News

Tension In Kano As S’Court Decides Yusuf Fate Today

Published

4 months ago

January 12, 2024

Editor

Security agencies in Kano have vowed to forestall the breakdown of law and order as anxiety continues to mount ahead of today’s final verdict of the Supreme Court in the Kano State governorship election.

The Kano State Governor and candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Abba Yusuf, is seeking to overturn the verdicts of the Court of Appeal and election petitions tribunal, which nullified his victory in the March 18 governorship poll.

The two lower courts declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Nasir Gawuna, as the winner of the poll.

The PUNCH reports that the judgment of the Court of Appeal sacking Yusuf created tension and provoked protests in Kano, following reported discrepancies in the certified true copy of the judgment, which the court later said was a clerical error.

The Supreme Court had fixed Friday as the day it would deliver judgment in the appeal, a development that is currently generating tension and fear among supporters of the ruling NNPP, those of the opposition APC, and residents of the state.

The PUNCH correspondent in Kano observed that supporters of both parties and other residents of Kano were apprehensive about today’s judgment, with many of them taking panic measures in anticipation of the unpredictable judgment.

Many parents decided that they would not allow their children to go to school today (Friday) for fear of the unknown, even as businesses, markets and shopping malls may not open.

Some residents have also indicated their intention to remain indoors and monitor the reactions of people to the judgment from their respective homes.

The chairman of the NNPP, Hashimu Dungurawa, in the state, told The PUNCH the party was expectant of a victorious judgment.

Speaking in a telephone interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, Hashimu said, “We’re very happy to have the day of the judgment coming tomorrow morning (today). On our side, we the NNPP, are of full confidence that justice will be done tomorrow (today).

“Our case will be similar to that of the President and that of Benue. The judgment came in their favour, so we hope something like that will happen to our case tomorrow (today), God willing.”

Allaying fear of violence, he said, “We Kwankwasiya people are law-abiding citizens,” noting that their members were ready to allow peace to reign.

The APC Publicity Secretary, Ahmed Aruwa, could not be reached for comments as his line was not connecting.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Police Command assured residents of the state of their safety before, during and after today’s judgment.

The state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, gave the assurance at an interactive session with newsmen at the Command’s Headquarters at Bompai in Kano on Thursday.

According to him, the command has taken adequate security measures that would enable residents of the state to go about their legitimate businesses without threat to lives and property.

Gumel said an effective operational order on how to provide security in each of the 44 local government areas in the state had been issued to the area commanders and divisional police officers for immediate implementation.

“We have mobilised sufficient armed personnel to provide security at all flash points, including political parties offices, Government House, INEC headquarters, Banks/Commercial Areas, mosques, churches, recreation centres and motor parks before, during and after the judgment.

“I am giving 100 per cent assurance to all law-abiding residents of the state to go about freely with their daily activities without threat to lives and property,” Gumel said.

He, therefore, called on all residents of the state to continue to cooperate with the armed security personnel and to share actionable intelligence information on any person or group planning to breach the peace currently being enjoyed by the residents.

On his part, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kano, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the NSCDC had met with the military, police and other security agencies in the state to forestall any breakdown of law and order.

“The state commandant today (Thursday) attended a meeting with all the security agencies in the state – the police, the military and all the paramilitary agencies in the state. (They) met at the police headquarters in Kano. Crucial issues were discussed as to the modalities and strategies to be put in place to avert any potential breakdown of law and order in the state. We have our personnel on the ground and the state commandant has charged them to do all they can to make sure that they maintain peace and order in the state,” Abdullahi said.

News

Banditry: Niger Speaker To Marry Off 100 Female Orphans

Published

2 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, has announced plans to marry off 100 female orphans who lost their parents to banditry attacks in Mariga Local Government Area.

Sarkindaji disclosed this to journalists in Minna, the state capital on Friday.

The Speaker pledged to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and has procured all necessary materials for the mass marriage ceremony.

Accordingly, the girls who would be married off were carefully selected from the 170 girls whose names were submitted. Sarkindaji stated, without disclosing the age range of the orphaned girls.

The Speaker, who represents the Mariga Constituency, described the initiative as part of his constituency empowerment project, “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished.”

Sarkindaji revealed that the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, and the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Barau, would serve as guardians to the female orphans during the mass marriage ceremony.

The Kano State Commander General of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, is expected to attend the event, slated for May 24 at Bangi, the headquarters of Mariga Local Government Area.

News

Edo Poll: Reason Ex-Speaker Resigns From PDP Revealed

Published

2 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

Former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Francis Okiye, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party with immediate effect.

Okiye, a former governorship aspirant of the PDP officially joined the party in October 2020 after he, among others, defected from the All Progressives Congress.

In his resignation letter dated May 10, 2024, and addressed to the Chairman, PDP, Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North-East Local Government, Okiye, said his decision stemmed from the alienation of the majority of his constituents and supporters by the state government under Governor Godwin Obaseki from the activities and programmes of the party and the government of the state.

Okiye said, “I have resigned my membership of the PDP as of May 10, 2024, and I have communicated the same to the PDP through my ward chairman.

“My decision stemmed from the alienation of the majority of my constituents and supporters by the state government under Governor Godwin Obaseki from the activities and programmes of the party and the government of the state.

“As if that is not enough, the party candidate has declared that he would continue with the governor’s principle should he win the September election. Other reasons why I quit the party are personal to me.”

He was, however, silent on his next political move.

News

EFCC Stops Dollar Transactions, Asks Embassies To Charge In Naira

Published

2 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has read the Riot Act to foreign missions based in Nigeria, banning them from transacting in foreign currencies, and mandating the use of Naira in their financial businesses.

The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.

The move, the EFCC noted, is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira

The anti-graft commission, in an advisory to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” expressed reservations and displeasure “regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar(s).”

In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.

The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).

“This practice is an aberration and unlawful as it conflicts with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria. Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.

“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”

The commission added that the refusal by some missions to accept the naira for consular service in Nigeria and also comply with the foreign exchange regulatory regime in fixing the exchange of the cost of their services is not only illegal but represents an affront to the country’s sovereignty symbolised by the national currency.

Such a situation, EFCC added, undermines Nigeria’s monetary policy and aspiration for sustainable economic development.

The letter continued, “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.

“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”

When contacted for comments, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale declined comments.

Meanwhile, the EFCC had resumed raiding in a bid to stabilise the naira.

Operatives of the EFCC had on Tuesday arrested some Bureau De Change operators at the popular Wuse Zone 4 market in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

However, traders also said some BDC operators resisted the arrest during a sting operation.

The operatives had embarked on routine raids to sanitise the market of street traders and eliminate arbitrary trading.

But this move was resisted on Tuesday, leading to gunshots and damage to the operatives’ vehicles.

Penultimate week, the commission arrested over 35 suspected currency speculators for alleged foreign exchange fraud.

Last week, it also paraded over 20 BDC operators arrested in the capital city.
PUNCH