Presidency accuses IPOB of stockpiling weapons, bombs across Nigeria – Newstrends
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Presidency accuses IPOB of stockpiling weapons, bombs across Nigeria

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The Presidency has alleged that the Indigenous People of Biafra is stockpiling weapons and bombs across the country.

The allegation is contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in Abuja.

The Presidency in the statement obtained on Wednesday entitled, “Why Amnesty entreaties should be ignored”, said that “Amnesty International’s latest salvo at Nigeria is but more of the same.”

The statement read in part, “Again, they have decided to side with terrorists, before the liberty of those they injure, displace and murder.

“Speaking the language of universal human rights, Amnesty International deploys it only in defence – even outright promotion – of those that violently oppose the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Parroting the line of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, a proscribed terror organisation, they work to legitimise its cause to Western audiences.

“This puts them in bad company. Controversial American lobbyists are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to do the same, laundering IPOB’s reputation in Washington DC.

“IPOB murder Nigerian citizens. They kill police officers and military personnel and set government property on fire.

“Now, they have amassed a substantial stockpile of weapons and bombs across the country.

“Were this group in a western country, you would not expect to hear Amnesty’s full-throated defence of their actions. Instead, there would be silence or mealy-mouthed justification of western governments’ action to check the spread of ‘terrorism’.

“Despite Amnesty’s self-proclaimed mandate to impartially transcend borders, unfortunately in Nigeria they play only domestic politics.

“The international NGO is being used as cover for the organisation’s local leaders to pursue their self-interests. Regrettably, this is not uncommon in Africa.

“There is nothing wrong with an activist stance; there are claims of neutrality, when all facts point to the opposite.

“Amnesty International has no legal right to exist in Nigeria. It must open a formal investigation into the personnel that occupy their Nigerian offices.

“They should reject the outrageously tendentious misinformation they receive and bring some semblance of due diligence to the sources they base their claims on. Currently, we see none.

“The Nigerian government will fight terrorism with all the means at its disposal. We will ignore Amnesty’s rantings.

“Especially when it comes from an organisation that does not hold itself to the same standards it demands of others.”

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IMF predicts 3.3% growth for Nigeria’s economy in 2024

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April 16, 2024

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IMF predicts 3.3% growth for Nigeria’s economy in 2024

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has adjusted upwards it’s forecast for Nigeria’s economic growth for the year 2024 to 3.3 percent.

This revision was announced in the IMF’s World Economic Outlook for April, which was released on Tuesday during the 2024 Spring Meetings of the World Bank and IMF in Washington, United States.

The updated forecast marks an increase of 0.3 percentage points from the previous 3.0 per cent growth prediction published in the IMF’s January 2024 World Economic Outlook.

However, the IMF has taken a more conservative stance for the year 2025, reducing Nigeria’s economic growth forecast to 3.0 per cent, a slight decrease from the 3.1 percent projected earlier in January.

Within the broader Sub-Saharan Africa region, the IMF has maintained its 3.8 per cent economic growth forecast for 2024 but has revised the 2025 forecast downward to 4.0 per cent, from the previously projected 4.1 percent.

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The global economic outlook also received a modest boost, with the IMF raising its growth forecast for 2024 to 3.2 percent, up from the 3.1 percent projected in the January 2024 World Economic Outlook. The forecast for 2025 remains unchanged at 3.2 percent.

The IMF stated, “Global growth, estimated at 3.2 per cent in 2023, is projected to continue at the same pace in 2024 and 2025.

“The projection for 2024 is revised up by 0.1 percentage point from the January 2024 WEO Update and by 0.3 percentage point to the October 2023 WEO forecast. Nevertheless, the projection for global growth in 2024 and 2025 is below the historical (2000–19) annual average of 3.8 per cent, reflecting restrictive monetary policies and withdrawal of fiscal support, as well as low underlying productivity growth.

The report further elaborates on the expected trends in various economies.

“Advanced economies are expected to see growth rise slightly, with the increase mainly reflecting a recovery in the euro area from low growth in 2023, whereas emerging market and developing economies are expected to experience stable growth through 2024 and 2025, with regional differences.”

Specifically for sub-Saharan Africa, the IMF projects an increase in growth from an estimated 3.4 per cent in 2023 to 3.8 per cent in 2024 and 4.0 per cent in 2025.

This positive outlook is attributed to the diminishing impact of previous weather shocks and gradual improvements in supply issues.

The forecast for 2024 remains consistent with the January 2024 WEO update, as negative adjustments for Angola due to a contraction in the oil sector are largely balanced by positive revisions for Nigeria.

IMF predicts 3.3% growth for Nigeria’s economy in 2024

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Naira abuse: EFCC moves against Cubana chief priest

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April 16, 2024

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Cubana Chief priest

Naira abuse: EFCC moves against Cubana chief priest

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will, on Wednesday, arraign Pascal Okechukwu, aka Cubana Chief priest, over alleged naira abuse.

This comes few days after popular cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, bagged a six-month jail term over naira abuse.

According to the anti-graft agency, Cubana Chiefpriest will appear before the Federal High Court in Lagos for spraying and tampering with the naira.

This was contained in charge sheet filed on April 4, 2024, by EFFC’s prosecutor Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) alongside seven other lawyers representing the chairman of the anti-graft agency.

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It reads: “That you, Okechukwu Pascal on 13th Feb. 2024, at Eko Hotel, within the jurisdiction of the court, while dancing during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007”.

“That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in 2020, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same for two hours, and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

”That you Okechukwu Pascal sometime in January 2024, in Lagos during a social event, tampered with funds in the denomination of N500 (Five Hundred Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria by spraying same and you thereby committed an offence, contrary to and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act 2007.”

Naira abuse: EFCC moves against Cubana chief priest

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Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje

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7 hours ago

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April 16, 2024

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Abdullahi Ganduje

Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje

The Kano State Anti-Corruption and Public Complaints Commission has filed a fresh corruption charges against former Governor of Kano Abdullahi Ganduje.

The commission’s chairman, Muhuyi Magaji disclosed this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday.

According to Magaji, investigations uncovered the diversion of N51.3 billion from local government funds to unauthorized individuals during Ganduje’s tenure.

Magaji alleged that the Ganduje administration withdrew N1 billion monthly from state coffers before its tenure ended in May 2023, purportedly for road renovation, but diverted to Bureau de Change operators instead.

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He also cited a case involving N4 billion transferred to an agricultural company from Kano’s consolidated revenue account.

“What is happening now is a tip of the iceberg. As I am talking to you, we are investigating a case whereby N51.3bn local government funds were directly taken from the government coffers (and) sent to other individuals, and we traced it to people.

“We have filed a series of cases. We have a case whereby N1bn in April last year (2023) was removed from government coffers under the allocation of renovating 30 roads in the metropolis, and it was taken away and sent to Bureau de Change.

“We have a case of N4bn whereby it was sent from the consolidated revenue account of Kano State to an agricultural company. All these cases are before the court,” he said.

Recall that the state government has said it will arraign Ganduje, alongside his wife and son, for money laundering, later this week.

Kano anti-corruption agency slams fresh charges against Ganduje

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