A legal practitioner, Junaid Sanusi has dragged Access Bank Plc to court, claiming N100 million damages for allegedly deducting more than N50 from his account. Junaidu Sanusi told a Federal High Court, Ibadan, capital of Oyo State today, September 23, that he operated a savings account with the Bank and that he discovered that the bank was deducting more than N50 as an electronic levy stipulated by the Finance Act, 2019. “What is provided in the Finance Act is that banks should deduct N50 one-off for transactions above N10,000. “I noticed that the bank deducts N100, N250 and so on from my account as FGN electronic levy.” Sanusi argued that any deduction on customers’ accounts must be subjected to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) guidelines 2020, and other Financial Institution Acts. He said that these guidelines remained the only law allowing banks to make deductions from customers’ accounts. “The court needs to determine whether or not it is lawful for the defendant to make unauthorized deductions from my account in favour of FGN or another third party than the one allowed under the CBN guidelines and Finance Act for bank charges.” Sanusi said that he relied on his filed affidavit, nine exhibits and a written address in support of his originating summons. He asked the court to grant all his prayers and to restrain Access Bank from making further deductions on his account. He wanted the bank to reverse the monies deducted unlawfully from his account from March 27, 2020. ”This should be until judgment is delivered in the suit. “The court should also order the bank to pay N100 million to me as exemplary damages for wrongful deductions it made in favour of FGN without my authorisation.” Responding, counsel for Access Bank, Ahmed Adeleke, said that he had filed a counter-affidavit, attached exhibits and a written address to argument his case. He said that the bank reviewed the plaintiff’s three months’ statement of account between March 1, 2020 and May 29, 2020 to justify the deductions made. Adeleke said that the bank never charged more than the amount stipulated by the law, going by the plaintiff’s transactions within the months under review. He asked the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s case with substantial cost. Meanwhile, the trial judge, Justice Uche Agomog has adjourned the case to November 12 for judgment.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC(, Monday Okpebholo, has been declared winner of Saturday, September 21, governorship election in Edo State. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, made the declaration in Benin City, midnight. He said that Okpebholo polled a total of 291, 667 votes to defeat his arch rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Asue Ighodalo, who polled 247, 274 votes. The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Olumide Akpata (SAN), came third, polling a total of 22,761 votes. INEC record showed that APC won in eleven Local Government Areas out of 18, while the PDP won in seven and LP did not win in any local government. Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulates the governor-elect, Okpebholo
President Bola Tinubu has expressed gratitude to his wife, Oluremi for staying by his side all through life to share in his triumphs and trials. In a letter he addressed to Senator Oluremi on her 64th birthday, President Tinubu said: “I want to take a moment to tell you how truly blessed I feel to walk this path beside you. “Your love sustains me, wisdom guides me, and strength lifts me. I could not ask for a better partner to share the triumphs and trials of life.” The President said that his heart is full of gratitude and love for the incredible woman his wife has been. “Since we began this journey together, you have been my rock, confidante, greatest supporter, and the love of my life. “Every step of the way, you have shown unwavering strength, grace, and love to me, our family, and our beloved nation, Nigeria. “You are the heart of our home, the light guiding me through the most challenging days, and the embodiment of kindness and wisdom. “Your compassion, generosity, and dedication inspire millions of Nigerians and me, especially our young women, who look up to you as their First Lady. “As you turn 64, I wish you nothing but boundless joy, peace, and happiness. May this year unfold with blessings, laughter, and cherished moments you so richly deserve. I look forward to all the moments we will create together in the years to come. “With all my love and appreciation, now and always.”
