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Police arrest two for child theft, trafficking in Enugu

Ijeoma OPARA
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Police arrest two for child theft, trafficking in Enugu

THE Enugu State Police Command has arrested two women suspected of child theft and trafficking.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command Daniel Ndukwe disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, April 18.

The two suspects, Miracle Orji, 24, and Blessing Ani, 34, were apprehended with the aid of locals in Ameke-Oduma community, Aninri Local Government Area (LGA).

Two children – four-year-old Ogechi Eneh (female) and one-year-old Destiny Okechukwu (male) were rescued during the arrest.

“Preliminary investigation reveals that on March 24, 2023, Miracle Orji stole and was escaping with Ogechi Edeh before she was intercepted and arrested with the assistance of citizens at Ameke-Oduma Community in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.

“Her confessional statement led to the arrest of Blessing Ani around Shoprite Mall within Enugu metropolis, where she was waiting to receive and further traffic the child. Ani further guided the operatives to Abuja, where the male victim, Destiny Okechukwu, who had been sold with fake documents and renamed Chibuike, was rescued,” Ndukwe noted.

The suspects would be arraigned before a court at the end of the investigations, the Enugu police spokesman said, adding that efforts are being made to track other members of the syndicate.

Trafficking of children is rampant in many parts of Nigeria.

On Friday, April 14, the Police in Rivers State arrested three women running a child trafficking syndicate in the state.

In many cases, family members are involved in the trafficking of children.

On Monday, April 17, The ICIR reported that the Ogun State Police Command arrested a 33-year-old woman, Olaide Adekunle, for selling her 18-month-old child.

The suspect said she sold the child for N600,000 to clear a loan she had taken from an undisclosed microfinance bank.

In June 2022, a resident of Rivers, identified as Ejike Edith, sold her sister’s child to a buyer in Imo State for N600,000.

INEC to write IGP, seeks prosecution of Adamawa REC

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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INEC to write IGP, seeks prosecution of Adamawa REC

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resolved to write the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, for immediate arrest and prosecution of its Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Yunusa Ari.

The REC has been suspended for “illegally” declaring a winner in the Adamawa State governorship election.

The decision to write the IGP was taken at a meeting of INEC top hierarchy in Abuja on Tuesday, April 18.

In a statement released after the meeting, the Commission said it would brief President Muhammadu Buhari on the REC’s conduct.

The Commission also disclosed that the Returning Officer would determine when the collation of the result of the Adamawa State governorship election would resume.

The statement read:” At its meeting today, 18th April 2023, the Commission discussed matters arising from the Adamawa Governorship election and decided to:

“1. Write to the Inspector-General of Police for the immediate investigation and possible prosecution of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Adamawa State, Barr. Hudu Yunusa Ari.

“2. Request the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to draw the attention of the appointing authority to the unwholesome behaviour of the REC for further action.

“3. The collation process shall resume at a time to be determined by the Returning Officer.”

On Monday, April 17, The ICIR reported how the Commission suspended the REC from office after he illegally declared the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Dahiru (Binani), the winner of the election concluded through a supplementary poll on Saturday, April 15.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose candidate and incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was leading in the results already announced by the electoral body, protested the declaration.

Ari declared Dahiru winner while the collation of results had yet to conclude. According to Electoral Act (2022), the Returning Officer for the election, rather than the REC, has the power to declare the winner of an election.

Fintiri had the highest number of votes cast in the governorship election held on March 18, but some votes were cancelled, and the election could not hold in some parts of the state, forcing INEC to declare the exercise inconclusive.

Fintiri polled 421,524, while Binani secured 390, 275 in the March 18 election.

The incumbent governor won 13 of Adamawa’s 21 local government areas, while Binani won eight LGAs in the first round of the exercise on March 18.

Similarly, Fintiri was leading in the supplementary votes counted in 10 out of the 20 local government areas before the REC made his pronouncement.

