THE International Centre for Investigative Reporting (The ICIR) has concluded a three-day training for select journalists in the North-West on Promoting Democratic Governance Project (PDGP).
The training was held in Kano between Tuesday, September 12 and Thursday, September 14.
Faculty of trainers, participants in the promoting democratic governance project in Kano
It was designed to build journalists’ capacity and enhance their skills in investigative reporting, fact-checking, solutions journalism, using the Freedom of Information Act, reporting in hostile or unsafe environments, and sensitising journalists on safety and security, among others.
The Centre also organised it to equip journalists with the requisite tools and techniques to uncover sleaze and ensure public officials are held accountable.
Participants in Investigative journalism workshop in Kano
A participant interviewed by The ICIR, Abduljalil Mohammed, who works with NTA Birnin Kebbi, said the training would positively impact his future.
He said, “With the training, I was able to have that knowledge of conducting Investigative reporting and data collection, and it will go a long way in improving my reportage, especially in holding government officials and government institutions accountable.”
The Executive Director of The ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan, highlighted the importance of the training in his opening remarks and stressed its significance for journalists, stating that it provides them with the necessary skills to uncover wrongdoing in government and hold public officials to account.
The Executive Director, ICIR, Dayo Aiyetan
The organiser said in the last five years, the Centre had worked to build the journalists’ capacity to undertake investigative, data-driven reporting, thus strengthening accountability and engendering effective service delivery for citizens, particularly at the sub-regional level.
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Olayemi Michael Cardoso to serve as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This is for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.
Tinubu also approved the nomination of four new Deputy Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for a term of five (5) years at the first instance, pending their confirmation by the Nigerian Senate. They are:
(1) Emem Nnana Usoro
(2) Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo
(3) Philip Ikeazor
(4) Bala M. Bell
Olayemi Michael Cardoso
UPDATE
NIGERIAN President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of former Commissioner for Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget Olayemi Micheal Cardoso as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
This was disclosed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale in a statement on Friday, September 15.
The approval, awaiting confirmation by the Nigerian Senate, allows Cardoso to serve for a period of five years.
The president also approved the nomination of four deputy governors, including Emem Usoro, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi Dattijo, Phillip Ikeazor and Bala M. Bello.
“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, the President expects the above-listed nominees to successfully implement critical reforms at the Central Bank of Nigeria, which will enhance the confidence of Nigerians and international partners in the restructuring of the Nigerian economy toward sustainable growth and prosperity for all,” Ngelale noted.
Tinubu had suspended former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele on June 10 and replaced him with Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate) Folashodun Shonubi, who was to serve in an acting capacity.
He was arrested a few hours later by the State Security Service (SSS), who had accused him of financing terrorism, fraud, money laundering and other economic crimes in 2022.
On December 7, 2022, the SSS filed an ex-parte motion at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking permission to arrest, probe and detain Emefiele, though it was denied.
Emefiele was eventually arraigned in court more than a month after his arrest and pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charges brought against him.
THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said collaborative efforts were ongoing to rescue the eight National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) kidnapped in Zamfara State about four weeks ago.
The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, stated this on Friday, September 15, at a media briefing and meeting with strategic police managers.
According to the IGP, the meeting is geared towards outlining the policies, innovations, and accomplishments of the NPF over the previous five weeks.
The police chief said the safety and well-being of all Nigerians, especially young NYSC participants, remained the utmost priority to the Force.
He said the NPF was committed to intensifying efforts at ensuring the safe rescue of the abducted Corps members and all others still in captivity of criminal gangs in any part of the country.
“Currently, we are actively engaged in the sharing and analysing intelligence gathered thus far while also exploring collaborative efforts with security agencies to secure the unconditional release of these individuals as swiftly as possible without harm.
“It is imperative to note that rescue operations generally demand a careful, tactical and deliberate approach, conducted with the utmost caution to avoid unintended harm to the victims,” Egbetokun said.
The IGP added that the meeting was significant as Nigerians move into the year’s ’ember’ months: “It will spur us to review the internal security situation of the country with a view to revamping our strategies towards bolstering the nation’s security governance, economic growth and national development, especially as we traverse the unique last quarter of the year,” he said.
