A notorious drug baron, identified as ‘O Lord Have Mercy’, has been nabbed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), POLITICS NIGERIA reports.
Femi Babafemi, Director of Media, NDLEA, made this disclosure on Saturday morning, with a promise to provide comprehensive details on Sunday.
NDLEA
“Busted. Not even his using the name of God to conceal cocaine could make him escape scrutiny of officers. Details tomorrow #SayNoToDrugAbuseAndTrafficking,” Femi wrote on his known Facebook page.
Since the emergence of Buba Marwa as NDLEA Chairman in 2021, the agency has made lots of high-profile arrests.
In 2021 alone, NDLEA seized cash and illicit drugs worth over N130 billion.
The agency secured 1,400 convictions within the same period too.
Last year’s achievements by the NDLEA surpassed the records of any given year of the past 30 years.
Fidelity Bank partners Edo State and GIZ to host CBN RT200 FX Exports Roundtable and Sensitisation Workshop
Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has announced plans to host an exports roundtable and policy sensitisation workshop for businesses in Benin-City, Edo State capital in partnership with the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) and GIZ on Tuesday, 24 May 2022.
The event, which would be the fourth edition of the bank’s CBN RT200 FX Sensitization seminars following successful outings in Kano, Ondo and Plateau States in February, March and April 2022 respectively, is part of the bank’s initiatives to help importers pivot to exports.
According to the Divisional Head, Export and Agriculture, Fidelity Bank Plc, Isaiah Ndukwe, Fidelity Bank’s decision to partner ESIPO and GIZ is borne out of the need to help exporters to build their business management capacity and is further proof of the value the bank provides to export-oriented businesses in Nigeria.
“At Fidelity Bank we are known for empowering our customers with the necessary financial and non-financial services to upscale their businesses. We consider the CBN RT200 FX scheme an amazing opportunity for businesses to bolster their FX earning capacity and we are delighted to collaborate with ESIPO and GIZ to host businesses in and around Benin City to a workshop to help them take advantage of the scheme”, explained Ndukwe.
Launched on February 10, 2022, by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of measures to reduce the increasing demand for foreign currency by importers, the RT200 FX scheme is designed to help Nigeria achieve $200 billion in FX repatriation from non-oil exports over the next five years. The policy has been hailed by stakeholders in the export sector as an initiative capable of stimulating the growth of non-oil exports in Nigeria.
“The goal of the roundtable is to identify and promote viable non-oil export opportunities, provide financing options, and proffer steps to removing the identified bottlenecks in the export process for non-oil products from Edo State to the global market. It will provide a platform for the exporters to meet with the export regulatory bodies and express their challenges which hinder exports. The event will also serve as an opportunity for the regulatory agencies to address the challenges on the spot and provide solutions to them with a view of enhancing Nigeria’s capacity in the African Continental Free Trade Area deal”, commented Marcus Unuebho of the Business Development Support and Export Unit, ESIPO.
On his part, the Technical Advisor for Edo State, Local Economic and Value Chain Development, GIZ SEDIN, Nosakhare Omon Aigiomawu stated that, “Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are the drivers of local economic development. Collaborating to provide market linkages and access to finance would address major constraints to these groups and ensure more employment creation as well as higher income”.
Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank operating in Nigeria with over 6.5 million customers serviced across its 250 business offices and digital banking channels. The bank was recently recognized as the Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking & Finance Awards. The bank has also won awards for the “Fastest Growing Bank” and “MSME & Entrepreneurship Financing Bank of the Year” at the 2021 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
Aston Villa manager, Steven Gerrard has said his team will fend its walls against Manchester City in their Premier League final day match.
Naija News understands that Aston Villa is the only lifeline for Liverpool to become English Champions again.
Should Villa hold Man City to a draw or win on the final day match, Pep Guardiola’s side will forfeit the Premier League title to Liverpool if only the Reds could also win their match against Wolves.
The possibility of Man City losing to Villa at the Etihad Stadium is, however, narrow.
Speaking ahead of the clash, Gerrard who was lamenting his side’s position this season, described the 2021/2022 EPL campaign results as unacceptable.
Speaking to Sky Sports after a 1-1 draw with Burnley in their last home fixture of the season, Gerrard said his side cannot afford to finish 14th again in the EPL log.
Naija News understands that Villa players had taken a celebratory lap around Villa Park on Thursday after their 1-1 draw with Burnley.
