I Will Support You To Fight Against Illegal Mining In Oyo – Olubadan tells EFCC

Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Olalekan Balogun, has promised to support the Ibadan Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in tackling the menace of illegal mining activities in Oyo State.

The monarch, made this promise when he received in his palace on Tuesday, the Acting Zonal Commander of the Ibadan Command of the EFCC, Halima Mustafa Rufa’u on a familiarisation visit.

Balogun, while speaking, noted that he was aware that the commission has been tackling the menace of illegal mining activities in the state.

He then assured the commission of his support for tackling the menace.

The monarch further explained that he and his chiefs will support the commission in its bid to tackle the menace of illegal mining in the state.

“I applaud you, the Zonal Commander, for coming to my palace at this time when the fight against illegal mining in Ibadan is on the rise and I am happy that the EFCC is a major stakeholder in this fight.

“It is evident and we are aware that the Commission has been tackling the menace of illegal mining activities head on and I can assure you of my full support, including the support of all the traditional chiefs in Ibadan, in making sure that the illegal activities come to an end’.

Rufa’u in her remark, assured the monarch that the Ibadan Commission will do more to curb the menace of cybercrime in the State.

Real Reason Nigerians Choose Struggling Abroad With Multiple Jobs Over Unemployment

In recent years, a growing number of Nigerians have been opting to leave their home country and seek opportunities abroad, even if it means taking on multiple and often menial jobs.

The idea of a better life and greater economic opportunities abroad, often portrayed through social media and success stories of those who have emigrated, creates an illusion of instant wealth and success. 

With a severe unemployment crisis in the country and a prevailing lack of confidence in the Nigerian government’s ability to address critical issues, many qualified and talented individuals find themselves without gainful employment, leading them to seek greener pastures in other countries.

However, former presidential aide and influential social media personality, Reno Omokri, has shed light on the challenging reality faced by many Nigerians living abroad who strive tirelessly to make ends meet.

Omokri said that while some may perceive Nigerians in Canada, America, the UK, and continental Europe as living luxuriously, the truth is that many are working multiple jobs just to sustain the appearance of wealth they project.

He said behind the facade of affluence, these individuals often find themselves struggling to keep up with financial commitments, leaving them with little time to relax or enjoy leisure activities. 

“If they miss three mortgage payments, banks WILL foreclose on their homes. They work themselves to the ground to make monthly payments for houses, cars, furniture, and health insurance. They can hardly relax. No time to just do nothing.

“A lot of them have very little family or social interaction. The rat race takes the place of family. They have to pay through their noses for childcare because it is not like Nigeria, where your relatives and friends can watch your kids,” Omokri said. 

The former Presidential aide added that while Nigeria may not be perfect, it is important to recognize and value the quality of life and privileges being enjoyed in the country and strive to build a brighter future collectively.

Drawing attention to the literary work, “The Lonely Londoners,” which provides a timeless depiction of life in the Western world, reflecting the struggles and sacrifices made by immigrants seeking a better life abroad, Omokri added: “We may not have a perfect life in Nigeria. But we have a good one!”.

However, a livestock farmer Ogungbesan Oluwafemi, shared his personal experience and struggles with running his business in Nigeria.

Oluwafemi disclosed that since February 2023, he had lost over N7 million due to unfavourable government policies and emphasized the role of government in providing a conducive environment to encourage prosperity.

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He said many farmers in Nigeria were struggling with debts which had affected their physical and mental health.

Many Nigerians are drawn to foreign labour markets that offer higher wages and better working conditions, even if it means working multiple jobs to sustain their livelihoods.

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A  life coach and business consultant Churchill Ikpawona, commended the Western world for providing opportunities for people to keep up to three jobs, which contrasts with the Nigerian reality where many struggle to find even one job.

“If one person can have an opportunity to get three different jobs I think that’s a whole lot to commend the Western world about. We live in a country where you cannot even get one job,” Ikpawona said.

