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Police arrest 6 in Kano for alleged public disturbance
The Police Command in Kano State has arrested six persons who allegedly chanted provocative slogans against Emir of Kano, thereby causing breach of peace.
The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hussaini Gumel, disclosed this while addressing newsmen on Monday in Kano.
Gumel said that the suspects constituted public nuisance during the inauguration of Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital at Kofar Kudu in Municipal Local Government Area of the state.
He said that the suspects disturbed the peaceful gathering, by chanting provocative slogans against the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who attended the ceremony.
According to him, the suspects were chanting slogans such as “New governor, new emir,” insisting that Gov. Abba Yusuf should remove Ado Bayero and install a new one since there is a new government in power.”
Gumel said that the police used technology to identify those involved, adding that investigation was ongoing to identify more suspects and their sponsors.
“That group of people was not invited to the event. They were intruders who came on their own, and they must have been sponsored by somebody or a group of persons.
“Six persons have been identified. We used technology to track them down. We are still analysing the video footage and we are making efforts to arrest all those involved.
“We are also making efforts to get the sponsors.
“Traditional institution is a respectable institution, and anybody who messes around with the traditional institution is an enemy of the police,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.
The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.
The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira
The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.
The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.
In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.
In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.
The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.
The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).
“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.
“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”
The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.
The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.
“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”
Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.
Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.
The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.
Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.
Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.
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