NEWS
BREAKING: Tinubu Tightens Grip on Govt, Sends Buhari’s Men Packing
In a move perceived by political pundits as tightening grip on the government, being his own man and moving to a clean slate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has cleared out former appointees of his predecessor, Mohammadu Buhari, replacing them with his own men.
According to a statement issued by Director, Information, Office of the Secretary-General to the Federation, Willie Bassey, in Abuja on Monday, on behalf of his principal, Senator George Akume, the president has approved the retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, and Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect.
This is coming exactly three weeks after President Tinubu took over from Buhari.
The statement named those affected in the shakeup to include Alkali Usman who was removed as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Lucky Irabor, sacked as the Chief of Defence Staff; Faruk Yahaya, retired as the Chief of Army Staff; Awwal Gambo, removed as the Chief of Naval Staff; and Isiaka Amao, retired as Chief of Air Staff.
The President subsequently appointed new service chiefs and named a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, as his new National Security Adviser (NSA).
Ribadu replaces Babagana Monguno as the nation’s NSA.
Tinubu also approved the appointment of Adeniyi Adewale as the Acting Comptroller General of Customs. He takes over from Hameed Ali.
Bassey added that, “It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Recall that during his inaugural address, President Tinubu promised to “defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country”, adding that “to effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security doctrine and its architecture”.
Below is the full statement:
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION PRESS & PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
June 19, 2023
PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU RETIRES ALL SERVICE CHIEFS, ADVISERS, COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF CUSTOMS, APPOINTS NEW ONES
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate retirement of all Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Advisers, Comptroller-General of Customs from Service as well as their replacements with immediate effect.
The newly appointed Officers are:
S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS
1. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu National Security Adviser
2. Maj. Gen. C.G Musa Chief of Defence Staff
3. Maj. Gen. T. A Lagbaja Chief of Army Staff
4. Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla Chief of Naval Staff
5. AVM H.B Abubakar Chief of Air Staff
6. DIG Kayode Egbetokun Acting Inspector-General of Police
7. Maj. Gen. EPA Undiandeye Chief of Defense Intelligence
Mr President has also approved the following appointments:
S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS
1. Col. Adebisi Onasanya Brigade of Guards Commander
2. Lt. Col. Moshood Abiodun Yusuf 7 Guards Battalion, Asokoro, Abuja
3. Lt. Col. Auwalu Baba Inuwa 177, Guards Battalion, Keffi, Nasarawa State
4. Lt. Col. Mohammed J. Abdulkarim 102 Guards Battalion, Suleja, Niger
5. Lt. Col. Olumide A. Akingbesote 176 Guards Battalion, Gwagwalada, Abuja
Similarly, the President has approved the appointments of other Military Officers in the Presidential Villa as follows:
S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS
1. Maj. Isa Farouk Audu (N/14695) Commanding Officer State House Artillery
2. Capt. Kazeem Olalekan Sunmonu (N/16183) Second-in-Command, State House Artillery
3. Maj. Kamaru Koyejo Hamzat (N/14656) Commanding Officer, State House Military Intelligence
4. Maj. TS Adeola (N/12860) Commanding Officer, State House Armament
5. Lt. A. Aminu (N/18578) Second-in- Command, State House Armament
Mr. President has also approved the appointments of two (2) additional Special Advisers, and two (2) Senior Assistants, namely:
S/N NAME APPOINTMENTS
1. Hadiza Bala Usman Special Adviser, Policy Coordination
2. Hannatu Musa Musawa Special Adviser, Culture and Entertainment Economy
3. Sen. Abdullahi Abubakar Gumel Senior Special Assistant , National Assembly Matters (Senate)
4. Hon. (Barr) Olarewaju Kunle Ibrahim Senior Special Assistant, National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives)
Finally, the President has approved the appointment of Adeniyi Bashir Adewale as the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs.
It is to be noted that the appointed Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and the Comptroller General of Customs are to act in their positions, pending their confirmation in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Willie Bassey
Director, Information
For: Secretary to the Government of the Federation
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt Chairman By Police
The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.