metro
Anti-June 12 elements behind naira shortage, court injunction – Ganduje
Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje yesterday raised the alarm that ” anti-June 12 elements” were bent on scuttling the nation’s democracy.
He said the elements were “regrouping and dangerously masquerading” in the prevailing crisis generated by the new cash policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to achieve their goal.
Ganduje alleged that the elements consisted of “unknown political parties” working in consort with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Also yesterday, the Federal Government blamed its failure to end the impasse generated by the naira redesign on ”some opposition political parties.”
Ganduje had in a statement in Kano alleged that open support for the naira redesign by the PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, showed collaboration between the opposition and the CBN to weaken the masses through harsh policies and thwart democracy.
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The statement by Kano State Commissioner for Information Muhammad Garba reads in part: “The group’s latest attempt is camouflaging in unknown political parties through the use of a legal instrument to further impose unfeasible cash policy that is taking its toll on the masses.
“The unknown political parties are also allegedly colluding with the main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to execute this fiendish scheme.
“It is unfortunate that the CBN and its collaborators are insisting unnecessarily on the imposition of an unreasonable time frame for the old naira notes to cease to be legal tender, in total refutation of the obvious national dearth in the necessary technological infrastructure for the process.
“The rigid insistence on the implementation of these harsh, inhuman and insensitive cash policies to a point of neglecting their widespread rejection by the vast majority of Nigerians, including the National Assembly and all state governors, is an ominous agenda for the undermining of the nation and consequent scurrying of a smooth transition to a freely and fairly elected successive administration.”
In Abuja, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed also took a swipe at the opposition parties for rushing to court for the order that restrained President Muhammadu Buhari and Emefiele from extending Friday’s deadline for the naira swap.
He accused the “unscrupulous” parties of playing a political game with the redesigning of the naira and working against efforts that could have reduced the pains being experienced by Nigerians.
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Mohammed, who spoke at the 23rd Buhari administration’s scorecard series in Abuja, however, assured Nigerians that the naira redesign brouhaha would end soon.
His words: “Let me use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is mindful of the inconveniences currently being endured by citizens as a result of fuel supply disruptions and the recent redesigning of naira notes.
“The government is working assiduously to restore normalcy to these critical enablers of economic activity and to take added measures, where necessary, to alleviate the pains of Nigerians.
“Recall that after his meeting with progressives governors on Friday, President Buhari urged citizens to give him a seven-day window to resolve the currency crunch that has emanated from the implementation of the Naira redesign policy.
“Unfortunately, on Monday (yesterday), some opposition political parties ran to the court to obtain an injunction restraining Mr President and the CBN from extending the February 10 deadline for Nigerians to exchange their old notes for new ones.
“The court action came after a number of opposition parties threatened to boycott the 2023 general election if the deadline was extended.”
The minister said the move by the parties amounted to legally hamstringing the President.
The Nation
metro
Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity
Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity
In a significant development, a Sokoto-based rights activist, Hamdiyya Sidi, being prosecuted by Governor Ahmed Aliyu-led Sokoto government for allegedly making inciting statements, has made a U-turn and issued a public apology to the state government.
Sidi was reportedly arrested for “embarrassing” Governor Aliyu, on social media.
She was subsequently arraigned secretly without having access to a lawyer nor family members, a source had said.
The woman had in a video lamented the insecurity in the state and demanded an end to the incessant killings by bandits.
She had reportedly revealed how gunmen took over villages without any restraint and added that displaced women seeking refuge in the state capital were being sexually exploited due to abject poverty.
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But in a new video shared on social media, Sidi stated in Hausa, “My name is Hamdiyya Sidi Sheriff from Sokoto state, Wurno Local Government Area.
“I am the individual who recently created a video highlighting the pressing issues of insecurity and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sokoto State.
“I’m apologising as a woman and a Muslim from Sokoto because I used some words in the video when I made reference to the governor’s wife and his family.
