Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and top politicians joined award-winning African singer, Patoranking, and others on Tuesday in New York to participate in a special event to discuss COVID-19 vaccine equity.
The event was organised by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to discuss how COVID-19 vaccines can be fairly distributed worldwide as a key development priority.
Under the banner of ‘A Shot for All’ staged on the margins of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, prominent leaders and personalities stressed the importance of vaccine equity and how to achieve universal access, particularly in developing countries and marginalised communities in Africa.
“Delaying vaccines in low-income countries and regions like Africa cannot be the way forward. The stakes are simply too high. Ending vaccine inequality must be seen as a global public good and development priority for all,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator.
The event, moderated by Al Jazeera English anchor Folly Bah Thibault, represented a call to action to governments and development partners to reconsider the production, supply, distribution, and financing of vaccines and redress the impact of the current crisis.
Speakers joined the global call to expedite and prioritise vaccine equity.
Among the speakers were the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, the Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, and the director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, John Nkengasong.
Speaking at the event, UNDP Director, Regional Bureau for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said, “A two-track recovery is no recovery; the world is calling for greater justice.”
Award-winning Nigerian singer, Patoranking, and Kenyan percussionist and activist, Kasiva Mutua, performed at the event, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on artistes and their ability to inspire action.
Other participants included Edem Adzogenu from Afro Champions, Yvonne Mburu, CEO Nexakili and member of France’s Presidential Council for Africa, Admassu Tadesse, Director of Trade Development Bank, and Kwabena Ayirebi, Director of Banking Operations at the Africa Export-Import Bank.
The Police in Bayelsa State have arrested a suspected ritualist, Sunday Ojo.
The suspect was nabbed on Tuesday by men of the Operation Doo Akpo, in collaboration with the vigilantes of Ogobiri community in the Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
Ojo was said to have lured his victim, who was identified as Deborah Emafidon, a student of the Niger Delta University, to a nearby bush to allegedly kill her for suspected ritual purposes.
However, he was caught by the community vigilantes who alerted the Police operatives.
A spokesman for the State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident in a statement in Yenagoa.
He said, “The suspected ritualist, one Sunday Favour Ojo, ‘M,’ who hails from Edo State, was arrested on 21st September, 2021, at about 1100hours at Ogobiri-Toruebeni Drive in Sagbama Local Government Area.
“The suspect lured his victim, one Deborah Emafidon ‘F’ a student of Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, to a nearby bush, tied her hands and was about to slit her throat when he was apprehended by the vigilante members and Police operatives.”
Butswat said that the Commissioner of Police, Eworo Echeng, commended the community’s vigilantes for their role in the apprehension of the suspect.
CP Echeng also appealed to members of the public to continue to volunteer useful information to the Police and other security agencies.
The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Cui Jianchin, has disclosed that his country is working towards the establishment of Chinese-owned bank operations in Nigeria.
Jianchin made this known in Abuja while addressing journalists during the commemoration of the 2021 Chinese Moon Festival and China-Nigeria Cultural week on Tuesday.
Jianchin who said he was in talks with Chinese-owned banks, noted that among the world’s 10 biggest banks, six were in China.
“Before my departure from Beijing to Abuja, I talked to several banks in China. When you list the world’s 10 big banks, six are in China. The banking sector is very important because, without money, we cannot build our industries.
“What I am thinking here is best to talk to the governor of the central bank, and how we can allow the Chinese banks to run office here and now, they are doing the feasibility studies on that.”
He explained that it would boost Nigeria’s economy and expand trade relations between the two nations.
Establishing Chinese banks in the country would also be a point of discussion during the China-Nigeria Bi-national Committee meeting, Jianchin said.
“I am working hard that in the bi-national meeting, I hope we can make a big decision and give a big push to let the banking industry and insurance industry because financial integration and institutions are key.
“If you go to China, you will find our banking industry is very powerful, not only for business but a change in the way of life.”
Extolling the extant China-Nigeria trade relations, the Chinese Ambassador noted that the trade volume between China and Nigeria was nearly $20 billion, increasing from 2020’s $19.2 billion.
Jianchin affirmed that the 2021 celebration is special as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of China-Nigeria’s bilateral relations and that the countries share October 1 national day.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, he disclosed that the Chinese embassy would honour 50 Nigerian employees of Chinese companies in Nigeria for their outstanding performance and contribution to strengthening diplomatic ties.
