FRES FM TOP NEWS THIS WEEK

The hottest and most trending news articles for this week in all categories are captured in one shot. Find articles ranging from News to Sports, to Politics, to Entertainment, to Economy, to Metro plus, and many other categories. See below the top news for the week:

NEWS

• Owo massacre: Ondo Amotekun nabs killers of worshippers, goes after sponsors

Commander of South-West security outfit, codenamed Amotekun, in Ondo State, Chief Àdetunji Adeleye, yesterday, boosted the campaign for state police, when he narrated how the outfit arrested some suspected killers of worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State. The Amotekun commander, who did not give details and identities of the suspects for security reasons, said the security outfit has been on the trail of sponsors of the killers.

Adeleye also did not give the number of the suspects arrested and did not parade them to the public. It will be recalled that over 40 worshippers were gruesomely murdered during a morning mass on June 5, 2022, while over 100 others were injured during the attack.
Days after the attack, the Federal Government had blamed the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, for the attack, with the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, saying it was orchestrated by international criminals. He noted that the attack had no ethnic or religious connection even as he affirmed that the group’s activity had nothing to do with real religion.

But Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, and governor Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu had faulted the Federal Government’s claim, saying it was speculative. Both Fayemi and Akeredolu insisted the Federal Government’s pronouncement was too hasty.

The state commander of Amotekun, Adetunji Adeleye, told journalists in Akure on Thursday that some suspects had been arrested in connection with the attack without giving further details about the number of suspects arrested and their current location. The Olowo of Owo kingdom, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye; the chairman of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Anselm Ologunwa; and the Director of Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Rev. Fr. Augustine Ikwu, have however said they were not aware of the arrest.

• Owo, Kaduna church attacks politically-motivated – Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday, described the recent attacks in Owo, Ondo State and parts of Kaduna State as “planned and politically motivated criminal outrages.” This was as it said it would not be distracted by such intrigues. In a statement signed on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the Presidency argued that the attacks are designed to set various regions of the country against one another.

The statement titled ‘Recent spate of church attacks unacceptable’ read, “From the tragedy in Owo two weeks ago that shook our nation to its core, to the killings and kidnappings just this weekend in Kaduna State, it is clear that there is a design by wicked people to put the country under religious stress. President Muhammadu Buhari believes that our religious freedom, our diversity, is what makes Nigeria great. It is this diversity that gives Nigeria its strength. That is why Nigeria’s enemies seek to destroy it, by putting us against one another.

“We will not let them. The nation will not be distracted or divided by these obviously planned and politically motivated criminal outrages. The perpetrators are cowards; weak and wicked men with guns murdering, in cold blood, unarmed women and children at their places of worship.” As for the cowards, they will be punished for their crimes. We will bring them to justice. Rest assured that the full might of Nigeria’s formidable security and intelligence forces are involved in that endeavour,” the statement added.

• Alleged organ trafficking: Ekweremadu, wife risk long jail term if convicted

The Specialist Crime Team of the Metropolitan Police in London has arrested a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice. They were arrested for alleged conspiracy to harvest the organs of a child, who is currently in protective custody. If convicted, the couple may get a maximum of life sentence or 12 months imprisonment or a fine or both on summary conviction under the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.

A statement by the Metropolitan Police said, “A woman and a man were charged today (Thursday) with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child into the UK to harvest organs.
“The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime team.
“[A] Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting. “[B] Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.”

The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022, the force said. It was gathered that the senator’s daughter needed an organ transplant. A source said, “One of his children needs an organ transplant. Probably, the arrangement was not tidy in the face of British laws.”

Newsen learnt that Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested on Tuesday at the Heathrow Airport in London en route to Istanbul in Turkey. They were arraigned before a UK Magistrate court on Thursday. According to the court proceedings, as reported by Arise TV monitored by one of our correspondents, Ekweremadu and Beatrice appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court.

• Court Stops INEC From Ending Voter Registration

The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from ending voter registration on 30 June 2022. Honourable Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon (Court 10) on Monday granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

SERAP and 185 concerned Nigerians had early this month filed the lawsuit against INEC asking the court to “declare unconstitutional, illegal, and incompatible with international standards the failure of the electoral body to extend the deadline for voter registration to allow eligible Nigerians to exercise their rights.”

In the suit, SERAP had asked the court for “an order restraining INEC, its agents, privies, assigns, or any other person(s) claiming through it from discontinuing the continuous voters’ registration exercise from the 30th June 2022 or any other date pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

SERAP is also asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel INEC to extend voter registration by a minimum of three months and take effective measures to ensure that eligible Nigerians are able to register to exercise their right to vote in the 2023 general elections.”

• Senate alerts military over terrorists’ hideouts in Kwara, Niger

The Senate, on Tuesday, raised an alert to the military over terrorists’ hideouts in communities within three local government areas of Kwara and Niger States. The upper chamber at the plenary urged the military to carry out a detailed onslaught of bandits and criminal elements within Kainji Lake National Park and the identified communities.

The names of communities given by the chamber include Kaiama, Karonzi-Yashikira in the Baruten local government area, and Wawa and Babanna areas in Niger State. These formed part of resolutions reached by the Senate after it considered a motion on the “worsening insecurity in Kainji Lake National Park and existential threat to communities in Kaima, Baruten and Borgu Local Government in Kwara and Niger States.”

• Forests across Nigeria taken over by terrorists — Akeredolu

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, yesterday, pleaded with the international community to help Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. He also raised alarm that forests across the country had been taken over by terrorists now terrorising Nigerians. Akeredolu spoke on a day President Muhammadu Buhari directed increased kinetic and non-kinetic efforts to trace and bring back the 51 or more kidnapped railway passengers still being held by terrorists.

This is even as families of the kidnapped victims yesterday, for the second time in a week, raised alarm that the freed victims were mentally unstable, sick, traumatized and hospitalized. The mediator between the Federal Government and the terrorists holding on to the train kidnapped victims, Tukur Mamu, had on Monday raised alarm that the remaining 51 victims who had become very sick and might die, if the government failed to act fast. Mamu is spokesman of popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi.

Akeredolu, who spoke while receiving members of the Council of All Saints Church, Jericho, Ibadan, who came on a condolence visit, called for international assistance to combat terrorism. The team was led by chairman of Council, Dr Onnuola Adewunmi.

• 85 days after, Buhari orders immediate rescue of Abuja-Kaduna train attack victims

Eighty-five days after passengers on the Abuja-Kaduna train were attacked, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security and intelligence agencies to secure their release.
Passengers travelling from Abuja to Kaduna by rail were attacked by gunmen who killed about eight persons with scores injured while over 60 others were kidnapped on March 28, 2022.

In a statement via his official Twitter handle, Buhari said all hostages still held by the terrorist must be rescued and returned to their families alive. He said, “I have directed our security and intelligence agencies to scale up and speed up efforts to secure the safe release of all the remaining abducted Abuja-Kaduna train passengers. My directive is very clear: All hostages must be brought home ALIVE, and as soon as possible.

Since their abduction, the terrorists have released some of the hostages including a pregnant woman and Sadiq Ango Abdullahi, the son of the Chairman of Northern Elders Forum, Prof Ango Abdullahi.

• Insecurity: We’re deploying robust IT systems to aid security agencies — NSA

The National Security Adviser to the President, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno, retd, said yesterday the federal government was employing Information Technology, IT systems to aid security agencies in tackling the challenge of insecurity in the country. The NSA, disclosed this at this year’s Cyber Secure Nigeria Conference organised by the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria, CSEAN with the theme “Cybersecurity: An imperative in tackling insecurity in Nigeria” holding in Abuja.

Monguno, who was represented on the occasion by Maj. Gen. Akesode Samad, said with the application of robust IT systems, a lot more could be achieved in this regards as IT will continue to play a critical role in aiding the success of law enforcement agencies across the globe. He said the Federal Government had made frantic efforts to implement the Cybercrimes Act 2015 with the establishment of ngCERT and National Digital Forensic Laboratory, among others, with a view to ensuring the safety and security of cyberspace as well as provide timely support to security and law enforcement agencies.

In a bid to harness the benefits of the digital revolution, while effectively combating the increasing risks of cyber threats, the NSA pointed out that the Federal Government had also reviewed Nigeria’s maiden National Cyber Security Policy, NCPS 2014 and formulated a comprehensive 2021 edition. This is in addition to enactment of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 by government as the legal framework to codify criminality in the cyberspace. According to him, the document presents the national roadmap for addressing the emerging threats in the cyber domain and enhancing progressive use of Nigeria’s cyberspace.

• Voter registration: Nigerians to receive PVCs January 2023 – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday announced that the Permanent Voter Cards of eligible voters who are just completing their registration may not be ready until January 2023. This was disclosed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Federal Capital Territory, Yahaya Bello, at a briefing in Abuja ahead of the Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert on Saturday. The Youth Vote Count Mega Music Concert is a joint event put together by INEC in collaboration with Yiaga Africa and the European Union.

Bello, who sounded a note of warning at the event on Tuesday, said “anybody just registering cannot immediately collect them until after the end of the whole exercise”. When asked if INEC will extend the deadline for registration, Bello declined to comment, saying he was just a REC. Reacting to the proposed extension, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekamni, said that it was not impossible because the INEC has a “very good history of complying with the court order”.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had issued an order stopping INEC from ending the ongoing voters’ registration. Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon, in the court’s ruling, granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion ex-parte by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.

• No Supreme Court justice without SUV, cars, CJN denies alleged poor welfare

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Tanko Mohammad, has denied allegations raised against him by Supreme Court Justices in a leaked memo. The justices of the apex court had in a joint petition accused the CJN of poor welfare among others. But the CJN in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant (Media), Ahuraka Isah, titled, ‘Re: State Of Affairs In The Supreme Court And Demand By Justices Of The Supreme Court’, denied the allegations. He explained the Supreme Court justices were provided with SUV vehicles, cars and accommodation.

