Delta Police Arrests Facebook Scammers Who Kidnap And Gangrape Underage Girls

 

The police in Delta state have arrested members of a criminal gang who allegedly lure underage girls on Facebook, gangrape them and then hold them hostage until their parents pay some ransom for their release, IGBERETV reports.

The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Bright Edafe, disclosed this on his Twitter handle.

He wrote;

"Arrest of Facebook dating scammers, kidnappers and rapists 
The Command have arrested three suspects, namely; Cornelius Ememah, Nelson Aghogho and Ufuoma Tunde 'f', they chat and lure unsuspecting girls via Facebook, gang rape them and also insert odd objects into their virgina

"Held them hostage, threaten to kill them, and then collect huge ransom from their parents before releasing them.They were arrested at Ufuoma in Ughelli North LGA when one of their victims sighted them and informed the police. The female suspect among them receives the victims and take them to the hotel where they usually carry out this dastardly act. They have so far done this to over 20 young girls. Pls be careful out there. Things are happening"

EFCC Secures 3,785 Convictions In 2022

According to EFCC, the 2022 conviction record is 70.5 per cent improvement in the performance of the commission over its record for 2021.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it secured 3,785 convictions across the country in 2022.

The commission said this in a statement by its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Wednesday.

According to the statement, the 2022 result is a 70.5 per cent improvement in the performance of the commission over its record for 2021.

The EFCC also said the statistics also showed a 98.93 per cent success record in cases prosecuted. It said it only lost 41 cases throughout the year, which it said represented 1.07 per cent of all its cases.

As of mid-December, the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, had said the records at his disposal as of then showed the commission had recorded a total of 3,615 convictions in 2022.

The EFCC boss noted that cybercrimes cases accounted for half of all convictions achieved by the EFCC in the year.

Highlighting his agency’s other accomplishments from January to December 2022, Mr Bawa said the commission made recoveries that included N134,33,759,574.25; $121,769,076.30; £21,020; €156,925; ¥21,350; and CFA300,000.

Commands with most convictions
According to EFCC’s 2022 report, Lagos Command recorded the most convictions – 765. The figure is closely followed by the Ibadan Command with 573 convictions and the Port Harcourt Zonal Command with 567, while the headquarters in Abuja recorded 314 convictions.

“The conviction secured by the commission in 2022 is the highest by the EFCC since its inception and sustains an upward trajectory which began shortly after the emergence of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari,” the EFCC said in the statement.

In 2015, EFCC recorded a total of 103 convictions, according to the EFCC. In 2016, the first full year of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, 195 convictions were recorded. The number increased to 312 in 2018, and 1280 in 2019.

The figure, however, decreased significantly to 976 convictions in 2020—the year of COVID-19, and then increased to 2220 in 2021.

The commission said since 2015, the EFCC’s conviction rate increased by approximately 3,574.8 per cent, going from 103 to 3,785.

Commenting on the performance, Mr Bawa commended the personnel of the commission for their industry and dedication, despite the challenges of criminal prosecution in court.

He also assured that the EFCC would continue to motivate all categories of staff for greater efficiency through capacity development and other incentives.

 

Gridlock In Ibadan As Akinjide, Oyelese And PDP Members Stage Walk For Atiku

 People’s Democratic Party coalition under the auspices of National Mandate Group, Oyo state chapter, on Wednesday staged a ‘Freedom Walk For Atiku’ in Ibadan, Oyo state capital in support of Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party’s Presidential candidate in the 2023 General elections.

The National Mandate Group, Oyo chapter which comprises Party Stalwarts, Youths, Women and mobilizers from across the state were seen on major streets in Ibadan metropolis marching with banners and campaigning for Atiku ahead of the February 25th Presidential Election.

