Category: General News

By Oladele Eniola

The Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has advised the Chairman of Arik Air, Johnson Arumemi-Ikide, to present a reasonable debt recovery plan in order to recover the airline.

The Managing Director of AMCON, Mr Ahmed Kuru, gave the advice at a media interactive session in Lagos State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that AMCON, the special debt recovery vehicle of the Federal Government, took over Arik Air in February 2017.

The take over was part of measures to “save” the airline from “imminent collapse” citing gross mismanagement by Arik owners, and debt above N300 billion.

Arumemi-Ikide, in July had attempted to reclaim the airline’s headquarters in Lagos following a Federal High Court ruling that faulted AMCON on transparency, transfer of Arik’s asset to float a new airline, and barring of Arumemi-Ikide from the airline’s facilities.

Arik had on at least two occasions – in 2018 and 2022 – called for amicable settlement of the debt, which were welcome by AMCON and Arik Air (in-receivership) but failed.

Kuru said once there was a reasonable settlement of the debts to AMCON and the banks, the receivership would be terminated and Arik Air Limited returned to its shareholders/owners alongside all documents and securities held by it and the banks.

The managing director said regardless of the campaign of calumny against AMCON, it remained a resolution agency that had always supported businesses and would continue to support them in the overall interest of the Nigerian economy.

He said, “AMCON is a resolution agency of the government, and we look forward to any obligor or debtor that wants to come to discuss repayment plan with us.

“Our doors are always open to resolve debts because that is our primary function and aside from our recovery mandate, AMCON does not have a secret agenda.

“So the challenges of the founder of the airline to recover his airline might seem difficult, but not irredeemable, however, there is always a way out of every situation.

“There must always be a situation of give and take and AMCOM is now ready to sit down with the owners of Arik, if they are ready to agree on what is good for them and the Federal Government.

“When we engage and arrive at an agreement, we will go back to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as the Ministry of Finance (MOF), and share such resolution strategy with them.”

Kuru said it would be recalled that, in the past, AMCON had resolved issues that were more difficult and more complicated than the Arik issue such as the banks, oil and gas, manufacturing sector, real estate, telecommunications, among others.

The managing director, however, said for any resolution to take place, the two parties involved must have an understanding and they should be convinced that there was always a way out.

Kuru worried that since the coming of a new government, there had been a heightened campaign by some AMCON debtors that sought to evoke the emotion of the public to perceive the corporation and its recovery activities from negative optical prism.

The managing director added that most debtors did not mind the huge problem their debts had caused the country.

He stated that those pushing the negative campaign forgot  that Arik at the time had about 50 per cent passenger-load before it took over in 2017 under a receivership arrangement.

Kuru said because the government of the day at that time was interested in saving the airline because of its strategic role in aviation sector, felt strongly that the airline must be saved from imminent collapse and national embarrassment.

“At that time the government mandated AMCON to intervene, the airline was not paying staff salary, or insurance, and could not afford to buy aviation fuel to keep the planes flying.

“It was so bad that nobody including some key aviation international partners wanted to do business with Arik among other issues,” he said.

Kuru said before we took over, everything was wrong with Arik as the airline delayed flights for two to three days in a row while its aircraft were being arrested abroad, which was a big embarrassment to the country.

According to him, if AMCON had not stepped in at the time the government asked AMCON to intervene, Arik would have gone under within two weeks.

He said when some of the obligors heard the news of the proposed AMCON sunset, they stopped picking up its calls.

The managing director said, in their mind, they believe AMCON would soon close shop, which would mean that the government would write off the debt.

He stated that the process of winding AMCON down would be a process, affirming that no government would allow any debtor to walk away with the debt.

NAN

Following recent clashes among rival cult groups, the Ogun State Government has announced a seven-to-six curfew on Sagamu town.

The government said all forms of movement in Sagamu would be restricted from 7pm to 6am.

The government urged residents of Sagamu to abide by the restriction order pending when security agencies restored normalcy.

This was made known in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Lekan Adeniran, on Monday.

This is to notify residents of Sagamu and its environs of total restriction of human and vehicular movement as a way of taking firm control of the security architecture of the area and protect the lives of the people and their property,” the statement said.

He implored residents of the Sagamu to cooperate with security agencies in order “to restore normalcy and bring perpetrators of these dastardly acts to book.”

No fewer than 20 persons were said to have been killed by cultists between Saturday and the early hours of Monday in Sagamu.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied Madam Taiwo Martins, who apologised on his behalf for commanding some monarchs in Oyo State to stand up for Governor Seyi Makinde.