He added that Nigerians travelling abroad are fully aware of the demanding work environment, yet they are willing to work hard for good salaries that match their efforts, whereas the Nigerian job market often offers inadequate wages and poor working conditions.

Beyond financial considerations, some Nigerians opt for emigration in search of a better quality of life, which may include access to improved healthcare, education, and social services.

In Nigeria, job opportunities do not keep pace with the rapidly growing population and Global consulting firm KPMG in a recent report titled “Global Economic Outlook” has projected Nigeria’s unemployment rate will surge from the current rate of 33.3 per cent to 40.6 per cent in 2023.

KPMG attributes this worrisome trend to several factors, including limited investment by the private sector, sluggish industrialization, slower economic growth than required, and the economy’s inability to absorb the influx of 5 million new job seekers annually.

Latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show that Nigeria's annual inflation rate rose from 22.22 per cent in April to 22.79 per cent in June, representing an increase of 0.57 per cent.

Additionally, the firm said the inflation rate is expected to remain above 20 per cent throughout 2023, just as “fuel subsidy removal and the 2023 Fiscal Bill are also expected to keep pressure on domestic prices in 2023”.

As a result of these challenges, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product growth is projected to remain relatively slow at 3 per cent in 2023, primarily due to the usual slowdown in economic activity observed during periods of political transition in the country.

Trump Indicted With Conspiracy To Defraud The United States

A grand jury indicted former U.S. President, Donald Trump, on Tuesday for a raft of alleged crimes in his brazen efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election — the latest legal and political aftershock stemming from the riot at the U.S. Capitol two and a half years ago.

The four-count, 45-page indictment accuses Trump of three distinct conspiracies, charging that he conspired to defraud the U.S., conspired to obstruct an official proceeding and conspired against people’s rights.

“Despite having lost, the Defendant was determined to remain in power,” the indictment charges, saying Trump unleashed a blizzard of lies about purported mass voter fraud, and then tried to get state, local, and federal officials to act to change the vote result.

“These claims were false, and the Defendant knew that they were false. In fact, the Defendant was notified repeatedly that his claims were untrue — often by the people on whom he relied for candid advice on important matters, and who were best positioned to know the facts — and he deliberately disregarded the truth,” the indictment states.

The indictment charges six unnamed and so far uncharged co-conspirators in these efforts. Some of the individuals are easily identifiable, such as Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer.

The indictment also alleges that on the night of Jan. 6, after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to try to prevent the formal certification of Joe Biden’s victory, “the White House counsel called the defendant to ask him to withdraw any objections and allow the certification. The defendant refused.” 

A spokesman for the former president, Steven Cheung, accused the current administration of trying to interfere with the 2024 election by targeting the current GOP frontrunner, and compared the Biden administration to some of the worst authoritarian regimes in history.

“President Trump has always followed the law and the Constitution, with advice from many highly accomplished attorneys,” Cheung said in a statement. “Three years ago we had strong borders, energy independence, no inflation, and a great economy. Today, we are a nation in decline. President Trump will not be deterred by disgraceful and unprecedented political targeting!".

About 5 p.m., reporters observed a prosecutor with special counsel Jack Smith’s office and the foreperson of a grand jury that has been active for many months examining the events surrounding Jan. 6 deliver the indictment to a magistrate judge in federal court in Washington, D.C.

That grand jury panel gathered Tuesday, and left the courthouse in the afternoon. The indictment is the first known charge or charges to be filed in the special counsel probe of the machinations that led up to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, and its aftermath. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya accepted the grand jury return, saying, “I do have one indictment return before me, and I have reviewed the paperwork in connection with this indictment.”

The indictment could mark a major new phase in Smith’s investigation of the former president and his aides and allies, coming nearly two months after Trump and his longtime valet were indicted for allegedly mishandling classified documents and scheming to prevent government officials from retrieving them. 

Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in the documents case, denies all wrongdoing related to the 2020 election as well. He announced on social media on July 18 that his lawyers had been told he was a target in the election-focused probe.