On the allegation that there was no electricity in the courtrooms, the statement said, “The high cost of electricity tariff and diesel are national problem. The Chief Registrar might have budgeted for N300 per litre but diesel is now selling for over N700 per litre and therefore has to find a way around it without even bringing it to the attention of the CJN. But there is no way the generator would be put off if the Court is sitting.

He also debunked an allegation that the justices had no Internet to do their work, urging the public to disregard “adverse feelings” among the Justices of the Supreme Court, “The internet services have been restored to Justices’ residences and chambers, just as some allowances have been paid to them. The CJN held a meeting with his brother Justices last Thursday and another one is due to hold this week. The general public should be rest assured that there’s no hostility or adverse feelings amongst the Justices of the Supreme Court, as everyone is going about his normal duty,” he added.

In a leaked petition, 14 justices of the apex court accused the CJN of abandoning his responsibilities and diverting funds meant for the running of the Supreme Court. Among the issues raised by the justices are accommodation, vehicles, electricity tariff, supply of diesel, internet services to justices’ residences, training for justices and epileptic electricity supply to the court. They accused the CJN of receiving their demands without acting “after several persistent requests” to hold a meeting which was finally held on March 31, where a welfare committee was set up.

• Aregbesola reads the riot act to Immigration officers into passport racketeering

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday threatened to sanction without delay any Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) personnel involved in passport racketeering. He gave the warning in Benin City, Edo State when he launched the Enhanced e-Passport and the Commissioning of the Central Passport Production Centre which would serve Edo and Delta states.

Aregbesola said despite the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the NIS was able to produce about three million passports within the period adding that this year; the NIS has produced 625,000 passports out of the 750,000 applications it has received. He said there are 10, 000 e-passports available on the platform for applicants that would take at least five weeks before it would be exhausted hence the issue of scarcity would not be an excuse.

He added that the enhanced e-passport carries 25 additional security features and is rated to be among the best in the world in terms of durability and quality. On his part, the Acting Comptroller –General, NIS, Idris Jere, said the new passport format would come in three categories: 32 pages for five years, 64 pages for five and ten years at different costs.

Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki who accompanied the minister to the commissioning said the unveiling will bring relief to passport seekers and ease the application process as he promised to help the Service build its new passport office in Auchi to serve people from Edo North Senatorial district and its environs.

• Electoral Act: Reps’ move to override Buhari’s veto stalled

A move by the House of Representatives to override President Muhammadu Buhari on Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which seeks to provide for statutory delegates at the meetings, congresses and conventions of political parties, has suffered setback. The Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, had on Wednesday last week, called on members willing to move a motion for the chamber to override Buhari’s veto to do so anytime from last Thursday.

Two members of the Peoples Democratic Party – the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu and Ben Igbakpa – who failed to emerge as candidates in the recently concluded primaries, had protested on the floor of the House on Wednesday, last week.
On Tuesday, Igbakpa moved a motion, titled ‘Need to invoke Section 58(5) of the 1999 Constitution to pass again the Electoral Act, 2022,’ in which he recalled the events leading to the move to override the veto.

The lawmaker prayed the House to “invoke Section 58(5) of the 1999 Constitution, with respect to the bill for an Act to amend the Section 84(8) of the Electoral Act, 2022 thereof to allow statutory delegates to participate in political parties’ congress and convention.” He prayed the House to “communicate the position of the House of Representatives to the Senate for concurrence.” However, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, who presided over the session, faulted the procedure adopted by Igbakpa and stepped down the motion.

• Buhari nominates seven new ministers, three APC senators dump party

The Senate has received a list of seven ministerial nominees from President Muhammadu Buhari for screening and confirmation. The request was contained in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, and read on the floor at the start of plenary on Tuesday. Buhari, in the letter, explained that the request was in accordance with the provisions of Section 147 (2) of the Constitution.

The nominees are Henry Ikoh – Abia State; Umana Umana – Akwa Ibom State; Ekumankama Nkama – Ebonyi State; and Goodluck Opiah – Imo State. Others are Umar El-Yakub – Kano State; Ademola Adegoroye – Ondo State; and Odum Odi – Rivers State. It had earlier been reported that some ministerial positions have been vacant since some former ministers resigned their offices for their political ambitions.

• Reps demand review of public officers’ salaries, allowances

A motion seeking the intervention of the House of Representatives in the conflict between the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad, and Justices of the Supreme Court, over issues bordering on welfare and working conditions suffered a setback on Thursday. While the House called for a general review of salaries and allowances of all political office holders and public servants, the members were divided over which committees should handle the task.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Onofiok Luke, had moved a motion to seek the intervention of the chamber in the crisis rocking the apex court and better welfare package for judicial officers across the courts. Luke, who moved the motion titled, ‘Need to Address the Deteriorating Working Conditions of Judicial Officers,’ prayed the House to urge the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission to upwardly review the remuneration of judicial officers in line with present economic realities.

The lawmaker prayed the House to urge the Federal Government to increase the budgetary allocation of the judiciary for the upcoming fiscal year and provide special intervention funds for the development of the arm. He further prayed the House to mandate the Committee on Judiciary to ensure compliance and report back within six weeks for further legislative action.

While the lawmakers were making amendments to the prayers, the Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, called for an upward review of the welfare package of all public office holders. Wase, who stated that he appreciated the memo from the Justices to the CJN, noted that only the RMAFC had the responsibility to review remuneration of government officials.

• INEC debunks rumoured 21 voter registration centres in Niger Republic

The Independent National Electoral Commission has denied opening 21 voter registration units in the neighbouring Niger Republic. The development is coming in the wake of speculations on social media that the commission has taken the process of registering eligible voters beyond the shores of the country.

A certain Nche Nwabuike had posted on Facebook on Wednesday, alleging that INEC is operating some illegal registration centres outside Nigeria. He wrote, “There are officially 21 INEC voters’ registration centre units in Niger Republic. Since when did Nigeria’s constitution permit for election to be conducted on foreign soil. Why are the mainstream media houses in Nigeria silent about this? Are they also accomplices to this madness? Shame on investigative journalism in Nigeria.” Although Nnabuike’s page appeared to be a phoney account, his post nevertheless generated some form of heat on social media platforms.

When contacted on Thursday, a furious INEC national commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye, who initially vowed not to comment on the debate, subsequently described it as a figment of the social media user’s imagination.
“Let those who believe him go to Niger Republic and find out whether anything related to INEC polling unit or voter registration centres was set up. I don’t know why the mainstream media are giving listening ears to such rumour or misinformation. It is bad enough that social media has become the first source of call in terms of information,” he said. The INEC national commissioner added that there are certain rumours that Nigerians including the media practitioners should learn to dismiss with a wave of the hand.

POLITICS

• INEC Lists Conditions For Political Parties To Substitute Vice-Presidential Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday listed the conditions for political parties to substitute candidates whose names have been forwarded to the commission. For the electoral umpire, the law does not give any political party the right to replace a validly nominated candidate as it is the prerogative of the individual to be substituted.

This comes amid reports that some political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party, nominated their vice-presidential candidates as placeholders, pending the conclusion of talks for a substantive candidate to be picked.

While the former forwarded the name of Ibrahim Kabiru Masari as its vice-presidential candidate, the latter had nominated Doyin Okupe for the same position. Reacting to the development, INEC National Commissioner, Festus Okoye, said the electoral body would take a decision in accordance with the Electoral Act.

Okoye explained further, “There is a provision in the Electoral Act for withdrawal of candidates validly nominated and the law provides that a political party cannot substitute a candidate that has been validly nominated except in two instances; if the nominated candidate dies or if the nominated candidate withdraws from the race.

• APC Ticket: When I Was Almost Fed Up, I Resorted To Prayers – Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has recounted the struggle to emerge as the flagbearer of the ruling party in the 2023 general elections. Recalling that his victory at the party’s presidential primary did not come easy, he said he fought a hard battle to clinch the ticket. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, relived his experience on Sunday when he paid a visit to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, at his palace to receive royal blessings shortly after he returned to the state.

“There is no Lagos indigene that has had the opportunity to become President of Nigeria, despite the contribution of the state to the national stability and progress,” he was quoted as saying in a statement by Mr Gboyega Akosile, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State. The highest position attained by any Lagosian in national leadership is the position of Chief Judge of the Federation. I took up the fight to break this jinx. The battle to secure the APC ticket was hard. When I was almost fed up, I resorted to prayers. I also poured out my mind when I felt there was a gang up against my person. Thank God that I have brought home the presidential ticket.”

The APC presidential candidate added, “The task ahead is to galvanise our people to get their voter’s cards and vote to enable us realise this ambition. Getting our people to vote is the most important task before all of us. We need to take this message to our people across communities and sensitise them on the need to vote in the general elections.”

Akiolu, in his response, described Tinubu as his “stubborn son”, saying it was time for political leaders in South West to close ranks and work for the victory of Tinubu at the 2023 presidential election. He stressed that the massive support received by the APC chieftain across the country must be complemented by politicians in the region.

• Okotie begs Tinubu, Atiku to step down, wants to succeed Buhari

The Founder of Household of God Church, Reverend Chris Okotie, has asked political parties’ presidential candidates to step down for him in his bid to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari. This is as he also urged Buhari to hand over to him as Interim President in 2023, noting that he was the right person to right the wrongs in the country.

