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Herbalist to face charges after ‘bulletproof’ charm failed

Fatimah QUADRI
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Herbalist to face charges after ‘bulletproof’ charm failed

THE FCT Police Command has launched an investigation into an incident involving a local herbalist who injured himself while testing a failed ‘bulletproof’ charm in a community in the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, on Saturday, November 30, 2024, it was revealed that on November 23, 2024, a disturbing incident occurred in Kuchibuyi Village, prompting the attention of the police.

A distress call from one Shandam Michael alerted authorities to the ‘shocking’ case of Ismail Usman, a local herbalist known for his unorthodox practices who attempted to test a self-made ‘bulletproof’ charm, shot himself in the stomach with a gun.

Unfortunately, the charm did not work as intended, and Usman sustained life-threatening injuries.

According to the police, officers from the Byazhin Division promptly arrived at the scene and found him in critical condition. He was rushed to Kubwa General Hospital for immediate treatment and later transferred to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital for continued care.

Following the incident, the police conducted a detailed search of Usman’s residence, where they seized the homemade firearm and various charms involved in his dangerous experiment.

Investigations are still ongoing, and Usman will face charges for illegal possession of firearms and attempted suicide, as outlined in Section 231 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.

The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, condemned the incident, emphasising the risks of engaging in reckless behaviour and urging the community to refrain from such dangerous practices.

“This situation illustrates the serious risks of engaging in reckless behaviour. We strongly advise the community to avoid such dangerous practices.” Disu stated.

The police emphasised the need for community vigilance, urging residents to watch out for one another and report any suspicious activities.

Controversies trail Port Harcourt Refinery’s operations

Harrison EDEH
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THE management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is currently faced with a deluge of questions arising from the operations of the newly rehabilitated Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC).

Questions dogging the refinery’s operation include the veracity of petroleum products loading at the refinery as claimed by the NNPCL when it conducted stakeholders around the facility when the refinery resumed operations on Tuesday, November 26.

The NNPCL announced the resumption of business at the PHRC which raised hope for Nigeria’s meeting up with local petroleum needs.

However, the operational capacity of the refinery came under intense scrutiny hours after its reopening.

The scrutiny followed controversies that petroleum products loaded from the facilities were not newly refined but products stored in the storage tank of the facility in the last three years.

For instance, in a monitored interview at Arise Television on Thursday, the secretary of the Alesa Community stakeholders, Timothy Mgbere, who appeared as a guest alleged that the 60,000 barrels per day had yet to become fully operational, contrary to the position of the NNPCL.

Mgbere also alleged that the refinery only loaded six trucks of petroleum products on Tuesday despite the NNPCL stating that 200 trucks would be picked up from the refinery daily.

Commenting in a similar vein, an informed oil sector governance expert, Henry Ademola Adigun, said the refinery was producing other petroleum additives but not petrol as widely claimed by the national oil company.

Fuel additives are substances that improve the burning of fuel in the cylinder, provide fuel economy, and reduce harmful exhaust emissions.

“It is producing other additives and has not got to the level of petroleum production till the first quarter (Q1)next year,” Adigun exclusively told The ICIR.

In a further clarification arising from the controversies, the NNPCL on Friday, November 29, said the PHRC had not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal.

The NNPCL made this known in reaction to reports that the refinery would sell its petrol at N1,030 per litre.

Non-commencement of the bulk sales and sales portal for marketers tends to cast more doubt about the operationalisation of the refinery with the Punch Newspaper further reporting that “there was no activity at the refinery site,” as workers met on the site claimed that the refinery was undergoing calibration which might last till next week.

Commenting further on the development, the  Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) national public relations officer, Joseph Obele, in a statement on Friday, November 29, said NNPC Retail Ltd had officially announced the petrol price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre.

Obele said the company communicated to PETROAN that the product request portal was open for booking /request.

“Meanwhile, PETROAN’s strategic pricing team is currently analysing the most favourable price for her members as we are open to patronising all the refineries in Nigeria. PETROAN also employs NNPC Retail Ltd should further reduce the price in view of giving Nigerians a blissful Yuletide celebration,” Obele said.

In his reaction Friday night, the chief corporate communications officer of NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye, said essential processes were still being finalised, noting that it was still selling the products purchased from the Dangote Refinery.

The NNPCL assured that its prices are reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to reflect operational realities, adding that the products from the Port Harcourt Refinery are exclusively for its retail stores at this stage.

The national oil company advised the public to disregard any misleading pricing information, noting that official announcements would be made if and when price reviews occur.

“The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has not yet commenced bulk sales or opened its purchase portal, as essential processes are still being finalised.