On the streets to lead the Freedom Walk For Atiku were Former Minister of State for FCT, Hon. Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; Elder Wole Oyelese, Former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alh. Azeem Gbolarumi, Former Deputy Governor, Oyo state, Engr. Jide Adeniji, Director Special Duty, PCC, Engr. Femi Babalola (Jogor), PDP members, Support Groups, Non indigenous groups, and National Mandate Group members.

Speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, one of the conveners of the group, Hon. Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, said, Atiku is a Pan-Nigerian and one who will lead Nigeria out of her current Socio-economic and political challenges.

“We will campaign for Atiku in Oyo on the basis of merit and on the basis of fidelity to our great party. There’s really no divide in the PDP. It is a fight for space. So, I don’t think the public should worry themselves because the day they make up, they’d be on Television smiling and back slapping and calling each other brother and you wonder why you wasted so much energy on it.

“Let us face what is of concern to 200 million Nigerians which is the Five Points agenda to recover and restore Nigeria which Atiku is proposing.”

“Our Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar is promising to Unite Nigeria, secure the country, build a prosperous economy, restructure and devolve power to the federating units, education system that allows our people to compete nationally and globally and these are core issues that are of interest to the Nigerian People”.

You would recall that PDP has been enmeshed in internal political crisis since the emergence of Atiku Abubakar. Five of its governors, the G5 have been calling on the national chairman of the Party, Iyorchia Ayu to step aside following the emergence of Atiku who happens to be from the same Geopolitical zone with Ayu.

The governors describe Atiku’s candidacy and that of Ayu’s position as the Party’s chairman as grave injustice to southern Nigeria and governor Seyi Makinde who is one of the G5 governors was conspicuously absent from the Walk.

However, Jumoke Akinjide, while addressing members of the PDP during the Freedom Walk in Ibadan, stated that the PDP members in the state should ignore the visitors that will be coming to Oyo state tomorrow to poison the minds of the people against the party’s presidential candidate.

“Tomorrow, we will be having the Governor’s own rally and inauguration. All of us intend to be there as well, but I want to say something: If some of tomorrow’s visitors come and speak against PDP or Atiku, what are we going to say? No to their antics! We are brave people and we must demonstrate that tomorrow, ” he concluded.

Buhari Govt To Leave N77 Trn Debt For Incoming Administration - DMO

 President Muhammadu Buhari administration will leave a debt stock debt of over N77 trillion for the incoming government from the current debt of N44.06 trillion as at third quarter of last year.

While the ways and means is about N22.3 trillion with an interest rate of 18.5 per cent,  government is expected to borrow additional N8 trillion before it exits office on May 29, this year.

Speaking at the 2023 Budget breakdown in Abuja, the Director General, Debt Management Office (DMO), Ms Patience Oniha said that if the new borrowings are included in the current debt of N44.06 trillion, the total debt stock would amount to N77 trillion.

According to her, the debt stock is still growing from the issuance of promissory notes which are not true borrowing as such by the government.

“It will be safe to say that we will be looking at N77 trillion. While the debt is growing because of new borrowing, revenue is receiving significant importance. Like DMO always says, you can’t talk about debt without talking about revenue. We need the two to work together” she further explained.

Earlier, the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, disclosed revealed that Nigeria is not planning on restructuring its debt as it remains committed to meeting its
domestic and external debt obligations.

“The FGN will however continue to utilise appropriate debt management tools to streamline the cost and risk profile in the debt portfolio, including through concessional loans, spreading out of debt maturities to avoid bunching, and re-profiling of the debt maturities by refinancing short-term debt using long-term debt instruments” she said.

She noted that most vessels lifting oil from Nigeria are not paying taxes vowing that the government would make sure that those vessels would begin to pay taxes to augment the budget.

According to her, the government would exit some of the pioneer companies that have been enjoying tax exemptions so as to bring in new ones.

“We have to create a balance that we are not giving much more than we are getting” she said.

