Month: December 2024

The requirements for the extradition of pro-Biafran agitator, Simon Ekpa, to Nigeria have been forwarded to the Government of Finland, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (CDS), has said.

“Well, I’m sure he is cooling off somewhere,” the defence chief said on Channels Television‘s 2024 Year-In-Review programme on December 31, 2024.

“Legal action is going to be taken accordingly. I don’t want to say much about that but I’m happy he has been arrested.

“The Federal Government has actually forwarded most of the requirements to the Finnish Government. So, I’m sure the right thing will be done.”

The defence chief also said the sit-at-home propagated by Ekpa and his allies in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria is wearing off because of the clearance operations by the military.

In November 2024, Finland authorities arrested Ekpa alongside four others on suspicion of terror-related activities, including incitement to violence and terrorism financing.

Finland district court in Lahti had ordered the remand of Ekpa on probable cause for public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent in Nigeria.

The separatist leader was accused of using social media platforms to spread separatist propaganda linked to IPOB, a group advocating for the secession of southeastern Nigeria.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been named a finalist for the 2024 ‘corrupt person of the year’ in a list compiled by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

Established in 2012 by the OCCRP, the ironic honour highlights individuals extensively involved in organised crime and corruption.

The latest compilation was published on Tuesday.

The OCCRP said Tinubu was nominated by readers, journalists, person of the year judges, and others in the project’s global network.

In May 2023, an OCCRP investigation found that Tinubu, president-elect at the time, was linked to 20 properties his associates bought in the United Kingdom (UK) when he was serving as governor of Lagos.

According to the report, 17 of the properties were bought by Oladipo Eludoyin, Tinubu’s associate and a director of Aranda Overseas Corp., between 2004 and 2007.

Some 24 hours before the report was published, a Bloomberg investigation exposed that Seyi, Tinubu’s son, is the main shareholder of Aranda Overseas Corp.—an offshore company he used in purchasing a $10.8 million property under probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The OCCRP said a year after the president forfeited $460,000 to the US government in 1993 as proceeds of narcotics trafficking, Abeeb Holdings Limited, an offshore company registered in Gibraltar with Tinubu as the beneficial owner, bought Flat 9 at 96-100 New Cavendish Street in London.

The OCCRP said it later found that Eludoyin is also the beneficial owner of 17 UK properties through three offshore companies registered in the British Virgin Islands.

The organization added that Babatunde Fashola, Tinubu’s former aide and successor, and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the incumbent governor of Lagos, also had a hand in controlling Aranda Overseas Corp.’s internal affairs.

Court documents from a Chicago case had claimed that in the early 1990s, Tinubu was linked to bank accounts allegedly used to launder money for a heroin ring in Chicago.

However, the president has dismissed all allegations and has instead been vocal about the need for African leaders to collaborate and tackle the “continental” challenge.

Besides Tinubu, Kenyan President William Ruto is also named a finalist.

The OCCRP said an unprecedented number of people wrote in to nominate Ruto for “Person of the Year” in organised crime and corruption.

The comments submitted with the nominations were full of frustration and despair, the OCCRP said.

A special ‘Lifetime non-achievement award’ was given to Teodoro Mbasogo, Equatorial Guinea’s president and one of the longest-serving dictators in the world.

“Instead of developing the country into a model for Africa, he has squandered its natural resources, living an obscenely lavish lifestyle while the rest of the population suffers in poverty,” the report said.

Joko Widodo, former president of Indonesia; Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister of Bangladesh; and Gautam Adani, an Indian businessman, were also listed as finalists.

SYRIA’S AL-ASSAD NAMED WINNER

The OCCRP named ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as the 2024 corrupt person of the year.

Al-Assad was said to have led his country’s production and distribution of Captagon, a highly addictive street drug, earning billions of dollars to operate prisons and maintain his brutal authoritarian rule.

The OCCRP said the award is given to the person who has done “the most to wreak havoc around the world through organised crime and corruption”.

The report said al-Assad created chaos for Syrians and the broader region.

Past winners include Russian President Vladimir Putin; María Consuelo Porras, Guatemala’s attorney general; Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil; and the Romanian parliament.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has disclosed that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure candidates of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) have an unparalleled experience.

The board made the disclosure in its weekly bulletin released through its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin on Monday, JAMB stated that it was poised to deliver an “unprecedented registration and examination experience.”

The body also expressed commitment to conducting the most exceptional UTME in its history.

“In line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, is committed to conducting the most exceptional Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, in its history.

“To achieve this, the Board has implemented comprehensive measures aimed at providing candidates and stakeholders with an unparalleled registration

“As part of its ongoing commitment to excellence, JAMB has thoroughly reviewed all processes related to the conduct of the 2024 UTME.

