Use SSH or cPanel File Manager.
First, get the database name from wp-config.php.
Then run:
Compress it:
From WHM server:
Ensure it’s already using:
And optimized settings already provided earlier.
Let’s assume you are importing a SQL backup file for a website called exampleblog.com.ng.
📂 This moves you into the folder where your .sql.gz file is stored.
🗜 This command unzips exampleblog_dbbackup.sql.gz into a usable SQL file: exampleblog_dbbackup.sql.
🔁 This imports the uncompressed SQL file into the MySQL database named exampleblog_db.
🔐 Note: You’ll be prompted to enter the MySQL root password before the import begins.
| Variable | Example Used | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | exampleblog.com.ng | The website’s domain name |
| SQL Backup File | exampleblog_dbbackup.sql.gz | Compressed database file |
| MySQL Database Name | exampleblog_db | The database into which you’re importing |
| MySQL Username | root | Administrative MySQL user |
How to change your admin password from the Cpanel.
1. Log in to Cpanel.
2. Go to phpMyAdmin.
3. Select the database where you want to change the admin password.
4. Scroll down and click on Users.
5. On the user that you want to change the password for, click on Edit.
6. Locate user_pass, Click on the dropdown, select MD5 in the dropdown, and then clean up everything on the text bar, e.g., “$P$BF2sxKjearKculw2vHvQ5jfB07rUM//” and type your news password to replace the text that you arrased.
7. Scroll down and click “Go” on the right-hand side.
A LAMP (Linux, Apache, MariaDB, PHP) stack is commonly used to prepare servers for hosting web content. This detailed guide will come in handy if you are planning to manage the server without a cPanel (control panel) installed. We will show how to install LAMP on the server with Ubuntu 16.04 or 18.04.
All aforementioned versions of Ubuntu represent current Long-Term Releases (LTS) and use the same package manager apt (Advanced Package Manager).
In this guide, we will set up recent versions of Apache, MariaDB, and PHP on a server with the hostname server1.ncsupport.info. Additionally, we will set up a basic
configuration of LAMP to host a WordPress content management system and install its latest version at http://domain.tld.
Prerequisites
We recommend updating the operating system (OS) prior to proceeding with further steps.apt update
apt upgrade
If you see “0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded” after running “apt upgrade”, you are using the most up-to-date software.
It may be required to review and confirm/deny certain changes during the process. To answer “Yes” automatically, you can use the option “-y” with apt. For instance, “apt -y upgrade” instead of “apt upgrade.” This will be valid for any apt-based commands that follow.
Another optional step is to reboot the server and check its current configuration.reboot
uname -r
lsb_release -a
apache2 -v
mysql -V
php -v
Above is a simple confirmation that our test environment does not have any Apache, MariaDB, and PHP modules installed yet.
Step 1. Apache
Installation
The process is as simple as running a single command below:apt install apache2
apache2 -v
Initial basic configuration
This time we need to edit the Apache configuration file. We will use the text editor “nano” but you can use one of your choice.
The Apache main virtual host configuration file is /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf. Therefore, we can open it using the following command:nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
Use keyboard arrows to scroll down the file. You will need to change to lines: ServerAdmin and ServerName. ServerAdmin can be any email address you wish to send server notifications to. ServerName should be the hostname you set with HTTP port 80. Make sure that there is no comment (# sign) at the beginning of either ServerAdmin or ServerName lines.
In case a domain name is pointed to the server, you can check the Apache start page. Feel free to use your own domain name. Alternatively, you should be able to see the start page of the Apache server when entering the IP address of the server in your web browser.
If you do not remember the IP address assigned to the server, this command will come in handy:ip addr show eth0 | grep inet | awk ‘{ print $2; }’ | sed ‘s/\/.*$//’
Configuring the firewall daemon
Ubuntu comes bundled with a default firewall named Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW). It allows for the operating with so-called profiles that should ease the overall management of firewall rules. You can review the list of existing application profiles, check the status of the firewall, white-list certain profiles, and enable the firewall using the following commands:ufw app list
ufw status
ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw enable
NOTE: If you enable the firewall without white-listing the OpenSSH application with “ufw allow OpenSSH” first, it will not be possible to reconnect to the server via SSH. Therefore, it will be required to log in using VNC credentials: SolusVM VNC in case of VPS, or IPMI in the case of Dedicated Servers.
As a part of our initial Apache setup, let’s make sure that any incoming external requests through ports 80 and 443 do not get blocked. By the way, you can check the profile’s description using the “ufw app info” command.
ufw app info “Apache Full”
ufw allow in “Apache Full”
Step 2. MariaDB
By default, Ubuntu can be set up with the MySQL server. MariaDB is a fully-functional and open-source counterpart drop-in replacement for MySQL – with more features and better performance. That is why we proceed with the installation of MariaDB within the main sequence of steps and leave the MySQL part as a bonus.
Installation
You can install MariaDB without the hassle only using “apt install mariadb-server mariadb-client.” However, you will get the MariaDB version 10.1, which may be considered outdated depending on your setup preferences. We will install MariaDB 10.4 which is currently considered a stable release. The instructions and commands to use are conveniently provided on the official web page of MariaDB:
apt install software-properties-common
apt-key adv –fetch-keys ‘https://mariadb.org/mariadb_release_signing_key.asc’
add-apt-repository ‘deb [arch=amd64,arm64,ppc64el] http://mirror.wtnet.de/mariadb/repo/10.4/ubuntu bionic main’
apt update
We are now ready to install MariaDB 10.4:
apt install mariadb-server
mysql -V
Running initial secure configuration script
The MariaDB server comes with a security script that should be run as a part of the initial configuration. The script will go through the enabling unix_socket, the resetting of MariaDB’s own root password, the removal of anonymous users and the test database as well as the disabling of the remote root login, etc.
The important part here is the unix_socket. In MariaDB 10.4.3 and later, the unix_socket authentication plugin is installed by default. It allows the user to use operating system credentials when connecting to MariaDB via the local Unix socket file. In certain cases, socket authentication may not meet your needs and create additional confusion. With that in mind, you have a chance to disable it when running the initial installation script at the step “Switch to unix_socket authentication [Y/n]”:
Answering “Y” will enable the unix_socket authentication for the database root user
Answering “n” will keep the mysql_native_password option enabled for the database root user instead
Regardless of your decision, it can also be changed later.mysql_secure_installation
In the end, you should see the message: Thanks for using MariaDB!
