J Martins, Daddy Showkey to Perform at Tribute to Our Troops Concert
The Defence Headquarters wishes to inform the general public to watch the live broadcast of the “Tribute to our Troops Concert” showing on DSTV Channel 197 and GOTv Channel 29, Saturday
15 January 2022 by 8pm.
The Tribute to our Troops Concert which would hold at the Mogadishu Military Cantonment football field will feature many artistes, including J Martins and Daddy Showkey to celebrate troops of the Armed Forces in the frontline.
The concert which is in commemoration of the 2022 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration will no doubt boost the morale of the troops towards suppressing enemies of our dear Nation.
Thank you all for supporting the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
WAP MAIGIDA
Air Commodore
Acting Director Defence Information
NIGERIANS now have access to the services of social networking platform, Twitter, following the lift of the ban on its operations in the country.
The Federal Government lifted the ban yesterday, thereby enabling the United States micro-blogging platform to recommence service by midnight (January 13).
A statement by the Technical Committee Chairman on Nigeria/Twitter Engagement, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said Twitter has met all the conditions set by the government.
Inuwa, who is also the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), said the government directed that the decision be communicated to Nigerians.
The decision was taken after President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of a memo from Communications and Digital Economy Minister Isa Ali Ibrahim.
–
The NITDA boss said the lifting the ban was a deliberate attempt to recalibrate Nigeria’s relationship with Twitter to achieve the maximum mutual benefits for both parties.
According to him, the engagement will help Twitter improve and develop more business models to cover a broader area in Nigeria.
But the government warned the platform users to refrain from promoting divisive, dangerous and distasteful information.
It also advised all internet platforms against committing a crime by using a Nigerian Internet Protocol (IP).
”Such offence is synonymous with committing a crime within our jurisdiction,” Inuwa said in the statement
The statement reads in part: “In the memo, the minister updated and requested the President’s approval for the lifting based on the Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement’s recommendation.”
Listing the conditions agreed to by Twitter, Inuwa said:
Twitter has committed to establishing a legal entity in Nigeria during the first quarter of 2022. The legal entity will register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The establishment of the entity is Twitter’s first step in demonstrating its long-term commitment to Nigeria.
Twitter has agreed to appoint a designated country representative to interface with Nigerian authorities. The Global Public Policy team is also directly available through a dedicated communication channel.
Twitter has agreed to comply with applicable tax obligations on its operations under Nigerian law.
Twitter has agreed to enrol Nigeria in its Partner Support and Law Enforcement Portals. The Partner Support Portal provides a direct channel for government officials and Twitter staff to manage prohibited content that violates Twitter community rules. At the same time, the Law Enforcement Portal provides a channel for the law enforcement agencies to submit a report with a legal justification where it suspects that content violates Nigerian Laws. Taken together, these represent a comprehensive compliance apparatus; and
Twitter has agreed to act with a respectful acknowledgement of Nigerian laws and the national culture and history on which such legislation has been built and work with the FGN and the broader industry to develop a Code of Conduct in line with global best practices, applicable in almost all developed countries.
He added: “Therefore, the FGN lifts the suspension of the Twitter operations in Nigeria from midnight of 13th January 2022. We encourage all users of the Twitter platform to maintain ethical behaviour and refrain from promoting divisive, dangerous, and distasteful information on the platform.
“As patriotic citizens, we need to be mindful that anything illegal offline is also illegal online and that committing a crime using a Nigerian Internet Protocol (IP) is synonymous with committing a crime within our jurisdiction.
“Considering Twitter’s influence on our democracy, our economy, and the very fabric of our corporate existence as a Nation, our priority is to adapt, not ban, Twitter.
“The FGN is committed to working with Twitter to do anything possible to help Nigerians align and navigate Twitter algorithmic design to realise its potentials while avoiding its perils.
“In his approval, the President appreciates the Presidential Committee led by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, for the supervisory role and guidance given to the Technical Committee during the engagement.
