Shun juicy gifts from corrupt litigants, CJN warns Judges

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola has warmed the newly inaugurated Justice of the Industrial Court against accepting juicy and irresistible gifts from corrupt persons, especially politicians and businessmen so as not to bring shame and disgrace to their families. The CJN reminded them that many high-profile cases would definitely come before Judges in the course of discharging their duties in the company of irresistible gifts, especially when they involve mouthwatering financial aid and business transactions. “I am making it clear to you now that you must flee from such disguised danger”, the CJN said while inaugurating six newly appointed Judges for the National Industrial Court on Monday at the Supreme Court Complex. The six new Judges inaugurated are Justices Subilim Emmanuel Danjuma, Mohammad Adamu Hamza,  Damachi-Onugba Joyce Agede, Hassan Mohammed Yakubu, Buhari Sami and Sanda Audu Yelwa. “You must, against all odds, conduct your affairs within the ambit of the law and the oath that has just been administered to you. “If you were hitherto 50 percent under public scrutiny, I can confidently tell you now that it has automatically risen to 100 percent by virtue of this appointment” Justice Ariwoola charged the Judges to redouble their efforts and dialogue with their conscience in order not to fall out of the grace of God and the Nigerian people. “It absolutely takes nothing to join the crowd but it takes quite a lot to stand alone with a good conscience”. The CJN charged the new Judges to fasten their belts and roll up their sleeves to face the challenges head-on, adding that they must double their pace to catch up with the expectations of litigants. “As Judicial officers, you have a divine mandate on earth that you must discharge with unveiled honesty and sincerity” “You must give a good account of yourselves to justify your appointment. However, if you decide to do the contrary, the sledgehammer will, without hesitation, descend heavily on you. “No judicial officer at any level of our Courts will be allowed to drag the reputation of the Nigerian Judiciary into the mud. We cannot come this far to fail. Take heed of this admonition by working rightly towards occupying an enviable space in the annals of the Nigerian Judiciary,” the CJN said.

ExxonMobil announces Shane Harris new Nigeria Chairman/MD

ExxonMobil has announced Mr. Shane Harris as the new Chairman and Managing Director in the country. Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, the Manager, Media and Communications of ExxonMobil, announce this in a statement made available to newsmen in Eket on Monday. He said that Harris was to assume the role of lead country manager for ExxonMobil’s three affiliates in Nigeria due to Richard Laing’s retirement. “ExxonMobil has appointed Mr Shane Harris as chairman and managing director, and lead country manager of its three affiliates in Nigeria. “The three affiliates include: Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East),” he said. Udeagha said that Harris succeeds Laing, who is retiring from the company after 33 years of service, effective July 1. Harris, prior to his appointment, was the chairman and president of ExxonMobil Exploration and Production, Malaysia Incorporated. “It is a privilege to lead the ExxonMobil team in Nigeria and build on the work that Richard Laing has done over the last three years. “I look forward to the work that lies ahead and continuing the company’s outstanding relationships,” he said. Since joining ExxonMobil in 1998, Harris has held a variety of leadership, engineering and business assignments in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Russia and the United States.  “In two of these previous assignments, he served as asset manager for Imperial Oil’s Kearl oil sands mining asset in northern Alberta, Canada, and as ExxonMobil’s global drilling technical manager in Houston,” Udeagha said. He said that Harris is Australian and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Subsidy: Court reaffirms order restraining NLC, TUC from embarking on strike