Logging into MariaDB and creating the basic database
You can launch the MariaDB command line interface using this command:
mysql -u root -p
The prompt will request a password. It must be the one that you just set for your root database access after going through the secure installation script. Afterward, the command line will allow you to manage the MariaDB server. Let’s create a basic database named “foo_db” and grant full access to this database for the MariaDB user “foo_user” with the password “foo_password”:MariaDB> CREATE DATABASE foo_db; GRANT ALL ON foo_db.* TO ‘foo_user’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED BY ‘foo_password’;
You can double-check the list of existing databases with “show databases;” prior to leaving the MySQL/MariaDB server with “quit.”
Step 3. PHP
Installing the recent PHP version
Although it’s possible to install the PHP with “apt install php,” we will get the outdated PHP 7.2 only. This version is not actively supported anymore. Instead, we will focus on the most recent PHP environment version as of these days – 7.4. By the way, developers of WordPress recommend the use of PHP 7.4 or above.
To get the up-to-date versions of PHP, you will need to add the extra repository:apt install software-properties-common
add-apt-repository ppa:ondrej/php
apt update
apt install php
php -v
NOTE: If you have installed “software-properties-common” during the MariaDB installation, there is no need to run this command again.
Adding the most common PHP extensions
PHP 7.4 itself is not enough. For instance, WordPress requires at least 14 essential PHP extensions. In other words, we will need to double-check the presence of these and a couple of other popular PHP extensions with the following command (missing extensions will get installed):
apt install php-cli php-curl php-gd php-json php-ldap php-mbstring php-mysql php-odbc php-soap php-xml php-xmlrpc php-zip
Step 4. Testing LAMP
At this point, LAMP stack is set up and ready to resolve content on the Internet. We can re-run our initial checks from the “Prerequisites” section of this article. Additionally, we will reboot the server to make sure that all changes are applied.reboot
uname -r
lsb_release -a
apache2 -v
mysql -V
php -v
By default, the server is set up to resolve the content of /var/www/html/ when accessed via an IP address or server’s domain name. To test this, let’s create a simple index.html file after renaming existing one:mv /var/www/html/index.html /var/www/html/index.html_bak
nano /var/www/html/index.html
<html>
<head>
<title>My website on Ubuntu</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>A simple index.html file</h1>
<p>Test page for ncsupport.info</p>
</body>
</html>
A combination of Ctrl+O and Ctrl+X will save the file and exit the “nano” text editor. Now, visiting your own website should resolve the content of the index.html file we have just created:
You can also check your PHP environment with a simple PHPinfo() function:echo ‘<?php phpinfo(); ?>’ > /var/www/html/info.p
Everything looks good! Keeping the PHPinfo() function file present on the server is not secure, however. Therefore, let’s prevent exposing sensitive information by removing it:rm /var/www/html/info.php
Step 5. Installation of a WordPress script on a http://domain.tld
Going through steps 1-4 will ensure that any domain name pointed to the server’s IP address will resolve the content of /var/www/html/. In most cases, this is not the ideal setup. Hosting separate content of several domain names, independently, will require a bit of extra tweaking.
Creating website directory
Basically, you need to create a folder to upload specific website files and tell Apache where specific hosted files are located. Let’s try hosting a WordPress website at http://domain.tld/. Replace “domain.tld” in each command listed below with your actual domain name in order to match your own setup.
To start with, let’s create a folder which will store files of your new website. Once done, you need to change ownership permissions to the Apache user (each service has its own user) and set the appropriate www folder permissions to 755.mkdir -p /var/www/domain.tld
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/domain.tld
chmod 755 /var/www/domain.tld
Editing the Apache configuration
You will need to modify virtual hosts and create a virtual host file to make sure that correct content is served for a domain name. Instead of modifying existing default virtual host file /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf, let’s create a new one. Please remember to replace “domain.tld” with the actual domain name of yours:nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/domain.tld.conf
<VirtualHost *:80>
ServerAdmin admin@domain.tld
DocumentRoot /var/www/domain.tld
ServerName domain.tld
ErrorLog /var/www/domain.tld/error_log
CustomLog /var/www/domain.tld/access_log common
</VirtualHost>
Let’s enable the new virtual host file with an in-built tool “a2ensite” and check the syntax of Apache configuration files. If everything is fine, we will need to restart Apache to make sure that all custom changes are applied.a2ensite domain.tld.conf
apache2ctl configtest
systemctl restart apache2
Besides, it’s worth enabling the .htaccess file. To do so, you need to find these lines at the beginning of the Apache main configuration file /etc/apache2/apache2.conf and change “AllowOverride None” to “AllowOverride All” within the section <Directory /> as illustrated below.
Installing the latest version of WordPress script
Currently, our http://domain.tld/ is pointed to the content of the directory /var/www/domain.tld and should resolve files stored in the directory (if any). The next batch of commands will allow you to download and extract WordPress files:cd /var/www/domain.tld
wget http://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz
tar –strip-components=1 -xvf latest.tar.gz
rm -f latest.tar.gz
If everything goes well, refreshing http://domain.tld/ in the web-browser should lead to the default installation sequence of WordPress at http://domain.tld/wp-admin/setup-config.php. Using the details of a previously set up database “foo_db” you can finish the initial configuration and check your fresh WordPress website:
Installing the MySQL database management system (bonus section)
Installation
If you wish to install MySQL on an Ubuntu-based server instead of MariaDB, the following command can be used. In the case of Ubuntu 18.04, MySQL 5.7 will be downloaded and set up automatically.apt install mysql-server
mysql -V
Running the initial secure configuration script
MySQL has its own initial secure configuration script which is initiated with the following command:mysql_secure_installation
The initial prompt will ask whether you would like to turn on the “Validate Password” plugin. If enabled, this plugin will test new passwords to make sure a predefined password strength is achieved. Levels of password validation policy are as follows:
0 = LOW Length >= 8
1 = MEDIUM Length >= 8, numeric, mixed case, and special characters
2 = STRONG Length >= 8, numeric, mixed case, special characters and dictionary file
It is safe to leave validation disabled, but you should always use strong, unique passwords for database credentials. The rest of the prompts can be answered “Y” until you see the message “All done!”.
