A 40-year-old commercial biker named Akpo has been detained by the Nigerian Police’s Benue State Command for raping a 25-year-old pregnant woman (names withheld) in Benue state.
On her way home from the market last Wednesday, he sexually assaulted the 8-months-pregnant woman who had hired him to drive her. They were traveling down a bushy route.
However, the suspect’s detention has been confirmed by the State Command of the Nigerian Police.
The event was confirmed on Thursday by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Sewuese Anene, who stated that the suspect had been detained and was currently in police custody.
Narrating the incident to our correspondent in Makurdi, a source close to the family said, “The woman was going home from the market. She flagged down an okada man and bargained with him to take her home.
“So on their way home, the okada man diverted from the main road to a nearby bush, held her down and raped her.
“As he was raping her, the woman became unconscious and the bike man, thinking that the woman was dead, dragged her and dumped her by a river bank where she laid till the next day.
“In the morning, she woke up and discovered herself in a state of subconsciousness. She was too weak to stand so she laid there praying that help will come her way.”
The source further explained that it was in that state that a search party found her and took her to the hospital while the matter was reported to the nearest police station leading to the arrest of the culprit. End.
Charles Chukwu, better known by his stage name Crayon, a budding musician, has explained why he decided to pursue music instead of a college education.
The Ijo Laba Laba singer claimed in an interview with Hip TV that he started writing songs after taking the unified tertiary matriculation examination five times.
The singer claimed that during his fifth attempt, he met a musician friend named Baby Fresh who gave him the motivation to make a “big sacrifice” for his career.
He said, “At the fifth time, I met Baby Fresh already, he used to work at Mavin. I won’t be able to juggle school and music at the same time because in Nigeria it’s quite stressful. Music alone is crazy.
“So I sat my parents down. I was like, ‘Mum and Dad, I want to make music.’ I said I feel like that’s what my heart is going for. My dad said just try this fifth one, if it doesn’t work out, you can go ahead and do music.”
He added that he walked out of the Post-UTME hall in the University of Lagos, mid-way through the exams, because he didn’t want to scale through with the administration, but face music instead.
The Mavin star stated that it was at that time that he met Don Jazzy, who signed him into the record label.
The Lagos State Police Command rescued a baby girl from beneath a parked bus in the state’s Ketu district.
A homeowner heard the newborn girl’s cry from under a bus about 4:30 a.m. on Wednesday and took her into safe custody.
The command’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed this on his Twitter page on Thursday, noting that investigations were continuing.
“A Lagosian set out for work at about 4:30 a.m. yesterday and heard the cry of a baby under a parked bus somewhere in Mile 12 Ketu,” he tweeted, along with a photo of the infant.
“After being alerted, police officers from Ketu Division took the healthy baby girl into custody.” Investigation is ongoing.”
The immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, took over as President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff on Wednesday.
This comes just hours after he resigned from his seat in the Tenth House.
Gbajabiamila handed his resignation letter on the House floor on Wednesday in front of Abass and the members of the House.
He shared pictures from his resignation and resumption at his new office saying, “To the glory of God, I resigned my membership of the newly Inaugurated 10th House of Representatives today. I had the privilege to move the first motion in the new House which was on the need to prepare to avert the negative effects of the forecast of heavy flooding in some parts of the country. The House passed the resolutions accordingly.
“Thereafter, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read my resignation letter and declared my seat vacant. An opportunity for the people of Surulere 1 Federal Constituency to elect my replacement.
“I have assumed my new office as the Chief of Staff to the President in readiness to work with Mr. President in delivering his Renewed Hope agenda for Nigeria.”
The Securities and Exchange Commission has said that it will keep working with different market parties to facilitate the capital market’s effective digitalization.
Mr. Lamido Yuguda, director general of the SEC, provided the assurance during a conversation in Lagos.
Yuguda stated that the capital market’s demographics are currently aging, and that the Commission is addressing this issue via the Revised Capital Market Master Plan. confirms changes to the way the foreign exchange market operates
The elimination of segmentation and the reintroduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window, among other modifications, were confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday night.
According to him, “We are encouraging Capital Market operators to develop technology. The youths do not want to come in and start filling five page forms because they want to access the market, they want to pick their phones and make their investments.