The ICIR reported how the INEC headquarters in Abuja summoned Ari minutes after he declared Binani winner.

The Commission also invited its other staff involved in the declaration to Abuja and consequently suspended the collation of results of the supplementary poll.

The ICIR reports that Adamawa State is the only remaining state that is yet to have a governor-elect in all states where the governorship election took place on March 18 across Nigeria.

The ICIR reported how the PDP had repeatedly called for Ari’s removal over alleged malpractices during the elections in the state.

Many Nigerians have reacted to the bizarre incident in the North-East state, where the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, hails from.

Many have described the declaration by the REC as the height of the shortcomings of the 2023 elections.

The ICIR reports that while INEC continues the collation process, Binani has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the Commission from halting her ‘victory.’

Nova Institute offers media fellowship

Blessing OTOIBHI
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Nova Institute offers media fellowship

NOVA Institute for Health of People, Places and Planets is inviting applications for its 2023 media fellowship.

The media fellowship program aims to give recipients the time, space and resources to research, write and speak about issues that validate and show the importance of an expansive health framework.

The programme will provide journalists an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the complex, intertwined network of factors that affect health and well-being and the inadequacy of a health framework that focuses on disease.

Media Fellows can play an important role in translating research findings and analyses for a range of audiences, combining data with stories that inform the public and engage policymakers in order to change attitudes the organiser says.

The fellowship will run for one year in duration and full-time, allowing recipients to undertake their projects in a comprehensive and creative manner.

The Nova Institute strongly prefers that Media Fellows take a leave of absence from any organisation where they are currently employed during the fellowship period.

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Projects begin in the fall of 2023; no later than December 1, 2023.

Fellows will receive $105,000 which is intended to support living expenses, project-related expenses, travel, conference fees, health insurance, etc.

The deadline for the submission of applications is July 5, 2023. Interested applicants can apply here.

Nigeria loses 79 persons to cholera in three months — NCDC

Theophilus ADEDOKUN
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THE Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Nigeria has recorded 1,336 suspected cases of cholera disease in 2023.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with vibrio cholerae bacteria.

NCDC released its latest cholera disease situation report which covered all the suspected cases recorded between March 6 and April 2, on Monday, April 18.

The Centre said 12 of the 36 states and the Feeder Capital Territory (FCT) had recorded suspected cholera cases in 2023.

The suspected cases were recorded in Abia, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Sokoto and Zamfara.

NCDC also disclosed that 79 persons have died from suspected cases of cholera across 12 state in 2023.

“As of 2nd April 2023, a total of 1336 suspected cases including 79 deaths (CFR 5.9%) have been reported from 12 states,” the NCDC said.

It added that 53 per cent of suspected cases involve males while the remaining 47 females were females.

According to the NCDC, the suspected cases of cholera were prevalent among people between the age of 15 to 24 and individuals above 45 years of age.

“Of the suspected cases since the beginning of the year, age groups 15-24 and >45 years is the most affected age groups for males and females respectively.

“Six states – Cross River (647 cases), Ebonyi (97 cases), Abia (72 cases), Niger (38 cases) and Zamfara (28 cases) account for 96% of all cumulative cases.

“Fifteen local government areas across nine states Ebonyi (4), Cross River (3), Ondo (2), Bayelsa (1), Abia (1), Katsina (1), Sokoto (1) Niger (1) and Zamfara (1), reported more than five cases each this year.”

Meanwhile, The ICIR reported that, earlier in January, residents of Obubura community in Cross River State cried out for the state government’s assistance following a cholera outbreak that claimed over 60 lives in the area.

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The traditional ruler of the community called on the government to intercede by providing them with potable drinking water to avoid another outbreak.

The ICIR also reported that the NCDC disclosed that 233 deaths were recorded from a total of 10,217 suspected cases of cholera in 31 states between January and October 2022.

