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Buhari Flies To Ethiopia On Solutions To African Socio-Economic Challenges

President Muhammadu Buhari will join other African leaders tomorrow, February 3, in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, to discuss solutions to political, economic and social challenges facing the continent.

A statement today, February 2 by the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said that the discussions would be conducted under the auspices of the 35th Ordinary Session of Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government.

The theme of the meeting, according to the statement is: “Building Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent: Strengthen Agriculture, Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development.’’

The statement said that on the sideline of the AU meetings, President Buhari will hold bilateral meetings with some leaders, with shared interest in improving trade relations, partnering to tackle security challenges and maintaining relations with multilateral institutions for sustainable development.

It said that the President will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk.

The statement said that the National Security Adviser, retired Major General Babagana Monguno and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar will also join the President at the AU meetings.

Armed Robbers Find Their Way To Police Recruitment Camps – Service Commission Boss

Nigerian police

“There have been cases of (armed) robbers finding their way into the Nigeria Police recruitment camps.”

The chairman of  Police Service Commission (PSC), Musliu Smith, who said this when he addressed participants at a one-day sensitization and town-hall meeting on the Police Recruitment Exercise in Birnin Kebbi insisted that “people of questionable character”  have found  their way into the police recruitment camps.

Musliu Smith, who was once an Inspector General of Police (IGP), stressed that part of the challenges the commission discovered during recruitment exercises from 2019 was the academic challenges of the applicants, which is a sad reflection on the society.

“The society must encourage upright and responsible citizens to apply for the recruitment.

“If our responsible and upright young ones are discouraged from joining the police, where are we going to source for the police officers of our dreams?

“Police and policing are a noble act and deserves the best of the society to join and change the narrative on the issue of internal security of our nation.

“We must raise alarm if we notice not so good persons applying to join the police.

“We must all come together as a community to ensure only the best apply for and are recruited into the Nigeria police.”

Soldiers Kill 3 Kidnappers On Auchi-Benin Road In Gun Battle

Soldiers of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army have killed three kidnappers believed to be notorious kidnap cum robbery gang terrorizing the ever busy Auchi-Benin road in Edo state today, February 2.

The soldiers who acted on credible intelligence killed the kidnappers right at the time they were carrying out their nefarious operation along the axis.

A statement by the Director of the Army Public Relations, Brigadier General, Onyema Nwachukwu, said that the kidnappers ran out of luck, as the vigilant troops swooped on them, engaging them in a gun duel that led to the elimination of three members of them, “while others fled in different directions.

“The gallant troops recovered one AK 47 rifle, one Pump Action Shotgun and other dangerous weapons.

“Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to track the fleeing criminals and free up that corridor from all forms of violent crime.”

The Army appealed to the general public to continue to expose criminal elements in their localities to law enforcement agencies.

The Army called on the law abiding citizens to go about their normal activities as efforts are in place to ensure seamless security.

NBC’s Hammer Hits Vision FM; Fined N5 Million And Idon Mikiya Suspended

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Abuja-based Vision FM N5 million and suspended the station’s current affairs programme in Hausa language: Idon Mikiya, for six months.
A letter signed by NBC Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, addressed to the Managing Director of Vision Media Services Limited said the suspension took effect from January 28.
NBC said in the letter that its action followed the monitoring of the broadcast of Idon Mikiya on January 5 on both Vision FM and Farin Wata TV.
“Your discussion on issue, including appointments at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), constitutes a breach of the provision of section 39(3)(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which imposes restrictions on matters concerning government security services or agencies established by law,” the letter read.
“Transmitting the trade secrets or other issues regarding a national security agency amounts to an act prejudicial to national security contrary to the above section cited.
“Recall that the commission has invited the management of Vision FM severally bordering on issues of balance, fairness and presenter bearing opinion, which are violations of the following Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”
The broadcast company’s Managing Director, Shuaibu Mungadi said that it had complied with the suspension order.
Before being suspended, Idon Mikiya aired on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in the company’s seven broadcast stations across Nigeria.

Who Is Jennifer In Divorce Tango With Ex Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku?

Very few people know Jennifer ‘Jamila’ Atiku Abubakar until the bubble bust on their marriage, as the Igbo woman is seeking for divorce.

