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Reps committee postpones hearing on PTI fraud probe

Mustapha USMAN
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Reps committee postpones hearing on PTI fraud probe

THE House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has postponed its scheduled hearing into alleged financial irregularities at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI)

The hearing, initially set for Tuesday, April 29, was expected to feature appearances by the Principal/Chief Executive Officer of PTI, Samuel Onoji, and the Director of Finance, Aliyu Mafindi. 

The officials were summoned in connection with findings by The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), which exposed how over N200 million was allegedly siphoned from the institution between 2018 and 2024.

The committee said the PTI requested an extension of the appearance date to May 12, but did not state the reasons cited by the Institute. 

Chairman of the committee, Bamidele Salam, confirmed the postponement, saying the panel was reviewing its calendar to accommodate the new date. 

“They proposed May 12th, but we will check our calendar,” Salam told The ICIR.

He added that while the committee was open to ensuring a fair hearing, the gravity of the allegations necessitated thorough scrutiny. 

The ICIR reported that the PTI’s Director of Finance, Aliyu Mafindi, used fictitious oversight visits by National Assembly committees as justification to divert millions of naira into personal and proxy accounts. The lawmakers later confirmed that some of the visits never took place.

The ICIR reports that oversight visits by the National Assembly to government agencies are a routine. The visits often come with financial provisions for logistics, accommodation, and honoraria. The Petroleum Training Institute, like other agencies, regularly receives official letters from lawmakers planning oversight visits. 

Documents obtained by The ICIR revealed that large sums, including N21.85 million, N15.5 million, and N25.76 million between 2018 and 2024, were disbursed by the PTI for oversight visits that never took place. 

Payment vouchers showed that the funds were paid directly into Mafindi’s accounts in violation of Nigeria’s Public Sector Financial Regulation Act, which criminalises such actions.

Despite an internal probe by the PTI’s Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) at the end of his initial tenure in 2021, Mafindi was reappointed in 2023. 

The fraudulent activities continued into 2024, with the reappointment of Mafindi and Onoji’s emergence as the principal of the Institute.

In March and April 2024, N25.8 million and N43.4 million, respectively, were disbursed through proxies for supposed visits by the House Public Accounts and Public Procurement Committees, visits which lawmakers later confirmed never took place.

When contacted, the Chairman, House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee, Bamidele Salam, denied any visits by the committee to the Institute since 2023.

JAMB promises prompt release of 2025 UTME results after public outcry

Mustapha USMAN
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JAMB promises prompt release of 2025 UTME results after public outcry

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has appealed to candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to remain calm, pledging to release their results soon.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 29, JAMB said the 2025 UTME results would be released as soon as all post-examination analyses and other procedures are completed. 

The board did not provide a specific date but assured that the delay was due to standard post-examination processes, which include rigorous data checks, validation, and the screening of results to detect any irregularities.

“2025 UTME results to be released as soon as all post-examination analyses and other procedures are completed. Candidates are enjoined to be patient, please,” the exam body stated.

The 2025 UTME was conducted between April 24 and April 28, with over two million candidates who were registered participated in the nationwide exercise.

JAMB’s statement came on the heels of criticism and frustration expressed over widespread early morning schedules, long distance, late-night centre reassignments, long delays, technical problems and security risks faced by candidates across the country.

The ICIR reports that Nigerians faulted the exam body over the missing report of a candidate who was to write her exams at a centre far from her hometown. 

The candidate was reported to have gone missing on her way from the Epe area of Lagos to Ajah to write the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Meanwhile, in a follow-up post on Saturday, an X user who had first raised an alert about her disappearance disclosed that the missing candidate had returned home.

The incident, including students scheduled for exams at 6:30 am, led to public outcry.

The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, while reacting to the incidents, in a statement, highlighted the risks faced by candidates, mostly teenagers, who were forced to travel early in the morning to take the exam.

“This situation sadly exposes a deeper, systemic failure: Nigeria simply does not have enough universities and exam centres to cater to its youth.

“Today, Nigeria has just about 200 universities for a population of over 200 million people. That alone means one university for every one million citizens, a very disturbing and staggering ratio that shows the dilapidated level of the country’s access to education,” he said.

Similarly, a report by BusinessDay on April 26 detailed several cases where students were either forced to wait for hours without writing their exams or had to travel unexpectedly to distant locations due to last-minute centre changes. 

