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Nigeria makes N79.9 billion in revenue from solid minerals – Report

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Nigeria makes N79.9 billion in revenue from solid minerals – Report

Nigeria recorded an increase in revenue from its solid minerals sector in 2019 as it earned N79.96bn from the industry during the period, data released on Sunday by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative showed.

Figures from NEITI’s 2019 Audit Report of the Solid Minerals Sector showed that the N79.96bn accruals to the federation and other subnational entities was a 15 per cent increase when compared to the N69.47bn recorded in 2018.

The 2019 earnings accounted for 16 per cent of the total revenues of N496.28bn that had accrued to the federation from the sector over the period of 13 years (2007 to 2019) and was the highest since 2007 when NEITI commenced reconciliation of payments in the solid minerals sector.

A breakdown of the 2019 receipts as reported by NEITI showed that taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service on behalf of the federation accounted for N69.92bn or 87.4 per cent of the total.

Fees and royalties paid to the Mining Cadastre Office and Mines Inspectorate Department accounted for N2.37bn or three per cent, and N2.55bn or 3.2 per cent, respectively.

Also, revenue accruals to the states stood at N5.1bn, representing a 42 per cent increase when compared to the N2.1bn recorded in 2018. The FIRS accounted for the highest flow to the coffers.

The NEITI report also disclosed that the outstanding amount of ?8.887bn which accrued from the solid minerals sector as at December 31, 2019 was distributed among the three tiers of government in May 2020 using the revenue sharing formula.

The balance as of October 31, 2020 was N3.948bn.

A breakdown of the distribution showed that the federal and state governments received N4.073bn or 45.83 per cent and N2.065bn or 23.25 per cent respectively.

Besides, Local Governments got N1.592bn or 17.92 per cent, while the balance of N1.155bn was distributed to only solid minerals producing states as their shares of the 13 per cent derivation.

According to the report, out of 702 companies that paid royalties to the government in 2019, only 74 met the materiality threshold of ?3m, representing a 7.2 per cent increase when compared to 69 entities that met the materiality threshold in 2018.

“These 74 companies accounted for 87.63 per cent of total royalties of N2.5bn paid in 2019, with the top five companies (Dangote Cement Plc, Lafarge Plc, Dangote Industries, Julius Berger, and Reynolds Construction) paying more than 50 per cent of total royalties,” the report stated.

The report also disclosed that a total of 1,296 mineral permits were issued by the Mining Cadastre Office in 2019.

A breakdown showed that small scale mining leases were the highest with 602 permits granted. This was followed by 501 and 169 for exploration licenses and quarry leases respectively, while the least figure of 24 was recorded for mining leases.

Nigerian troops kill 20 Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

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Nigerian troops kill 20 Boko Haram terrorists in Borno

The Nigerian Army has disclosed troops of Sector 2 Joint Task Force North-East, Operation HADIN KAI, in conjunction with the Air Task Force took the battle to a Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State West Africa Province (BHT/ISWAP) camp in Lamboa forest killing over 20 fighters.

The director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement on Monday that the feat was achieved on Sunday, June 20, 2021 around Wartek in the general area of Lamboa forest.

He said the troops with close air support from the Nigerian Air Task Force component acting on credible intelligence swiftly carried out a simultaneous land and air offensive, penetrating deep into Lamboa forest in Borno state.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the troops with close air support from the Nigerian Air Task Force component swiftly carried out a simultaneous land and air offensive, penetrating deep into Lambom forest in Borno state,” he said. 

“The gallant troops overran the position of the terrorists with heavy volume of fire from both land and air, killing over 20 insurgents.”

“The troops also captured heavy fire weapons and arms, including three Anti Aircraft Guns, three AK 47 Rifles and two Gun Trucks, aside two other Gun Trucks that were destroyed by the troops.

“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Faruk Yahaya has congratulated the troops for the successful conduct of the operation.

“He enjoined the troops to sustain the ongoing offensive under Operation HADIN KAI, until the insurgents were completely surmounted.

“The COAS reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army under his leadership to bring terrorism and insurgency to an end in the North East.”

JAMB announces new schedule for candidates of delisted centres

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JAMB announces new schedule for candidates of delisted centres

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has directed UTME candidates whose examinations were scheduled due to delisted centres to print new examination notification slips.

