Day: August 13, 2022

2023 Population and Housing Census will assist FG tackle insecurity, poverty – Buhari

Aminu Imam

President Muhammadu Buhari has said the planned 2023 Population and Housing Census would help the Federal Government’s fight against poverty and insecurity. A statement from the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said the president made the remarks in his keynote address at the National Stakeholders’ Summit on the 2023 Census, which was held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja. The Nigerian leader lamented the dearth of up-to-date information since the 2006 census which, he argued, has impeded the country’s national planning. Buhari, who acknowledged that Nigeria…

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Self Determination: “Yoruba people are ready to leave Nigeria” – Prof. Akintoye writes Buhari

Aminu Imam

Renowned historian and leader of an umbrella body of Yoruba self-determination groups: ‘Ilana Omo Oodua’, Prof. Banji Akintoye, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari notifying him of the intention of the Yoruba ‘nation’ to leave Nigeria. In a letter dated August 6, 2022, Akintoye reportedly told Buhari that the letter was to formally give him “notice of the decision of the overwhelming majority of our Yoruba nation and people to exercise our right to self-determination to have our independent and sovereign country separate from the country of Nigeria”. According to him,…

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Acquisition Disputes: N1.3bn Exxon Mobil/Seplat Energy deal: “I wasn’t consulted” – Justice Minister, Malami

Aminu Imam

As the disputes over the acquisition of the Exxon Mobil shares by Seplat Energy limited continues, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami on Thursday, said he is yet to be consulted over the stalled deal. Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday approved the deal that allowed Seplat Energy to acquire the shares. The President, while consenting to the acquisition of Exxon Mobil shares in the United States of America by Seplat Energy Offshore Ltd, said he acted in his approval in his capacity as “Minister of Petroleum Resources, and…

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National Security: ‘El Rufa’i’s outburst of terrorists running parallel govt. in Kaduna, manifestation of failed security system’ – TUC

Aminu Imam

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, (TUC), has said the outburst of the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmed el Rufa’i claiming that bandits were running a parallel government in his state, was a direct manifestation of the failure of security networks nationwide. The TUC president, Festus Osifo, who made the criticism, said such a complaint coming from a State Governor should be a wake-up call for the President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the entire security team to act swiftly and remedy the situation. He also criticised the planned privatisation of public…

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Paris Club Refund: Governors fire back at Malami, say he’s defending private interest 

Aminu Imam

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has responded to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami over the controversy concerning the payment of consultancy fees amounting to $418 million from the Paris Club refund. Speaking on a television programme yesterday, the spokesperson of the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo questioned why the AGF was so concerned about private claims to State funds. Recall that in 2021, the governors had obtained an order from a Federal High Court, in Abuja, restraining the Federal Government from deducting the money from…

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Maritime Security: Troops arrest sea pirates, pipeline vandals in N/Delta

Aminu Imam

Troops of ‘Operation Delta Safe’ have apprehended 10 suspected pipeline vandals and two high profile sea pirates in the Niger-Delta region. The Director, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, who disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, said the suspects are notorious for the series of armed attacks on oil vessels, kidnapping of expatriates and illegal oil bunkering within the State. Onyeuko said the pirates, known as Fagha Golden (aka) fine boy and Victor Elkanah (aka) Victor Padi, were both arrested in Rivers State. The Director further informed that the troops during…

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2023: “We are not ‘Obidient’ in Enugu” – Archbishop Chukwuma 

Aminu Imam

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a renowned Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Most Revd. Dr. E.O Chukwuma, has lashed out at the candidates and supporters of the Labour Party in Nigeria, saying Enugu State people would never be part of their controversial “Obidients” mantra. According to report, Archbishop Chukwuma who said this on Thursday, at Eziokwe village, Ndiagu Akpugo, Nkanu-West local government area of Enugu State, during the burial ceremony of a former military administrator of Osun and Abia States, Col. Anthony Obi (rtd),…

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Kaduna: ‘Boko Haram plots to destroy critical electricity infrastructures’ – El-Rufa’i tells Buhari

Aminu Imam

…Says N’West at risk of ‘total darkness’ Boko Haram terrorists based in parts of Kaduna and Niger states have a “definite” plot to destroy critical electricity infrastructure supplying the North-West region, Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i wrote in his late July letter to President Muhammadu Buhari. The governor’s statement is believed to be the first known official confirmation of Boko Haram’s presence in Kaduna State. He said that the “total darkness” threat fits the violent extremists’ agenda of further crumbling the socio-economic life of the region. Thousands have been killed, tens of…

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