“This review includes the generation of sufficient examination items to address the requirements of CBT exercise, as well as the accreditation of examination centres and the registration process leading up to the examination and result management.

“The insights gained from the 2024 review have been integrated into the rigorous planning for the 2025 UTME.

“Consequently, the Board has established robust measures to prevent the recurrence of the few challenges faced in 2024. JAMB has successfully generated a satisfactory pool of examination items, completed the accreditation of centres, and set the registration date to commence in January 2025.

“The Board believes that candidates participating in the 2025 UTME will experience an examination like never before.

‘’As prospective candidates await the official registration rollout, they are encouraged to create their profiles by sending a text message: NIN (space) followed by their eleven-digit NIN number to 55019. This will ensure they can complete their registration without delays when the time arrives.”

“To ensure a smooth registration process for prospective candidates, it is crucial to adhere to the strict warning regarding the use of henna, also known as ‘Laali’ or ‘Lale.’

“The application of henna on the fingers can lead to significant challenges during biometric verification, as it has been shown to obstruct the process of biometric verification.

“Additionally, candidates who attempt to remove henna designs using harsh chemicals may inadvertently damage the whorls on their fingers, making biometric verification and authentication extremely difficult, if not impossible.

“Candidates are advised to protect their ten fingers for both the registration and the examination itself, as successful biometric verification is mandatory for entry into the examination hall. Without it, candidates will be unable to access even the exam questions.

“This message serves as a reminder for anyone considering the application of henna to refrain from doing so to ensure a seamless registration experience,” JAMB said.

Vanguard News

The small Pacific island nation of Kiribati has once again taken center stage as the first country to usher in the New Year.

Kiritimati Island, also known as Christmas Island, celebrated the arrival of January 1, 2025, with jubilant festivities as the clock struck midnight earlier today.

Located in the central Pacific Ocean, Kiritimati operates 14 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 8.5 hours ahead of India.

This significant moment marks the start of global New Year’s celebrations, with Kiribati leading the world into 2025.

The island’s residents welcomed the fresh dawn with lively fireworks displays, upbeat music, and communal gatherings that filled the air with joy and anticipation.

Meanwhile, New Zealand also joined in as one of the first major nations to ring in the New Year.

At 11:00 GMT, cities like Auckland and Wellington lit up the night sky with spectacular fireworks displays.

Auckland’s iconic Sky Tower became the focal point of the celebrations, dazzling onlookers as it erupted in a blaze of colorful pyrotechnics.

The festivities in New Zealand unfolded 13 hours before London’s Big Ben would toll to announce 2025 and 18 hours ahead of New York’s iconic Times Square ball drop.

Across New Zealand, crowds gathered to marvel at the displays, share champagne toasts, and revel in the celebratory atmosphere.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has blamed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration of failing to fulfil the promises made to it.

This comes amid threats by the union to embark on a strike action by January.

This development was communicated to SaharaReporters in a phone conversation with the ASUU President, Prof. Victor Osodeke, on Monday.

He said there are many promises that the government has failed to fulfil and the union has exercised patience for three years, with no results.

“The government has made many promises but all we have seen is that they are playing games. They owe lecturers arrears between January and December 2023,” he noted.

He noted that “lecturers are exhausted”.

“The government earlier this year said they have approved a N300 billion NEEDS assessment fund for universities in the country. Up till now, despite approving the money in the budget, there has been no actual release,” he told SaharaReporters.

He noted that another issue concerns the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) which lecturers complained about.

IPPIS is a centralized database system for the Nigerian Public Service. It was introduced by the Federal Government of Nigeria with the support of the World Bank as part of a Public Service Reform initiative.

“We complained about IPPIS and the government said that they have solved the issue with GIFMIS, we then saw that it’s same thing they are doing, so there is not much difference between IPPIS and GIFMIS,” he said.

He noted that they have been having discussions with a government committee which noted that it would reach out to higher authorities to check if certain demands would be agreed upon but for two weeks “ASUU has not heard anything from the government”.

The union noted that it may declare a strike action in January.

“We will meet in January and may declare strike action,” he said.

When asked when the industrial action will be declared in January, he said “this will be communicated”.

In September, ASUU threatened to go on strike and gave the government a 14-day ultimatum to meet its demands.

The union noted that this was in addition to the initial 21 days, beginning from Monday, September 23, 2024, during which all the lingering issues must have been concretely addressed to the satisfaction of the membership of the union.

“The union should not be held responsible for any industrial disharmony that arises from the government’s failure to seize the new opportunity offered by ASUU to nip the looming crisis in the bud,” ASUU said at the time.

