🗞️ New year, same old 💩
The first episode of the year! Thanks for reading, thanks for sharing. If you find it useful, consider supporting.
In this edition:
TB Joshua is/was an awful man (surprise surprise)
NAFDAC warns against contaminated medication circulating in America, Europe and possibly Africa
Degrees from Benin, Togo “invalid”?
Kidnappers break into homes
The CBN removed management of Union, Keystone, and Polaris Bank
This edition (a combo of last week's & this week’s news) is 2,200 words (approx. 8 mins read)
Unsafe
Kidnappers break into homes
On the night of the 2nd of January, kidnappers in Abuja abducted Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar and his six children from their home and demanded a ransom of N60 million.
The kidnappers later released the father so that he can source the ransom.
While the family was making efforts to raise the sum of N60 million ransom to free the girls, also an appeal was launched on social media for donations towards paying the ransom.
Tragically, it was reported yesterday that Nabeelah, one of the girls in the kidnappers' custody, was killed. The family has been given until Wednesday this week to pay the ransom.
The exact number of Nigerians held by gunmen, kidnappers, and other armed groups is unknown. There have been instances of severe abuse, including the vicious rape of abducted women and girls, including school children, while in captivity.
There have been multiple incidents of kidnappers breaking into homes, often sawing through burglary-proof windows to abduct victims. The perpetrators demand exorbitant amounts, forcing families to negotiate with the kidnappers to secure the release of their loved ones.
Despite the gravity of the situation, there has been no public statement from the president regarding the ongoing crisis. The lack of official response raises concerns about the government's commitment to addressing the alarming increase in kidnappings and ensuring the safety of its citizens.
TB Joshua
The BBC has uncovered evidence of widespread abuse and torture by TB Joshua, the late founder of one of the world's largest Christian evangelical churches, the Synagogue Church of All Nations. The allegations include rape, forced abortions, physical violence, and fake "miracle healings."
TB Joshua, who died in 2021, was a peculiar preacher with a global following.
thousands of former members, including five white British citizens, have come forward with their accounts spanning nearly 20 years. (one of the witnesses in the documentary series said TB Joshua vowed to do to his British “disciples” what the British empire did to Africans)
The church denies the allegations, and some victims claim they reported the abuse to authorities, but no action was taken.
The investigation sheds light on what went on behind his leadership, with victims comparing their experiences to being in a cult. The church continues to operate under the leadership of TB Joshua's wife, Evelyn.
His daughter Ajoke, who confronted TB Joshua, was locked in cages, beaten and subjected to horrific treatment. He told his congregation that she had an “evil spirit”
Honestly, it is a lot of information, you can watch the series here and read the BBC’s summary here
An appeal was launched on social media to help Ajoke start a new life outside the cult.
Finance
Getting ready to spend, spend, spend
The National Assembly has approved the budget for the 2024 fiscal year, increasing it from the initial N27.5 trillion proposed by President Bola Tinubu to N28.7 trillion, indicating a significant rise of over N1.2 trillion - Vanguard
The budget passage followed the Senate Committee Appropriations report, presented by Chairman Olamilekan Adeola.
Tinubu had initially presented the budget on November 29, 2023, terming it the "budget of renewed hope." The second reading of the budget occurred on December 1, 2023, after a substantial debate on its general principles.
The breakdown of the approved 2024 budget includes:
Statutory transfers (determined by law) of N1,742.786,788,150
N125 billion for the National Assembly;
N110 billion for the Judiciary;
N37.83 billion for the North East Development Commission (NEDC);
N44.5 billion for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF);
N111.79 billion for the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC); and
N80.88 billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which is now supervised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
Debt service of N8,270,960,606,831,
Non-debt recurrent expenditure of N8,768,513,380,852,
Capital expenditure of N9,995,143,298,28
The Senate also raised the exchange rate from N750 to N800 per dollar, while maintaining other economic parameters such as a daily oil production of 1.78mbpd, a US$77.96 oil benchmark price, and a GDP growth rate of 3.88%, in line with the executive's proposal.
Meanwhile, Tinubu has approved three airlines to serve as exclusive carriers for the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage
The approved airlines are Air Peace Ltd., FlyNas, and Max Air.
Additionally, three air cargo companies—Cargo Zeal Technologies Ltd., Nahco Aviance, and Qualla Investment Ltd.—have been authorised to airfreight pilgrims' excess luggage. In this economy
The allocation of pilgrims to each airline is based on a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. The goal is to ensure a smooth and secure pilgrimage experience for Nigerian pilgrims.
