appropriate persons.
“Let’s continue to make the little sacrifices for the greater good.”
Also on Sunday, the Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi said the death of another COVID-19 patient raised the total number so far in the state to five.
Announcing the development via his Twitter handle, Abayomi said the death was due to complication from the virus.
“Unfortunately, Lagos recorded another death from #COVID19 related complication, bringing numbers of such sad occurrence to five,” Prof Abayomi said.
Nineteen of the 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have confirmed COVID-19 cases.
They are: Lagos has 176; FCT (56); Osun (20); Oyo (11); Edo (12); Ogun (seven); six each in Bauchi and Kaduna; five each in Akwa Ibom and Katsina; Kwara (four); Delta (three); two each in Enugu, Ekiti, Rivers and Ondo.
Benue, Niger, Anambra and Kano have one case each.
COVID-19: Nigeria’s testing capacity very low, NMA, nurses, others warn [PUNCH]
- Nigeria tests 5,000; Ghana, 37,954; South Africa, 80,085
- ‘Without lockdown enforcement, full blown transmission imminent’
- FG mulls new strategies as cases spread to communities
Some professional associations in the health sector on Sunday said Nigeria must step up its testing capacity to successfully battle the spread of COVID-19.
The groups, including the Nigerian Medical Association, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, said it was not enough for the federal and state governments to impose lockdown on citizens without ensuring that those who had been infected with the virus were fished out and tested.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, on March 29, ordered lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos and Ogun states to trace and treat people that had contracted coronavirus.
Some state governments, including Osun, Rivers, Katsina and Kwara, on their own also ordered lockdown of their states.
According to www.worldometers.info, as of 10pm on Sunday, Nigeria had tested 5,000 people, while 37,954 persons were tested in Ghana. On the other hand, South Africa had tested 80,085 of its citizens.
The World Health Organisation had, last week said there was an urgent need to increase COVID-19 testing in Africa. It advised that testing must go beyond cities.
When COVID-19 was first recorded in the country on February 27, Nigeria had five centres, where the virus could be tested. The centres were increased to 10 on Friday.
Cases more than what govt recorded – Nurses
Commenting on Nigeria’s testing capacity, the President of the NANNM, AbdulRauf Adeniji, in an interview with The PUNCH, said COVID-19 had brought to the fore problems in the country’s health sector.
He stated, “The truth is that we are not well-equipped for the virus. Before COVID-19 came to Nigeria, the minister (of health) said we were equipped, but it is clear that our infrastructure cannot handle the testing capacity.
“People can have the virus and will not know it and still mingle with health officials and even their families thereby spreading it. We are playing with the tail of a rattle snake in this country.
“What I am saying is that the number of people, who have coronavirus in Nigeria, is more than the number recorded by government.
“The PTF (the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19) should be able to advise government properly on what should be done. The case definition is a problem. People may have it without all the conditions (high temperature, coughing and sneezing) stated. Despite lockdown, we still see people walking around.
People may have COVID-19 and seek herbal treatment – NANNM
“All federal teaching institutions must be able to, by now, test people for it. At least, in each senatorial district, there should be a testing centre.
“People may have it and seek herbal treatment while disobeying social distancing order. The commitment of our health workers is still the grace we have in Nigeria.”
There is under-testing, lockdown not effective – Resident doctors
On his part, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr Abbah Ugwu, said the government was not doing enough.
He stated, “We have limited cases because our testing capacity is not enough. We have not tested enough people as in other countries. Government it chasing thousands of people who have had contact with established cases, but I cannot say that the number we have is a true picture of the existence of the virus in Nigeria because we are not testing enough.
“There is gross under-testing of the people so the lockdown is not effective. In other countries, they have started doing house-to-house testing of their people. But it is unfortunate that we are not getting enough information from government concerning the testing capacity we have. Only increase in the number of testing will make the lockdown effective.”
Decentralise testing centres, MDCAN tells FG
Also, the MDCAN advised the Federal Government to redouble its efforts in the fight against coronavirus in the country. It said testing centres should be decentralised.
The MDCAN President, Prof. Kenneth Ozoilo, who spoke to one of our correspondents in Jos on Sunday, said although state and federal governments were doing a lot to stop the spread of the disease, the anxiety among Nigerians was enough reason to test more people to ascertain their status.