She noted that as of November 2022, Government’s retained revenue was N6.50 trillion, 87 per cent of the prorata target of N7.48 trillion and its share of oil revenues was N586.71 billion (representing 35.7 per cent performance), while non-oil tax revenues totalled N2.09 trillion – a performance of 123.3 per cent.

“Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections were N1.08 trillion and N295.2 billion, representing 158.6 per cent and 124.3 per cent of their respective targets.

“Customs collections (comprising import duties, excise, fees, and special levies) exceeded the target by N15.42 billion (ie, 102 per cent performance). Other revenues amounted to N3.72 trillion, of which independent revenue was N1.32 trillion

“The aggregate budgeted expenditure for
2022 (inclusive of the supplementary
budget of N819.5 trillion) was N18.14 trillion,
with a prorata spending target of N16.63
trillion at the end of November.

“The actual spending as of November 30 was
N12.87 trillion. Of this amount, N5.24 trillion was for debt service; N3.94 trillion for personnel costs, including pensions; statutory transfers, overhead and service wide votes expenditures totalled N1.81 trillion; and N1.88 billion was released for capital expenditure.

“The fiscal deficit for 2022 was estimated at N8.17 trillion, inclusive of the supplementary budget. As at November 30, 2022, the deficit was N6.37 trillion;

“The deficit was totally financed by borrowings, mostly from domestic sources” she noted.

On key assumptions and macro framework for the 2023 Budget, the minister stated that the oil price benchmark is set at US$75 per barrel while some of the parameters underlying the 2023 projections have deviated from the
projections in the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2025.

They have been updated based on a combination of current realities and a modified medium-term outlook.

These, she said, is that the real Gross Domestic Products (GDP) growth is projected at 3.75 per cent in 2023 compared to 4.39 per cent in the NDP.

“Growth is expected to moderate to 3.30 per cent in 2024 before picking up to
3.46 per cent in 2025.

“The inflation rate is projected to average 17.16 per cent in 2023, and the 14.93 per cent projected in the NDP for 2023” she noted.

Bello Kirfi Loses Traditional Title For ‘Disrespecting’ Governor Bala Mohammed

 The Bauchi Emirate Council has stripped a former Minister of Special Duties, Bello Kirfi, of his traditional title of “Wazirin Bauchi” and removed him from being a Council Member for the second time in five years.

The new development was said to be connected to the ex-minister’s alleged “disloyalty and disrespect” to the State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

Kirfi, a retired federal civil servant, was a Minister in the government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari in the 1980s, and also the Pro-Chancellor, University of Ilorin from 1997-99.

He also became Minister of Special Duties during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in the 2000s.

The Octogenarian’s removal was conveyed in a letter addressed to him by the Secretary of the Bauchi Emirate Council, Alh. Shehu Mudi Muhammad.

It was dated January 3rd, 2023 with reference No: BEC/ADM/20/VOL.XV and titled: “Removal from office as a Council Member and Traditional Title of Wazirin Bauchi.”

Muhammad stated in his letter that the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state informed the Emirate Council of Kirfi’s “disloyalty and disrespectful” to the governor, hence his removal from office.

He said: “I am directed to refer to a letter received from the Ministry of Local Government Affairs of reference No: MLG/LG/S/72/T dated 30th December 2022.

“The content of the said letter indicated your disloyalty and disrespect to the Executive Governor of the State and the government. It therefore directed for your removal with immediate effect.

“In view of the above, you are hereby removed from office as Wazirin Bauchi and also as a Council Member of Bauchi Emirate.”

The PUNCH reports that Kirfi was suspended by the Bauchi Emirate Council in March 2017 by the then-governor, Mohammed Abubakar.

The Information officer of the Emirate Council, Salmanu Lame, had, in a statement that was made available to journalists, said the suspension which was for his alleged “disloyalty and unruly behaviour,” was with immediate effect.

However, three years later, following the intervention of Governor Bala Mohammed and wider consultations with stakeholders and the Emirate, in particular, the Emir of Bauchi lifted the suspension in August 2020.