The National Industrial Court on Monday declared that the order restraining the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) from embarking on their planned industrial action subsists. Justice Olufunke Anuwe stated that the order as granted on June 5 subsists pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice. The court in addition, ordered that parties maintain the status quo and adjourned the matter until July 20, for a hearing. Earlier, when the case was called, the Federal Government’s counsel, Mr Ochum Emmanuel informed the court that the matter was slated for Monday for the claimant to take its motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction to restrain the defendants from embarking on strike. He added that he was ready to proceed with his application as the defendants had been served. Mr Marshall Abubakar, the defendants’ counsel on his part however replied that they had filed an application praying the court to set aside its order granted on June 5, restraining his clients from embarking on strike. Abubakar further submitted that the claimant was served the application on June 8, only for them to turn around and serve on them a counter-affidavit on Monday in court. He added that the claimant filed the counter-affidavit on June 16 and instructed the bailiff not to serve them until on Monday in court. The court enquired if defence was properly before the court, Abubakar responded that he was not certain, but that he will find out and do the needful. He also prayed for a short adjournment in order to look at the counter-affidavit and respond. Emmanuel in response opposed Abubakar’s application for adjournment and urged the court to allow him take his motion on notice which was slated for hearing. The counsel also reiterated that the federal government will never a file process and instruct any bailiff not to serve the other party. He argued that it was probably due to the fact that he filed the processes late on June 16 that made the bailiff to serve defence counsel in court on Monday. Emmanuel in his submission equally averred that the defendants were not properly before the court as they had not filed their memorandum of appearance, but only came to urge the court to vacate the order it granted on June 5. He stated that the defendants being not properly before the court cannot seek for an adjournment. In addition, he submitted that if the court should deem it fit to grant Abubakar’s application for an adjournment, the court should equally declare that the order restraining the defendants from embarking on strike granted on June 5 subsist. In his reply, Abubakar submitted that Emmanuel’s application was not necessary as the court had earlier stated that parties should maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. He also informed the court that parties were meeting later on Monday to try and resolve the issue. The court in its ruling granted the application for adjournment, directed the defendants to enter their memorandum of appearance and instructed parties to maintain status quo. From facts, he defendants had planned to embark on nationwide strike on June 7 to protest the fuel subsidy removal that brought about the new pump price for the Premium Motor Spirit. The federal government had therefore instituted the suit to stop the defendants, stating that the proposed strike may gravely affect the larger society and the well-being of the nation at large. The claimant in addition stated that the strike is capable of disrupting economic activities, that will affect especially the health and the educational sector.

Police recover firearm, ammunition from fleeing armed robbers in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu State has recovered ammunition comprising one locally-fabricated double-barrell gun with two cartridges (one live and the other expended), from fleeing armed suspects at New Artisan Bridge, off Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. This is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman, DSP Daniel Ndukwe on Monday in Enugu. Ndukwe said that the feat was achieved by police operatives serving at the New Haven Division of the Command on June 16 at about 10:46am. “The hoodlums abandoned their firearm with the ammunition on sighting police operatives, who immediately went on their trail, following the receipt of credible information that the miscreants were sighted in the location perfecting their criminal plans. “Meanwhile, discreet investigative and moves to fish out the fleeing criminal elements are underway. “Further development on the matter shall be made public,” he said.