“For example, our keen support of the innovation by the Issuing House to the MTN IPO in 2022, Chapel Hill Advisory, further promoted the benefits of electronic-IPO (e-IPO) which made it possible for over 100,000 new accounts to be opened on the CSCS, most of which belong to youths and women- key subsets of our demography which is considered critical to sustainable growth
“That is why we are improving our Know Your Customers; we are improving so many things to make it easier for them. That is why we are introducing these Fintechs. We are allowing these Fintechs to come because we see the Fintech as an important gateway for youths to enter the market. We are conscious of that and we are working towards it.”
Yuguda said that the youths must understand that the capital market is a viable platform for wealth creation assuring them that the SEC and the market is working on how best to serve them.
“We are striving to improve the way we deliver our products, to improve market efficiency and to make the market attractive to them. Most importantly, we are doing all we can to ensure that investors are adequately protected in the market and that they are able to get the benefits of their investments” he stated.
As part of the digital transformation, the SEC DG disclosed that last year, the Commission signed an MoU with the African Development Bank to enable the SEC have a surveillance system.
“This surveillance system is a system that allows the SEC, the regulator as a watchdog, to truly see transactions in the market live as they are happening, just to make sure that no market manipulation is happening.
“Right now, we tried to get this information but basically it’s with a lag but with the system that we are getting, it’s real time. This will help this market; this will help the operators themselves. The regulator has their eyes on the market then people who are tempted to do any market manipulation will think twice before they do that. That is really healthier for the market” He stated.
Yuguda emphasized that when capital markets are developed, the entire engine of savings and investments and the allocation of resources would have the highest expected returns.
“It is actually made easy and if you do that, you will create more jobs in the economy, more revenues for the government. Life will be made easier for the investors and because of that you will have a lot of interested parties that actually want to put in their own money to help the capital market to develop” he added.
The elimination of segmentation and the reintroduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window, among other modifications, were confirmed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday night.
The CBN’s Director of Financial Markets, Angela Sere-Ejembi, signed a statement announcing the adjustments and assuring that more information will be provided on the subject in due time. The statement was made available to journalists in Abuja.
The following immediate changes to how the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) Market operates are being made, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wishes to alert all authorized dealers and the general public of: “Abolishment of segmentation. All segments are now collapsed into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. Applications for medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, and SMEs would continue to be processed through deposit money banks.
“Re-introduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window. Operations in this window shall be guided by the extant circular on the establishment of the window, dated 21 April 2017 and referenced FMD/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/007. All eligible transactions are permitted to access foreign exchange at this window.
“The operational rate for all government-related transactions shall be the weighted average rate of the preceding day’s executed transactions at the |&E window, calculated to two (2) decimal places.
“Proscription of trading limits on oversold FX positions with permission to hedge short positions with OTC futures. Limits on overbought positions shall be zero.
“Re introduction of order based two-way quotes, with bid-ask spread of 41. All transactions shall be cleared by a Central Counter Party (CCP).
“Reintroduction of Order Book to ensure transparency of orders and seamless execution of trades.
“The operational hours of trades shall be from 9am to 4pm, Nigeria time.
“Cessation of RT200 Rebate Scheme and the Naira4Dollar Remittance Scheme, with effect from 30 June 2023.
“Further guidance on these matters shall be communicated in due course. All market participants and the general public are kindly enjoined to abide by these rules” reads the statement in parts.
On Thursday, Lagos residents and Nigerians will gather for a special prayer in honor of the late Alhaja (Dr.) Abibatu Ashabi Mogaji, Iyaloja-General of the Association of Nigerian Market Women and Men.
Mother of Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and business tycoon Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji passed away on June 15, 2013, at the age of 96.
Governor Sanwo-Olu will attend the 10th annual Fidau (Prayer) for the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji on Thursday at Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja, along with President Tinubu, prominent politicians, business moguls, Muslim clerics, clergymen, and market leaders.
The Fidau (Prayer) is organised by the Lagos State government to celebrate the late politician, whose legacy lives on through the transformative policies and initiatives championed by her son, President Tinubu, when he was governor of Lagos State.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Media Adviser, Gboyega Akosile, said Alhaja Mogaji was a woman of tremendous grace, resilience, and devotion to her family and community, adding that the late Iyaloja General left an indelible mark on the nation and the people.
“Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji’s life was one of service, dedication, and compassion. As a staunch advocate for the welfare and development of her community, she championed numerous causes that provided opportunities for the less-privileged and uplifted the lives of many. Her unwavering commitment to social justice, equity, and fairness earned her the respect and admiration of all who knew her.