Changing the authentication method for MySQL root user
Unlike MariaDB, the root user in MySQL is set up with the authentication through the auth_socket by default. This can be double-checked with the following MySQL query:mysql> SELECT user,authentication_string,plugin,host FROM mysql.user;
If you wish to use a password with the MySQL root user, mysql_native_password plugin has to be assigned instead of auth_socket. Please note that the change of plugin and assignment of a new password must be made with a single command. Make sure to use a strong password instead of “foo_password” from the example below:mysql> ALTER USER ‘root’@’localhost’ IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY ‘foo_password’;
mysql> FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
Double-checking the setup should confirm that the change was successful and the root MySQL user now uses mysql_native_password.
That’s it! You can now host and build websites based on a server with Ubuntu and LAMP stack.
The 2023 Population and Housing Census, which was initially scheduled for May 3–7, 2023, has been postponed with the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari to a time to be determined by the incoming administration.
Following a meeting at the State House on Friday between President Muhammadu Buhari and Nasir Isa Kwarra, the Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), the decision was made.
Remember that the Census was originally slated for March 27 but was moved to May 3 as a result of the earlier delay of the gubernatorial elections.
The chairman of the commission said that the commission still hasn’t acquired all the equipment required to conduct the census during a meeting with the diplomatic corps on Thursday at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. He added that some equipment will be acquired in a few days.
“We need up to 800,000 PADs for the nation; so far, we have acquired about 500,000. In a few days, the rest will arrive, he said.
He commented on the contributions made to the census by the private sector and other significant stakeholders, saying, “But you know how they operate; it’s not like the money will come that way. They must consult with their own government and review their spending plan. The process is still ongoing. We cannot, however, claim that any money has entered. It is a procedure, and the procedure is in progress.
The Benue youth forum have advised the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state to stop playing politics with the security of lives and properties in the state.
The President of the forum, Terrence Kuanum in a statement issued in Makurdi said tje group is saddened by the unfortunate press conference addressed by some persons in the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC in which they made some senseless allegations in addition to spitting on the graves of Benue people killed by Fulani herdsmen.
He said the forum wouldn’t have bothered to respond to a shameless outing; but the fact that the APC veered off the lane of politics into justifying, once again the killing of innocent people in Benue communities by the marauding Fulani militia, we deem it necessary to put the records straight.
“We are aware that the APC in Benue state has at various times justified the killings in Benue communities and openly declared their support for the killer-hersmen perpetrating the atgcks. The leader of the party in the state, Senator George Akume has been in the forefront of urinating on the graves of slain Benue people by mockingly saying they were killing themselves. So we are not surprised at their renewed zeal to take their insensitivity a notch higher by accusing the State Community Volunteer Guards and Livestock Guards of cow rustling and causing the recent killings in Makurdi, Guma and Gwer-West local governments.
“The Benue Youth Forum takes exception to those unguarded and inciting utterances by the APC which has all along been making frantic efforts to frustrate the efforts to end the invasion of Benue communities and massacre of people in their sleep by those merchantsof death.
“The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and other well meaning stakeholders including the Benue Youths have been unrelenting in ensuring that peace returns to the state, but the desperation of the APC to thwart the move for political gains have been the major clog in the wheel of progress in that direction.
“It is sad that while people of good conscience from all parts of the country and beyond are speaking up against the incessant bloodshed in Benue, some failed and frustrated politicians from the area are bent on justifying the mayhem just to gain political relevance which has left them long ago.
“We want to put it on record that the Fulani Socio-cultiral group called Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, an affiliate of the APC had threatened to violently resist the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the Benue State government and they have made good their vow by unleashing terror on the people since the law came into effect in November 2017.
“Curiously, the APC in Benue has never come out to condemn the Fulani terrorists who have killed – and are still killing – thousands of people, displacing others and creating a huge humanitarian crisis in the area. Even the APC-led Federal Government has done little or nothing to curb the ethnic cleansing in Benue. Instead, President Muhammadu Buhari ignored the real issue on ground and once told Benue people to learn to live in peace with their neighbours, implying that the Benue people were being killed for their refusal to accommodate tbose who live with them. That is indeed unfortunate.
“That the APC in the state has shamelessly accused Governor Ortom of raising and encouraging cattle rustlers is the height of assault on the sensitivity of those who have lost loved ones due to the dastardly acts of Fulani herdsmen who enjoy the endorsement of the APC.
“We know that the APC in Benue are out to distract attention from the ruling of the Appeal Court sitting in Makurdi which nullified their questionable governorship primaries which was dubbed a “yahoo yahoo” process even by an appeal panel set up by the party’s national leadeship. But it is foolhardy to embark on that using the lives of Benue people to play politics.
“When the APC violated the electoral law in conducting their “yahoo yahoo” governorship primaries in the state, the Benue Youth Forum called for a reverse of the undemocratic move. But they wouldn’t listen. Now that the appeal court has cancelled the shenanigan, they prefer to go to the market naked and dance on the graves of innocent people.
“We once again advise the APC to channel their self-inflicted frustration elsewhere and stop playing dirty politics with the unfortunate security situation in the state.
“The Forum calls on the good people of Benue to utterly reject the party which has no value for their lives and has resorted to mocking those killed by Fulani terrorists. We reiterate our support for the Benue State Community Volunteer Guards and the Livestock Guards in the discharge of their duties.
“We urge them to ignore those elements of darkness who are bent on discouraging them by painting them black and falsely accusing them of cattle rustling” he said
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has reacted to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, crisis.
In a post on his social media accounts on Saturday, the former presidential candidate stated that he had been working quietly behind the scenes to restore normalcy to the party.
The main opposition party experienced an unusual crisis months ago, following the party’s primary election on May 29 in Abuja.
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his supporters, who suspected foul play in the electoral process, demanded the resignation of PDP National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, accusing him of plotting Wike’s defeat.
Ayu’s refusal to resign has, however, deepened the crisis as Wike and his group vowed to work against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming election.
It was previously reported that Wike and some PDP stakeholders withdrew from Atiku’s campaign council a few days ago, insisting that Ayu resign before the party could receive their support.
However, Saraki, who was also a candidate in the primary election, stated that Atiku remains the best option for the country.
“I just returned from my annual vacation and went straight to Akwa Ibom to join the celebration of the state’s 35th anniversary,” he wrote.
“As I moved around the country in the past few days, I got the feeling that many people are concerned over my seeming silence on recent developments in our party, the PDP.