The cleric made the call on Sunday while addressing journalists at his Church, Oregun, Ikeja when celebrating his 63rd birthday anniversary. Explaining the rationale behind his request, Okotie noted that he had proposed to become the interim president because that was the “solution” for the country’s challenges. According to him, we are blessed as a nation with all human and natural resources yet we are not moving forward. “Through my government, everything will be alright”.

“I want to appeal to all presidential candidates to withdraw from the race and allow me to come in as the interim president. I want to implore Asiwaju to support my government for the betterment of the country and I also want to tell Obi that the system that introduced him cannot take him anywhere, because he cannot operate in the system we have now. All the presidential candidates should support me to succeed President Buhari as the interim president.

“We must also rise above tribe and religion because there is an imbalance in the country and we are not practising federalism instead, what we are practising is a presidential system of government. Since 1999, things have been declining because the presidential system of government we are practising has failed us. We must get rid of the National and State Assemblies because maintaining each member cost the country billions of naira. Some of the standing committees at both assemblies are not useful to the country, they are only representing themselves, not the populace.

• ‘Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum’: Obi Tells Nigerians To Take Back Country

Peter Obi has called on Nigerians to take back the country, claiming the nation’s political space has been taken over by those he described as “lunatics”. The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) believes many of those in the political space do not have business being there. “Seventy per cent of those who are in politics today should not have any reason to be near there. I have said it before and I will say it again. Politics in Nigeria is a case where lunatics took over the asylum. They must be out.” the former governor of Anambra State said on Sunday’s ‘Men of Valour’ conference organised by the Revival House of Glory International Church (RHOGIC), Abuja.

“You must replace that asylum with people who are competent. This is the only country where the worst is leading; the best should lead. I have served there; I am a trader and I started gradually and entered into politics.” According to him, some persons in leadership positions who loot public funds are not greedy but “sick”.

According to him, more competent people should take over governance as that is the only way to reposition the country just as he accused political parties of having no ideology. He, however, believes that “If we get more young people who have the competence and capacity to be there, they can start developing these things” he said. Obi dismissed claims that his party does not have the structure to challenge the two main parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

• Senate President Congratulates Oyebanji On Ekiti Election Victory

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has congratulated the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, on his victory in the Ekiti State governorship election. Lawan also commended the APC – both at the state and national levels – and the people of Ekiti on the peaceful and successful conduct of the poll, and for making the right choice during the election held on Saturday.

In a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Ola Awoniyi, he believes the outcome of the election further demonstrates the trust and confidence of Nigerians across the country in the ruling party. The Senate President said the smooth conduct of the election was an indication of what to expect in next year’s general elections, as democracy continues to grow firm roots in Nigeria under the APC Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also commended the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) for delivering a poll that has been adjudged as free, fair, transparent, and hitch-free. Lawan wished the governor-elect God’s guidance as he prepares for the onerous task of taking the state to a higher level.

• ‘We Are Waiting,’ Oyebanji’s Camp Dares Oni To Challenge Ekiti Poll Result

The Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO) Campaign Organisation has dared former governor Segun Oni to challenge the outcome of the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State. Mr Cyril Fasuyi, who is the Director-General of the organisation, stated this during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics a day after the poll held.
“There is nothing wrong, he is free to go anywhere. In court, there is this usual parlance that he who alleges must prove; so, we are waiting, they should bring out all the proofs they have against us.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Biodun Oyebanji, as the winner of the keenly contested election. Oyebanji polled 187,057 votes – over 100,000 votes more than that of his closest rival, Oni who scored 82,211 votes in the election. Mr Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came third in the poll with 67,457 votes.

A day after the APC flagbearer was returned elected, Oni who was governor between 2007 and 2010, through his media aide, Moses Jolayemi, rejected the outcome of the election, citing electoral malpractices allegedly by the ruling party. Jolayemi had also accused the APC of hiring hoodlums for vote-buying and snatching of ballot boxes – claims which the APC swiftly denied.

Reacting to the arrest of some persons by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of vote-buying, Fasuyi stated that the APC has no connection with the activities of the suspects. According to him, it could be a ploy by perceived opponents seeking to link the ruling party to a crime it has not committed.

• Ekiti election: Major parties wield money power, daze voters with cash, security agencies look the other way

Happenings in many polling centres in Ekiti State on Saturday corroborated stories as seen on the news and viral videos on social media across towns indicating that most voters in the state went for the highest bidders in the money inducement that went on with the electoral exercise. The candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Dr Wole Oluyede, who voted at Ikere Ekiti, said there was brazen vote-buying allegedly perpetrated by the All Progressives Congress in his community, saying, “The election on Saturday shows that we are not ready for democracy. The election did not reflect good governance and the wishes of the people.”

Similarly, the candidate of the Action Democratic Party, Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle, who voted at Odo Ayedun in the Ikole Local Government area, lamented vote inducement, which she said did not make the election credible. Also, the SDP candidate, Segun Oni, also alleged vote-buying but the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, exonerated himself and his party of vote-buying, saying Ekiti voters “freely voted for their preferred candidates and parties” in the peacefully conducted election. However, it was as if political parties in the election, which had embarked mainly on house-to-house campaigns in the build-up to the election, had all along prepared for vote-buying using the style as means of contact. The security and anti-graft agencies that were deployed in the state for the election made some arrests.

It was gathered that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrested some party agents over alleged vote-buying at a polling station in Ado Ekiti, while the director, Public Relations, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Olusola Odumosu, said the NSCDC operatives arrested two persons in the state capital for alleged thuggery and vote-buying. Also, the Police Public Relations, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, said policemen nabbed no fewer than four persons over the alleged disruption of the electoral process in some polling units in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, saying they were being investigated by the police.

• Gov Obaseki: Many Nigerians now Peter Obi supporters, they want alternatives to PDP, APC

In a video posted by AIT on Tuesday, while explaining why PDP lost the recent Ekiti governorship election, Obaseki said many Nigerians no longer want APC and PDP and have now become ‘Obidients’. Supporters of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), identify themselves as ‘Obidients’. According to Obaseki, the PDP must find a way to make Nigerians more interested in the party .

“How can PDP, the party, not win? They were not even number two. So, you can see that something is going on and we do not want this to be a trend. The future of our politics in this country is changing,” he said. I do not know whether you are closely watching what is going on — the level of disenchantment within the parties. I am sure in all of our homes now, we have so many people now who call themselves ‘Obidients’. I don’t know whether you have them in your house. Just ask them, ‘which party are you?’ They say ‘Obidients’; you understand. They do not want us; they are not talking about PDP or APC.

• Atiku raises team to woo Wike, Rivers gov’s camp adamant

The Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has set up a committee to pacify and woo the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and some other aggrieved members of the party. The initiative was instituted by Atiku based on the need to go into the 2023 general elections with a united front. Reports have it that the opposition party has been rocked by crisis following the choice of the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as Atiku’s running mate.

Wike, Okowa and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa-Ibom had appeared before the screening panel set up by the PDP to nominate a vice-presidential candidate to the PDP presidential flagbearer. Okowa was nominated by the PDP presidential candidate after rumours had it that Wike had been selected by the party advisory committee as the vice-presidential candidate the day before.

But findings indicate that the PDP feared Wike might work against Atiku’s ambition following his loss as the party presidential candidate and running mate to Atiku. Signs that the PDP might run into stormy waters became pronounced with the defection of some of Wike’s supporters from the party in the last 24 hours. Sequel to the ominous signs in the party, Atiku was said to have constituted a team to appease and fully bring back Wike into his campaign council, ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a PDP chieftain who was privy to the decision, said, “ Atiku wanted to tell Wike about his choice of Okowa one-on-one but then, he heard that Wike had returned to Rivers. That clearly showed good faith. Even though Wike was not the selected candidate, Atiku wanted to accord him respect by letting him know before the news got to the public. “Atiku has set up a reconciliatory committee to reach out to Wike and mend the cracks. Atiku understands the need to go to the 2023 elections with a united front. Everyone will be pacified. Not only Wike but every aggrieved person within the party.”

• Why I dumped APC for Accord Party – Shina Peller

A member of the House of Representatives from Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency, Oyo State, Mr. Shina Peller, has named Accord as his new political party.
Peller said in a statement on Tuesday by his media aide, Kola Popoola, that he was forced to exit the All Progressives Congress because of the undemocratic actions of some leaders in the APC. He stated further that the Accord Party had also demonstrated love and support for the Oke Ogun people.

Peller had contested the Oyo North senatorial ticket on the platform of the APC, and the incumbent Senator Fatai Buhari, who is an indigene of Ogbomoso, was declared the winner. However, Peller and four other aspirants alleged fraud in the primary election.
He said though there were numerous options, Accord Party had shown an unwavering commitment to the yearnings of the people of Oke Ogun being the first party in Oyo state to zone Oyo North Senatorial ticket to the region.

• Extension Of Voter Registration Is ‘Inevitable’ – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission will extend the deadline for its Continuous Voter Registration exercise, national commissioner Festus Okoye said on Friday. Civil society organisations have called for the deadline of June 30 to be extended to enable more Nigerians register to vote in the 2023 general elections. INEC “is disposed towards extending the date for the CVR,” Mr Okoye said while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

However, while civil societies such as Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) have argued that INEC should stop voter registration 90 days before the general elections, the commission says it is constrained by financial and logistic factors. A Federal High Court is set to rule on a suit brought by SERAP against INEC on June 29.

“We are convinced that after we make our arguments, the court will be convinced on why we cannot extend the CVR beyond a certain period,” Mr Okoye said. But we are convinced, given the enthusiasm of Nigerians, given the new resolve of Nigerians to register, that an extension is inevitable. The Commission is disposed towards extending the period for the CVR but not up to the period that some people are canvassing.”

