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Category: News

  • Gov Inuwa re-appoints Misilli as DG Press Affairs, SSG, others

    Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya has reappointed Ismaila Uba Misilli as the Director General, Press Affairs, Gombe State Government House.

    According to a statement signed by Barr. Balarabe Poloma, Permanent Secretary Government House, Gombe and made available to NIGERIAN ANCHOR, his appointment is for another four years.

    Misilli last year won the Best Media Officer Award, has shown great depth and professionalism in the discharge of his duties.

    Also appointed are: Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Secretary to the State Government (Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Dr. Mu’azu Shehu, Director-General (Research and Documentation).

    The appointments are with effect from 1st June, 2023.

  • Data Protection Act: Commission, stakeholders applaud Tinubu

    The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), formerly Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB), has commended President Bola Tinubu on the signing of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

    The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, provides a legal framework for the protection of personal information and the practice of data protection in Nigeria.

    Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner, NDPC, made the commendation at the NDPB’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) validation workshop on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The Bill was introduced to the Senate and House of Representatives for consideration and passage on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, via a letter from former President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Now an Act, the new law establishes the NDPC and replaced the NDPB established by Buhari in February 2022.

    Olatunji said: “I am happy to announce that data protection ecosystem is really growing.

    “The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau is now a Commission by law. Nigeria now has its Data Protection Act signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 12.”

    He appreciated the efforts of the former administration of  Buhari who started the journey under the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami.

    The national commissioner stressed the need for effective partnership and stakeholder engagement especially in the areas of awareness and sensitisation.

    “We need to work together as government, private sector, academia, civil society groups.

    “We agree that Nigeria is well positioned to move data protection ahead in Africa, the whole of Africa is waiting for us,” he said.

    He disclosed that over 500,000 job opportunities had been identified in the data protection and privacy ecosystem which was in line with one of the campaign points of the current administration to create one million jobs in the digital economy sector in 12 months.

    Olatunji, however, buttressed the need to bridge the huge gap that existed in the data protection ecosystem that had the capacity to create wealth and millions of jobs for Nigerians and promote the digital economy.

    Mr Williams Ojo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a culture of trust and accountability in the digital sphere.

    “We can create an ecosystem that protects the rights of individuals while fostering a vibrant and innovative digital economy.

    “Together, let us embark on this validation workshop with a shared vision, a vision of a Nigeria where personal data is treated with the utmost respect, where individuals have control over their own information, and where innovation thrives in an environment of trust,” he said.

    Mr Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said data was the currency of digital economy, urging the meeting to look at the key principles for data protection.

    “We need to prioritise freedom and rights of our citizens, promote transparency, accountability and foster an enabling environment for innovation and economic growth.

    “We can only create jobs when we are innovative and look at how we can create prosperity in our country,” he said.

    Dr Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, the Chairman, Committee on the Action Plan, said the roadmap was intended to help identify some of the things needed to build the ecosystem.

    Ajijola emphasised the need for more awareness and sensitisation to build a robust, inclusive and viable data protection and privacy ecosystem.

  • Alleged Abuse of Office: Tinubu suspends EFCC Chairman, Bawa

    Barely five days after he suspended the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, President Bola Tinubu has yet again indefinitely suspended the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

    According to a statement by the Director of Information at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Willie Bassey, the action follows “weighty” allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

    “Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation,” the statement said.

    Earlier in the day, the EFCC chairman was at the State House for a meeting with the President where the decision to suspend him may have been taken.

    See the full statement below:

    OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION

    14th June, 2023

    PRESS RELEASE
    PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU SUSPENDS BAWA INDEFINITELY FROM OFFICE AS CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the indefinite suspension from office of Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

    2. This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

    3. Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation.

    Willie Bassey
    Director, Information

  • Nigeria, India partner to block illicit drug flow

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Narcotics Control Bureau of India have agreed to collaborate to block the traffic of illicit drugs between Nigeria and India.

    The Director Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that the two agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said the Chairman of NDLEA, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, who signed the MoU on behalf of the agency, said the move represented a robust partnership in efforts to exterminate incidences of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking in the two countries.

    He said, “this bold step taken by the two agencies is an affirmation of our foresight and commitment to the task of ensuring the safety of our citizens and the global community at large.”

    According to him, the MOU constitutes a fundamental step towards positioning the two countries, India and Nigeria, at the forefront of confronting and dismantling transnational drug trafficking networks.

    “This is with brazen capabilities of outmaneuvering legitimate drug law enforcement.

    “With our understanding of the changing dynamics of the illicit drug problems, locally and globally, every major organisation around the world is working assiduously to curb the menace.

    “They also know that working with partners greatly helps in addressing the trafficking and abuse of narcotic and psychotropic substances,” he said.

    Marwa said the governments of both countries remained committed to eradicating the problem posed by illicit substances, notably synthetic opioids and Amphetamine Type Stimulants (ATS) which posed a potent threat to our citizens.

    He acknowledged the courage exhibited by the two agencies in the course of past meetings that culminated in the MoU.

    The NDLEA boss stressed that the partnership would impact greatly on efforts to prevent illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, precursor chemicals and related matters between the two countries.

