Put a finger down if you don’t joke with your bank account and would literally spiral if you smell any funny business around it. If your finger is down, the update in this article is for you.
You know how you gently drop “it can never be me” when someone comes on X to scream about money that has suddenly disappeared from their bank account? The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is saying it could be you like mad.
What’s going on?
On Monday, December 9, the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) at NITDA released a public advisory warning Nigerians of the new version of a banking malware called Grandoreiro which has been stealing sensitive information such as banking credentials and personal data from users worldwide.
How can Grandoreiro steal from you?
NITDA says the malware steals from users through complex phishing schemes (like emails and fake websites) that trick them into downloading harmful software, posing as important updates or documents.
Once the malware is installed on users’ systems, it bypasses security controls and gives it access to users’ devices. This means that the malware can intercept or bypass the usual Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) methods, like One-Time Passwords (OTP), usually put in place by banking institutions to steal from users.
In what specific ways can Grandoreiro harm you?
It can bypass your system and enable unauthorised banking transactions
It can steal your identity
It can exploit you by taking control of your devices and bypassing security measures.
How can you safeguard your devices against Grandoreiro?
To protect your devices from the malware, NITDA strongly advises that you do the following:
Avoid links and attachments from unfamiliar email addresses
Do not download software from untrusted sources
Enable Multiple Factor Authentification (MFA) on your online banking accounts to protect them
Do not use public WIFI to make financial transactions. If you must, be sure to use a VPN
Monitor your bank accounts closely and often in order to flag unusual activities or transitions
Make sure that the antivirus software in your devices is always updated
In the case of suspicious activities, contact the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) at NITDA either through their email address (cerrt@nitda.gov.ng ), their phone number (+2348178774580), or website.
If the many sins of Nigeria’s education system, like constant strikes, poor infrastructure, and archaic curriculum, have been pissing you off, you might like to hear what the Ministry of Education and The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has for you.
On Friday, December 6, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, the DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, revealed that his agency has partnered with the Ministry of Education to integrate digital literacy into Nigeria’s education system.
What does this mean for Nigerian students?
The surface-level explanation of this development is that new subjects and courses centred on digital literacy will be developed and added to the curriculums used in all levels of education, from kindergarten to the tertiary stage.
If you deep it further, it means the government is trying to position young people in Nigeria to be at the centre stage of digital innovation.
Why is this important?
This latest development from NITDA and the Ministry of Education is an important one. If anything, the move is actually long overdue– Data obtained from the World Bank’s Development Report in 2022 show that more than 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population lacks digital skills.
Additionally, in 2023 during a presentation titled ‘An Overview of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy In Nigeria,’ an Education Specialist with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria, Yetunde Oluwatosin, revealed that “only seven per cent of Nigerian youths have ICT (Information Communication Technology) skills needed for working and living in a digital economy.”
A 2023 survey conducted by GetBundi, an online digital education institute, narrows down the situation even more. According to the survey, over 85 per cent of graduates from tertiary institutions in Nigeria have no digital skills. To put this into perspective, it means that over 100 million young educated people in Nigeria are technologically illiterate.
If you think the above figures are bad, you’d hate to know that GetBundi also did a survey that involved 100 NYSC members, and only 19 out of that number had digital skills. The skills in question were mostly basic-level knowledge and Microsoft Excel. Only seven of them had basic knowledge of machine learning, programming, and data science. Coincidentally, those seven “studied outside Nigeria – five in the UK, one in the United States and one in Malaysia.”
Speaking about the poor level of digital literacy shown by his organisation’s survey, GetBundi CEO, Osita Oparaugo, said Nigerian education was to blame for this as it has failed to remain consistent with the ever-changing digital landscape.
“The curriculum used in many Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions is outdated and does not adequately cover the practical aspect of relevant digital skills,” he said.
How exactly will this new development change things?
The DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, says the collaboration between the agency and the Ministry of Education is part of the government’s plan to meet its long-term target of 95% digital literacy by 2030 and short-term target of 70% digital literacy.
To get the ball rolling, Inuwa says the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), CISCO, are already on board and aligned with the plan.
Apart from updating curriculums to include digital literacy, some of NITDA’s collaborative efforts with the Education Ministry will include teacher training and capacity building, as well as the procurement of state-of-the-art digital tools and infrastructure for educational establishments nationwide.