ECONOMY

• Fuel scarcity worsens, black market booms at N300/litre

Fuel scarcity worsened in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the country on Tuesday, resulting in motorists spending hours at filling stations. For oil marketers, the solution to the worsening fuel queues across the country is for the Federal Government to approve an increase in the pump price of the commodity.

Although some marketers had already raised the price of fuel in their outlets, they admitted that the move had not been approved by the government, noting that dealers could be sanctioned for selling above the regulated rate. The approved pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, is N165/litre, but marketers are currently kicking against this rate, saying that it is no longer sustainable going by the global crisis in the energy sector.

• Petrol Price to Remain at N165 Per Litre, NMDPRA Insists

Despite the position of some oil marketers that the current pump price for petrol in the country was unsustainable following long queues that have surfaced in some cities across the country, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) yesterday maintained that the pump price for premium motor spirit (PMS) remains at N165 per litre. This was just as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday assured Nigerians that it has over two billion litres of PMS that would last for the next 34 days in the country, adding that there was enough stock to meet the nation’s demand.

However, oil marketers under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) have empathised with their customers and the members of the public on the current distribution hiccups witnessed in the supply of petrol from the various petrol stations dispensing at N165 per litre, saying the price was unsustainable. But the House of Representatives has summoned stakeholders in the Nigerian downstream oil and gas sector to appear before it today over the resurgence of petrol scarcity and queues in some parts of the country as well as the soaring prices of diesel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The statement by the NMDPRA that insisted on N165 per litre for pump price, came on the heels of the recent agitation by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) that PMS sold at N165 was no longer sustainable. The Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Mr. Ogbugo Kalu, who spoke at a media briefing said the Authority was ever ready to enforce the price on independent marketers who are planning to increase pump price to N180 per litre.

“PMS is a regulated product. The price is fixed and the ex-depot price is known. The pump price remains at N165. So we continue to urge Nigerians to keep within these operating rules,” he explained. According to him, in the next three days, the Authority would focus its energy in making sure that the marine stock would be translated into inland stock to get petroleum products across the country.

• Why we dropped subsidy removal plan, by Buhari

Petrol subsidy removal was suspended because it was not in the country’s best interest, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday. He said while removing subsidy looks good on paper, the human consequences cannot be ignored. Although his administration was on the verge of removing petrol subsidy last year, President Buhari said it became inadvisable after input from industry experts and other economic factors.

The President spoke in an interview with Bloomberg. He fielded questions on a wide range of issues, including the economy, infrastructure development, activities of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and state of the nation. The President pointed out that the West sustains its markets through fuel subsidies. According to him, issues around petrol subsidy would be resolved through ongoing efforts at boosting local refining, especially through private sector involvement.

The President said: “Most western countries are today implementing fuel subsidies. Why would we remove ours now? What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. What our western allies are learning the hard way is what looks good on paper and the human consequences are two different things.

“My government set in motion plans to remove the subsidy late last year. After further consultation with stakeholders, and as events unfolded this year, such a move became increasingly untenable. Boosting internal production for refined products shall also help.
Capacity is due to step up markedly later this year and next, as private players and modular refineries (Dangote Refinery, BUA Group Refinery, Waltersmith Refinery) come on board. The exchange rate is still susceptible to external shocks that can suddenly and severely affect Nigerian citizens. As we step up domestic production – both in fuel (enabled by PIA) and food (agricultural policies) – the inflationary threat shall diminish, and we can move toward unification.”

• NEITI: subsidy removal will free economy

The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) on Tuesday insisted that the removal of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy will free the economy from bondage. Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, spoke at the first National Extractives Dialogue (NED) in Abuja.

He said on June 29, NEITI will release a researched Policy Advisory on the cost of fuel subsidy to Nigeria. The publication, he said, “will outline facts and figures to reinforce NEITI’s position that reinforce our position that removal of fuel subsidy will free our economy from bondage, benefit the majority poor and possible may hot the few affluent rich currently involved in the Subsidy transactions.” It will also unveil its 2021 oil and gas and solid minerals industry reports in November 2022.

NEITI has also planned present the allocation and statutory disbursement that tracks revenues generation and utilisation with facts on managing and improving internally generated revenues. He said the agency has automated its data and information gathering process through the NEITI Audit Management System project recently concluded and launched by its board- the National Stakeholders Working Group.

• Marketers notify FG on planned fuel price hike, queues persist

Oil marketers on Thursday said they had escalated their call for an increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, to the Federal Government, as the current cost of the commodity was no longer sustainable. Also, PMS transporters confirmed that they had resumed operations in full following last week’s raise in the freight rate being paid by the Federal Government for the transportation of petrol nationwide.
Amidst the call for petrol price hike and the full resumption of operations by transporters, the queues by motorists for PMS in Abuja and neighbouring states grew longer on Thursday.

The Deputy National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Zarma Mustapha, told our correspondent that the Federal Government had been put on notice concerning marketers’ intentions to increase petrol price. Also, the National President, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association, Bennett Korie, said Nigerians would have to adjust to the current reality, as it was no more feasible to dispense petrol at the approved rate of N165/litre in filling stations after purchasing the product for about N170/litre in some private depots.

• Reps C’ttee queries $50m contract for integrity test of refineries

The House of Representatives’ Adhoc Committee probing the state of refineries has queried the $50 million contract awarded to Maire Tecnimont Nigeria limited by the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) for integrity test of the country’s refineries.
Chairman of the House Adhoc committee, Hon. Ganiyu Johnson issued the query in Abuja following the appearance of the managing director of the company at a hearing yesterday.

The Adhoc committee on June 4, 2022 summoned the Managing Director of Tecnimont Nigeria Limited, a major contractor of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, over the state of the nation’s refineries. The Ganiyu Johnson led Adhoc committee also directed that Maire Tecnimont Nigeria Limited provide proof of payment of the huge sum paid by the NNPC for the rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries. According to the chairman, the reason given by the NNPC on why the nation’s refineries are not working is not satisfactory to the committee.

• Buhari defends Emefiele’s economic policies

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, dismissed criticisms of the monetary policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, saying the apex bank’s governor, Godwin Emefiele, puts people at the heart of policies. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, the President highlighted various steps taken by his administration to address the multi-faceted challenges facing the country, inferring that the country would have been worse off in terms of food inflation but for policies, such as the Anchor Borrowers Programme, which has helped to boost agricultural production.

Dismissing concerns over the independence of the CBN, following the interest of Emefiele in running for the presidency, Buhari said the accusations were fuelled by the unorthodox economic policies of the CBN, adding that only the board of the apex bank can decide whether a CBN governor’s actions had fallen foul of the laws to ensure he could most effectively carry out his duties.

On performance in office thus far, the President said: ‘’We leave Nigeria in a far better place than we found it. Corruption is less hidden for Nigerians feel empowered to report it without fear, while money is returned; terrorists no longer hold any territory in Nigeria, and their leaders are deceased; and vast infrastructure development sets the country on course for sustainable and equitable growth.’’

On economy, he said: ‘’How prescient our policies for boosting domestic production have become! For years we have been criticised by the likes of the Financial Times, The Economist, and others for supposedly mistaken attempts to de-globalise and re-localize food production and boost manufacturing. “Now with the war in Ukraine breaking global food supply chains, ‘Davos Man’ is in retreat as the energy crisis makes countries everywhere think again about energy independence and security.

• MAN, LCCI, others tackle Buhari over CBN policies

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and analysts on Tuesday joined a number of industry stakeholders to fault the economic policies of the Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The industry groups were reacting to recent comments by the President, who claimed in an interview with Bloomberg that his administration’s economic model had been an alternative model that put people at the heart of policy. He said his successor would inherit a far more resilient economy due to investments in infrastructure and policies that had bolstered local production. According to him, under his watch, the government had recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen state funds, built new transport links and weakened militant group, Boko Haram, Buhari said in written responses to Bloomberg questions. With Russia’s war on Ukraine disrupting global supply chains, the government had been vindicated on its support for farmers and manufacturers, he said.

However, industry stakeholders, in response to the President’s claims, have disagreed with Buhari’s assertions. They held that this administration’s economic policies had been toothless, insensitive, harsh and incapable of stimulating growth of industries and commercial entities. Speaking in an interview, the Director-General of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Mr Sola Obadimu, said Buhari’s assessment of his administration’s economic policies had not mirrored the monumental failures it had been fraught with. According to him, the thrust of the administration’s purported economic model had brought unprecedented levels of hardship on the private sector. Obadimu further stated that with the disparity between exchange rate at the official and parallel markets, it was obvious that the government had created certain opportunities for round tripping in the system and consequently put a strain on business entities who needed foreign exchange for business.

Also, the Deputy-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Gabriel Idahosa, while reacting to the President’s comments, said the reality was at variance with the claims of the President. Idahosa said, “He (Buhari) may well be speaking to himself. We don’t really need any complicated analysis to see whether the policies are addressing the issues of the business community. Whether it is power supply, the foreign exchange market, whether it’s a model that enables the private sector to invest in infrastructure in a manner that enables business to thrive, it is clear for all to see. In the same vein, the Chairman of the Gas Group, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Ola Adebayo, described government’s policies as lacking the needed proactiveness to effect tangible impact in the commercial industry.

• Senate Advocates Promotion Of Sustainable Food Culture

In a bid to ensure food security in Nigeria, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Nora Ladi Daduut has advocated the culture of promoting Nigerian foods and cuisines for both domestic and international consumption. Senator Daduut who made the emphasis while declaring open the 2022 United Nations World Sustainable Gastronomy Day hosted by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) in Abuja over the weekend Daduut said the event was imperative as a vital avenue to promoting the nation’s rich food culture to the world.

