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Air Peace’ll meet with Emir of Kano soon over missed flight – Onyema

Published

3 years ago

March 1, 2022

The management of Air Peace has said that it will meet with Aminu Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano and the emirate very soon in a bid to resolve the misunderstanding arising from last week’s missed flight by the emir and his entourage.

The airline said that it would not like the issue to heat up the polity, maintaining that it would continue to preach peace and unity of Nigeria.

Allen Onyema, the Chairman, Air Peace, made the statement on Monday when Independent Newspapers’ team led by Mr. Don Okere, the editor, Daily Independent, paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Government Reserved Area (G.R.A) Ikeja, Lagos.

Independent Newspapers selected Mr. Onyema as the Businessman of the Year 2021 in its annual award slated for Saturday at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

Fielding questions from the editorial team, Onyema regretted the altercations that arose from the missed flight, but described the emir as a quiet and a peace loving man who would not encourage violence of any sort.

He also cautioned the public, especially the media, against escalating the issue, assuring that the airline would resolve the issue amicably. He said: “I don’t want to be used to heat up the polity.

“I don’t want Air Peace to be a source of rancour in the country. Air Peace has always been known as an airline that was borne out of peace.

‘I have been a very peaceful person and I have been pursuing tenets of peace all my life and I have been pursuing peace and unity of this country selflessly right from my teenage years.

“So, I cannot allow myself to be used or to be involved in anything that will tear the country apart.

‘And the Emir of Kano I know is a peace loving man. I have always known him as a prince when the late father was still alive.

“I have paid homage to the father several times. He may not remember me, but when I bring pictures of me and his father and him also, he will realise that I have been paying homage to his father.

“I have always known him as a very quiet and unassuming person and nothing has changed.

“I don’t think the emir of Kano will want to be involved in what is happening and I can tell you he is a very respectable man.

“We are going to meet any day. He’s not a troublesome person and I am sure he will like to meet with me and I will also like to meet with him, too.

“There is nothing at stake, we are all one Nigeria. We don’t want people to capitalise on this to start fanning embers of disunity in the country. People should play it down; the media should play it down.

“The fragile peace we have in this country should not be toyed with in any way. Air Peace will not allow itself to be a source of rancour in the country.”

Recall that Isa Bayero, the cousin of the emir, had on Saturday issued a three-day ultimatum to Air Peace to apologise for allegedly “disrespecting” the monarch.

He had earlier written a letter of complaint to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), asking the regulatory body to take action against the airline for allegedly disrespecting the emir and the people of Kano.

He purported that the airline turned down his request to delay the Lagos-Kano scheduled flight after they were delayed in Banjul, Gambia, to Lagos.

Also, Onyema lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, and Capt. Musa Nuhu, the Director-General of NCAA, for putting national interest forward during the faceoff with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over his airline’s slots issue with the Middle East country.

He said the airline on Tuesday recommenced flight services to Dubai through the Dubai International Airport.

“Yes, we are returning to Dubai tomorrow (Tuesday). I cannot be a prouder Nigerian with what the Federal Government did as it concerns our flight operations into Dubai; Nigerians of all works of life and ethnicities were proud of the way the government stood behind Air Peace.

“The government was even ready to sacrifice the diplomatic relationship with the UAE if they didn’t do the right thing.

“I thank President Muhammadu Buhari for providing that kind of leadership where every Nigerian is protected no matter where you come from and no matter who you are,” he said.

Related Topics:Air Peace CEO Emir of Kano

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Worry over cash scarcity in banks as farmers mop up naira

Published

6 mins ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Worry over cash scarcity in banks as farmers mop up naira

There is rising complaints by bank customers and Point of Sale (POS) operators in some states across the country over alleged cash squeeze just as citizens try to meet their increasing demands for notes especially as yuletide shopping begins.

The states where these concerns are being raised include Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Taraba, as well as some satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The scarcity, which has lasted over a week in the reported states, is coming amidst data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), revealing that the total currency in circulation has reached N4.14 trillion, with N3.87 trillion of this amount currently outside the banking system.

The recent CBN data indicates that 93.34 per cent of the nation’s currency is in the hands of individuals and businesses, while only 6.66 per cent remains within the banking sector.

The gap between currency outside banks and the total currency in circulation suggests that Nigerians, especially those living in the northern part of the country, still heavily rely on cash for daily transactions, despite the rise of digital banking services.

Also, the CBN data revealed that currency in circulation in Nigeria has added N1.48 trillion or 55.8 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) to N4.14 trillion as of August 2024, from N2.66 trillion in August 2023.

Cash squeeze pronounced in the North

Daily Trust findings revealed that the northern states are mostly affected by the current scarcity largely due to the onset of harvest and the fewer numbers of financial institutions in the rural areas of the North.

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Findings by our reporters in Borno State indicate that some businessmen buying up grains on a large scale were said to be mopping up cash.

A POS operator, Hamza Abdullahi, said operators no longer get the required cash in banks, therefore, depend on traders and petrol stations.

Hamza attributed the scarcity to the harvest and yuletide period that is fast approaching.

He said: “Traders are busy buying the new harvests and to do this, they need cash because farmers in our rural areas do not use electronic payment channels. Some do not even have bank accounts”.