He said that a situation where only those who had symptoms of coronavirus were being tested for the disease leaving the healthy carriers would not solve the problem.
Ozoilo said, “You cannot respond appropriately to coronavirus with the lockdown. It’s true we have low figures in the numbers of recorded deaths and infected persons compared with other countries, but we are not testing enough people considering our population.
“The people who are infecting other people are the healthy carriers of the disease. But what we find in our country is a situation where only people who are already sick as a result of the disease are being tested. That means they would have infected so many people before they become eligible to be tested.
“That is absurd and wrong. So, we should be testing both the sick people and any other person that has contact with a suspected person even if he does not get sick”
The MDCAN President, who identified testing centres as crucial in the fight against coronavirus, urged the government to decentralise the centres for the benefit of Nigerians.
Limited testing means we don’t know number of cases – NMA
The President of the NMA, Dr Francis Faduyile, called for increase in the country’s testing capacity for COVID-19.
Faduyile, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the more cases would be discovered if more tests were carried out.
He said, “There is no doubt that we need to step up our testing capacity. Not doing enough tests means we don’t know the total number of cases we have. We cannot plan appropriately to take care of those who are infected and those who have not been tested and do not know their status. Such people are sources of transmission to the general populace.”
Without lockdown compliance full blown transmission imminent – NMA
The NMA president also warned that Nigeria risked full blown transmission of COVID-19 if people continued to flout the Federal Government lockdown order.
Despite the lockdown order, a lot of people are still seen on the streets, especially in Abuja and Lagos where the curve for coronavirus cases has been on the rise.
Faduyile said although economic reality in the country had made it difficult for people to stay at home, it was important to make the sacrifice to stay at home to avert a major health crisis.
He said, “We still have a heightening of the slope and it will take some time to flatten it. That will, however, depend on how much our people obey the government order on stay at home and the FG’s commitment and intervention to ensure the order on physical distancing is obeyed.
“Economic reality makes people rebuff the order, but if we have a full blown epidemic in Nigeria, we will know why it is important to obey the stay at home order.”
FG to announce new strategies as Nigeria witnesses community spread
In a related development, the Federal Government is set to announce new strategies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic based on the assumption that the country is now witnessing a community spread, The PUNCH has learnt.
A top source told The PUNCH that the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control had been unable to trace the origin of some new cases.
The source, who is a top medical doctor, said, “We are now working on the assumption that we are now witnessing a community spread. We have some patients in quarantine that can neither trace their point of origin nor tell us everyone they came in contact with.
“These are people who have no history of foreign travel. An example is the gateman who tested positive in Kaduna State last week shortly after returning from Lagos.
“We have submitted our recommendations to Mr. President and he is expected to extend the lockdown. We will be announcing new strategies which may include wearing of masks and more stringent contact restrictions.
“Some states may also witness lockdown. Our health system in Nigeria isn’t good but if some states which are less developed than Lagos have high infection rates then we are in trouble.”
Lagos discharges five more COVID-19 patients
The Lagos State Government on Sunday said it had discharged five more COVID-19 patients, who tested negative for the disease.
The state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, disclosed this via his twitter handle @jidesanwoolu.
He tweeted, “Dear Lagosians, as we commemorate the sacrifice of love this Easter, I bring to you more awesome news from our isolation facilities. Today, five more patients; four females, and one male have been discharged to reunite with their families and the society.
“With the newly discharged patients, we now have a total of 55 people that have been successfully managed for COVID-19 at our isolation facilities and discharged to the community. This news, especially on this important day gives me joy and I am sure it does the same to you too.
10 Osun patients discharged
The Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola on Saturday said ten coronavirus patients from the state had been discharged.
Those discharged were among 17 returnees from Cote d’Ivoire that tested positive for COVID-19 upon their return to the country on Saturday, March 28.
Addressing journalists, Oyetola, said 10 out of the 17 patients had tested negative and discharged.
NCDC announces five new COVID-19 cases
The NCDC on Sunday announced five new infections, bringing the number of cases in the country to 323.
The NCDC via its twitter handle, @NCDCgov, said, two cases each were recorded in Lagos and Kwara and one in Kastina.
“As of 09:10 pm 12th April there are 323 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. 85 have been discharged with 10 deaths. There are 19 states with confirmed cases in Nigeria.”