Lack of potable water is a major factor in the outbreak of cholera and an investigation published by The ICIR in 2021 revealed that several communities in the satellite areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are experiencing challenges relating to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).

Nigeria gets Commonwealth appointment

Oghenekevwe UCHECHUKWU
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Nigeria gets Commonwealth appointment

NIGERIA has been appointed Deputy Chair for the Finance Ministers Working Group for a Commonwealth Call for Reform of the Global Financial Architecture.

The appointment was made during the inaugural Commonwealth Finance Ministers High-Level Working Group meeting on the margins of the 2023 World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings, held in Washington DC on April 14.

The ministers who also agreed for India to be the chair, called for a systemic reform of the global financial architecture to enhance access to development financing for vulnerable countries.

Discussions were centred around national fiscal policies, measures for financial sustainability, eligibility criteria for development finance and potential reforms required for a more equitable financial architecture.

In her opening remarks, the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, said to create meaningful change, the global financial system must take into account the realities of vulnerability when allocating support to developing countries.

Scotland highlighted that the Commonwealth’s Universal Vulnerability Index provides a solid basis to better target support for those who need it the most.

Similarly, while delivering a keynote address at the working group meeting, the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, noted that the continued discriminatory treatment between the Global North and the Global South, was not sustainable.

“The time is now for action and to ensure that the global financial system is fit for purpose,” Mottley said.

The working group meeting also gave ministers an opportunity to focus on the urgent need to influence the global financial architecture, which is still underpinned by fiscal rules and conditions deemed unfit to meet the needs of the current global economic landscape and overlapping challenges.

Eligibility criteria for accessing concessional finance are usually based on sole metrics of gross national income (GNI) per capita, which mostly disregards national vulnerabilities.

However, recent overlapping crises have exposed and provided evidence of countries’ susceptibility to external shocks.

The meeting pointed that the traditional rules and governing conditions for access to international development finance are no longer relevant in this era of interlocked and overlapping crises.

Ex NBA President Okey Wali abducted for the second time

Ijeoma OPARA
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Ex NBA President Okey Wali abducted for the second time

A FORMER President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Okey Wali, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was on Monday, April 17, abducted in Rivers State.

Wali was reportedly abducted early Monday morning following an attack on his convoy along the East-West road in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

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Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Rivers Command Grace Iringe-Koko, also confirmed the incident to The ICIR, saying the Police is working towards his release.

“We are aware of it. It happened along the Obiri Ikwerre area. We are investigating to actualise his freedom,” she said.

The NBA is appealing for Wali’s immediate release.

In a statement on Tuesday, April 18, President of the association Yakubu Maikyau described the abduction as an indication of the country’s weak security system and pleaded with the abductors to release Wali to his family, unharmed.

“This ugly incident is yet another sad reminder of the weakness in our security system and the failure of successive governments to live up to the constitutional duty of providing for the welfare and security of all Nigerians,” Maikyau noted.

He called on the Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba, and the River State Police Command to make every effort to secure Wali’s release.

Maikyau also assured Wali’s family of the NBA’s support and prayers.

Second abduction 

This is not the first time Wali would be abducted by unknown gunmen.

In October 2014, the ex-NBA President was abducted by unknown persons in the Port Harcourt area of Rivers State.

The NBA, at the time, also passionately appealed for his immediate and safe release to his family.

While investigating the kidnap, the police said Wali had been trail by his abductors before being captured, and his vehicle was subsequently recovered along the Ozuoba waterfront in Rivers State.

Wali was released after 13 days in captivity, although it remains unclear if a ransom was paid to secure his freedom.

World Bank report shows FG serviced debts with 96.3% of 2022 revenue

Harrison EDEH
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World Bank report shows FG serviced debts with 96.3% of 2022 revenue

THE World Bank, in its latest report, says Nigeria spent 96.3 per cent of its 2022 revenue on servicing its debts.

The World Bank gave this information in its report on Macro Poverty Outlook for Nigeria, released in April 2023.