Egbetokun said the meeting would also be used to enumerate operational plans towards policing the off-season gubernatorial elections, which will be held concurrently in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States in November.
He directed Commissioners of Police and other tactical commanders to ensure adequate security is sustained in their areas of responsibility.
On Saturday, August 19, gunmen kidnapped eight NYSC members along a highway in Zamfara state, North-West Nigeria.
The corps members travelled in an Akwa Ibom Transport Company (AKTC) bus from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to Sokoto State via Zamfara State when their vehicle was stopped along a highway.
The corps members have been in captivity since then.
NIGERIA’S headline inflation worsened to 25.80 per cent in August, mirroring the slowdown in business activities due to rising input costs and sustained leaps in food and transport costs.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest Consumer Price Index (August 2023) report released on Friday, September 15, the headline inflation rose on a month-on-month (m/m) basis from 24.08 per cent in July.
When compared on a year-on-year y/y) basis, inflation was higher than the 20.52 per cent rate recorded in August 2022.
The food inflation rate also rose to 3.87 per cent points on a m/m basis in August compared to the 3.45 per cent rate in July.
According to the Statistics Office, the rise in food inflation from July to August was caused by increased prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, oil and fat, coffee, tea, and cocoa.
On a y/y basis, the food inflation increased to 29.34 per cent, higher than the 23.12 in August 2022.
Core inflation likewise rose to 2.18 per cent in August, higher than 2.11 per cent in July and, on a y/y basis, surged to 21.15 per cent compared to 17.12 per cent in August 2022.
“Before July, ‘all items less farm produces’ is called the core inflation. This was because the prices of items that constitute energy were regulated by the government, e.g., petroleum motor spirit (PMS).
“Due to the deregulation of the sector and the removal of the fuel subsidy, all the items that constitute energy are now determined by market forces, and hence their prices are termed volatiles. Therefore, core inflation is referred to as all items index less farm produces and energy,” NBS stated.
Meanwhile, business activity dropped in August on rising input costs but just a little margin above the contractionary threshold.
According to the latest monthly Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report by Stanbic IBTC Bank, the headline PMI dropped to 50.2 in August from 51.7 in July, the lowest in five months.
This means marked inflationary pressures remained a major hindrance to businesses in August.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates that business activity is expanding, while below 50 indicates means contracting.
The PMI measures the performance of the private sector in agriculture, manufacturing, services, construction and retail.
“Nigerian private sector business activity slowed further in August, reflecting strengthening price pressures which in turn diminished consumer demand.
“Both overall input costs and staff costs increased at the largest pace since the survey began,” the head of equity research (West Africa) at Stanbic IBTC bank, Muyiwa Oni, said.
It has resulted in rising transportation costs, which has caused supplier delivery delays, and companies increased their selling prices at a record pace, with the rate of inflation surpassing the previous peak from December 2021, Oni stated in the report.
Nigeria’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rose to 2.51 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter (Q2) from 2.31 in the first quarter (Q1) of this year.
The performance, however, undershot the 3.54 per cent recorded in Q2 of 2022.
The slower growth in Q2 of this year reflects the slowdown in consumer spending and economic activities due to the combined impact of petrol subsidy removal and, to some extent, exchange-rate devaluation; analysts widely agreed.
“The knee-jerk reaction to the over 200 per cent increase in petrol prices impelled a slowdown in transportation across the country; the transportation sub-sector contracted by 50.6 per cent y/y.
“Road transportation contracted by 55 per cent y/y. Price pressures are likely to keep growth subdued. We, however, see the non-oil sector supporting growth into December,” the Stanbic IBTC head of equity research said.
THE Mobile Photography Awards (MPA) is calling for applications for the annual competition open exclusively to photographs shot and edited on all mobile phones and tablets.
It is a contest and travelling exhibition that supports mobile art and photography.
A grand prize winner will receive US$3,000, and the MPA Photo Essay winner will be awarded US$500.
All types and kinds of high-quality photos are encouraged for the competition. Entries will be judged on creativity and originality.