Petrol price could further drop by N8/litre –Marketers [PUNCH]
The pump price of petrol could drop further by between N5 and N8 per litre, operators in the downstream oil sector have said.
According to oil marketers, the crash in crude oil price warranted the recent slashes in petrol price by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency.
They noted that the current PMS cost of N123.5/litre to N125/litre could drop further when other operators join the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to start importing products.
Senior officials of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, however, noted that this would happen when every downstream petrol importer begins to access the dollar at the same rate with NNPC.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees, IPMAN, who doubles as Group Executive Director, Nipco Plc, Aminu Abdulkadir, said that the price band for petrol would go down as far as crude oil prices stayed low.
Abulkadir, who said this in a television interview monitored by our correspondent in Abuja, noted that PPPRA would always provide a band because the price of the commodity was not definite.
He said, “Dealing with pump products is something that is not definite and that is why the PPPRA provides a band. A band is a range.
“Today, as the price is at N123.5/litre, I believe that by the time the market is totally free for marketers to import on their own, the band could still come lower than what it is by at least N5 to N8.”
On whether PPPRA would still determine the price of petrol for all dealers, he stated that the agency would mainly be saddled with the duty of providing a price band.
The IPMAN boss observed that the fluctuation in global crude oil prices would cause changes in petrol price in Nigeria.
Abdulkadir said, “They (PPPRA) will always partake in determining a band and not to give a fixed price. As the price of crude oil increases, the price of petroleum products will also increase but not as sharply as in an under-deregulated market.
“Different filling stations will sell at different prices and that is the essence of freeing the market. Definitely you will not get a fixed price but as the deregulation matures, the difference in the prices of retail outlets will not be up to N1.
He added, “By the time the industry understands the deregulation very well, you will find out that the difference between one retail outlet and the other will not be more than 50k to 80k because efficiency will come to play.”
On his part, the National President, PETROAN, Billy Gillis-Harry, told our correspondent that marketers would also want to see policy stability as the downstream sector sets for full deregulation.
Gillis-Harry, who admitted that petrol price would drop in a fully deregulated market, canvassed the domestic refining of petroleum products as against the massive dependence on imports.
He further noted that it was important for marketers to have access to loans in order to ensure the availability of products in all geographical zones of Nigeria to drive economic development.
Residents turn vigilantes as hoodlums raid Ogun, Lagos communities [PUNCH]
- 150 hoodlums nabbed, Abiodun talks tough
Deji Lambo and Daud Olatunji
Landlords and youths in some communities in Lagos and Ogun states have been depriving themselves of sleep at night to keep watch over their areas, which have come under the siege of hoodlums.
The residents told PUNCH Metro that the hoodlums took advantage of the current lockdown in both states occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic to rob them of their valuables and rape their wives and daughters in border communities in both states.
In a bid to forestall further incidents, the landlords and residents were said to have taken the safety of lives and property in the affected areas into their own hands by working with vigilante group to watch over the communities.
A landlord in the Aiyede community of the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Rasaq Abejoye, said the hoodlums attacked residents of Ifo between Wednesday and Saturday, adding that neighbouring communities had to beef up security as a result.
He stated, “Some days ago, the hoodlums attacked and robbed residents of Ifo and they have been encroaching on the neighbouring communities also. These hoodlums have been using the lockdown to their advantage and have been dispossessing people of their valuables. My house is in Aiyede and what we did to keep our community safe was for us to become vigilantes.
“Since last week, landlords and youths have been watching over the community at night. Around midnight on Thursday, I was among the landlords, who volunteered to keep watch over the community. We usually start from 8pm till around2.30am, but the youth usually stay longer than that and they also move around the area to send a signal that they are on guard.”
Another landlord in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state, Bola Farinloye, said the attacks were a ripple effect of the lockdown, adding that most of the hoodlums perpetrating the crime were from Lagos State.
Farinloye said, “When they were building the Ilepo Market, some traders migrated to the Ijoko area in Ado-Odo/Ota and the hoodlums followed them. The hoodlums have been surviving in the community by engaging in different kinds of jobs. But when the lockdown started, because they had no other means of survival, they started robbing people.
