The Nigeria Police Force has extradited Abdulrashid Abdullahi Maina, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), today, 3rd December, 2020, to Nigeria from Niamey, Niger Republic, where he was arrested having been declared wanted by a court of competent jurisdiction over a pending criminal trial against him.
Recall that Abdulrashid Maina was arrested on 30th November, 2020 through the collaborative efforts of the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, INTERPOL NCB, Abuja and their Nigerien counterpart. The team from INTERPOL Nigeria, led by the Commissioner of Police INTERPOL, CP Garba Umar, having completed the necessary documentation requirements and other extradition processes, flew the wanted former Pension Boss, Maina into Nigeria aboard an NPF Jet 5N-HAR and landed at exactly 1417Hrs (Nigerian Time).
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni while applauding the trans-national/inter-agency collaborations that led to the successful arrest and extradition of the wanted fugitive, assures that necessary legal actions will follow immediately.
It was joy galore as Prophet Joshua Iginla, who is arguably a line crosser and a barrier breaker in the ministry, celebrated the 14th anniversary of Champions Royal Assembly amidst pomp and pageantry as dignitaries stormed Abuja for the ceremony which held between Monday, 23rd of November to Sunday, 29th Of November 2020.
Popular gospel musicians such as Eden and others added colour to the glorious event on Sunday, November 30th,2020 inside the ministry’s 80,000 capacity auditorium at Kubwa, Abuja. Tagged “Unstoppable Enlargement”, the gifted Prophet, quoting from Isaiah 60 vs 22 revealed that the ministry has entered a tremendous season of enlargement, a session whereby no matter the attack of the enemies, their enlargement and advancement is unstoppable.
Interestingly, there was a great move of God’s presence with abounding testimonies of deliverances, healing, fruit of the womb session and torrents of prophetic ministrations.
Several activities were set out to mark the 14th anniversary that include free medical check up by United States medical practitioners, sporting activities, ministers conference, spiritual activities that withnessed miracles and wonders, to mention a few.
The wife of the Prophet, Prophetess Stella Joshua Iginla also ministered to the women powerfully during the International women conference where lives were transformed.
Also, the likes of Gospel musicians Eben, performed at the anniversary by leading the congregation to spiritual worship in songs. The presence of God was felt mightily during their ministrations.
For every attendee of the anniversary ceremony, one thing that could be deduced from them is that spirit of God was mightily felts throughout the week of the anniversary as the sick were healed, the lame walked, the blind could see, the broken-hearted, it was indeed a time of massive testimonies.
Champions Royal Assembly started many years ago during the early days of the ministry of Prophet Joshua Iginla. The ministry has no doubt stood the test of time judging by the tough days that was faced by the ministry when it started.
No doubt, God’s hands is on the ministry looking at the progress that has been made in 14 years. The ministry which started under a canopy now boasts of an edifice that can comfortably contain 100,000 congregation at once.
Also, the ministry’s tentacles have spread across board as a replica of the 100,000 seater auditorium, commonly referred to as ‘City Of Wonders’ is currently being erected in South Africa.
Apart from that, the ministry also has a Television, Champions TV that boasts of millions of viewers across the world. Prophet Joshua Iginla is renowned for the philanthropic activities he has done over the years
The General Overseer of Champions Royal Assembly, Prophet Joshua Iginla showered Encomium on his wife during the 14th anniversary celebration of his ministry in his Abuja church. He also revealed the heroic role she played in his life.
Prophet Joshua Iginla poured out eulogies on his wife, Prophetess Stella Joshua Iginla while he was about calling her to the altar, where she spoke to thousands of congregation.
The popular prophet explained that He once had suicidal thoughts but His wife was the one who saved him from committing suicide during his trying times.
He made it known that several people have misconceptions about her but she is a gift people don’t see, and the secret of his well-being.
“Before I bring the woman of God to the altar, I want to say this to her. Prophetess Stella Joshua Iginla, some may have misconceptions about you, some may be hypocritically celebrating you, some may be genuinely celebrating you.
” You were there when I felt like committing suicide, you were a gift that others didn’t see. Others may have misconceptions about you, you were the hero to my health. Each time I look at you, you remember me that I would have been 6 feet down”, he said before calling her to take the day’s sermon.
Prophetess Stella also live up to the inspiring words the man of God had showered on her when she mount the pulpit charged the women to discover their identity in God and to fulfill their purpose
In a reaction to the recent announcement by the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) that beneficiaries of remittances can now receive their transfers in Dollars or opt to have funds paid directly into their domiciliary accounts, Ecobank Nigeria has assured its customers that it will put the necessary processes in place to make this happen seamlessly.
