Global Naija Info

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor The Arewa Young Lawyers Forum (AYLF) has disowned its president, Barrister Sadiq Ilelah, for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. Ilelah had, in a statement recently, given President Buhari 14 days to sack Emefiele or face an action from his organisation. He alleged that the CBN governor had played a major role in the destruction of the Nigerian economy. Nigeria is currently battling with recession. But in a counter-statement made available to journalists, the AYLF, through its secretary, Barrister Usman Muhammad Ali, said Ilelah is on his own. According to Ali, the president of the organisation only stated his own opinion in the earlier statement as he did not carry any member along. He asked the public and President Buhari to discountenance the statement by Ilelah which was published on December 1. He said Ilelah’s statement necessitated a meeting of members of the organisation and

Large sums of money found in one of the tout’s pant Operatives of Rapid Response Squad(RRS) of Lagos State Police Command, have arrested two social miscreants popularly called ‘Agbero’ for stuffing N1.548m abandoned robbery loot into their private parts. The suspects, Adegoke Adewale and Ganiyu Idowu were arrested on Thursday evening when they were caught tucking into their private parts loots abandoned by fleeing robbers. The suspects, among other miscreants, had pretended they were helping the police in chasing three armed robbers who snatched about N3m from a yet to be identified bank customer in Oshodi. The robbers after being chased by the police dropped their loot in a compound, which the suspects stole and stuffed into their private parts. It was also gathered that the robbers, about three in number operated on motorcycle in Oshodi. They were reported to have snatched a bag containing about N3 million from a bank customer. The stolen money and the touts arrested Some

Marouane Fellaini Leighton Baines rescued a late point for Everton against Manchester United after substitute Marouane Fellaini conceded a costly penalty against his former club at Goodison Park. Fellaini, on his 100th United appearance, was introduced in the 85th minute to help see out the win but his first meaningful action was to commit a clumsy foul on Idrissa Gueye in the area, and Baines made no mistake from 12 yards. Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s sixth goal in five games had earlier put United on course for just a third Premier League win in 11 matches. The 35-year-old Swede struck with a sweet first-half lob that hit the bar and post before finally deigning to cross the line – although Everton goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg’s will be unhappy with his decision to rush from his area. United, with manager Jose Mourinho back on the touchline after his midweek ban, also saw Ander Herrera crash a shot off the frame of the goal in the second half. However, it might have been a differen

Match-winner Nathan Ake is on loan at Bournemouth from Liverpool’s title rivals Chelsea Bournemouth completed one of the comebacks of the season to beat Liverpool for the first time in a sensational Premier League game. The Cherries battled back from 2-0 down at half-time and 3-1 behind with 15 minutes to go, with Nathan Ake’s 93rd-minute winner sealing a famous win. Sadio Mane scored the Reds’ opener when he controlled Emre Can’s ball over the top, held off Ake and poked home. The visitors looked in control when Divock Origi went past Artur Boruc and curled home their second from a narrow angle. Bournemouth brought on Ryan Fraser in the 55th minute and that proved to be the turning point of the game. Seconds later James Milner brought him down in the area and Callum Wilson scored the penalty. Can put the Reds 3-1 up with a 20-yard curling effort but Fraser scored his first Premier League goal when he tucked home after Wilson’s cross had hit the heels of Benik Afobe. Centre-bac

Goodluck Jonathan, former President of Nigeria Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday boycotted a special thanksgiving service hosted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Aso Villa Chapel. The vice president told State House correspondents after the service Jonathan was among those specially invited, “but unfortunately, he had to cancel at the last moment.” Past leaders who are Christians that attended the service included former Head of State General Yakubu Gowon (retd), former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of the Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, former Chief of General Staff Rear Admiral Ebitu Ukiwe, General Oladipo Diya (retd). Osinbajo, who said the service was organised to thank God for all He had done for the nation this year, stated: “Today is a special thanksgiving for the end of the year. And as you’ve seen, all the former presidents and vice presidents are here for the special thanksgiving service.

