Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Adamawa governorship candidates of ACN, Markus Gundiri, and that of CPC, Buba Marwa, say the curfew imposed by the state government is an attempt to rig the election.
The state government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew after explosions in Mubi and Yola, which resulted in the killing of 26 persons.
In separate statements in Yola, the candidates said they would resist any attempt by the PDP-led state government to exploit the development to rig.
They said that if the state government could relax the curfew to create room for the PDP rally in Yola, then peace and calm had returned to the state making the curfew unnecessary.
Marwa on his part said that the state government was trying to make the state look insecure in order to put fear in the electorate to prevent them from coming out to vote.
Borno
Borno State Executive Council on Monday approved the completion of the abandoned multipurpose Maiduguri stadium.
Mr. Inuwa Bwala, the Commissioner for Information, disclosed this at the end of the council’s meeting in Maiduguri.
“The council reviewed the activities of the high-powered committee set up last year by Gov. Kashim Shettima on the completion of the stadium.
“After reviewing the committee’s submission it was agreed that government must hasten up the process for the award of contract for the project.’’
Bwala said that the council also accepted the committee’s proposals of 20-seater capacity for the stadium.
“We agreed that contract for the project should be awarded in a very short while because of its potential in ensuring physical and mental development of our youths who are the leaders of tomorrow.
Benue
The Benue chapter of the PDP will hold an “all inclusive” party primaries ahead of the local government polls in the state.
The decision was taken at a caucus meeting of the party held in Makurdi on Wednesday.
The meeting which was presided over by Governor Gabriel Suswam was also attended by the chairman of the 23 local government councils in the state, and opinion leaders of the party.
It resolved that the election of party flag bearers for the local government election would no longer be on delegate basis.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the caretaker chairman of Gboko Local Government Council, Mr. Ioryue Yaji, said the move was to discourage money politics.
Yaji said it would be difficult for politicians to “bribe their way” through the party congress now, adding that under the delegate system, the practice was possible since the participants were few.
FCT
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Abuja has sought for the speedy trial of the DPO of Pen Cinema, Agege, Mr. Segun Fabunmi, accused of killing a protester.
The commission also welcomed the steps so far taken by police authorities and the Lagos State Government to prosecute him.
A statement issued by the commission, directed its Zonal Coordinator, South West Zone, Mrs Mausi Segun, to monitor and ensure that the matter was taken to court.
Fabunmi was alleged to have killed one Mr Ademola Aderinde during protests in Lagos on Monday.
It commended the relative order and peaceful conduct of protesters and the maturity exhibited by security agencies on the fourth day of the nationwide protests.
It urged all parties involved to sustain this level of responsibility and professionalism.
Gombe
The Gombe State Government on Friday restricted the operation of motorcyclists, popularly called Okada, from 7pm to 6am throughout the state.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Orubebe Ghandi, made the disclosure while briefing the press on the outcome of the meeting, which religious leaders and security chiefs held with Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo at the Government House on Friday.
Our correspondent reports that the decision was part of measures taken to avert further killings in the state.
The commissioner said, “one of the measures adopted a few minutes ago to curb these incessant killings is to restrict movement of motorcyclists from seven o’clock in the evening to six o’clock in the morning.
Jigawa
The chairman, Jigawa State Scholarship Board, Alhaji Sanusi Gako says N100 million has been released for the payment of allowances to newly-admitted students of tertiary institutions from the state.
Gako disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Dutse on Thursday.
He said that only those admitted in 2010/2011 session in various tertiary institutions across the country would enjoy the fund.
He explained that the gesture was part of Governor Sule Lamido’s commitment to boost educational development in the state.
The chairman said that the board did not owe any arrears to the students because all their allowances were paid promptly.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government on Monday donated N10 million to Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI), as contribution for the reconstruction of its burnt office.
The JNI building in Kaduna metropolis was gutted by fire on Thursday April 14.
The Special Adviser to Govenor Patrick Yakowa on Islamic Matters, Mallam Haliru Maraya, presented the donation to the National Secretary of the organisation, Dr. Ibrahim Khalid, at the JNI secretariat in Kaduna.
Katsina
No fewer than 143 people have died and 424 others injured in motor accidents in Katsina State since January, according to the Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
The sector commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Alhaji Habu Dauda, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Katsina on Monday.
Dauda said that in spite of the reduction in the number of accidents during the year, there were 27 more deaths compared to the 116 persons, who died in the year before.
Lagos
The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations plans to develop a tourism calendar for 2012 in a bid to create more jobs and redefine tourism.
The Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr. Disu Holloway, announced the plan at a media briefing on Thursday in Lagos.