Patrick Akinwuntan, Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, in a chat with the Media in Lagos said Ecobank is taking steps to see the immediate implementation of this policy. He encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora and their loved ones here in Nigeria to take advantage of the policy by opening the Ecobank domiciliary account or reactivating their inactive domiciliary account with the bank.
“We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that our customers instantly receive their transfers as cash (USD) or transfers into their domiciliary accounts. Our customers have the flexibility to choose the mode of receipt that suits them. It is strictly on their terms.” he said.
He went on to say “Our proprietary money transfer platform, Rapidtransfer, available on the App Store and Play Store, makes it possible for Nigerians abroad to remit home instantly at very affordable charges. We have also just launched a new version, Rapidtransfer International, specifically for Nigerians living in Europe. The functionality of both apps is being enhanced to meet this new requirement.”
Ecobank also stated that it is collaborating with other remittance partners (Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Small World etc.) on this new development in a bid to deliver maximum value to its customers.
In the same vein, Olukorede Demola-Adeniyi,Head, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, said the Nigerian diaspora community makes significant contribution to the economy and Ecobank is committed to supporting them by providing advisory services, remittance solutions, investment options and financial planning.
To lend credence to this, Ecobank recently held a Diaspora Summit with major stakeholders in commemoration of Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary.
The Second Edition of the Nigerian Army Spiritual Warfare Seminar is scheduled to hold on Thursday 3 December 2020 by 8:00am, at Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Asokoro, in Abuja.
The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Yusufu Buratai is expected to be the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Army spiritual warfare seminar is a programme organized by the Chaplain and Islamic Directorates of the Nigerian Army in the year 2019.
The programme is expected to sensitize and mobilize religious/spiritual leaders to enlighten and educate their followers on the true and correct tenets of islamic and Christian religions so as not to be easily brainwashed by the devilish and wicked teachings of Boko haram’s ideology. The seminar is also intended to stimulate renewed vigour to finding ways of curtailing and tackling Boko haram’s extremism and recruitment drive using counter narratives, knowing fully well that terrorism is about battle of inner consciousness/the struggle for winning the hearts and minds of the people.
Ecobank Nigeria has emerged the winner of “Agric Lender of the Year” award at the prestigious Business Day’s Bank and other Financial Institutions Awards (BAFI). The bank was winner among other strong contenders to clinch the coveted award over the weekend. According to Publisher of Business Day Newspapers, organisers of the event, Frank Aigbogun, Ecobank emerged winner from more than six strong nominees that were vetted, from which three were selected for the judges’ final choice. He stated that Business Day analysts spent over four weeks assessing the performance of Ecobank and its peers to arrive at its decision. He lauded Ecobank’s support for financing rural farmers for food sufficiency, providing employment, creating awareness to showcase the potentials in the sector and partnering government agencies, local and international development partners to develop the agric sector.
Receiving the award, Segment Head, Public Sector/AgriBusiness, Mojisola Oguntoyinbo said the award was well deserved, stating that Ecobank has been at the forefront of financing the entire value chain of agriculture thereby supporting the emergence of new entrepreneurs in the sector. According to her, “As a bank, we are glad that our efforts at developing the agriculture sector of our country are being recognised. This is an encouragement that we should step up our support for the national economy.”
According to her, “Earlier in the year, we announced Agriculture Businesses Finance Scheme which will see us commence the disbursement of agriculture loans to practitioners in different value chains in the sector within the next two years. We have Agric Schemes to support over 70,000 farmers with special loans to increase their capacity and yields in support of the CBN 2020 wet season programme with the Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (MAGPAMAN). We are also in partnership with the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and other developmental partners to double the amount of credit provided to the agricultural sector over the next two or three years.”
Ecobank has been actively leveraging entrepreneurship as a strategy to tackle poverty and growing unemployment in Nigeria through the creation of relevant platforms. One of such platforms is the Ecobank Xpress Point, the bank’s Agency Banking proposition which enables Agents carry out financial transactions on behalf of Ecobank and earn commission on transactions processed. Ecobank popularly referred to as the digital bank is also using its various platforms including PoS, Omnilite, Omni, ATM, Mobile banking, Ecobank Mobile app, EcobankPay and Ecobank Online, among others to facilitate ease of transactions for customers.