Jennifer is believed to be instrumental to the achievements of the former Nigeria’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
Today, February 1, Jennifer made a full announcement on their separation and her reasons.
She said that there was a breakdown in their marriage and that her continued stay in the United Kingdom with their kids and different issues caused the current storm in the marriage.
Jennifer was born in Onitsha, Anambra State as Jennifer Iwenjiora.
She bagged her first degree in Political Science and Communications, a Masters in International Politics with a concentration in International Law and Communications, and a doctorate degree in International Relations from the American University in Washington D.C.
She was a news correspondent with the NTA in the 1980s.
Jennifer first met Atiku Abubakar in 1982. She relocated to the United States in the late 1980s where she became a US citizen.
She got married to a man named Douglas to whom she bore her first son, Anthony Chuka Douglas but the couple soon divorced.
She became re-acquainted with Atiku Abubakar in the 1990s and they got married.
Jennifer embraced Islam and changed her name to ‘Jamilah’.
She was the subject of a financial indictment by the US govt where she was believed to have helped Atiku bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to U.S. banks accounts between 2000 and 2008. She however denied the claims.
It is alleged that Jennifer also helped her husband establish the American University of Nigeria (AUN) with the transferred funds.
She is named after one of the administrative buildings in the American University of Nigeria (AUN).
Jennifer is a legal practitioner and is the Managing Partner at Miyetti Law, an Abuja-based private Law firm. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Miyetti Quarterly Law Review.
She took up a job as Assistant Professor of Political Science at the American University of Sherjah, UAE in 2008.
As a philanthropist, she is the founder of an Abuja-based NGO called GEDE foundation.
She has three children. Her first son, Anthony got married in Dubai in 2018.

CBN Boss Advises Rice Millers To Embrace Backward Integration Policy

Governor, of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has advised rice millers in the country to embrace the Bank’s backward integration initiative.
He said that initiative is aimed at conserving foreign exchange reserves, revamping local production capacity and creating employment.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Garewa Rice Mill in Kano, Kano State, today, February 1, Emefiele stressed the need for rice millers in Nigeria to get involved in paddy production to guarantee sustainable supply of paddy to their mills and also complement the supply from the smallholder farmers through the CBN’s partnership with the Rice Farmers Association (RIFAN) and prime anchors.
According to him, the number of rice mills in Nigeria had grown from less than ten, with a combined capacity of less than 350,000 metric tons, prior to the launch of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) in 2015, to over 60 integrated rice mills, with a combined capacity of about 3 million metric tons as at January 2022, with about 10 more mills scheduled to be commissioned later this year.
The Governor said that the increasing number of rice mills, which are being complemented by hundreds of small-scale mills located in every State of the Federation, attested to the conducive environment the CBN has been able to create in the rice value chain through its initiatives and stakeholders’ collaboration.
While stressing the need to match the increasing milling capacity of rice nationwide with increased paddy production, Emefiele charged millers to take advantage of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and the Private-Sector Led Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme (P-AADS) of the Bank.
He added that P-AADS provides long-term financing option to millers to finance commercial farms, land development, irrigation facilities and other agricultural infrastructure that will enhance their respective production plans.
He said that the quality of milled rice in Nigeria could match most foreign brands, even as he expressed gladness that the Bank’s collaboration with the fiscal authorities has helped to curtail the proliferation of Nigerian markets by sub-standard imported rice varieties. He enjoined Nigerians to heed the call of President Muhammadu Buhari to “produce what we eat and eat what we produce,” by patronizing rice brands milled in Nigeria,
Emefiele said that the resuscitated Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) will facilitate grading, sorting, quality assurance and storage infrastructure for key agricultural commodities and also enhance price discovery for smallholder farmers.
According to the CBN Governor, the exchange will provide aggregation hubs for millers to enhance paddy off-take and grow to providing future for millers and farmers to lock in prices and operate under a controlled price regime.
In his remarks, the Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, thanked the CBN Governor for not only extending ABP facilities to Kano, but also assisting the State in the area of infrastructural development of facilities, such as the Tiga and Chalawa hydro-electricity dam projects.
This was even as the Governor of Jigawa State, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, eulogized the CBN Governor for empowering youth and creating wealth in the country.
The promoter to the rice mill, Alhaji Isa Garewa commended the vision of the CBN Governor on initiating the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP), which has turned out to be the saving grace of Nigeria, especially with the outbreak of the Corona virus (COVID-19).