The governor personally visited the elder statesman in his house and presented him with the letter reinstating him as the Wazirin Bauchi where he applauded him for his patriotism, commitment and sportsmanship, especially his efforts in the protection of the rights of Bauchi indigenes and Nigerians in general.

While presenting him with the letter, he said: “I am here with my deputy and other top government officials to pay you this auspicious visit, to present to you a message from the Emir of Bauchi, His Royal Highness, Dr. Rilwanu Suleimanu Adamu.

“On behalf of the government and people of Bauchi State, all traditional leaders, it is my honour and privilege to present you with your letter of reinstatement as Wazirin Bauchi by the Emir of Bauchi. Alhamdulillah, I am so happy that the reinstatement came under my tenure.”

Olamide's Babymama, Maria Okan Wears Bikini For The First Time In Public (Photo)

 Singer Olamide's Babymama, Maria Okan has taken to Instagram to show off her curves, IGBERETV reports.

The media personality said it was the first time she had the confidence to wear a bikini in public.

She shared the video on her Instagram handle with the caption;

"So today I had the confidence to wear a bikini out in public for the FIRST TIME! Shyness and a lack of body confidence always stopped me. But it’s 2023 and I’m on holiday so we moveee! 

I actually felt free and had so much fun! by @morinokans"

Dr Aliyu Tilde Endorses Bola Tinubu. Releases Presidential Election Projections

 Dr Aliyu Tilde is a well known writer, columist, blogger and academic. He is known for writing very controversial articles. He has worked with Premium Times and Daily Trust newspapers and has also served as a lecturer at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi. 

Dr Tilde is a two-time commissioner for education in Bauchi State. He resigned from government in December to, in his words, "attend to a call of an associate who direly needs my services".

2023: MY PROJECTIONS

Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde

Below is a table of my estimates on 2023 presidential elections vote distribution among the four principal presidential candidates. I cannot lay my hand on 2023 voter cards issued by state; so I was compelled to use the one released in 2019 believing that any variance will more or less be evenly distributed among the states. The table has given estimated votes of each candidate per state and the sub-totals is given for each zone, which add up to the totals at the bottom of the table. Turnout in 2019 Presidential Election was 35% according to INEC. I reduced the total PVCs collected to this percentage.

In this article, I have discussed the factors that influenced my judgement. The major factors are incumbency, ethnicity, religion, G5, and the tickets of NNPP and LP.

In summary, the APC ticket is leading—though not with the huge percentages someone computed recently, which I copied and posted on my page and WhatsApp—followed by the PDP’s. As it is now, Labour and NNPP tickets will only play roles of factors that will widen or narrow the gap between the two major tickets.

Now, let us pick the factors one by one.

Ethnicity

The effect of ethnicity is obvious in the votes that the parties will get. The springboard of the LP is Igbo vote, APC the Yoruba and Kanuri votes, and NNPP northern Hausa-Fulani votes as it is to a lesser extent for the PDP.

The greatest beneficiary of the ethnic factor is the APC. The Kanuri and Yoruba will massively vote for the party, giving it an irreversible head-start of 9 states cutting across the Southwest, North-central and Northeast, which other parties will find impossible to catch-up with. It is this launchpad that will make the ruling party the undeniable front runner throughout the race.

Other parties will benefit from this factor to limited extent: LP, in the best of chances, will get the 5 Igbo states solely on this basis and many Igbo votes in the south-south, Lagos and Kano. Much of the support that the PDP candidate will get in the Northwest and Northeast is also ethnic though it will seriously be countered by incumbency in many states.

Incumbency

The next factor is incumbency. All the forecasts I read could not hide the clear arithmetic that the APC will be the biggest beneficiary here. It has the Federal Government with influential political appointees from every state in addition to other public servants who can be mobilised in its favour especially when developments before the election make its success at the polls inevitable. The privileges of having parastatals like INEC, CBN, etc. along with the role that security agencies will play in determining the atmosphere of the election in protection or furtherance of APC interest cannot be discounted.