“Currently, the products we are selling originate from the Dangote Refinery and include applicable Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fees. Products from PHRC are exclusively for our retail stores at this stage. Our pricing is reviewed and adjusted periodically as necessary to reflect operational realities.

“We advise the public to disregard any misleading information regarding pricing. Official announcements will be made if and when price reviews occur,” Soneye said.

On Tuesday, the NNPC Ltd said the Port Harcourt refinery had commenced production after years of rehabilitation.

The company said the refinery began truckloading of petroleum products the same day.

The Port Harcourt Refineries comprise two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the new plant 150,000 bpd, both summing up to 210,000 bpd.

The refinery was shut down in March 2019 for the first phase of repair works after the government secured the service of Italy’s Maire Tecnimont to handle the review of the refinery complex, with oil major Eni appointed technical adviser.

The ICIR reported that the board and management of the NNPCL said the 60,000 barrels-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery was operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.

The NNPCL in a statement issued on Tuesday, November 27, said the refinery was producing the following daily outputs: straight-run gasoline (naphtha): blended into 1.4 million litres of premium motor spirit (PMS or petrol); kerosene: 900,000 litres; and automotive gas oil (AGO or diesel): 1.5 million litres.

The refinery also produces low-pour fuel oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

The clarification by the national oil company followed myriads of controversies that followed the official opening of the refinery with some information dished out by the NNPCL considered as half-truths and lies.

 

NIWA confirms drowning of boat ferrying scores of market women in River Niger

Mustapha USMAN
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NIWA confirms drowning of boat ferrying scores of market women in River Niger

A BOAT carrying about 200 passengers, including market women capsised on Friday, November 29, along the River Niger in Kogi State, leaving scores feared dead, according to the National Inland Waterways (NIWA).

While confirming the incident to Punch Newspaper, the NIWA’s head of the Media Department, Suleman Makama, said the 200 passengers on board the boat were feared dead. 

But reports have so far indicated that only eight bodies have been recovered. 

The women were on their way to the market in Niger Friday morning, riding on a boat when it capsized along the Dambo-Ebuchi sections of River Niger.

Eyewitnesses quoted by Daily Trust, said the boat belonged to one Musa Dangana, noting that the boat developed a fault and sank shortly after it took off from a local jetty in the community.

This latest mishap came a few hours after 22 passengers were confirmed dead in a boat mishap by the Niger State Emergency Management.

According to a statement by the director-general of NSEMA, Abdullahi Baba-Arah, the boat was sailing from Ebe Community in Kogi State with about 50 passengers on board and heading to Katcha Market when the incident occurred at about 2.00 a.m. on Thursday.

Baba-Arah stated that 22 bodies had been recovered while eight persons were rescued alive.

The ICIR reports that deaths arising from boat accidents have been rampant in the past few months in Nigeria.

The ICIR reported in September that the presidency confirmed that over 40 farmers died in a boat accident in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, September 14, in Gummi town when the farmers were reportedly going to their farms.

ABU Zaria disconnected from national grid over unpaid bills

Mustapha USMAN
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ABU Zaria disconnected from national grid over unpaid bills

AHMADU Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has been cut off from the national power grid by Kaduna Electric due to its inability to settle outstanding electricity bills. 

The disconnection, which took effect on Thursday, November 28, 2024, plunged the institution into darkness.

According to a bulletin issued by the university’s management on Friday, November 29, the institution has struggled to cope with rising electricity tariffs introduced earlier this year. 

It noted that despite paying over one billion naira in electricity bills to Kaduna Electric since January, the university is said to owe a huge electricity debt.  

The university’s management revealed that significant funds, which could have been used for statutory functions, were diverted to cover diesel costs to maintain power on campus.  

The management appealed to the students and university community for understanding while it continued efforts to resolve the issue.  

“The university has been facing difficulty in footing the monthly electricity bills following an increment in electricity tariffs early this year. ABU has been able to pay the sum of over one billion naira in electricity bills to the company since January this year, in addition to a huge amount of money expended for diesel. This is even at the expense of the critical statutory functions of the university.

“Meanwhile, university management appeals to members of the university community for understanding as the management is making frantic efforts to foot the bills,” the statement read.

This development, however, is part of a growing trend of disconnections by electricity companies targeting public institutions over unpaid bills. 

For instance, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Ibadan (UI), the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL), University of Benin, amongst other institutions have struggled to pay electricity bills, according to a Premium Times report.