“My response is that there are times to speak and be heard and there are times when working silently behind the scenes is more productive. This is such a time.
“PDP and Atiku Abubakar remain the best option for Nigerians in the 2023 polls”!
Six security personnel kidnapped by Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno State have been released.
The operatives were abducted in the early hours of Saturday in Borno State’s North Eastern Gubio local government area.
However, counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama claims the victims escaped after a military super Tucano fighter jet launched a fierce pursuit of the terrorists.
According to Zagazola, the operation was carried out by gallant troops of the 5 Brigade Operation Hadin Kai, Gubio, backed by the Air Task Force (ATF) Super Tukano, who pursued the fleeing terrorists who ran towards the axis of Gadai village, Nganzai Local Government, Borno State.
According to Zagazola, the operation was carried out by gallant troops of the 5 Brigade Operation Hadin Kai, Gubio, backed by the Air Task Force (ATF) Super Tukano, who pursued the fleeing terrorists who ran towards the axis of Gadai village, Nganzai Local Government, Borno State.
According to the source, the security personnel are safe, and some have returned to Gubio town, while another is on his way back.
“They include one police officer, three Civilian Joint Task Force members, and two hunters,” he said.
The National Emergency Management Agency said on Friday that four people were killed and one was rescued when a building collapsed on Oye Sonuga Street, Palm Avenue, in Mushin, Lagos.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the NEMA South-West Zonal Coordinator, spoke during a phone interview. He stated that two males and two females died in the building collapse, while one person was rescued.
The Lagos State Government had previously stated that it would investigate the cause of the collapse. Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, made the disclosure in a statement obtained by NAN.
During a visit to the scene of the three-storey building, which was said to be about 40 years old, he directed that it should be pulled down immediately for safety reasons and to forestall further collapse. He directed the Lagos State Building Control Agency and the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory to unravel the cause of the collapse.
Residents of the collapsed building also attempted to save their belongings after its remaining parts were demolished.
It was also observed that the collapsed building affected some parts of the adjoining building.
A few of the residents, who spoke to one of our correspondents, stated that the building had shown distress signs.
“Yes, the house was weak,” said Baba Wale, an occupant of the building. I live in the demolished building. I was able to escape unharmed.”
Another resident, who requested anonymity, stated that he returned home quickly after receiving a call about the incident in order to save some of his property.
“The first building collapsed, and it affected the other three-story building beside it,” said Daddy Tola, a middle-aged man in the adjoining building. A house will sometimes give warning signs before collapsing. We’re all trying to get our belongings out because we’ve been told it’ll be demolished.”
Mr Oyeniran Ayo, an eyewitness, stated that he heard the collapse while walking down the street.
This year, ten buildings have collapsed in Lagos State.
On September 4, a seven-story building under construction on Victoria Island’s Oba Idowu Street collapsed, killing two people. In the last two years, 18 building collapses in the state have killed 84 people. According to the Brookings Institution, a non-profit organisation based in the United States, Lagos had 167 reported cases of building collapse between 2000 and 2021.
Insecurity will be brought to an end before the end of the year, President Muhammadu Buhari assured in Ile-Ife, Osun, on Saturday, at the grand finale of the 2022 Olojo Festival.
An ancient festival celebrated annually in Ile-Ife, the Olojo Festival was once described by Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi as one that celebrates the Black race all over the world.
In a message sent through the Minister of Internal Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola, the president said, however, that all Nigerians must be part of the war to end insecurity. He noted that the war against insecurity could not be left to only the security agencies to handle.
“All of us must be concerned about security. The government will play its part; we must work together with security agencies to overcome the challenges of insecurity,” he said.
President Buhari commended Oba Ogunwusi for contributing immensely to the fight against insecurity.
Earlier Osun’s Governor Adegboyega Oyetola commended the Ooni for his will and capacity to sustain the rich heritage of his forebears.
Oyetola, who was represented by his deputy, Benedict Alabi, said the annual Olojo Festival is phenomenal in the history of Ile-Ife and that of the Yoruba race.
“This is arguably the only clime where the dawn of a new day is celebrated.
“Without mincing words, this festival clearly accentuates the place and the importance of Ile-Ife to creation and to humanity. We must all join hands together to celebrate it and accord it its rightful place,” he said.
He applauded the Ooni on the successful completion of the rites and the grand finale of this year’s festival.
Mr Oyetola lauded Ooni Ogunwusi for his sacrifices and for interfacing with the ancestors by performing the necessary cleansing, productivity, security, and other rites for the benefit of the Black race and that of mankind generally.
The governor said his administration believed that the state’s economy should be repositioned by boosting cultural tourism for youth employment, wealth creation, and the preservation of Yoruba cultural heritage.
The governor challenged the people of Osun to intensify efforts at preserving the cultural heritage, entrench peaceful co-existence, and eschew politics of bitterness.
Terrorists suspected of being armed bandits killed 11 Muslim worshippers in Zamfara State, according to reports.
The deceased were said to be residents of the State’s Ruwan Jema village.
According to credible local sources in Zamfara, a convoy of terrorists on motorcycles invaded Ruwan Jema on Friday.
According to one of the residents of Ruwan Jema, Aliyu Nanarki, the bandits stormed their community during Friday Prayer in the mosque.
“Those killed by the bandits were among those observing Friday prayer in the mosque,” he said.
It was reported that 11 bodies were discovered following the terrorists’ raid, despite the fact that several people have been reported missing since yesterday.
At the resumption of plenary yesterday, the House of Representatives joined the growing number of Nigerians who have expressed concern that the country may be approaching a debt trap, as the Debt Management Office (DMO) revealed that Nigeria’s total debt as of June this year stood at N42.84 trillion.
The House also lamented the drop in crude oil production caused by theft and sabotage. The concerns were raised by House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila in his welcome remarks following the lengthy recess.
Similarly, while welcoming his colleagues back from their two-month annual vacation, Senate President Ahmad Lawan raised the alarm about massive crude oil theft in the oil-rich Niger Delta. According to Lawan, the problem was gradually putting the economy into a coma.
The senate president pledged necessary support for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in its effort to deliver a successful poll next year.
The legislative proclamations came on the same day President Muhammadu Buhari, in separate letters, requested the Senate and House of Representatives to approve the issuance of promissory notes totalling over N402 billion for the defrayal of some federal debts.