“Similarly, the Presidential Committee commends the Technical Committee for a professional, robust and productive engagement with Twitter Inc. It also appreciates Government Regulatory Agencies and Internet Service Providers who implemented the FGN’s directives during the suspension.”
Inuwa gave insights into why the government imposed the ban and what both Nigeria and Twitter had gained from the resolution of the spat.
His words: “You may recall that on 5th June 2021, the FGN suspended the operation of Twitter through an announcement made by Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
“Thereafter, the President constituted a seven-man Presidential Committee to engage Twitter Inc. Subsequently, in its wisdom, the Presidential Committee set a 20-member Technical Committee comprising all relevant government agencies. The Technical Committee engaged and worked directly with the Twitter team.”
Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, commended the Super Eagles of Nigeria for a spectacular start at the ongoing 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon for defeating a formidable opponent, the Pharaohs of Egypt 1-0, in their group stage encounter.
The governor described the victory of Eagles over Pharaohs of Egypt as a sweet victory, charging the Eagles should put their eyes on the ultimate victory which is lifting the trophy.
The Governor strongly believes, like millions of soccer aficionados in Nigeria, that the spectacular outing in Garoua, Cameroon is a preview of what to expect from the committed and patriotic team as they lock horns against other opponents in the tournament.
Bello charged the Augustine Eguavoen-led team and the technical staff to keep their eyes on the ball, remain good examples on and off the field, and give the diehard fans and all Nigerians more exhilarating moments to celebrate.
While praising the general performance of the team and the technical crew, Bello also commended the Super Eagles Defence for its solidity that remained impenetrable for the Egyptian strikers throughout the game.
He charged the team to soar like an eagle in order to write another glorious page in the soccer folklore for the country.
Double Dealing is the Real Reason Seplat Sack Austin Avuru
The last appears not to have been heard about the removal of Mr. Austin Avuru as a Non-Executive Director of Seplat Energy Plc. by the Board of the company, as emerging facts show that the businessman had in March 2020 acquired interest in another oil firm, Chappal Petroleum Development Company LTD, as a founding shareholder and Director even while holding sway as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Seplat, but failed to declare same.
Avuru equally accepted an appointment as Chairman of Chappal Petroleum Development while still holding the position Non-Executive Director of Seplat, which he did not also declare to the Board of the latter.
Both amounted to a conflict of interest in connection with Seplat’s business, especially in its planned acquisition of some Nigerian assets in which ExxonMobil Corporation has interests.
The establishment of the undeclared conflict of interest, which is considered both unethical and inimical to the business interests of Seplat, it was further gathered, led to the resignation of Mr. Xavier Rolet as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Seplat.
It is recalled that Seplat had in a 23rd December 2021 corporate filing to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) announced that its Board had on 22nd December 2021 terminated Avuru’s appointment as Non-Executive Director of the company.
According to Seplat’s Director, Legal and Company Secretary Edith Onwuchekwa, the action was hinged on “breaches of the company’s corporate governance policies and his fiduciary duties”.
“In line with Seplat Energy’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, Platform Petroleum Limited has been asked to nominate a candidate for his replacement on the board, and a further announcement will be made in due course,” the statement read.
However, in a swift reaction, Avuru, through his lawyers rejected the sack, saying it not only breached due process, but also an attempt to tarnish his reputation.
In a statement by Osaro Eghobamien and Folabi Kuti, Perchstone & Graeys, the law firm representing the embattled oil entrepreneur, said the action was aimed at “damaging his hard-earned reputation” relaying on “fictitious allegations”.
Although the law firm’s statement instructively admitted that Avuru had taken a dignified position on the issues leading ‘ill-advised action’ by him, it did not give details of the said “ill-advised action’.
It described Seplat’s action as a “dramatic summersault”, given its alleged January 9, 2021 letter “urging our client to act with confidentiality”, which the law firm said was customary to its client’s “impeccable character”.
