Category: North Central

Forex Crisis Forces Bureau de Change Closure in Abuja

In response to the escalating foreign exchange crisis in Nigeria, Bureau de Change operators have taken a drastic step by announcing the indefinite closure of their offices in Abuja starting from February 1, 2024.

Abdullahi Dauran, the Chairman of BDC operators in Abuja, cited the scarcity of dollars as the primary reason behind this decision.

Dauran emphasized that the increasing demand for dollars, fueled by online business transactions and cryptocurrency activities, has intensified the scarcity, leaving Bureau de Change operators with no choice but to shut down.

Aminu Gwadabe, the president of the Association of Bureaux de Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), acknowledged the development but provided no clear response, stating, “I saw it online, too.”

Recent data from FMDQ on Thursday revealed a marginal appreciation of the Naira to N1,455.59 per US dollar from N1,482.57 on Wednesday.

However, the Naira’s depreciation worsened earlier in the week, reaching N1,482.57 per US dollar at the official market, surpassing the N1,470 quoted at the parallel market.

Despite efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria, including injecting over $500 million to clear the forex backlog and other interventions, the Naira continues to struggle against the dollar.

In an attempt to address the ongoing decline, the CBN released fresh guidelines on Wednesday, targeting commercial banks and urging them to refrain from foreign currency speculation and hoarding.

February 1, 2024
Benue APC Chairman Suspended

The Benue State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Augustine Agada, has been suspended by the party’s leadership in Ehaje Ward 1 in Owukpa, Ogbadibo Local Government Area of the state.

Agada and a ward member of the party were both passed votes of no confidence, effective immediately.

The decision, made following the consideration of a petition by Comrade Dan Onjeh, the party’s 2023 Senatorial Candidate, accuses Agada of engaging in anti-party activities during the recent general elections.

Citing provisions from the APC Constitution, the ward leadership listed seven grounds for Agada’s suspension. These included his failure to appear before the Ward Disciplinary Committee to address allegations, compelling evidence of working against the party’s interests, campaigning for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Sen. Abba Moro, and losing his polling unit in key elections.

The Ehaje Ward 1 leadership also alleged Agada withheld funds provided by the APC at the national level for logistics and election day activities. Additionally, Agada faces accusations of tampering with the list of APC election agents to undermine the party at the polls.

The suspension, based on irrefutable evidence presented in the petition, was endorsed by the Ward Disciplinary Committee and subsequently discussed by the APC Ehaje Ward 1 Expanded Exco. The expanded Exco, invoking Article 17 sub-sections V and Vi of the party constitution, passed a vote of no confidence on Agada, suspended him immediately, urged relevant party organs to acknowledge the decision, and advised Agada to refrain from presenting himself as a party member or holding the position of Benue State Party Chairman.

January 31, 2024
Kogi Governor Usman Ododo Speaks On Creating “Office Of The Immediate Past Governor”

The government of Kogi State has swiftly dismissed a piece of fake news making the rounds on some social media platforms insinuating that the Governor Usman Ododo has created an office for Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of the state.

According to the press release signed by
Oladele John NIHI, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ododo, the story is nothing but a “concoction of psychotic mischief makers”.

The statement reads in full:

“The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to a mischievous report that the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has approved the establishment of the “Office of the Immediate Past Governor” to be domiciled in the Government House.

“The fake news should be disregarded as the handiwork of psychotic mischief makers, who have been thrown into confusion by the unprecedented achievements of our former Governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, CON, and the realisation that the good people of Kogi State sincerely appreciate this.

“The laughable report was concocted to create disaffection and mislead the public but the authors failed woefully to confuse intelligent Nigerians.

“We thank the media for exercising restraint and detecting, on their own, that the report was fake.

“We, however, urge the general public to always fact-check before spreading fake news.”

January 30, 2024
Peter Obi Visits Family Of Nabeeha Who Was Killed By Kidnappers

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has visited the family of late Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a young Nigerian lady who was kidnapped and later killed by her abductors.

Speaking during the visit on Tuesday, Obi said he visited the family to commiserate with them on the loss of their loved one and called on the government to see to it that criminality in Nigeria is contained.

He said it is traumatic for any parent to lose a child and again stressed the need for the security agencies and the government to be alive to their responsibilities.

Nabeeha was one of the victims kidnapped in a series of abductions that took place in the Sagwari Estate Layout in the Dutsen-Alhaji area of the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

In a tragic incident that shook the community, about 19 abductees were taken by bandits, with the kidnappers demanding a colossal ransom of N700 million for nine victims.

Among those kidnapped was Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level Biological Science student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Four hostages, including Nabeeha, were killed by the kidnappers. Nabeeha was abducted with six other siblings, along with their father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, from their home at Zuma 1, on the outskirts of Bwari town in Abuja, on January 2.

January 30, 2024
Police React to Abuja explosion

The FCT Police Command has reacted to reports of an explosion in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory.

In a series of tweets via X on Wednesday, some residents attributed the incident to bomb.

But the FCT police command in a statement by its Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the incident was as a result of an overheated metal refuse bin.

“The FCT Police Command hereby wishes to update the public on an alleged explosion on 24/01/2024 at about 1145 hrs, near a refuse dump outside the Bureau of Public Enterprise premises in Maitama, Abuja.”

“A rapid response team and members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit was deployed to assess the situation and preliminary findings indicate than an overheated metal refuse container activated under intense heat, exploded, thereby causing injury to two of the refuse evacuator, who are currently receiving medical attention in Maitama General Hospital.

“The FCT Police Command urges members of the public to exercise caution and refrain from using metal refuse bins. Instead, we recommend the use of plastic or rubber containers for waste disposal, as they pose a reduced risk of incidents related to overheated metal refuse containers,” the statement said.