Yoruba Nation arrowhead, Prof Banji Akintoye, says the North will continue to rule and dominate Nigeria regardless of whoever is in power as President.
Akintoye made the comments days after the Northern Elders Forum said the North would not play second fiddle in a nation where it clearly enjoys numerical strength to win presidential elections.
It had earlier been reported that NEF Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, at an event in Zaria on Saturday, said, “We will lead Nigeria the way we have led Nigeria before whether we are President or Vice President, we will lead Nigeria. We have the majority of the votes and democracy says vote whom you want.
“Why should we accept a second class position when we know we can buy a form and contest for first class and we will win?
“Why does anybody need to threaten us and intimidate us? We will get that power but be humble because power comes from God. We inherited leadership and being honest is not being stupid.
“The North has pride; we are humble enough to know that we are going to run Nigeria with other people but we are not going to pay a second fiddle to anybody. We may not have the most robust economy, there are people who are trying to strangulate us even more than we are being strangled.”
With the 2023 elections approaching, political permutations have been intense with many Nigerians including the 17 Southern governors demanding a President from Southern Nigeria to replace the incumbent, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), who is from Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.
Speaking on an online programme organised by The PUNCH, 86-year-old Akintoye, a scholar and a Professor of History, said the North had always wanted to “conquer” the rest of the country.
Though he did not make any direct reference to the statement credited to the NEF spokesman, Akintoye said Nigeria is no longer a country because of the dominance of one ethnic group over others.
He said, “It has reached a time now that Nigeria is no longer a country. Why do I say this? There is no other country in the world where one section, one region says, ‘We are going to conquer the rest, we are going to subdue you, we will make ourselves the controllers of the resources of your land, we will treat you more or less like slaves’.”
Akintoye said though some Southerners including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan had been in power since the return to democratic rule, they operated under the rulership of the north.
He said, “Whoever rules Nigeria rules in the context of a country that is owned and dominated by the North; by North, I mean the North-West.
“Under Obasanjo as President, the northern elite converted the north against the constitution of Nigeria into a separate Islamic state. Obasanjo could not do anything about it… That was a dangerous philosophy that was being foisted upon Nigeria and nobody did anything about it.
“Yes, Obasanjo is a beloved son of the Yoruba race, we love him but we know that he ruled in a situation when the President of Nigeria was beholding on to powers under the tables that the rest of us could not do anything about. Not to talk of (Vice President Yemi) Osinbajo.
“Osinbajo is one of the most educated men who have taken part in the governance of Nigeria, see the thing he is doing, is he doing them freewill?”
Akintoye, the leader of the umbrella body of the Yoruba self-determination group known as Ilana Omo Oodua, and the embattled Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, have been seen together at press conferences and rallies championing the cause to secede from the Nigerian state and establish a Yoruba Nation.
When asked why he is embarking on such a mission at his age, the octogenarian replied, “Yes, I am doing it at a late age but if I do not do this, I do not want to go to the grave with a feeling that a country I love and gave my life is dying in my presence and I just stay there until the power of God comes to take me home. No, I want to be able to say to myself that I fought a good fight and when I see Chief (Obafemi) Awolowo, I’d be sure that he would open his arms and welcome me as a good boy. I have to do this now.”
He also assured Yoruba Nation agitators that Igboho would soon regain his freedom from the authorities of the French-speaking West-African nation.
Igboho, who was earlier declared wanted by the Nigerian Government, has been in a detention facility in Cotonou, Benin Republic, since July 19, 2021 when he was arrested at an airport in the country.
United States President, Joe Biden and President Muhammadu Buhari
Peoples Gazette has claimed to have seen court documents indicating that the United States has seized about $6.1 million belonging to Nigeria after a hired arms supplier pleaded guilty to charges including illegal dealing in military-grade weapons and money laundering.
Judge Erica Grosjean of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ordered the forfeiture after Ara Dolarian, an unlicensed armed dealer hired by the Nigerian government to help circumvent U.S. ban on arms sale to Nigeria, admitted conducting arms sale without requisite approvals.
Dolarian, who initially denied any wrongdoing, was arrested on May 15, 2019, and pleaded guilty on June 27. His sentencing hearing will open on September 24, 2021, and may be concluded on October 6, 2021, court filings said.
For pleading guilty, Dolarian would face years in prison and would also forfeit $6,024,806.45 cash trapped in various U.S. banks and entities under his name and his businesses. A brand-new BMW vehicle was also confiscated and would be sold by the U.S. government, documents said.