It is recalled that Austin Avuru, who is a co-founder of Seplat, had retired CEO of the company on July 31, 2020, but remained on the Board of the Company as a “Non-Executive Director (as appointed in October 2020) until December 22, 2021 when the appointment was terminated by Seplat’s Board over what it described as “breaches of the company’s corporate governance policies and his fiduciary duties”.
The meat of the matter
By the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, directors owe fiduciary obligations to their company. They are duty bound, among others, to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members, avoid conflict of interest, declare interest in any proposed transaction, and, in fact, exercise their powers and discharge their duties honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of the company. They are equally expected to exercise that degree of care, diligence and skill, which a reasonably prudent director would exercise in comparable circumstances.
Specifically, Section 305 of CAMA 2020 provides: “A director of a company stands in a fiduciary relationship towards the company and shall observe utmost good faith towards the company in any transaction with it or on its behalf.
“A director shall act at all times in what he believes to be the best interests of the company as a whole so as to preserve its assets, further its business, and promote the purposes for which it was formed, and in such manner as a faithful, diligent, careful and ordinarily skilful director would act in the circumstances”.
Section 306 provides: “The personal interest of a director shall not conflict with any of his duties as a director under this Act.
“A director shall not—(a) in the course of management of affairs of the company, or (b) in the utilisation of the company’s property, make any secret profit or achieve other unnecessary benefits”.
Also, Section 308 provides: “Every director of a company shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties of his office honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of the company, and shall exercise that degree of care, diligence and skill which a reasonably prudent director would exercise in comparable circumstances.
“Failure to take reasonable care in accordance with the provisions of this section is a ground for an action for negligence and breach of duty”.
Likewise, the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) 2018, makes it mandatory for a Managing Director (MD)/CEO to declare any conflict of interest.
“The MD/CEO should declare any conflict of interest on appointment and annually thereafter. In the event that he becomes aware of any potential conflict of interest at any other point, he should disclose this to the Board at the first possible opportunity. Actions following disclosure should be subject to the Company’s Conflict of Interest Policy”, it states clearly.
However, a search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) shows that Chappal Petroleum Development Company Ltd., which was incorporated in 2020 with a registered office at No. 12, Oluwole Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, and with N10 million authorised share capital divided into 10 million shares of N1 each, has Austin Avuru as a founding Director.
Section C of the incorporation document (Particulars of First Directors and their Consent Act) names Avuru Ojunekwu Augustine, male, born on August 17 1958 and with international passport number B50004012 as number one on the list. The other founding Director is Imevbore Victor Ohozie.
Also, the form containing names and addresses of subscribers dated February 21, 2020 has Avuru, Imevbore, and SLG Chemicals Ltd as the shares subscribers.
One of the major worries, however, is that Avuru was still the CEO of Seplat at the time and both Chappal and Seplat operate in the same industry. The other, according to available documents, is that he was appointed the Chairman of Chappal, while still a Non-Executive Director of Seplat. Even more worrisome, is that both companies were competing for assets in which ExxonMobil has interest. Chappal’s bid for the said asset has been well reported in the media.
Following the discovery of the undeclared conflict of interest, Seplat instituted an enquiry where Avuru had on December 1, 2020, reportedly admitted his conflict of interest in Seplat’s business, especially in the proposed acquisition of some Nigerian assets in which ExxonMobil Corporation has interests. He equally allegedly confessed on the same day to his appointment as Chairman of Chappal as well as to Chappal’s invitation by ExxonMobil Corporation for discussions and likely access to their database in respect of the said assets it intended to dispose.
The Board was therefore said to have been very peeved by the fact that Avuru had already acquired interest in Chappal as a Director and founding shareholder in March 2020, which was nine clear months as at the December 2020 enquiry and while he was also the CEO of Seplat. He was also serving as Chairman of Chappal while serving as Non-Executive Director of Seplat
Seplat Board was particularly miffed by the fact that he failed to declare his conflict of interest to the company while he sat Seplat’s highly strategic meetings, including meetings where the bid for the ExxonMobil Corporation assets, which Chappal was also biding for, were discussed.