I Wanted Atiku To Divorce Me Because Our Marriage Has Collapsed – Jennifer

On June 26, 2021, I asked His Excellency to grant me a divorce in light of the breakdown of our marriage.
And, during that period, I told his Excellency that I remain at his Excellency’s service to continue to assist him in his activities even If I am no longer married to him.
The core reason for the divorce was disagreement over my continued stay in the United Kingdom, to look after my children and several other long-standing issues.
These were contained in a lengthy statement issued by Jennifer, one of the wives of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, currently in divorce imbroglio with him.
Jennifer, who said that she needed to tell the world her own side of the story, stressed that she did not pack up the union because of another woman that her husband married and who had had a child for him.
Jennifer said that she knew the status of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 election as a Muslim, and his religious rights to marry another woman, adding that she was also not after the properties of the former VP.
She claimed to have known about the new wife and to show that she was not against it, actually invited her to her home in Dubai, and went ahead to congratulate her when she gave birth to a baby.
According to her, she the major reason for seeking for divorce is over issues, particularly her refusal to relocate to Nigeria from UK, where her children currently reside.
“The core reason for the divorce was disagreement over my continued stay in the United Kingdom, among other long-standing issues.”
She gave details of how her husband had ill-treated her and family members since she took the decision.
Full text of thestatenent read:
For some time now, especially in the last few weeks, there has been a whole lot of rumours and in circulation about the state of my marriage to his Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri Adamawa, GCON. The stories got more vicious as they continued to circulate. I deem it necessary to defend myself against the calculated propaganda to malign my character and position me in a bad light and damage my name. Without resorting to nonsensical talk, I would address the two key issues at hand:
(1) That I asked for a divorce because His Excellency got married again.
(2) That I sold his Excellency’s house in Dubai.
That I asked for a divorce because His Excellency got married again
• On June. 26, 2021, I asked His Excellency to grant me a divorce in light of the breakdown of our marriage. And, during that period, I told his Excellency that I remain at his Excellency’s service to continue to assist him in his activities even If I am no longer married to him. Suffice it to say that several friends of his Excellency tried to mediate in this matter. I thank them most graciously and remain grateful for their efforts, Peter Okocha, Senator Ben Obi, Tunde Ayeni, Captain Yahaya, and Senator Ben Bruce.
• The core reason for the divorce was disagreement over my continued stay in the United Kingdom, to look after my children and several other long-standing issues. I needed to play the role of a mother at this time to the children who have gone through the absence of both father and mother growing up; especially, with the passage of my elder sister who used to look after them. Furthermore, in light of COVID-19 times, choosing to stay with the children was non-negotiable. And, in line with Northern culture, the new wife takes up the baton so I can also focus on giving the kids more care.
• Despite not informing us officially according to northern/Islamic culture, I knew about his Excellency’s new wife from the time Excellency was dating her and when his Excellency eventually married her. I have graciously invited our new wife to my son’s wedding in Dubai in 2018 without any ill feelings and congratulated his Excellency when our new wife gave birth.
• I was already aware that His Excellency had gotten married to our new wife but that did not deter me from supporting His Excellency and indeed, we went through a most rigorous electioneering campaign and garnered massive support for his election in 2019.
• That His Excellency married a new wife was never the cause of our problem as many have said. His Excellency is a Moslem and I have never questioned him about his wives or intended.
I hope this brings this issue to rest as I did not leave the house because of his new marriage.
Moving out of the matrimonial Home in Asokoro and Yola
• The matrimonial home in Asokoro where we reside was gifted to me by him even before we moved into that home from a previous residence. Indeed, His Excellency caused his Private Secretary to process the DEED of assignment documents for the house, which he did and handed me the documents. I then commenced processing the title to the property.
• During the initial mediation discussion, Excellency denied that he gifted the house even after I showed him the document with the signatures of his aide, his Excellency asked me to give him the deed of gift. “When I asked him, where will I and the kids stay when we come to Nigeria?”, he told me that since I am the one that asked for a divorce, I should find a place to stay, and subsequently, I moved out.
• His Excellency further gave orders to have my nephews living with me in the house ejected within an hour of his order and gave orders that I and my family members are not allowed to enter the house. Hence, during my last visit to Nigeria in December 2021, I stayed at a hotel. I have long released these assets to him and hereby reiterate that the titles are at his disposal to pick up whenever he deems fit.
Dubai Home
• There has been a lot of speculation on the Dubai home. For a while now, I had purposely stayed away the Dubai until I took custody of that property September 2021 after his Excellency reneged on his word to give the current value of the said property in exchange. When I came to Nigeria, in early September, 2021. I asked to have a private conversation with His Excellency. During that conversation, I informed his Excellency that once I get back to the United Kingdom, I will go to Dubai and take over the house. He subsequently departed for his medical trip to Germany refusing to address any of the issues I privately wanted to conclude with him outside of third parties.
• I subsequently travelled to Dubai, and took custody of the said property. Once I did that, on 18 September 2021, His Excellency sent me a text and I quote: “I hear you have moved to Dubai to take over the house. I am still in Germany for my medicals. Make sure all my properties including (redacted) are intact so I can collect all my properties. I wish you well’.
• I responded to him: “ Excellency, I am left with no other option as we need to get on with our lives amicably. I hope your medicals are coming up good. I wish you well too’.
• On 19th September, 2021 in response to his text that I am not being amicable and I quote ”Good morning, with due respect, Excellency, I told you on Saturday before you left for Germany, that I was going back to UK, take [our son] back for his test, then come to Dubai. I reiterated that day the need for an amicable resolution. I maintain that stance and remain at your service Your Excellency’.
• Further on Tuesday, 21 September, 2021, I asked His Excellency in another text whether he wanted me to pack up his clothes and give them to Rahim (his driver) since the driver on his instructions was moving his cars. I also asked Excellency in that text whether he wanted me to have Rahim pack up his office. Then his Excellency sent me a text back and asked: ‘So it’s true you have sold the villa?’
• Subsequently, His Excellency sent the driver to take possession of all the cars.
The truth subsists with regard to the Dubai house. I will make no further comments on it because it is the subject of litigation filed by his Excellency against me.
I need to also put on record that if I wanted to take His Excellency assets, I would not have returned to him his property documents in Abuja and Jos and document, allowed the driver to collect his cars, gave up the house in Asokoro and Yola.
The last time I was in Nigeria I called to have the Asokoro and Yola documents delivered to him. It was never picked up and I still state that Excellency is free to send someone to have the documents picked up anytime he deems fit.