She noted that food, as one of man’s most basic needs, must be put in the front burner of national discourse as a means of not only fighting hunger, but also eradicating poverty and ensuring availability of foods for all at affordable cost. Daduut added that the annual observance of the World Sustainable Gastronomy Day in Nigeria, under the auspices of NIHOTOUR, is a welcome development that must be promoted, maintained and sustained so that Nigeria will remain vividly visible on the food map of the world.

In her address at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Dr Ifeoma Adaora Anyanwutaku, represented by Mrs Patricia Narai, Director, Domestic Tourism in the Ministry, said the Nigerian government is fully committed to the growth and development of the country’s foods and cuisines not only for internal consumption, but for export as another source of foreign income earning because of the fertile land that the country is blessed with to grow enough food and feed the world.
She called on Nigerians, irrespective of their societal status, to take up farming even if it is at subsistence level to achieve food sustainability and food security that the world is yearning to achieve.

BUSINESS

• Bread producers threaten strike over bakery materials’ price hike

Bread producers and caterers on Friday threatened to withdraw their services nationwide due to the unprecedented increase in bakery materials and the neglect of the Federal Government to this matter. In a communiqué issued by their national body – Association of Master Bakers and Caterer of Nigeria, they stated that the cost of flour, sugar and other materials used in bakery business had skyrocketed beyond the reach of many bakers.

In the communiqué, which was issued after the National Executive Council meeting of the association in Abuja, and made available tonewsmen on Friday, the bakers stated that they would down tools from July 13, 2022. They also revealed that efforts to get government’s intervention in the matter had been unsuccessful, as there had been no positive response from the concerned ministries, departments and agencies of government.

“Increase in prices of bakery materials especially flour and sugar having reached unprecedented levels, for example, flour is now between N25,000 and N27,500, so also other ingredients. The National Wheat Cultivation Committee already constituted is yet to be inaugurated after over one year. NAFDAC, SON, NESREA have turned the bakers into money making machine by charging our members outrageous levies even at this very challenging moment.

“Consequently, the NEC in session resolved that all zones, state, Local Governments and units of our association should commence full mobilisation of our members nationwide to embark on withdrawal of services starting from Wednesday July 13, 2022 for an initial period of two weeks.” The, however, noted that its “members should await further directives.” This came as it was gathered that the hike in bakery materials was what led to the recent increase in the cost of bread and other items produced from flour.

• 5G networks may interfere with aircraft landing, IATA warns Nigeria, others

The International Air Transport Association has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria and the governments of other countries to work closely with the aviation industry to ensure that aviation and incumbent aviation safety systems can safely co-exist with new 5G services. The organisation spoke against the backdrop of flight disruptions caused by the recent deployment of 5G services by telecommunication companies in the United States and plans by Nigeria and other countries to deploy 5G services in the coming months.

While IATA recognises the economic importance of making spectrum available to support next generation commercial wireless telecommunications, it posited that maintaining current levels of safety of passengers, flight crews, and aircraft must continue to be one of governments’ highest priorities. The call came as the global airline industry met in Doha, Qatar for its 78th IATA Annual General Meeting.

A statement by IATA, the Geneva-based body representing over 290 international airlines in over 120 countries, quoted its Director-General, Willie Walsh, as saying, “We must not repeat the recent experience in the United States, where the rollout of C-band spectrum 5G services created enormous disruption to aviation, owing to the potential risk of interference with radio altimeters that are critical to aircraft landing and safety systems. In fact, many countries have successfully managed to facilitate the requirements of 5G service providers, while including necessary mitigations to preserve aviation safety and uninterrupted services. These include, for example, Brazil, Canada, France and Thailand.”

According to IATA, robust testing in coordination with aviation subject matter experts is critically important in providing necessary information. It said measures that had already been used by some governments include ensuring thorough testing, sufficient spectrum separation between 5G C-band deployments and 4.2-4.4 GHz frequency band used by existing radio altimeters. It listed others as clearly codifying and enforcing the maximum power limit for 5G C-band transmission and downward tilting of 5G antennae particularly in the vicinity of flightpaths; and establishment of sufficient 5G C-band prohibition and precautionary zones around airports.

HEALTH

• FG to prosecute food vendors using transformer oil to cook

The Federal Government plans to prosecute users of Polychlorinated Biphenyl, popularly known as transformer oil, in frying “Akara” (bean cake), plantain chips, chicken and other food items. Prof. Babajide Alloy, a Consultant to the Federal Ministry of Environment, disclosed this on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen on the sidelines of a workshop in Calabar. According to him, the consumption of food prepared from the chemical substance will expose the public to cancers of the lungs, heart, kidney and liver diseases.

“For a long time, PCBs was the cooling liquid used in electrical transformers, until the world found out that this oil was toxic, and is trying to phase it out Jail term awaits those caught using PCBs to fry Akara, chicken and plantain chips at the roadside to sell to the public because the oil is toxic and carcinogenic. We found out that it is all over the place in Nigeria, dump sites, and in old National Electric Power Authority compounds,” he said.

Alloy said a survey carried out by the ministry revealed that the oil was currently being used in making food like Akara. The consultant added that the unsuspecting public were being deceived by the likeness of the oil to the commonly used groundnut oil. “Some food vendors now mix PCBs with groundnut oil to fry Akara and sell to the general public.

“Of course, they may not know how hazardous what they are doing is. This exercise is to sensitise policymakers and everyone about this malaise. It is important to note that spillage of PCBs is always a danger when equipment is to be transported; it should, therefore, be transported only in sealed containers,” he said. The workshop was organised for state councils, regulatory bodies, power operators and customs officers on the application of PCB regulations and guidelines for Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of PCBs.

• Sitting too long could increase risk of heart disease, early death, study says

A new study has indicated that sitting down for more than eight hours in a day could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It also noted that people who sit for too long are equally more prone to heart disease complications leading to death. The study further indicated that reduction of inactive time, as well as increasing physical activity, could be crucial to easing the burden of untimely deaths and cardiovascular disease worldwide

The population-based cohort study which was published in the JAMA Cardiology studied 105,677 participants from 21 countries, aged 35 to 70. Participants were enrolled from January 1, 2003, and followed up until August 31, 2021. Out of 105,677 participants, 61,925 were women and the mean age was 50 years. The researchers made use of data from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology study and discovered that longer sitting time during the day was linked to an increased risk of premature death and major cardiovascular disease events, such as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure.

According to findings from the study, individuals who sat for eight or more hours daily had a 20 per cent increased risk for all-cause death and major cardiovascular disease events, compared to those who sat for four hours per day. The researchers also discovered that when ranked by country income levels, the association of long sitting time with death and major CVD was found to be stronger in lower- and lower-middle-income countries in comparison with high-income and upper-middle-income countries.

The cohort study said, “Compared with those who reported sitting time less than four hours per day and high physical activity level, participants who sat for eight or more hours per day experienced a 17 per cent to 50 per cent higher associated risk of the composite outcome across physical activity levels; and the risk was attenuated along with increased physical activity levels. “High amounts of sitting time were associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and CVD in economically diverse settings, especially in low-income and lower-middle-income countries. Reducing sedentary time along with increasing physical activity might be an important strategy for easing the global burden of premature deaths and CVD.”

• UK to offer monkeypox vaccine to control spread

The UK Health Security Agency on Tuesday recommended that some gay and bisexual men at higher risk of contracting monkeypox should be offered a vaccine to control an outbreak. A total of 793 cases of the chickenpox-like disease have been recorded across the country as of Monday, the public health body said. Head of immunisation Mary Ramsay said contact tracing had helped to limit the spread “but we are continuing to see a notable proportion of cases in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men”.

“By expanding the vaccine offer to those at higher risk, we hope to break chains of transmission and help contain the outbreak,” she added in a statement. The virus is not currently classified as a sexually transmitted infection but can be passed on by intimate close contact. The UKHSA recommends men considered to be at higher risk of exposure should be given the smallpox vaccine Imvanex. The strategy has been backed by the government scientific advisory body the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, it added.

Vaccination could be recommended for men who have multiple partners, those who participate in group sex, or attend “sex on premises” venues. Monkeypox, whose symptoms include a high fever, swollen lymph nodes and a blistery chickenpox-like rash, has until the past few months been confined to western and central Africa.

• US to reduce nicotine content in cigarettes

President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday announced it would develop a new policy requiring cigarette producers to reduce nicotine to non-addictive levels – a move that would deal a powerful blow to the tobacco industry. If successful in its aims, the new US standard could save millions of lives by the end of the century, and shape a future where cigarettes are no longer responsible for addiction and debilitating diseases.

The initiative requires the Food and Drug Administration to develop and then publish a rule, which will likely be contested by industry. “Nicotine is powerfully addictive,” said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf in a statement. “Making cigarettes and other combusted tobacco products minimally addictive or non-addictive would help save lives.” The process is expected to take several years and could be delayed or derailed by litigation, or reversed by a future administration sympathetic to the tobacco lobby.

Nicotine is the “feel good” chemical that hooks people to cigarettes, chewing tobacco, vaping devices and other tobacco products. “Addiction to nicotine in combusted products is the main driver of sustained use of these products,” the FDA added in its statement.
Thousands of other chemicals contained in tobacco and its smoke are responsible for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes and more.

Though smoking is less prevalent in the United States than in Europe and has been declining for years, it is still responsible for 480,000 deaths a year in the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

EDUCATION

• Negotiation committee waiting for FG, say ASUU, SSANU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Joint Action Committee of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and allied institutions have both said they have yet to receive any message after discussing the 2009 agreements with the Federal Government renegotiation committee.