A breakdown of the debt figures released by the DMO yesterday showed that the bulk of the federal government borrowings were done domestically, with 72.53 per cent being FGN bonds.
A statement posted on the DMO’s website revealed that Nigeria’s total public debt stock, comprising the debt obligations of the federal, state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) rose by N1.24 trillion within three months, from N41.60 trillion ($100.07 billion) as at March 30, 2022 to N42.84 trillion ($103.31billion) by June 30, 2022.
Latest data released by the DMO also indicated that domestic debt stock for the review period stood at N26.23 trillion ($63.24 billion) due to new borrowings by the federal government to part-finance the deficit in the 2022 Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) Act, including fresh borrowings by state governments and the FCT.
From the N26.23 domestic debt stock standing during the reference period, the 36 states and FCT owed N5.281 trillion, while the federal government accounted for the balance of N20.949 trillion.
The DMO explained that total public Debt to GDP as of June 30, 2022, was 23.06 per cent, compared to 23.27 per cent as of March 30, 2022, noting that the Debt Service-to-Revenue Ratio remained high.
It said, “The total public debt stock, representing the domestic and external debt stocks of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 36 state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory, was N42.84tn ($103.31 billion) as of June 30, 2022. The comparative figures for March 30, 2022 was N41.60tn ($100.07 billion).”
DMO stressed that external debt remained the same at N16.61trillion ($40.06 billion) from the first quarter (Q1) to the second quarter (Q2) 2022, adding that 58 per cent of external debts are concessional and semi-concessional loans from multilateral lenders, such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), AfreximBank, and African Development Bank (AfDB), and bilateral lenders, such Germany, China, Japan, India, and France.
Meanwhile, an analysis of the DMO figures showed that domestic debt service between April 30 and June 30, 2022 gulped N664, 728,501,948.46. This was, however, less than the N668, 685, 710,112.98 committed to debt service in the first three months of 2022 (Q1).
Debt service instruments on which the amount was expended included Nigeria Treasury Bills (NTBs), Federal Government Bonds, and FGN Savings Bonds, among others.
The new DMO debt data also revealed that Lagos State retained its top spot as the state with the highest debt stock. As at June 30, 2022, the total domestic debt stock of the country’s economic nerve-centre stood at N797, 305,312,602.53.
Delta State came second with N378, 878,236,830.75, followed by Ogun State with N241, 782,021,304.96; Rivers State, N225, 505,011,356.83; and Imo State, N210, 394,836,519.93.
Akwa Ibom was next on the debtors’ scale with N203, 951,611,822.07, while Jigawa retained its least-indebted state profile with 45,135,377,621.30, and Ebonyi State trailed with N59, 111,939,636.77.
Lawmakers Lament Rising Debt, Crude Oil Theft, Seek Solutions
The House of Representatives, at resumption of plenary yesterday, expressed concerns over the rising debt profile of the country and crude oil theft. House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila raised the fears while delivering his welcome remarks.
Gbajabiamila stated that the concerns emerged from interactive sessions of the Senate and House Committees on Finance with the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the government on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP). He said the issues emerged while considering the scope of deficit financing to be proposed in the new budget and the decline in crude oil production due to theft and sabotage.
Gbajabiamila said while the House appreciated that the current fiscal conditions necessitated borrowing to finance budgetary expenditures, there should be worry about the long-term effect of the debt burden on the country and the ability to pay in a responsible and sustainable way.
The concerns, he said, would be central to the consideration of the 2023 Appropriation Bill when presented, adding that appropriations for new projects for MDAs would be influenced by the extent to which existing projects have been funded and their performance in executing these projects as intended.
On crude oil theft, the speaker said perpetrators of the brazen heist threatened the ability to serve the Nigerian people and meet the demands of governance and nation building. He described their actions as treason against the country, for which they must be held accountable.
Gbajabiamila stated, “Due to theft and various acts of economic sabotage, we are experiencing a massive decline in the volume of crude oil exports. Our crude oil export of 972,394 bpd for August is the lowest we have recorded in the last two decades.
“At a time when we are already experiencing severe financial constraints. There are mechanisms in place to prevent these sorts of bad actors, and the government spends significant amounts of money each year to protect oil and gas resources in the country
“Evidently, these existing arrangements do not suffice. As such, there is an urgent need to review them and make the necessary improvements. It is also of particular importance that the perpetrators of these crimes against the state are identified, prosecuted and subjected to the stiffest penalties the law allows.
“Those who seek to impoverish our country in this manner have declared war against the Nigerian people.
“The government’s response must be sufficient to convince them of the error of their ways and deter others who might be tempted to join in their treason.
“I met with the finance minister and the Director General of Budget and made it clear to them that enough of crude oil theft. Nigerians don’t want to hear that again. What do you intend to do about it? That’s the important question.”
Speaking on the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Gbajabiamila said the current framework of government-sponsored tertiary education was no longer working. He said the goal of the House was to begin an assessment of the current system and consider all available options for complete reform.
The speaker claimed that the country recently recorded significant victories against the purveyors of violence and conflict across the country. He said the explosive growth in the trade and consumption of narcotics contributed to the worsening insecurity in the country,
He warned that the country could not afford to be overrun by the cancer of the drug trade and the devastation it brought.
Gbajabiamila lamented that various priority bills were still pending at different stages, despite the limited time available for the ninth House.
Crude Oil Theft Driving Economy into Coma, Lawan Laments
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, yesterday, raised the alarm about the rate of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta, saying it is pushing the economy into a coma. Lawan stated this at the senate plenary while welcoming his colleagues back from their two-month annual recess.
The senate president stressed the need for improvement in the country’s revenue earnings. He warned that unless prompt action was taken to stop crude oil theft, the development might stagnate the economy.
Lawan said, “The economy of our country is still challenged. The Senate, working with the House of Representatives and the executive, needs to continually seek for better responses to the economic situation.
“Generation and collection of revenues have remained major challenges. Also, the massive loss of revenue through oil theft is debilitating and threatening to throw the economy into a coma.
“Revelations about the scale of oil theft shows that until government takes decisive actions, Nigeria could soon lose any revenue from that sector.
“We must, therefore, work to ensure that everything is done to curtail this theft.”
Lawan recalled that the senate had during the recess showed serious concerns about the security situation in the country. He said the red chamber had two engagements with the National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, service chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Services, Director General of Nigerian Intelligence Agency, and other heads of security agencies.