The report noted that Nigeria’s fiscal position deteriorated in 2022, leaving the cost of petrol subsidy to increase from 0.7 per cent to 2.3 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP).

“This has kept the public debt stock at over 38 per cent of GDP and pushed the debt service to revenue ratio from 83.2 per cent in 2021 to 96.3 per cent in 2022,” it read.

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The report stated that the fiscal deficit was estimated at 5.0 per cent of the GDP in 2022, breaching the stipulated limit for a federal fiscal deficit of 3 per cent.

The report stated that oil price booms had supported the country’s economy, but this has changed since 2021.

The cause for this included macroeconomic stability weakening amidst declining oil production, costly fuel subsidies, exchange rate distortions, and monetisation of the fiscal deficit.

“In 2022, oil revenues, the fiscal deficit outturn, FX reserves, and economic growth decoupled from the cycle of higher global oil prices. GDP growth decelerated from 3.6 per cent in 2021 to 3.3 per cent in 2022.

“Growth was driven by manufacturing, construction, and most services. In contrast, the oil sector shrank by 19.2 per cent. From the demand side, growth was driven by private consumption and investment.”

It also revealed that the deteriorating economic environment was leaving millions of Nigerians in poverty, resulting in risks tilting to the downside, given the lack of macro-fiscal reforms, the naira demonetisation, and an uncertain external outlook.

In a similar submission, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in February said the Federal government has projected to spend 82 per cent of its revenue on interest payments in 2023.

According to the IMF, external debts (including those of the private sector) would rise to $121.6 billion, with external reserves climbing to $37.5 billion.

It disclosed this in a table of projections in its ‘IMF Executive Board Concludes 2022 Article IV Consultation with Nigeria summary.’

The projections showed an improvement in the share of the government’s revenue that was being used as interest payment, with interest payment falling from 96.3 per cent in 2022 to 82 per cent in 2023.

It added that interest payment was 86.1 per cent and 87.8 per cent of the Federal government’s revenue in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

The minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, said the Federal government spent 41 per cent of the revenue generated in 2022 to service its N44.06 trillion debt.

Transcorp’s net profit drops amid strained naira redesign policy

Ehime ALEX
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Transcorp’s net profit drops amid strained naira redesign policy

THE Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, a publicly traded company under the name Transcorp, reported a 63.08 per cent decline in profit after tax (PAT) to N1.86 billion in the first quarter (Q1) of the year, from the N5.04 billion the company posted in the same period of 2022.

Many businesses had been adversely  affected by the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the first quarter.

The apex bank had in October 2022 announced its plan to phase out designs of the N200, N500 and N1,000 notes, and introduced new designs into circulation, arguing it would help check counterfeiting, strengthen the economy, fight banditry, curb vote-buying in the general elections, and reduce the expenditure on cash management.

However, the redesign policy, experts said, had done more damage to the economy, paralysing business activities.

“The entire exercise was a needless disruption of economic growth activities, especially among the most vulnerable segments of the economy,” the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Muda Yusuf, told The ICIR.

A look at Transcorp’s unaudited financial statements for the period ended 31 March 2023 showed that the company reported losses across all its main profit indicators.

A diversified conglomerate with investments in the hospitality, power, and oil and gas sectors, Transcorp’s profit before tax (PBT) also fell sharply by 50.18 per cent to N2.85 billion in the first quarter this year, from N5.73 billion in the first quarter of 2022.

Chaired by Tony Elumelu, a Nigerian philanthropist, the company’s gross profit moderated by 6.61 per cent to N14.22 billion, from N15.23 billion in the review period.

While Transcorp’s revenue grew minimally by 3.20 per cent to N32.39 billion from N31.39 billion, a 12.44 per cent rise in cost of sale to N18.17 billion from N16.16 billion brought its gross profit to fall by 6.61 per cent to N14.22 billion, from N15.23 billion in the review period.