Mobile phone photographers can enter their work in a competition.
Submission fees are US$15 for one image, US$30 for three pictures, US$50 for six shots and US$100 for 15 images. The entry for the MPA Photo Essay is US$29.
The deadline for the submission of photos is December 16, 2023. Interested individuals can apply here.
THE University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced a reduction in tuition, utility and other fees following the outrage that trailed an increment of the school tuition fee from about N19,000 to over N190,000.
The University management disclosed this in a statement signed on Thursday, September 14, noting that the decision was reached after a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and faculty leaders of the institution on the same day.
“After careful evaluation of the issues raised by the students and management, the following consensus was reached at the meeting: utility charges for all categories of students was reduced to N15,000:00 from N20,000:00,” the statement read.
Obligatory fees were reduced by N20,000 for both returning students and N10,000 for new entrants, while final-year students were required to pay N27,000 for convocation instead of N30,000.
“Hostels fees were reviewed as follows: For undergraduate hostels in Akoka and Yaba campuses, the fees were reduced to N43,000:00 from 90,000:00. For hostels in Idi-Araba campus, the fees were reduced to N65,000:00 from N120,000:00. The fees for Sodeinde Hall was reduced to 135,000:00 from #250,000:00,” the statement further read.
The management also disclosed that the institution’s Vice-Chancellor would begin the process of reinstating the students’ union government, which was one of the demands by the NANS during the meeting.
UNILAG had announced the fee hike amid hardship confronting Nigerians due to several economic reforms by the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating the naira.
The fee hike sparked a series of protests by students, during which two of the agitators were arrested.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also issued the University of Lagos (UNILAG) a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse the fee hike on Wednesday, Sep. 13, threatening legal action if the institution failed to comply.
THE Minister of Sports Development, John Owan Enoh, has promised to investigate the non-inclusion of Nigerian referees among the match officials listed for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled for Cote D’Ivoire in 2024.
The apex football body on the continent, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), had listed 85 referees from 26 countries for various departments ahead of the competition, with no Nigerian referee on the list.
Expressing displeasure over the issue, Enoh said despite the country’s population and pedigree in football, it should not be treated in such a manner.
The minister promised to hold meetings with concerned bodies on the matter.
“At the last AFCON (2021), Nigeria only had one assistant referee listed among the match officials. Two years prior, we didn’t have any centre referee too. Going into the next AFCON, we still won’t have any Nigerian officials.
“I am going to interrogate this matter. We will have engagements with the NFF, the Referees’ Association, and the League Board because we need to get to the bottom of this,” he said.
However, he noted that without prejudice to the outcome of his findings, the development called for a reflection on sports administration in the country.
He pledged his commitment to ensuring that sports thrive in the nation and that the country stands tall among its contemporaries.
The African Nations Cup is billed to hold between January 13 and February 11, 2024, across five cities in Cote D’Ivoire.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have qualified for the tournament after finishing at the top of Group A.
The ICIR’s check showed that in the last five AFCON editions, only three Nigerian referees were included among those who officiated.
At the last edition in Cameroon, Samuel Pwaduta was the only Nigerian listed amongst the 31 assistant referees, while there was none in the 24-man list of centre referees.
Also, the 2019 edition in Egypt had 26 referees and 31 assistants, with no Nigerian referee selected.
But, in the 2017 edition, Abel Baba was included as an assistant referee, while Peter Edibe was on the list at the 2015 and 2013 editions.
THE Nigeria Police Force has pledged a comprehensive investigation into the death of singer and songwriter Ileriuwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The Force made this knownThursday, September 14 in a statement shared on its official X account.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fans of late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, who tragically passed away recently. We understand the concerns surrounding his untimely demise and the various speculations that have arisen.”
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to a comprehensive investigation into this matter, as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death. Rest assured, updates will be provided as investigations unfold”, the statement read in part.
The Police urged the deceased’s family and friends to cooperate with the Lagos Commissioner of Police by providing valuable information to aid the investigation. They also requested that the public avoid making statements that could compromise the investigation.