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Delta State and Lagos State, as well as the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and T-Pumpy Concept Limited, have joined the partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) for the holding of its eighth Annual Conference on October 3, in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State. The Planning Committee chairman of the Conference, Danlami Nmodu, mni, in a statement issued by the Publicity Secretary, Sir Remmy Nweke, confirmed that already, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Emadeb Group and Dangote Group had joined the train of partners for the event, to be held at the Reverton Hotel, GRA in Lokoja. Other partners, according to Nmodu include the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Setraco Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Access Bank plc, Zenith Bank plc, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Fidelity Bank plc, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc (STI), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) and National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), among others. He said that the theme of the eighth Conference would be on “Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity, Power Deficit, and Transitioning to Digital Economy.” He said that the former governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyle Imoke is expected to deliver the lead paper. Nmodu said that there would be the business luncheon with GOCOP partners on October 2, at the same venue, and that the main conference, which would be open for interested public would hold on October 3. The 8th edition will be chaired by the former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman, accompanied by the former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd) and the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian of the Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida as Guest Speakers, even as the Professor of Political Science at the Federal University Lokoja, Professor Rotimi Ajayi and an edutainment communicator and veteran broadcaster, Ms. Debrah M. Ogazuma would make up the panelists.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced the withdrawal from circulation, its biennial publication on Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade, and Exchange Policy Guidelines. In a statement today, September 20, the apex Bank said that content of the publication, which surfaced on September 17 this year has become a subject of misinterpretation or misrepresentation. “In response, the CBN has temporarily withdrawn the document to minimise risk of any further misrepresentation.” The statement said that the publication was meant to guide stakeholders, adding that it is a compilation of previously issued policies and guidelines by the Bank up to a cut-off date, typically December 31 of the relevant year. “As in all previous editions, the current document is intended to achieve the following objectives: 1. A single reference source for the ease and convenience of stakeholders. 2. A valid compilation of policies, directives, and guidelines for adjudication in conflict situations involving stakeholders. 3. Additional clarification of policies and guidelines. As a compendium of previously issued policies and guidelines, the provisions are applicable only to the extent that there have been no updates or revisions to the guidelines and policies contained therein. “This is stated explicitly in the document to guide stakeholders. In line with prior editions, the most recent publication (January 2024) contains policies and guidelines issued by the Bank up to 31st December 2023, some of which will remain relevant during the period 2024 – 2025. “However, several others may cease to apply owing to revisions or updates that become applicable in the aftermath of its publication. “This is clearly stated in the document as follows: “The Guidelines may be adjusted by the CBN without prior notice, to address new developments in the domestic and global economies in the period. However, such amendments shall be communicated to the relevant institutions/ stakeholders in supplementary circulars” (Page 8, Paragraph 1). “The publication further provides the public with avenues for obtaining clarifications on the whole or any part of the document on pages 147 and 148. “In the light of these clarifications, we ask stakeholders to note the following: 1. Some recent media publications referencing aspects of the Guidelines refer to policy positions of the Bank issued prior to 31st December 2023, which have changed in the light of revisions and updates in 2024. One example is the Cyber Security Levy, which was suspended in May 2024, superseding the circular reported in the Guidelines. 2. Certain technical aspects of the Guidelines have been widely misreported and misrepresented. For example, reports have mistakenly sought to link the fuel subsidy removal to external reserves. Such reports essentially missed the analytical basis for the original statement, which was intended to observe a potential risk that was to be mitigated by policy. “More recently, policies of the Bank around the Naira exchange rate and those of the fiscal authorities have positively altered the outlook of the subject in question. In summary, the Guidelines must primarily be viewed as a record of policies, circulars and directives issued by the Bank up to the end of 2023.
“They are not new directives and should not be reported as such. The Bank will continue to provide clear monetary policy direction and advice for the overall good of the Economy. “We urge all stakeholders to seek clarification of information about the Bank before publishing.”
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, has called on stakeholders to identify other frequency bands to complement the 5GHz and 2.4GHz. In a keynote address at the Annual Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Emerging Technologies held in Lagos yesterday, September 19, Dr. Aminu Maida noted that the 5GHz and 2.4GHz that are being used for Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5) at the moment are becoming overwhelmed due to an increase in demand for capacity. According to him, participants at the recently concluded 2023 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23) allocated the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi and IMT applications with different recommendations on how to use the band. “This was the outcome of a long study cycle process leading to the decision at the WRC-2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.” He said that the 6GHz band, spanning from 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, offers a substantial increase in available spectrum, which is crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications Wi-Fi plays a crucial role in the distribution of fixed broadband connectivity in homes, offices, and various other environments. “The vast majority of home internet traffic is connected to the end-user through Wi-Fi. “In enterprise settings, Wi-Fi is essential for handling large amounts of data and simultaneously connecting large numbers of devices with improved reliability, higher data throughput, and lower latencies.” Dr. Aminu Maida said that the event is set to bring Nigeria to join the league of countries already utilizing part of the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi -6 applications. He recalled that when the Government of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought his team on board in the year 2023, “we took a decision to reposition the Commission on a path that will ensure the uptake of opportunities through our strategic focus areas which is driven by the recognition that each of our stakeholders whether it is our Licensees & Industry operators , Consumers or Government maintains unique perspective and have certain expectations of as the Commission. “Therefore, to accomplish our objectives in driving our strategic goals, the Commission identified some key factors, which include people, collaboration data, compliance, and Digitalization. “Guided by our actions in the right direction and, of course, that of the Federal Government through the Ministers Strategic Blueprint cantered around knowledge policies, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship and Capital as well Trade, we have been able to set the ball rolling to enhance telecommunication service delivery in Nigeria. “In line with one of the key factors on collaboration as outlined in our focus areas and the Commission’s traditionally institutionalized policy of participatory regulation and the practice of industry-wide consultations in conducting its regulatory functions, we are here again to elicit your comments and inputs on the use of the 6GHz for Wi-Fi – 6 and International Mobile Telecommunications (MT). “In line with global best practices, we sincerely believe that our actions must be guided by decisions that take into cognizance the inputs from all stakeholders in the industry.”
