News & Announcements

The financial sector was yesterday gripped by confusion following a social media report  that President Muhammadu Buhari had granted Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele study leave.

Sahara Reporters had claimed in a report that the ‘study leave’ was to provide an opportunity  for Emefiele to flee the country before the May 29 assumption of office by President-elect Bola Tinubu.

But the Presidency and CBN sources denied any study leave approval.

Responding to queries on the topic, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a short message said: “If the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has been granted study leave, supposedly, by President Muhammadu Buhari, this is unknown to us.

“It is also unknown to the President’s Secretariat, headed by the Chief of Staff.” A CBN source that was also contacted on the matter issued a similar denial.

However,another Presidency source informed  The Nation that there was an application from Mr.Emefiele seeking approval for study leave overseas.

But the source was unsure if the President gave approval.

“I heard the CBN Governor applied to the President for study leave, but I don’t know if the President has granted the application,” the source said. People familiar with  the CBN Governor’s work environment told The Nation that he  had confided in some of his aides that he intends to serve out his second term as the apex bank’s chief.

Emefiele was in Lagos on Tuesday for  the third biannual non-oil export summit  in Lagos with  the theme: “RT200: Challenges and Prospects to Success” during which he tipped the non-oil sector as critical for Nigeria’s economic growth.

He said that for Nigeria, developing the non-oil export sector is absolutely imperative, given that this holds vast potential for generating a significant amount of foreign exchange earnings.

He said the summit provided a platform to deliberate on how to accelerate the value and volume of Nigeria’s non-oil exports and ensure that proceeds therefrom are utilised most optimally for the benefit of our economy.

He said that in some countries, the period of repatriation ranges from less than six months from exportation of the product and could result in prosecution if proceeds are not repatriated on time.

Emefiele said the CBN in collaboration with the Bankers’ Committee identified the RT200 programme and export promotion in general as a critical tool for attaining sustainable and stable external balance and safeguarding the value of our local currency.

He explained that any  nation that  consumes more than it produces or   imports more than it exports will  fail as there will be no meaningful development.

Emefiele was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 and appointed for a second term by Buhari in 2019.

The current deal runs till June 2024.

Sahara Reporters  said the  Department of State Services  which attempted to arrest and detain Emefiele in the past over certain allegations against him “ kicked against the study leave reportedly granted to Emefiele as it means he will flee the country before May 29 when another government comes in.”

A 15-day strike deadline has been set by the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations in response to purported contradictions by the federal government in the ongoing discussions to modify the Consolidated Health Salary Structure for health workers on their platforms.

This information was released on Friday in a letter written to the Federal Ministry of Health and signed by Matthew Ajorotu, the National Secretary.

The unions highlighted that the ministry had exhibited a tendency to depart from the terms and conditions of their agreement relating to non-discrimination in the determination of the pay and benefit packages for health professionals in Nigeria.

They stated that the “recent communication from the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) which attempted to sabotage the laudable report of the Technical Committee on the Adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS, by claiming its implementation would distort existing CONMESS relativity with CONHESS.” 

The unions outlined their requests and urged the federal government to resolve the Health Salary Structure dispute, which has persisted since 2014, in accordance with the conditions of the settlement of September 2017.

Additionally, they demanded that the government immediately and unconditionally implement the Consultant Cadre Circular of Pharmacists in all federal health Institutions and give special allowance to health professionals “under the aegis of JOHESU/AHP”.

In addition, “payment of all withheld salaries of our members in Federal Medical Center in Owerri, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and their withheld April and May 2018 Salaries; speedy adjustment of retirement age from 60 to 65 years and the exclusion of some health workers from the payment of new hazard allowance as well as payment of COVID-19 allowance balance.” are also demanded.

While demanding a negotiation of the peculiar allowance, the unions added that, “the planned 25% review on CONHESS will only widen the existing relativity with CONMESS to our disadvantage while also distorting albeit significantly the supposed edge over general salary scales in Public Service.”