Nnamdi Kanu Surrenders, Asks IPOB Supporters To Embrace Peace

 

The Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has surrendered and called on the members of IPOB to embrace peace by availing themselves in the ongoing peacemaking process.
Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, revealed the latest Kanu’s stand against the background of his IPOB violent activities in the Southeast. The Counsel spoke to newsmen in Owerri, Imo State capital yesterday after a visit to Kanu last Thursday at the Department of State Security (DSS), detention facility in Abuja.
He quoted Kanu saying that the peace process is important because enemies have been trying to cause disharmony regarding the struggle for the actualization of Biafra.
Ejiofor said: “Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu deeply appeals to UmuChineke to avail themselves of the peace initiative presently ongoing and not to be distracted anymore. He further implored all UMUCHINEKE to keep their eyes on the ball because enemies are struggling in vain to entrench disharmony.
“Onyendu reiterates that the ongoing interventions towards peaceful coexistence must be respected, encouraged and abided by. His call for unity among the entire UmuChineke at all levels, who believe in his peaceful message cannot be overemphasised.
“Further, Onyendu extends his warm regards to millions of his fans and followers who have equally remained consistently resolute and focused. He is convinced that the present situation will only last a while and he will emerge victoriously.
“He also used the opportunity to offer special prayers for me in commemoration of my birthday, as he believed most strongly that the future is crystal bright and holds many good tidings. Consistent with our usual request, we crave your relentless prayers and supplications to the Almighty Chukwuokike Abiama. It will surely end in Praises,” Ejiofor said.

Source: Vanguard.