Head Protocol and Public Affairs of JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who made this known in a terse statement issued on Monday, said the Board has also put another 40 CBT centres under watch for poor performance in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

“This applies only to centres delisted. You will recall that 24 centres were delisted for performing below the tolerable limit of the Board, while over 40 others were put on the watchlist,” the statement read.

On Saturday, JAMB had delisted 24 centres over failure to conduct the 2021 examination.

The 2021 UTME was being conducted in 777 designated centres across the country before the delisting of 24 centres.

Governor Sani Bello of Niger, finally returns from trip abroad

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Governor Sani Bello of Niger, finally returns from trip abroad

The Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani Bello has finally returned from his trip abroad.

NewsWireNGR learned that the Governor on sunday, met with the parents of the 136 students of Salihu Tanko Islamiya School, Tegina, who were abducted last month.

Recall that the governor had travelled barely 24 hours after their abduction, while his deputy coordinated the rescue operation.

The Governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje, had said the trip was to explore all possibilities of strengthening the state security architecture.

Upon his return to the country, Bello launched a special vigilante to deal with gangs causing crisis within the state capital and proceeded to Tegina to see the parents of the abducted children.

Bello met with the parents of the victims and other stakeholders at the palace of the Emir of Kagara, Alh.Ahmed Garba Gunna.

He commiserated with them and assured them of government’s resolve to rescue the children.

Earlier this month, the State Government said it has opened negotiations with the group of armed bandits responsible for the abductions. The government also said that it was not unaware of the ongoing negotiation between the parents of the abducted young children, but insisted that it will not pay any ransom for the safe release of the children.

Lagos is the second most stressful city in the world – Report

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Lagos is the second most stressful city in the world – Report

A latest report ranking cities by stress levels  has ranked Lagos as the second most stressful in the world for 2021. 

The report by Vaay, a German firm was based on an index of 100 major global cities comprising over 15 factors, each ranked on a scale from most to least stressful.

According to the report, it examined in its ranking the governmental factors of the cities, physical environment and its impact on stress levels, and other financial factors. 

Thus the report read partly, “To begin the study, we considered which macro factors contribute to stress, narrowing them down to four broad categories.

“The first category looks at governmental factors that dictate levels of inclusion in a city such as safety and security, gender and minority equality, and socio-political stability.

“Following this, we considered the effect of the physical environment around us since it has been proven that high living density contributes to anxiety and stress.

“We did so by assessing population density as well as pollution levels, weather patterns and the amount of traffic congestion in each city.

“To evaluate the impact of financial stress, we looked at unemployment rates, social security structures and the amount of disposable income a household has after tax and accommodation costs, adjusted for purchasing power parity, amongst other factors.

“Finally, we considered health and wellbeing, specifically looking at mental health and access to healthcare as influences on stress levels.”

Lagos, which ranked 99th on the list was the only African city in the bottom 10 with an aggregate score of 19.9 while Mumbai of India was ranked 100th on the list. 

Some other African cities on the list included Johannesburg, 49th; Algiers, 78th; Nairobi, 80th; Dakar, 84th; and Cairo in 88th position.

The bottom ten most stressful cities were Mumbai – India, Lagos – Nigeria, Manila – Philippines, New Delhi – India, Baghdad – Iraq, Kabul – Afghanistan, Moscow – Russia, Karachi – Pakistan, Jakarta – Indonesia, Kiev – Ukraine. 

‘Fulani herdsmen need to be protected too’ – says Spokesman Livestock Breeders Association

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‘Fulani herdsmen need to be protected too’ – says Spokesman Livestock Breeders Association

The spokesman for Livestock Breeders Association of Nigeria (LIBAN), Kaduna State chapter, Hussaini Salisu, says farmers and cattle rearers alike are being threatened by insecurity, particularly kidnapping and banditry.

In an interview with Sun, he noted that everyone had given the tag of banditry and kidnapping to herdsmen, claiming the herders also need to be protected.

He lamented that Fulani people have also been cheated, citing an example of how all his cows had been rustled and how difficult it had become for him to go to the farm.

Salisu also claimed that Fulani people are the most hated people in Nigeria despite their desire to live in peace with everybody.

”If you continue to talk about Fulani this way, they will not have peace and if they don’t have peace, you cannot have peace yourself,” he said.