“If the Federal Government does not stick to tenets of due process spelt in our rules of engagement since the commencement of negotiations on the Adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS and the other lingering demands as highlighted above within the 15 day window, it would be clear that it is the Federal Government that should be held responsible for the fall-outs of a possible strike,” the letter added.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing threats from hundreds of Northerners who gathered at the Arewa House in Kaduna on Friday. They said they would stop supporting the government and the APC unless the North was granted control of the National Assembly and other cabinet positions.

The Democratic Research Institute (DRI) organized a one-day round table on nation building and democracy with the theme, “The imperative of participation, equity and equitable development of Northern Nigeria.” The Northerners attended.

“In the communique signed by Prof.Tukur Muhammad- Baba, Chairman of the Communique Committee and Dr.Benjamin Izra Dikki, Secretary, the Northerners emphasized that because the North was not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government, their demand was non-negotiable..”

“In a table that was contained in the communique that showed the percentage of votes across the 6 geo- political zones, the Northwest zone gave a total vote of 2,652235,the North Central 1,742,993 while the North East gave 1,185,458. The total contributions of the North was 63.5%.”

The statement stated that 25.7% of the votes for the ruling APC came from the South-West, 9.10% from the South-South, and 1.45% from the South-East.

The communique reads, “Based on the contributions of the North in the just concluded General Elections, as evidenced in the table above, the round table, which drew participants from all the nineteen Northern states, concluded that the progress, transformation and development of the region are hinged on its stake in government, particularly access to political, economic incentives and opportunities and therefore resolves as follows:”

“Demand the leadership of the National Assembly in consonance with the provisions of section 14 and sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. This is necessary because the North is not in control of both the Executive and the Judiciary arms of government. This demand is non negotiable.”

“The North also demands fair share of ministerial and other appointments. Such appointments should take cognisance of competence, integrity and track record, otherwise, the region is left with no option than to de-invest its support for the government and the party in subsequent elections.”

Earlier, Prof. Al-Mustapha Ussiju Medanar gave a welcome speech in which he stated that the main goal of the Roundtable discussion was to highlight and deepen the discussions surrounding the roles and the place of the Northern region in fostering nation-building and strengthening Nigeria’s democracy through key players and partners of the region, among others.

He said: “For me, it is a privilege to be a participant of this preparation for an all-inclusive recognition of the place of northern Nigeria in the Nigeria calculations and the veritable focus on the equitable development of northern Nigeria.”

“The theme of today’s discussion, “Nation Building and Democracy: The Imperative of Participation, Equity and Equitable Development of Northern Nigeria” is key to addressing the socio-political challenges that face the contiguous northern region of Nigeria.”

“The central objective of this Roundtable discussion is to highlight and deepen the conversations around the roles and the place of the Northern region in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and fostering nation-building through key players and partners of the region, among others. “

“I must state emphatically that the northern region of the country, constituting the North-West, North Central and the North-Eastern states, respectively, is a uniquely indispensable part of the nation, Nigeria. The region consists of approximately 68.67% of the population of Nigeria; it is the sole sustenance of the country agriculturally, and remains by providence, the major contributor to the political evolvement of the country from independence.”

“The northern region has effectively engaged its diverse endowment in population and various capacities to benefit the nation, in all ways possible; having been a pillar of strength on many fronts for the country.”

“It is indeed my great honour to welcome all of you; the Panelists, Discussants and selected representatives across the States of northern Nigeria. I am confident and sure that we will have a very vibrant discussion and tailored solution for an equitable development of our dear region.”

“The decision to hold this Roundtable was a response to the current political situation in the country and the preparation for the promulgation of the 10th National Assembly, particularly its leadership. The need to avoid the crisis of misrepresentation of our people and region in the distribution of rewards for political participation in the 2023 general elections, most especially the presidential election and to accept a common ground to hold all political office holders responsible for the job they are expected to carry out in the incoming administration.”

“We must have it at the back of our minds as we go into the subject of our discussion that our region contributes more than any other, as a major stakeholder in the current political dispensations including the victories of the ruling party at the polls, and as such, the region would rightly deserve and ask for commensurate rewards from the spoil of the war fought.”

“Democracy is an investment; vote is an investment. In a democratic politics, the party with the highest votes takes it all. Our region is well aware of this, and we have invested robustly in the incoming administration. The size of our votes and the consistency of our participation across the region in what we stand for is our testament. Figures do not lie; of the 8,794,726 million votes that gave the president-elect victory at the poll, 5,200,589 million representing approximately 60 percent came from our region.