Other candidates reported system shutdowns mid-exam, missing questions, and CBT interface errors. 

Liberal Party wins big as Carney fails to secure majority in Canada’s tight election

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Liberal Party wins big as Carney fails to secure majority in Canada’s tight election

CANADA Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the country’s election held on Monday, April 28.

However, Carney did not get the majority vote he expected to aid in negotiations on tariffs with United States President Donald Trump.

The Liberals were ahead with 167 electoral districts, or seats, while the Conservatives followed with 145, as counting of votes was underway.

The Liberals needed to secure 172 out of the House of Commons’ 343 seats to achieve a majority, enabling its lawmakers to govern without relying on support from a smaller party.

The result marked a significant comeback for the Liberals, who had trailed by 20 percentage points in the polls back in January, before Trudeau announced his resignation and Trump began making threats of tariffs and annexation.

The ICIR reports that minority governments typically last no longer than two and a half years in Canada.

“Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over,” Carney said in a victory speech in Ottawa.

 “The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the Second World War, a system that, while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity for our country for decades, is over.”

“America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country,” Carney said, adding, “These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never ever happen. These are tragedies, but it’s also our new reality.”

Carney added that the coming months would be difficult and demand sacrifices. 

Trump’s threats sparked a surge of patriotism, boosting support for Carney, a political newcomer who had previously led two G7 central banks.

The ICIR reported that Trump announced he might impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian-made cars, claiming the United States had no interest in them. 

He also reiterated his call to use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st state on Monday, April 27.

Carney vowed to take a tough stance with Washington over its import tariffs and emphasised that Canada would need to invest billions to reduce its reliance on the US. However, the right-leaning Conservatives, who had called for change after more than nine years of Liberal governance, demonstrated surprising strength.

Carney has highlighted his experience handling economic issues, positioning himself as the best leader to handle Trump, while Pierre Poilievre focused on concerns over the cost of living, crime, and the housing crisis.

The conservative leader, Poilievre, acknowledged defeat to Carney’s Liberals and stated that his party would hold the government accountable.

“We didn’t quite get over the finish line yet,” Poilievre told his supporters in Ottawa. “We know that change is needed, but change is hard to come by. It takes time.”

The Liberals are the last party to win four consecutive elections in Canada.

Okowa fires back at Saraki, says PDP not ready for 2027 polls

Mustapha USMAN
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Okowa fires back at Saraki, says PDP not ready for 2027 polls

FORMER Delta State governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Ifeanyi Okowa, has said former Senate President Bukola Saraki lacked the moral standing to criticise his recent defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking on Monday during an interview on the Arise TV Morning Show, Okowa said his decision to join the APC was based on the collective agreement of his political family in Delta State, adding that the PDP no longer presents a viable platform for electoral competitiveness ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Ordinarily, I believe that we are a political family in Delta state, and once we make a decision together, I have to go with my political family because without that family, I have no politics to play. 

“I do not expect that somebody like Bukola Saraki should be able to speak concerning me because he knows that he had also moved to the APC before and eventually returned. So he has had movement to and fro, so I don’t think he has a moral right about my defection at all. I don’t want to join issues with him,” he said.

Okowa’s response came days after Saraki described the wave of defections from the PDP in Delta State as an exposure of long-standing insincerity among party members, urging those who no longer believe in the party to leave.

Saraki, in a statement on Thursday, April 24, said the party was not in crisis but in a moment of transformation.

He added that those leaving were making space for genuine party members to step forward and refocus the PDP into a viable, people-centred opposition. 

“My view is that those who want to leave the PDP should leave now and let the rest of us who want to stay concentrate on rebuilding the party and refocusing it to play the role of a viable opposition that will provide a better alternative for the good people of Nigeria,” he said.

Okowa, however, questioned Saraki’s credibility on the matter, recalling the former Senate President’s history of defections between the PDP and APC.

According to him, months of internal disarray and refusal to form alliances have made the party unfit to provide a credible alternative to the ruling APC.

“The truth is that we have a political family in Delta state, previously we were in the PDP, but several things have been going on in the PDP. While I do not want join issues with people but as stakeholder, our leaders in this state have sat down to look at events in the last several months and the cause of the event that we see and the communication coming out from the leaders of the PDP at the moment, it did not appear to us that was a proper political vehicle to continue because it did not also appear to us that PDP was ready to be competitive in the 2027 elections,” he said.