In August, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) disconnected UNILAG from the power grid over an outstanding debt of N472 million, with the university claiming that its monthly electricity bill, which previously ranged between N150 million and N180 million, surged to nearly N300 million.

it noted that the surge followed EKEDC’s decision to upgrade its tariff band from Band B to Band A in June.

The ICIR reported that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in April, approved a tariff hike for Band A customers, who they claimed enjoy up to 20 hours of power supply.

Many Nigerian institutions were also moved to Band A even despite protests by the institutions on their inability to pay the bill for the Band A users.

This development elicited reactions from consumers and industry stakeholders who described distribution companies’ failure to meet up with power supply as structured by supply-service reflective tariffs as unfair.

By computation, the Band A tariff customers enjoy 20 hours and above of electricity supply daily, Band B offers a minimum of 16 hours but less than 20 hours, Band C gives a minimum of 12 hours but less than 16 hours, Band D provides a minimum of eight hours but less than 12 hours, and Band E makes less than eight hours available to customers.

 

Federal Character Commission warns polytechnics violating federal character principle

Fidelis Mac-Leva
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Federal Character Commission warns polytechnics violating federal character principle

FEDERAL polytechnics violating the federal character principle in their activities, especially staff recruitment, would henceforth be sanctioned.

The executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Muheeba Dankaka, who made this known in her office on Thursday, November 28, while speaking with newsmen said the federal character principle remained sacred and non-compliance by federal polytechnics would no longer be tolerated.

“We will not tolerate any form of abuse of the federal character principle in federal polytechnics, especially in staff recruitment. The principle is non-negotiable and any polytechnic found wanting will be seriously dealt with,” she warned.

She said the commission was committed to ensuring that all federal institutions, including polytechnics, adhere to the federal character principle which, according to her, aims to promote national unity, fairness, and equity in all aspects of national life.

The ICIR reports that the commission chairman’s warning comes after the House of Representatives reportedly uncovered cases of extra-budgetary spending, abandoned and uncompleted projects, and abuse of the federal character principle in some federal polytechnics across Nigeria.

While emphasising that the commission would not hesitate to take appropriate action against any federal polytechnic that violates the principle, Muheeba said: “We will work closely with the House of Representatives and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that the principle is upheld.”

Speaking on how the commission ensures fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts among Nigeria’s federating units, she said: “We have provided a guideline and formulae for the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructure.

“The guidelines and formulae are contained in our handbook. For every recruitment in the federal establishments, a representative of the commission is sent to monitor and ensure that fairness and equity are maintained in all recruitment exercises and processes.

Responding to allegations over job racketeering within the commission which led to her invitation by the National ssembly last year, she said she was cleared of the allegations.

“One of the problems I met on assumption of duty was the public perception of job racketeering in the commission which I fought seriously and restored the confidence of the public in our ability to carry out our mandate without fear or favour.

“The sponsored allegation of job racketeering under my leadership which led to my invitation by the National Assembly was cleared. I went there and cleared the allegation,” she said.

According to the FCC chairperson, the impression that job slots were freely sold in the commission is no longer there. “Through regular interactive meetings with the chief executives of MDAs and sensitisation programmes through the media, much enlightenment was achieved on the activities of the commission.”

 

 

Army releases Fisayo Soyombo from detention

Mustapha USMAN
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Army releases Fisayo Soyombo from detention

THE Nigerian Army has released the founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, after spending three days in custody of the Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt. 

His release followed widespread public outcry over his detention.  

The FIJ confirmed Soyombo’s release in a statement on Friday, November 29, attributing it to the “intense media campaign” mounted by concerned individuals and organisations. 

The Army had claimed that Soyombo was arrested during a raid on an illegal oil bunkering site, a claim FIJ has dismissed as a deliberate mischaracterisation of his presence at the location.  

“FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army’s deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in “illegal oil bunkering”. FIJ will also address this statement appropriately,” the organisation said in its statement on X.  

The media platform expressed concerns over Soyombo’s safety following his release, noting that sensitive information about his field work was shared with the Army during his detention.  

“Our immediate concern is regarding the safety of ‘Fisayo Soyombo in view of extensive information sharing with the Army on his fieldwork during the period of his detention. We are assessing the situation and hoping that his safety will not be jeopardised after release.” the statement added.  

Background

The ICIR reported that Soyombo was arrested and detained on Tuesday, November 26, during what the Army described as a crackdown on illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta. 

According to the Army, he was found at the scene of oil bunkering and was undergoing preliminary investigations to determine his level of involvement.  

The FIJ, however, accused the Army of unjustly detaining Soyombo, a renowned investigative journalist known for his hard-hitting reports on corruption and systemic failures in Nigeria. 