The union however did not eventually declare an industrial action.

The Adewale Family, represented by High Chief Amusa Yusuf Adewale, the Lisa of Sangotedo Community, has distanced the aforementioned honorable family from misrepresentation published in one of the national dailies.

The representative of the family, Chief Adewale stated this in rebuttal made available to VReporters on Monday.

The rejoinder, according to the family, is to correct the misleading information published in the Punch Newspaper on December 9, 2024.

The statement partly read: “The said publication falsely listed a member of our family, Mr. Sidiku Ijaodoro Adewale, as part of the descendants of the founding fathers of Sangotedo Community who are allegedly aggrieved with the public notice earlier published by the Olufunmi Eshinlokun Royal Family.

“The so called ‘Sidiku Ijaodoro Adewale’ is solely representing his personal interest and definitely not the interest of the Adewale family. Adewale family members are historically conscious and guided and can never be a party to such unjustified, inappropriate and unwarranted claims.

“We categorically and unequivocally deny being a party to the claims made by the so-called underlisted descendants of Sangotedo Community. Instead, we entirely agree with the claim of the Olufunmi Eshinlokun Royal Family as the exclusive owner of all land in Sangotedo, which is supported by legal pronouncements and solid historical facts.

“Besides, the King ( The Olu of Sangotedo) is the first among equals, second to none in the kingdom and He’s also the custodian of Sangotedo History, culture, and tradition, therefore His words, claims and position concerning issues on communal land is final and infallible.

“We demand that the publishers of the Punch Newspaper retract the misleading publication and issue a formal apology to our family.”

Nation Newspaper

Barring any last-minute change of plan, councils will begin to get direct allocation from the Federation Account next month.

It will begin with the disbursement of this month’s allocation to the tiers of government, a source told our correspondent at the weekend.

The direct receipt from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) will end the delay in the implementation of the July 11 judgment of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to councils.

Since the judgment was delivered, the Federal Government has been making an effort to ensure minimal disruption to state/local government operations.

The umbilical cord of the state/local government joint account into which council allocations are paid has been difficult to break because of subtle resistance by governors, many of who are displeased with the Supreme Court judgment.

A member of the Inter-Ministerial Committee established to enforce the Supreme Court judgment told our correspondent that approval has been given for the direct FAAC allocations to LGAs from next month after all the issues were laid to rest.

The source explained that though some councils have been collecting their allocation directly, the process will be fully operational by next month.

The committee member declined a request to name the councils that have been receiving direct allocations.

The source said: “A few LGAs have already started receiving their direct allocations but all of the 774 LGAs will fully start receiving their allocations from January 2025.

“Our committee will reconvene in January to review its progress and finalise measures before the Accountant-General of the Federation issues authorisation for the complete rollout.

“This is a critical juncture in Nigeria’s governance structure.

“Our January 2025 meeting will also address the actions of governors attempting to undermine the autonomy of democratically elected LGA chairmen, deputies, and councillors, ensuring they are not coerced into serving state interests.”

This move is believed to be a critical step in empowering councils to carry out their constitutional responsibilities effectively without undue interference by governors.

The source expressed disappointment with the suspension for two months of democratically elected local government chairmen and deputies by the Edo State House of Assembly, following a petition by Governor Monday Okpebholo accusing them of insubordination for not making available their financial statements as directed.

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“It is highly undemocratic for governors to dissolve elected LGAs.

“Such actions undermine the autonomy granted to local governments and create an environment where LGAs become pawns in the hands of state executives,” the source said.

The committee, chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume has as members Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Abubakar Bagudu, Accountant General of the Federation Oluwatoyin Madein, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Chairman Muhammed Shehu and representatives of state governors as well as local governments.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu threw his weight behind the financial independence of councils.

The inter-ministerial committee endorsed the implementation of constitutional provisions that recognise councils as the third tier of government.

Fagbemi had threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against defiant governors who failed to comply with the July 11 Supreme Court judgment.

Justifying councils’ financial autonomy, Fagbemi said: “Local government autonomy is meant to empower the grassroots, not enrich individuals.

“Any chairman found guilty of diverting funds will face severe legal consequences.” 

Some states have laws seemingly aimed at bypassing the Supreme Court judgment.

The Anambra State House of Assembly, for instance, passed a Local Government Administration Bill mandating LGAs to remit a portion of their allocations into a state-controlled joint account.

Governor Chukwuma Soludo defended the legislation as necessary for transparency and collaboration, but critics, including civil society groups, accused his administration of undermining the spirit and letters of the Supreme Court judgment on financial autonomy for councils.