The world is increasingly moving towards a digital economy. With poor figures like those quoted by the World Bank, UNICEF, and GetBundi, Nigeria will be left far behind. The collaboration between the Ministry of Education and NITDA is definitely a move that could help turn things around, but the huge question is whether this will be properly carried out to ensure that the subjects and courses introduced to the curriculum are taught in a hands-on manner rather than the theoretical method reported in Nigerian schools. Nigerians might have to keep their fingers crossed.
If you’re a Nigerian reading this, chances are you’ve been frustrated and stranded so many times because the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) attached to banks and other designated spots around you do not have the cash to dispense, so you had no choice but to opt for Point Of Sales (POS) merchants who in turn, charge an arm and a leg before they give you the cash.
If this is you (it’s you for sure), you’re in luck because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decided it’s seen enough of this mess and has come up with a solution to relieve your stress. On November 29, the CBN outlined recommended steps for customers to use in reporting banks that cannot provide them with cash through Over-The-Counter withdrawals or ATMs.
In a circular titled ‘Cash Availability Over The Counter in Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs),’ the CBN instructed banks to ensure that cash is always available to customers or face the repercussions that will come with it from now on.
“DMBs are directed to ensure efficient cash disbursement to customers Over-the-Counter (OTC) and through ATMs as the CBN will intensify its oversight roles to enforce this directive and ensure compliance,” the circular read in part.
Continuing, the CBN provided steps that it wants customers affected by cash scarcity to take in reporting banks so that they (CBN) can get rid of issues “hindering the availability of cash” and help improve cash circulation. We list the steps below.
How to report a bank for cash scarcity
CBN branches in Nigerian States with their respective phone numbers and email addresses. Photo credit: Punch newspaper
Call the designated phone numbers of the CBN branch in the state where the defaulting bank falls under and provide them with your account name, name of the defaulting bank, the amount that you want to withdraw (but could not), time, and date when the incident occurred.
CBN branches in Nigerian States with their respective phone numbers and email addresses. Photo credit: Punch newspaper
Send an email to the designated email address of the CBN branch in the state where the defaulting bank falls under and provide them with your account name, name of the defaulting bank, the amount that you want to withdraw (but could not), time, and date when the incident occurred.
How will this help?
CBN branches in Nigerian States with their respective phone numbers and email addresses. Photo credit: Punch newspaper
Over the past months, Nigerians have suffered on and off cash shortages from bank counters and ATMs that have led them to frequently patronise POS merchants or find other alternatives.
Most recently in November, people were so frustrated with this shortage that they took to X to call for an end to POS businesses as they believed they were the major cause of the cash scarcity across the country.
I need the CBN to destroy this business of POS. Bring back ATMs, wtf.
But POS operators have said they’re not the problem. According to the National Secretary of the Association of Point Of Sale (POS) users in Nigeria, Isa Zakari, the shortage of cash has majorly been caused by bankers (who own many POS outlets) removing chunks of money meant to be in circulation for regular customers and putting them at their outlets who then charge outrageous amounts for the cash.
He added that the cash scarcity can also be traced to greedy bank managers and bankers who have been known to sell cash to some POS operators as well as people from the Niger Republic that now increasingly use the Naira as an alternative to the shortage of theirs.
With this new directive, Nigerians will no longer have to play a guessing game to figure out who the guilty party is because banks will now be required to ensure that cash is available to customers both over the counters and at ATMs or face strong consequences from CBN.
Will it work? Nigerians might have to find out by calling and emailing the CBN with their complaints.
The Nigerian military is currently under fire for what many have described as a clamp down on press freedom.
What’s happening?
On the morning of Friday, November 29, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) made a post on its X account, announcing that its founder, Fisayo Soyombo, had been detained by the 6 Division of the Nigerian military in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the past three days.
The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder @fisayosoyombo 3 days running.
— Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) (@fijnigeria) November 29, 2024
The tweet, which was posted with the hashtag #FreeFisayoNow, immediately began to trend, with many Nigerians, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), journalists, and media houses calling on the military to ensure he is released without any harm.
Who is Fisayo Soyombo?
Fisayo is a Nigerian investigative journalist known for exposing different forms of misconduct and corruption in the country through undercover investigative journalism.
