Category: Featured

By Our Reporter

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday took away four ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags suspected to contain money from the Zamfara office of INEC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the operatives were at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Gusau in continuation of its investigation over alleged non payment of ad hoc staff who conducted the 2019 general election.

Eye witnesses told NAN that the EFCC operatives arrived the office around noon with heavily armed personnel and ransacked the facility for close to two hours.

The eye witnesses further told NAN that all the four bags and some documents were allegedly recovered from the office of the accountant.

Some INEC officials who were earlier arrested by the EFCC were brought along during the two-hour search and were afterwards taken back into custody.

A petition to the EFCC by Abdullahi Nasiru, one of the ad hoc staff, had alleged that they were shortchanged by INEC to the tune of over N80 million in the allowances paid to them after the general election when compared to what was paid ad hoc staff in other states.

The EFCC operatives and INEC officials refused to respond to questions from newsmen after the search.(NAN)

By Our Reporter

The Chairman of Agege Local Government of Lagos State, Mr Ganiyu Egunjobi, on Wednesday bagged an award of excellence and exemplary leadership in fight against human trafficking in the area.

The award was presented to Egunjobi in Lagos by Julie Okah-Donli, Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NATIP).

Speaking during the ceremony, the NAPTIP boss said that the award was in recognition of Egunjobi’s involvement in fight against human trafficking beyond “mere political rhetoric”.

“NAPTIP has recorded no fewer than 404 convictions, while many cases are still pending in court and investigation of many still ongoing.

“Over 17, 000 passed through the NATIP shelters, given psychosocial support, provided skills, education, medical support, empowerment and reintegrated with their families and society,” she said.

The NAPTIP DG said that five survivors trained by the agency had been absorbed as staff of the council with the support of its partners.

“This therefore explain why the giant step taken by the chairman in empowering numerous Agege people remain commendable.

“As little as this may appear to be in the eyes of some critics, it has saved numerous lives, restores hope to the hopeless.

“It mends broken homes and restores future of many future leaders within and even outside the council area,” she added.

In his remarks, Egunjobi thanked the NAPTIP DG for the award adding that it was the first award he would receive such prize in person.

“This is the first award I will present myself to receive an award and I choose to receive it because it touches and so dear to me.

“If not for God and my parent, I would have also been a victim too. I have seen so many people who have traveled to Libya and other countries ignorantly.

“It is a dangerous journey, many of them were being deceived by the so called agents who tell them “See Morocco See Spain”.

“Majority of them did not embark on the journey willingly but convinced, deceived of getting greener pasture abroad.

“That is why we made empowerment a priority in the local government, we ensure about 25 people are being empowered on monthly basis at the grassroots level to discourage human trafficking within the community,” Egunjobi said.

The council chairman appealed to the monarchs, community and market leaders to advise their people to desist from aiding and abetting any form of human trafficking.

Egunjobi said he dedicated the award to people who traveled out of ignorant thereby maltreated out there and suffered unjustly. (NAN)

By Joseph Etta

Pensioners in Cross River State who retired 5 years ago are yet to collect their gratuity entitlements from the State Government.

Daybreak learnt from a highly dependable source that Governor Ben Ayade has not paid gratuity to retired Civil Servants since he came to office 5 years ago.

Our source explained that during Donald Duke administration, pension scheme was well structured, the system was put in place, well organized and computerized. Then every pensioner gets his cheque at hand the day he is retiring, he takes his gratuity home as he is leaving office for the last time, He said.

When Liyel Imoke came to office, he continued in that trend by paying half of the gratuity and stopped, until he left the office.

Since Ben Ayade came into office in his first tenure in 2014, gratuity is hardly paid, even the pensioners monthly stipends are not regular.

A pensioner, Moses Ikpi, disclosed to Daybreak that since his retirement 5 years ago, he is yet to collect his gratuity. Some of my colleagues have died and leave the money they sweated for 35 years, can you imagine that, he added.