“From the assessment of the prevailing situation, our security agencies are recording more successes and the situation seems to be improving,” he stated.
The senate president noted that the upper chamber would continue to engage defence and security agencies through appropriate committees to ensure that the follow-up engagements were sustained.
On the 2023 general election, Lawan expressed the willingness of the National Assembly to ensure transparent and credible elections next year. He noted that the innovative amendment to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly provided the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with the wherewithal to deliver on a successful general election in 2023.
Lawan said, “The year 2023 is a momentous period for Nigeria, as elections will be held across the country. Nigerians are expected to exercise their franchise.
“Therefore, the senate, indeed the National Assembly, will work with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure very successful, transparent, and credible elections.
“We are ready to support INEC in all possible ways as a legislature. Already, the timely amendment of the Electoral Act 2022 has provided very important innovations in ensuring better electoral climate.”
Buhari Seeks National Assembly Approval for N402bn to Settle Debts
President Muhammadu Buhari, in separate letters yesterday, requested the Senate and House of Representatives to approve the issuance of promissory notes totalling over N402 billion.
The first request to the Senate, which amounted to N375 billion, was read at plenary by the senate president and it was meant to settle outstanding claims owed various exporters.
Other debt payment requests to the Senate contained in the letter were to be routed through the DMO. They included N6.706 billion for Kebbi State Government for the construction of federal roads in the state and N2.706 billion for Taraba State Government, also for the construction federal roads there.
Buhari, in another request, also read at plenary by Lawan, sought the Senate’s approval for the issuance of N18.623 billion promissory note for Kebbi State Government.
The president, in his letter, said the payment of N18.623 billion to Yobe State Government through the DMO would help the state to offset funds expended on the execution of five different federal road projects in the state.
Buhari, in the two letters, appealed to the senators to treat his requests with dispatch.
Meanwhile, Buhari, in another letter of request, asked the Senate to screen for confirmation the appointment of Mohamed Sabo Lamido as Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts of the Board of Upstream Regulatory Commission.
Lamido’s appointment, as explained by the president, was necessitated by the death of Hassan Gambo, who hitherto served in that capacity before his death.
The president, in a separate letter to the House of Representatives, also sought consideration and approval of the issuance of promissory notes by the DMO for the construction of federal roads in Yobe, Kebbi, and Taraba States.
In the two letters dated September 16 and read by the speaker at the plenary, the president said while Yobe State, as approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will get N18, 663,843,119.39 for the execution of five road projects, Kebbi will get N6, 706,835,495.12 for the construction of two road projects, and Taraba will get N2, 470,525,729.53 for one road project.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Tuesday released the final list of presidential candidates of all the political parties contesting next year general election.
In a statement, the INEC national commissioner in charge of publicity and chairman voters education, Festus Okoye said the commission also approved the final list of candidates for national elections (Presidential, Senatorial and Federal Constituencies) pursuant to section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and item 8 of the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.
He said the publication of the full names and addresses of all nominated candidates follows the political parties’ conduct of primaries and completion of the nomination exercise.
According to Okoye, Nigerians may recall that at end of the process, the personal particulars of all nominated candidates were displayed in their constituencies nationwide as provided by section 29(3) of the Electoral Act.
Subsequently, he said that validly nominated candidates had the opportunity to voluntarily withdraw their candidature by notice in writing and personally deliver such notice to the political party that nominated them for the election.
“Thereafter, political parties substituted such candidates under section 31 of the Electoral Act for which the last day was 15th July 2022 for national elections and 12th August 2022 for State elections as clearly provided in item 6 of the Commission’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities.
“Thereafter, no withdrawal or substitution of candidates is allowed except in the event of death as provided in section 34(1) of the Electoral Act or pursuant to an order of a Court of competent jurisdiction”, he said..
According to him. “The list published today contains the names of candidates validly nominated for national elections at the close of party primaries and the period earmarked for withdrawal and substitution of candidates.
“The final list of candidates for State elections (Governorship and State Constituencies) will be published on 4th October 2022 as already indicated on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election.
“We note the fact that not all the political parties conducted primaries in all the constituencies, submitted the particulars of candidates that emerged from valid primaries or substituted their candidates after fresh primaries within 14 days as provided in section 33 of the Electoral Act.
“This has led to numerous litigations, some of which are ongoing. Where the Commission was served with Court orders by aggrieved aspirants or candidates before the publication of this list, these have been indicated under the remark column.
“In summary, all the 18 political parties have fielded candidates and their running mates for the Presidential election.
For legislative elections, 1,101 candidates are vying for 109 Senatorial seats and 3,122 candidates for Federal Constituencies i.e. House of Representatives seats, making a total of 4,223 candidates contesting for 469 legislative positions.
” In terms of gender distribution, 3,875 candidates are male, made up of 35 for Presidential and Vice Presidential, 1,008 for Senate and 2,832 for House of Representatives. Similarly, 381 females comprising 1 for Presidential, 92 for Senate, and 288 for House of Representatives are contesting. There are also 11 Persons with Disability (PWDs) in the race.
“The list for specific constituencies is published in each State where they are located while the comprehensive nationwide list has been uploaded to the Commission’s website.
“We appeal to all political parties to channel any observations on the list of candidates to the Commission and such must be signed by the National Chairman and Secretary of the political party and supported with an affidavit as provided in section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2022.”, the INEC commissioner stated.
The presidential candidates of all the parties participating in the next year presidential elecrions are as follows: All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP)and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed.
Osita Nnadi, presidential candidate of Action Peoples Party (APP) and his running mate, Isa Hamisu.
Abiola Kolawole, presidential candidate of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and his running mate, Ribi Marshal
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party and his running mate, Bishop Isaac Idahosa.
Yabagi Sani, presidential candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and his running mate, Udo Okey -Okoro
Ado-Ibrahim Abdulmalik, presidential candidate, Young Progressives Party (YPP) and his running mate, Enyinna Kasarachi.
Omoyele Sowere, presidential candidate African Action Congress (AAC ) and his running mate, Garba Magashi
Mamman Dantalle, presidential candidate of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and his running mate Ojei Princess
Chukwudi Umeadi presidential candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and his running mate Koli Mohammed.