CBN Disburses N23.2 Billion To 28 Beneficiaries Of New 100 For 100 Policy

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has formally launched the 100 for 100 policy on Production and Productivity (PPP), with the presentation of commemorative cheques worth N23.2 Billion to 28 beneficiaries, through seven Participating Financial Institutions.
Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries, which comprised 14 companies in the manufacturing sector, 12 in the agricultural sector, and two in the healthcare sector, at the Bank’s head office, Emefiele said that the 100 for 100 PPP was designed by the CBN to stimulate investments in Nigeria’s priority sectors with the core objective of boosting production and productivity.
He said that these will aid Nigeria’s efforts to stimulate greater growth of the economy and create employment opportunities.
According to him, the formal launch of the 100 for 100 policy for the Scheme’s developmental component underscored the critical roles in building new blocks for economic growth, improving production expansion, reducing reliance on imports and fostering growth on non-oil export, particularly as the country’s national growth was highly dependent on a strong and competitive businesses.
“Under the initiative, every hundred days, manufacturers in critical sectors that seek to engage in greenfield projects or in expanding their existing facilities will have access to cheaper forms of credit at single digit rates, as well as foreign exchange to procure plants and machineries.”
He said that the programme has the potential of significantly accelerating manufacturing output, promote further diversification of the economy and enable faster growth of Nigeria’s non-oil exports, Emefiele expressed confidence that the PPP will help to reduce the country’s over-reliance on imports, and stimulate productivity in agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, extractive industries, logistics services, trade-related infrastructure and renewable energy.
He said that the scheme aimed at creating more than 20,000 jobs and expected to generate over US$125.80 million in foreign exchange earnings.
He explained that only 79 out of an initial 243 applications valued at N321.06 billion spread across key sectors of the economy, were submitted by the banks, out of which only 28 companies with projects that had clearly articulated proposals were eventually selected for funding valued at N23.20 billion.
Also speaking at the launch, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige lauded the CBN Governor for what he described as laudable initiatives, which he said aligned with the Federal Government’s goal of creating jobs and lifting people out of poverty.
He said that the Nigerian economy is yet to be fully diversified, even as he called for greater collaboration between the fiscal and monetary authorities, adding that such partnership is vital to ensuring economic growth.
Speaking on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, the Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office, Dr, Habiba Lawal said that the ingenious initiative is coming at a time the country is exploring means of economic diversification aimed at reversing its overdependence on importation as well as galvanizing local production of goods and services that would trigger employment generation, wealth creation and poverty eradication.
In their separate remarks, the President of the Manufactures’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Mansur Ahmed and the Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, who doubles as the Chairman, Body of Bank Chief Executive Officers (CEOS), commended the initiative and pledged their readiness to collaborate with the CBN to ensure its success.
Highpoint of the ceremony was the presentation of symbolic cheques to the beneficiaries, through seven Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) – FCMB, Fidelity, Keystone, Stanbic IBTC, Union Bank, Wema Bank and Zenith Bank.

63-Year-Old Woman Delivers Baby Boy In Ekiti 

A 63-year-old woman, Mrs. Temitope Ogundipe, has been delivered of a baby boy through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) at Olives Specialist Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.
Ogundipe said yesterday, January 31 in Ado-Ekiti that she was full of joy because of the baby.
She said that faith in God and support from her husband kept her going after many years of childlessness.
According to her, she had tried to have a child for many years and had gone to many hospitals for solution to her childlessness, but all proved abortive.
“I have tried this IVF before now and it failed. It was a friend who introduced this particular hospital to me.
“I had to come all the way from Oyo State to Ekiti for the IVF,” she said.
She appreciated the Medical Director of Olives Specialist Hospital, Dr Adebayo Adeniyi, for his words of encouragement, calmness and support throughout the process of the IVF.
Ogundipe called on women looking for “this kind of precious gift” not to lose hope and said “if God can do it for me at the age of 63 years, He can also do it for them.”
She advised young women with problems of childlessness to seek help from specialists as early as possible.
Meanwhile, the medical director of the hospital has expressed happiness over the delivery of the baby, and ascribed the success to the Almighty God and the entire dedicated medical team.
“The hospital has recorded significant successes in IVF treatment within a short time.”
He appealed to government to subsidise IVF treatment and said infertility should be seen as a disease that deserved adequate attention like other chronic diseases through the National Health Insurance Scheme, (NHIS) coverage.
“This will go a long way in assisting couples who are unable to access IVF because of the high cost,’’ he added.
Source: NAN.
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