Buhari This is a question for the government of the day. Why do we have a legacy of $150 billion and still swim in depth and dirt of economic recession? While we have a goldmine to tap into, we keep on swallowing the economic thalidomide pill of borrowing which has proven to be our undoing for many years now. Our dependency on oil revenues have blinded our successive governments to opportunities and our affinity to borrowing is pathetic. In the past 15 years, we have been borrowing to pay salaries without care for infrastructural development. A renewed attempt by the presidency to borrow another $30 billion is an economic thalidomide that we were able to avoid. Property Rights in Nigeria is a viable way out of recession into prosperity. We must not forget how America got so rich with property rights. The American government benefited from a quick setup of the patent office. Intellectual property like patents, copyrights, and royalties makes it possible for people to profit from the

There is a stock reply in Nigeria when a man is asked to spend money. He, in most cases, would say: “I am not another da-Rocha!” It is an expression that has to do with stupendous wealth or display of it or generosity or a combination of all. However, while many use the statement with ease, not all of them know anything about the man called Candido da-Rocha. We offer you his story this week and, later, other narratives of the lives and times of prominent Nigerians who were trail blazers in their own rights in the 20th century. Below is the story of da-Rocha and what made him ‘tick’: The life of Candido da Rocha is a complex read. He was an entrepreneur whose activities did not follow the trend of popular economic theories. He was a celebrated capitalist, with property and estates running into billions of naira. He was a businessman with old-fashioned-idiosyncrasies, yet he accumulated properties in every nook and cranny of Lagos. He had no apologies for being rich, and enjoyed showing

Adeyemi Ikuforiji In a bid to overturn the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos ordering his re-trial for money laundering offences, former Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Ikuforiji Sabit Adeyemi, and his Personal Assistant, Olabode Alade Atoyebi, have filed a notice of appeal before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, challenging the verdict of the appellate court. In the notice of appeal filed before the Lagos Division of the Appeal Court, the former Speaker and his Personal Assistant, through their lawyer, Barrister Abiodun Onidare, separately asked the apex court to set aside the whole ruling of the Appeal Court. The appellants described the Appeal Court’s decisions as unreasonable, unwarranted, and cannot be supported having regards to the evidence and materials on record. Consequently, both Ikuforiji and Oyebode are urging the Supreme Court, to uphold their no case submissions as upheld by a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Ibrahim Buba, on Se

Senator John Owan Senator John Owan-Enoh (PDP), Cross River Central, on Sunday announced an Educational Support Programme worth N70 million to various categories of students from his Senatorial District. Owan-Enoh, who made the announcement while presenting cheques to the beneficiaries in Ikom Local Government Area, said the support was to assist the students to pursue their respective academic carriers. He said that the programmme was part of his responsibility and sacrifice to the people of the constituency in spite of the current economic recession. “I am not doing this programme because I have so much money; but because of the love, sacrifice and a sense of responsibility to the people of my constituency. “It is a feeling of indebtedness that I owe to the people of Central Senatorial District who toiled with me and kept faith during the time of my campaigns,’’ he said. A breakdown of the categories in the 66 electoral wards shows that 60 Post Graduates got N100,000 each; 660

EKEDC logo The Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) on Sunday said there would be a three-hour power outage in Lekki, Ajah and part of Alagbon in Lagos on Thursday, Dec.8. The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Mr Godwin Idemudia, said in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos. Idemudia said that the outage was to enable the maintenance crew replace the weak aluminium conductor down dropper between the line and capacitor voltage transformer at Ajah T.S. He said that the company had been briefed by Mr Mustapha Raji, an Engineer from Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ajah Sub-Region. “Kindly note that on Thursday Dec.8, between 10.00 – 13.00hrs, there will be an outage on 330kV Egbin – Aja Line 3. “This is to enable maintenance crew to replace the weak aluminium conductor down dropper between the line and the capacitor voltage transformer at Aja T.S. “With this outage, Aja, Lekki and part of Alagbon T.S. will be affected. “EKEDC highly

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai The Nigerian Army “Operation Python Dance’’ in the South-East says some of its road blocks will be dismantled to facilitate free flow of traffic during the Yuletide. Col. Musa Sagir, Deputy Director, Public Relations of 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu, disclosed this while on patrol with newsmen at the River Niger Bridge head, Onitsha and Awka, on Sunday. Sagir said that it had become imperative to remove totally or shorten some of the check points, particularly within the bridge head, Onitsha, as the Yuletide drew closer. He called on other security agencies operating within the bridge head to support the Army to ensure free flow of traffic in the area. He said that the operation was not to witch-hunt any group or individuals but it was purely for military training and crime prevention. “Our men stay on the side of road watching in case of any criminality and obstruction on the road. “You have seen that we are not looking

President Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday depart Abuja for Dakar, Senegal, to attend the 3rd Dakar International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa slated for Dec. 5 and Dec. 6. The president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday. According to the statement, the forum will be convened by President Macky Sall of Senegal with support from the African Union to discuss security-related challenges on the continent. It stated that the event would be attended by African leaders and representatives of regional and international organisations. “President Buhari is scheduled to participate in the Panel of Heads of State on Tuesday. “The President, who has identified improved security in Nigeria as a priority for development, shares the vision of the forum in finding lasting solutions to security challenges on the continent. “Notably, security challenges such as terrorism and violent extr

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has urged the public to disregard the speculations that it had commenced the sales of its application documents for 2017 UTME by some group of persons. The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, debunked the speculations in a statement made available on Sunday in Lagos. According to the statement, the Registrar of the examination body, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has expressed disappointment with the development and calls on innocent Nigerians not to fall prey. “The public is hereby notified that JAMB has not commenced the sales of its application documents as advertised by some unknown and desperate persons. “They are to disregard any website or individuals claiming to be in possession of these documents and offering same for sales. “We are putting finishing touches to innovation and changes to ease the challenges associated with the pr

Late Bola Kuforiji-Olubi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Sunday expressed shock and sadness over the death of foremost accountant and a former Minister of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Bola Kuforiji-Olubi. Dr. Olubi, who was a former President of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), was appointed the first female Chairman of United Bank of Africa (UBA) in 1984, passed on at the age of 80 on Saturday. Governor Ambode in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, described Dr. Olubi as a distinguished businesswoman, banker, economist and accountant, who cut her teeth in the corporate world. The Governor recalled the former minister’s decades of distinguished career in the private and public sectors of national life, saying she was a role model to the future generation. “Dr. Olubi was a woman of many firsts; she wrote her name in gold in the banking industry and was a pace-setter and leader in banking, manufacturing and entrepreneurs

Mrs Funke Egbemode, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) The Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, has expressed concern over the upsurge of Kidnapping in the country. In a communique issued at its fourth quarterly Standing Committee Meeting in Yola, Adamawa State, the guild observed that kidnapping had became a national menace that had impacted negatively on the social and economic life of the country. ”The NGE expresses concern over the upsurge in kidnapping across Nigeria, which has unfortunately become a national menace that has negatively impacted on the social and economic life of the country. The Guild notes that the new dimension the vice has assumed was portraying the country negatively in the eye of the global community, with the potential of scaring foreign investors, at a time their contribution is crucial to revamping the country’s ailing economy.” The Guild notes that attracting foreign direct investment is a critical factor in reflating the nation’s sagging economy

FILE PHOTO: A herdsman in Nigeria If there was any time when President Buhari would see the atrocities of the marauding Fulani herdsmen as a national emergency, which poses a threat to national unity; that time is now. With the massacres and incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across the country, Nigeria appears headed for another crisis, this time on too many fronts and with such devastating effect as could engulf the whole nation, and threaten its very survival as a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country. This is indeed a dangerous development and it is unnerving that the President; himself a Fulani, has not responded with any sense of urgency to the danger already in our midst. This is no time for political correctness; the Institute for Economics and Peace, Global Terrorism Index (GTI) has named the Fulani herdsmen as the fifth deadliest terror group in the world. Rightly or wrongly, there is already a growing perception of a hidden agenda that borders on territor

Chairman of the Board of Edo Internal Revenue Service, Chief Oseni Elamah; Chairman of the APC Edo State, Anslem Ojezua (Esq) in jubilation as Governor Godwin Obaseki declares the 50% waiver for tax defaulters during a meeting with the Management of Edo state Internal Revenue service (EIRS) and representatives of tax payers in the state Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has approved a 50 percent waivers for tax defaulters in the State. The moratorium which has its terms and conditions, is the first ever to be granted tax defaulters since the creation of the State. Conditions set for defaulters to benefit from the waivers, require that all the outstanding tax liabilities running into billions of naira, inherited from by past administrations up to December 1, 2016, must be paid within 90 days. A statement endorsed by Mr. John Mayaki, the Chief Press Secretary, Governor Obaseki, said the Governor’s gesture was meant to tidy up tax system and encourage them to join the pool of 10 p

Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has commenced committal to prison hearings against the Federal Government. SERAP wants Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Alhaji Ahmed Idris Accountant-General of the Federation sent to prison “for having neglected to obey the order of the court made on Friday the 26th of February, 2016, requiring them to provide SERAP with up to date information on the spending of recovered stolen funds since the return of democracy in 1999.” The information ordered to be released by Justice Muhammed Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos include specific details on the total amount of recovered stolen public assets by governments since 1999; the amount that has been spent from the recovered stolen public assets and the objects of such spending; as well as details and location of specific projects on which recovered stol