In addition to the monopoly of the Federal Government, the APC heads 26 states, including the G5 states, against 9 States of PDP and 1 of APGA. While the incumbency in states makes it easy for the APC to meet the 25% constitutional requirement, it makes it hard for the PDP to do so. Labour and NNPP stand no chance at all, kicking them out of the race prematurely. A willing, sitting governor—with the state machinery, ruling party structure, contestants for every seat and backed by the Federal Government—is very unlikely to fail in gathering something between 20 and 25% of the vote for his presidential candidate. Prior to the electoral reforms of the past 10 years, this factor alone was earning a candidate of a ruling party the majority vote.

Incumbency in state will help APC to neutralise the mild ethnic factor in the North which the PDP candidate is promoting in Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina and Kano. In Oyo and Ebonyi, however, where ethnicity is strong, the effect may not be prominent.

Religion

Religion will help LP gain votes in many Christian dominated areas in the North to the detriment of the PDP as we heard from some groups. The Muslim-Muslim identity of the APC ticket has the potential of gaining currency as its antagonists threaten to use it to politically demystify the Muslim north. Facing this challenge means shifting votes in the region from PDP to APC.

G5

As their alliance with the APC becomes conclusive, debates on the relevance of the G5 are unanimous on their huge psychological impact on the PDP. The vote gain for APC may not be spectacular but it will definitely improve the chances of the APC in the unlikelihood of the race becoming tight with the quantum it will increase the gap under normal circumstances.

LP and NNPP

The LP will most likely reach the polling booth on 25th January. Its followers are not in the mood of surrendering to “the north” because doing so will vitiate the raison d’etre of the party, question the character of its candidate and create mass disappointment among its supporters, many of whom may boycott the polls. Its condition that the PDP candidate surrenders his ticket to the LP signifies the impossibility of any alliance. So PDP will lose the votes of LP members which it had in 2019.

But let us even grant the alliance between LP and PDP. According to the table below, it will reduce the margin of the APC but not bridge it completely. In fact, a reviewer of the draft of this article emphasized that I have credited LP with more votes than it can possibly get, insisting that LP is just a media hype and not taken seriously by Ndigbo. Added to this is the voter apathy among the Igbo as will be explained shortly. So the currency of LP may be more of crypto kind than hard and the leverage that PDP expects from it is not conclusively weighty enough to change the outcome of the election.

An obvious danger of PDP/LP alliance is the kinetics it will prompt in the NNPP camp. In order to block the PDP candidate, his rival NNPP candidate will then be persuaded, motivated, if not instigated, to align with the APC, a development that will foreclose the election in favour of the latter before the voting day.

Worse is a scenario where NNPP candidate withdraws for APC in the absence of a similar alliance between LP and PDP will be devastating to the PDP. It will be the end of discussion.

Voter Apathy

Supporters of candidates who are not the major contenders may develop voter apathy if their pessimism becomes entrenched before the elections. Voter apathy in presidential elections is historically highest among the Ndigbo. So the parties that would suffer most are APGA, LP and PDP, especially if IPOB will issue its usual threats. But whether the NNPP candidate withdraws or not, his ideologically bonded followers who are less prone to apathy will abide by his instructions.

The same fear applies to the Northwest and to some extent Northeast in states infested by Boko Haram and banditry. The parties found a way round the problem in 2019 but in 2023, with digital live transmission of results, they need to be more ingenious than usual.

Finally, disillusionment in the North may not allow the record turnouts we witnessed in 2011 and 2015 in the region. This will have equal effect on both APC and PDP.

Caveat

Both the APC and PDP presidential candidates are astute politicians. Each of them may have something up his sleeves. The mighty Hand of God is also there, always. So what we said above cannot be in any way final but just a fair representation of what I discern at this moment. 

Bauchi
1 January 2023