The organisation also raised alarms over the confiscation of his devices, urging the Army not to tamper with any evidence related to his ongoing work.  

Soyombo’s arrest generated widespread condemnations from media, civil society organisations, and Nigerians who described the detention as an attack on press freedom. 

The hashtag #FreeFisayoNow, #FreeFisayoSoyomboNow trended on social media, following the news of his detention

The ICIR reports that there have been efforts to suppress media and civic space in Nigeria over the years. 

The 2024 data by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) placed Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.

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By this, Nigeria ranks 112th out of 180 countries where journalists are regularly monitored, attacked and arbitrarily arrested. 

In 2020, The ICIR reported that 160 journalists were attacked in two years, as the country was ranked 115th out of 180 countries on the Global Press Freedom Index.

Also, The ICIR reported that 63 journalists and three media houses experienced various attacks in 2022.

Peter Obi delivers keynote address at Atiku’s American University 20th anniversary

Bankole ABE
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Peter Obi delivers keynote address at Atiku’s American University 20th anniversary

LABOUR Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, will deliver the keynote address at the convocation lecture of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, Adamawa State, on Saturday, November 30.

The ceremony – the school’s 16th Founder’s Day lecture – will coincide with the institution’s 20th anniversary.

The spokesman for Peter Obi Media Reach, Ibrahim Umar, announced this in a statement on Friday, November 29, in Abuja.

He said the lecture was consistent with Obi’s previous public speeches at renowned educational institutions worldwide, such as Harvard and Yale Universities.

Umar added that the occasion would also serve as an opportunity for Obi to honour the university’s founder and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, in recognition of his ‘remarkable’ contributions to society, particularly in the areas of education and human development.

The statement added that the 16th Founder’s Day lecture would be the highlight of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the school’s founding.

It added that the university’s mission is to educate students to apply their knowledge and research to tackle Africa’s socio-economic challenges.

The president of AUN, DeWayne Frazier, a professor, extended a warm welcome to Obi as the keynote speaker and expressed the university community’s gratitude for his acceptance of the invitation.

According to Frazier, Obi is an accomplished public servant and politician who has spent most of his life providing quality leadership and service to Nigerians.

“He is a champion of education and will be an excellent speaker to celebrate our 20 years,” Frazier stated.
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According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Obi joins the ranks of distinguished personalities who have delivered the Founder’s Day lecture at the university.

They include Paul Vita; Ibrahim Gambari, a professor; Bishop of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and Charles Soludo, a professor and current governor of Anambra state.

Obi was the vice presidential candidate to Abubakar on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform during the 2019 presidential election.

{Breaking} Army confirms Soyombo’s arrest, detention

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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{Breaking} Army confirms Soyombo’s arrest, detention

THE Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest and detention of multiple award-winning investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo.

It claimed Soyombo was arrested with suspected oil bunkers in the country’s South-South and detained with the suspected thieves.

The ICIR reported earlier today that the Army had detained the journalist for three days, as alleged by his organisation in separate posts on X.

The organisation called for immediate action for his release, using the hashtag #FreeFisayoNow to amplify its demand.

“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder @fisayosoyombo three days running. Journalism is not a crime! #FreeFisayoNow,” the post read.

In another post, FIJ stated that “All his devices have been seized,” calling on the Nigerian Army to “preserve his evidence and truth.

“Don’t destroy the evidence. We insist the truth must come out. It’s in your custody, don’t destroy the evidence,” the statement added.

The news of his detention has generated outcry on social media, particularly on X, with many condemning his detention.

The ICIR reports that Soyombo has a knack for undercover investigations.

Responding to the reports on his detention in a statement by the Army’s acting deputy director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, a lieutenant colonel, the Army said Soyombo and others were undergoing preliminary investigation to ascertain their level of involvement in oil pipeline destruction and bunkering.

“You would recall that the Division has scaled up its anti-illegal oil bunkering operations with huge operational successes recorded. Only recently, intelligence revealed the existence of a notorious gang of oil thieves noted for bursting pipelines and illegal connections for oil theft in the region.

“In a deliberate operation conducted, troops trailed the criminals to an illegal oil bunkering site. In a subsequent operation carried out, troops swooped on the site, where arrests were made, including one Fisayo Soyombo who was also arrested at the scene.

“The suspects are currently undergoing preliminary investigation to ascertain their level of involvement or otherwise. Therefore, his arrest is not unconnected with the activities of these oil thieves in the region,” the Army said.

The Army reassured the public of its commitment and responsiveness in ensuring the activities of criminal gangs, particularly oil thieves, are drastically curbed in the region.