The ICIR reported that the Delta State governor, his predecessor and all PDP members in the state defected from the PDP to the APC on Wednesday, April 23. 

Oborevwori announced the defection through his Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu.

James Manager, a former senator, also announced the PDP members’ defection after a meeting that lasted several hours at Government House, Asaba, the state capital.

Why is the price of rice dropping in Nigeria?

Ehime ALEX  and  Harrison EDEH
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Why is the price of rice dropping in Nigeria?

FACTORS like weak purchasing power and an oversupply in the market are causing a significant decrease in the price of short-grain rice across Nigeria, according to recent surveys and market observations.

Further checks involving market analysts and traders nationwide reveal that the struggling and the downward trend economy is dampening Nigerians’ desire for staple foods like rice, leading to substantial declines in sales for traders.

Currently, a 50-kilogram bag of short-grain rice in markets in Lagos and other states has fallen to N60,000.

Foodstuff sellers clarified that the extent of the price reduction for various types of short-grain rice is linked to the quality of the rice.

A report by S&P Global on Monday, April 28, indicated an even lower price of N58,000 for a 50kg bag of rice in some of Nigeria’s more remote areas. This drop is partly attributed to imports from the Republic of Benin.

The S&P Global report highlighted a near two-year low in the West African parboiled rice market due to a flood of supplies into regional markets following India’s removal of export duties on parboiled rice. This influx has reportedly caused the price of a 50kg bag of rice to fall from N80,000 to N58,000 as the commodity enters Nigeria through Benin.

Weakened purchasing power of Nigerians is linked to the price decrease. Traders have reported a significant drop in sales, particularly after the festive season.

“I have resolved not to produce again until we get close to Christmas with visible demand,” a large-scale rice producer, Ekene Okeke, told The ICIR.

Celestine Okeke, a development economist, explained to The ICIR that demand for rice is currently very low, and the market is flooded with supply. This situation is forcing down prices due to the negative impact of the current administration’s economic policies on consumer affordability.

“Farmers are not getting demand, and purchasing power has dropped,” he emphasised.

Survey checks in Abuja and Kaduna showed a decrease in the local price of Anjee rice, a local brand produced in Kaduna, now selling for N65,000.

Mourine Boi, a foodstuff seller in Ayobo, Lagos State, confirmed a slight reduction in the prices of bagged rice in her market. However, she pointed out that long-grain rice prices have remained relatively high, currently around N90,000 for a bag of “My Choice” brand.

Boi noted that the short-grain rice varieties experiencing significant price drops are those that absorb water easily. She mentioned that “Agric” rice is now selling for N60,000 and “Family” rice for N62,000.

“For example, we are now selling a bag of My Choice (type of rice) at N90,000.

“If it is the short-grain rice you want to buy, we sell Agric for N60,000 and Family for N62,000,” Boi said.

Another wholesale seller at Mowe, Ogun State, Jane Palmer, told The ICIR that the prices of short-grain rice have dropped from about N68,000 at a wholesale price a month ago to about N62,000 at the moment.

She noted that prices are slightly higher at the retail stores.

“We sell Tea Top rice at N63,000, Sonia at N62,000, and Rizberry at N63,000. At the moment, I don’t have long-grain rice in stock,” she added.

Interestingly, the Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) reported in its monthly ‘Domestic Commodity Price Movement’ that the price of long-grain rice (50kg) remained unchanged at N85,000 in April.

In their commodity update published on April 24, the FDC noted that while prices of commodities like tomatoes, pepper, and flour increased, there was a decrease in the prices of onions, beans, and garri. They attributed the overall increase in domestic commodity prices to rising cost pressures, as discussed by their managing director, Bismarck Rewane.

“Domestic commodity prices are up due to rising cost pressures,” Rewane stated in the report.

Manipulated video falsely claims Traoré scrapped taxes in Burkina Faso

Fatimah QUADRI
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Manipulated video falsely claims Traoré scrapped taxes in Burkina Faso

A viral TikTok video claims that Burkina Faso’s military leader, Ibrahim Traoré, has declared the country a tax-free nation, attracting interest from figures like Elon Musk and prompting threats of sanctions from Western nations.

