Hi.
Some people argue that forcing ideologies on others is not right; that criticising other people for voting for or enabling policymakers we consider to be oppressive or harmful makes us similar to the people we’re condemning. “Everyone can’t have the same perception of what is right”, they say. “We’re all different”.
That may be true. But I do believe that sometimes, what is wrong just is. It’s odd to *know* that something is inherently terrible and “respect” decisions that enable such wrongness. They may be no right answers, but there are wrong ones. I hope you’re all aware of who the wrong answers are in Nigeria’s politics, and I hope your knowledge impacts your voting decisions.
*Monologue over. Let’s get into this week’s fresh hell*
In this edition:
Cash shortage vs fuel scarcity
Soldiers terrorised the university of Benin
Death by hanging
Wordcount: 1,110 words (approx. 4 min read)
Cash shortage
The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, announced that the validity of the old 200, 500 and 1,000 naira notes has been extended until February 10.
While you can no longer pay for things with the old notes from Feb 10, Emefiele says you have until Fed 17 to deposit and exchange your old cash for new ones at any bank in the country.
Emefiele said this new development at a meeting he finally had with the House of Reps after he postponed them for weeks — he only finally seemed to honour the invitation when they threatened to arrest him.
The CBN said the extension is "to allow for the collection of more and achieve more success in cash swap in our rural communities".
Emefiele added that CBN staff is "currently on mass mobilisation and monitoring". They are "collaborating with the EFCC and other Related Offences Commissions" to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
This would be good news if banks weren’t literally turning people away because they apparently don’t have any new cash to give.
The country's ATMs are mostly empty. The few ATMs that had the new notes had unusually long lines due to the scarcity. Many people ended up leaving empty-handed because the cash ran out before their turn.
According to Vanguard, banks that had notes would only dispense N50 notes and limited withdrawals to N10,000 per customer.
A bank official told Vanguard that CBN has instructed banks not to pay any customer more than N10,000.
Meanwhile, CBN has continued its nationwide campaign.
They claim there is "There is no limit to how much money customers can deposit between now and February 10. According to them, the CBN has suspended bank charges, so people should be cautious "For their economic activities, they should investigate other payment channels such as eNaira, POS, electronic transfer, USSD, internet banking, mobile operators, and agents."
Sanusi Nyashi, CBN Abuja Branch Controller, said that any commercial bank found not dispensing the new notes would be sanctioned,
He said CBN has directed all commercial banks to reintroduce Saturday banking to meet the high demand by Nigerians.
Nyashi stated that the CBN would “closely monitor” the policy's full implementation.
So who is now at fault? number 1 on my list is the universe for dropping me in this hell hole *PULLS HAIR*
Secret service and EFFC’s part in all this
The EFCC has apprehended some people in Abuja who were hoarding and trading with redesigned naira notes.
According to them, the suspects admitted in their statements that they were working with officials from Money Deposit Banks.
The anti-corruption commission also stated that it would expand its operations to major capital cities and commercial centres in order to apprehend all syndicates involved in illegal currency trading.
The Nigerian secret service (DSS), says they, too, have arrested some members of organised syndicates reselling the redesigned naira notes.
But what are the DSS and EFCC doing about the ridiculous amount of money being stolen from an unbelievable amount of people’s bank accounts in Nigeria every day? As far as I’ve heard, absolutely nothing.
Petrol scarcity is still a thing.
Insecurity
A group of people in military uniform believed to be Nigerian Soldiers terrorised the university of Benin on Friday morning. They injured students and security staff, and destroyed personal and school property.
Back story: On Thursday, videos surfaced of students at the University of Benin forcing soldiers out of their school. In it, people in the background are ranting about soldiers abusing their power
According to recounts, the soldiers showed up while students were standing in long queues at ATMs around the school, waiting to hopefully get cash out — as we established earlier, cash is scarce in Nigeria
The soldiers tried to force the students to let them cut in front, but some people in the queues refused to move, and the soldiers got aggressive. Beating up students, etc.
Campus security came to de-escalate the situation and the soldiers got aggressive with them, too.
Students eventually formed outnumbered and forced the soldiers out of the premises.
Reports say an unspecified number of yet-to-be-identified military officers from the S&T Barracks Ugbowo, in an act of terrorism, stormed the university on Friday morning for a revenge attack.
So far no deaths have been reported.
This is legal
A Port Harcourt High Court convicted and sentenced two former members of the defunct SARS to death by hanging.
They were members of the five-man SARS team that were arrested in 2015 for the deaths of Michael Akor and Michael Igwe, both of whom died while in their custody for allegedly stealing recharge cards.
Samuel Chigbu, Shedrack Ibibo, Magus Awuri, Ogoligo, and Olisa Emeka were the officers charged. Chigbu and Ogoligo died in custody at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
The trial judge, Justice Margaret Opara, found Shedrack Ibibo and Magus Awuri guilty of conspiracy to murder and sentenced them to death, a thing we still do in Nigeria.
The state prosecution council expressed happiness after the judgement, saying that justice had been served.
This is the fourth death sentence I have heard of in the last month.
Road to elections: February 25th & March 11th
INEC has extended the deadline for the collection of PVCs to February 5 (tomorrow)
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has vowed to resist INEC's refusal to obey the Court of Appeal order to allow NNPP to replace the names of candidates no longer with the party with the names of new candidates before elections.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai says some elements in the presidential villa are secretly working against the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu
Other news
Nigeria’s new “Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill” to combat wildlife trafficking and protect highly endangered species has passed the first reading at the Federal House of Representatives - Vanguard
The Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) major partners are saying they will not renew their partnerships when they elapse. Their grouse is on what some described as the football house’s unprofessional attitude to corporate relationships - Guardian NG.
The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has vowed to prosecute a truck driver and its owner over an accident which claimed nine lives at Ojuelegba - Punch
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and other development partners have committed $30 billion to national compacts, which aim to achieve food sufficiency in the continent in the next five years - Guardian NG
The Adamawa State Police Command has said it has arrested five Cameroonians suspected to be involved in the attempt to kidnap one Emmanuel Ebel, a resident of Jambutu, Yola-North LGA - Punch
From the internet
Here is Yul Edochie’s interpretation of Peter Obi (& Margret Obi for some reason) in a skit/film/long-running lapse in judgement.
😑