“Initially, we reported to the police but they often come, raid and go, while the hoodlums’ illegal activities continue. So, landlords and youths in Ilogbo, Owode, Ilepa, Ijako, Isaka, Isorosi, Ewupe, Anisere and Agbado-Crossing, among others, have become vigilantes to watch over the communities.”
Some of the seized items
In a bid to curb the attacks, another landlord in Ado-Odo/Ota, Adedamola Abulkareem, said traditional authorities in the area had unleashed the Oro deity to scare away the hoodlums.
“The hoodlums even raped the wives of some landlords, who could not give them money during the attack. But to scare them away, the Oro deity has been unleashed. We have also informed the police and they have been patrolling our area,” Abdulkareem said.
In the Abule-Egba area of Lagos State, no fewer than 30 armed hoodlums were said to be robbing residents of their valuables.
PUNCH Metro gathered that youths in the area, in a bid to curb the attacks, clashed with the hoodlums, which created tension in the area in the process.
A resident, Ganiyu Adeniyi, said bonfires were made by the youths, who turned themselves into vigilantes at night, adding that the Oko-Oba Police Station had been notified about the development.
He said, “Solomon Grace, the Miyaki Relaxation Centre, Jibowu, Karimu Alabi and other areas in Abule-Egba have been enveloped in tension due to attacks by the hoodlums. Yesterday (Saturday), about 30 armed hoodlums were about to perpetrate crime in the area when the youth clashed with them. They have been robbing us in the area, but the youth have to risen to the challenge.
“Landlords and youths in the community are the ones guarding us now, because the situation has gone out of control. They usually make bonfires at midnight so the hoodlums will be aware that they are not asleep.”
Similarly, pandemonium broke out on Sunday evening as suspected members of the Awawa Boys and One Million Boys stormed the Agege area of Lagos and dispossessed many residents of their valuables.
A resident, Kuburat Oyelakin, said “The Awawa Boys and One Million Boys have been robbing residents in their houses with guns in Agege. On Sunday evening, people living in Dopemu, Capitol Road, Amowo and Oko-Oba areas came onto the roads to watch over their areas, because of the insecurity they have been experiencing.
“We have been hearing gunshots in the area and everywhere is tensed.”
It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had deployed the personnel of the Rapid Response Squad and other units in the area to restore peace and arrest the hoodlums.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Police Command, on Sunday, dismissed claims that armed robbers had taken over some parts of Ifo and Ado-Odo/Ota local government areas of the state.
It, however, paraded no fewer than 150 suspects in connection with the unrest in some parts of both local government councils.
There have been complaints of robberies and unrest by residents of Owode, Ilepa, Ifo, Arigbajo, Itori, Dalemo, Ijoko Joju, Sango, Ota, Ifo and Agbado-Ijaiye, among others.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Kenneth Ebrimson, led journalists to the troubled areas and paraded 150 suspects arrested in connection with the unrest in the affected communities.
Addressing journalists during the parade held at the Ifo Divisional Police Station, Ebrimson said there was no report of robbery to the command by anyone in the troubled areas.
The CP explained that what happened were cult clashes among seven rival groups in the areas as a result of the killing of one of the cultists.
Ebrimson said upon the receipt of information about the clashes, the command swung into action and made some arrests.
He added that the command deployed men from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Anti-Cultism Unit, Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Special Forces and conventional policemen, who were drawn from the Ifo and Ota area commands.
Ebrimson explained that his men smoked the suspects out of their hideouts and recovered various weapons from them.
According to him, eight locally-made guns, 52 live cartridges, eight knives, 12 mobile telephones, two pairs of scissors, large quantity of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, several cutlasses, an axe and a saw were recovered from the hoodlums.
The police boss said the unrest was caused by seven cults namely: Ilena Boys, Federal Boys, Lemon Boys, Base Boys, Sahara Boys, Gbese Boys and Marindoti Boys.
Ebrimson stated, “The genesis of this was from some criminal gangs that engaged in supremacy battle in Ifo, which spread to Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.
“It started on April 4, and the command’s tactical operations unit arrested some hoodlums and recovered some ammunition.
“I want to say that there was no single case of armed robbery and no case of kidnapping has been reported. Nobody has been killed.
“The basic issue is cultism that emanated from the killing of one of them in Ifo and the crisis spread to Sango, Ijoko and Agbado.”