The claim originated from a TikTok video posted by user @panafrican069. The 3-minute, 17-second video features a scripted newscast-style voiceover layered over unrelated background footage. It alleges that:

Part of the audio transcribed reads:

...Burkina Faso has just made history, president Ibrahim Traoré has declared Burkina Faso a tax free. All taxes on salaries, on businesses, and foreign investments have also been lifted turning the country into Africa’s first tax free nation in his powerful statement. Traore declared for too long my people have struggled under heavy taxes and this has drained Africa’s wealth, from Today, Burkina Faso would be the land of financial freedom no more taxes, only prosperity…

The video has gained traction, with over 150,000 likes, 12,200 comments, and 14,400 reposts.

READ: Video does not show crude oil discovered in Burkina Faso

CLAIM

Video shows that Burkina Faso military leader Traoré has scrapped all taxes on salaries, businesses, and foreign investments.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub shows that the claim is FALSE!

Screenshot of the claim as seen on TikTok; Insert FALSE verdict
Screenshot of the claim as seen on TikTok; Insert FALSE verdict

AI-generated & manipulated content

Firstly, parts of the video appears to be AI-generated. The voiceover and visuals do not match, and the format closely resembles other AI-generated misinformation videos previously debunked by The FactCheckHub.

A close observation of the video reveals visual inconsistencies such as unnatural lip movements, staccato head movements of the newscaster and his speech, audio that is out of sync with the visuals, strongly indicate that the video was created using artificial intelligence

Misleading footage

Secondly, a key clip in the video shows the military leader  Traoré speaking at an event. A reverse image search using Google Lens traced the footage to a news report by Africa24TV. The original video is from Traoré’s speech at the 2024 Academic Excellence Day held on August 23, 2024 not an announcement of a tax-free policy. However, this clip was used to falsely claim that the military leader had announced a tax-free regime in the West African nation

No official evidence

Thirdly, neither Burkina Faso’s government nor any credible local or international media outlet has reported the introduction of a tax-free regime. Such a major policy shift would be widely covered.

Passing of finance act

Furthermore, on the contrary to the tax free claim, in December 2024, Burkina Faso’s transitional parliament passed the 2025 Finance Act, which introduced new tax reforms. Among them is a provision requiring individuals and businesses on e-commerce platforms to begin paying taxes from January 2025 evidence of the government broadening, not eliminating, its tax base.

THE VERDICT

FALSE: The claim that the milliatry leader Ibrahim Traoré has declared Burkina Faso a tax-free nation is not true. Parts of the video is AI-generated and misleading. Official records and media reports show no such policy exists.

This report is republished from the Factcheckhub.

EFCC arrests socialite Aisha Achimugu at Abuja Airport

Bankole ABE
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EFCC arrests socialite Aisha Achimugu at Abuja Airport

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested popular socialite Aisha Achimugu at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in the early hours of Tuesday, April 29.

She was apprehended by the agency while returning from London.

The EFCC had declared her wanted in March over allegations of criminal conspiracy and money laundering.

On Monday, April 28, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered her to appear before the EFCC on Tuesday (today) and before the court on Wednesday.

According to media reports, her lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a senior advocate, disclosed her arrest in a statement on Tuesday, stressing that “Aisha Achimugu, who arrived voluntarily into the country from London, was arrested by the EFCC” around 5 a.m. on Tuesday.”

Ojukwu said his client was arrested at the airport despite returning to honour the EFCC’s invitation.

The lawyer claimed she had since embarked on a hunger strike.

Ojukwu criticised the EFCC’s action, describing it as a violation of a court order.

Attempts to confirm the development from the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful, as he did not pick up calls or respond to messages sent to his lines.

Recall that the EFCC, in a notice released on Friday, March 28, and signed by its spokesperson, urged the public to provide useful information about her whereabouts.

Achimugu, 51, is an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

According to Premium Times, Achimugu was summoned by the EFCC on March 5 for alleged money laundering and investment scams.

The invitation letter, dated March 4 and signed by the EFCC’s Acting Zonal Director in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Adebayo Adeniyi, was sent to Achimugu’s residential address in Abuja.

However, instead of reporting to the EFCC, she travelled out of Nigeria. As a result, the EFCC obtained an arrest warrant to declare her wanted, reported Premium Times.

Achimugu is a Nigerian businesswoman who serves as the managing director and chief executive officer of Felak Concept Group, specialising in various engineering fields and offering services like consultancy, maritime operations, and waste management.

Notably, she’s the first female consultant for the development of a deep-sea port in South-South Nigeria.