Oluwafemi Adenuga, presidential candidate of Boot Party (BP) and the running mate Turaku Mustapha
Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu, presidential candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and the running mate, Ramalan Abubakar
Dumebi Kachikwu presidential candidate, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and his running mate, Ahmed Mani.
Hamsa Almustafa, presidential candidate, Action Aliance (AA) and his running mate Chukwuka Johnson among others.
Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party (HDP) Ambrose Owuru, said as presidential campaigns kicks off soon, reminded Nigerians and Political Gladiators that the 2023 presidential election may after all be a forlorn hope as there is still the lingering constitutional question of swearing in the adjudged consequential president and winner of the Constitutional February 16th 2019 presidential election, who is yet to serve even after the borrowed time usurped by the present administration occupied by President Muhammad Buhari since May, 2019.
In a statement by Anwal Ibrahim his National Coordinator, he said, “In the circumstances it appears a waste of time for future presidential contestants to continue to dwell on campaign of “it is my turn” at this time when the court is yet to rule on whose turn it is to serve out the usurped period and mandate already acquired by the adjudged winner whose claim in court includes the refund to him of received remuneration by this administration.
“All must be reminded that resolution of questions of “Cabal Elections” as presently undertaken is more beneficial to all Nigerians and growth of democracy such that both election commission, President Muhammad Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation who are parties in the pending case in court on the outstanding constitutional issues are presently acting in contempt and are so held under our laws which demands that parties before the court do not resort to self-help or do anything to undermine the proceedings in court.”
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed regret for its support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2019 general elections.
While lamenting the support, the organisation stated that the current difficulties being faced by Igbos were caused by their support for Atiku at the time, who is now the PDP’s presidential candidate.
Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, the organization’s National Publicity Secretary, revealed this while denying a social media video clip circulating that claimed it demanded payments from one Comrade Kennedy Iyere as a condition for supporting a Nigerian Presidential candidate from the South East.
He dismissed the claim as the most “fallacious, mendacious and callous of all the falsehoods aimed at tarnishing the image of the Igbo as the Judas category that values money more than human conscience.
Ogbonnia, noted that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo took the advocacy for a
president from the South East of Nigeria to all parts of Nigeria;
including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammadu Sa’adu Abubakar III; Chief E K Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the British High Commission and so many other places.
He said the delegations comprised the President General of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor; the former President General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, former President General, Chief Gary Igariweh, the Secretary General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay; National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia.
Others, included Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, HRH Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, Professor Anya O Anya, Chief Simon Okeke, Professor Charles Nwekeaku, among others.
While insisting on president of South East extraction, he restated that he wrote to Atiku to remind him that their support for him in 2019 was the cause of the current travails of the Igbos.
“I also wrote Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, reminding him that the current
Igbo travails is as a result of our support to his candidacy in 2019.
A simple search on the internet will reveal that Ohanaeze had made
numerous press releases urging Nigerians and the international
community to lend support to the quest by the South East for
presidency.
“Several other Igbo activists and interest groups such as Nzuko Umunna led by Senator Chris Anyanwu, Arc Ferdinand Agu, etc were also at the forefront in the advocacy.
“On December 13, 2021, I personally addressed an Open Letter to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, reminding him that it is the turn of the South East to produce a president for Nigeria and urging him not to contest the 2023 presidency on the grounds of equity, justice and fairness.
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo further propagated the advocacy to the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders (SMBLF) led by Chief E K Clarke, and Chief Nnia Nwodo as the Coordinator General. Other leaders of the SMBLF include Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Leader of the Afenifere; Dr Pogu Bitrus, Leader, Middle Belt Forum, among others. Our gratitude goes to the SMBLF for their irrevocable position to support an Igbo of the South East for presidency in 2023. Similarly, we thank Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for receiving us in his Abeokuta residence about three times.
“I am inwardly delighted that the unwavering position of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo has gained a global momentum and unprecedented volcanic eruptions of human passions across the country. Above all, the Ohanaeze message has found expression, resonance and traction in the irrepressible power that is inherent in the Nigerian masses.
“In the social media clip making the rounds, orchestrated by one
Comrade Kennedy Iyere, he alleged that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by
Chief Nnia Nwodo demanded payments from him to attend a meeting at Awka for a Nigerian president from the South East.
“The truth of the matter: In October 2020, Chief Damian Okeke Ogene, former President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter was contacted by Chief Iyere to invite the seven state presidents from the seven Ohanaeze states,” he said.
Ogene explained to Iyere that members would be coming to Awka from distant places such as Port Harcourt, Owerri, Aba, Ebonyi and that it would not be possible for them to go back to their locations on thes same day. Iyere promised to secure hotel accommodation for the seven persons, and that he would also pay for their transport costs.
“At the meeting in one hotel at Awka, Iyere was seated with White men and he highlighted the unbearable injustice to the Igbo by the past Nigerian leaders and the equity in a South Easterner to become the president of Nigeria come 2023.
“Paradoxically, we were very delighted and also curious that a non-Igbo and White men were championing an Igbo cause. At the end of the meeting, he pleaded with us to manage seventy thousand naira (N70, 000.00); that is, ten thousand naira each, as transport costs.
“Some of us refused the money while some others reasoned that it could be misinterpreted if we rejected the N10,000 each. I am rather shocked by the depravity and a kindergarten shenanigan with which Iyere painted his encounter with the Ohanaeze Ndigbo; that Ohanaeze Ndigbo demanded payment from him in order to support an Igbo for presidency,” he said.
The Buhari Media Organisation, BMO, has accused Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi of stealing ideas from President Muhammadu Buhari’s workbook in a recent interview with CNN.
The group claimed Obi was out of touch with what was going on in the country he aspired to lead and lacked originality.
BMO made the announcement over the weekend in Abuja in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju.
“Like many Nigerians, we listened to the twice-postponed pre-recorded CNN interview, and we were stunned that a man who had been pontificating about Nigeria’s problems lacks originality when it comes to proferring solutions,” said part of the statement.
“We first noticed this from Obi’s response to a question on how he would restart the economy, which seemed like he was reading from President Buhari’s workbook.
“The Labour Party candidate spoke about ensuring that Nigerians return to agriculture, pulling millions out of poverty and cutting the cost of governance, which incidentally are part of what the Buhari administration, which he delights in maligning, is doing right now”
BMO also argued that Obi’s comments on insecurity and refineries were an indication of his lack of deep knowledge about governance at a high level.