” 

And for every elected Senators and HOR members from the platform the ruling party that won election, the margin of difference in their votes and that of the president-elect from each constituency is minimal; an indication of total commitment to the total cause of the party, unlike some other regions.”

“The North knows its problems and challenges; and that is the reason why we made so much political investment as a means to get the solutions we desire for our region and our people.”

“Our region is beclouded by non-ending insecurity. From North-East to North Central and splitting to the North-West, the consequences of insecurity in all its ramification has left trails of poverty, death and displacements of people from their homes and survival.”

“The poverty figure of the country placed our region as the most hit; with about 65 percent of the population of poor Nigerians living in our region. We are mostly referred to in the academic parlance as the least educationally developed region of the country. Unemployment is at the highest in the region as well.”

“At the back of all our discussion today would be the plight of our common region in the larger Nigeria entity. We must therefore take a stand of what must be done to return affirmative and commensurate dividends for our all-inclusive participation and investment in the Nigeria democracy and political business. We must take a decision as a region that has an equity that is well above 60 percent of the shared equity of the Nigeria business.”

“As part of the plans for an intrinsic discussion, we would be having sectorial pre-discussions on various topical issues with regard to the northern region after which we will break into discussion syndicates. The panelists would arise from the syndicate meetings to make a submission of the consensus agreements from the syndicate meetings which would form the crux of the final Position paper, which is the stand of the roundtable. “

“Here today, we will commence a process that will continue to strengthen the reach and take of our region without jeopardising that of others in the Nigeria entity; taking what equates to our input.” 

“Today, I want to hear your ideas, and frankly too. Your ideas about how to drive inclusive, equitable development of our region, because that is something that we all owe our people and what our positions have placed on us to do.”

Ayodele Joseph, a doctor, was brought before the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Paul Odama, on Friday for allegedly sedated and raping a nurse.

According to reports, the culprit was operating on the nurse in his facility in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the time of the event.

One of the 13 suspects paraded in front of the media at the police headquarters was Joseph, the Chief Medical Director of Ayodele Hospital in Sawmill, Ilorin.

The CP said, “On May 5, 2023, a female victim (name withheld), a nurse by profession, reported to the police that she went to Ayodele Hospital at 290, Sawmill area, Lagos Road, Ilorin, for surgery. The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Ayodele Joseph, during the treatment, sedated the patient, which led her to become unconscious.

“Before the sedation, fearing any mishap, the patient activated her telephone and placed it in a vantage position to record the surgery unknown to the doctor before the expected surgery.

“She woke up from sleep after the surgery to find herself fully naked, and when viewing the recorded video, she discovered that the said Dr Ayodele Joseph had unlawful sexual intercourse with her while under sedation.

“Investigation led to the recovery of the video recording of the sexual action of the said doctor on the victim, which was also corroborated by the medical examination conducted on the victim.”

The suspect, according to the police chief, was previously charged with killing Nneka Akanike in his hospital.

He said the recent incident had been brought to the attention of the state section of the Nigeria Medical Association, and he added that his hospital’s property had been cordoned off.

At the conclusion of the ongoing inquiry, the doctor will be prosecuted with rape, according to Odama.

Joseph, who claimed the nurse was his girlfriend, refuted the accusation.

The director referred to the alleged rape as a set-up and said that the nurse was his staff and had been his girlfriend for eight years.

He said, “She is my girlfriend and we have dated for eight years. I trained her as a nurse; I sponsored her to a school of nursing in Lagos and I employed her. How can I rape a lady that I have had intercourse with several times? What else do I want to see in her body? She only wanted to set me up to rip me of some money. Already, she has collected a substantial amount of money, which is with her. She has already collected about N500,000 from me on this issue and she is still demanding more money.”

President Muhammadu Buhari and his family have moved into the Glass House at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, ahead of the inauguration of the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

This was disclosed by the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, via a video shared on her official Instagram page after taking the incoming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu around the State House.