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has flagged off campaign for the local government Council election scheduled for October 19, calling on the party supporters to embark on door to door campaign to ensure total victory. Governor Ododo, at the flag off ceremony held at the Muhammadu Buhari Square in Lokoja today, September 19. The Governor who was joined by leaders of the party from the three senatorial districts of the state, presented the scorecard of the APC-led administration in the state. He said that his administration has successfully implemented 40 percent affirmative action for women in elective positions in the state with the party’s decision to reserve all vice chairmanship positions and at least four out of every councillorship positions in each of the 21 local government areas in the state for women. The governor said that appointments of Ward Special Assistants and Local Government Special Assistant has truly returned governance to the people at the grassroots. He urged the people of the state to embrace peace and remain united behind the APC-led government, assuring that the party will continue to ensure that the resources of the state is utilized to lift the people out of poverty and consolidate on the achievements of the state government in all sectors of the economy. “Our state is blessed with abundant mineral resources and human capital to lift us out of poverty. We must work hard to consolidate on the solid foundation laid by my predecessor and the immediate past administration in different sectors by supporting the APC. “Come October 19, 2024, I urge you to come out and vote enmasse for all chairmanship candidates of the APC in the 21 local government areas and our councillorship candidates in the 239 electoral wards in the state for us to continue to build on the success we have achieved already as a state under the APC.” Earlier, the state chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello commended Governor Ododo for his exemplary performance which he noted has made the local government election campaign easier for the party. The ceremony, which attracted large turnout of APC members from the 21 local government areas in the state also saw the defection of Salman Idris, representing Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the Federal House Representative from the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). High point of the occasion was the presentation of APC flags to the chairmanship candidates from the 21 local government areas in the state by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Mohamed Malick Fall is the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria. In this exclusive interview, he speaks on the need for a collective response to humanitarian crises in Nigeria. He identified obstacles to humanitarian interventions. He talks about the work of the United Nations, among others. UN OCHA Nigeria’s Head of Public Information, Ann Weru, and Public Information Officer, Dr. Chike Walter Duru, conducted the interview. Excerpts:
Q: What are the different types of humanitarian issues in Nigeria
Ans: Different types of humanitarian issues exist in Nigeria; some are linked to conflict and insecurity; there are those that are triggered by insurgency in the north-east, some are linked to intercommunal violence, herders/farmers clashes, abductions, kidnapping, banditry, prevalent in many parts of the country. In addition, Nigeria has a certain level of climate vulnerability. Sometimes, drought; sometimes, floods; sometimes heat wave, that impact the wellbeing of people and sometimes trigger the movement of people, loss of property or loss of livelihood and they exacerbate the hardship that the people are facing. Q: How the UN is responding to the challenges Ans: The UN has a two-fold response. One is the humanitarian response, which, to me, is guided by the principle of saving lives and reducing vulnerabilities; helping people, not only to get back on their feet, but also to have hope that they can have a better future. The second component is the one that tackles the root causes of these crises. Most of those root causes are linked to deficits of development, lack of basic services, lack of livelihoods, lack of skills for young people and lack of access to employment. Those require much deeper action, which is building, not only on UN humanitarian intervention, but also on development-related activities, which will be looking at short, mid and long-term projects for the development of those people. Q: Obstacles to humanitarian interventions in Nigeria Ans: We have several of them. The biggest one is access, and sometimes, access is hampered by insecurity. There are many parts of the country without free and safe access because of the high level of insecurity that is still prevailing. This is valid for the north-east, where, despite all the efforts to push against the insurgency, you still see attacks like the recent ones in Konduga and Gwoza, which are sad reminders that it is not yet over. You have also insecurity prevailing in many other parts of the country. Sometimes, access to the people in need is also difficult. Funding gaps are also an issue, because, as you know, the world is overstretched by humanitarian challenges. For instance, we have gone past half of the year, but this year’s Nigerian Humanitarian Response Plan is funded below 50 per cent. We launched in May 2024, a Lean Season Plan, which targeted to address the most urgent needs of people affected by food insecurity and malnutrition, but we are in the peak of the lean season, and we have not even reached 30 per cent of the funding we need. If you look at humanitarian funding year by year, you will see that it is declining. The level of response from the donor community is getting lower because of the competing developments across the world. The wars in Gaza, Sudan, and other regions have completely changed the funding landscape for humanitarian response. The challenge of funding. There is a cost of doing nothing. People always look at things from the point of the cost of doing something. Let me take one example. In the