Petition by the late artiste
Shortly after the young artiste’s passing on Tuesday and his burial in the Ikorodu area of the state the following day, a petition emerged online revealing that he had submitted a complaint to the Police over alleged threats to his life two months before his death.
Mohmad’s petition to the Nigeria Police carrying a stamp of the Force CID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos State
In the petition shared by a music blogger Ayo Jaguda on X, Mohbad named individuals, including SamLerry Elegushi and Elele, detailing alleged threats from them to his life and the destruction of equipment worth over N5 million he was using for a video shoot with another artiste, Zlatan Ibile.
He addressed the petition to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos State, on June 27, 2023.
The petition has a received stamp on it.
The late artiste’s grievances were multifaceted, encompassing not only threats to life but also significant financial losses and claims of affiliation with a prominent figure which he appealed to the Police authorities, seeking their protection and intervention to safeguard his life.
THE Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) is on the verge of restoring grid electricity to Ekiti East and Aiyekire (formerly Gbonyin) Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ekiti State after eight years.
Communities in the two neighbouring LGAs, including Araromi-Ugbesi, Ahan, Omuo-Oke, Araromi-Oba, Ikun-Araromi, Ilasa, Eda-Ile, Omuo, and Isinbode, have been in total darkness since 2014.
Senator who represented Ekiti South in the Eighth and Ninth Senate, Biodun Olujimi and Olufemi Bamisile, representing Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East in the House of Representatives, are some prominent citizens from the LGAs.
In May 2022, The ICIRreported how the area had been in a total blackout despite efforts by the two lawmakers (Olujimi and Bamisile) to ensure the LGAs returned to grid electricity.
The outage has crippled socio-economic activities, pushed many youths out of the area and slowed growth and development.
Many residents with the means use solar power, but most solar power devices cannot service some electrical appliances.
The ICIR reporter visited the LGAs recently and noted that the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) has restored power to the high-tension cable to connect homes and offices.
But there is much work to be done on transformers and several wires taking the light into homes as many dangled in places where they are kept after falling off from electricity poles.
Besides, the Olomuo of Omuo Kingdom, Oba Adejuwon Omonigbehin (Okinbaloye II), told the reporter in his palace on Saturday, August 26, that the BEDC was asking for the payment of N95 million allegedly owed by his community.
He said the demand for the payment was one of the reasons the restoration could be delayed.
“BEDC has not added any value to electricity in Omuo, but you see them bringing outrageous bills. For the past eight years, there has been no electricity in Omuo, and they continued to bill us. As the last count, they said we owed N95 million. This is the problem. BEDC has that penchant for billing for the light they didn’t supply.
“No sane person can pay that kind of money. We didn’t use any light, and they are billing us. We recollect that some consumers still receive bills at the end of the month even when there has been no light for the past eight years in Omuo. That is the situation.”
He noted that discussions were ongoing to resolve the issue.
He also confirmed there was light on the high-tension wire.
He said work needed to be done on transformers because thieves had stolen some while others had been damaged.
“There is a need to look at the transformers and do the necessary things to prevent any danger to the people,” he stated.
The ICIR contacted BEDC spokesperson Kayode Brown over the allegation that the company issued bills without supplying light. He stated that the allegation was not true.
“Please get a copy of the bill they got when there was no light. Every bill is dated, and we know when their light was severed. That will assist you in making an informed decision,” he said.
The reporter spoke with many residents in the two LGAs who said BEDC had issued the bills before stopping the power supply to the LGAs.
This transformer was overgrown with a thick bush in Omuo in 2022 but the bush has now been cleared in preparation for the restoration of power supply in town. See picture below. Photo credit: The ICIR/Marcus FatunmoleHere is the above transformer overgrown with weeds in Omuo in 2022. The weeds have now been cleared in preparation for power restoration to the community. Photo credit: The ICIR/Marcus Fatunmole
According to them, the company supplied them with a very low voltage that could not power anything for several years and issued bills for those years, which they vowed not to pay.
In the earlier report, Brown confirmed the residents’ claim in his conversation with The ICIR.