Ikpi, a retired permanent secretary in the state civil service who retired after 35 years of meritorious service stated, yet the Governor is comfortable with not paying people who had worked faithfully and served dutifully for 35 solid years in the state civil service. Noting “how does he feel about that”, Digital Governor indeed.

Attachments area

By Joseph Etta

The closure of borders that was supposed to be a welcome development aimed at stimulating the economy and benefit to the Local entrepreneurs is now a source of untold hardship and sorrows to traders in Bakassi and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas in Cross River State.

The traders are decrying of extortion of money from the men of Nigeria Custom. The Custom manned two check points between Akpabuyo and Ikang in Bakassi L.G.A, one is the local custom, that is, men from Cross River State Command in Calabar. The second check point supposedly men from the Federal task force on border closure, whose primary assignment was to prevent goods such as palm oil, rice and other products from coming in from Cameroon Republic through Ikang beach.

Ikang is border town and has a landing and loading beach, where traders, smugglers from Cameroon bring in their wares. It’s a business transaction point between Cameroon and Nigeria traders.

Ikang, a major economic town is situated in Bakassi Local Government Area adjoining Akpabuyo L.G.A. Also, Bakassi/Akpabuyo is an Oil palm producing area, the traders mostly woman conveys the local oil from the areas to the oil palm market in Bogobiri, Marian Market and Mammy market Akim and all palm oil markets in the heart of Calabar town.

The woman complained that custom official collects N200 for every gallon of palm oil they carry to the market. For instance, if you carry 20 gallons of oil, you pay them N5,000 which is supposed to be their profit because the profit margin is low.

They disclosed that now there is no difference between the local and Cameroon oil, you must pay the same “toll gate”, originally the local oil traders are not supposed to pay.

Cameroon traders carrying in the smuggled oil can conveniently pay because they see it as “settlement”.

Kufre, a motorist plying the road – Calabar – Akpabuyo – Bakassi told Daybreak how he daily pays N100 per gallon of oil palm he carries to the Custom officials.

When Daybreak reporter joined the traders vehicle to verified the claim, it was observed that the men of Nigeria Custom had devised a “crude tactics” of extorting money from the people by placing a bucket for every motorist to drop their “offering”, the coin code for money without their physical contact with the motorist and the money.

Daybreak observed that every driver plying the Calabar – Akpabuyo – Ikang road readily knows what to do at every check point. That is the high level of extorting from the men of Nigeria Custom.

An oil merchant in Bogobiri, a major oil palm market, Emmanuel Akpan in a chat with Daybreak says, the women dealing in the Local oil palm, that is palm oil produces locally in Akpabuyo and Bakassi are weeping for extortion by the Custom.

Local oil is different from foreign Cameroon oil they were asked to check – adding that this has rippled effect on the traders, it affects their profit, after settling the Custom that high, they go back home without profit. And in the market, it affects they buyers because it creates an artificial scarcity of the product.

Meanwhile, the Cameroon oil palm is still coming in freely and steadily, even rice is coming in day and night. The Custom Official turned their back to the smugglers because of heavy settlement. He added.

By Walter Duru

Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona has called on youth of the state to shun cultism and all forms of criminality, even as he urged them to embrace responsible life styles.

Engr. Irona who gave the advise while receiving a delegation of about one hundred youth of the state, under the aegis of Council of Imo Youths on a courtesy visit to him in his office on Tuesday, also described the Governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha as youth friendly.

He further described the Governor as a selfless leader, committed to partnering with critical stakeholders on the development of the state.

“We want Imo to be a reservoir of technical manpower. We are working on a databank of qualified technicians in Imo. We will challenge companies in Imo State to employ our people, as there will no longer be the excuse of absence of qualified manpower. We will be partnering with you on the rehabilitation of some of our youth that may have gone astray. We want a safe Imo where investors will come and be comfortable. We are rolling out programmes to enhance the capacity of our youth. We are interested in rehabilitating young Imo sons and daughters that have genuinely repented from criminal acts, as long as they will never return to crime. You must be good ambassadors of your families and the state. You must shun cultism and all other vices.”