Last year isn’t over yet
The National Bureau of Statistics in Nigeria revealed that in the third quarter of 2023, the country spent N2.7 trillion on importing fuel (premium motor spirit), diesel, and jet fuel.
In December 2023, NNPCL announced that the Port Harcourt refinery was now operational,
According to the report, the Port Harcourt Refineries comprise two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the new plant 150,000 bpd, both summing up to 210,000 bpd.
Dangote refinery has also begun production
Speaking of Dangote
EFCC raided the Dangote Group's headquarters in Lagos as part of an investigation into forex allocations in Nigeria.
The investigation intends to examine documents related to the allocation of foreign exchange to the Dangote Group over the last ten years.
The EFCC had reportedly written to 52 companies, including the Dangote Group, directing them to provide documents supporting the allocation and utilisation of foreign currencies over the past decade
The investigation is part of a broader look into Emefiele’s forex allocation activities while he was governor of the CBN (recall that Emefiele has been in and out of prison since Tinubu had him arrested for his mismanagement of CBN in 2023)
Forensic Audit Findings:
An EFCC audit of the CBN under Emefiele reportedly uncovered 593 bank accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom, and China where Nigerian funds were deposited without proper authorization.
Allegations include the unauthorised deposit of 543.4 million pounds in fixed deposit accounts and manipulation of the naira exchange rate, along with fraud in the e-Naira project.
EFCC raids Dangote
Most of the companies that received letters from the EFCC, including Dangote Group, complied with the request for documents.
However, in the case of the Dangote Group, the EFCC reportedly decided to raid the company’s headquarters regardless.
Critics argue that such tactics may discourage foreign investors from coming to Nigeria, particularly when dealing with prominent conglomerates like the Dangote Group.
What’s the CBN doing under its new management?
The CBN has removed the boards and managements of Union Bank, Keystone Bank, and Polaris Bank due to allegations of corporate governance violations and non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
The action follows a report by the Special Investigator on the CBN, Jim Obazee.
If you have money in any of these banks, the central bank says your funds are safe
Good(?) news?
The World Bank estimates that Nigeria’s economy will grow by 3.3% in 2024.
The report notes that Nigeria, along with South Africa and Angola, collectively experienced improved growth, averaging 1.8% in 2023.
The positive outlook for Nigeria is attributed to “macro-fiscal” reforms by the government, with key sectors like agriculture, construction, services, and trade driving the growth. The report also predicts a “return to pre-pandemic per capita income levels” by 2025.
Additionally, inflation is expected to ease as the impact of exchange rate reforms and the removal of fuel subsidies take effect.
Let’s see how this goes
The gorgeous ladies of fraud 😭
Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Poverty Alleviation, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, and her successor Betta Edu have both been apprehended for alleged misappropriation of funds.
Sadiya Umar-Farouq is being questioned by EFCC regarding alleged corruption in the handling of N37.1 billion in social intervention funds during her tenure.
Betta Edu was also suspended over the approval of payments, including the transfer of N585.2 million into the private bank account of an unnamed civil servant, who is the accountant in charge of “grants for Vulnerable Nigerians”.
The president has directed the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a thorough investigation into the financial transactions of the ministry.
A panel led by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance has also been tasked with conducting a comprehensive diagnostic of the financial architecture of social investment programs.
The aim is to reform relevant institutions and programs to eliminate institutional frailties and regain public confidence.
The leaked memo revealing the payment into a private account has sparked controversy, with the minister asserting its legality, while financial regulations indicate otherwise.
Concerning the same case — that is, embezzling funds allocated to vulnerable people. The then National Coordinator and CEO of the National Social Investment Program Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, was suspended in December 2023 for allegedly signing off N44 billion from the government account in five days between 27th and 31st December 2023.
The EFCC recently recovered N39.8 billion out of N44.8 billion allegedly embezzled.
Sadiya Umar-Farouq has denied her alleged involvement in the fraud cycle
Speaking of… Nigeria’s “public property repairs” (roads, pipelines etc) are racking up upwards of N132 billion yearly… but we won’t hear what’s going on behind this one because [fill in the gap].
Human trafficking
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) reports that In 2023, they rescued 470 victims of human trafficking in Katsina.
The commander of NAPTIP in Katsina, Musa Aliyu, mentioned that the command convicted four human traffickers.
They conducted sensitization programs with the local government and provided medical treatment to over 80 trafficking victims in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration on Policy Development (ICMPD).