Kenneth Kaunda prophesied my emergence as president– Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed how the late Kenneth Kaunda prophesied his emergence as Nigeria’s president in 2006. Jonathan gave the revelation in a speech he delivered at the 2nd Kenneth Kaunda Memorial Public Lecture on Saturday in Pretoria, South Africa. It is titled ‘Kenneth Kaunda’s Lessons for Humanity’. Kaunda, who was the first President of Zambia served from 1964 to 1991 and died on June 17, 2021. Jonathan said this in the statement at the weekend in Abuja. He said though he was then Governor of Bayelsa State, he never had the dream of becoming Nigeria’s president as at that time. He recalled that during his time as Bayelsa Governor in 2006, he invited Kaunda to the state because of their shared interest in the protection of their people against HIV/AIDS. He recalled with relish the impressive pace displayed by Kaunda, then aged 82 years, at the symbolic Three Arms Walk for HIV/AIDS on the streets of Yenagoa. “My political journey was not the one which attracted much attention from spiritual leaders and seers because many then could not see me playing notable roles in the national affairs of my country, since I was not active in partisan politics back then. “However, I must say it now that Kaunda in the early days of my political career, captured my political trajectory to the presidency in an accurate prophetic revelation that has continued to amaze me till this day. “In 2006 when Kaunda had ended his visit to us in Yenagoa and was returning to Zambia, I remember seeing him off to the Port Harcourt Airport in neighbouring Rivers State. “As he stood up and was about to board a vehicle that would convey him to the aircraft, he turned back and said to me, “Young man, you will be the president of this country one day.” “I and my Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Amb. Boladei Igali, who was with me simply looked at each other in amazement, because the presidency was never in our dreams, at that time. “Farfetched as these words seemed to me then, I later saw his prophecy fulfilled in my life within a decade. “So I can say that KK was the man who saw tomorrow as it related then to my political future and fortune, as I eventually became the President of my country,” Jonathan said. The former Nigeria president also said that his political experience, in certain ways, mirrored that of Kaunda. He said that like Kaunda, he handed over to the opposition party after losing election. “I am glad I made that happen without any contestation in the interest of peace and sustainable democracy. “Let me end by saying that Dr Kaunda’s political profile as a leader and Pan-Africanist experienced varied fortunes, but in the end, he refused to be defeated and lived his life to show others that politics is about the people and that there is life after office. “He was a man of the people right to the end of his ripe old age of 97 years when he passed on. “This is what I am learning from him as I continue to devote my time to the pursuit of peace, good governance and sustainable democracy in Africa,” Jonathan said. He said that Kaunda was not only of very great significance to Africa’s struggle for liberation, he was also quite significant to him. He said that one of the reasons he accepted to assume the position of the Chancellor of Cavendish University, Uganda, two years ago was because Kaunda as well as Tanzanian former President, Benjamin Mkapa had served in the same position. He said that Kaunda would continue to serve as a propelling force for Africa’s struggle for independence and economic emancipation. “Kaunda’s voyage on Earth was an odyssey marked by many exciting milestones, the most significant being his role in nation-building and his passion for a just and peaceful society. “He was a foremost Pan-Africanist, who worked tirelessly with his contemporaries like Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere, Patrice Lumumba and Ahmed Sekou Toure to birth freedom for many of our countries. “They worked together to promote African unity and solidarity, and to advocate for self-determination and economic development. “Kaunda’s timeline was defined by courage, strength, and resilience, championing hope and freedom and good governance in Zambia, Southern Africa, and the entire African continent.” He added that Kaunda’s dedication to the causes of justice and African emancipation paid off, with the decolonisation and freedom of his neighbours and brothers in Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. “Kaunda was such a vociferous anti-colonialist that from 1954 he refused to drink tea and coffee in protest against British colonialism – a personal protest he kept up for the rest of his life.”

Eagles beat Sierra Leone 3-2, qualify for 2023 AFCON

The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Sunday qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations after beating Sierra Leone 2-3 in Monrovia, Liberia. The three-time African champions picked the ticket after defeating the Lone Stars at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium with one game to spare. A stoppage-time tap-in from Kelechi Iheanacho was the most important goal in a match where the Super Eagles surrendered a two-goal lead. Jose Peseiro started the match with the attacking trio of in-form Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, and Moses Simon. He also preferred the backline paring over Kenneth Omeruo and Semilore Ajayi as Willam Troost-Ekong was benched. The Eagles showed their intent in the early minutes of the game when Osimhen’s header was only stopped by Ibrahim Sesay, Sierra Loanean’s goalkeeper. A few minutes later, Chukwueze fired high and wide from the edge of the box after he was teed up. He then scuffed a bigger opportunity after Osimhen wrestled the ball off a defender to set him face-to-face with Sesay. Shortly, the early pressure paid for Nigeria as Osimhen pounced on a long ball and executed a perfect lob over the on-rushing Sesay, who watched as the strike sailed into the empty net. The Napoli striker doubled the lead in the 32nd minute after he was sent through on goal by a cute pass by Joe Aribo. With a well-executed assist from Ahmed Musa, Osimhen capitalized on the defense’s neglect and unleashed a magnificent left-footed strike, further cementing the Super Eagles’ advantage. Osimhen’s brace also propelled him to the top of the scorer rankings with seven goals, surpassing Sadio Mané. Mustapha Bundu restored hope for the Leone Stars when he struck from the edge of the box to reduce the deficit just before the break. Sierra Leone emerged from half-time with renewed determination, launching relentless attacks on the Nigerian camp. Their efforts bore fruit as Augustus Kargbo equalized, leveling the score at 2-2. The momentum clearly favored the Sierra Leoneans, who continued to create opportunities, albeit leaving gaps for the ever-vigilant Super Eagles. In the end, it was Kelechi Iheanacho who seized the moment, securing Nigeria’s qualification with a crucial goal. This result also guarantees qualification for Guinea-Bissau.