“As Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Alhaja Mogaji was a trailblazer, breaking barriers and paving the way for women to take up leadership roles in business and commerce. She was a beacon of hope and inspiration to thousands of market women and entrepreneurs across the nation, empowering them with the skills and resources to flourish in their respective trades,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
The Nigeria Data Protection Bill, 2023 has been signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The admission was made at the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) validation session in Abuja by Vincent Olatunji, National Commissioner, NDPC.
The Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, according to Information Nigeria, establishes a legislative framework for the preservation of personal data and the practice of data protection in Nigeria.
On Tuesday, April 4, 2023, former president Muhammadu Buhari wrote a letter to the Senate and House of Representatives introducing the bill for review and approval.
The new law, now an Act, establishes the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and replaces the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) established by former President Buhari in February 2022.
The Commission will be led by a National Commissioner with the responsibility of regulating the processing of personal information.
Another mandate of the Commission is to foster the development of personal data protection technologies, in accordance with recognised international good practices and to ensure compliance with data protection obligations.
Olatunji who expressed delight over the growth of Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem said that “the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau is now a commission by law. Nigeria now has its Data Protection Act signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 12th of June 2023.”
While appreciating the efforts of the former administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari who started the journey under the former Minister Isa Pantami, the National Commissioner stressed the need for effective partnership and stakeholder engagement especially in the areas of awareness and sensitization.
“We agree that Nigeria is well positioned to move data protection ahead in Africa. We agree that Nigeria is well positioned to move. The whole of Africa is waiting for us.
“In Nigeria, we have identified over 500,000 job opportunities in the Data Protection and Privacy ecosystem which is in line with one of the campaign mantra of the current administration to create million jobs in the digital economy sector in 12 months,” he stated.
On his part, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Williams Alo, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fostering a culture of trust and accountability in the digital sphere.
“We can create an ecosystem that protects the rights of individuals while fostering a vibrant and innovative digital economy.
“Together, let us embark on this validation workshop with a shared vision—a vision of a Nigeria where personal data is treated with the utmost respect, where individuals have control over their own information and where innovation thrives in an environment of trust,” he admonished.
The Director General, National Information Technology Development, Kashifu Inuwa, in his remarks, stressed the importance of data as the currency of the digital economy, and urged the committee to look at the key principles for data protection.
“Firstly, we need to prioritize freedoms and rights of our citizens. Secondly, we need to promote transparency and accountability. And thirdly, we need to foster an enabling environment for innovation and economic growth.
“We can only create jobs when we are innovative and look at how we can create prosperity in our country,” he said.
The Committee Chairman, Nigeria Data Protection Bureau Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan, Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, said the roadmap “is intended to help identify some of those things we need to do to build the ecosystem so that we empower people to be able to have some kind of say and management over their own private data.”
Ajijola also emphasised the need for more awareness and sensitization to build a robust data protection and privacy ecosystem which is inclusive and viable.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the former House Speaker who now serves as President Bola Tinubu’s chief of staff, has formally resigned from the 10th House of Representatives as a representative of the Surulere 1 Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
He submitted his letter of resignation to Tajudeen Abass, the new Speaker, on Wednesday while the House was in session.
Before Gbajabiamila bowed in front of the new Speaker and the other MPs, Abass read the members the resignation letter from the previous Speaker.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas vacated the position after he resigned, and the Independent National Electoral Commission was ordered to hold a bye-election to fill it.
The former speaker of the 9th House officially presented his letter of resignation to the new Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives Hon. Abbas at the plenary session.
In the letter read by the Speaker, Gbajabiamila informed the House of his appointment as Chief of Staff to the President and the need to exit the House to serve.
He thanked members of the House for their support throughout his stay in the House, especially in the last four years when he served as Speaker.
Gbajabiamila said: “It is with mixed feelings that I want to, at this time, at this moment and at this hour and this minute present to this House, my letter of resignation from this House”.
The Senate recessed on Wednesday until July 4 so that its Committee on Welfare could finalize the distribution of funds, offices, and interests to senators.
The interests will encompass, among other things, office space, transportation, and lodging.
In a press conference at the National Assembly, Senator Ahmed Ningi (APC Bauchi Central) stated that the Red Chamber likewise commended the House of Representatives on its rancor-free election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, respectively.
Senator Ningi also said that the Upper Chamber sent “communications to international bodies like the EU, AU, and the other legislative National bodies” during the occasion of the private meeting.