Its operating expenses, also known as selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) or indirect cost, brought the company’s operating profit to decline by 15.22 per cent to N8.49 billion in the first quarter this year,  compared to N10.02 billion reported in the first quarter of 2022.

Transcorp’s total assets now stands at N351.84 billion in the review quarter, up by 3.23 per cent.

Meanwhile, Femi Otedola, a Nigerian businessman, had last week acquired over five per cent stake in the company. The move has seen Transcorp’s share price rise by 32.14 per cent to N1.85 as at Monday, April 17, when compared to the N1.40 figure it was as at Tuesday, April 11.

ICIR funded report shortlisted for African investigative journalism award

Mustapha USMAN
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ICIR funded report shortlisted for African investigative journalism award

A REPORT funded and published by The International centre for investigative reporting (ICIR) has been shortlisted for the 2023 edition of African Prize For Investigative Journalism (PAJI) award.

The report, ‘Abandoned health projects litter Sokoto despite multi-million naira investment’ by Abdulrasheed Hammad, a journalist who freelanced with The ICIR, was shortlisted in the online investigation category.

The African Prize for Investigative Journalism (PAJI) is an annual award created in 2021, honours the productions of journalists who had shown courage and determination in their work and also adhered to higher journalistic standards and deontological principles.

The 2023 edition of APIJ/PAJI is promoted and co-organised by M&D and the Centre d’Études des Sciences et Techniques de l’Information (CESTI) from the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Sénégal.

The prizes that will be awarded at the event are intended to encourage investigative journalism in Africa and to highlight the quality of work carried out by a large number of African media professionals.

The ICIR-funded investigation exposed how Sokoto healthcare system remains in a deplorable state despite multi-million naira investments in health facilities. It also detailed how the Public Procurement Act was repeatedly violated in awarding public projects.

The reporter, Abdulrasheed Hammad went to four different LGAs to document the state of healthcare facilities despite the release of multimillion naira for the projects.

The healthcare centres visited are: Kware General hospital, Kware LGA, General Hospital Salami, Gwadabawa LGA, Abandoned healthcare facility in Achida and Sokoto State Specialist Hospital.

Speaking with The ICIR on the development, Hammad expressed his happiness for making the shortlisted list, stating that it’s a testament to the quality of investigative reports The ICIR is producing.

“I am so excited for being among the top three winners of this Africa Prize for Investigative Journalism (PAJI) Award. It is a great opportunity that my investigative story was rated in the top three in the whole of Africa. This is a testament to the quality and impactful investigative stories that ICIR is producing. 

“When I applied for the award, I didn’t expect that I would be shortlisted since it is an international award, but I was lucky to be shortlisted. This is the first international award I would be shortlisted for as an investigative journalist and I believe this would serve as an encouragement for me to do more impactful stories.”

When asked about the challenges faced during the course of the investigation, he explained that he received several threats from contractors and was offered a bribe to drop the story.

“I faced a lot of challenges while executing the story because I was afraid of physical attacks during the process of my investigation. While doing the story, I received threats from the contractors. Some contractors threatened to carry me with DSS, one contractor even rained curses on me and some contractors threatened me with court cases but I didn’t relent since my plan was to make sure I balance everything in my report,” he said.

Hammad also faced challenges in getting access to some important information that would further enrich his story as Freedom of Information (FOI) requests written to the concerned authorities were not responded to. 

He, therefore, applauded The ICIR team for financial and mentorship support during the project.

“I really appreciate The ICIR team for giving me an opportunity to freelance with the platform. Special thanks to Mr Dayo Aiyetan, the Executive Director of ICIR, Mr Ajibola Amzat, former Managing editor of ICIR and Africa editor for CCIJ and Ms Bamas Victoria, the ICIR editor for the support in executing the story. I appreciate my mentor on the OCR project, Mrs Lami Sadiq for the support in bringing out the best in my story,” he added.