Salisu holds the traditional title of Dallatun Laduga in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He said, ”I am the Dallatun of Laduga in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. I am a rice farmer. My parents live in the bush. We farm and rear cattle. We have farmers and cattle rearers whose occupations are being threatened by insecurity, particularly kidnapping and banditry.

“And the only way out of this insecurity is for the government to be realistic and non-partial in ensuring that peace is restored. Fulani people have been threatened by insecurity and their cows rustled over the years.

“Now, the government is trying to protect the farmers so that they can work on their farms without fear of being kidnapped. But nobody is talking about protecting the Fulani herdsmen who are rearing cows. They need to be protected too.

”We Fulani have been cheated, myself in particular, all my cows have been rustled, and I cannot also go to the farm. And somebody will say there will be peace? I know many people will say Fulani are the bandits, kidnappers, this is how they have been frustrated. If you continue to talk about Fulani this way, they will not have peace and if they don’t have peace, you cannot have peace yourself.”

Speaking on the implications of insecurity on farming in Nigeria, Salisu noted that food scarcity will continue.

He said, ”Food scarcity will continue because the government says it will not import food, and now insecurity does not allow farmers to go to the farms to work. And the little farm produce is being bought off by urban traders who travel to the village in search of food. So, urban dwellers rely on rural communities for food.

“The rural farmers and herders were living peacefully before now until city dwellers brought calamity to them by way of divide and rule in order to buy off their goods at cheaper rates. My parents were the pioneer owners of grazing reserves in Kachia, Kaduna State. My parents sponsored me to school from proceeds realised from the sales of their cattle.

“Up till today, my parents are in the bush rearing their cattle. But their 5,000 cattle have been reduced to 1,000 now as a result of rustling by criminal elements.”

Salisu cited the cause of farmers/herders’ clash in the past as ownership claims of the land but noted that the current one is simply communal clashes while stressing that Fulani people are the most hated people in Nigeria.

He said, “What used to cause farmers/herders clash was due to laying of claims to ownership of land because after the herders have penetrated thick forests and cleared the ways, the farmers would turn round to claim the areas.

Salisu cited the cause of farmers/herders’ clash in the past as ownership claims of the land but noted that the current one is simply communal clashes while stressing that Fulani people are the most hated people in Nigeria.

He said, “What used to cause farmers/herders clash was due to laying of claims to ownership of land because after the herders have penetrated thick forests and cleared the ways, the farmers would turn round to claim the areas.

“So, it resulted to clashes between them. But nowadays, there are no farmers/herders clashes. What we have now is communal clashes going on everywhere. Unfortunately, Fulani is the most hated people in Nigeria despite their desire to live in peace with everybody.

“You cannot hate Fulani because we are hard-working people. We provide milk for the country, we provide meat for the country, and even the shoes you are wearing are made of cow’s skins. Yet we are being frustrated.

”Those causing kidnapping and banditry are not foreign Fulani. If you say they are foreign Fulani, you are implicating Nigeria because the Niger Republic or Burkina Faso and any other neighbouring countries will say you are accusing them unnecessarily. They will hate Nigeria, and you are implicating the country.

“The Fulani in Nigeria are the most populous in Northern Nigeria. So, if you say there are foreign Fulani in Nigeria, how do you confirm they are foreigners. It is very easy and simple to identify a Fulani man.

“But to us, any Fulani man you see with cattle, he is of benefit to Nigeria, he is not a foreigner. If we continue to call them foreigners, we are telling the rest of the world that they are criminals. We are implicating Nigeria.

”This is very unfortunate. Well, if you insist that they are foreigners, you have to identify them. After all Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa are foreigners, everybody comes from somewhere. The world started from somewhere.

“But if you keep on saying they are foreigners, you are encouraging them to come to Nigeria to join in the fight. When you keep on blackmailing them as foreigners they will come to Nigeria to help Fulani in Nigeria to fight.” he stated.

‘A new constitutional review is a waste of time and resources; bring out the report of the 2014 Confab’ – Bode George says

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‘A new constitutional review is a waste of time and resources; bring out the report of the 2014 Confab’ – Bode George says

The Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, says the Federal Government should stop wasting time on the ongoing constitution amendment.

