Headline

Ignore false alarm on insecurity – Kogi Govt. urges citizens, travellers

Published

9 months ago

August 23, 2023

Kogi Government has urged citizens and travellers to ignore false alarm on insecurity circulating that the state is not safe.

Retired Commodore Jerry Omodara, Security Adviser (SA) to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi, made the call while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

An alarm in in form of a notice in circulation in the state claims, “Kogi State is hot for now. For those visiting kogi State to see family and friends please avoid this areas, Jimgbe, Elete, Emoro, Geregu down to Ajaokuta.

“Also, avoid Obajana old road. Even if you are stick in traffic due to the new bridge construction, please avoid the old road, it’s very dangerous.”

Omodara said there was the need to caution people, to avoid believing in unconfirmed reports like that, especially when it had to do with security in Kogi.

“As things are in terms of security, there is such thing happening in Kogi. It’s all but falsehood.

“Trust us, we will not give anyone the chance to torment the people of Kogi as it used to be in the past. As it is, there is no cause for alarm as long as Kogi State is concerned.

“This is because criminals coming into the state are quickly harvested. We are harvesting them even with those who ran to other states as we ensure we go after them and bring them back to face prosecution.

“All we expect from the public is timely information and the security agencies will do their job, ” he said.

The security adviser explained, “it’s true you can’t completely eliminate criminality in any society, but the compact system of neighborhood and the security architecture put in by the Federal Government in Kogi is working very well along with the will power of the Kogi Government to deal with the emerging security situation.

According to him, “If we have one or two security challenges, be sure we have nipped 6 or 7 or 8 in the bud.”

He said for the fact that there was an incident recently, people should stop enlarging it as if it was a threat to wellbeing of residents and passers-by.

“We all know what the security situation in Kogi was and what we are having now.

“The government of Gov Bello has been able to bring sanity in Kogi, where the people are very free, doing their legitimate businesses without any fear of harassment.

“Therefore, rather than escalating falsehood on social media, it’s better you channel information, whenever you discovered any security challenge or breach to the security operatives for prompt action,” he advised.

Omodara expressed gladness that the government and security operatives were getting it well in Kogi.

“Till the last day of Alh. Yahaya Bello in office as governor, and even to the next government, we will continue to fight insecurity in Kogi for the good of our people.”

Headline

EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Desmond Ukafor

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.

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

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.