US orders seizure of Abramovich’s aircraft
The US Justice Department on Monday ordered the seizure of two aircraft owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich, saying they had been used in violation of sanctions on Russia imposed over its invasion of Ukraine. The department said in court filings that the two aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and Gulfstream G650ER executive jet, had been flown into Russian territory in earlier this year in violation of US export controls set for US-made aircraft on March 2. Both aircraft, which the Justice Department valued at $400 million, are believed to be currently out of reach of US officials — in Russia and, for the Boeing, possibly in Dubai according to media reports. “We will take active steps to pursue seizure, and we’ll keep an eye out to see if they move jurisdictions,” said Adams. The seizure order outlined in detail how Abramovich controls the two aircraft through a series of shell companies.
Source:Punch
June 07, 2022 09:26 UTC
Army to engage retired personnel in anti-terrorism war | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
Nomadic education will end banditry, says FRCN bossChief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Farouk Yahaya, is planning to engage retired military personnel to fight Boko Haram terrorism in the North East. According to Yahaya, the military retirees will support Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) to end the war and restore peace. NO amount of military bullets and bombs can stop the security challenges in Nigeria, but the education of nomads. He stated this at the opening of a 5-Day Training Workshop for Staff of National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) on Radio Production for the Take-off of Radio Zamanu International. He, however, called for improved funding and equipment for the Nomadic Education Commission, to enable it properly educate the nomads and end banditry.
Source:The Guardian
June 07, 2022 05:04 UTC
Local producers decry rising expenses on infrastructure, security services | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
According to him, businesses have continued to spend huge resources to put in place what normally the government should be responsible for. This situation needs to change if we are desirous of optimising our productive capacity as a country,” he said. Anegbe frowned at a situation where member- companies are usually being harassed by local, state and federal authorities over multiple taxation. According to him, “Issues concerning some of the activities of federal, state and local governments that we have consistently highlighted at our yearly general meetings have not changed. In many instances, they have assumed unimaginable dimensions, the impacts of which have been to the detriment of member- companies.
Source:The Guardian
June 07, 2022 04:57 UTC
Delta police kill three suspected kidnappers, recover ammunition
The Delta State Police Command has gunned down three suspected kidnappers/armed robbers in the state. The Police spokesman in the state, DSP Bright Edafe, confirmed this on Monday in Asaba. He said, “On June 5, 2022, at about 12:35 pm, operatives of Command’s Rapid Response Squad, while on undercover of anti-crime patrol along Asaba/Benin expressway, some armed hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers numbering about five suddenly emerged from the bush at Umunede area. “The team went into a fierce gun duel with the hoodlums during which three members of the gang were fatally wounded. In another development, Edafe said that a 48-year-old Suleiman Musa, who specialised in stealing home items, was arrested.
Source:Punch
June 07, 2022 03:48 UTC
Tech firm moves for better MSMEs in Nigeria | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
A Technology company, Sendy, specialised in e-commerce infrastructure and consumer brands, has partnered Google in empowering Africa’s small and medium businesses empower MSMEs across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa with expert training in business strategy and development, digital marketing and financial planning. They are also to access key industry leaders and master classes on business to create opportunities, boost business growth and job creation continentally. It will also offer one-on-one mentorship to enable participants learn and build capacity for successful businesses. We recognise the significant role played by small and medium businesses in the economy. Through this partnership with Google, we hope to unlock their potential so that they can learn and seize existing opportunities to build sustainable businesses,” said Mesh Alloys, founder and CEO of Sendy.
Source:The Guardian
June 07, 2022 03:44 UTC
Elon Musk warns of dropping $44bn Twitter deal if data not provided
Elon Musk warned he may walk away from his $44 billion deal to acquire Twitter Inc if the social media network fails to provide data on spam and fake accounts, the billionaire said in a letter to the company on Monday. The letter said Twitter was in a “clear material breach” of its obligations and that Musk reserves all rights to terminate the merger agreement. Earlier in March, Musk said he would put the deal “temporarily on hold”, while he waits for the social media company to provide data on the proportion of its fake accounts. “Musk believes the company is actively resisting and thwarting his information rights,” the letter by Musk’s lawyers said. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…Armed men kill police Armed men kill policeElon Musk warns of dropping $44-bn Twitter deal if data not provided
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 06, 2022 22:33 UTC
Tinubu’s karma and Osinbajo’s ingratitude (1)
I’ll choose karma over ingratitude, any day, anytime because, in the fullness of time, fairness is, essentially, the goal of karma. Bola Tinubu’s journey into karmaWhen the palm of the hand hastily drops 20-year-old pounded yam due to hotness, karma is on the boil. Twenty years ago, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Kofoworola Akerele-Bucknor, sent for me. “Good morning, Mr Odesola; I sent for you,” the deputy governor said in a firm voice. But she was later forced out of government under controversial circumstances with the Tinubu-led administration claiming she was impeached while the deputy governor said she resigned.
