SABINEWS ORNING NEWS UPDATE FOR AUGUST 4, 2016
Nigerians back Mbaka, say hunger, poverty unbearable
Many Nigerians on Wednesday overwhelmingly backed the Enugu Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry, Enugu State, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, for his blunt message to President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, some Nigerians mocked the cleric on social media, saying he should have known that the President was not the ‘messiah’ the country needed before supporting him during the 2015 presidential election campaign. Read more
Dogara gave $25,000 to each Rep, says Jibrin
A former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, on Wednesday alleged that the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, handed out $25,000 to lawmakers so that they could pass a vote of confidence on the speaker.
Jibrin claimed that Dogara opened a register at his Asokoro guest house where each member who signed was handed the cash. Read more
Shiites protest in Kaduna, demand el-Zakzaky’s release
Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, otherwise known as Shiites, on Wednesday in Kaduna, defied police order to protest the continued detention of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and other members currently detained by security agents.
The protesters, mostly children and women, marched through the Muhammadu Buhari Way (formerly Waff Road) in the Kaduna metropolis. Read more
Sokoto to generate electricity from wind
Sokoto State Government has appealed to the Federal Government to deploy resources and expertise to the state in its bid to develop wind and other alternative energy sources.
Speaking when he hosted officials from the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and the Centre for Energy Research and Training, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said Nigeria’s desire to have sustainable and affordable electricity could not be achieved without diversification of the country’s energy sources. Read more
2016 Hajj: Pilgrims airlift begins on Monday
The airlift of 2016 intending hajj pilgrims from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia will start at the Sokoto Airport on Monday, with Zamfara State pilgrims, being the first set to be airlifted.
The Media Assistant to the Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Faruku Umar, who confirmed this to our correspondent in Sokoto on Wednesday, stated that intending pilgrims from Kebbi and Sokoto states would follow suit in that order. Read more
EFCC grills Nenadi Usman over N23bn Diezani bribe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has quizzed the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, for her alleged role in the N23bn ($115m) allegedly shared by the then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, during the build-up to the 2015 presidential election.
The commission also traced the payment of N1.85bn to two former governors and three senators from the Diezani funds. Read more
IGP to visit Arepo today, NAF calls for calm
The Nigerian Air Force has assured members of the public around the Arepo axis of Ogun State not to panic over the ongoing military operation in the area.
Also, investigation revealed that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, would visit the operational base of the vandals at Arepo on Thursday (today). Read more
Shun partisan politics, Wike advises new Rivers CP
The RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has advised the state Police Command to be apolitical during the forthcoming rerun elections, adding that the people of the state will resist any plot to use instruments of state to rig elections.
Wike, who gave this advice at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday when the new state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Odesanya, paid him a courtesy visit, charged policemen not to take sides in the discharge of security duties. Read more
EFCC, DSS, others may clash over budget padding probe
The police, the Department of State Services and other Federal Government security agencies are on collision course over a petition submitted to them by a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin.
Jubrin had, in the petition also submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, accused the Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, three principal officers and eight committee chairmen of padding the 2016 budget to the tune of N480bn. Read more
Group files fresh suit for Kashamu’s extradition
A non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development, says it has sued the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Attorney General of the Federation for their failure to extradite Senator Buruji Kashamu to the United States where he is said to be wanted over alleged drug trafficking offences.
The group said in a statement on Wednesday that it filed the fresh suit, numbered FHC/L/CS/1045/2016, against the NDLEA and the AGF at the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday. Read more
Herdsmen attack Kaduna villages, kill 11
No fewer than 11 persons were killed when Fulani herdsmen attacked two villages, near Godogodo town in the Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday and Tuesday.
The two villages, the villagers claimed, were also razed by the rampaging herdsmen.
But the Kaduna State Police Command Spokesman, Aliyu Usman, who confirmed the incident, said the villages were partially burnt, and that the police were fully on ground and had restored law and order in the affected communities. Read more
Govt wants traditional rulers to tackle hooliganism
The Lagos State Government has urged traditional rulers to tackle the menace of hoodlums terrorising their communities.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, said this on Wednesday while presenting the staff of office to Oba Hameed Taiwo, the new monarch of Orile-Alagbado, in the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area. Read more
BoT members meet Jonathan over PDP crisis
Members of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party met with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Wednesday night.
One of our correspondents gathered that the meeting was the first the leadership of the party had with the former President since he was defeated during the 2015 presidential election. Read more
PDP, Ize-Iyamu jealous of my credentials – Obaseki
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, dismissed allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party that he received millions of naira as salaries as the head of the state’s economy and strategy team.
The PDP state Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, had during the party’s rally in Orhionmwon on Monday accused Obaseki of allegedly deceiving the citizens with claims that he (Obaseki) worked without any remuneration under the state government. Read more
Kidnapped UNIPORT lecturer regains freedom
THE kidnapped lecturer of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Reginald Ohiri, regained his freedom on Tuesday night from the hands of his abductors.