Some of his investigations include a 2016 investigative series on the sufferings of soldiers who were abandoned by the government after fighting Boko Haram– after this series was released, Soyombo was accused by the Nigerian Military at the time of subversion, “a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by people working from within.”
In 2019, he spent two weeks undercover as an inmate and suspect at Ikoyi Prison and Pedro Police Station to uncover misconduct and corruption in the Nigerian criminal justice system. This was not received well by the authorities either, as he was allegedly almost arrested by the Nigerian Immigration Service.
In February 2024, Soyombo went undercover as a smuggler at Nigeria’s borders and exposed corruption in the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), mostly perpetrated by customs “bosses who betrayed patrol teams by updating smugglers on their colleagues’ itinerary and the days and times when the roads were free.”
Soyombo also followed up his recent investigation with a digital campaign involving a series of tweets in which he called out the corruption in the NCS and demanded that its corrupt officers be brought to justice.
In September 2024, FIJ published a feature alleging that the DSS was planning to arrest Soyombo for reasons unknown to them. His current arrest is coming three months after this feature.
Why did the military arrest him?
A few hours after the hashtag #FreeFisayoNow started trending on X, the Nigerian army released a statement on its account, confirming that it had arrested Soyombo.
According to the statement, Soyombo was arrested at an illegal oil bunkering site along with other people on suspicions of illegal bunkering and is currently “undergoing preliminary investigations to determine their level of involvement in the illegal activities.”
“His arrest is directly linked to the ongoing anti-oil theft operations in the region, and any claims suggesting otherwise are baseless,” the statement said in part.
NIGERIAN ARMY CLARIFIES ALLEGED DETENTION OF JOURNALIST IN PORT HARCOURT
The Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has expressed concern over allegations circulating on social media that it detained an investigative journalist in Port Harcourt. While the Division does not… pic.twitter.com/zJOuLeJuSD
How are people reacting to the military’s statement?
Nigerians on X have poked holes in the statement released by the military with different arguments, all of which insist that his arrest is linked to his work as an investigative journalist.
You saw an investigative journalist at an illegal bunkering site. You know he must have introduced himself properly, and it’s within his profession to investigate oil bunkering. Detained him for 3 days until hashtags trended before giving a PSA. You know what you’re doing.
About five hours after the Nigerian Military released a statement confirming the arrest of Fisayo Soyombo, his media organisation, FIJ, put out a tweet saying he’s been released “following intense media campaign” mounted by Nigerians.
BREAKING
We can confirm that our founder @fisayosoyombo has now been released by @HQNigerianArmy, following the intense media campaign you all mounted.
FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army's deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in "illegal oil bunkering". FIJ…
— Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) (@fijnigeria) November 29, 2024
The arrest and intimidation of journalists is not an uncommon thing in Nigeria. A recent report by Reporters Without Borders classifies Nigeria as “one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists, who are regularly monitored, attacked and arbitrarily arrested.”
If you were already an adult with a phone as of October 2020, you might find most of this article triggering.
On Sunday, November 24, an official of the Lagos State government said something so incriminating, that Nigerians are calling on law enforcement agencies to investigate him– Wale Ajetunmobi, Senior Special Assistant on Print Media to the Lagos State governor, made a post on X, saying that the government “hunted down and executed” many of the people who burnt down a TV station in Lagos during the EndSars protests of 2020.
Photo credit: Premium Times
Ajetunmobi’s X post, now deleted, seemed to suggest that the government had engaged in extrajudicial killings, so this sparked a lot of outrage on the social media platform.
When asked by another X user to clarify what he meant, Ajetunmobi denied any connotation of extrajudicial killing.
“Lol. You want to create a narrative in your head. What is extrajudicial killing here? Some of the people were chased by soldiers, and an exchange of fire occurred. Then, arsonists were overpowered and killed in the process. Others ran away. Is that extrajudicial killing to you?” he tweeted in reply to the person questioning him.
The outrage continued, as many people on X viewed his reply as an attempt to save face. On Tuesday, November 26, two days after Ajetunmobi’s controversial statement, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu said he was suspending the media aide for his tweet which, according to him, was inaccurate.