He said that the lawmakers had planned an early resumption after a two week break but for the pending Sallah holiday.
The Lawmaker further revealed the resolve of the 10th Assembly to safe the country from implosion, adding “This nation was crashing some few months back but with what is happening right now especially with the inauguration of the National Assembly, I am very positive that we are going to save this country, this country will benefit from our experiences and with the faces I have seen in the Senate in particular no doubt in my mind that the Senate will be an entirely different Senate this time around.”
“I have been out of the National Assembly for eight years. I was also here for 16 years.
“We have come a long way and I believe without you this democracy which I personified by the National Assembly would not have been here for the last 24 years.
“That it has attained 24 years. It is as a result of your work. You have been there and you have also been accused just like each and every member of the parliament.
You have been accused of corruption, indolence, you have been accused of so many things, that members of the National Assembly have been accused and this work has to be done.”
This is as he dismissed concerns of a rancorous executive and legislative relations, as he maintained “We are not going to be confrontational as we have never been, but we are not going to be laid back legislators to make sure we understand some things, we make sure they understand our powers to make sure that we understand our limitations.
“We will outrightly inform the executive of our powers under the constitution, under the House rules and under the legislative matters privileges.
We are not going to be caged. I am very happy this afternoon that the first thing that the Senate President did was to call for an executive session with very exhaustive deliberations and I am happy he has started on a very clean slate.”
On the resolve of the 10th Assembly to be different from its predecessor, the Bauchi lawmaker pointed out, “I can see that he is ready for this job and we have assured him that once he gives us our respect, we are going to accord him our full loyalty.
“And we also cautioned him that inspite of whatever happened, the Senate is the institution that made him Senate President and the Chairman of the National Assembly.
“Because he is a ranking Senator he understands that on behalf of the people of this country over the years things have not been done so well.
That time will give us another opportunity to redo what we have not been able to do in the last couple of years.”
The experienced legislature urged for media to place the country on the path of development, as he underscored that “want to call on the media in particular to remain steadfast in what they are doing, we don’t have any other country other than Nigeria.
“I know we have challenges of tribal sentiments, religious sentiments, regional sentiments; they all interplay within the Nigerian body politics but at the end of the day we bear the consequences.
“We have tested insecurity and it is not a respecter of anybody from the executive to the legislature and to the common man and even the Nigerian security forces have been confronted by this insecurity and there is the issue of poverty and anger in the polity.
“Therefore if we don’t put Nigeria first which is easier said than done. We must make sure that this country is pushed forward, we must make sure that we add value.
As you write your report, encourage members of the National Assembly when they need encouragement and also call the attention of the National Assembly members when you have noticed their limitations.
“You must also read the constitution yourself, read the House rules, understand our powers, what we can do and what we cannot do and then help us call the executive to order when the need arises.
Try to encourage us to do what is right all the time.”
On the outcome of the minority caucus meeting, he explained, “the election has come and gone. I adjudged it free and fair inspite of any insinuation whether somebody is coerced or not.
“I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe a Senator will be made to do what he does not want to do.
“It was a free election. It was open and it was keenly contested. Having said that, initially we had our own terms of agreement with the various Senate presidential aspirants.
“We wrote to all of them unfortunately time was not on our side to have gotten a reply from them but for me it doest matter who gets what it all depends on the leadership, the presiding officers, you can decide not to have not to give me any committee but there will be a time when you will need me and that has been the tradition of the National Assembly.
“It is always give and take. We are 50 members of the opposition, the ruling party has 59, we are watching. It is also important to understand that the principal officers are also members of the Senate Committee.
“The intention then was for them to take care of the minority interest, you know they are limited because while they are having six and seven with the Senate president we are having four, so if there is any vote you know where it will go.
“But that is not the issue, the issue is the presiding officer, listening to what he said to carry people along with honesty and transparency.
If you don’t carry me along now that means you don’t need me and if tomorrow you need me you will be reminded when did you change your mind?”
While fielding questions on the minority position, he stressed that it “usually is not subjected to an election, and I am not here to speak for the minority because there is a minority caucus leader, Senator Aliero.
“When you come to speak about the minority they have two positions which will be slashed between the minority rank and consequently when these positions are spliced then each party will now go and do the needful in providing these names.
“I am free. If I am called upon to do it I will gladly accept that, If not the senate chair is enough for me.
Whatever rate I don’t need to hold any position. I will function in this Senate one way or the other,” he emphasized.