Smith was tapped in November to take charge of the both high-profile investigations, after Trump launched his 2024 presidential election campaign and Attorney General Merrick Garland — an appointee of President Biden — concluded that an independent prosecutor should oversee the probes.

A state grand jury in Fulton County, Ga., is also considering whether to file broad charges against Trump and his lawyers, advocates, and aides over their efforts to undo the 2020 election results. A decision on that front is expected in August, although previous plans to announce a charging decision have been delayed. Michigan and Arizona are also investigating aspects of the efforts to block Biden’s victory in their states.

Trump, who is the first former president charged with a crime, is facing a remarkable challenge: as a leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, he is likely to be juggling campaign events with court hearings and criminal trials for months on end.

In addition to the Justice Department and Fulton County probes, he is scheduled for trial in March on New York state charges of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments during the 2016 election.

Smith’s elections-related investigation has proceeded along multiple tracks, people familiar with the matter have told The Washington Post, with prosecutors focused on ads and fundraising pitches claiming election fraud as well as plans for “fake electors” who could have swung the election to Trump.

A key element of the investigation is determining to what degree Republican operatives, activists and elected officials — including Trump — understood that their claims of massive voter fraud were false at the time they were making them.

Each track raises tricky questions about where the line should be drawn between political activity, legal advocacy and criminal conspiracy.

A key area of interest for Smith has been the conduct of a handful of lawyers who sought to turn Trump’s defeat into victory by trying to convince state, local, federal and judicial authorities that Biden’s 2020 election win was illegitimate or tainted by fraud.

Investigators have sought to determine to what degree these lawyers — particularly Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, John Eastman, Kurt Olsen and Kenneth Chesebro, as well as then-Justice Department lawyer Jeffrey Clark — were following specific instructions from Trump or others, and what those instructions were, according to the people familiar with the matter, who like others interviewed spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation.

The Post has reported that Giuliani, a personal attorney for Trump who took over his campaign’s legal efforts after the 2020 election, coordinated the fake-elector effort. Ellis helped him urge state legislatures to reject certified Biden results, while Eastman argued to Trump that Vice President Mike Pence could accept alternate slates when certifying the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. Chesebro wrote several memos on the fake-elector strategy. Olsen urged lawsuits to overturn the election results in several states, and Clark pressed Trump’s fraud claims from within the Justice Department.

NSIB Commences Investigation Into Accident Involving A Jabiru J430 Aircraft In Lagos

Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced investigation into an accident involving a Jabiru J430, a light single airplane with Nationality and Registration Marks 5N-CCQ operated by Air First Hospitality & Tours, which occurred around a little after 1500hrs local time on August 1, 2023.

NSIB spokesperson, Tunji Oketumbi said the aircraft was on a test flight within Lagos with two passengers onboard, when it crashed around Oba Akran area of Lagos State with no fatalities.

The aircraft caught fire on impact but the spread was contained by the rainfall at the time of impact, Oketumbi said.

The two souls on board were taken to the hospital. 

“The NSIB, hereby, solicits information from the general public in form of pictures, video or recording evidences to assist in conducting a comprehensive investigation.

“The Bureau can be reached through [email protected] and NSIB_Nigeria on its social media platforms. The Bureau can also be reached on its emergency line +234-807-709-0909,” the statement says. 

The NSIB is a multimodal investigation agency charged with the mandate to investigate transportation accidents and serious incidents in Nigeria with the aim of identifying the probable causes and proffer safety recommendations that can prevent reoccurrence. 

BREAKING: Tinubu Approves N275bn For Manufacturing, MSMEs Sectors

President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of over N275 billion for the immediate resuscitation of the manufacturing and the Micro, Small and Medium-sized enterprises (MSME).

In a nationwide broadcast to the nation on Monday, Tinubu said that was part of the Federal Government efforts to cushion the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy on Nigeria and its people. 

‘’To strengthen the manufacturing sector, increase its capacity to expand and create good paying jobs, we are going to spend N75 billion between July 2023 and March 2024.