He said this while featuring on a Radio programme “Ijoba Alagbada”, a Yoruba political program on Diamond FM 88.7 in Ilorin, on Sunday. 

Speaking on the clamour for the setting up of another constitution review committee just like the Goodluck Jonathan administration did in 2014, George said, “I thank God that I participated in the Confab which is the first time that diverse people of the country would sit under the Chairmanship of Justice Idris Kutugi, now late who is very patient and wise.

“The three-volume report was submitted to the government and it contains everything needed for the restructuring of the country. We don’t need to look elsewhere other than to implement the report.

“The report was submitted to President Jonathan which he handed over to the present regime of President Buhari. There is no need for another constitution review committee.

“It is a waste of time and resources, let us bring out the report of the 2014 Confab and start its implementation.”

 “People are agitating for freedom because the present 1999 Nigeria Constitution cannot allow the various minority tribes to thrive in the country.

“It was as a result of fear of the minority tribes that the military government led by Yakubu Gowon, created states. But now, every section of the country is educated and they want to have a say in the affairs of the country, so there is the need to review how they are being governed.” He stated further.

Two anti-Buhari protesters arrested in Kogi released after 68 days in detention

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Two anti-Buhari protesters arrested in Kogi released after 68 days in detention

Two anti-Buhari protesters, Emmanuel Larry and Victor Anene Udoka, arrested and detained by the Kogi State government have finally regained their freedom. 

The duo were granted bail on Friday by a Magistrate Court after they spent 68 days in detention. 

They were granted bail after the court heard arguments for their bail application.

Emmanuel and Udoka, had been detained by the Kogi State Government since April 5 when they were arrested for pasting ‘Buhari Must Go’ posters in Lokoja, the state capital.

They were physically assaulted and tortured by some youth for the posters perceived to be against the affiliate of the Kogi State government. 

The Kogi State government then handed them over to the police command in the state. The Command, upon arrest, denied the protesters access to their lawyer, Benjamin Omeiza. 

After their prolonged detention, the two young men recently began a hunger strike at the Kabba Prison as the government continued to ignore national and international voices calling for their release before they were eventually granted bail.

Police Inspector shoots 5 people dead, injure 4 others in Enugu

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Police Inspector shoots 5 people dead, injure 4 others in Enugu

 

Enugu State Police Command has confirmed reports of a trigger-happy police inspector who shot dead five persons while he left four others critically injured.

The police inspector whose name was withheld in the Sunday night press statement was confirmed to be attached to the Special Protection Unit Base 9, Umuahia, Abia State.

According to the statement by the Command’s spokesman Daniel Ndukwe, the inspector started shooting residents at a lotto office on Sunday morning

The statement titled, “shooting incident at Golf Estate Enugu: CP Aliyu orders thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident,” reads partly, “The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ndatsu Aliyu, has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, to carry out a thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident that occurred today, June 20, 2021 around 9.30 in the Golf Estate area of Enugu, involving a police inspector attached to Special Protection Unit, Base 9, Umuahia, Abia State and said to be on duty at RC Lotto Company located in the Estate.

“He has been arrested and taken into custody pending the conclusion of investigation.”

Ndukwe said that the commissioner urged residents, friends of the deceased persons to remain calm and cooperate with the command in the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has visited the victims at ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, where they are receiving treatment.

‘Investigation into Tinubu is still ongoing’ – Abdulrasheed Bawa says

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‘Investigation into Tinubu is still ongoing’ – Abdulrasheed Bawa says

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, says a former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is under investigation.

In an exclusive interview with ThisDay Newspaper on Sunday, Bawa said the investigation is still ongoing.

“You asked me a question earlier about arresting people before investigation and now you are saying why didn’t we arrest Tinubu? Why didn’t you just say ‘arrest him?’

“Investigation is ongoing. When you are investigating matters like this, they don’t end in a day. Thousands of investigations are going on, on a daily basis.

“You understand? You know you are from the media. After you will say we are doing media trial.” he said.

Recall that in October 2020, a former Managing Director of Alpha Beta Consulting, Mr. Oladapo Apara, had sued Bola Tinubu; and the current Managing Director of Alpha Beta Consulting firm, Akin Doherty.

Apara had in a petition addressed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, accused the company of N100bn fraud.

In his statement of claim, the former Alpha Beta boss said Tinubu boasted that the then acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, would protect him.