Source:Punch
June 06, 2022 19:19 UTC
UK is ‘horrified’ by ‘heinous’ Nigeria church attack, says minister
The UK is “horrified” by a “heinous” attack on a Catholic church in south-western Nigeria which took place on Sunday night, a minister has said. Vicky Ford’s comments came as Conservative MP for Congleton Fiona Bruce raised an urgent question in the Commons on the killing of church worshippers in Ondo State Nigeria and on wider issues of violence against religious groups. The Foreign Office minister said: “I am horrified by the attack that took place against a church in Ondo state, south-west Nigeria yesterday. “I publicly express the UK Government’s condemnation for this heinous act and stress the importance that those responsible being brought to justice in accordance with the law. “The High Commission in Nigeria has also expressed our condolences to the governor of Ondo state and offered our support.
Source:The Guardian
June 06, 2022 17:15 UTC
Hundreds of British students, teachers stranded abroad due to flight cancellation
Hundreds of British students and teachers who ought to have resumed at school are stranded due to the cancellation of flights to their destination. The flight cancellation was “due to the ongoing challenging operating environment” EasyJet said as it cancelled about 80 flights on Sunday. Among them are hundreds of school pupils and some teachers set to miss school on Monday after half-term. After their flight home was cancelled on Sunday, EasyJet offered them an alternative flight on Thursday. He mentioned that the students at his school are quite upset because of the changes made to their teaching schedule.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 06, 2022 14:55 UTC
Katsina communities deserted as gunmen kidnap women, children
There was calm on Sunday in Farfaru and Kwari communities in the Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State after gunmen ransacked the communities and abducted many women and children. PUNCH Metro learnt that residents in the two communities had relocated to the headquarters of the council in Jibia for protection. It was gathered that the hoodlums around 3pm on Saturday invaded Farfaru village, where they burnt down houses, rustled domestic animals and abducted indigenes. It was learnt that another batch of gunmen stormed Kwari village around 9.30pm on Saturday when they shot many residents and rustled animals. The spokesman for the Katsina State Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident although he did not provide details.
Source:Punch
June 06, 2022 14:41 UTC
How CBN’s rate hike aligns with four countries’ that held MPC meeting in May
How CBN’s rate hike aligns with four countries’ that held MPC meeting in MayRIDING on the belief that Central Banks are mostly aligned, the recent 150 basis points Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) hike of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after 70 months, has conformed with Central Banks of four countries that have held Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meetings in May 2022. The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday, May 24, 2022 voted unanimously to raise the benchmark interest rate to 13 per cent after two years of expansionary monetary policy. Available records show that the United States (US) also raised the interest rate to 1.0 per cent with inflation down to 8.3 per cent. According to the Lagos-based Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited, 36 countries raised interest rates in the penultimate month with only Russia reducing interest rates after it had increased rates to 12 per cent per annum (p.a) earlier to protect its currency. Interest rates hovered near unprecedented lows in most advanced economies for the past decade and in some cases went negative.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
June 06, 2022 05:48 UTC
Lagos: Group condemns banning of motorcycles
A group, Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR), has condemned the banning of motorcycles popularly known as ‘Okada’ in Lagos State without providing alternative means of transport. The group also condemned the use of force and arrest of tricycle riders and passengers. According to the group, the ban will inflict suffering on workers and poor people who rely on this means of transportation for their daily activities in Lagos State. It noted that the ban was a face-saving gimmick by the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State government to avoid addressing the real issues behind insecurity and transportation crises in Lagos State. In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Rufus Olusesan and National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, the group said the real issues behind insecurity and criminality in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole are the conditions of mass poverty in the midst of abundance and elite corruption.
Source:The Guardian
June 06, 2022 03:16 UTC
Is Nigeria becoming uninvestible for foreigners?
As envisaged, first quarter (Q1) capital importation data came last week with most of the figures in red. From the beginning of the year, it was obvious this was going to be a challenging year for Nigeria and other emerging markets that rely on foreign investment funds to grow their economies. Last year, only 13 states assumed values in the country’s capital importation data while the figure was eight in the previous year. Falling capital importation is a cause and effect of shrinking external reserves. For the first time since Q3 2019, Nigeria recorded a trade balance in excess of N1 trillion last quarter.
Source:The Guardian
June 06, 2022 03:14 UTC
UPDATED: Many killed in Ondo church attack
Over 40 people have been reportedly killed in an attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street, in Owo town, Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. It was learnt that the incident happened in the church, which is less than 200 meters away from the Palace of Olowo of Owo. Workers at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, confirmed that many people were brought in dead on Sunday. A viral online video showed some worshippers being killed and lying on the floor of the church in the pool of their own blood. One of the health workers on duty at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where the casualties were taken to said over 50 people had been brought to the hospital.
Source:Punch
June 06, 2022 02:29 UTC
Eight states fail to access N377m special education fund
Eight states of the federation have failed to access the N377.07m earmarked for Special Needs Education by the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission, The PUNCH has learnt. The fund is lying fallow despite the poor state of special needs schools in Nigeria. In 2017, the commission noted that Edo and Imo states again, failed to access N30, 400,600 each. Speaking in an interview with The PUNCH, a special needs education advocate, Yusuf Balogun, noted that the failure of states to access special intervention grants hinders special needs education in the country. “The failure of states to access these special intervention grants is a core hindrance to thorough, efficient special needs education in the country.
Source:Punch
June 06, 2022 00:01 UTC