The group further urged Nigerians to challenge opposition elements to be more definite in their campaign promises.
The Jigawa Police Department, in collaboration with a local vigilante group, apprehended two suspected kidnappers in the state’s Taura Local Government Area.
Lawan Shiisu, the command’s spokesman, confirmed the arrest to News Agency of Nigeria in Dutse.
Mr Shiisu, a deputy superintendent of police, stated that the suspect, aged 35 to 40, was apprehended on Sunday based on reliable intelligence and credible information.
“Those arrested are thought to be members of a criminal gang that has terrorised parts of the state and neighbouring Kano.”
“They were apprehended during a special operation in Larabawa village, Kano’s Gabasawa area, and Larabar Gurgunya village, Taura, Jigawa,” he said.
Mr Shiisu said that preliminary investigation showed that the suspects were responsible for the August 9 attack on personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
”Investigation is also showing that the suspects killed two police officers at Kwalam village in Taura on January 23,” he said.
The police spokesman further stated that four magazines with 83 rounds of 7.9mm live ammunition, two locally made pistols, bows, arrows and two sticks were recovered from them.
He also said that cellular phones, clothes, lubricating oil, three Nigerian National Identity Cards and four photographs were recovered from the suspects.
Mr Shiisu urged the public to always avail the police of credible and reliable information concerning suspicious persons around their environment.
He said the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigation in the matter has been concluded.
The Federal Government has stated that it has yet to select a technical partner or core investor for Nigeria Air, the upcoming national carrier.
A source close to the Ministry of Aviation also revealed that Sen. Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Aviation, may address the media on Thursday to provide an update on the national carrier.
The government stated that the exercise was still in the due diligence stage, but did not specify when the airline would begin flight operations.
A source close to the Ministry of Aviation, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, debunked the claim that the Federal Government had chosen Ethiopian Airlines as the airline’s technical partner and primary investor.
The source said the government still needed to go through a series of stages before it would conclude on a technical partner for the airline.
The source also told our correspondent that before a technical partner or a core investor is selected by the government, relevant government agencies like the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and others would be carried along.
The source insisted that the team was still at the due diligence stage and would unveil its preferred partners to the public at the right time.
The source said: “The news you are hearing is not correct. You know there are processes in government. We have the ICRC, BPE and other agencies that must be in the know and carried along in whatever you do in government; you must apply the due diligence.
“The airline must be registered and so on. Then, when you come back, you will now decide which airline you want to partner with. Moreover, you still have to agree on a commercial with your partner. Which aircraft are you bringing? When are you going to bring them and the routes you will want to go? We should not be dwelling on rumour. Whatever that is in the public space now is a rumour and incorrect.”
Sirika, could not be reached for confirmation when made inquiries on the issue, while a text message sent to his mobile phone was not responded to.
The national carrier suffered a huge setback in December 2018 when the airline failed to commence operations as assured by Sirika. Sirika had earlier unveiled its name and logo at the Farnborough Airshow, London, on July 17, 2018.
The government after the Federal Executive Council meeting had announced the immediate suspension of the carrier due to lack of ‘willing investors.”
Sirika had described the suspension as a sad development but assured that the airline would still commence in the nearest future.
Also, in the first quarter of 2022, Sirika had said private investors were going to raise the sum of $250 million for the national carrier.
In preparation for that, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in June issued it an Air Transport License (ATL), while the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) is still being awaited.
However, industry analysts also faulted the ATL received from NCAA and doubted if all the processes leading to the acquisition of the certificate were followed by the government.
Before a new airline starts operations, it is expected to carry out demonstration flights with complete personnel for 50 hours to some of the routes it intends to operate on in preparation for AOC.
This is in accordance with the NCAA regulation for a new carrier.
The minister, during a budget defence session in October 2020, had told the Senate Committee on Aviation that the Aviation Road Map agenda would be executed in 2021, with the national carrier component getting priority.
On November 23, 2021, after an FEC meeting, Sirika announced that the airline would now take off in April 2022.
Officials of the ministry while boasting of the likelihood of partnering with the likes of Turkish Air, Qatar and Ethiopian Airways had hinted at first-quarter launch date.
On Sunday, three people were reportedly killed by Fulani herdsmen in the Ngbea community of Nyiev Council Ward, Guma Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benue State Command, confirmed the incident, saying, “Three people were killed in an attack at Guma.” The bodies have been transferred to Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH) in Makurdi, where an investigation is underway.
However, speaking in Makurdi on Monday, a local identified as Lorhemen explained that the incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Sunday.
“They were Fulani herders, they came in their numbers and attacked our village around 4pm yesterday,” he said of the incident (Sunday).
During the attack, “three people were killed,” he said.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) raided a major warehouse in a secluded estate in Ikorodu, Lagos State, and seized 1.8tons (1,855kgs) of crack cocaine worth over $278, 250,000, or about N194, 775,000,000 in street value.
The NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said on Monday in Abuja that the seizures appear to be the largest single cocaine seizure in the agency’s history.
According to him, at least four drug lords, including a Jamaican and the warehouse manager, were apprehended over the course of two days in various locations throughout Lagos State.
“Kingpins of the cocaine cartel in custody include: Messrs Soji Jibril, 69, an indigene of Ibadan, Oyo state; Emmanuel Chukwu, 65, who hails from Ekwulobia, Anambra State; Wasiu Akinade, 53, from Ibadan, Oyo State; Sunday Oguntelure, 53, from Okitipupa, Ondo State and Kelvin Smith, 42, a native of Kingston, Jamaica.
“They are all members of an international drug syndicate that the agency has been trailing since 2018,” Babafemi said.
Located at 6 Olukuola crescent, Solebo estate, Ikorodu, the warehouse was raided on Sunday 18th September, 2022, while the barons were picked from hotels and their hideouts in different parts of Lagos between Sunday night and Monday 19th September.
Preliminary investigation reveals the class A drugs were warehoused in the residential estate from where the cartel was trying to sell them to buyers in Europe, Asia and other parts of the world. They were stored in 10 travel bags and 13 drums.
While commending all the officers and men of the agency involved in the extensive investigation including those of the American Drug Enforcement Administration, (US-DEA), Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) said the bust is a historical blow to the drug cartels and a strong warning that they will all go down if they fail to realise that the game has changed and stop their illicit drug trafficking.