During the tour of the Villa, Mrs. Buhari introduced Senator Tinubu to the various areas of the house, providing detailed explanations regarding the history and importance of each edifice.

According to the First Lady, the Glass House has served as a transitional abode for the outgoing president and their spouse during the transition period.

It provides a symbolic and literal space for the outgoing president, leaving room for the incoming president to fully take charge.

While stating that she and her husband have moved into the iconic residence, Mrs. Buhari urged succeeding governments to maintain the practice of having the outgoing president and his spouse reside in the glass house till transitions are over.

“I have taken the incoming First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu, around. She has seen the main house; we are now at the popular glass house. Glass house is a transitional home for the outgoing president.

“I’m advising that the Glass House should maintain its tradition of being a transition for the outgoing president. As I am talking to you now, I am residing here with my husband. Only two of us here, I think it should remain so as a norm of the institution and of the house,” Aisha explained.

In her reaction having completed the tour, Senator Tinubu was appreciative of the opportunity availed her and the magnanimity of her host the president’s wife.

“I have gone around. She has magnanimously shown me around the house. And graciously explained a lot of things to me which is quite a short time and overwhelming for me to grasp.

“But, I believe God will help me to be able to make an impactful contribution to the nation,” Senator Tinubu asserted.

She further stressed that she believes God Almighty would help her make positive impacts and build upon the legacy of Mrs. Buhari.

The National Emergency Management Agency, on Thursday, May 11, said the Federal Government had so far evacuated a total of 2,246 Nigerians from Sudan using 12 flights.

NEMA disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by its Head, Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, and noted that it also dispatched food items to evacuees to help ameliorate their plights.

The agency also said that the evacuation exercise would continue, adding that efforts were being made to engage more Nigerian carriers to join in airlifting stranded citizens in the war-torn African country.

The food items, according to the NEMA Director-General, Habib Ahmed, were meant to cater to the Nigerian citizens, while the ongoing evacuation exercise was being strengthened.

“The items consist of 100 bags of 10kg rice, 50 packs of 10kg beans, 10 cartons of seasoning, 50 cartons of spaghetti, and five bags of iodized salt.

“The items were airlifted to Port Sudan by Tarco Aviation on Thursday, bringing 123 stranded Nigerians to Abuja. The latest arrival has brought the total number of evacuated stranded Nigerians to 2,246 in 12 flights,” the agency stated.

NEMA stressed that “it must be emphasized that the evacuation exercise is continuing, with efforts being made to engage some Nigerian airlines to strengthen airlift of Nigerian citizens that are willing and have been profiled to be transported back home as a result of the unfortunate conflict in Sudan.”

Days after King Charles III’s coronation, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was found guilty of speeding.

According to Sky News, he was fined a total of £510 for going over the 20 mph limit close to Lambeth Palace on October 2 of last year.

After being caught by a speed camera in his Volkswagen Golf on the A3036 Albert Embankment, the 67-year-old was also given three penalty points.

In the same day he criticized the government’s proposals to address the issue of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats as “morally unacceptable and politically impractical,” he was found guilty in a private hearing at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Just a few days after Welby presided over the King’s coronation ceremony, the Evening Standard was the first to disclose the conviction.

Welby was given a £300 punishment, a £120 victim surcharge, and £90 in costs after pleading guilty to the offense online.

According to Sky News, the prosecution followed the Single Justice Procedure, which enables the court to adjudicate the case based on written evidence during a private session.

The archbishop was aware of the speeding infraction, but she did not inform him that it had been taken to court, according to a Lambeth Palace official.

“He has tried to resolve this and pay the fine three times,” the spokesperson said.

“He has all the paperwork to prove that he has tried to pay. Admin errors seem to be causing problems.”

The Israel Defense Forces and the Israeli military have apologized for the first time in a year following the unfortunate death of Shireen Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera journalist.

In Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli military operation with another journalist, Ali Al Samudi, who was also wounded. This apology was made one year after that incident.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, the IDF’s chief spokesman, told CNN, “I think it’s an opportunity for me to say here that we are very sorry for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh.”

After acknowledging last year that there was a “high possibility” that the renowned correspondent was shot by an Israeli soldier, this apology will mark the first time the IDF has expressed regret for her death.