“The 2nd defendant (Bola Tinubu) also warned the claimant not to even think of exposing his involvement in the financial affairs of the 1st defendant (Alpha Beta) to the EFCC as the then acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, will always protect him (Tinubu).” He had written.

On Wednesday, Apara filed a suit demanding a Lagos State High Court to stop Tinubu from “controlling the finances of Alpha Beta.” The suit was filed by Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) on behalf of Apara.

Kebbi government has shut down seven schools in the state indefinitely

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Kebbi government has shut down seven schools in the state indefinitely

The Kebbi government has shut down seven schools in the state indefinitely, following an attack on Federal Government College (FGC), Birnin Yauri.

The decision by the state government follows the abduction of students and teachers by gunmen during an attack on the college on Thursday.

Speaking with NAN on Saturday, Isah Arzika, chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kebbi, said the schools that were shut are in areas prone to attacks.

Arzika said the state government had directed the union to take any further action necessary to prevent the abduction of more students.

“On these proactive measures, as you all know, we are part of the system, because principals are teachers; all the directors at the board are also teachers,” the NUT chairman said.

“Government has given us an order and option to take any necessary action as far as our schools are concerned.

“We can close those schools which we think are not safe and prone to attacks in the areas close to the forest. I am not talking about only boarding schools; any school that is on the frontline and is not safe, we would just ask the students to go home, pending the time the situation normalises.

“Before now, the state government had recruited a large number of vigilante members to look over our schools, and we are very much satisfied with what the government has done.

“Some of these schools that I am talking about have policemen attached to them. Honestly, we are satisfied with government’s actions.”

Arzika urged parents to “remain calm and continue praying to God for the restoration of peace in the area and the country at large”.

“Any parent with useful information that could lead to the rescue of the abducted children should approach the security agencies,” he added.

PDP says Buhari is pushing the nation to the precipice

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PDP says Buhari is pushing the nation to the precipice

The Peoples Democratic Party has cautioned the President Muhammadu Buhari, against “pushing the nation to the precipices by his arrogant and dictatorial remarks as well as inflammatory referencing to war, particularly in his apparent aversion towards the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Nigerians.”

The party said this in response to reports that the President described those demanding restructuring of the country as “mischievously dangerous.”

According to the party, “President Buhari’s reported remarks that he and his All Progressives Congress had no time for the call by Nigerians, across board, for a discourse on the state of the nation, particularly in the face of worsening insecurity, economic hardship and sectional disagreements, further demonstrates their arrogant and dictatorial disposition towards the people.

“It is instructive to inform President Buhari that, as citizens of a democratic state, Nigerians have every right to demand constitutional restructuring as well as a democratic forum to deliberate on good governance and national cohesion.”

In a statement signed by the PDP the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party stated that such demands are neither synonymous nor contiguous to warfare.

“The statement read, “It is appalling, and to say the least, despicable, that Mr. President and his party, the APC, who came to power in 2015 on the promise of restructuring, have not only reneged, in utter duplicity towards Nigerians but also turned around, six years after, to label restructuring as warfare and Nigerians demanding for it as “mischievously dangerous”.

“President Buhari should be tutored to know that even the quest for efficient local government system as well as an effectual judiciary, which he alluded to as a focus, can only be achieved through a constitutional restructuring that directly confers and vests the required powers and control to them.

“Only recently, President Buhari confessed how he asked some state governors who came to him on issues of security to go back to their respective states and face the challenge,

“The amendment or alteration of the constitution to permit state police as widely demanded by Nigerians is, therefore, a form of restructuring that will adjust our policing system without creating a war.

“In as much as the PDP hold the unity and indivisibility of our nation as supreme, our party, however, supports amendments that will alter the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in any manners that will engender good governance and reinforce, rather than detract from her unity, peace, equity and stability.

“Moreover, our party invites Nigerians to note that the APC, as a party, does not have any iota of regard for their aspiration as a people, and as such must not be further entrusted with the fate of our nation after the Buhari abysmal tenure.

“On Mr. President’s allusion to a power of selection over whom he will cede power to, the PDP informs President Buhari and his APC to understand that political power belongs to Nigerians and the people will determine who governs them after the Buhari and APC’s era, which will come to an inevitable end on May 29, 2023.”

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