The victim was said to have been freed by his abductors after they later found out that he was not their target.
Ohiri, who is a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at UNPORT, was abducted on the eve of Monday from his resident, in Aluu community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the Rivers State. Read more
Two retirees slump during pension arrears protest in Benue
Two pensioners of the Benue State Civil Service slumped on Wednesday during a protest staged by retirees under the umbrella of Concerned Benue Pensioners in Makurdi, the state capital.
The retirees staged the protest against the Benue State government over alleged unpaid entitlements and gratuity which spanned 11 months. Read more
LG worker slumps, dies, as NULGE protests unpaid salaries
Tragedy struck in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Wednesday when an employee of Esan North-East Local Government Council, identified as Peter Ayewoh, slumped and died during a mass protest by the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees over unpaid salary arrears.
It was learnt that Ayewoh, an employee of the Works department, slumped while protesting with hundreds of his counterparts from the 18 local government councils. Read more
Terrorist’s trial in Katsina
A Katsina Senior Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday adjourned a case involving a suspected terrorist, Husseini Isiyaku, to September 6, to allow the police receive legal advice on the case from the state Ministry of Justice.
The 25-year-old suspected terrorist had earlier been docked before the Magistrates’ Court on Monday which adjourned the case to Wednesday, following the absence of police prosecutor, Kabir Mohammed. Read more
Landlord hangs self in Ibadan, leaves suicide note
A landlord, Popoola Adepoju, has hanged himself in Idi-Ose community, along Akan Road, in the Ona Ara council area of Ibadan.
The 48-year-old was reportedly found dangling from a rope tied to a ceiling fan in his room, with a three-page suicide note on the table. Read more
Command recovers N7m ransom from kidnappers
The police in Abuja have recovered N7m from a gang of kidnappers who abducted a lady in Maitama, Abuja, and held her hostage at their hideout in a hotel in Sokoto State.
The suspects, who were paraded by the Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Mohammad Mustafa, on Wednesday, received N7m from the parents of their victim. Read more
Angry youths shut down Agip facility in Rivers
SCORES of youths on Wednesday shut down the OB-OB Gas Plant belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The angry youths said they decided to shut down the facility when NAOC refused to meet and interface with them on issues affecting them, including employment and the need to implement the content of an existing Memorandum of Understanding. Read more
Asian Bookings of Nigerian, W’African Crude Oil to Drop in August
Cargoes of West African crude oil sailing east are on track to fall in August on fierce competition, shaky demand and disruptions in Nigerian loadings that forced at least one cancelled cargo, according to Reuters.
A total of 55 cargoes for 1.685 million barrels per day (bpd) are booked to sail to Asia this month. The total is just under two per cent lower than the planned bookings in July, but is more than eight per cent lower than August last year. Read more
Indorama to inject $2.2bn in Eleme Petrochemicals
INDORAMA Group, the core investor that took over the assets of Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited, has announced plans to inject fresh investments worth about $2.2 billion.
The investment, which is to come through an expansion plan would see the project become the largest petrochemicals hub in Africa by 2020. Read more
Oil firms count losses as militants worsen woes
Chevron and Eni, two of the global oil majors operating in Nigeria, and their local counterparts such as Seplat and Oando may have been worst hit by the production disruptions occasioned by militant attacks in the Niger Delta, their financial results have shown.
Chevron Corporation, the second largest United States-based oil producer, lost $1.47bn in the second quarter of this year, its largest since 2001, compared with a net profit of $571m in the same period of 2015. Read more
Nestoil gets certification for quality management system
Nestoil Limited said it had been awarded the International Standard Organisation 9001:2008 certification for Quality Management System by DQS Holding, one of the world’s leading certification bodies.
The company said in a statement that the certification came after a detailed evaluation of the company’s operational processes and standards. Read more
FG: $1tn Lost to Tax Evasion, Avoidance
The federal government wednesday announced that it had lost about $1 trillion to tax evasion and avoidance by multinational companies.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who dropped the hint after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, said to address the problem, multinationals operating in Nigeria would be compelled to provide reports on their operations in other countries. Read more
Fed Govt, financial experts parley on solutions
BATTLING to stave off a looming economic recession, the Federal Government’s Economic Management Team (EMT) on Tuesday held a consultative forum with economic and financial experts.
The meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, afforded the EMT, which consists of government officials only, the opportunity to engage the private sector experts on how to tackle the economic challenges confronting the economy. Read more
Forex policy, others force down corporate profits in first half 2016
Corporate profit across various sectors has taken a huge nose-dive due to recent depreciation in Naira value as well as other harsh operating environment which increased costs and narrowed their profit margins.