On the other hand, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly aligned with the Supreme Court ruling by abolishing joint accounts and restructuring its local government system to ensure compliance.

Governor Abdullahi Sule signed the bill, thereby signalling support for grassroots financial independence.

As part of the Supreme Court judgment which mandates councils to be run by democratically elected officials before being qualified to access direct allocation from the Federation Account, all the states have conducted elections which ushered in elected chairmen and councillors.

The Senate also weighed in, urging full compliance with the Supreme Court judgment.

It advocated constitutional amendments to remove ambiguities in Section 162(6) of the 1999 Constitution, which created state/local government joint accounts.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasised the need for a clear framework to enforce local government autonomy effectively.

Immediate past National President of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Aminu Muazu Maifata yesterday advised council chairmen on how to use direct allocations to them.

‘’I honestly expect them to work towards improving the lives of the people at the grassroots.

“I expect them to channel those resources towards implementing laudable programmes and projects as well as tackling challenges at the grassroots,” Maifata said.

He explained that ALGON already has a template on how council chairmen should judiciously use their FAAC allocations.

Maifata, a one-time chairman of Lafia LGA of Nasarawa State, also enjoined chairmen to tackle insecurity, water shortage, and infrastructure gaps.

He explained that these are the basic needs of the rural population.

The former ALGON boss said: “I don’t expect any chairman to have any difficulty in carrying out their constitutional responsibilities.

“I can authoritatively give you this assurance, and I honestly expect them to work towards improving the lives of the people at the grassroots.

“We already set the template when the Supreme Court judgment was delivered and each chairman knows what to do if the resources are available, so I expect them to follow the template we set and deliver good governance to our people at the grassroots.”

“I also expect them to undertake capacity building of the legislative arm and the executive of various local governments across the country.

“I expect them to bring skillful resource persons that will speak on issues that will strengthen the local government administration.

“These are some of the key areas I expect them to start tackling immediately.” 

The management of Agidigbo FM has reacted to the reports making the rounds that, its chairman Oriyomi Hamzat, former wife of Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola and the Principal of Islamic High School Abdullahi Mfasasi, have been released from prison custody.

The media house made the clarification in a statement on Saturday shared on Oriyomi Hamzat’s Facebook page, the management described reports of their release as “fake news” and urged the public to disregard them.

The statement, however, warned those spreading the news to desist from such act.

The statement reads, “The Management of Agidigbo FM has described as fake news, the rumour circulating round that the chairman of Agidigbo 88.7FM Oriyomi Hamzat, ex-queen of Ooni of Ife Naomi Silekuola and the Principal of Islamic High School Abdullahi Mfasasi, have been released from prison, therefore urged the public to disregard the rumour and warned those spreading it to desist from such act.

“Stop the spread of fake news!!”

Recall that SaharaReporters, yesterday reported that Naomi Silekunola, who is being detained at Agodi prison following the stampede that claimed the lives of 35 people in Ibadan, Oyo State, was on hunger strike.

It quoted the mother, Mrs Funmilayo Ogunseyi, to have revealed this in an interview, claiming that when she visited her on Thursday at the custodial centre, she wasn’t feeling fine. 

“She wasn’t happy about the whole incident. She loves children. The queen loves and helps children, single mothers, old women, and widows. She is still in pain that those children lost their lives because her intention was pure,” Ogunseyi said.

Ogunseyi explained that organising such an event to help people was what Naomi had been doing for years. 

Hamzat and Mfasasi were arraigned on December 24 before a Magistrate Court in Ibadan and subsequently remanded in prison.

Punch Newspaper

Medical experts have identified Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis as three major factors responsible for the rise in kidney diseases across the globe.

The experts also blamed the surge on unhealthy diets, particularly processed foods.

According to the World Health Organisation, kidney diseases are now the 10th leading cause of death globally, stating that mortality has increased from 813,000 in 2000 to 1.3 million in 2019.

The Nigeria Association of Nephrology says about 20 million Nigerians are presently living with chronic kidney diseases.

Speaking with PUNCH HealthWise in an exclusive interview on the worrisome rise, a Consultant Nephrologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Dr. Theophilus Umeizudike, identified an increase in Type 2 diabetes which he blamed on the consumption of processed and unhealthy foods as a major cause of kidneys diseases globally.

Umeizudike also blamed the rise in kidney diseases on hypertension and glomerulonephritis.

The nephrologist explained, “Globally, the cause mainly is because of the increase in Type 2 diabetes which is also rising in our environment.

“The reason why Type 2 diabetes is rising globally is because of people abandoning natural foods for processed foods.