Meanwhile, the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, has vowed to deal ruthlessly with criminals, who engaged in harassment, robberies, burglaries and cult clashes in the Agbado-Ijaiye, Sango, Ijoko and Ifo areas of the state.
Abiodun said this following the arrest of 150 suspects by the state police command in connection with the unrest in the areas.
The governor said on Sunday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, “It has become expedient that we do not spare the rod and spoil the child. Anybody, no matter whose child he or she is, if found guilty of armed robbery, will be visited with the full weight of the law, including the capital punishment.”
The governor urged the police to intensify efforts to curb the nefarious activities of criminals by smoking them out of their hideouts and promptly investigate those involved in criminal activities across the state.
He said the state government would avail other security outfits, including the Department of State Services and the armed forces, with the necessary materials and logistics to end the reign of terror unleashed by armed robbers and cultists in the state.
Abiodun was quoted as saying, “I will not hesitate to confirm sentences, even capital punishment, if that will deter these social misfits. Ogun has zero tolerance for criminals and we will deal with them with venomous measures. Enough is enough.”
The governor commended the state police command for its swiftness and obedience of the directive of the state government to flush out those turning the sit-at-home order to a criminal enterprise.
He enjoined other relevant agencies to immediately up the ante of their intelligence gathering to ensure that there was no recurrence of criminal activities, especially as the state continued to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
Easter: Osinbajo, Govs Urge More Sacrifice To Defeat Coronavirus [LEADERSHIP]
Apparently wary of the negative effect the lingering lockdown imposed to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the country would have on Nigerians, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and state governors have implored the citizens to consider the restriction order as a sacrifice to defeat the global pandemic the same way Jesus gave his life to save the world.
Osinbajo, while preaching during the Aso Villa Chapel Online Resurrection Sunday in commemoration of this year’s Easter, reminded Christians of the solemn sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and its significance.
Osinbajo in a message titled, “Criminals on the Cross’’, said that the account of the crucifixion of Christ was an extraordinary story.
Citing Luke 23:32-34, 39-43, the vice president said that Christ paid the price for sins of the entire world, adding that even a condemned criminal made it with Jesus to Paradise.
He pointed out that the crucifixion was an inspiring message of redemption, which is a succinct statement of what the good news is all about.
The VP stated: “We want to bless the name of the Lord for a very wonderful day; the Lord God Almighty has given us a great opportunity to worship today in this resurrection.
“And for all of you who are watching from home, I know that you are going to be specially blessed because this day, wherever you may be, is the most important day in the Christian faith.
“It is the day we announce and affirm and reaffirm a very special day in the Christian calendar because it is the month of resurrection. The month that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and we are going to celebrate this day and keep celebrating because it is the evidence of our salvation; the evidence of our redemption”.
IMF Plans $100bn Financing For Nigeria, Others Amid Recession Fears [LEADERSHIP]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has envisaged the worst economic fallout globally since the Great Depression and therefore plans a $100 billion financing package for Nigeria and other countries across the globe amid fears of a recession.
IMF projects negative growth for 170 countries in the world as the coronavirus pandemic continues to eat deep into the wealth of nations.
Its managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, in her curtain raiser speech titled: “Confronting the Crisis: Priorities for the Global Economy” at the 2020 Virtual Spring Meetings of the IMF/World Bank, noted that the fund with a lending capacity of $1 trillion has received the approval of its board to double access to its emergency facilities, which will allow it to meet the expected demand of about $100 billion in financing.
Noting that although the fund had earlier in the year projected positive per capita income growth in over 160 of its member countries in 2020, she said that “we are still faced with extraordinary uncertainty about the depth and duration of this crisis.
“It is already clear, however, that global growth will turn sharply negative in 2020. In fact, we anticipate the worst economic fallout since the Great Depression. We now project that over 170 countries will experience negative per capita income growth this year.”
She, however, said that if the pandemic fades in the second half of the year allowing for a gradual lifting of containment measures and reopening of the economy, “our baseline assumption is for a partial recovery in 2021. But again, I stress there is tremendous uncertainty around the outlook: it could get worse depending on many variable factors, including the duration of the pandemic.”
On emerging markets and low-income nations, she said that “just as the health crisis hits vulnerable people hardest, the economic crisis hits vulnerable countries hardest. In the last two months, portfolio outflows from emerging markets were about $100 billion – more than three times larger than for the same period of the global financial crisis.