Health emergencies: Ogun govt deploys tricycle ambulances to rural areas

Mustapha USMAN
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Health emergencies: Ogun govt deploys tricycle ambulances to rural areas

AS part of its efforts to tackle maternal and infant mortality and other emergencies, the Ogun State government has introduced tricycle (Keke) ambulances in rural areas.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, on Sunday, April 16, said the state government has purchased 50 tricycle ambulances for the scheme.

The statement added that the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals donated 30 more tricycles while 10 more were donated by private donors to make a total of 90 tricycle ambulances.

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Somorin explained that transportation challenges has been a major cause of avoidable loss of lives of pregnant women and elderly persons.

According to the statement, the state government established an Emergency Medical Treatment Committee to ensure the quickest possible collaborative response to trauma and medical emergencies.

Parts of the statement read, “The committee consists of stakeholders drawn from various relevant government agencies and professional bodies including traffic, security agencies, health, media and emergency management.

“We have ensured that activation of a state-wide 3-digit 7-7-7 toll free emergency number, to notify the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) of any unforeseen situation  coupled with the integration of the national emergency number 112 in Ogun State.

“The government has integrated paramedics into the state’s emergency medical team to provide emergency care to victims at the scene of incident and on-route to the receiving facility/ hospital.

“We have incorporated the police, fire service, other paramilitary agencies, and volunteer international organisations into the EMS accordingly.”

However, the main opposition party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party, had in 2021 accused the state governor Dapo Abiodun of a plotting to embezzle public funds when the tricycle ambulances were procured.

PDP condemned the governor’s decision to procure ‘tricycle ambulances’ in primary health centres across the state, saying it is an avenue created to divert tax payers’ money.

In a statement released by its spokesperson in the state, Akinloye Bankole, the PDP said, “As a reasonable political organisation, our great party still keeps wondering why any government, in all honesty, would keep showcasing deliberate deceit in order to appear busy in delivering dividends of responsive government to the people. Can anybody explain the possibility of an emergency bed stretcher fitting into this Keke Ambulance with full paramedics in attendance?

“Also, it is fundamentally necessary for the people to be equipped with the knowledge that the chassis of the much celebrated Keke NAPEP are not long and strong enough to carry a bed stretcher.

“For us as a party, we are convinced that the government under the watchful eyes of Prince Dapo Abiodun has, just as it has always done, supervised another flight of taxpayers’ money into some private vaults outside the state. He has again committed the state’s funds into another wasteful bazaar.”

Nigeria has one of the worst maternal and child mortality indices in the world.

According to the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS), the country’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) is 512 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Also, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, in 2022, stated that the lack of access to healthcare is the main factor contributing to high maternal, infant and under five mortality in the country.

He said this during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) ministerial forum on November 13, 2022 in Abuja.

In the report, NAN noted that the latest United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report titled ‘Situation of Women and Children in Nigeria’ stated that the country records 576 maternal mortality per 100,000 live births, while approximately 262,000 babies die at birth every year.

According to the report, infant mortality stands at 69 per 1,000 live births, while under-five deaths is 128 per 1,000 live births with more than 64 per cent of the deaths caused by pneumonia, malaria and diarrhea.

Speaking about the maternal and infant mortality rate in the country, the minister said, “it is embarrassing when you go to conferences and see that your country has some of the worst indices and that’s one of the reasons why this administration is looking at extending healthcare to areas where we have problems.

“The area where you see this maternal mortality mostly is the rural areas where they have zero access to healthcare and where you will see that in spite of preaching inclusion, many people are actually excluded from the health service delivery.

“That’s why we are pressing for expanded primary healthcare. If you examine the causes of this high maternal mortality and also the infant mortality and the under-five mortality, you find that most of it is due to lack of access.

“There is no hospital there. Most of the women who deliver do so without skilled birth attendants, but once you have skilled birth attendants, maternal mortality reduces drastically.”

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