This is therefore seen as flagrant corporate espionage and breach of trust, Seplat conflict of interest policy, Nigeria Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Code, and provisions of CAMA 2020. This is so because whereas Avuru knew that Seplat where he was a Non-Executive Director at the time was equally interested in the assets, he participated in Seplat Board’s discussions relating to Seplat’s bid for the assets in spite of his clear conflict of interest, which he did not declare.
Besides, as a company that enjoys a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange’s Main Market, Seplat is obliged to voluntarily conform with the United Kingdom’s Code of Corporate Governance (“UK Code”) to which it had committed ab initio.
Just as the NCCG, by the provisions of the UK Code, it is expected of directors of Board to maintain highest ethos and integrity and comply with the company law of in their operations.
Meanwhile, the development took a major tool last year as Mr. Rolet, an Independent Non-Executive Director of Seplat, stepped down, citing personal reasons without giving details.
In a notice signed by the Seplat’s Director, Legal and Company Secretary, Mrs Onwuchekwa, and filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the company said: “The Board of Seplat Energy Plc today announces that Mr. Xavier Rolet, KBE, an Independent Non-Executive Director (“INED”), has decided to step down from the Board of Seplat Energy effective 11th November 2021 for personal reasons.’’
However, sources say Rolet’s resignation was not unconnected with what individual members of the Board see as a major betrayal of trust. The ExxonMobil Corporation asset is a major one that could further raise the profile of the company if successfully bided for, but have been seriously jeopardised.
Shell and ExxonMobil Corporation lead the International Oil Companies (IOCs) seeking to divest from their onshore and shallow water assets in Nigeria. The American oil giant, which boasts of over 100 oil platforms in Nigeria is also seeking to divest from upstream assets not only in Nigeria, but equally in the US Gulf of Mexico, the UK North Sea, Vietnam, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, Romania, and Azerbaijan to raise USD25 billion by 2025 from such divestments.
Whereas Seplat had last December confirmed through Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Emeka Onwuka, the company’s bid for ExxonMobil assets in conjunction with a partner, media reports are rife that ex-Seplat Non-Executive Director, Avuru had launched a rival bid for the ExxonMobil licenses.
The Federal Government has reportedly deactivated the biometric identification of the publisher of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore.
While the reason for the deactivation is yet to be made open, Naija News understands that Sowore’s documents allegedly deactivated include his national identity card, permanent voter card, international passport and driver license.
The development was disclosed in a publication by Sahara Reporters on Wednesday, January 12.
Naija News understands that the deactivation means the former presidential candidate would hence not be able to use any of the national documents to carry out any transaction within and outside the country as the cards cannot be read biometrically.
It was gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had recently attempted to freeze Sowore’s bank account domiciled with Guaranty Trust Bank.
It could also be recalled that the Department of State Services, DSS had in 2019 frozen the activist’s account, alleged Sowore had received huge funds from the United Arab Emirates to overthrow the Buhari regime.
The allegation was later dropped when the DSS realised Sowore had never been to the United Arab Emirate, Naija News understands.
In December 2021, the court vindicated Sowore against the DSS after the agency seized his mobile phones and was awarded monetary damages of an N2million.
The DSS had sometimes accused the activist of planning to overthrow Buhari’s government by calling for a revolution.
The government had since secured a court order that confined Sowore to Abuja, Naija News reports.
Alao-Akala, a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, is dead. Details of his death are sketchy but sources close to the politician confirmed it…
The politician, who had been battling terminal ailment for a while, died in his Ogbomoso country home, on Wednesday morning, according to sources.
A top source in the All Progressives Congress (APC) who confirmed his death to Daily Trust on Wednesday morning, said he died in his room.
“It is true that Oga is dead. He died in the early hours of Wednesday in his room in Ogbomoso. He was full of life last night. In fact, I head he was playing with his children before he went to bed. We are in a mourning mood now,” he said.
Akala was the governor of the state between 2007 and 2011.