“She was a journalist, a very established journalist. In Israel, we value our democracy and in a democracy, we see high value in journalism and in a free press. We want journalists to feel safe in Israel, especially in wartime, even if they criticize us,” said Hagari.

Days before to the apology, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a study claiming that the Israeli military had not been held accountable for the deaths of at least 20 journalists over the previous two decades.

The press advocacy group claims that since 2001, Israeli military fire has killed at least 20 journalists, 18 of whom were Palestinian. The news statement stated that “no one has ever been charged or held accountable for these deaths.”

Israel’s Military Advocate General’s Office said in a statement that it did not intend to pursue criminal charges or prosecutions of any of the soldiers involved after the Israeli government acknowledged for the first time last September that there was a “high possibility” that Abu Akleh was “accidentally” shot and killed by Israeli fire.

Earlier this month, in response to the CPJ report, the IDF stated that it “regrets any harm to civilians during operational activity and considers the protection of the freedom of the press and the professional work of journalists to be of great importance.”

“The IDF does not intentionally target noncombatants, and live fire in combat is used only after all other options have been exhausted,” it said in the statement.

The federal government has urged state governors to create their own penitentiary systems and custodial facilities, claiming that this is their legal right.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, bemoaned that the overcrowding of detention facilities had taken a toll on the finances of the FG while speaking at a two-day conference on Decongestion and Corrections Administration in Abuja on Thursday.

According to Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Government has allocated N22.44 billion to feed prisoners in all of the country’s detention facilities.

Belgore asserted that state governments had apprehended and were prosecuting 90% of the prisoners housed in correctional institutions.

Aregbesola argued in a speech on Thursday that in order to reduce costs, states must take care of the housing and care of their offenders.

He said, “With the amendment to the constitution in this regard, states are now empowered to build correctional centres and facilities to house offenders, who are convicted and sentenced for committing state offences. Where states are unable to build custodial centres, it is believed that they can suggest ways to collaborate with the Federal Government in feeding and housing these state offenders.

“Overcrowding in the custodial centres has led to a huge revenue drain for the Federal Government, being the only party shouldering the responsibility of running and maintaining the custodial centres. The Federal Government can’t bear this anymore. I am going to leave strict recomnendations to my successor on that law. We would rather use the money meant for feeding inmates to improve our facilities. “

Jailbreaks, according to Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Chief Justice of Nigeria, are caused by overcrowding in detention facilities.

He said, “Unnecessary congestion of prisons has led to jailbreaks and of course, overstretching the dilapidated custodial centres built 100 years ago.

“In order to enthrone a seamless dispensation of justice, the issue of congestion and reform has always occupied the front burner of discussion since the advent of this democratic dispensation and we have been waiting with bated breath to see the reform truly happen in our lifetime.”

Justice Ariwolola urged judges to apply the law correctly and to go to detention facilities to release prisoners who had committed insignificant offenses or were being unfairly tried.

“In order to enthrone a seamless dispensation of justice, the issue of congestion and reform has always occupied the front burner of discussion since the advent of this democratic dispensation and we have been waiting with bated breath to see the reform truly happen in our lifetime.”

Justice Ariwolola called on judges to interpret the law the right way as well as visit custodial centres with the aim of setting free inmates with minor offences and those being erroneously tried.

 He said, “The law should be interpreted the way it should be and must be done with the fear of the almighty God. Our visit to the custodial centres should also be increased with a view to setting free those inmates with minor offences and those that ought not to be there in the first place.

“I passionately appeal to judicial officers and those directly and remotely connected to the administration of the justice chain in the country to distance themselves from primordial sentiment and disposition.”

On Thursday, Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo pledged to cover the third term tuition for 2,350 pupils of the Urban Girls Secondary School in Fegge, Onitsha, for the academic year 2022–2023.

During his assessment visit to the school, Soludo made the commitment to pay the fees out of his own pocket.

The Governor also took the opportunity to exhort the students to continue serving as positive representatives of the state.

He repeatedly emphasized the necessity to practice good hygiene at home and at school.

The Governor urged the instructors to give their utmost to the kids and reaffirmed that his administration would continue to place a high focus on high-quality education.