Obasanjo had, while issuing the command to the monarchs at a public event, noted that a governor is more powerful than any king.

Following the development, Madam Taiwo Martins, who claimed to be Obasanjo’s wife, issued an apology on behalf of the former President.

However, reacting to the apology, Obasanjo disowned the woman and insisted that he stands by his comments.

In a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Monday, Obasanjo expresed annoyance that “one Ms. Taiwo Martins” has authored a statement, appealing to Obas and Yorubas to forgive him as her husband.

While conceding that the he and the woman gave birth to two children, Obasanjo stressed that she is not his wife, neither is she a member of his family.

For the records, Ms. Martins has two children, Jonwo and Bunmi, for Chief Obasanjo but to say emphatically she is not his wife nor a member of the Obasanjo family.

“Her posturing as Chief Obasanjo’s wife is false and that of an impostor. Nobody makes statement on behalf of the Obasanjo family except Chief Obasanjo or people delegated by him to do so.

The state of health of Ms. Martins is known to all and sundry and whatever she says or does has nothing to do with Chief Obasanjo as an individual or the Obasanjo family as a whole,” the statement said.

The statement added that Obasanjo has affirmed that “he stood firmly, unapologetically and uncompromisingly on the position that the Governor of a State holds the highest office in the State.

The state of health of Ms. Martins is known to all and sundry and whatever she says or does has nothing to do with Chief Obasanjo as an individual or the Obasanjo family as a whole,” the statement said.

The statement added that Obasanjo has affirmed that “he stood firmly, unapologetically and uncompromisingly on the position that the Governor of a State holds the highest office in the State.

By that position, the respect, protocol and dignity that must be given to the Office by virtue of the Constitution must not be denied. To do otherwise is to deride the Office and the Constitution,” the statement added.

Obasanjo incurred the wrath of many Yoruba people when he ordered the Oyo monarchs to stand up for the governor

The newly-inaugurated Operation Sweep in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has arrested 400 persons and impounded 50 vehicles for various offences.

The Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police, Umar Kadiri, made this known while briefing journalists in Abuja on Monday, during an operation to destroy illegal structures and dislodge illegal traders selling items on the street.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the operation also dislodged illegal motor parks, removed illegal structures on the streets, demolished scavengers’ shanties and set them ablaze.

The operation took place between Friday and Monday at Utako Ultra-Modern Market and down through A.E Ekukinam Street to Jabi Motor Park and environs, among other locations, to keep Abuja city clean.

Kadiri added that some of the offenders have been prosecuted.

He explained that the operation was part of efforts to strengthen environmental sanitation in the FCT by clearing hawkers, demolishing illegal structures, unauthorised car parks, and activities of scavengers.

“We have impounded not less than 50 vehicles from Friday to date and arrested not less than 400 people. Some were prosecuted and others will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

“The clearing of illegal traders by the roadside around the markets became necessary because they were constituting obstacles to the free flow of traffic and defacing the city.

“Beyond keeping the city clean, clearing them would also ensure a free floor of traffic on Abuja streets, including market areas where traders and their illegal strictures have taken over the roads.

“Most of these traders were associating themselves with scavengers who are allegedly stealing people’s valuables in the name of scavenging,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Kaka Bello, Deputy Director, Monitoring and Enforcement, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), said that the operation was part of ongoing exercise to Keep Abuja clean.

Bello said that Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, had recently inaugurated the Operation Sweep FCT to ensure effective sanitation in the Federal capital city.

“As you can see, we are here with different security agencies to provide the needed support for a hitch-free exercise.

“We have been here several times, but the illegal traders and scavengers return after some time to continue their illegal activity,” he said.

He advised owners of properties in Abuja to take over their properties and develop them to prevent miscreants from using undeveloped areas for illegal and criminal activities.

NAN reports that operation sweep FCT is made up of the representative of the Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration, Nigeria Security and Civil Défense Corps, and Department of State Services.

Others are the Nigerian Army, Navy, and the Airforce, as well as the Federal Road Safety Corps and AEPB.

One of the affected scavengers, Mr Mohammed Sani, whose shanty was destroyed around Jabi Motor Park, confirmed that they had been vacated from the area a long time ago but returned.

“I know that we have been warned to leave the place, but we are just trying to survive,” he said.

Also, a resident, Ismail Haruna, commended the government for clearing the streets to restore sanity on Abuja streets.

He lamented that illegal traders have taken over major streets, built illegal structures for selling all kinds of items, including drugs.

“I am very happy that the FCT administration has taken steps to keep our city clean,” he said. (NAN)

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 18 Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants to actualise the agenda of the Federal Government across the different sectors of the economy.

The Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, Mr Olusola Abiola, made this known in a statement, on Monday in Abuja.

Abiola said that the team comprising six Special Advisers and 12 Senior Special Assistants would work in the office of the vice president, Kashim Shettima, to support the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of the Tinubu administration.

He said that the appointments in the vice lresident’s office include; Rukaiya El-Rufai, Special Adviser to the President on National Economic Council (NEC) and Climate Change as well as Tope Kolade Fasua as Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters.

He said that Aliyu Modibbo was appointed as the Special Adviser, General Duties; Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Special Adviser, Political Matters and Jumoke Oduwole, Special Adviser to the President on Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Investment.

Abiola said: ” Others include: Sadiq Wanka, Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure; Usman Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Office Coordination and Kingsley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications.

” Also appointed were; Ishaq Ningi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media and Emergency Management; Peju Adebajo, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Investment and Privatisation and Mohammed Bulama, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political/Special Duties.”

Similarly, the director said Mr Kingsley Uzoma is the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Agricbusiness and Productivity Enhancement and Gimba Kakanda, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Research and Analytics.

Abiola also said that Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, is the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Job Creation and MSMEs, Nasir Yammama, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Innovation and Zainab Yunusa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on NEC.

” Others are Mariam Temitope, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Regional Development Programmes, and Bashir Maidugu, Deputy State House Counsel (Senior Special Assistant to the President).

Decries rising cases of knockdown of patrol operatives

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Dauda Ali Biu has commiserated with the families of the who recently lost their lives in active service in Lagos and Kaduna.

FRSC Boss noted that the death of the officers arose from the unfortunate road traffic crash that occured in Lagos and Kaduna States where operatives of the Corps were ruthlessly killed while on active service to the nation,

Corps Marshal Biu expressed sympathy to the deceased’s family on behalf of the Management and the entire staff of the Corps, over the sudden demise of the operatives.

Bisi Kazeem, Corps Public Education Officer disclosed in a statement that one of the
deceased staff, a Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant (DCRMA) A Ajomole, was diligently carrying out lawful patrol duties at Iganmu Bridge, in Orile Lagos State on 16 September, 2023 at exactly 1416HRS on the day the sad event happened.

The second victim, Road Marshal Assistant I (RMA I) Hamidu Idris detailed on patrol activities in Dutse Outpost, Doka Local Government Area of Kaduna State on 12 September, 2023 at exactly 0915HRS.

Crash investigation reports revealed that on the said day of the Lagos crash, late Ajomole was attending to an offender who drove a Cabstar (Lagos Taxi), when suddenly, a Mack truck conveying a container lost control and hit the Cabstar he was attending to. The impact of the crash on the Cabstar forced the operative to hit his head on a stationary tanker parked by the roadside and died on the spot.

Hamisu, on the other hand, was on his way to impound an arrested offenders’ vehicle, when the driver pushed him out of the vehicle, and hit his head on a stone; a situation that led to his untimely death.

As a result of the rising spate of these unfortunate incidents involving the deceased and others who faced similar fate in recent times, Dauda Biu also reiterated his call for caution amongst patrol operatives in the discharge of their duties.

The FRSC Boss also used the opportunity to warn drivers of all categories of vehicles to observe all traffic rules and regulations as well as avoid bad road use behaviours that trigger crashes on our roads.(Flowerbudnews)

Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo says talks will soon begin among all relevant stakeholders in the national identity system to work out modalities on how to harmonise all the various identity systems for seamless and efficient service delivery in the country.

He said the discussion would involve all the relevant stakeholders concerned, ranging from the INEC, Banks, FRSC, NPC, Immigration, NCC etc with the NIMC as a statutory body empowered by law to achieve the target in no distant future.

The Minister disclosed this on Saturday and at the 5th Identity Day commemoration held at ICC, Abuja with the theme: Identity As Catalyst for Nigeria’s Development ” – Examining the Role of Identity in Key Government Programs of Social Safety Net, Financial Inclusion, promotion of Good Governance and Transparency.

He said the harmonization and management of national identity was what the country needed now as a major means of mitigating and controlling crime as well as for national development.

The event was the first one under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and since the movement of the NIMC to the Ministry of Interior.

Ojo, who described the theme as a catalyst to Nigeria’s development underscored the importance of ID management on nation building, saying that identity remains key in the everyday lives, which is why it is commemorated this Day every year.

Looking at the progress made so far in ensuring digital identity inclusion for everyone, the minister said future solutions can be put in place to ensure better lives for the citizens and legal residents of Nigeria.