The former Liverpool player turned coach, however, cautioned that the club must step up next season, and sign in more capable players.
Gerrard said: “Moving forward, this club cannot finish 14th again. We need to change things and come back better and stronger next season.
“The first part of the job was to stay safe, but we wanted to finish in the top half. Moving forward we need to improve in a lot of departments. We need to recruit well,” the Villa boss noted.
Speaking about Villa’s clash with Man City on the final day of this season, Gerrard said, “we’ll try and make it as difficult as we can for them. We will fight for everything we can.”
Supporters of the Borno South Senatorial District Senator, Muhammadu Ali Ndume and some thugs clashed in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
It was gathered that trouble started after Senator Ali Ndume, who is the Director-General of Rotimi Amaechi Presidential Campaign, had a meeting with delegates at the local government ahead of the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno.
“We started hearing people screaming and shouting. When we ran to the scene, the gate of the lodge was already down and a lot of women were injured. We also saw other thugs and supporters of the Senator being taken to the hospital in Biu,” Usman Miringa, an eyewitness told Daily post.
About 32 people who sustained various degrees of injuries after the clash were rushed to the General Hospital in Biu.
“Yes. We have received injured persons. They are 32 in number. We also learnt that there are 16 others taken to a private hospital in Biu,” a source said.
According to a Biu resident, clashes occur whenever Ndume, who is seeking to return to the senate for the third term, comes to Biu for political activities.
The resident said: “This is not the first time such clash is happening. It usually happens whenever Ndume comes around for political activities. We do not know why.”
Nigerian Mavin record boss, Michael Collins Ajereh, known professionally as Don Jazzy has bowed to pressure and put up a congratulatory message for his long time crush Rihanna over the arrival of her baby boy.
Following the news of Rihanna welcoming a baby with her rapper boyfriend, Don Jazzy made trends on Twitter.
Netizens mocked him that he has finally lost his longtime crush, while using several hilarious memes to portray his current mood.
It is no news that Don Jazzy for a long time yearned for a romantic relationship with Rihanna but all hope was collapsed after she got pregnant for A$AP Rocky
Don Jazzy who seemed obsessed with Rihanna created many loved-up photos of him and the singer and also a visit to the White House claiming he wants to pay Rihanna’s bride’s prize.
Amidst the congratulatory messages online, Don Jazzy took to his Instagram page to share a cute photo of Rihanna and her son.
Don Jazzy who seemed excited with the news wrote: “It’s a boy” accompanied by a dancing emoji.
While some of his followers hailed him for taking a bold step to congratulate Rihanna, others teased him that the baby looks like him.
iamkellyeazy wrote: “Why the pinkin come resemble Don Jazzy”
official_ikechukwu wrote: “Keep your head up bro”
dbillions12 wrote: “Congratulations, baba donjazzy na ur first love be that so… It’s a boy”
fearlexfantaziz wrote: “He resemble Don J am I right”
There is tension in the Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos over an attempt by policemen to enforce the state government ban on the operation of commercial motorcycle operators also known as Okada riders.
Recall the state government on Wednesday issued a total ban on the activities of the Okada riders in six local government areas of the state over the killing of a sound engineer, David Imoh, at Lekki.
According to reports, trouble started when policemen from Onireke Police Station, Ojo impounded some commercial motorcycles for operating along the Mile 2 – Badagry expressway.
It gathered that the commercial motorcycle riders resisted, attempted to overrun the station and possibly set free some of their members who were arrested by the policemen.
According to Dailytrust, the riders set fire in the middle of the road, while the owners of vehicles abandoned them by the side of the road due to the chaos.
The crisis led to a stampede as pedestrians fled for fear of being caught up in the crossfire.
Moreso, the incident created heavy vehicular movement on both sides of the road.
While the policemen fired several shots into the air to disperse the commercial motorcycle operators, the riders themselves pelted the officers with stones, daring the policemen to come after them.
A yet to be ascertained number of persons sustained different wounds as they tried to run away from the trouble zone.
Presently, a combined team of anti-riot policemen and some soldiers have been deployed to return normalcy to the area.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi, has announced that all necessary computation to guide the new salary package have been concluded and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for onward implementation.
The Minister disclosed this during a press briefing at the State House on Thursday where he spoke on the current state of policing and security in the country as well as the ongoing innovation been executed in the Police.
Dingyadi noted that the computation has been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for implementation and it is expected to commence soon.