The Federal Government renegotiation committee, chaired by Pro-Chancellor of Alex Ekweme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Prof. Nimi Briggs, is expected to review the draft proposed 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement and renegotiate with all the striking university unions. Since April 2022, the Briggs renegotiation committee had been meeting with the unions in the universities who are all currently on strike due to unmet demands of the 2009 agreements signed with the FG.

National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke in an interview with our correspondent said the Prof. Nimi Briggs Committee told the union they were waiting for the Federal Government to respond to the reports of the meeting they had so far. ‘‘Yes, we had a meeting with them last week and they have not called us again. All they told us was that they are waiting for their principal, that when their principal responds, they will get back to us,’’ he said. Osodeke said they had not gotten invitation for another meeting. But lamented that this was the situation since May 2021, ‘‘The same way they told us they were waiting for the FG in May 2021 and yet no result.’’

Similarly, the national president, SSANU, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, whose union had a meeting with the renegotiation Committee last week Friday said all that was done were appraisals and reviews, adding that the Briggs committee said they were waiting for their ‘masters’ to respond. Mohammed also said there were erroneous pieces of information on social media that the results of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution and University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System, had been released. He added that NITDA had only concluded the test on UTAS and U3PS but no result was announced. Mohammed revealed that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System test was ongoing.

• Sokoto girl leads with highest score as FG releases results of Common Entrance Exam

The federal government, Monday, released the results of the 2022 National Common Entrance Examination for admission into unity colleges across the country. Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, released the result after formally receiving it from NECO Registrar of National Examinations Council, NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi in his office, in Abuja.

With the release, he said the government would do everything to ensure that all admission processes are completed before July 1, 2022. Adamu, while presenting highlights of the result, announced a candidate, Miss Ajidagba Mariam Akanke, an indigene of Sokoto state as scoring the highest with 201. Her centre is Oshodi Junior Secondary School, Tolu Complex, Apapa, Lagos State.

The National Common Entrance Examination,NCEE, is for admission into the first year of Junior Secondary School,JSS 1,of federal unity colleges, administered to final year pupils of primary schools. The examination was written on Saturday 7th May, 2022 in Nigeria, as well as Benin Republic and Togo. A total number of seventy-one thousand, seven hundred and thirty-eight (71,738) pupils registered, with 34.030 being males and 37,708 being females.

The Minister of Education said the state that registered the highest number of candidates is Lagos State with 19,518, out of which 18,787 sat and 731 were absent while FCT was second with 8,623 candidates that registered, out of which 8,317 sat while 306 were absent. The Registrar National Examination Council NECO Professor Ibrahim Wushishi said overall performance this year was higher than that of last year.

The suit followed the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the conduct of primaries by political parties by six days, from June 3 to June 9. But the commission failed to also extend the online pre-registration which ended May 30 2022 and the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) ending 30 June 2022.

• Varsity registrars urge workers to end strike

The Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities has urged the four unions in the institutions currently on strike to alter their approach to negotiations with the government.
The registrars, who are also members of one of the striking unions, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, said the ongoing strike posed grave consequences for the economy of the country.

The ARNU Chairman, Dr Abubakar Mamuda, who stated these at the 71st Business Meeting of the association in Abuja on Thursday, expressed concern over the devastating effects of the industrial crisis on the students and the quality of education. “It is true that the struggles of the unions have brought about significant benefits to the Nigeria university system. However, in view of its negative effects on the NUS, there is the need for change in the approach of the unions in pressing home their demands,” he said.

When asked to suggest an alternative approach for aggrieved unions and striking workers, the ARNU boss said, ‘’Some have suggested that we should go the way of Germany; that a co-determination approach be adopted where work councils would be established for NUS. “The work councils will comprise representatives of employees and government; then issues of conditions of services and remuneration will be tackled without obstruction to academic activities.”

WORLD

• US Passes First Major Gun Bill In Decades

US lawmakers broke a decades-long stalemate on firearms control Friday, passing the first major safety regulations in almost 30 years, less than 24 hours after the Supreme Court bolstered the right to bear arms. Gun regulation is a touchstone issue for both conservatives and liberals in the United States that has consumed national politics amid multiple mass shootings in recent years.

The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to rubber-stamp a bipartisan Senate gun bill that — while modest — amounts to the first significant piece of legislation to regulate firearms since 1994. Fourteen Republicans defied their leader Kevin McCarthy to cross the aisle and approve the 80-page package, which advanced from the evenly-divided upper chamber with cross-party backing late Thursday. That vote came hours after the Supreme Court’s conservative majority had struck down a century-old New York law requiring permits for concealed-carry handguns.

The gun legislation includes enhanced background checks for younger buyers and federal cash for states introducing “red flag” laws that allow courts to temporarily remove weapons from those considered a threat. Billions of dollars have been allocated to crack down on “straw purchasers” who buy firearms for people who are not allowed them and to curb gun trafficking.

• Sanctioned Russia Becomes China’s Main Source Of Oil

China ramped up crude oil imports from Russia in May, customs data showed Monday, helping to offset losses from Western nations scaling back Russian energy purchases over the invasion of Ukraine. The spike means Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become China’s top oil provider as the West sanctions Moscow’s energy exports. The world’s second-biggest economy imported around 8.42 million tonnes of oil from Russia last month — a 55 percent rise on-year.

Beijing has refused to publicly condemn Moscow’s war and has instead exacted economic gains from its isolated neighbour. It imported 7.82 million tonnes of oil from Saudi Arabia in May. China bought $7.47 billion worth of Russian energy products last month, about $1 billion more than in April, according to Bloomberg News.

The new customs data comes four months into the war in Ukraine, with buyers from the United States and Europe shunning Russian energy imports or pledging to slash them over the coming months. Asian demand is helping to staunch some of those losses for Russia, especially buyers from China and India. India bought six times more Russian oil from March to May compared with the same period last year, while imports by China during that period trippled, data from research firm Rystad Energy shows.

According to the International Energy Agency’s latest global oil report, India has overtaken Germany in the last two months as the second-largest importer of Russian crude. China has been Russia’s biggest market for crude oil since 2016.

• Commuters Stranded As UK Hit By Biggest Rail Strike In Over 30 Years

Travel across British railway stations ground to a halt Tuesday as widespread strike action billed as the biggest in more than three decades plunged commuters into chaos and persuaded many to stay at home. The RMT rail union argues the strikes are necessary as wages have failed to keep pace with UK inflation, which has hit a 40-year high and is on course to keep rising.

Last-ditch talks to avert the work stoppage broke down Monday, prompting more than 50,000 RMT members to walk out. But negotiations will resume Wednesday, the RMT announced. Network Rail, which looks after the country’s rail tracks, told AFP discussions would begin at 10:00 am (0900 GMT).

Railway and London Underground stations, normally a sea of people for the morning and evening rush hours, were deserted or even locked, with just a skeleton service running on many networks across the country. Passengers were warned not to travel all week, with two more days of strike action scheduled for Thursday and Saturday playing havoc with schedules.

Cab firms reported a surge in demand, while the main roads were packed with buses and cars, with cyclists weaving in between. Long queues formed at bus stops on the outskirts of London shortly after 6:00 am (0500 GMT), but many gave up as services carried on without stopping, already full. Commuters trying to make their way home faced similar struggles.

• Russia Warns Lithuania, Pushes Into Ukraine’s Donbas

Moscow on Tuesday warned Lithuania of “serious” consequences over its restriction of rail traffic to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, as Kremlin forces made gains in Ukraine’s strategic Donbas region. The row over Lithuania, the arrival of sophisticated German weaponry in Ukraine’s arsenal, and an imminent decision on Kyiv’s candidacy to join the EU threaten to further ratchet up tensions between the West and Moscow.

Kremlin troops were meanwhile gaining ground in the Donbas, causing “catastrophic destruction” in Lysychansk, an industrial city at the forefront of recent clashes, the region’s governor said. Ukraine confirmed Russia had taken the frontline village of Toshkivka.
Governor Sergiy Gaiday said “every town and village” in Ukrainian hands in the Lugansk region was “under almost non-stop fire”.

Since being repelled from Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine following its invasion in February, Moscow has been focusing its offensive on the Donbas region. In the eastern city of Sloviansk, which could become a flashpoint as Russian troops advance from the north, local people were preparing to withstand attacks and the authorities said the community would defend itself. “We believe they’ll beat the Russian scum,” resident Valentina, 63, said of local Ukrainian forces.

• President Of Panama Announces Blood Cancer Diagnosis

The President of Panama Laurentino Cortizo said on Monday that he has blood cancer, although the 69-year-old said he feels well and is in “good spirits.” In late May, Cortizo’s doctors detected “a decrease in hemoglobin and white blood cell count” during routine testing, the president said in a televised statement. Cortizo said he will undergo a second evaluation in the US city of Houston in July to find out the extent of the disease.

Specialists recommended that a bone marrow biopsy be performed, and samples were sent to a US laboratory, and he was diagnosed with “intermediate risk” myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of cancer that hinders the production of blood cells.

This type of cancer causes a decrease in hemoglobin, and abnormal levels of platelets and white blood cells, making the patient feel tired and weak, and leading to weight loss. The disease can be caused “by a genetic disorder that develops silently and appears after the age of 60,” Sandoval said. Life expectancy, which will depend on the specific type of cancer Cortizo has, can range “from six months to 15 years,” he added.

• Pope’s Future Sparks Debate, Resignation Seems Unlikely

Pope Francis has fuelled the rumour mill with a postponed Africa trip and the curious timing of an upcoming meeting of cardinals — but experts caution against assuming a resignation is nigh. Hobbled by pain in his knee and forced to use a wheelchair in recent weeks, the 85-year-old pontiff postponed a July trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan last week.