“So, processed foods are the reasons why people are coming down with Type 2 diabetes and people with Type 2  diabetes come down with kidney diseases later in life. Hypertension is also increasing cases of kidney diseases.”

The kidney specialist noted that kidney diseases were on the rise in Nigeria.

“In our clime, we have a very young population that are prone to many infections and inflammatory conditions that can affect the kidneys.

“Oftentimes, the early signs of infection or inflammation of the kidney are silent. So, years down the line, these things begin to manifest.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, we have glomerulonephritis that affects the kidney. It causes kidney damage over months or years usually within a period of five to 10 years. There are viral infections like hepatitis B, C, and HIV that cause kidney diseases”, he said.

The nephrologist also attributed the surge in kidney diseases to a lack of access to affordable healthcare.

Umeizudike said, “Another cause is that many of these young people do not have access to affordable healthcare. So, they resort to alternative therapies like herbal remedies which can damage their kidneys.

“Again, we have a predisposition  to coming down with kidney diseases as people of African origin because of gene mutation.”

On how people can avoid coming down with kidney diseases, the nephrologist enjoined them to embrace a healthy lifestyle and to go for regular health checks for early detection and proper management.

Umeizudike explained that when people keep living on processed foods, the tendency to come down with kidney diseases is high.

“Eating processed foods pushes people to Type 2 diabetes and increases the risk of kidney diseases later on in life”, he reiterated.

According to him, for someone to know whether he has a kidney issue, the person must go and do a test, adding that without a medical test, kidney diseases cannot be detected.

He noted, “Medical tests are very important because early forms of kidney disease are completely asymptomatic. Once people start having symptoms of kidney disease, it means that it has advanced which will then require dialysis or transplant.”

He pointed out that everybody should be worried about kidney diseases, assuring however that the risks of kidney diseases could be reduced or avoided through regular health checks and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

According to him, people in their 20s are coming down with kidney diseases.

Also, a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, Cynthia Onyekwere, told PUNCH HealthWise that an unhealthy diet was a major contributing factor to the onset of kidney diseases.

The dietician explained, “For one to keep kidney diseases away, it is important to pay close attention to his/her diet and make some dietary adjustments by mainly reducing intake of certain foods that can affect renal function negatively.

“One of such foods to be reduced is salt. Salt contains sodium which when consumed in excess can cause high blood pressure which can lead to kidney damage.

“To achieve a reduced salt intake, one can start by reducing the amount of salt and stock cubes used in cooking, stop adding salt to meals when eating, and limit intakes of pastries and salty snacks.

“Also,  processed foods can also affect renal function and as such should be consumed in limited amounts. Examples of processed foods include canned meat as well as canned fruits and vegetables. They should be consumed sparingly as they contain a lot of sodium.”

Speaking further, Onyekwere noted, “Too much intake of protein can damage the kidneys. Although protein is required for the repair of worn-out tissues and the build-up of new ones, when consumed excessively, it is harmful to the kidneys. This is because it is the kidney that helps the body to get rid of the waste products that are generated after the digestion of protein.

“Eating too much protein will place more burden on the kidneys and this can progressively cause damage. People must also be wary of herbal concoctions to ensure optimal renal function. Herbal concoctions in water or alcohol extracts contain substances that may be toxic to the kidneys.”

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the commencement of its recruitment exercise, assuring Nigerians that the process is entirely free and fair.

The agency has cautioned the public to be vigilant against scammers who may attempt to exploit unsuspecting applicants during the recruitment period.

Applications are invited for positions in the Superintendent, Inspector, and Customs Assistant cadres as part of the Service’s plan to recruit 3,927 officers in 2025.

This initiative is aimed at enhancing trade facilitation and supporting Nigeria’s economic recovery efforts.

“Our recruitment is entirely free and fair. At no stage do we charge fees. Anyone requesting payment is a scammer,” the agency emphasized, urging applicants to be wary of fraudulent schemes.

The NCS outlined eligibility criteria, stating that applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN), and have no criminal record or ongoing investigations.

Academic qualifications for the three cadres are as follows:

Superintendent Cadre: A university degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) along with an NYSC discharge or exemption certificate.

Inspectorate Cadre: A National Diploma (ND) or Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) from an accredited institution.

Customs Assistant Cadre: At least an O’Level certificate (WAEC or NECO).

In addition to these qualifications, the NCS stressed that all applicants must be physically and mentally fit, providing evidence of medical fitness from a recognized government hospital.

The application process opens on 27 December 2024 and will close on 2 January 2025. Interested candidates can apply via the official recruitment portal .

The NCS reiterated its commitment to a transparent recruitment process and encouraged eligible Nigerians to take advantage of this opportunity.