    The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria and Head of the Indian delegation, Ambassador Shri Balasubramanian, signed on behalf of his country.

    Balasubramanian said the negative impact of drugs on global financial and political systems was enormous, and that proceeds of drug trafficking were often directed towards terrorism financing.

    The Indian high commissioner observed that drug trafficking did not only affect the health of the individual that consumed it but equally the economy of the country as well as national security.

    He advised that both countries should take advantage of their similar demographic advantage to address substance use problems.

    He added that the liberal trade relations and educational advantages enjoyed by both countries had been negatively applied to further criminal drug trade.

    “I urge that all hands must be on deck to ensure that merchants of death do not succeed in their evil trade,” he said.

    Balasubramanian pledged the commitment of the Indian government to ensure the enforcement of the provisions of the MoU. 

  • Senate adjourns plenary until July 4

    Following the adoption of a motion by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jubril (APC) Kano, the Senate on Wednesday, adjourned plenary until July 4.

    The Senate earlier approved a motion informing President Bola Tinubu that a quorum of the 10th Senate had been assembled and that the Presiding Officers had been elected.

    It also adopted a motion to write letters of congratulatory messages to the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives on their election.

    The letters will also notify them of the election of the President and Deputy President of the Senate.

    It also at plenary adopted a motion to write to international parliamentary bodies informing them that a quorum of the 10th Senate had been assembled and that the Senate was ready to receive communication.

    The bodies included the African Union (AU), ECOWAS Parliament, Common Wealth Parliamentary Association (CWPA),Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) among others.

  • Consumer shopping, hospitality, boost UK economy

    The UK economy bounced back in April after it was boosted by stronger consumer spending in shopping and hospitality.

    UK gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.2 percent for the month after a 0.3 percent fall in March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed.

    The latest figure was in line with forecasts for the month from economists.

    ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said: “GDP bounced back after a weak March.

    “Bars and pubs had a comparatively strong April, while car sales rebounded and education partially recovered from the effect of the previous month’s strikes.

    “These were partially offset by falls in health, which was affected by the junior doctors’ strikes, along with falls in computer manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceuticals industry.

    “House-builders and estate agents also had a poor month.”

  • Nigerian Navy to unveil 7 additional navigational charts

    The Nigerian Navy is set to unveil seven additional navigational charts as part of activities to mark the 2023 World Hydrography Day.

    The Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy), Rear Adm. Seidu Garba, made this known at a news conference to mark the 2023 World Hydrography Day celebration on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Garba said the newly produced Navigational charts by the Nigerian Navy linking Ondo to Lagos State through River Alape, would be unveiled on June 21.

    He said the new charts in addition to the earlier 20 produced for the lower-Niger River would bring the number to 27.

    According to him, the Nigerian navy has the most sophisticated hydrographic survey vessel in the whole of Africa.

    He said that the vessel, NNS LANA, which came into the country in 2021, is being used extensively to do chart the nation’s coastal areas and inland waterways.

    Garba said the theme of the day which is “Hydrography – Underpinning the Digital Twin of the Ocean”, would focus on the application of hydrographic datasets for sustainable management and use of the ocean.

    According to him, digital twin of the ocean is a near real-time future digital representation of the physical, chemical, biological, and socio-economical dimensions of the ocean, to facilitate well-informed decisions for effective ocean governance.

    He said the ocean was everything to man, adding that it sustains life, and provides food, energy, recreation, and jobs.

    Garba however observed that marine litter, indiscriminate marine resource exploitation, and inadequate tools for ocean management were threatening the sustainable use of the ocean in Nigeria.

    “Therefore, developing the digital twin of Nigeria’s waters in particular, and the entire Gulf of Guinea in general will provide the needed interface between policymakers, coastal communities, maritime security agencies, researchers, marine exploration and exploitation companies, as well as other maritime users.

    “This will foster the right action for sustainable ocean governance and uses in Nigeria.

    “Development of digital twin of the ocean requires the integration of a wide range of real-time and historic data sources like ocean observatory data, static data from geology and human activities, as well as hydrographic datasets.

    “Currently, there are several historic and real-time datasets domiciled in many Ministries, Departments, and Agencies of Nigerian Governments, as well as private oil companies, that could be integrated into the digital twin of the ocean for Nigeria,” he said.

    The naval chief said that conversations during the 2023 celebration in Nigeria would awaken collective consciousness towards pooling marine datasets together to develop an infrastructure that would serve the collective good of all stakeholders for sustainable ocean development.

    Garba said the event would include awareness lectures aimed at arousing the interest of young minds to consider picking up a career in hydrography.

    This, according to him, is to raise enough human capacity to provide quality hydrographic services to Nigeria’s policymakers and mariners.

    On his part, Hydrographer of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Adm. Chukwuemeka Okafor, said that the navy had done a lot in the area of hydrographic survey in Nigeria.

    According to him, there are over 3000 creeks and a coastal area of about 420 nautical miles already surveyed in the country.

    Okafor said that survey was a continuous process, adding that the navy had not surveyed up to half of Nigeria’s waters because of its vastness.