He said, “The newly approved emolument for the police personnel further proves the government commitment to the welfare which is a key component of police reforms under Buhari.
“All the necessary computation to guide the new salary package have been concluded and forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for implementation which is expected to commence very soon.”
The information comes five months after the minister approved a 20 per cent upward review of salary for the police expected to take effect from January 2022.
Speaking on the achievements of the Ministry of Police Affairs since the task to reform the police began in June 2019, Dingyadi said there has been the domestication of community policing, resuscitation of the police complaint committee, enhancement of police welfare and enactment of the police academy bill into law.
Other achievements, he highlighted include improve manpower requirements in Nigeria through police recruitment of constables, information technology for biometric data capturing and the establishment of the best West African police system for intelligence gathering in sub-Sahara, Africa.
On the state of insecurity across the geopolitical regions, the minister said there has been an onslaught on Boko Haram and affiliate groups in the North-East and North-West regions.
The Minister explained that this has degraded their capabilities through fierce military campaigns and police support.
He noted that the ugly trends of other isolated criminalities in the Middle-belt, South-South, and South-West, are currently receiving adequate attention through the deployment of human and operational asset to neutralise the menace.
Dingyadi added, “Security in the South East came under threat, following violent attacks on security formations and civilians by militant Biafran separatist group.
“Sustained security operations in this region have in recent times localised their operations to Imo and Anambra States while government continue to employ strategies to engender peace and security in the entire South East.
“Unlike the South East, the South-South region is relatively free from violent criminalities. However, there are isolated cases of kidnap for ransom and armed robbery and it’s been dealt with by the police and other security agencies.
“A special task force against oil theft set up by the IGP is operating in the zone to check illegal bunkering and related acts of economic sabotage.”
On insecurity in the South West, he added, “The security situation in this region is similar to that of the South-South. Instances of oil theft in this zone is also been reduced to the barest minimum.”
On the enactment of the Police Trust Fund into law, the minister disclosed that the Fund was successfully delivered on its 2020 budget with the purchase of operational vehicles, arms and ammunition, bulletproof vest and helmets for police operation.
“The fund also purchased medical items to meet the health need of policemen nationwide while offices and residential accommodation also received face-lift,” he added.
Africa Fintech Summit Recognizes Ecobank with “Excellence in Fintech-Banking Relationships” Award
Africa Fintech Summit has awarded Ecobank Group with “Excellence in Fintech-Banking Relationships” award in recognition of the bank’s activities to support and facilitate fintech growth on the African continent. The award was given at its last meeting in Washington DC, United States of America. Africa Fintech Summit is a global knowledge-sharing platform that connects innovators, regulators and entrepreneurs, facilitating conversations and partnerships that help them explore financial technology solutions to improve African individuals, economies and societies. The summit holds twice a year in Washington D.C. and a selected African country and sees stakeholders from around the world assemble to chart a progressive course for fintech in Africa by mobilizing investments, hashing out enabling policies, and sharing growth strategies.
The Summit which was the seventh edition of the bi-annual event, also recognized TeamApt for Excellence in Digital Banking, PiggyVest- Excellence in Savings and InvestTech, Flutterwave-Excellence in Fintech Infrastructure, while Excellence in Blockchain Technology went to Appzone Group. Others are Excellence in Fintech investment – Future Africa, Excellence in Cryptocurrency – Paxful, Excellence in Ecosystem Research – Briter Bridges, Excellence in Cross-border Solutions – PAPSS, Excellence in Payments – Paystack, Excellence in InsurTech – Turaco, Excellence in Fintech and Lending – Payhippo, Excellence in Embedded Fintech – Cellulant and Excellence in TradeTech – AFEX.
Dr. Tomisin Fashina, Group Executive, Operations & Technology, Ecobank, who received the award on behalf of the bank, said the award is well deserved as it was attributable to the Pan African Bank’s unparalleled influence in Africa and its unwavering support and numerous initiatives aimed at fostering relationship with fintechs to jointly win in the marketing place, stressing that the bank have put structures and initiatives in place to collaborate and cooperate with fintechs to facilitate the bank’s vision of financial integration of Africa.
According to him, “As a bank, one of our strategic objectives is to bank 100 million Africans, across Africa. We won’t go out there with account opening documents to do this. We believe we can achieve that by collaborating and cooperating across board, and the fintechs come into that space. We came out with ‘Ecobank as a service’, this is at the heart of why wepublished our sandbox to encourage fintechs, big techs and any player that want to do business in Africa to ride on our platforms and help facilitate our vision of a financially integrated Africa. We see ourselves as a key player in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and we believe we are the ultimate bank to facilitate trade across Africa.”
