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Jandor, Funke Akindele visit auctioned vehicles’ owners, APC kicks

Published

2 years ago

September 18, 2022

Funke Akindele

The All Progressives Congress, Lagos State chapter, has faulted the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos State, Olajide Adediran (popularly known as Jandor), and his running mate, Funke Akindele, over their visit to owners of vehicles auctioned by the Lagos State Government for traffic offenses.

The state government had on Thursday auctioned 134 vehicles that have been impounded at the Lagos State Taskforce compound in Alausa, Ikeja, for various traffic offenses.

Adediran and Akindele had visited two of the owners of the auctioned vehicles, Mr Lateef Kolapo, and Mr Osinachi Ndukwe, during which he condemned the penalty as harsh and promised that the traffic law would be repealed by his government.

In a video seen by our correspondent on Sunday, Adediran, during the visit, said, “When you are on the wrong side of the law, yes there should be a penalty, but there shouldn’t be a penalty that would take our means of livelihood. That is what we are speaking against. So my coming here is to see Mr Lateef and say there is hope.

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“As we speak, that is the law of the state, unfortunately. But the coming government by his grace will repeal this law to ensure that irrespective of what you have done wrong on our road, we won’t take your means of livelihood. We will make sure we penalise but not to the point of taking what you use in catering for your family away from you.”

In another video also seen by our correspondent on Sunday, Ndukwe stated that he was sentenced to three months imprisonment for driving against the traffic, and his vehicle was impounded. During his jail term, he lost his three-year-old daughter and after he served the jail term, his bus was auctioned.

Adediran and Akindele commiserated with Osinachi for his loss but reiterated that despite his stance against violation of traffic laws, the state should not take away the offenders’ means of livelihood.

“The purpose of the government in power is to see to our welfare and that is not to say that if we have done anything wrong or go on the wrong side of the law, we won’t be penalised, but what we are standing against is that we don’t want a penalty that would take people’s means of livelihood away from them.

“If they have taken that away from you, how do they expect you to survive or feed your family? If you are serving your jail term and your car probably was released to somebody to watch for you, I am sure your daughter would still be alive. I apologise and I am so sorry for that. But we have come here, myself and my running mate, Funke, we’ve come to see how we can assist you by providing succour to your plight,” he said.

However, the Publicity Secretary of Lagos APC, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday, described the visit by the PDP governorship candidate and his intending deputy as a blatant encouragement of the breakdown of law and order.

Related Topics:APC Funke Akindele vehicles

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Worry over cash scarcity in banks as farmers mop up naira

Published

3 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

29 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

43 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.