According to The Gazette, the documents showed that Sambo Dasuki, President Goodluck Jonathan’s national security adviser, contracted Hima Aboubakar, the controversial promoter of Societe D’Equipments Internationaux (SEI), to help broker a deal for high‑explosive bombs, rockets, military-grade firearms and aircraft-mounted cannons to be deployed against Boko Haram insurgents.
Former Nigerian President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
The deal came as 2015 general elections loomed and Jonathan appeared desperate to rout out Boko Haram elements and boost his re-election efforts.
To execute the deal, Aboubakar, a citizen of Niger Republic, entered a sales agreement with Dolarian, who did not have license to export arms or broker arms deals as the U.S. had restricted the sale of arms to countries known for flagrant human rights abuses under the Leahy amendments.
“At no point did Ara Dolarian (Dolarian), Dolarian Capital Inc. (DCI) or their affiliates receive DDTC approval to broker defense articles to Nigeria,” the U.S. Homeland Security said in the charges.
Although Dolarian had submitted an application requesting a licence to broker military equipment transactions, it was rejected by the DDTC. But that did not stop him from proceeding to present himself to Nigerian authorities as a qualified arms dealer.
The weapons were valued at $8,616,042.50, and while the sales agreement lasted between June and September, 2014, Dolarian received $8,618, 647.00 in wire transfers facilitated by Dasuki through the Central Bank of Nigeria and First Bank.
Court documents said Dolarian through his business partner, Myron Smith, received a $4,998,647.00 from Hong Kong-based SK-Sawki Limited, owned by Aboubakar’s friend. The arms dealer received the remaining $3.6 million from Aboubakar’s company also paid into Smith’s account.
Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki [Photo credit: BBC]
Dasuki was at the centre of a multibillion-dollar arms purchase scandal that rocked Nigeria in 2015 and 2016. He was held in custody for more than four years, with the Buhari administration releasing him only in December 2019 after disobeying several court orders to free the Sokoto prince.
Prosecutors said Aboubakar’s partner in Hong Kong received about $20 million in two wire transfers from the Nigerian government. The first wire transfer was on May 28, 2014, and the second entered on June 9, 2014.
Prosecutors subsequently revealed that Mr Aboubakar had received $20 million for the arms deal from Nigeria, but only paid $8.6 million to Dolarian for supplies. Nigerian government officials and security chiefs have long faced allegations of profiting from the decade-long war on Boko Haram.
Court documents said the transactions showed how Dolarian, his allies and businesses violated the Arms Export Control Act, describing their activities as “specifically unlawful.” Consequently, all identified proceeds would be forfeited to the U.S. government.
Before U.S. authorities were able to enforce forfeitures, Dolarian had already used part of the $8.6 million for personal expenses and settlement of outstanding taxes. He also bought a 2011 model BMW SUV and transferred the rest to numerous accounts held by him, his wife, his associates, a purported furniture company, amongst others.
Out of the $8.6 million Dolarian received from the Nigerian government, the U.S. seized over $6 million that remained in his account as of February 2015.
Nigeria did not play any role in the litigation, indicating that the U.S. government will pocket all the $6.1 million recovered. Dolarian now faces up to 20 years in prison and up to $1 million in fines.
Aboubakar was declared wanted by the EFCC as part of several controversial arms deals he brokered for Nigeria, but the anti-graft office was unable to apprehend him or file competent charges in court.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has revealed that bandits are raiding Katsina farming communities to steal food ahead of the upcoming harvest season.
Governor Masari raised the alarm Tuesday, in Katsina, at a consultative briefing he held with the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on the security situation in the state.
The briefing was attended by heads of security agencies in the state, traditional rulers, political and religious leaders, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
“Because of hunger, bandits are moving towards communities around the forest area. They know that harvest time is approaching and their plan is to harvest crops and steal food items planted by farmers,” he said.
Governor Masari said the bandits’ relocation were due to the suspension of mobile telecommunication networks and ban of sale of petroleum products by filling stations.
He charged the security chiefs to deal decisively with the criminals, reiterating his position not to negotiate with bandits whom, he described, as criminals who were neither fighting for a religious or ideological cause.
Governor Masari disclosed that affected states had resolved to engage no fewer than 3,000 hunters and vigilantes to be trained by the police to protect communities.