She’s a mother of three and made headlines with her lavish 50th birthday celebration in Grenada, reportedly attended by prominent figures, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

On Friday, March 21, Achimugu’s media aide, David Abakpa, said she was not under investigation by the EFCC and insisted that she had no issues with the anti-graft agency.

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AfCFTA: CBN revises requirements for pan-African transactions

Harrison EDEH  and  Ehime ALEX
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AfCFTA: CBN revises requirements for pan-African transactions

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant review of the documentation requirements for transactions conducted through the Pan-African Payment & Settlement System (PAPSS) in Nigeria.

This initiative, the apex bank said, is part of its ongoing commitment to foster seamless intra-African trade of a $3.3 billion market share, financial inclusion, and operational efficiency for Nigerians engaging in cross-border payments within Africa.

In a circular dated Monday, April 28, 2025, and signed by its Acting Director of Communications, the CBN introduced simplified documentation for low-value PAPSS transactions, allowing individuals and corporates to use basic Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) documents for transactions up to $ 2,000 and $5,000, respectively.

“The higher-value transactions will still require full documentation as outlined in the CBN Foreign Exchange Manual,” the CBN said.

The apex bank also stated that authorised dealer banks (ADBs) can now source foreign exchange for PAPSS settlements directly from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, without relying on the CBN, adding that,” Export proceeds repatriated via PAPSS must be certified by the processing banks.

It further urged all banks, exporters, importers, and individuals to familiarize themselves with the new guidelines and leverage PAPSS for seamless cross-border transactions across Africa.

Launched by Afreximbank in partnership with the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in January 2022, PAPSS serves as a centralised payment and settlement platform that enables instant, secure, and efficient cross-border transactions throughout Africa.

The ICIR reports that by facilitating payments in local currencies, PAPSS minimises reliance on third-party currencies, reduces transaction costs, and supports the rapid expansion of trade under the AfCFTA.

The apex bank’s review of policy signals a push to fully integrate Nigerian banks and businesses into Africa’s evolving payment ecosystem.

For some economic watchers, the adoption of PAPSS is expected to make cross-border payments more accessible, efficient, and cost-effective for Nigerian businesses and individuals engaging within the African continent.

“It is estimated that the continent would be saving about $5 billion in payment transactions costs with the adoption of the PAPSS platform,” a development economist, Celestine Okeke told The ICIR.

The ICIR reported in February 2022 that the pan-African payment platform was anticipated to help reduce dollarisation, saving $5 billion on transaction costs for Africans.

At the time, analysts told The ICIR that PAPSS would facilitate trade beyond borders without resorting to the dollar as an intermediary currency.

“PAPSS was a major positive development for trade facilitation and trade integration, especially within the context of AfCTA,” an economist, Muda Yusuf, who heads the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), told The ICIR.

“It is thus bringing a significant value to the African Continental Free Trade Area. An efficient and seamless payments system is necessary for the acceleration of the economic integration process,” he added.

He stressed that the ECOWAS common currency agenda would complement the AFREXIM initiative.

Emefiele loses bid to reclaim 753 seized duplexes in Abuja

Bankole ABE
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Emefiele loses bid to reclaim 753 seized duplexes in Abuja

A FEDERAL Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo, Abuja, has dismissed an application filed by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to reclaim a forfeited property comprising 753 duplexes and apartments in the nation’s capital.

The estate, containing 753 duplexes,  is on 150,462.84 square meter land located in the Lokogoma District of Abuja.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had obtained a court injunction to permanently forfeit the property to the Federal Government.

The EFCC on Monday, December 2, announced the recovery of what it described as the “largest ever” seized assets but withheld the name of the person linked to the property.

Emefiele, through his lawyer, A.M. Kotoye, a senior advocate, later filed a motion as an interested party.

The former CBN chief applied for an extension of time to enable him to request that the court vacate the forfeiture order.

Emefiele claimed he was not aware of the forfeiture process and accused the EFCC of publishing the notice in a hidden part of a newspaper, preventing him from responding on time.

He further alleged that his ongoing trials in multiple courts made it hard for him to know about the publication and accused the EFCC of intentionally hiding the forfeiture proceedings from him.

The court headed by Jude Onwuegbuzie on Monday, April 28, ruled that Emefiele had sufficient opportunity to contest the forfeiture but didn’t act within the legally-permissible timeframe.

Onwuegbuzie rejected Emefiele’s claim that the publication was obscure and held that he wasn’t entitled to relief. He consequently dismissed his motion and ruled in favour of the EFCC.