According to reports filed by 85 companies to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, for their financial results in the first half of the year, total profit dropped by N105.8 billion to N291.96 billion, a massive 26.6 per cent decline from N397.8 billion they recorded in the corresponding period of last year. Read more
Only 5 million are tax compliant in Lagos- LIRS
The Executive Chairman Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, revealed yesterday that only five million people are tax compliant in the state.
This is even as Theophilus Emuwa, a tax expert has estimated that out of the five million in the tax net, 90 percent of the tax payers are from the Organised Private Sector, OPS, and public servants while 10 percent are from informal sector in the state. Read more
The economy’s rearguard brigade
When Muhammadu Buhari was sworn-in as the elected President of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, he made what many considered a heart-lifting speech.
The best part was the “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody” sound bite. He later betrayed that pledge by going to America to propound his ungoldy “97%/5%” formula, which he has been implementing with a single-minded commitment. He missed an opportunity to prove his critics wrong. Read more
Nigeria Leads Africa, Israeli Negotiations on SMEs Growth
Nigeria is leading in a new trade and commerce cooperation between African countries and Israel, which will see small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) based in Africa benefit from the economic competencies of Israel.
According to the facilitators of the partnership, the Africa Leadership Summit (ALS), a new platform, the Africa-Israel Chamber of Commerce (AICC) was inaugurated recently in Abuja to oversee the planned economic relationship between the continent and Israel. Read more
FIRS and the Increasing Need to Boost Customer Service
As government revenue collector, much is expected from the Federal Inland Revenue Service. In these days of decline in oil revenue, with the global slide in prices and the bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, the federal government agency is under very intense pressure to up revenue and make up for arising shortfalls.
The FIRS had, in the past, chiefly relied on its legion of field enforcement teams to drive tax compliance. But as awareness on the need to pay taxes and the dire consequences of failure, electronic payment platforms have been created that ensure voluntary payments are made a lot easier for individuals and companies. Read more
FCMB, Diamond Bank Plan Fresh Capital Raising
Diamond Bank Plc and First City Monument Bank Limited (FCMB) have disclosed plans to raise fresh capital.
Diamond Bank said it is considering raising fresh capital and selling some assets in order to strengthen its capital base, its chief executive said on Wednesday. Read more
Dangote Cement Reaps Benefits of African Expansion
The diversification of Dangote Cement Plc into other part of Africa has started yielding positive results, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Onne Van der Weijde has said.
Weijde, who disclosed this yesterday at the company “Fact behind the figures” presentation ceremony in Lagos noted that Dangote Cement increased its top line by 20.6 per cent to N292.2 billion in six months to June 30, 2016, from N242.2 billion in the corresponding period of 2015. Read more
Businesses stumble in the face of recession (II)
Since FMN imports the bulk of its raw materials (particularly wheat), the adoption of a more flexible exchange rate regime by the CBN and the consequent downward shift in the naira exchange rate to around N295 per dollar from N197.50 previously, severely impacted its cost of sales and was the primary driver behind the gross margin contraction.
The performance has been in line with the trends seen with other consumer goods manufacturers who have reported earnings so far. Read more
NCC: Multiple Taxes Crippling Telecoms Industry
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta has raised the alarm that multiple taxes on telecommunication infrastructure
by the various tiers of government was a major impediment to the growth of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
Danbatta, who spoke in Abeokuta during a courtesy visit to Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun said the issue is a major threat to the wellbeing of the ICT sector, saying something urgent should be done to address the problem. Read more
Poll: Domestic Violence Heightened by Economic Hardship in Nigeria
A recent public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls Limited in partnership with Project Alert on domestic violence has revealed an increasing prevalence of domestic violence across Nigeria in recent times as reported by about 8 in 10 (78 per cent) respondents.
NOIPolls Limited is the number one for country specific polling services in West Africa. It conducts periodic opinion polls and studies on various socio-economic and political issues in Nigeria. Read more
EFInA Supports Lotus Capital with $250,000
Lotus Capital Limited has received a technical assistance grant of $250,000 from Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA) to support the Lotus Health is Wealth Savings Plan (LHIWSP).
EFInA is a financial sector development organisation that promotes financial inclusion in Nigeria. Read more
Rio 2016 action starts in empty stadium
The first sporting action of the 2016 Olympics started in a virtually empty stadium on Wednesday as the Russian doping scandal rumbled on, AFP reports.
The formal opening ceremony takes place at the Maracana Stadium on Friday. But the women’s football tournament started with a game between Sweden and South Africa. Read more
Saraki tasks Team Nigeria
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday urged the Nigerian delegation to the 2016 Rio Olympics to make the country proud by winning medals for the country.
Saraki spoke when he received the members of the Football Club Owners Association of Nigeria at the National Assembly. Read more
Under-23 team struggle to leave Atlanta
Nigeria’s Olympic football squad are stuck in Atlanta because of a problem with the payment for a flight to Rio,BBC Sport reports.