The Governor said Katsina would recruit 500 hunters and vigilantes – 250 each from Katsina and Daura Emirates to protect communities from bandit attacks. He said the hunters and vigilantes would be stationed permanently in the communities after the military had left.
Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. He is also a boardroom guru of note who has distinguished himself in financial service, legal practice, politics and service to humanity with inherent exemplary leadership qualities.
Born in Hong, Adamawa State. Boss Mustapha attended primary school in Hong. He thereafter attended Hong Secondary School and the North East College of Arts and Sciences in Maiduguri, Borno State. He graduated in 1976. On completion of his secondary school education, he attended the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he earned his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) in 1979.
He proceeded to Nigerian Law School, Lagos for the mandatory one-year law class and graduated in 1980. He was called to the Nigerian Bar the same year. From 1980 to 1981, he did the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the Directorate of Legal Services within the Army Headquarters, where he was in charge of the review of Court Marshall Proceedings.
After his National Youth Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join a prestigious law firm, Messrs Onagoruwa & Co, in Lagos to start his legal practice.
He established his own law practice firm, Messrs Mustapha & Associates, in 1994 and served as its Principal Counsel until 2000. He later worked in another law firm, Adriot Lex & Co., serving as Principal Consultant. His legal interests and expertise had to do with privatization, commercialization and liberalization between Public Companies/Corporate Organisations and Government Parastatals. He was also involved in preparation of varied and miscellaneous banking documents such as Debentures, Guarantees, Mortgages, Bonds and Loan Syndications.
Mustapha joined politics in the 1980s, after his graduation from the Law School. Between 1988 and 1989, he was a member of the Constituent Assembly, the body that drafted the Constitution of the Third Nigerian Republic. In 1989, Mustapha became the State Chairman of the Peoples Solidarity Party (PSP) in the defunct Gongola State. The party was to later be among the several political parties disbanded by the then Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. Between 1990 and 1991, Mustapha was Adamawa State Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, one of the two state-created political parties during that military regime. He flew the party flag for Adamawa State Governorship election in 1991 but lost to Abubakar Saleh Michika of National Republican Convention.
Mustapha’s career went to a new high with his appointment as a member of Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), serving meritoriously from 2000 to 2007. At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-to-date comprehensive project and programme report, including location, coverage and whether performed, performing or abandoned production of final report of assets and liabilities, examination of the administrative structure and cost effectiveness of PTF projects and services among other duties.
He went on to serve as the Deputy Director-General of the Presidential campaign of the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, during the 2007 Presidential election.
Aside all of these, Mustapha played key leadership roles at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), serving as Social Secretary and Chairman at the Yola branch of the revered association for the learned. He is also a member of various professional bodies including African Bar Association (ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI).
His accomplishments transcends politics and law practice. He is respected boardroom guru, having been appointed into the boards of several companies in manufacturing and financial services, as well as the oil and gas sectors. Aside being an influential member, he was re-appointed the National Vice President of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship international Nigeria in 2018: he is a Christian by faith.
Mustapha was the Deputy National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013. The party was among the three major parties that were merged to form the All Progressives Congress on 6 February 2013, in anticipation of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria. He ran, albeit unsuccessfully, at the then newly formed party’s governorship primary election in 2014 to be the Governor of Adamawa State. He went on to become the Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Organization Mobilization Committee, and a member of the APC Transition Committee. He is also a member of the APC Board of Trustees.
He was the Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
He was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 30th of October, 2017 following the sack of Babachir David Lawal, who had been suspended six months earlier for misappropriation of public funds. Boss Mustapha took the oath of office as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 1st of November, 2017 during a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, in the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
As nations of the world began to deal with the effects (and counter where possible) the infamous appearance of the corona virus on the world stage in 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Boss Mustapha as the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force set up to curb the spread and effects of the corona virus in Nigeria on the 9th of March, 2020.
Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha is married with children. His hobbies include playing golf and lawn tennis, travelling and seeing documentary clicks. He loves charity works and he is always elated at the prospect of meeting people.
Big Brother Naija Shine Ya Eye housemate, Whitemoney, says that he has disappointed himself on the show.
He said this on Monday night, day 58 of the show, as he settled the disagreement he had with Queen.
The duo had issues concerning their relationship and Queen confronted him because he admitted to kissing JMK, an ex-housemate.
Queen said she felt hurt that he would have done such without telling her, despite the fact that she tells him everything, even how she felt about Cross.
Prior to this, Whitemoney had said that he was hurt that Queen wanted to sleep with Cross.