The BAFI Awards is adjudged the most rigorous, prestigious and transparent awards programme in the Nigerian financial industry. Since its inception, Business Day has implemented an audit based approach in the evaluation process, meticulously reviewing shortlisted company’s financial reports, commissioned customer perception surveys, and analysts’ opinions to determine winners in the different award categories.
The leadership of the Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, an association made up of the finest hands in Nigeria’s security reportage, has confirmed December 11, 2020 for its dinner.
The dinner with a topic 2021 NIGERIA SECURITY: ISSUES,FUNDING AND PROSPECTS, is organized for the discuss of security issues in Nigeria.
In a statement in Lagos, the President of the association, Mr. Oyewale Femi stated that the ANNUAL DINNER- DISCOURSE PROGRAMME is the association’s annual evening of get-together to review security issues and re enact media strategies in playing crucial role of professionally bridging the gap of information between security agents and the public.
The statement added that the events holds on Friday, December 11, 2020 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, at 5pm prompt.
“It is going to be an evening of security review and strategies ahead of safer Nigeria from 2021,” he said.
Oyewale added that “the annual security dinner event is a fulfillment of NAOSRE’s commitment to promoting effective communication between citizens and security agents for a secured Nigeria,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee Chairman on AirForce, Senator Ibn N’Allah, former House of Representatives member and business mogul, Honourable Prince Ned Nwoko, Security agencies in the country, as well as other notable Nigerians are expected to grace the event.
… Wins Best Bank of the Year, International Bank of the Year
l-r: Head of Media and Media Relations, UBA Plc, Ramon Nasir; Deputy Managing Director, United Bank for Africa, Liadi Ayoku, President, Nigerian Institute of Taxation, Dame Gladys Olajumoke Simplice; and Managing Director, BusinessDay Newspapers. Mr Ogho Okiti at the BusinessDay Bank and other Financial Institutions Award (BAFI) where UBA won Bank of the Year and International Bank of the Year Awards, held in Lagos at the weekend.
Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, carted two highly coveted laurels at the BusinessDay’s Bank and other Financial Institutions Awards (BAFI) winning the Bank of the Year and the International Bank of the Year at the glamorous event held over the weekend.
The bank beat other strong contenders – Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank and First Bank – to clinch the two top categories in a well-attended ceremony comprising of Bank CEO’s, Captains of Industries and Senior financial executives.
UBA won the ‘Bank of the Year’ in recognition of UBA’s consistent effort in outperforming its peers using a composite of financial metrics, strategic foresight, execution discipline, world-class governance and global vision.
The Bank also won the award for ‘International Bank of the Year’, a keenly contested category, that pitches Nigerian financial institutions that have expanded on the continent against their international peers operating across Africa.
UBA’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Liadi Ayoku, who received the awards on behalf of the bank, expressed his delight on the recognition from BusinessDay.
He said, “These awards mark another milestone for UBA Group and is a testament of the diligent execution of the bank’s strategic initiatives on customer service. Being recognized as Nigeria’s best bank complements positive feedback from customers and is a recognition of our improving efficiencies, service quality and innovation. I therefore dedicate it to our growing loyal corporate and retail customers, who are our essence. Given our heritage commitment to Africa’s development, we continue to impact lives through our service as well as funding to individuals, businesses and government,” he noted.
Ayoku pointed out that the bank remains focused on its goal of democratizing banking in Africa, leveraging on new technologies and emphasised its determination to change the narrative of financial services in Africa.
Publisher of BusinessDay Newspapers, organisers of the event, Frank Aigbogun, noted that UBA has excelled in the key areas of prioritising customers, which according earned the bank the double honours.
While explaining the rationale behind UBA winning the two prestigious categories in its December issue, Aigbogun noted that the bank stood out in prioritising customers as has been evident in the significant rise in Customer Deposits which leaped by 35.7 % to N5.2trillion up from N3.8 trillion at the end of the last financial year.
He noted that even though Africa’s economic landscape has been unpredictable in recent times which resulted in recession in Nigeria and some of Africa’s best performing economies, the bank still found its rhythm and excelled.
Deputy Managing Director, Ayo Liadi with the Bank of the Year Award won by UBA at the BusinessDay Bank and other Financial Institutions Award (BAFI), held in Lagos at the weekend.
He said, “In these conditions only the most diversified and innovative of regional banks can prosper. And this is precisely why UBA has scooped the BAFI 2020, Best Bank of the year and International Bank of the year, a testament to hard work, resilience. For one, the lender registered impressive top- and bottom-line growth over the review period.”
United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-one million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries. With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services.