Born on June 3, 1950, at Ogbomoso in the Ogbomoso North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Alao-Akala had his elementary school at Osupa Baptist Day School, Ogbomoso before proceeding to Kamina Barracks Middle School, 5th Battalion of Infantry in Tamale, Ghana.
This is the third known death of a prominent Ogbomosho native in a month.
On December 12, 2021, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, passed on.
On January 8, 2022, Prof Taibat Danmole, his daughter who was a lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), also died.
The deceased, who was a professor of education was married to another university don, Prof. Hakeem Danmole, who is the Dean College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Dubai-based internet celebrity, Ismailia Mustapha, aka Mompha and his firm, Ismalob Global Investment Limited for alleged money laundering to the tune of over N6billion.
The agency arraigned Mompha and Ismalob before Justice Mojisola Dada of an Ikeja Special Offences Court on eight counts bordering on the offences.
The defendants were accused of conspiracy to launder funds obtained through unlawful activity, retention of such funds, transfer of funds for a suspect Olayinka Jimoh a.k.a Nappy Boy, and unlawful transfer of funds for a record label, among others.
The sums named in the charge seen by The Nation are N5,998,884.653.18, N32million, N120million and N15,960,000, totalling over N6billion.
The EFCC also alleged that Mompha concealed his interest in expensive wristwatches and other movable assets valued at over N70million.
Mompha pleaded “Not guilty” to the eight counts while Islamob Limited (represented by Mompha) was named in and pleaded “not guilty” to the first six counts.
Mompha is also standing trial at the Federal High Court in Lagos alongside Ismalob Global Investment Limited on an amended 22-count charge bordering on cyberfraud and money laundering to the tune of N32.9bn brought against him by the EFCC.
Operatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on Monday stormed the head office of Peoples Gazette in Abuja, demanding to see the online newspaper’s managing editor, a reporter and bearing a letter that threatened “other options” should the journalists fail to cooperate with stipulation for the source of a confidential memo that was published in December.
The Gazette had obtained — and published in a series of three articles — a memo that spy chiefs at the foreign intelligence office had written to President Muhammadu Buhari, warning him against retaining Rufai Abubakar as the director-general on the grounds that he lacked intellectual and physiological rigour for the position.
On Monday, nearly three weeks after the articles, four officers arrived in a white Toyota Hilux truck shortly after 1:00 p.m., intimidated security personnel at the gate and forced their way into our offices on the second floor.
The agents from the nation’s external security service then demanded to see The Gazette’s Managing Editor Samuel Ogundipe and reporter Hillary Essien. One of the officers, who adorned a cream kaftan with a matching cap, gave a letter to The Gazette’s front desk staff. Pages of the letter were subsequently scanned and transmitted to The Gazette’s lawyers in Lagos.
The officers left after they realised that Mr Ogundipe and Ms Essien were not at the office, but indicated in their letter that they will make additional efforts to realise the agency’s mission.
The three-page letter described the content of the memo written to the president by the directors as being “full of falsehood,” adding that “it is even worse that Peoples Gazette did not deem it necessary to validate the allegations in such a letter with the other party before running to press.”
The NIA, in the letter signed for the DG by Amstrong Machunga, asked The Gazette to reveal the identities of the officers responsible for the memo and its disclosure.
“It should be on the record that the NIA, as a Secret Service, is sensitive to undue publicity, but not shy of accountability and ready to engage on any issue of concern with responsible media outlets. The malicious publication under reference falls in the category of undue publicity and is most unwelcome.
“Peoples Gazette, therefore, has to come clean not the falsehood it published and prove that it is not working for people with ulterior negative motives against the NIA, by forwarding to us a copy of the letter from which the publication emanated and identify signatories to the purported letter.
“This could set the stage for engagement and resolution of the damage that has been caused to the image of the Director General of the NIA and the organisation. Failure to take advantage of this opportunity may lead to activation of other options to seek redress,” the letter, dated December 23, 2021, but delivered today, said.
