NEWS
Customs Announces Plan To Reduce Checkpoints At Seme Border
Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has pledged collaboration with sister agencies operating along the Seme border to address the issue of excessive checkpoints in the corridor.
This assurance was given during his official visit to the Seme area command on Friday.
During his visit, Mr. Adeniyi discussed various concerns raised by the Controller of the Seme area command, Dera Nandi, one of which was the numerous checkpoints along the border axis.
He said “We want to enhance our national security, but we are going to do it with a fewer number of checkpoints; we are working with other security agencies to see how we can rationalise the checkpoints.
“I also want to challenge you that national security is not responsibility of the government agencies alone.
“It is the business of every citizen, in all the parts of the society they treat national security as a priority, so it should not be the business of the security agencies alone.
“This is to make life easier for business, so, I want to charge you all to make life and the work of our security agencies easier.
“The criminal lives among us, those that are bringing arms and ammunition live among us, they operate within us.
“What we can do to help and re-enforce our national security is if you help us with information for us to catch these criminals who are dangerous to our community.
“They are our enemies, they are the ones who do not like us, so there is need for us to help the security with information.
“Once the security agencies get hold of information, they might not need the checkpoints anymore.” he added.
Mr. Adeniyi assured that he would initiate discussions with other relevant agencies to find ways to streamline the checkpoints effectively.
During his statement, he acknowledged that not all closed borders had been reopened yet, but emphasized that ongoing discussions were taking place to address this matter, emphasizing that the process was continuous.
He said “Policies that are aimed at enhancing national security are supposed to be dynamic policies and at different times, we will review them.
“We have started reviewing them that is why some borders were opened about a year ago, so it is a continuous process, more will be opened along the line.
“Everything will depend on the kind of report that will get to the government about the ability of the local communities to support the law enforcement agencies so that criminals do not get through these border areas.”
The Acting Comptroller-General of Customs stated that if all aspects fall into place successfully, the customs service would initiate discussions on the possibility of allowing vehicles to pass through land borders.
Onyekachi Ojinma, the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Seme chapter, made a plea to President Bola Tinubu, urging him to implement policies that would make the borders more conducive for business and services to flourish aimed at promoting economic growth and trade opportunities at the border region.
During the event, Joseph Gbenu, the Chairman of the Badagry-West Local Council Development Area, expressed his appreciation to the Acting Comptroller General of Customs for his visit to the Seme command.
Gbenu assured the Acting CGC that the local community would cooperate in the fight against economic sabotage and the smuggling of contraband through the borders.
Gbenu assured the Acting CGC that the local community would cooperate in the fight against economic sabotage and the smuggling of contraband through the borders.
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.”
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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.