In November 2023, Emefiele was sent to Kuje Correctional Centre over an alleged N1.6 billion procurement fraud after he was arraigned on a six-count charge before an FCT High Court, on Friday, November 17.

The ICIR reported on March 7, 2023, that a forensic analyst confirmed before an FCT High Court that the documents used by Emefiele to request the payment of $6.2 million to foreign election observers were forged.

The analyst, Bamaiyi Meriga, disclosed that he appeared as a witness for the EFCC at Emefiele’s trial.

Meriga, who appeared before Hamza Adamu, a judge, told the court that following forensic analysis of the documents, he discovered clear evidence of forgery of the signature and seal of execution, different from the original version.

In another case involving the former CBN governor in April 2024, a Lagos State High Court granted N50 million bail to him for abuse of office and other infractions.

The judge, Rahmon Oshodi, ruled on the bail application and admitted Emefiele on bail with two sureties in like sum.

The EFCC alleged that the former CBN governor abused his office between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos.

The EFCC also claimed that Emefiele made an arbitrary decision in Lagos between 2020 and 2021 by allocating foreign exchange of $291,945,785.59 without calling for bids, which the prosecutor said was an abuse of his office as the CBN governor.

He was also said to have arbitrarily taken another decision in Lagos in 2021 by allocating foreign exchange worth $1,769,254,793.16, which the EFCC said made him violate and abuse his position as the CBN governor.

Emefiele’s co-defendant, Omoile, was accused of accepting gifts of $110,000 for Emefiele from one Raja Punjab through another, Monday Osazuwa, on November 17, 2020, in Lagos while serving as an agent in exchange for the CBN.

The allegation stated that the offences violated Section 73 of the Lagos State Criminal Law 2011.

The former CBN governor is still facing various cases bothering on fraud in different courts.

 

 

Putin set for 72-hour ceasefire in May, Ukraine demands instant truce

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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0
Putin set for 72-hour ceasefire in May, Ukraine demands instant truce

RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin said he would observe a three-day ceasefire in his war with Ukraine in May to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union and its allies’ victory in World War II.

Kremlin announced a 72-hour ceasefire on Monday, April 28, in a statement stating that the break was scheduled for May 8 to 10 when Putin is set to host international leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, for grand celebrations marking the victory over Nazi Germany.

“All military actions are suspended for this period. Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example,” the Kremlin said.

It added that “In the event of violations by the Ukrainian side, Russia’s armed forces will give an adequate and effective response.

The ICIR reports that this marks the second unilateral truce declared by Putin in less than two weeks, following a 30-hour Easter ceasefire that both sides repeatedly accused each other of violating.

The latest announcement followed criticism from Trump over a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv last week, as well as his weekend remarks expressing concern that Putin was “just tapping me along.” Washington has repeatedly warned it might abandon its peace efforts if genuine progress is made.

However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in response, said: “If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately. Why wait until May 8th?”

A ceasefire should be “real, not just for a parade,” he posted on X.

Similarly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who met with Trump on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on Saturday, April 26, stated that Kyiv would be prepared to enter talks with Moscow once a ceasefire agreement has brought the fighting to a halt.

Ukraine’s Sybiha said Kyiv had been “consistently proposing” a ceasefire lasting at least 30 days, while Russia maintained that it sought a full resolution to the conflict, not just a temporary pause.

The Kremlin latest statement said: “The Russian side once again declares its readiness for peace talks without preconditions, aimed at eliminating the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis, and constructive interaction with international partners.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters earlier that the initiative for direct talks should come from Ukraine, noting that the country had a “legal ban” on negotiations with Putin.

He was referring to a 2022 decree in which Zelenskiy barred negotiations with Putin, following Russia’s claim over four Ukrainian regions, an action widely condemned as illegal by most United Nations member states.

The ICIR reports that both nations have continued to trade blame over the ceasefire negotiations.

Ukraine accuses Russia of stalling to gain more territory and has called for increased international pressure to force Moscow to end the fighting, while Russia claims Ukraine is unwilling to make any concessions and is seeking a ceasefire solely on its own terms.

On Sunday, April 27, Trump urged Russia to halt its attacks in Ukraine and suggested that Zelenskiy was willing to concede Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Recall that earlier this month, Zelenskiy said that conceding Crimea would violate Ukraine’s constitution. Kyiv has yet to comment on Trump’s remarks about Crimea.

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