That move, along with an unusual decision to hold a consistory to name new cardinals during the vacation month of August, triggered intense speculation about his plans for the future, including the most radical — that he was planning to step down.

“In the pope’s entourage, the majority of people don’t really believe in the possibility of a resignation,” a Vatican source told AFP. Rumours within the insular Roman Curia — the Catholic Church’s powerful governing body — are nothing new, and often fuelled by those with an interest, said Italian Vatican expert Marco Politi. These rumours are encouraged by the pope’s opponents who are only eager to see Francis leave,” he told AFP.

• Millions stranded, dozens killed in India, Bangladesh floods

At least 59 people are known to have died in lightning strikes and landslides triggered by severe monsoon storms in India and Bangladesh. Millions of people have been stranded while emergency workers have struggled to reach those affected. Forecasters are warning that the flooding is expected to get worse over the next few days. Bangladesh government officials have described the recent flooding as the country’s worst since 2004.

Unrelenting rains over the last week have inundated vast swathes of the country’s north-east region, exacerbated by runoff from heavy downpours across mountains in neighbouring India.Schools have been converted into makeshift shelters and troops have been deployed to evacuate households cut off from neighbouring communities as a result of rising waters.

Some 3.1 million people were displaced in the region, officials said, with 200,000 of them now being housed in makeshift shelters on higher ground. Seasonal monsoon rains represent a lifeline for farmers across South Asia, but typically cause deaths and destruction to property every year. Bangladesh and India have both experienced increasingly extreme weather in recent years.

Environmentalists, while not ascribing single weather events to climate change – do warn it could lead to more disasters, especially in countries that are low-lying and densely populated, as reported by BBC.

• French Elections: Macron loses majority in split French vote

Less than two months after he was re-elected president, Emmanuel Macron has lost control of the French National Assembly following a strong performance by a left alliance and the far right. He had called on voters to deliver a solid majority. But his centrist coalition lost dozens of seats in an election that has left French politics fragmented.

The prime minister he had only recently appointed, Elisabeth Borne, said the situation was unprecedented. “This situation represents a risk for our country, given the risks we’re facing nationally and internationally,” she said. “We will work as of tomorrow to build a working majority.” That seems a stretch when the two other biggest groups in the Assembly are not remotely interested in collaboration.

Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire was adamant that France was not ungovernable, but said it was going to require a lot of imagination. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon was enjoying his success in bringing together mainstream parties from the left with Communists and Greens into an alliance called Nupes. He told supporters that the presidential party had suffered a total rout and every possibility was now in their hands. His alliance now becomes the biggest opposition force in France, although opinion polls had indicated they could have performed even better, as reported by BBC.

• At Least 920 Killed In Afghanistan Earthquake

A powerful earthquake struck a remote border region of Afghanistan overnight killing at least 920 people and injuring hundreds more, officials said Wednesday, with the toll expected to rise as rescuers dig through collapsed dwellings. The 5.9 magnitude quake struck hardest in the rugged terrain of the east, where people already live hardscrabble lives in a country in the grip of a humanitarian disaster made worse by the Taliban takeover in August.

The death toll has climbed steadily all day as news of casualties filtered in from hard-to-reach areas in the mountains, and the country’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, warned it would likely rise further. “So far the information we have is that at least 920 people have been martyred and 600 injured,” Sharafuddin Muslim, the deputy minister for disaster management, told a press conference in the capital, Kabul.

Earlier, a tribal leader from Paktika province — one of the hardest hit areas — said survivors and rescuers were scrambling to help those affected. Photographs and video clips posted on social media showed scores of badly damaged mud houses in remote rural areas. Some footage showed local residents loading victims into a military helicopter.

• Africa Needs $25 bn A Year For Full Electricity Access – IEA

The number of Africans with access to electricity fell during the Covid pandemic, but $25 billion in annual investments could bring full coverage by 2030, the International Energy Agency said Monday. The IEA said 600 million people, or 43 percent of the continent’s population, lack access to electricity — mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. The number of people living without electricity increased by four percent, or 25 million people, between 2019 and 2021, after a decade of progress.

Before Covid, there had been “lots of good developments in countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda,” IEA chief Fatih Birol told AFP ahead of the release of the Paris-based agency’s African Energy Outlook 2022. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added to the economic strains on Africa from the Covid pandemic, as the conflict has sent the prices of energy, food and other commodities soaring, according to the IEA.

But Africa could get universal access to electricity by the end of the decade with $25 billion in annual investment, according to the IEA. Countries need to give international financial institutions, especially development banks, a “strong mandate” to make Africa and clean energy on the continent “an absolute priority”, Birol said.

Africa is facing more severe effects from climate change than most other parts of the world, despite emitting less energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) than any other region, the IEA said. Renewables — including solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal — could account for over 80 percent of new power generation capacity in Africa by 2030, the IEA report said.
While Africa is home to 60 percent of the best solar resources worldwide, it only has one percent of installed solar energy capacity, according to the report.

ENTERTAINMENT

• Osinachi Died Of Domestic Abuse Not Ulcer, Twin Sister Testifies In Court

The twin sister to the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Osinachi did not die of ulcer. Amarachi Eze said her sister died as a result of the constant beatings from her husband, as he kicked and punched her frequently. Mr Peter Nwachukwu is facing a 23-count charge bordering on domestic violence and homicide, among others. He has pleaded not guilty.

On Tuesday, the High Court directed that the children of Mr Peter and late Osinachi Nwachukwu will testify before their father wearing a blindfold and in a shield. The order is pursuant to Section 2 (1), 160 of the Child Rights Act which recommends testimony under shield for persons under 18.

The prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, had urged the court to protect the children by blindfolding them and putting them in a shield while they testified in court and in the presence of their father. She further asked that everyone not part of the trial should be out in line with the Child Rights Act.

She announced that she had three witnesses for Tuesday, one adult and two persons under 18. The defence counsel did not object to it. Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme granted the application sought by the prosecution in the interest of the children.

• How Burna Boy’s aides attacked my partner, lady involved in club shooting opens up

Superstar Burna Boy trended two weeks ago after his police escorts were alleged to have shot and wounded two patrons of Cubana club in Victoria Island, Lagos­, in the early hours of Wednesday, June 8, 2022. Reports revealed that the shooting began after a lady at the club turned down Burna Boy’s offer to join him and his friends at the VIP section.
The said lady on Sunday night opened up on her side of the story, as she detailed how Burna Boy’s aides attacked her partner and friends. The lady, identified as Briella N on Instagram, noted that she was visiting Nigeria from overseas for a friend’s wedding when the shooting happened.

Giving details via her Instagram page, @nemebriella, she said, “We were visiting Nigeria from America and London for our childhood friend’s wedding. On the 8th of June 2022, @burnaboygram & his friends opened fire at us in @cubanalagos. “My partner and his friend were shot, with both needing urgent medical care. A bullet grazed my partner’s head and our friend was shot in the thigh, leaving him hospitalised and needing an emergency surgery in Nigeria.”

She noted that she and her friends were having a nice time at the club when Burna Boy and his friends arrived. The lady added, “As the night progressed, one of Burna Boy’s friends walked to talk to me, his request was for Burna Boy to talk to me. On that first attempt, I told him I wasn’t interested in talking to Burna Boy and I am married to my partner. He came again the second time and was met with the same response.

“He came the third time and that caused a few of our friends to flare up as they asked why he kept coming to disturb me. There were words back and forth and one of Burna Boy’s friends attacked one of our friends, and as they attacked him, the situation degenerated into a fight.” Briella noted that the club security intervened and things were slowly going back to normal when another fight broke out among Burna Boy’s friends. She noted that the shooting started at that point and everyone scampered for safety.

“@burnaboygram left @cubanalagos without a scratch and flew out to Spain the next morning. @obi_cubana only reached out to us four days after the event claiming he had no idea and would do everything to get us justice for attempted murder. 11 days later, there has been no CCTV footage released by the club OR even a statement to address the incident publicly. Business has carried on as usual for him. The lack of remorse or accountability is beyond me. At least two people could’ve died that night.”

• Beyonce put ‘2 years of love’ into new album Renaissance ― Mum

Beyonce put ‘two years of love’ into her upcoming album Renaissance – her first album release in six years – according to her mum, Tina Knowles. Global superstar Beyonce has just dropped the first single from Renaissance, Break My Soul, and Tina remains a ‘fan’ of her daughter’s musical output.

Attending the DesignCare 2022 Gala to benefit the HollyRod Foundation, Tina revealed that she was ‘very, very excited’ to see the album come out. ‘I just posted recently that I really miss her singing, and I do. I’m as excited as everybody else. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it,’ she said.

Emphasising that, although the announcement might have speeded up the work process certainly wasn’t, she added of her daughter: ‘She put two years of love into this. Many, many nights [she spent] all night working.’ ‘I can’t wait for the world to hear it,’ she told ET Online.

• Police summon ‘Portable’ over viral video of jungle justice

The Ogun State Police Command, on Monday, ordered the popular Zazoo crooner, Habeeb Okikiola popularly called ‘Portable’ to report himself to any nearest police station, over an allegation of inhuman treatment as contained in a video said to have gone viral. The Command, in a release issued by its spokesman, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed that failure of ‘Portable’ to submit himself to the police, means that his arrest would promptly be ordered.

The hip-hop musician in the viral video was alleged to have organised some youths to beat up a man and inflict great bodily injury on the person. The incident was alleged to have happened somewhere in Ogun State over the weekend.

The police disclosed that “such barbaric act is very unbecoming of a decent human being or someone serving as a role model to the youths and that the earlier such sadistic tendencies are dealt with in accordance with the law of the land, the better before the youth begin to emulate such condemnable acts”.