‘’Our objective is to fund 75 enterprises with great potential to kick-start sustainable economic growth, accelerate structural transformation and improve productivity.

”Each of the 75 manufacturing enterprises will be able to access N1 Billion credit at 9 per cent per annum with maximum of 60 months repayment for long term loans and 12 months for working capital.’’

On MSME, the president said that N125 billion would be made available to energise the sector as a key driver of growth of the economy.

‘’Our administration recognises the importance of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the informal sector as drivers of growth. We are going to energise this very important sector with N125 billion.

‘’Out of the sum, we will spend N50 billion on Conditional Grant to 1 million Nano businesses between July 2023 and March 2024. 

‘’Our target is to give N50,000 each to 1,300 Nano business owners in each of the 774 local governments across the country. Ultimately, this programme will further drive financial inclusion by onboarding beneficiaries into the formal banking system,’’ he said.

Similarly, Tinubu announced another N75 billion for 100,000 MSME start-ups at nine per cent interest rate payable in 36 months.

‘’In like manner, we will fund 100,000 MSMEs and start-ups with N75 billion. Under this scheme, each enterprise promoter will be able to get between N500,000 to N1million at 9% interest per annum and a repayment period of 36 months.

The president said that the government was able to save more than one trillion Naira from the petrol subsidy removal which would be used to further develop different socio-economic sectors in the country.

‘’In a little over two months, we have saved over a trillion Naira that would have been squandered on the unproductive fuel subsidy which only benefitted smugglers and fraudsters.

‘’That money will now be used more directly and more beneficially for you and your families. For example, we shall fulfill our promise to make education more affordable to all and loans to students who may need them.

‘’No Nigerian student will have to abandon higher education because of lack of money. Our commitment is to promote the greatest good for the greatest number of our people. On this principle, we shall never falter.

‘’We are also monitoring the effects of the exchange rate and inflation on gasoline prices. If and when necessary, we will intervene.

‘’I assure you my fellow country men and women that we are exiting the darkness to enter a new and glorious dawn,’’ Tinubu said.

FG Counters Falana, Says August 2nd Planned Industrial Action Is Illegal

Federal Government has reiterated that the proposed August 2nd industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress is illegal.

Recall that in a letter dated July 28, 2023, Sam Ogala of Falana’s Chamber, stated that the right to peaceful protest has not been removed from the constitution.

However, the Federal Government in a letter on Monday, by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba, and addressed to Falana Chambers on Monday, noted that there is a subsisting interim order restraining NLC from embarking on any industrial action.

The letter reads in part, “We reiterate that the interim order clearly restrained NLC from embarking on industrial action of any nature. It is common knowledge that a strike is only a form of industrial action. NLC has expressed intention to embark on nationwide action to force the government (employer) to agree to its demands. 

“Furthermore, the participation of workers in the protest will result in restriction, or limitation on, or a delay in the performance of work. The foregoing, inclusive of the purported peaceful protest (in view of its intended aims or purposes) undoubtedly amounts to industrial action. We assert that it is grossly inappropriate to lead the public protest in respect of issues relating to or connected with the fuel price increase, which is currently before the court!”

Continuing, She called on Falana to educate the NLC that peaceful protests are no justification for shutting down essential services.

 “From the communique, it is apparent that the current move by NLC goes beyond peaceful protest by issuing a seven-day ultimatum for government to meet its demands and also embark on a nationwide action to compel the government to reverse alleged anti-worker policies.

“Furthermore, uncontroverted media reports have established that NLC is not planning a peaceful protest but intends to ground the government by endangering public peace, instilling fear in the masses, and precipitating a further crisis.”

“It is incumbent on your law firm to sensitise the labour unions that peaceful protests are no justification for disrupting or shutting down essential services, which is tantamount to strike action. Based on the foregoing, you may wish to advise your clients accordingly,” the statement added.