The Gazette made efforts to obtain comments from the NIA prior to running the articles but received no response. However, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu acknowledged the letter and said the president had addressed the concerns raised by the directors.
The Gazette stands by its story and urged Mr Abubakar and the NIA management to focus on addressing the protests of the officers who wrote the letters rather than deploying resources towards unearthing their identities.
“The NIA directors recognised the risks involved when they pushed that confidential memo to the president,” Mr Ogundipe said. “Our newspaper will not take part in breaking that confidentiality.”
“Mr Abubakar should clear the air on whether or not he failed promotional exams on three different occasions, as well as the allegations of corruption and nepotism we saw in the memo,” the Managing Editor added.
Chidi Odinkalu, a constitutional law expert and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, said the NIA had breached the Nigerian Constitution by sending its agents to The Gazette’s office in the manner it did.
“The NIA acted unlawfully,” Mr Odinkalu said by telephone on Monday afternoon. “If they have anything, they should collaborate with the State Security Service or the Nigeria Police Force who have the responsibility of internal security operations and law enforcement, respectively.”
Mr Odinkalu said the NIA’s move against The Gazette underscored the growing threats to journalism practice under the Buhari regime. It came a year after the regime blocked The Gazette’s website in Nigeria after a report exposed the dwindling capacity incompetence of the president’s chief of staff Ibrahim Gambari.
The All Progressive Congress, APC, Abia State chapter, has accused some party leaders of working for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government in the state.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in Abia State, Chief Okey Ezeala, revealed this in Umuahia, while reacting to attacks on the personality of the state leader of the party, Chief Ikechi Emenike.
Ezeala said Emenike was being attacked because the APC was able to dislodge the PDP from it’s strongholds during the 2021 APC Ward, LGA and state congresses.
According to the party’s publicity secretary: “The truth is that some former officers and even elders of the APC in Abia State were working for the PDP government in the state as if the APC in Abia State is a parastatal of the Abia State Government.
He said,”Many APC elders and former officers are still neck deep in working for the PDP government in the state as could be seen in various ceremonies.
“And the Abia State Government honoured some APC members holding federal government positions.
“All these scenarios are glaring. The APC both at national and Abia State levels organised the party Congresses last year and elected officers at the Wards, LGAs and State levels, who are known non-members and non-supporters of the PDP Government of Abia State.
“These ruffling of feathers engendering anonymous write ups against Chief Ikechi Emenike are direct consequences of dislodging PDP stranglehold of APC in Abia State during 2021 Congresses.
“It was the vast majority of APC delegates who rejected these notorious politicians and their proxies in the last 2021 State Congresses, not the State Leader, Chief Ikechi Emenike, who voted like everyone else.
“There is freedom of association, whereby persons can join any political party of their choice.
“But to do so through maligning a leader of Chief Ikechi Emenike’s standing is, to say the least, irresponsible.”
Rave singer, Portable and his former promoter, Kogbagidi, have taken to social media to throw subtle shade at each other after a public fallout.
Kogbagidi took to his Instagram page to share a post that most followers believed was directed at Portable.
He wrote: “ Don’t wrestle with a pig in the mud, you will both get dirty but the pig likes it. If you are born in the mud you are gonna be dirty and people don’t understand that. Not only do we live among stars, not only do we make stars, stars live within us.”
Two hours after Kogbagidi’s post, Portable shared a subtle response: “Thank God say man no be God. Level don change, portable Omolalomi I’m a big man.”
The Zazu singer was seen at rapper Phyno’s house recently with other stars including Timaya, Peruzzi, Jude ‘Engees’ Okoye, Danku and a host of others.
Last week, a viral video hit the internet with Portable seen in a heated argument with his former boss.
In the video, Portable was seen verbally attacking Kogbagidi as he accused him of ripping him off.
He also alleged that Kogbagidi made a lot of money off him but never gave him his deserved share.
The two have since reportedly parted ways and unfollowed each other on social media.