As they tried to settle their differences, Whitemoney stated that from now on, he wants to be serious in the game as the final week is approaching.
He further said that whatever Queen does in the house, he’ll never hold it against her when they finally leave the show because he has also disappointed himself.
“There’s one thing I want to tell you and mean it. I will never hold you with what happened here for real. Because even me, I have disappointed myself and appointed myself,” Whitemoney said.
“I have disappointed myself too,” Queen added.
Whitemoney further stated that he’ll be serious with his tasks because he has been confused lately.
The Federal Government is not interested in naming and shaming sponsors of terrorism, Presidential Spokesperson, Femi Adesina, has said.
Adesina, who made the statement during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, said the government is more interested in ensuring that those found guilty will be brought to book.
He was responding to questions on possible topics of discussion that President Muhammadu Buhari will have at the United Nations General Assembly scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
Specifically, the Presidential aide was asked if the President will address the recent move by the United Arab Emirates to place six Nigerians on terror list.
The Nigerians are six of 38 individuals whom the UAE suspects to be financiers of terrorism.
But in his response, Mr Adesina said the government will not name and shame such people.
“Naming and shaming will not be the motive. Naming and shaming won’t be the motive. Rather, bringing malefactors to justice would be it,” he said.
“Nigeria is not interested in naming and shaming anybody. Rather, it wants to bring them to justice.
“You see that the UAE had released some names and the AGF has responded saying that in due course, all these people will have their days in court. Rest assured that justice will have its way.”
He further disclosed that investigation on the issue is underway at different levels.
“Investigations are going on at different levels. It could be at the level of EFCC; it could be at the level of the National Intelligence Agency.
“Different security agencies would be working on it so that when those people eventually appear in court, there will be what the lawyers call a prima facie case against them.”
On Borrowings
Adesina was also asked if there are possibilities that the president would seek more funding from leaders of different countries at the UNGA.
Although no direct response was given, Adesina said bilateral meetings would be held between the President and Presidents of other countries and issues discussed will be pursued through the “back door.”
He also assured that the Buhari administration borrows for the sake of developing the nation and not to steal “like other governments.”
“You don’t go to the UN to seek borrowings. There will be bilateral meetings with other Presidents and whatever comes up there, will be done through the back door.
“Buhari is aware that Nigerians are complaining of the plenty borrowings. He says it at FEC meetings. He says he knows people are saying we are borrowing too much.
“But we are not borrowing to put in our pockets. We are borrowing for development. And I think that is the difference between this administration and past administration who borrow to steal, to put in thier pockets.
“This administration borrows for developments. And at the end of the day, the evidence and proofs are there to show what the money has been used for. Largely, the borrowings are for capital (projects).”
The President in a letter last Tuesday, sought the approval of the Senate to borrow another $4 billion (4,054,476,863) and €710 million loan from bilateral and multilateral organisations to fund the deficit in the 2021 budget.
While he said the loan request was an addendum to the 2018-2020 borrowing plan, he also asked the lawmakers to approve grant components of $125 million.
The Police Command in Kwara says it has arrested two suspected ritualists, Femi Adeniji and Shittu Abdulmalik, with a fresh human head in the Amuyo area, Offa.
This is contained in a statement issued by the command’s spokesman, Ajayi Okasanmi, on Monday in Ilorin.
The statement said the first suspect (Adeniji) kidnapped an individual, Rianat Yusuf, severed her two hands, head and dumped her remains in an uncompleted building in Amuyo.
It said further that the deceased left her home on an errand to buy ‘kulikuli’ and had since not been seen.
It added that the suspect was arrested in connection with a case of a missing girl, and during the investigation, Adeniji confessed further that he had sold one of the hands to his accomplice, presently at large.
“The second suspect, Abdulmalik, confessed to having used the second hand of the deceased for money-making soap,” said the Police statement. “The Commissioner of Police warns of grave legal consequences for perpetrators of crimes and criminality in Kwara state.”
The statement added, “The command, therefore, wishes to advise criminal elements to vacate Kwara state or risk being arrested, prosecuted and be permanently accommodated in the correctional facilities.”
The command warned parents and guardians to be cautious of ritual murders among the youth for money ritual purposes.
“Investigation into the matter is ongoing. The suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation,” said the Police.
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner – Tuesday Assayomo has advised the youth to shun the desire for quick and easy money, as there is no alternative to hard work.