The delay means the men’s team are expected to arrive in Brazil late for their opening match. Read more
Nigerians bash Sports Minister over stranded Olympic team
Youth and Sports Development Minister Barrister Solomon Dalung was reported to have visited the Atlanta, USA camp of the U-23 Eagles preparing for the Rio Olympics and frowned at the coach, Samson Siasia’s resort to the media to complain about the difficulties the team were facing.
Apart from warning that Siasia’s action would be looked into and appropriate sanctions meted out to him if necessary, the minister was said not only to have instructed the team’s captain, John Mikel Obi to take control of the team but equally asked him to restore sanity to the team which he alleged was plagued with indiscipline. Read more
CAF U-17 Qualifier: Garba Names Sani Eaglets’ Captain
Coach Manu Garba has named burly midfielder Abduljabar Sani as captain of the new set of Nigeria U-17 team, Golden Eaglets, ahead of Saturday’s Africa U-17 qualifier against Niger Republic at the National Stadium, Abuja.
Sani, sourced from Jos-based G-Smart Academy, has been one of the mainstays of the new-look Golden Eaglets. 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup-winning coach Garba told the nff.com that the choice of Sani as well as his assistants was based on merit and sound behavioural conduct. Read more
S-H-O-C-K-E-R: 26 Eaglets fail MRI test
Nigeria will be hugely depleted for Saturday’s U17 AFCON qualifier at home against Niger after a staggering 26 players out of 60 failed the mandatory MRI screening conducted last week.
A top official said that what is disturbing is not only the high number of those who failed the age test, but the quality of those who will not be eligible as the Eaglets starting XI have been completely wiped out with only two surviving players. Read more
ITTF hails Toriola
The International Table Tennis Federation on Wednesday hailed Segun Toriola who will be playing his seventh Olympic Games in Rio, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
ITTF in a statement described Toriola as one of the Africa’s most decorated athletes. Read more
Protest mars Olympic torch Rio arrival ahead of ceremony
The Olympic torch has arrived in Rio de Janeiro by boat after a three-month tour of Brazilian cities.
The mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, carried the torch on its first few laps through the city centre. Read more
One Dead, Several Wounded in London Knife Attack
A knife attack in central London on Wednesday has left one woman dead and up to six others injured.
Police and ambulance services responded to reports of a man attacking bystanders with a knife at 10:33 p.m. local time in the busy area of Russell Square, according to the BBC. Read more
U.S., Israel close many gaps in defence aid talks, hope for deal soon
The United States and Israel have closed many of the remaining gaps in negotiations over a new multibillion-dollar military aid package for Washington’s top Middle East ally, and the two sides hope to reach a final deal soon, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday.
Three days of talks ended on Wednesday, and Jacob Nagel, acting head of Israel’s national security council and leader of his country’s negotiating team, then met with U.S. national security adviser Susan Rice. Read more
Australian man kills friend while posing with shotgun
An Australian man who fatally shot his friend with a sawn-off shotgun as they posed for a photograph in a motel room has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
A group of friends were posing for photos with the loaded weapon at the Park Inn Motel in Melbourne’s north. Read more
Venezuela’s cash could run out ‘within a year’
The country’s central bank only has $11.9 billion in reserves, down sharply from $30 billion in 2011. A few large debt payments are coming due soon. Starting in October, Venezuela owes a total of $4.7 billion in a series of payments.
Venezuela is in the midst of a deep economic, political and humanitarian crisis. Its citizens are suffering from massive food shortages and hospitals lack basic medicine and equipment. Experts say Venezuela has prioritized paying the debt over dealing with the shortages. Read more
Dubai airport handles 200,000 passengers a day
The world’s busiest international airport was forced to close for a few hours Wednesday after a flight made an emergency landing.
Emirates flight EK521 from India caught fire after landing in Dubai. All 300 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777 were safely evacuated, but the airport suspended all arrivals and departures during the afternoon. Flights have now resumed. Read more
Two sisters both lose their husbands as one dies trying to save the other from drowning on lake resort vacation
Two sisters from Iowa are sharing a double-dose of tragedy after both of their husbands drowned in a Missouri Lake as one of the men tried to save the other.
Their family was enjoying a vacation at Lake of the Ozarks on water Monday, but their new Manitou pontoon boat started to drift away from the dock. Read more
Donald Trump, Perhaps Unwittingly, Exposes Paradox of Nuclear Arms
Donald J. Trump’s remarks on nuclear weapons have brought him, at times, to a question: Why should he be constrained from ever using them?
The question has, like so many of Mr. Trump’s comments, sent shock waves. But nuclear experts say it is shocking not just for the statements themselves, but for the uncomfortable truths they expose, perhaps unwittingly, about nuclear weapons. Read more
