February 9, 2024
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have formalised tge agreement on the directive by President Bola Tinubu for earnings from oil to be domiciled in the apex bank.
Amidst rising economic crisis, especially the free fall of the Naira, the Nigerian leader Tinubu directed the CBN to handle crude proceeds going forward.
A joint statement by the two bodies yesterday said NNPCL would domicile a significant portion of its revenues and other banking services with the CBN.
The decision followed a meeting between the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso in Abuja.
NNPC said the move would provide the national oil company with an improved platform for managing its cash holding obligor limits, aligning with directives from the Board of Directors.
The statement hinted that the CBN has introduced enhanced digital platforms and specific limits to oversee NNPCL’s transactions effectively.
The both expressed commitment to fortify collaborations and smoothen operations.
February 7, 2024
The All Progressives Congress; APC, in Rivers State, on Tuesday, challenged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to account for the N144.2bn federal allocation received by the state in the last five months, claiming that the impact was not being felt by the Rivers people.
the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, has however retorted by accusing the APC of “playing politics”.
The Chairman of the state APC Caretaker Committee, Chief Tony Okocha, during a visit to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, questioned Fubara’s management of the state’s resources.
Okocha said, “As a party in opposition in the state, we have received data of the sum received by the Rivers State Government from the Federal Allocation from June 22, 2023 to November 2023.
“The Rt Hon. Speaker, it is our finding that a whooping sum of N144,291,667,791.1 has been received from the federal allocation under the governor. This amount is outside the Internally Generated Revenue of the state, which is put conservatively at N10bn every month.
“We regret that this humongous amount has not translated to action in any way in terms of development in the state. What we see are heavily funded street processions and media-sponsored rallies in support of unnecessary political imbroglios.
“Fifth columnist and crisis entrepreneurs feed fat from our commonwealth. As a party, we shall not hesitate to punish any member of our party who is in the cohort in this gross financial malfeasance of our dear Rivers State.”
The APC leader urged the Assembly Speaker to keep a close watch on the governor, saying “And if you do nothing you are equally complicit.”
Responding, the Assembly Speaker, Amaewhule, said the legislature would continue to make laws that would benefit the people while it would amend those harmful to the people.
February 7, 2024
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced that it is implementing new strategies to enforce the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017.
The Gunshot Act 2017 mandates all hospitals in Nigeria to accept and administer immediate and adequate treatment to persons who have sustained gunshot wounds with or without police clearance.
It added that every person, including security agents, has a responsibility to assist individuals with gunshot wounds and ensure their swift transportation to the nearest medical facility.
In recent months, there have been reports of cases where healthcare providers, have turned away gunshot victims, citing the absence of police reports as justification, and has resulted in the loss of lives.
Spokesperson of the ministry of health, Patricia Deworitshe, expressed concerns about the slow or non-compliance by most medical facilities with the Gunshot Act 2017
“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare is concerned about the spate of gunshot incidences and refusal of some of the health facilities to administer treatment and care for the victim or patient without police report,” Deworitshe stated.
Deworitshe said that the minister of health, Muhammad Ali Pate, is working on the development of specific strategies to ensure nationwide compliance with the Act by healthcare facilities.
She, however, did not disclose the details of these strategies but said the minister called on all medical practitioners to comply with this national law by providing prompt treatment and care for these victims to prevent death
“The police is also urged to comply with and enforce the provisions of the compulsory treatment and care for victims of gunshot ACT 2017 with promptness as well as reassure the health facilities that treatment of gunshot victims is not illegal,” she added.
February 6, 2024
In Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, a Federal High Court has convicted and sentenced three internet fraudsters (Yahoo-Yahoo) to different jail terms for offences bordering on criminal impersonation, internet fraud, and possession of fraudulent documents.
This is according to a statement by the Spokesperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Dele Oyewale on Monday.
According to the statement, the convicts – Abraham Itoro Sunday, Ezea Chidera Charles, and Udoh Christopher Gabriel were convicted by Justice Chigozie Sergius Onah upon their arraignment by the Uyo Zonal Command of EFCC, on one-count separate charge bordering on cybercrimes.
“That you Abraham Itoro Sunday ‘M’ sometime in 2023 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did fraudulently impersonate Brian O’ Noel on Facebook with the intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2)(b)(I) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, prevention) Act 2015 and punishable under the same section,” the charge read.
They pleaded guilty to all the charges when they were read to them.
Based on their pleas, the Prosecution counsel – Enobong Ubokudom and Farida Bukar thereafter prayed the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Onah convicted and sentenced Sunday and Charles to six months imprisonment each with an option of a fine of N200,000.00, while Gabriel bagged a five-month jail term with an option of a fine of N150,000.00.
The court also ordered that the three smartphones used by the convicts to perpetrate the crimes be forfeited to the Federal Government.
The statement noted that “the convicts started their journey to the Correctional Centre when they were arrested by operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC on November 22, 2023, at different locations in Afaha Atai, in Iko Eket Akwa Ibom State.
“Investigation showed that all the convicts impersonated foreigners by using their identities to defraud their victims. While Charles fraudulently portrayed himself as ‘Molina Urovsky’ on Facebook, Sunday portrayed himself as Brian O’niel and Gabriel presented himself as Alexander Douglas on Instagram.”