January 25, 2024
Nasarawa Governor Speaks On Contesting Presidency In 2027

Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has confirmed that he has no aspirations beyond his current role after securing a second term following the Supreme Court’s affirmation of his electoral win.

The 64-year-old leader expressed satisfaction with the resolution of the election litigation, emphasizing his commitment to his gubernatorial responsibilities.

Sule, elected in 2019, assured his rival, David Ombugadu, that he harbours no ambitions for higher political positions.
“I came in only to be a governor. I did not come in to be a chairman, a senator or a member of the House of Representatives. I don’t have any dreams for those offices,” he stated.

“I have no dream of becoming even president. I have no dreams of that. I can tell you categorically that Abdullahi Sule would not go for Senate after leaving office. By the time I finish my eight years I can do whatever I want to do.

“You can take it from me confidently that I have no intention to run for the office of a senator. You can keep this tape and play it one day.”

He also expressed his joy that the election litigation is over.

January 21, 2024
“Your protests won’t change anything” — Nasarawa Gov reacts to Supreme Court Judgment

The Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that protests against his victory at the Supreme Court will not change anything.

The governor said that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and final court in the country, adding that those who appreciate democracy should accept its verdict in good faith.

Governor Sule said this during a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House on Friday.

The governor was accompanied by the immediate past national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Tanko Almakura.

His words: “Nasarawa is a state where we had over 600,000 votes, and we won with over 340,000 votes, so you will know that over 200,000 people did not vote for us. So if out of these 200,000 people who did not vote for us and other sets of 1,000 people are protesting somewhere, then you will know because it’s a day that not everybody will be happy.

“In every state where the Supreme Court passed judgment in every one of these states, you will find some people happy and some other people not happy.

“But I think people who understand what democracy is all about will understand that the Supreme Court is the ultimate and is the final, and those who appreciate or respect democracy should leave it right there because protests or no protest will not change anything; the Supreme Court has already passed its judgement.

“So in our case, when we lost at the tribunal, we told everybody that nobody should protest, and that’s why nobody protested, but that is the level of maturity that you will see from one political party or the other.

“We are a very mature political party; we’re the ruling party in the country; we’re the ruling party in the state; and we’re showing a good example, so that’s why we will not protest.”

January 20, 2024
Abuja Kidnappers: We Have Arrested Informants– Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that informants working for the kidnappers in the nation’s capital have been apprehended.

The Minister shared the news during a town hall meeting with stakeholders and residents in Gwagwalada Area Council of the FCT on Friday.

According to him, the end has come for kidnappers, bandits and their informants in the FCT.

Wike said, “The President has asked me to assure you that he will not abandon you. So, all these criminals, be ready. Your time is up. If I say I will do something, I will do it. And now that I am here today, if you know you are an informant or even one of the criminals, the end has come for you. Security agencies and I will follow up so you won’t enter Gwagwalada again.

“Some of the people giving them information, we have arrested them. If they haven’t arrested you, it doesn’t mean we won’t arrest you tomorrow or even before we leave this place.”

The development is coming amidst the upsurge of kidnapping and insecurity, which has been plaguing communities in the FCT.

Tension has gripped most communities after kidnappers killed three of 10 abducted victims over the delay in the payment of over N700 million ransom.

January 19, 2024
Police Burst Identity of Abuja Notorious Kidnapper

The identity of the notorious Abuja kidnapper arrested by police operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command has been revealed.

In a statement on Friday, the FCT Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Josephine Adeh, said the name of the suspected kidnapper is Chinaza Phillip.

She said Philip was arrested on Thursday, January 18, 2024, for his involvement in the recent kidnappings and killings in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Adeh added that the suspect was handed over to the FCT Police Command on Friday and is currently in police custody.

The statement reads: “The FCT Police Command wishes to confirm the arrest of one Chinaza Phillip, a notorious Abuja kidnapper by police operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command on Thursday 18th January 2024.

“The suspect has been handed over to FCT police Command today being Friday 19th January, 2024, and currently in police custody.

“More details will be communicated soon….”

January 19, 2024
Nasarawa: Supreme Court Dismisses Appeal Seeking To Sack Gov Sule

A 5-man panel of the Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by David Ombugadu of the Peoples Democratic Party seeking to upturn the electoral victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.

Recall that the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared Sule as winner of the election with 347,209 votes to beat his closest challenger, Ombugadu, who polled 283,016 votes.

Not happy with the results declared by INEC, Ombugadu and his party, the PDP, filed a petition at the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to challenge the outcome of the polls.

On October 2, 2023, a 3-man panel of the election petition tribunal led by Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, in a split decision of two-to-one, declared Ombugadu, the validly elected governor of Nasarawa State.

However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja, affirmed the election of Abdullahi Sule as Nasarawa State governor, after overturning the earlier decision of the election petition tribunal that removed him from office.

Delivering judgement on the appeal filed by Sule, a three-member panel of the appeal court held that the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal was wrong to have declared David Ombugadu, as the winner of the 18 March election.

Not relenting, Ombugadu appealed at the apex court.

But in a lead judgment, Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun dismissed Ombugadu’s appeal for being ‘devoid of merit, vexatious and incompetent.

The panel unanimously held that all the sister appeals abide by the instant judgment.

More so, the panel ordered parties to bear their respective costs.

Recall that Governor Sule was initially declared the winner of the polls by INEC.

But Ombugadu challenged the election outcome at the tribunal, arguing that he won the majority of valid votes during the contest.

In a split decision of the tribunal on October 2, two members, forming the majority, declared Ombugadu the winner of the election, while the minority opinion of the only other member affirmed Sule’s victory.

Sule subsequently appealed against the majority decision of the tribunal, and won.

January 19, 2024