    He said that about 20 charts have been made covering River Niger from Lokoja to the Atlantic Ocean through River Ramos and Forcados River.

    Okafor said that while additional seven charts would be unveiled in coming days, the surveying of Uguta Lake through Orassi River down to the Atlantic Ocean, up to Sombrero River and New Calaba River had reached 95 per cent.

    According to him, the survey team will soon round that up and the charting team will commence the production of that chart.

    “That axis will also be open and most states will be able to have access to the sea when that is completed, and the navy will also be able to deploy its capital ships to provide maritime security along that axis,” he said.

    Okafor said that the navy was expecting delivery of an additional survey vessel that would be deployed to cover more grounds.

    He said World Hydrography Day was meant to sensitise more people to what hydrography is and the values it brings to every nation.

  • 10th Senate: Run an all-inclusive NASS, ACF tells Akpabio

    The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has advised the new President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to run an all-inclusive National Assembly, even as it congratulated him on his emergence as the Senate President.


    A member of the ACF, Alhaji Musa Saidu, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    According to him, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State should learn a lesson from the rigours of the election campaign and carry everyone along in his administration of the Senate.


    “We wish to congratulate Senator Godswill Akpabio on his election as the new Senate President, we wish him well as he settles down in his new job.


    “However, Akpabio should take a lesson from his election by ensuring inclusiveness in running the affairs of the national assembly.


    “Akpabio should always remember that he has been elected as the Nigerian Senate President and not a Senate President for a particular part of the country.


    “It is imperative to say that we were not too happy with the manner he ran the affairs of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in terms of inclusiveness, when he was the minister, ” he said.


    Saidu, also the leader of the Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria, cautioned against victimising Sen. Abdulaziz Yari, who contested the Senate Presidency with Akpabio.


    “As far as we are concerned, Yari is a hero, in spite of losing the Senate Presidency, securing 46 votes in the election meant that he was a force to reckon with.


    “In fact, Yari was not disgraced as he lost the election honourably.


    “As I have said before, the North deserves the position of Senate President, because of its massive votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 General Election.


    “But since it is the will of God that Akpabio will be the Senate President, we have nothing to say,” he said.

  • Global displaced persons hit record record 110m — UN

    The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) on Wednesday said the number of people forcibly displaced around the world has climbed to a record 110 million.

    UNHCR said conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan spurred millions of people to flee their homes.

    In a new report, the agency said the increase of around 19 million people to 108.4 million by the end of 2022 was the biggest annual jump on record.

    The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi told journalists that the number has since risen further to 110 million, mostly due to Sudan’s eight-week-old conflict.

    “Solutions to these movements are increasingly difficult to even imagine, to even put on the table.

    “We are in a very polarised world, where international tensions play out all the way into humanitarian issues.”

    For the two decades before the Syria conflict in 2011, the global level was roughly stable at about 40 million refugees and internally displaced people, the Forced Displacement report showed.

    However, they have risen each year since and have now more than doubled. More than one in every 74 people is now displaced, the report said.

    Grandi blamed “the usual package of causes” which he said were conflict, persecution, discrimination, violence and climate change.

    He said of the total refugees and those needing international protection, about half of them came from just three countries: Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan.

    Grandi raised concerns about tougher rules on admitting refugees and push-backs, without naming countries.

    “We see increasingly a reluctance on the part of states to fully adhere to the principles of the (1951 refugee) convention, even states that have signed it.”

    However, he was upbeat about some developments, namely a deal reached by EU ministers last week on sharing responsibility for migrants and refugees.

    “There are issues of some concern. By and large however, I think it’s a positive step,” he said. “We’re so happy that the Europeans agree on something.”

    He also praised Kenya which he said is looking for new solutions for the half million refugees it hosts, including many who have fled poverty and drought in the Horn of Africa. 

  • TotalEnergies discovers oil, gas offshore Nigeria

     TotalEnergies on Tuesday announced the discovery of Ntokon oil and gas on OML102 offshore Nigeria.

    According to a statement on its website, the company said the well is located in shallow waters, 60 km off the southeast coast of Nigeria.

    It said the Ntokon-1AX discovery well encountered 38 meters of net oil pay and 15 meters of net gas pay, while its side-track Ntokon-1G1 encountered 73 meters of net oil pay in well-developed and excellent quality reservoirs.

    Ntokon-1G1 tested successfully up to a maximum rate of about 5,000 barrels per day of 40° API oil, it said.

    Located 20 km from the Ofon field facilities on OML102, Ntokon will be developed through a tie-back to existing facilities.

    “The Ntokon discovery opens a promising outlook for a new tie-back development’’, said Nicolas Terraz, President, Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies.

    “After the start-up of production of the Ikike tie-back on OML99 in 2022, this new success in the area further demonstrates the potential of nearby exploration to create value within our low-cost, low-emission strategy.”

    OML 102 is operated by TotalEnergies EP Nigeria with a 40 per cent interest, alongside partner NNPC Ltd with the remaining 60 per cent.

    TotalEnergies is a multinational energy company operating in more than 130 countries. For over 50 years, the company has operated in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.