He had said, “There was nothing like AEDC or BEDC when the issue occurred. What we had then was PHCN (Power Holding Company of Nigeria). The only thing was that we were feeding them from the Okenne Transmission Station. They happened to be at the end of that particular feeder. Anytime there was a problem with the feeder, they opened them (they wouldn’t have light).
“The second thing is that it was usually very low before the power got to them. They claimed that it was not useful to them, so they refused to pay. We were now incurring too much debt at the Okenne Transmission Station. At that point, we had to cut off. We said there was no need to give them what was not useful to them. We had to disconnect.”
Brown’s claims are the reasons the LGAs have been without a power supply for eight years.
Speaking with The ICIR in the earlier report, the Commissioner for Infrastructure and Utilities in Ekiti State during the administration of former Governor Kayode Fayemi, Bolaji Aluko, a professor, averred with the LGAs’ position on low power voltage.
He explained that BEDC, which distributes electricity in Ondo, Delta, Edo, and Ekiti State, got nine per cent of the power sent to the national grid.
According to Aluko, who hails from Aiyekire, one of the affected LGAs, the allocation was not bad because 11 discos shared the power generated in the country.
“Of that nine per cent, only 22 per cent is given to Ondo and Ekiti states, while Edo and Delta states share the remaining 78 per cent. Of the 22 per cent sent to Ondo and Ekiti States, only 10 per cent comes to Ekiti State.”
He explained that Ekiti State was not on the national grid because the state did not have any 330 KV line, adding that all the 133 KV lines in the state came from Ondo.
A LECTURER at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Kadiri Akeem Babalola, accused of raping a 20-year-old female student, has yet to be arraigned due to health concerns.
Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Lagos State Police Command Benjamin Hundeyin disclosed this to The ICIR on Thursday, September 14.
“He has not been arraigned yet due to his deteriorating health. He will be arraigned once the doctor certifies him fit for a court trial,” Hundeyin told The ICIR.
Babalola, an Associate Professor at the University, was accused by the student of raping her on August 16, 2023, when she visited his office to sort out academic issues.
A social media user, Deji Lambo, disclosed via X on Wednesday, September 6, that the case was being followed up by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Inclusive Social Welfare and Empowerment Foundation (ISWEF), and Babalola confessed to perpetrating the crime.
“InclusiveSWEF reported the case to the Gender Unit of the state police command, and through the OC Gender, the state CP, Idowu Owohunwa, issued a warrant of arrest for Babalola through the state High Court and involved the Vice Chancellor, UNILAG.
“The VC was given seven days to produce Babalola, and when the VC invited the randy lecturer for questioning, InclusiveSWEF said he admitted to committing the crime. The VC informed the Police through the school’s Chief Security Officer, and Babalola was arrested,” Lambo posted.
Hundeyin confirmed the incident by sharing Lambo’s post, noting that the accused would “appear in court in the coming days.”
Babalola is one of many male lecturers in Nigerian universities accused of rape or sexual harassment in 2023 alone.
On Monday, August 15, female University of Calabar Law faculty students staged a protest within the school premises against sexual harassment and intimidation by Dean Cyril Ndifon.
The students carried placards that read, “Law students are not bonanza; Prof. Ndifon should stop grabbing us. The Faculty of Law is not a brothel,” “Ndifon must go for our sanity,” among other inscriptions.
The University suspended Ndifon on August 17, his second suspension for sexual harassment since 2015, when he was accused of raping a final-year student.
Students, including Frank Enor, Otora Agbor, Elvis Okorn, and Okoi, also named some lecturers in other departments within the school.
At the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, two lecturers were also accused of sexual harassment by an anonymous student.
Similarly, two lecturers at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) were dismissed in July over issues of sexual harassment.
In 2015, a part-time lecturer of UNILAG, Afeez Baruwa, was arraigned for raping an 18-year-old girl seeking admission into the school.
Another lecturer at the institution, Boniface Ighenghu, was also accused of sexually harassing a reporter disguised as a 17-year-old student seeking admission into the university in 2019.
A 2018 World Bank Report stated that 70 per cent of female graduates of Nigerian universities said they had been sexually harassed by lecturers and male students while in school.