Akinyemi Ashade, Finance Commissioner Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government says it is set to go to the capital market to float a bond of N60 billion this month for infrastructural development. The N60 billion bond is the first tranche of the N500 billion bond series the Lagos State House of Assembly approved for the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode administration few months ago in which the government will be drawing from the bond in tranches. Commissioner for Finance, Akinyemi Ashade disclosed this at the weekend at the Annual General Meeting, AGM, of Bond series and rating programme held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. Ashade said government needed deficit financing for the purpose of undergoing massive infrastructural development across the state, adding that the strength of the state government’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR qualified it for deficit financing, as means of paying back easily were on ground. The commissioner disclosed that t

CBN The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has denied reports from some quarters that it allocates dollars unilaterally. A statement by Mr Isaac Okoroafor, Acting Director, Corporate Communications on Saturday in Abuja, decried the way some Nigerians chose to disparage those in leadership at this time in total insensitivity to the larger interests of the Nation’s economy. He added that the CBN had set up an inter-bank foreign exchange market where anyone who wishes to buy foreign exchange could bid for and buy through their banks. ”It is not true that CBN allocate’s dollars. ”There is no where in the world that the Central Bank sits by and allows vicious speculators to solely distort the value of its currency endlessly. ”All central banks intervene to buy or sell in the market to ensure that the local currency is protected from dubious attacks.” He said that the channels for advice and contribution of ideas on the current economic situation by all patriotic Nigerians were open. Oko

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II The Presidency has said that the proposed external borrowing of 29.9 billion dollars by the government is meant for the execution of developmental projects across the country. Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday night. The Presidential aide was reacting to the Emir of Kano Lamido Sanusi’s position on the borrowing plans. President Muhammadu Buhari had in October requested the National Assembly to approve a foreign loan of 29.9 billion dollars to fund developmental projects across the country between 2016 and 2018. However, the Emir was quoted by social media on Friday as expressing his disapproval of the borrowing plans by the Buhari-led administration. Sanusi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was speaking at a policy dialogue forum organised by Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development in Abuja

APC Mr Nurudeen Akinwunmi, Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday defeated his opponents to emerge winner of the Ifako-Ijaiye Federal Constituency By-Election in Lagos. The returning officer of the election, Prof. Clement Aghatise, made the declaration at the INEC office in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government, minutes before midnight. Declaring the winner, Aghatise said that Akinwunmi polled 7640 votes to defeat his closest rival, Mr Babatope Akinyele, candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 1771 votes at the poll. According to him, Social Democratic Party (SDP) polled five votes, Action Alliance (AA) had 14 votes, African Democratic Congress (ADC) had 158 votes while Alliance for Democracy (AD) had 101 votes. Aghatise said that the total number of registered voters was 339,864; total number of accredited voters was 10,051; total number of valid votes was 9689; the total number of invalid votes was 195, while the total votes cast were 9884. ”I, Pro

Dr. Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Dr Daniel Olukoya, the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), on Saturday said that the MFM was the legitimate owner of the popular Prayer City located at Magboro, Ogun. Olukoya, founder of MFM worldwide, disclosed this at the December edition of the monthly programme of the Power Must Change Hands held at the prayer city. This month’s event was tagged: ”Receiving The Anointing of Fire” and was attended by people from the country and beyond. Olukoya said the clarification was sequel to an internet publication that MFM was not the owner of the Prayer City. “MFM is the rightful and legitimate owner of its prayer city located along the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Magboro, Ogun. “MFM bought the land twice: first from the land owners and also from the Ogun State Property and Investment Company (OPIC). “MFM has been using this land for the past 18 years and has obta

Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, Inspector General of Police The Police is to deploy about 20, 000 of its personnel to Rivers to provide security during the forthcoming re-run elections in the state. The Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this while addressing Officers and men of Kano State Police Command on Saturday. He said that 20 gun boats and three helicopters would also be deployed to the state to enhance security during the elections. He said the force had taken adequate security measures to ensure that the elections were peaceful. According to him, the Nigeria Police force is planning to establish a school in Kaduna for the training of mobile policemen in the country. He said the idea of establishing the school was in line with the commitment of the force to ensure professionalism. He said that plan was also in the pipeline to establish marine training school in Imo state. “The Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has promised to build the school fo