S/African Johann Rupert overtakes Dangote as Africa’s richest man

South African Johann Rupert has displaced Nigerian billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote to become Africa’s richest man, Forbes Magazine said. Rupert’s net worth is currently $12 billion according to Forbes Real-time Global Billionaires Ranking, while Dangote trails behind him with a net worth of $10.8 billion as of Friday. Dangote’s net worth dropped due to the recent operational charges on the foreign exchange market carried out by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which led to the depreciation of the Naira against the US dollar. Consequently, Forbes and Bloomberg had to recalculate the fortunes of all Nigerian billionaires leading to the significant drop in the wealth of Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu, the founder of BUA cement, and Mike Adenuga, the Chairman of telecommunications giant Globacom Limited. Meanwhile, with the expected kickoff of the $20 billion Dangote refinery commissioned last Month, Aliko Dangote is expected to bounce back.

Q1 2023: FG rakes in N709.59bn VAT

Nigeria’s aggregate Value Added Tax (VAT) for Q1 2023 has been reported at N709.59 billion, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), has said.  According to the NBS Value Added Tax report for Q1, 2023, a growth rate of 1.75 percent on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N697.38 billion in Q4 2022. Local payments recorded were N436.10 billion, Foreign VAT payments were N151.13 billion, while import VAT contributed N122.37 billion in Q1 2023. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services producing activities of households for own use recorded the highest growth rate with 349.86%, followed by construction with 95.64%. On the other hand, the report noted that activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies had the lowest growth rate with–53.54%, followed by real estate activities with– 47.01%. In terms of sectoral contributions, the top three largest shares in Q1 2023 were manufacturing with 29.65%; information and communication with 19.29%; and mining & quarrying with 12.24%. The report said: “Conversely, activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies recorded the least share with 0.02%, followed by activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use with 0.03%; and water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities with 0.04%.” However, on a year-on-year basis, VAT collections in Q1 2023 increased by 20.56% from Q1 2022.  Similarly, aggregate Company Income Tax (CIT) for the first quarter of 2023 was reported at N469.01 billion, indicating a growth rate of -37.79% on a quarter-on-quarter basis from N753.88 billion in Q4 2022. According to the NBS, local payments received were N300.78 billion, while Foreign CIT payment contributed N168.23 billion in Q1 2023. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the financial and insurance activities recorded the highest growth rate with 50.42 per cent, followed by construction with 42.32 per cent. “On the other hand, water supply, sewerage, waste management, and  activities had the lowest growth rate with – 69.38%, followed by other service activities with -60.13%. In terms of sectoral contributions, the top three largest shares in Q1 2023 were financial & insurance activities with 22.94%; manufacturing with 20.91%; and information and communication with 11.89%. “Conversely, the activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods-and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least share with 0.01%, followed by water supply, sewerage, waste management, and remediation activities with 0.04%; and activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies with 0.12%. “However, on a year-on-year basis, CIT collections in Q1 2023 decreased by 14.96% from Q1 2022,” the NBS stated. 

Binance Nigeria Limited a scam, Global CEO declares

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Binance, Changpeng Zhao on Sunday declared that the Binance Nigeria Limited is a scam entity. Binance is a leading cryptocurrency platform globally.  In a statement in his verified twitter handle Zhao said “Binance Nigeria Limited is a scam.   “Binance have issued a cease & desist notice to the scammer entity “Binance Nigeria Limited”. Don’t believe everything you read in the news.” This comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had declared that Binance Nigeria is operating illegally in Nigeria.  SEC had said the crypto entity was not registered or regulated by the Commission.  

Gunmen kidnap 67-year-old Chief Imam

The Police in Ondo State have confirmed the abduction of Alhaji Ibrahim Bodunde-Oyinlade, the Chief Imam of USO community in Owo Local Government Area of the state. The 67-year-old Chief Imam was abducted on his farm at Asolo Farm Camp on Saturday afternoon. A family member said they reported to the police when Bodunde-Oyinlade did not return home by 2pm and calls to his mobile phone were not answered. “The kidnappers have contacted the family but are yet to demand for ransom,” he said on condition of anonymity. SP Olufunmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, Police spokesperson in the state, however, confirmed the incident. He said policemen and vigilantes were combing the forest in search of the Chief Imam. Odunlami-Omisanya told newmen that the victim’s car and mobile phone were found at the farm. “It was at about 6pm that the family members came to report the incident at the police station in USO community. “The DPO, policemen, and vigilantes are searching the area for possible rescue,” he added.