Lean Season Plan, we are looking at addressing severe food insecurity and malnutrition. Today, look at the number of children that are malnourished. The survival of hundreds of thousands of severely acutely malnourished children and those at risk depends on urgent interventions. In the Lean Season Plan, there is a projection of 230,000 children at risk of severe acute malnutrition during the lean season in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, alone. Their survival depends on the steps taken against the challenge.The cost of inaction is that life is on the line. Children that survive acute malnutrition, from the fragile health conditions they have, may also face growth and development challenges throughout their lives. The cost of inaction is very expensive. Q: Way forward Ans: I see several solutions around these challenges. For funding, more innovative funding solutions are required. We must no longer rely on western countries as traditional donors.A country like Nigeria is not poor. It is among the three biggest economies in Africa. It is increasingly urgent for the Government to allocate its own resources to the humanitarian response. We also need to be more creative and see how we can make our humanitarian operations more efficient and more effective. There are many directions that need to be explored. International Laws: Wherever you see conflict and war, it means that there are parties that do not believe in dialogue and in peaceful settlement of disputes. For instance, the insurgents believe in extreme violence and terrorist actions. This is not peculiar to Nigeria. In the world, there are many wars taking place: Ukraine, Sudan, Gaza, and these are coming on top of previous crises. You have Somalia and Syria. The notion that any difference should be settled through arms and through guns amounts to pushing back on the principles of international laws. Many of the parties to conflict do not respect nor respond to the call of international humanitarian law. Q: How the UN is supporting displaced people and the most vulnerable Ans: Whenever you see a crisis, those that pay the highest prices are the most vulnerable – women, children, older persons, people living with disabilities, and that is why we prioritise them in our interventions. There are provisions in our interventions that prioritize the protection of children. There are also provisions that specially protect women from grave violations of their rights and from sexual violence. The rights of people living with disabilities are also protected. For me, the humanitarian space is one of the few spaces where humanity has its expression. It is a place where you see actors daily, risking their lives to go and save lives, reduce vulnerability, protect and help people get back on their feet. It is also a space where you see host communities that are lacking in everything sharing the little, they have with people who are suffering or displaced. It is a place where you see Government and non-state actors getting together, to reduce vulnerability and save the lives of people. The work of humanitarians saving lives etc. has just one name – humanity prevailing. Q: Message for stakeholders Ans: What we need to reduce the humanitarian needs in the world is for the people to go back to the principle of humanity. If we act on preventing conflict, stopping conflicts, we will take away a huge number of people in humanitarian need. At the same time, humanitarian needs are not only triggered by conflict; unfortunately, the way we treat our planet; the way we treat our ecosystems, the way we respond to the climate crisis that we are facing are also important issues. We also have increased poverty and deeper inequalities. All of these are among the factors that trigger human suffering.We need to address conflict, increased poverty, the climate crisis, and inequalities. If world leaders continue to push to address these issues and more, we will see a better world. Members of the public should support humanitarian action. They should understand that it is not about humanitarian organisations and workers alone. It is about the entire society. The call here is the expression of humanity. It is a call to every human being. It takes mobilization, commitment, awareness for every one of us to be part of that humanity.
“Media reports today that a former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is incorrect. “The Commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody. “Bello, already declared wanted by the Commission for alleged N80.2 billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest.” This is the position of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), in a statement today, September 18, by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale. This came against the background of the earlier report from the former governor’s media aide, Ohiare Michael, saying that the former governor voluntarily presented himself to the EFCC office after due consultations with his family, legal team and political allies. His media aide’s statement said: “the former Governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process. “The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. “It is important for the former governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear. “The former governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development; and supports the fight against corruption in the country.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seems to have placed the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in suspense.
According to Ohiare Michael, his Director of Media, Yahaya Bello “voluntarily” presented himself in the office of the EFCC “to honour the Commission’s invitation. The statement from Ohiare said “the EFCC did not interrogate him (Yahaya Bello) as officials told him he could leave. “We don’t know what this means yet. As we write, HE Alhaji Yahaya Bello has left the EFCC office. “He was accompanied there by the Governor of Kogi State, HE Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.”
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