 

Appeal Court voids rape conviction of Lagos doctor Femi Olaleye

Bankole ABE
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Appeal Court voids rape conviction of Lagos doctor Femi Olaleye

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos State has reversed the rape conviction of Lagos-based medical practitioner, Femi Olaleye. 

The appellate court, in a ruling on Friday, November 29, by Olukayode Bada, a judge, held that the lower court erred in its judgment. The appeal court thereafter discharged and acquitted the doctor.

Olaleye was released after contesting his conviction and life sentence.

The ICIR reported that the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court sitting in Ikeja sentenced Olaleye, who is the medical director of Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, to life imprisonment for raping his wife’s niece.

The presiding judge, Rahman Oshodi, on Tuesday, October 24, found Olaleye guilty of the offence of defilement and sexual penetration of a 15-year-old girl.

It held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt by providing evidence before the court that supported the victim’s testimonies.

The defendant, Olaleye, was charged with two counts, bordering on defilement and sexual assault by penetration of his wife’s niece, offences that he was alleged to have committed between March 2020 and November 2021. 

Olaleye, who was arraigned on November 30, 2022, pleaded not guilty to the offences.

The director of public prosecutions, Babajide Martins, told the court that Olaleye committed the offence at No. 17, Layi Ogunbambi Close, Maryland, Lagos State.

According to the prosecution, the offences committed contravened Sections 137 and 261, of the criminal law of Lagos State 2015.

On November 20, Olaleye was granted bail in the sum of N50 million with two sureties and was remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional facility pending the fulfilment of his bail conditions. 

While applying for bail, his lawyer, Babatunde Ogala, said that the defendant was a leading cancer care advocate, whose patients would suffer if remanded in prison during the trial.

The senior lawyer said the offences levelled against his client were not “grievous allegations like treason” that warrant a death sentence.

The court ruled that he should be granted bail and ordered that both sureties must provide evidence of tax payments to the Lagos State government in the last three years, among others.

However, on December 21, the court reviewed his bail condition and reduced the bail sum from N50 million to N40 million.

During the trial, the prosecution presented various witnesses, including the defendant’s wife, who initially reported the case to the police.

Others are an anonymous victim, a specialist in child forensics, Bisi Ajayi-Kayode, a police inspector, Esther Igbineweka, medical examiner Akinbunmi Oyebimpe, and police officer Abe Leonard.

The wife, Aderemi Olaleye, told the court that her husband had been sexually assaulting her niece while she was living with them. 

She also testified that the defendant exposed the victim to pornography and engaged in oral sex with her, ultimately ejaculating in her mouth.

 

 

 

Okonjo-Iweala re-appointed WTO director-general

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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Okonjo-Iweala re-appointed WTO director-general

NIGERIA’S Okonjo-Iweala has been re-appointed to lead the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for another four years.

A statement issued on Friday, November 29, by the WTO said the organisation’s general council agreed by consensus to reappoint her as director-general for a second four-year term, set to begin on 1 September 2025.

“This decision reflects broad recognition of her exceptional leadership and strategic vision for the future of the WTO. The reappointment process, initiated on 8 October 2024, was overseen by Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, chair of the general council.

“With no additional nominations submitted by the 8 November deadline, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stood as the sole candidate. The process was conducted in a fully open and transparent manner, adhering to the WTO’s “procedures for the appointment of directors-general” (WT/L/509),” part of the statement reads.

The ICIR reports that the Nigerian is the first woman and first African to lead the institution.

Okonjo-Iweala will lead the organisation for the second term, when the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, leads his country for the second term.

Trump is widely believed to have disregard for international trade laws.

Okonjo-Iweala, a globally-renown economy and finance expert, worked under two Nigerian presidents – Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan – as ministers in addition to her 25-year career at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., among other prestigious institutions worldwide where she left indelible footprints.

The WTO said in its statement on Friday that “During a special General Council meeting on 28-29 November 2024, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala outlined her forward-looking vision for the WTO. Following her presentation and a Q&A session with members, the Council formally endorsed her reappointment by consensus.”

She was lauded for her “outstanding leadership during her first term. Amid significant global economic challenges, she strengthened the WTO’s ability to support its members and set a forward-looking agenda for the organization. Her leadership was instrumental in securing meaningful outcomes at pivotal moments, including the 12th and 13th Ministerial Conferences (MC12 and MC13), where major milestones were achieved.”

Okonjo-Iweala first assumed office as director-general on 1 March 2021. Her first term concludes on 31 August 2025.

Her reappointment highlights the strong support for her efforts to enhance the WTO’s relevance and capacity in addressing the evolving challenges of global trade, the WTO noted.

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