Fuel Subsidy: Sanwo-Olu Rolls Out Relief Measures To Ease Burden On Lagosians

…Governor approves 50% fare reduction in BRT ride, waterways transport

 

…Injects more buses to transport workers

 

…Vulnerable families to get food packs

 

Lagos State Government has rolled out relief measures to cushion the current hardship being faced by residents as a result of fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, rising from the State’s Security Council meeting held on Monday in Alausa, announced a 50 per cent fare reduction across the State-owned public transportation services, effective Wednesday.

 

Commuters using BRT buses and other public transport means operated by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) and Lagos Ferry Services (LAGFERRY) will enjoy the fare cut.

 

The Governor disclosed that operators in the informal transport sector (commercial drivers) would be embarking on a similar move towards reducing the cost of transportation, noting that commercial operators in Lagos had agreed to cut their fares by 25 per cent.

 

Sanwo-Olu said the palliative measures would be sustained pending the outcome of the Federal Government’s decision on a number of relief measures it is planning for citizens to reduce the effects of the fuel subsidy removal. 

 

Lagos, the Governor said, has procured and taken delivery of new high-capacity buses to raise the fleet of vehicles conveying civil servants from their homes to office and back. He said the buses would be deployed on Wednesday, while unutilised buses in the public fleet would be deployed to complement the public transport operation. 

 

Sanwo-Olu said: “In the course of State Security Council meeting today, we reviewed the current economic situation that we have in the country, especially as it affects our residents in Lagos. We have had extensive consultations with all the stakeholders in our transport sector, both formal and informal. We have come to the conclusion which both the State Government and the stakeholders will be supporting. 

 

“Immediately from Wednesday, all public transport services under the control of LAMATA will be plying all routes across Lagos at 50 per cent fare rebate of the current rate. Route configuration and new fare validation are currently being done ahead of the kick-off of the palliative measures. Commercial operators in informal transport services will be rolling out their fare reduction plan, which is about 25 per cent. They are meeting with themselves on the modality as we speak.

 

“We have also concluded the arrangement to increase the fleet of our staff buses conveying workers to their offices and homes. We have procured more buses to achieve this objective and the vehicle are being supplied already. We are waiting to get the required number before deploying the vehicles to various arms in the public service. Extra buses will be deployed back to public transport system to complement the services.”

 

Sanwo-Olu said plans had been concluded with various stakeholders to distribute food items to vulnerable people in the State.

 

The intervention, he said, will be done through effective distribution channels of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, Local Government authorities, Community Development Associations (CDAs), Community Development Councils (CDCs), churches, mosques and traditional organisations.

 

The move, Sanwo-Olu said, are the immediate priorities decided by the Government to cushion the impact and stabilise the conditions of ordinary citizens. 

 

“We will be sending regular food items people consume daily, such as rice, beans, garri and all food products that can help cushion the effects of the current hardship on our people. All the purchases of the food items will be done locally to empower local food suppliers and keep the benefits of the intervention within the local food market value chain,” the Governor said.

 

Sanwo-Olu urged the private sector to take similar actions to help their workers cope in the current situation.

 

Responding to question, the Governor said: “In January, without being prodded, Lagos State Government increased the salaries of its workers because we knew the cost of living had gone up. We knew it’s a lot on the people. We didn’t wait for anybody to take this decision; our staff are benefiting from it today. 

 

“With these measures, we are being proactive as we can and be as responsible as we can to ensure that the Government shows its human side towards the people. Anything that is required of us to do in cushioning the situation, we will not hesitate to do. Our Government is ready to make life bearable for our citizens at this critical time.”

 

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, shared report on security activities across the State, noting that the Lagos Police Command had arrested 260 suspects through the newly formed Operation Flush.

 

The progress, the Lagos police boss said, would be sustained by increased surveillance in some flashpoints to safeguard the safety of residents. 

 

Owohunwa urged residents to go about their lawful businesses, warning that anyone who made attempt to disrupt the peace would have himself to blame.

 

In the coming weeks, Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the State Government would be supporting security operatives with equipment and tools to assist in keeping Lagos safe.