“The greatest asset you can have in leadership is having a leader that is selfless. Governor Emeka Ihedioha is a selfless leader, who has no business with nepotism. Imo State is lucky to have him.”

Continuing, Irona challenged the youth to hold their leaders accountable, in order to ensure that public resources are utilized for the good of the people.

“Hold us accountable. Participate in the business of governance at all levels in the state. We are ready to partner with you to move the state forward.”

Earlier in his presentation, Special Assistant to the Governor on Youth Affairs, Engr. Rex Okoro described the Deputy Governor, Engr. Irona as a dependable leader and true friend of the youths.

He assured him of the commitment of youths of the state to the Rebuild Imo agenda of Governor Emeka Ihedioha.

Present at the meeting were Students Union Presidents and Executives of all Tertiary institutions in the state, leadership of the National Association of Imo State Students-NAISS, youth leaders from different parts of the state, among others.

By Abel Leonard

An indigenous firm, Magma Oil Exploration, and Production is to invest in the state, representatives of the company told journalist in Lafia recently, that they were in Nasarawa to express their interest in coming to invest in the state.

This is a manifest of the efforts of Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule to woo investors into the state

Alhaji Abba Imam who represented the chairman of the company, Alhaji Awwal Garba, said they were at the Government House to present their portfolios to the governor adding that the conglomerate is interested in investing in Nasarawa State across different sectors including agriculture, real estate, electricity, water supply, among others.

“Our Chairman, Garba AD brought us to speak directly with the governor and to present to him our portfolios.

” The governor is someone whose virtue is to always encourage investment. He is someone who carries the investment culture in him,” Imam stated.

According to him, their conglomerate decided to come to the state because they felt the governor will be happy with everyone that is investing in Nasarawa State.

Chairman of the conglomerate, Alhaji Awwal Garba AD, is a Nigerian/British trained economist and business economist, majoring in the oil and gas sector globally.

Acceding to the company representative, the companies will among other things invest in Magma Exploration and Production, Magma Agro-Allied, Magma Gas and Power Spectrum in the state.

You would recalled that only recently, the Nasarawa State government signed a tripartite agreement with Azman Farms and Rice Mill Limited and Umasha Community in Toto Local Government Area for the cultivation of 12,000 hectares of land for rice production.

Similarly, the government is discussing with the Dangote group, which has indicated interest to cultivate another 50, 000 hectares of land in Doma and Nasarawa local governments for rice production.

By Walter Duru

A Nigerian Investment Bank, FSL Securities Limited has offered to assist Imo State Government in raising about One Hundred Billion(100b) Naira for infrastructural development in the State.

The group made the disclosure during a meeting with the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona at the Government House, Owerri, Tuesday afternoon.

In his presentation, Group Managing Director of the organization, Chris Okenwa described the present administration in the state as “showing positive signs of good and responsible governance”, hence the offer.

“We feel that the new administration wants to leave a legacy of good governance for the good people of Imo State. FSL is desirous of working with the present Imo State government to realize their dream of infrastructural revolution in the state. FSL is committed to assisting the state government with funding in this regard. We are here to provide alternative sources of funding for the state, other than the Federal allocation.”

In his reaction, Deputy Governor of Imo State, Engr. Gerald Irona reiterated the commitment of the Chief Emeka Ihedioha-led administration to entrenching good governance in the state, assuring them of government’s readiness to create an enabling environment for investment in the state.

He commended FSL for the offer, promising that the State Government will partner the group for a mutually beneficial relationship.

“We need some level of funding intervention. We inherited a state with high level of infrastructural decay. We are glad that you are here to provide alternative sources of funding, other than the statutory federal allocation. I assure you that the government of Imo State shall sit down with you to discuss this further.”

Highlight of the event was a brief side meeting with the Imo State Commissioner for Finance, Professor Uche Joe Uwaleke.