• Evangelist apologises to followers after having a child out of wedlock

Evangelist Patience Otene has apologised to her followers as she announces the birth of her baby out of wedlock. Sharing more posts on Facebook, Otene admitted that it took her a long time to make the birth of her child known to the public, she wrote: “The devil cannot shame me with what I have exposed, I’ll rather expose it to light than remaining in darkness, It took me time but now I am free.”

I HAVE A BABY, Yes you read it right and my baby is a month old today, Am I now married? NO. Does GOD approve of what I have done? Definitely NO, (God’s word on this is very clear and can not be changed). Does the Bible approve of this? Definitely NO
Would I advise another person to do as I have done? Definitely NO, Did I plan it to happen this way, Definitely NO. I have gone through the toughest of times in the past months and I’ll tell you for sure that staying in GOD’S will is the best.

To those who will feel discouraged considering the fact that I am someone who put up godly contents of what one should do and not do, I am truly sorry. Please do not lose your faith in GOD because of me or what has happened instead let your faith in GOD be strengthened as GOD’S way is the only and best way to do it. While I am struggling with my spiritual life at the moment, I ask you pray for me in this season as it’s all I really need in this season,
Thank you.

SPORTS

• Waldrum Unveils Super Falcons Team For AFCON

Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum has picked Captain Onome Ebi and 24 other players to represent Nigeria at the 12th Women Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Morocco, 2nd – 23rd July. The team will depart Nigeria for Morocco on Monday, 27th June.

The list of the nine-time champions is an interesting mix of experience and youth, with veterans Tochukwu Oluehi, Ebi, Rita Chikwelu, Osinachi Ohale, Francisca Ordega and Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene on board, as well as defenders Ashleigh Plumptre, Nicole Payne and Michelle Alozie, midfielder Regina Otu and forwards Vivian Ikechukwu, Gift Monday and Ifeoma Onumonu.

Dropped from the contingent that made the camp in Abuja were goalkeeper Rita Akarekor, defenders Chidinma Okeke, Ngozi Emenayo and Opeyemi Sunday. Midfielders Suliat Abideen, Amanda Uju Mbadi and Charity Adule, and forward Anam Imo were also dropped.

The Super Falcons will confront South Africa’s Banyana Banyana in their first match of the tournament on Monday, 4th July before other games against Botswana (7th July) and Burundi (10th July). The semi-finalists at the championship in Morocco will qualify to represent Africa at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

• WAFU B U-17 Championship: Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets beat Burkina Faso to emerge champions

The Nigeria U-17 team emerged as the champions of the regional WAFU B U-17 tournament on Friday evening in Cape Coast after beating their counterparts from Burkina Faso 2-1 in the final match. Abubakar Abdullahi scored a brace to ensure the Eaglets replicated the feat achieved by the country’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, about a month ago when they conquered the region during the qualifiers in Niamey, Niger Republic.

Having both finished as the top teams in their respective groups, the Nigeria- Burkina Faso final was a perfect match to determine who was the overall best.

• Ex-Footballer Samuel Eto’o Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud To Avoid Prison

Former Cameroon football star Samuel Eto’o has struck a deal with Spanish prosecutors to avoid going to jail for tax fraud he committed while playing for Barcelona, a court in the city announced Monday. Eto’o, who played for Barcelona from 2004 to 2009, received a fine and a 22-month suspended sentence but will not serve any time, as is customary in Spain for prison terms of under two years for non-violent crimes. Reports in Spain claim Eto’o, 41, will pay a fine of 1.8 million euros ($1.9 million).

The record four-time African footballer of the year and Jose Maria Mesalles — his former representative, who for his part was sentenced to 12 months and a fine — must reimburse Spanish tax authorities for the amount defrauded, around 3.9 million euros. Prosecutors accused Eto’o of failing to declare income from the transfer of image rights between 2006 and 2009. According to them, Eto’o transferred his image rights to a company based in Hungary which declared his earnings in that country, where the tax rate is one of the “lowest in Europe”.

A second Spanish company declared them in Spain at the corporate tax rate, less than the income tax that should have been paid. Eto’o was the “real holder of the image rights”, maintained the prosecution, according to whom the transfer was fraudulent and only designed to pay less tax. Eto’o, who last year was elected head of the Cameroonian football federation, is one of a number of football stars to have a run-in with Spanish tax authorities, following the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

• Nottingham agree club record transfer fee for Awoniyi

Newly promoted Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Nigerian striker, Taiwo Awoniyi for a club record transfer fee as part of their plans to hold their own when the new Premier League season kicks off. Awoniyi who plies his trade with Union Berlin in the Bundesliga is believed to want a move to the Premier League, despite interest from RB Leipzig. He will cost Forest about £17.5million.

Awoniyi was also part of the Nigerian squad that crashed out at the second round stage of the AFCON that held earlier this year in Cameroon. With 15 goals for Union last season, the 2013 U-17 World Champion is expected help to Steve Cooper’s side avoid an immediate return to the Championship. There are also suggestions that Liverpool are entitled to a percentage of Awoniyi’s transfer fee, as part of his move to Union Berlin.

Awoniyi, 24, joins the list of players Forest is trying to bring in to strengthen the squad. The club had earlier contacted Manchester United’s goalkeeper, Dean Henderson for the possibility of a lon move.

METROPLUS

• Lawyer appears in strange attire at Supreme Court

Eric Ikhilae, AbujaA lawyer, Malcolm Omirhobo, caused a stir at the Supreme Court on Thursday when he appeared in a strange attire, forcing the Justices to abruptly suspend proceedings. Omirhobo, who arrived the courtroom before the commencement of the day’s proceedings, was bare-footed. He tied a red wrapper atop his black trouser, which he rolled up to his kneel. He also had a gourd tied around his neck with a red piece of cloth. He attached a feather to his wig.

The lawyer, who strolled into the courtroom a little over 9am, sat in a conspicuous part of the court where he was seen by many, including his fellow lawyers, who appeared taken aback by his appearance. His appearance attracted a crowd of court workers, lawyers and other court users, who were all attracted by the unusual sight. About five minutes after Omirhobo arrived the courtroom, the Justices entered, signalling the commencement of proceedings. But, on sighting the strangely dressed lawyer, the Presiding Justice, John Okoro announced the suspension of proceedings.

Omirhobo, who ignored entreaties by security officials, including police personnel, to vacate the courtroom, later exited the court on being satisfied that he has made a point. He explained his action was informed by the court’s judgment last Friday in the appeal by Lagos State, in which the court sanctioned the wearing of head cover (hijab) to public schools by female Muslim students. “That decision was reached on Friday and that has encouraged me, because I am a traditionalist and this is the way I worship.
“Based on the decision of the Supreme Court this is how I will be dressing henceforth in court, because I am a strong adherent to ‘Olokun’ – the god of rivers.”

Omirhobo added that the implication of the judgement was that every Nigerian, including doctors, police, military students and journalists could now wear their worship robes or regalia in public places. The lawyer noted that opposed to the judgement, but is at peace with it, because it has strengthened and enriched the rights of all Nigerians, as enshrined in the Constitution.

• Angry youths set 2 suspected armed robbers ablaze for allegedly snatching motorcycle in Ibadan

Two suspected armed robbers were on Thursday, set ablaze by angry youths for allegedly snatching motorcycle, fondly called Okada, in Ibadan. Newsen gathered that the incident happened at Ijokodo, Poly road in Ibadan North Local Government area of Oyo state.
Eye witnesses said the robbers were later chased and caught by the residents after they had successfully snatched the motorcycle. One of the eye witnesses, Wasiu Adedoja, said they were beating to stupor before setting them ablaze.

Another eye witness, Anuoluwapo Olaopa said: “I am sure they were set ablaze because residents are aware that the robbers usually kill Okada riders whenever they snatch their motorcycle in our area. Though, I condemned the act of jungle justice but we cannot ignore the fact that many Okada riders have been killed by these heartless robbers. “Just last month, a man on motorcycle was killed around same Ijokodo axis. It is now becoming a normal phenomenal in this area. I guess that is the reason they were set ablaze to serve as a deterrent to others. But government needs to create more awareness on effect of jungle justice because innocent could be a victim as well.” He stated.

When contacted for confirmation, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Adewale Osifeso said investigation was ongoing and promised to provide more details after the investigation. “Investigation is ongoing, you would be updated, please.” He added.

• Corps Member, Pregnant Woman And Others Drown In Bayelsa Boat Mishap

A female corps member and a pregnant woman were among passengers who drowned in a boat mishap between Otuan and Ayama communities of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Newsmen gathered that one of the victims of the mishap was a mother with her two kids and a 70 years old Otuan chief.​ The boat and the corpses of the victims are still missing at the time of this report.

The boat, with a 15-passenger capacity, rammed into a barrier while trying to berth close to the Ayama community. It was gathered that the Saturday afternoon rain storm, which made all the passengers cover themselves with Tarpaulin, reduced visibility, thus contributing to the incident.

• Bandits Attack Kaduna Communities, Kidnap At Least 36 Persons

At least 36 people were reported kidnapped during Sunday’s attack by bandits on four communities in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. This was disclosed by the residents of the communities during a meeting with security agencies on Monday.

The residents say the constant attacks have affected their means of livelihood, as they can no longer go to their farms to avoid being killed or kidnapped by the bandits. They appeal to the Federal Government to establish a military base in Kajuru as the only way the security situation could be addressed.

“When they came, they met some people in the church; they decided to go into the church, pack some of them, gathered them in a particular place, and went to another village,” an eyewitness and a resident of Kufana village, Bashir Bawo, explained. According to him, the bandits came in bikes and had to steal more motorcycles from the villagers in order to take more people away. He said they killed some of the villagers who tried to repel the attack injured others.