The medical outreach aimed to help those who suffered trauma and sexual exploitation.
“No gree for anybody” 💀
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Gowon Estate Division in Lagos was dismissed from his position because he reportedly detained a lawyer, Olumide Sonupe, who was trying to secure bail for his client.
The Commissioner of Police for Lagos State ordered the removal after investigating the allegations. The unnamed DPO, according to the commissioner, will be subject to further “review by higher authorities”.
The lawyer was hospitalised after being detained at Moshalashi Police Station in Alimosho.
Army vs the governor
The Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, has announced the arrest of a soldier who criticised Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos in a viral video.
The incident began when Sanwo-Olu ordered the arrest of a soldier and motorcyclists for traffic violations.
The soldier in the video argued that officers are not under the control of state governors but take orders from their commandants. He also insulted Sanwo-olu’s leadership, and lowkey threatened him
Lagbaja stated that the arrested soldier's actions do not represent the values of the Nigerian Army and emphasised the importance of discipline.
He assured that the soldier had been apprehended and an investigation was underway.
Lagbaja also mentioned that troops will be educated on upholding laws in the communities they serve.
Schools
There are 20 million out-of-school children across Nigeria. Here’s why
In Nigeria, there are over 20 million out-of-school children across the country. To combat this issue, the federal government created the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund. A N68.73 billion grant meant to boost primary education in 2023.
Despite the federal government's allocation of funds, 29 out of Nigeria’s 36 states have not utilised these resources, resulting in a decline in the quality of basic education and a large number of out-of-school children. - Leadership
The funds were not dispersed because the state governments didn't pull their weight. As the agreement in the UBEC Act 2004 states, “For any state to qualify for the Federal Government block grant, such state shall contribute not less than 50% of the total cost of projects as its commitment in the execution of the project”
Only seven states received about N10.6 billion as matching funds.
The funds were designed to upgrade facilities, provide basic needs in primary schools, and enhance teacher training
The Nigeria Governors' Forum has called for a review of the UBEC Act to ease access to funds, while stakeholders emphasise the need for states to fulfil their commitments to education development.
Degrees from Benin, Togo “invalid”?
The Nigerian government has stopped recognizing and accrediting degree certificates from universities in Benin Republic and Togo.
This decision comes following a report by digital publication, “Daily Nigerian” revelation that a university in Cotonou issued a degree certificate to an undercover journalist in just six weeks.
The government is concerned that some Nigerians use dishonest methods to obtain degrees, aiming to secure jobs they are not qualified for.
The suspension will continue until investigations by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Nigeria, along with the two countries involved, are complete.
The Federal Government also plans to expand its crackdown beyond Benin Republic and Togo to other African countries like Uganda, Kenya, and Niger Republic to combat the proliferation of fake university degrees.
NAFDAC warns against contaminated cough medication
NAFDAC has warned the public about five contaminated syrups circulating in America, Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and the Western Pacific.
The contaminated syrups, named ALERGO Syrup, EMIDONE Suspension, MUCORID Syrup, ULCOFIN Suspension, and ZINCELL Syrup, were found to contain high levels of harmful substances, diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
The director-general of NAFDAC emphasised the toxicity of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, warning that consumption can lead to severe health issues and even death. The contaminated products are considered unsafe, particularly for children, and may have been distributed to several countries, including Nigeria.
Lassa fever
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported a significant increase in Lassa Fever cases during the 51st week of 2023.
The number of confirmed cases rose from 10 in the previous week to 26, with cases identified in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, and Plateau States.
Throughout 2023, Lassa Fever cases were reported in 28 states across 121 Local Government Areas, with Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi States being the most affected.
The report highlighted challenges in combating the disease, including late presentation of cases, poor health-seeking behaviour due to high treatment costs, and environmental sanitation issues.
Other News
Ogun community protests alleged forced acquisition of land by foreign companies - Daily Post
The Nasarawa State government says it plans to conduct an election for chairmen and councillors of the 13 local government councils in the state on Aug. 31 - Daily Post
The National President of Ekid People’s Union (EPU), Dr Samuel Udonsak, has said BUA International Limited is occupying its land illegally, just as the mining of Ilmenite without its consent is illegal - Guardian.ng
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has responded to 6,1,461 incidents in 2023 - Guardian.ng
he Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy, has called for an end to harmful traditional practices such as breast ironing, which reports indicate is still prevalent across the country and in communities in Abuja- The Cable
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