Ecobank has many initiatives to support growth of fintechs on the continent. The Ecobank Fintech Challenge launched in 2017 identifies and partners with fintechs that are ready to scale, providing them with mentoring, networking, support, and opportunities to access Ecobank’s 33 African markets, as well as opportunities to integrate with existing Ecobank digital offerings. This has recorded significant results and success stories since its inception.
Ecobank’s Pan-African Banking Sandbox allows partners and Fintechs across 33 African countries gain access to its application programming interface to develop innovative financial solutions. As an avenue for collaboration between Ecobank and fintechs to develop the fintech ecosystem in Africa, Ecobank’s sandbox is an era-defining game changer for Africa’s financial sector.
Africa Fintech Summit, since 2018, has held six times, and has supported: Over $20 million in capital raise efforts for African startups; The launch of strategic partnerships and new businesses; Policy guideline creation; The growth of local tech and startup ecosystems; Knowledge sharing for African banking/fintech operators and regulators.
Leaders of the Hausa community in Lagos State have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reverse the ban on Okada operations in six local government areas of the state.
Recall that the Lagos State Government had on Wednesday announced a ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada.
Naija News reports that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu made the announcement while briefing heads of security agencies in the state at a meeting at the State House, Ikeja.
The governor stated that the total ban on Okada in the six local councils takes effect from June 1, 2022, and would be fully enforced.
Sanwo-Olu pointed out that the ban in the six local councils is part of the phase banning okadas in the state.
The affected councils are Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland and Apapa.
Speaking to The PUNCH, Hausa community leaders stated Okada riders who hail from northern Nigeria contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos.
They called on the state government not to economically strangulate them as they contribute to the voting population.
The Seriki of Obalende, Saliu Waziri, said that the government should get the data of Okada riders in Lagos to fish out criminals amongst them instead of a total ban.
He said, “This issue has taken us a long time and we have been trying to put our members on the line. I want to advise the government to rethink its decision because Lagos can’t operate without bikes because of traffic. Government should register Okada riders in each local government to know those working in any local government. By so doing, the government would know who to pick when any issue arises.
“Some of our members stay here in Lagos and vote during elections. That should count for something because we contribute to votes during elections. The government should change the system of Okada riders not stopping them.”
The Seriki Hausa of Ajah, Ibrahim Ngoma, urged the government to consider the voting population of Hausa Okada riders in Lagos.
“Truth be told, Governor Sanwo-Olu has been understanding with Okada people unlike Governor (Babatunde) Fashola. Okada members should obey the law while I appeal to Governor Sanwo-Olu to look into the matter and lift the ban before the election because the ban is affecting my people,” he said.
Another leader of the Hausa community in Lagos, Iliyasu Kira, pleaded with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reverse the ban.
According to the Seriki Hausa in Shasha in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, the governor should not joke with their voting population.
He said, “I appeal to the government to leave Okada riders to continue their operations. These Okada riders help the government during elections with votes. Our voting population in Lagos constitutes over 2.7 million because most of us vote here in Lagos. We are not all bad people.
“Many of our people are Okada riders in Lagos. If the government claims that robbers are rampant among Okada riders, then the government should sieve out the criminals. The government should provide replacement for our members affected by the ban.
“We don’t have the power to start any legal case with the government. This is why I am appealing with the government to reconsider the ban.”
The Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris has been suspended indefinitely from office following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC over N80 billion Fraud.
He was suspended on Wednesday by Zainab Ahmed, the minister of finance, budget and national planning.
POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that Idris was picked up by EFCC operatives in Kano and moved to Abuja on Monday after being found culpable in a multi-billion naira fraud involving the ward of Bogus contracts.
Several companies Idris awarded contracts to and used in laundering over N80 billion in public funds have reportedly been linked to his family members and associates.
A statement from the anti-corruption agency on the matter read in part; “The Commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates.”
His arrest became necessary after he was summoned repeatedly for interrogation but failed to honour invitations.
![JUST IN: Notorious drug baron, ‘O Lord Have Mercy’ nabbed by NDLEA [PHOTO]](https://www.societygazetteng.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/images-2022-05-21T134709.029.jpeg)