“The encouraging news is that all governments have sprung into action and, indeed, there has been significant coordination. Our Fiscal Monitor next week will show that countries around the world have taken fiscal actions amounting to about $8 trillion. In addition, there have been massive monetary measures from the G-20 and others.
“We have $1 trillion in lending capacity and are placing it at the service of our membership. We are responding to an unprecedented number of calls for emergency financing- from over 90 countries so far. “Our Executive Board has just agreed to double access to our emergency facilities, which will allow us to meet the expected demand of about $100 billion in financing.
“We are reviewing our tool kit, we are working with donors to increase our Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to $1.4 billion and together with the World Bank; we are calling for a standstill of debt service to official bilateral creditors for the world’s poorest countries,” she said.
Nigeria Eyes $30pb As OPEC Cuts Output By 9.7mbpd [LEADERSHIP]
Nigeria is optimistic that oil prices will stabilize at $30 per barrel (pb) as the Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC+) agrees to cut crude oil supply by 9.7million barrels following the alignment of Mexico.
The deal came after four days of diplomatic wrangling between Mexico and Saudi Arabia. The intervention of the United States of America (USA) resulted in Mexico accepting to cut 100,000 barrels per day and to be complemented by an additional 300 thousand barrels of oil per day (KBOPD) by US producers.
Commenting on the implications of the final agreement on the Nigerian economy, the minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said that it would enable the rebalancing of the oil markets and the expected rebound of prices by $15 per barrel in the short term. This also promises an appropriate balancing of Nigeria’s 2020 budget that has been rebased at $30 per barrel.
The OPEC+ alliance on Thursday agreed a plan to cut its output by 10 million barrels a day — equal to a 10th of global supply. The deal would end the month-long price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia. However, it still needs the approval of Mexico, which is part of the alliance, but so far hasn’t endorsed it.
On the call, delegates said that a compromise solution proposed by President Donald Trump last week -initially rejected by Saudi Arabia – would be discussed again. Another idea is to focus on Mexico’s exports rather than production.
Negotiations have escalated to the highest level, with Trump intervening to speak to leaders including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia.
Late last week, a deal looked close until Mexico raised objections to it as populist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged to restore his country’s oil-pumping prowess with its politically symbolic state oil firm, and so he is reluctant to cut output.
Trump offered a compromise – by which US cuts would count as Mexican – but it was rejected by Saudi Arabia. Talks between the Kingdom and Mexico continued through the weekend.
Analysts said that even if the deal was reached, it may not be enough to put a floor under oil prices. While a 10 per cent reduction in worldwide crude output would be unprecedented, it would barely dent the surplus that continues to build as the virus lockdown spreads.
West Texas Intermediate crude slid more than nine per cent on Thursday – as a deal looked likely -settling below $23 a barrel. Markets were closed on Friday.
Agency reports said that traders will inspect any agreement for details of where real cuts are coming from, and how much of the headline figure might come from moving baselines and reductions that have already been forced on producers by the market.
The tentative OPEC+ deal for a 10 million-barrel cut requires Mexico to reduce its own output by 400,000 barrels a day. The Latin American country has rejected the proposal, instead offering to cut output by just 100,000 barrels.
In an attempt to break the impasse, Trump offered a diplomatic solution that includes some creative accounting, with Mexico counting some of the US market-driven supply decline as its own.
According to delegates, most OPEC+ countries back the Trump compromise – even if they acknowledge it’s a face-saving mechanism that doesn’t translate into actual cuts. But Saudi Arabia insisted that Mexico cut its production as much as everyone else.
The OPEC+ alliance initially met on Thursday via video conference, followed on Friday by a virtual gathering of energy ministers of the Group of 20.
The G-20 said that it would take “all the necessary measures” to maintain a balance between oil producers and consumers, but it made no commitment toward specific steps on production cuts.
Riyadh had wanted the G-20 meeting to yield at least 5 million barrels a day of cut commitments from producers outside OPEC+.
The OPEC+ coalition, which comprises members of the oil cartel and allied producers including Russia, had been voluntarily curbing output since 2017. The alliance began to crumble last month when Saudi Arabia and Russia couldn’t agree on deeper production curbs to offset the impact of the virus. Saudi Arabia responded by launching the price war, and one month on, all sides are seeking a truce.