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New naira: Commercial Sex Workers Count Losses, Decry Low Patronage

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Some commercial sex workers in the Federal Capital Territory have decried low patronage in their business due to the scarcity of naira notes.

Some of them who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday said the scarcity of the notes was a threat and had crippled their businesses.

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They said that although the currency swap policy was commendable, the current mode of implementation was a challenge to their business.

READ ALSO::Group Drags Buhari To Court Over Ban On Old N500, N1,000 Notes

Miss Alexandra Tricia (pseudonym), a commercial sex worker, said her customers had reduced drastically due to the current ‘no cash syndrome’.

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She described the development as both frustrating and slow for the business.

”The business is no longer booming like before because there is no cash anywhere.

”Some of my customers will come and after negotiations, they will ask if I have an account so they can transfer the money to me.

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”When I give them the account number, they will press their phones and tell me that they have transferred some money.

”The worst part of it is that you will see their own alert in their phones but most times you will not get your own alert.

”They will want you to start the service immediately without you getting an alert and when you refuse, some of them will start making trouble.

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“ In fact, there is one of my colleagues that a customer sent a transfer alert to but up till now, the money is still pending but she has serviced the man,” she said.

Another sex worker, Miss Ifedi Ote (pseudonym), a university dropout, said many of her colleagues in the business had left temporarily due to the current cash crunch.

She said the development had caused customers who had little cash at hand to pay ‘next to nothing’ for their services.

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”Clients who have cash will price you as low as N1,500 to N3,000.

”When you refuse, they will tell you that the amount is the only cash they have on them and because I need cash, I will be forced to accept the price.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: CBN Orders Banks To Collect Old N500, N1,000 Notes

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”Even the Point of Sale agent where we usually direct our customers to for money has suddenly run out of cash for the past two weeks.

”I think this policy is a good one because it is meant to curb crime but the banks are not implementing it well,” she said.

Another commercial sex worker, Tracy Ehigbere, appealed to the authorities concerned to urgently address issues around the currency swap policy.

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NAN reports that some of the mammy markets and brothels visited along FCT satellite towns which usually witnessed beehives of activities were deserted.

NAN

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FG Security Agency, Nigerian Army Move To Tackle Illicit Small Arms, Light Weapons

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The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Northeast Zonal Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser to the President has partnered with the Nigerian Army to fight the menace of the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division, Nigerian Army Headquarters in Maiduguri on Wednesday, Maj-:Gen Abubakar Adamu (Rtd), the Northeast Zonal Coordinator, NCCSALW Northeast Zonal Centre, said the collaboration was necessary in mopping up Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in the Zone.

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While stating the negative impact the proliferation of illicit SALW has on peaceful coexistence in the nation and its socio-economic activities, Adamu pledged the Centre’s continuous cooperation with the Division especially in intelligence sharing which he said, was paramount in preventing the proliferation of this SALW in the country.

READ ALSO: FG Predicts Heavy Rainfall, Flood In Seven States

“One of our responsibilities is to prevent the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons and to also enlighten the people. We are a multi agency department and we have the police, the DSS, and also retired military officers as well as serving military officers.

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“We have been empowered to receive all illicit small arms and light weapons that have been retrieved from all the agencies and we are the people responsible to destroy them

“We are also the only organization empowered to prosecute gun runners and all the people that have been arrested in terms of dealing with small arms and light weapons.

“What we are doing is to visit major stakeholders and to also share intelligence, information and to collaborate because we know without the armed forces, there is no way we can eradicate the proliferation of small Arms and Light Weapons,” he said.

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READ ALSO: FG Predicts Heavy Rainfall, Flood In Seven States

He further commended the Nigerian Army for always being at the forefront in ensuring that country is safe for all to live in, promising to strengthen the partnership in order to further make the country a better place for all to live.

Responding, Brig.-Gen. U.V Unachukwu promised the Division’s support to the Zonal Centre so as to achieve its mandate while recalling the pass records of the Zonal Director as a result-oriented senior officer.

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He also commended the Centre for working hand in hand with all the security agencies, traditional rulers and key stakeholders, adding that this would go a long way in mopping up and tackling the proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in the country.

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Arrears: AAU Management Replies ASUU Over

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The management of Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma has responded to a recent publication by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), AAU Chapter, alleging that the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sunday Olowo Samuel, claimed to have cleared all staff arrears.

A statement issued by Otunba Mike Aladenika, Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information, Protocol, and Public Relations, described the claim by ASUU as far from the truth.

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Aladenika said the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s 31-paragraph address to journalists did not state that all outstanding salary arrears had been paid.

He noted that instead, the VC emphasized the administration’s commitment to gradual liquidation of these arrears.

READ ALSO: AAU Acting VC Meets With Journalists, Rolls Out Achievements

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According to the imagemaker of the university, the Vice-Chancellor, in his speech, rather highlighted prompt payment of salaries and pensions as a hallmark of his administration, and noted that the university had implemented the new minimum wage of N70,000 as soon as it was approved.

Aladenika questioned where ASUU got their information from, given the Acting Vice-Chancellor’s clear statements.

“It’s worth noting that when the current administration took over, ASUU members were owed over 35 months in arrears.

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“However, the debt has since been reduced as those owed 35 months and above were paid 10 months emblock in the 1st tranch, while in the 2nd tranch, those owe 20-months and above were also paid 10 months salary arrears, emblock. Apart from individuals among them who got paid on personal requests, the payment of the backlogs is still ongoing as various applications on salary arrears are been attended to, demonstrating the management’s commitment to gradual payment.

READ ALSO: Okpebholo Approves Construction Of 500-room Hostel For AAU

“On the issue of the 13th month salary, it’s essential to clarify that this has never been a right, but rather a subject of tripartite negotiations between workers, management, and the state government. There has been no prior agreement or understanding on this matter, and it has always been a point of negotiation for our unions.

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“It’s worth noting that the university has never paid 13 months’ salary in a 12-month financial year. However, this doesn’t mean that the management is opposed to negotiations on the matter. Rather, we believe that it’s essential to approach such discussions in a constructive manner, rather than using it as a bargaining chip for blackmail.

“The management is open to negotiations, but we urge all parties to engage in good faith and avoid misrepresentations.”

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US Court Sentences Osun Monarch To Prison Over $4.2m Fraud

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A United States District Court has sentenced the Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to four years and eight months imprisonment over a $4.2million COVID-19 relief fraud scandal.

Justice Christopher Boyko while delivering the sentence on Tuesday, also ordered the monarch to pay $4.2 million in restitution.

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According Osun Defender, the monarch was also ordered to pay the sum of $195,000 to the IRS for filing a false tax return.

Justice Boyko also ordered Oloyede to forfeit $96,000 in money seized from his bank account and his home on Foote Road that he bought in 2021 for $130,000.

READ ALSO: US court Jails Five Nigerians 159 Years For $17m Fraud

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Boyko said Oloyede was a “very smart guy who did a lot of stupid things.”

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, was appointed the new Apetu in July 2019.

The monarch was arrested alongside alongside Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

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The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

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