He said that the calendar would also boost economic activities and the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Holloway urged stakeholders in tourism to cooperate with the government to restore the lost glory of the state.
The commissioner added that, with the right incentives and proper awareness, tourism could become a major revenue earner.
He gave an assurance that the ministry would continue to project major festivals, such as the ‘Eyo Festival’ and ‘Black Heritage Festival’, as well as collaborate with major organisations to promote notable festivals.
Ogun
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has assured indigenes of the state that his policies and programmes would be geared toward rebuilding the state.
Amosun gave the assurance in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Mrs. Fummi Wakama.
The governor, according to the statement, promised to redesign the state’s landscape in line with the master plan he had evolved.
“We would do everything to put smiles on the faces of Ogun indigenes and residents through our policies and programmes,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.
The governor said efforts were on to implement the five-cardinal programmes of his administration.
Sokoto
The Deputy Treasurer of the Sokoto State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Muktari Mapia, has tasked Nigerians to expose the masterminds of the incessant bombings in parts of the country.
Mapia, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, in Sokoto, said that the current level of insecurity posed a threat to the nation’s corporate existence.
He said that members of the public should supply the security agencies with vital information to enable them to deal with the culprits and the sponsors of the deadly attacks.
Mapia urged the active participation of stakeholders in the nation’s progress to enhance peace, progress and political stability in the country.
He said that the ongoing transformation agenda of the Federal Government could only succeed in an atmosphere of peace and stability.
Nation
SIM-NIN: Subscribers Kick Against Today’s Deadline, Demand Extension
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told The Tide’s source last Wednesday that NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told The PUNCH, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told the source on Wednesday that the NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told the source, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
At the last deadline on February 28, 2024, about 40 million lines that were not linked to NIN were barred.
The NATCOM president said before the first deadline, subscribers had appealed to the NCC for a one-month extension.
However, the NCC explained that there was no issue as the process was designed to occur in phases.
According to the president, the Operator’s Consumer Centre stands as the primary location for consumers to complete their registration fully, with data provided there being verifiable.
However, the president noted that telecom agents were bypassing crucial information during the registration process, resulting in incomplete registrations of subscribers.
“For example, during interactions with telecom representatives, some agents fail to collect all required the information from subscribers.
“If a subscriber cannot provide certain details, agents often leave the registration incomplete. Consequently, these incomplete registrations are deemed unverifiable,” he said.
Further, Ogunbanjo noted that NIMC also shares responsibility in this process.
He said the challenges often arise when telecom companies attempt to upload collected data on NIMC’s server, owing to network issues.
“These network difficulties, beyond the control of subscribers, hinder the timely completion of the registration process,” he said.
“NIMC’s inadequate network infrastructure exacerbates the problem. While they intend to accept data uploads, technical issues prevent them from doing so effectively.
“We urge the NCC to address NIMC’s shortcomings, improve their services, and acknowledge that meeting the deadline will be challenging given the current issues,” the president added.
NIMC is a statutory Nigerian organisation that operates the country’s national identity management systems.
NIMC’s enrollment figures as of December 31, 2023, stand at over 104.16 million unique records.
About 530,345 Nigerians in Diaspora have gotten NINs. 59.12 million male and 45.04 million female Nigerians have NINs.
When The PUNCH reached out to NIMC for comments on technical glitches, the Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, clarifies that the commission’s server has consistently remained operational, debunking reports suggesting otherwise.
He emphasizes that the NIMC’s services are fully functional and accessible to all users
“Our server has never been down. You can go to the various NIN centres and confirm.
Adegoke further explained the process for subscribers to link their NIN to their SIM cards,
“These individuals only need to submit their NIN and complete the verification process through their respective telcos providers.
He encouraged those who have not yet obtained their NIN to visit any NIMC centre for enrollment.
Adegoke assured Nigerians that upon enrollment, individuals can expect their NIN to be available within three hours.
However, for those requiring corrections, such as rectifying date of birth errors, the process may take up to 72 hours.
Last week, the National Identity Management Commission and the NCC issued a joint statement unveiling a strategic partnership aimed at simplifying the NIN-SIM linkage procedures for telecommunications subscribers nationwide.
Both agencies reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing the processes involved and improving efficiency regarding the NIN and SIM card linkage initiative.
They acknowledge the importance of this initiative in bolstering security measures and enhancing service delivery across the country.
The SIM-NIN linkage initiative is a crucial step towards improving the integrity of subscriber data and enhancing security measures within the telecommunications industry.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy was initially introduced by the Nigerian government in December 2020. This directive requires all telephone line users in Nigeria to associate their SIM cards with their NIN.