Following the ugly murder of about 43 farmers in Zabarmari, Borno yesterday, A frontline Civil Rights Advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has outrighty condemned the act, while blaming the government for not funding the Nigerian army enough to battle insecurity in Nigeria.
The organization made it known that the Nigerian Army is burdened with policing duties, which isn’t supposed to be so, hence, hindering the army from carrying out its primary responsibility of protecting citizens against the enemies of the state.
“HURIWA is shocked at the bloodcuddling bloodletting that took place in the past 24 hours in the North East of Nigeria and especially the day light genocide of rural fish farmers by persons suspected to be fighter of the Boko haram terrorists. It is a sad day to wake up with the heartrending story of the gruesome decapitation of some Nigerians only because they went in search of foods for their families. The story that some 40 people reported ‘slaughtered’ in attack on labourers working in rice fields in Borno state in the country’s northeast, is a monumental disaster which calls for a declaration of national mourning for a day by President Muhammadu Buhari.
To read that the assailants on Saturday tied up the agricultural workers and slit their throats in the village of Koshobe, near Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, is the most saddening piece of news since this year.
We in the organised civil society community in Nigeria completely locates the blame on the doorsteps of President Muhammadu Buhari who is actually not providing the needed political leadership to win the war on terror which has lasted far longer than necessary. The government is not funding the military as much as it should.
The government is not ready even to officially declare Boko haram terrorists as a terror network so their finances are traced but the Central bank of Nigeria is misused to witchunt peaceful protesters and the banking accounts of suspected sponsors of the recent peaceful protests against police brutality and the violent killings of Nigerian Citizens were frozen by CBN but the Central bank of Nigeria under the current administration has increasingly failed to trace the funding channels of Boko haram terrorists and again the justice sector is not willing to prosecute the terrorists because the officials plan to milk Nigeria dry by presenting outrageous bills as budget for the prosecution of terrorists just about the same time that government continuously releases these terrorists arrested back into the society under the pretensions that they are to be deradicalised and reintegrated. The government by releasing terrorists is providing recruitment fertile ground for Boko haram terrorists.
The government also fails to fund the war efforts”.
The Rights group stated that Nigerians should not condemn the military for not doing enough because they are handicapped, while calling on the international community to come to the rescue of Nigeria by providing logistical and technical support for the military.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, psc, having observed and evaluated futuristic trend of the dastardly acts evident in the killing, burning and vandalisation of Police men and facilities respectively during the EndSARS protests, called a meeting with the leaders of various Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders Association in the state on Wednesday November 25, 2020.
The meeting which was a symposium to entreat leaders of the aforementioned associations to preach the existence of institutions responsible for ensuring justice and to discourage them from taking laws into their hands, civic obligations such as supporting the Police when the need arises with tangible information towards the preservation of law and order, prevention of crime and apprehension of offenders were topics worthy of note from this meeting.
One would have concluded the meeting was sufficient enough a drastic measure towards ensuring the breakdown of law and order is being brought to the barest minimal or at least is in no way connected to the aforementioned association, but the reverse is the case.
Investigation and intelligence gathering reveals that Idi Ogungun the first and the oldest colonial Police station in Western Region of Nigeria, built in 1926, that stood as a monumental site and Agodi police posts were burnt and vandalized respectively on Tuesday November 24, 2020 as a result of the rift between men of the Correctional Service and bike men stationed at bus-stop gate area, was the result of the collective efforts of both bike men and men from the gate spare part market despite all effort to put them to order by the Police men on ground who came only for the preservation of law and order and were in no way connected to the feud on that faithful day.
Consequent upon this.
The Commissioner of Police observed the turnout of event with grave dismay and disappointment and has decided to issue strong warnings to bike men, tricylists, traders and artisans alike at the gate market and across the length and breadth of the state.
Whoever is found or linked with the commission or omission, direct or indirect resemblance to the dastardly act of brigandage and carnage to Police men, facilities and properties of Police men will maximally face the full wrath of the law.
The CP wishes to assure the law abiding people of Oyo state that effort to bring normalcy to the security of the state is at top speed and there is no course for alarm, he urges the good people of Oyo state to collaborate and give credible information that can lead to apprehension of criminal elements before crime is committed.
He also assures that maximum security measures has been emplaced in all nooks and crannies within and outside Ibadan metropolis to ensure hitch free celebration during this Yuletide period and beyond.
SP. Fadeyi Olugbenga
Police Public Relations Officer
For: Commissioner of Police
Oyo State Command.