”We live in the modern digital age where a secure and verifiable identity is vital for any set system to work.

You can’t access bank services and get ATM cards without proving your identity. You can’t even engage with others on online social media platforms without first verifying your identity. So, identity is key in our everyday lives, which is why we commemorate this Day today.

I have stated that the harmonization and management of national identity is a major means of mitigating and controlling crime as well as for national development.”

“With a database of over 100 million National Identification Numbers in the National Identity Database, NIDB, NIMC provided essential access to attaining this goal along with other major stakeholders.

As a member of the Ministry of Interior family, he said that the joining of NIMC with other sister agencies will not only improve access by the general public to services like passport acquisition renewal but also the likes of efficient border security technology, effective handling of insecurity around the country, protection of critical national assets and infrastructure, reformation and reintegration of rehabilitated offenders in the society as well as improved emergency and fire response times.

He urged all stakeholders to join hands in ensuring the successful implementation of positive policies regarding national identity as it affects government social safety net and financial inclusion programmes.

The ID Day is all about setting a day out nationally and internationally in commemoration and appreciation of the real value of ownership of verifiable identity in the everyday lives.

In her address, Acting Director General/CEO of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote said harmonization of all the various identity systems remain a top priority in her agenda as CEO of NIMC.

She said the decision by President Tinubu to appoint her as the Acting Director General/CEO of NIMC, “is a profound testament to the President’s unwavering faith in the Commission’s recent achievements and his optimistic outlook on our future endeavors”.

“We embark on a journey that resonates deeply with our national aspirations. World Identity Day holds exceptional importance as it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the pivotal role that identity plays in our lives and its profound impact on society.

“It is a day to recognize the transformative power of identity in shaping our destinies, safeguarding our rights, and connecting us as global citizens.

Identity is more than a mere card or a number; it symbolizes our existence, our entitlements, and our place within society. It unlocks access to essential services, social benefits, and pathways to personal and economic growth. It stands as a testament to our individuality while serving as a bridge to our shared humanity.”

“At the National Identity Management Commission, our vision remains unwavering: to provide every citizen and legal resident with a digital primary identity, making it a universal reference point.

“We firmly believe that access to a reliable identity is not a privilege but a fundamental right. It serves as the cornerstone upon which we can build a more inclusive, secure, and prosperous society.

Odusote, who acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead, said she would ensure universal access to a trusted identity, regardless of background or circumstances, demands innovation, unwavering dedication, and global collaboration.

Continuing, NIMC DG said in the face of emerging technologies and evolving threats, NIMC would remain vigilant in safeguarding the integrity and security of identity systems. While embracing digital transformation, we must prioritize the principles of privacy and data protection.

As we set out for this task, we must be inclusive, leaving no one behind as we endeavor to provide identity solutions for all.

“As we peer into the future, I reaffirm our unswerving commitment to the cause of identity management.

Let us labor diligently to fortify the bonds of trust between citizens and their governments.

“Let us harness the potential of identity to propel economic development, foster social inclusion, and champion justice and human rights.

“Nigeria’s journey towards a robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is emblematic of its commitment to harnessing the power of digital technology for the betterment of its citizens especially in the provision of social services.

As we continue to develop our DPI, we have to keep in mind that it holds the potentials to transforming lives, improving public services, and driving inclusive growth in a vast country as ours in such a way that we would be seen as a prominent player in Africa’s digital revolution.

However, she stated that addressing existing challenges and ensuring equitable access to digital resources will be key to realizing these potentials.

The crisis of confidence between the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and his deputy, Philip Shaibu took a new twist on Monday following the decision of the governor to lock out his estranged deputy from the Government House.

Shaibu got the shock of the moment when he got to his office Monday and found that the gate to the office of the deputy governor and the main entrance leading to the storey building was locked with chains and heavy padlocks.

While he and his aides waited for about an hour before leaving, Shaibu, during the period reportedly made frantic efforts to reach the governor but to no avail.

An aide to the deputy governor who made the pictures available to the public under anonymity disclosed that his principal had some discussions with the Commissioner of Police and the Director, State Services, alerting them of how he was locked out from his office.

According to him, there was no official communication to the effect that the deputy governor’s office had been locked.

Shaibu was consequently said to have summoned the Camp Commandant at the Government House, SP Ibrahim Babatunde, querying why he was locked out of his office.

“He said it was a directive from above adding that the CSO in government house, Wabba will be in a better position to explain”, the aide said.

Shaibu was said to have put calls to Wabba Williams who promised to come to the scene, but never came all through the period Shaibu waited.