In December of the previous year, the NCC issued a directive stipulating that all telecommunications operators in Nigeria, including major providers like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, among others, must enforce complete network barring on all phone lines for which subscribers have not provided their NINs by February 28, 2024.
Barely two weeks ago, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project issued a warning to take legal action against the NCC if it does not revoke the directive instructing network providers to block the phone lines of individuals who have not linked their SIM cards to their NINs.
Nation
Reps Query N15bn Payment To Remita
The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee has queried the N15billion payment made to Remita from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for two years.
This is just as the committee accused the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks of complicity in the sharing of the N15billion remittance.
The committee’s Chairman, Bamidele Salam, made the allegation at the resumed investigative hearing on revenue leakages in Abuja yesterday.
Remita is a payment solution that helps individuals and businesses make and receive payments, pay bills, and manage their finances.
The round table: Delta Bloodbath: Senate Meets Service Chiefs As Troops Comb Creeks.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“The money is an illegal payment. There was no budget provision. So, where did they source the money from?” the chairman queried.
“If someone pays N150,000 as a Remita, you will pay 7.5 per cent Value-Added Tax in addition to it.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“Ordinarily, that whole sum of VAT ought to go to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, but what they are doing in this transaction is that they will now add that VAT to the N150.000.
“They will add it up, gather the money together, and take it to the CBN,” he claimed.
He said, “System Spec and Remitta, both collecting revenue for the Federal Government, will share 50 per cent, while the banks and the CBN will also have their share.”
He said that by the time the committee finished its reconciliation, “I am very sure that hundreds of billions of naira will be the VAT component that was not remitted to FIRS.”
Salam stated that each bank ought to take the money and directly remit it to FIRS.
“Now, Remita is saying that each of those collecting the money will come and calculate the money that has been shared into shreds. Now, how do we track this kind of money? “he asked.
The Director, Banking Services, CBN, Mr.Ahmed Abdullahi, said it was necessary to source for an alternative way of remitting revenue, adding that Remita and System Spec were selected because they had been rendering similar services to banks.
The Chief Accountant, Treasury Single Account Department, Oyewole Adewale, representing the Accountant-General of the Federation, accused the CBN of not honouring its letters to reconcile the revenue accrued to the country through the Treasury Single Account.
He noted that the OAGF had developed a system where all revenue generated by the Ministries of Departments and Agencies of Government could now be monitored with little or no interference.
The Director, Remita Payment Services Ltd, Aderemi Atanda, while reading the summary of the TSA collection record, maintained that 10, 20, and 50 per cent were shared among CBN, commercial banks, and Remitta respectively.
Collections, he noted, often vary, saying, “In 2015.
Nation
Nigeria Needs Community-Driven Police, Not State Police -Shekarau
Former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that the country needs to adopt community-driven police rather than establish state police.
Shekarau noted that it would be more effective in addressing the current security challenges in the country.
The former minister of education spoke in Akure at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) during the launch of a book titled ‘The Psychology of Growing Old: A Personal Experience for both Young and Old,’ written by Sehinde Arogbafa.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
“I’ve been an advocate of community policing. It is different from what is being paraded as state police. Community policing means community watch.
“There is hardly any community in Nigeria that does not have what we call the vigilante group. All we need to do is the government should organise them, the government should own is up, and the government should promulgate a law.
“If I may give you an example of Kano, I’m sure you must have had experience with the Hisbah Guards; that is community watch. We set up a committee of 12 elders in every ward to do the selection of 20 responsible and respected young men for the Hisbah Guards. And we recruited them and mandated that the local government take charge of them. We’re paying them allowances. And they know everybody in the community.
“Within one to two years in Kano State, ask anybody; we don’t have any vices, no drugs, nothing in all the communities because that is community watch.
“We have over 10,000 Hisbah Guards in Kano; I did not nominate a single one; not a single party leader nominated one. It was all the elders in the community. The government created a law; we didn’t leave it in a vacuum. The number one assignment of the Hisbah Guards was to support and complement the work of all the Nigerian armed forces and the police. And they were working with them peacefully.
“Ask anybody in Kano today, and they will tell you that people prefer to report their cases to the Hisbah Guards office rather than even the police stations or even going to court. What we need in Nigeria is community watch, not just when you ask a state to create 2000 to 3000 state police bombarded by party thugs, and you will find out that you are going back to the same intimidation. There will be abuses by political leaders.
“But if you allow the communities to select with the backing of the government, the government will pay them all their allowances, provide vehicles for them, and support them, and there is a chain of command from the state to the local governments, to the wards, and even to the villages.
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