He said many people are also buying goats and other animals that are transported to the South ahead of Christmas, adding that these are largely cash transactions contributing to the scarcity.

He said for N50,000, POS operators now charge N1, 000 as against N500 previously.

Kano

Abubakar Sadiq Danzaria, said POS operators are milking customers, raising charges because of the scarcity.

Another POS operator in Rijiyar Zaki Motor park, Adamu Salisu, who said he visited Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in Murtala Mohammed road said, “Banks give only N50,000 a day and that is not enough to cater to the needs of our customers. Therefore, we source the cash from traders or filling stations.”

On his part, the chairman of Singer Market Development Association (SIMDA), Alhaji Junaidu Muhammad Zakaria, agreed with the POS operators that cash scarcity exists.

Speaking, a businessman, Muntari Aliyu said: “if you go to the rural markets, you can withdraw N3 million from the POS operator. They have the cash.

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“People there don’t do business with our modern means of transactions; they don’t trust it that’s why they are not taking the money to the bank. It’s not in circulation the way it should”, he said.

Abdullahi Haruna, a grain merchant said it was tough for him to get N10 million that he needed to visit the grains market in Sumaila, on Wednesday.

“I had to use traders at the ‘Yankura and other markets in the Kano metropolis. This took me more than one week,” he said.

Zainab Almu, an entrepreneur, said the cash scarcity is as a result of the harvest season, and not necessarily a policy matter.

“Farmers who are bringing the grains from the villages are still sceptical about bank transfer. They want to collect their money in cash and go back home.

“There is the need for more sensitisation in this part of the country. Again, some of them have been duped in the past, especially during the cash crunch ahead of the 2023 elections.

“Many of them lost their fortunes because they received fake credit alerts from some dubious Nigerians. A lot of sensitisation must be done to convince such people to trust the system again,” he said.

She said she has accounts in Access, Zenith and GT banks. “All the banks are facing some challenges of notes. When you go to withdraw, there is limit to what they will give you,” she said.

Worry over cash scarcity in banks as farmers mop up naira

Daily Trust

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We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

Published

32 mins ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Hamdiyya Sidi

We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

The Sokoto Police Command has refuted claims circulated by an online platform alleging that Hamdiyya Sidi was arrested and detained for criticizing Governor Ahmed Aliyu.

Labeling the reports as baseless, police officials clarified that Sidi was detained following a complaint lodged against her for allegedly inciting public unrest.

In a statement issued by the Sokoto State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Ahmed Rufai, the police detailed that Sidi allegedly admitted to inciting residents to violence during questioning.

According to the statement, Sidi allegedly presented herself as a humanitarian seeking to assist local residents with donations, but later used the platform to incite them, prompting law enforcement action.

The statement read: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force, Sokoto Command, has been drawn to the ongoing falsehood and misinformation circulated by social media handles on the purported story that the Nigeria Police, Sokoto Command, secretly arrested and arraigned a woman who lamented on the recent rise in killings in Sokoto for embarrassing Governor Aliyu Ahmed Sokoto. This is false and misleading.”

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The statement continued to clarify the situation, explaining: “On the 3rd of November 2024 at 1700hrs, Marafa Yakubu, the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji village in Wurno Local Government Area, reported to the police that a woman, later identified as Hamdiyya Sidi from Munki village in the same local government, had visited the area, claiming to represent a charity aimed at assisting women and youth. She reportedly requested to address women in the community, intending to distribute aid to those in need.

“However, instead of distributing relief items as promised, she began encouraging the women to forcibly seize government properties in Wammako Local Government Area, claiming ownership rights over them.”

Yakubu observed the rising tension among community members and alerted local guards, who detained Sidi and subsequently handed her over to the police. “During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the offence and was charged to court within 24 hours for the offence of inciting disturbance,” the statement added.

The Sokoto Police emphasized, “One of our constitutional responsibilities is to investigate crimes, both minor and major, and the case of Hamdiyya is no exception.”

The Commissioner of Police advised residents to carefully consider the information they share publicly, warning against the spread of misinformation that could disrupt the state’s peace.

“Sokoto State Police Command remains committed to protecting fundamental human rights while carrying out its duties,” the statement concluded.

We didn’t arrest Hamdiyya Sidi for criticising Sokoto governor – Police

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Four varsity lecturers dismissed for sexual misconduct

Published

46 mins ago

November 15, 2024

Trends Admin

Four varsity lecturers dismissed for sexual misconduct

In a significant development, the Governing Council of Federal University Lokoja has approved the dismissal of four lecturers over allegations of examination malpractices and sexual misconduct.

According to reports, the decision was made during the council’s Second Meeting on Thursday, following a thorough investigation into the accusations that surfaced last year.

Led by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, the council commended the university’s management for adhering to due process in investigating the claims of examination misconduct and sexual harassment against the lecturers involved.

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Ndoma-Egba stated, “The council will not tolerate any unethical conduct in the university” and called for prompt resolution of other pending misconduct cases, particularly one within the Faculty of Science that has gained media attention.

In a caution to staff and lecturers, the council emphasized its commitment to addressing any form of student molestation and urged students to report incidents of misconduct without fear.