“The words are too heavy considering my age. The words weren’t supposed to have come from me.
“And the other comment I made that the IDPs should move into government facilities and occupy them, I regret saying that too.
“Please for God’s sake, I’m sorry, nobody has the right to move into or occupy a government facility without due process and permission.
“For the government, governor and anyone that my comment has affected, I’m sorry, please forgive me.”
Sokoto is one of states in Northern Nigeria plagued by bandits who raid and loot villages, kill residents and burn houses to the ground.
Hamdiyya Sidi makes U-turn, apologises to Sokoto gov over video on insecurity
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
metro
Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed
Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed
A bystander was fat@lly struck by a stray bullet when some Nigerian Customs Service officers and smugglers clashed in the Obada Idi-Emi area of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday, Nov. 25.
The violent confrontation began earlier in the day, with gunshots ringing out, throwing the community into panic.
As both sides exchanged gunfire, a resident identified as Kazeem was k!lled by a stray bullet.
The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Services, Hammed Oloyede, confirmed the incident to Punch. Oloyede said officers of the command had received intelligence about a smuggling activity of some foreign rice and they trailed the vehicle.
He added that when the driver of the vehicle observed that he had been trailed, he abandoned the smuggled item and the vehicle in a bid to evade arrest and fled the scene.
He said: “On Monday, November 25, 2024, at about 1109hrs, the operatives of Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun Area 1 Command received credible information on a Mazda 323 laden with bags of Imported rice. A surveillance team was deployed in a private vehicle to trail and give real-time updates on the Information.
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“Upon confirmation, The team with the official patrol vehicle swung into action along the bush paths of Owode-Obada and intercepted one MAZDA 323 loaded with foreign rice of 50kg each at the said Owode Obada axis. The driver abandoned the vehicle upon sighting the official patrol vehicle and managed to evade arrest.
“While conveying the intercepted vehicle with foreign rice to the Government Warehouse for documentation, the intercepted vehicle broke down at Obada town. Given the volatile nature of the area, the team leader directed that the intercepted rice be evacuated into the official patrol Hilux.”
He added that some suspected hoodlums attacked the officers while they were transloading the seized contraband which led to a free-for-all between the officers and the hoodlums.
The Ogun Customs PRO added that during the ensuing melee, the customs officers fled the scene to ensure their safety. One officer (pictured above) was injured.
Oloyede said that an investigation has commenced into the matter.
Customs officers, smugglers clash in Ogun, onlooker killed
metro
Gunmen abduct three people from Anambra community
Gunmen abduct three people from Anambra community
Gunmen terrorising Nigeria’s South-East region have abducted three persons in Anambra State.
The victims were abducted near the Innoson Motorcycle Showroom along Onitsha-Owerri Road end in the Nnewi North Local Government Area of the State.
A local privy to the incident said it occurred late on Tuesday, as the victims were driving along the road.
One of the sources said, “The three persons were in a vehicle when armed men suddenly blocked them with their vehicle. They ordered the victims to alight and as they alight, they forced them into their vehicle and immediately zoomed off.
“One of the assailants entered into their victims’ vehicle and also drove off and driving behind the other vehicle the victims were in. The incident, which happened within a split of seconds created panic on the road and around the vicinity. Because it was already dark, we couldn’t get the exact picture of what the vehicles look like.”
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The Anambra State Police Spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident on Wednesday.
He said the police were already working with information obtained from the scene for the ongoing rescue operations.
Ikenga said, “Anambra Joint Security Forces are on the offensive for possible rescue unhurt of three abducted victims and arrest of the abductors today, 26/11/2024 by 6:45 pm at Innoson Motorcycle Showroom along Owerri Road, Nnewi.
“The police command is determined and is already working with information obtained from the scene for the ongoing rescue operations.
“The command also urged residents or anyone with useful information that will aid the investigation to come forward to the Command headquarters, Awka, or the nearest police station
Gunmen abduct three people from Anambra community
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