The statement announcing his suspension was published on the Lagos State government’s official website. It said: “Mr Ajetunmobi’s suspension comes on the heels of the misrepresentation of facts on his personal “X” account on a past incident.”
“The Governor wishes to state categorically that his administration frowns at any form of extra-judicial punishment and will not be a part of any such action. That is not who we are. That is not our way.”
Why should Ajetunmobi be investigated for his statement?
Suspending Wale Ajetunmobi as your aide does not address the alarming confession of extra-judicial killings made by him. This matter has to be investigated thoroughly by law enforcement agencies.
There are a couple of reasons, but one stands out as the biggest elephant in the room– the allegations previously denied by the government.
In October 2020, youths across Nigeria took to the streets to protest police brutality perpetrated by the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police Force. While the demonstrations went on simultaneously across the country, the tempo was especially high in Lagos, which was the centre of the protests.
On the night of October 20, 2020, after failing to shut down the protest through a curfew, the government deployed soldiers to the Lekki tollgate, where hundreds of unarmed protesters were gathered. What followed was extrajudicial killing of many, which the military has repeatedly denied.
The Television Continental (TVC) station, which Ajetunmobi referenced in his tweet, was burned down by unknown persons summarily referred to as “hoodlums” on October 21, 2020, barely a day after the government had denied the extrajudicial killing of citizens at the Lekki Tollgate, despite overwhelming evidence indicating it did.
Ajetunmobi’s claim that many people were “hunted down and executed” in a gruesome manner paints an ugly picture and raises new questions about the events of October 2020 that cannot be answered by his suspension.
Following his tweet, past eyewitness accounts and reports by investigative journalists saying that the Nigerian military executed citizens connected to the protests have surfaced again, and they might not be put to rest by a temporary suspension or sack, considering he’s a government official.
What Sanwo-Olu's media aide said is nothing but the truth. People were "hunted down and executed" during the #EndSARS protests — not just during/after a part of TVC was set ablaze.
The EndSars protest holds a lot of meaning to Nigerian youths however, the Lekki massacre holds an even deeper meaning for them. For many, the mindless killing of young people meant there was nothing more to fight for, and this pushed them to leave the country. This sentiment is reflected in the high rate of migration from the country, post EndSars. For instance, a 2022 survey by the African Polling Institute showed that 70% of Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 35 would leave the country if they could. This huge leap from the 39% result from a similar survey in 2019, across all age groups summarises the feelings of the youth.
If you’ve been on the internet in the past week, chances are you’ve come across several talks of witchcraft accusations in Nigeria, and you might have wondered what that is all about. In this article, we break down the genesis of the whole event and explore what the law says about it.
What’s the story?
On Friday, November 22, an X user made a post celebrating Pastor Helen Ukpabio on her birthday. Responding to the post, Nigerian artist, Emoseh Khamofu, popularly known as Bloody Civilian, said in another post, “She literally made people burn their children alive.”
It’s been chaos from here — the post gained so much attention within a short time, including an angry reaction from Ukpabio’s daughter, Imaobong who asked Bloody Civilian to take down her post in five hours or face legal action.
Imaobong’s threat made the tweet even more viral than it was, with many people recalling how Helen Upkabio allegedly caused the death and deformation of many children through her teachings which heavily centred on the belief in witchcraft and satanic powers.
On Saturday, November 23, Imaobong and her mother, Pastor Helen Ukpabio filed a defamation suit against Bloody Civilian, demanding ₦200 billion in damages, the removal of her tweets, a public apology posted across her social media accounts and “published in ten Nigerian national dailies and international news media like CNN, Aljazeera, Fox News.”
The wave of witchcraft accusations in Nigeria
A child undergoing exorcism. Photo: Aljazeera
For as long as her church, Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, has existed, Pastor Helen Ukpabio has always believed in the existence of witchcraft (as well as satanic and occultic powers), and she has never made a secret of her belief.
She has spread this belief through her published books like Unveiling The Mysteries Of Witchcraft, her numerous preachings, and her film production company, Liberty Films. Her films spread the belief that children have a tendency to be possessed by demonic powers that make them become witches who do evil things against their loved ones.
Different cultures and ethnic groups in Nigeria have always believed and feared witchcraft, but it was usually older people, particularly elderly women, who were accused of being witches. However, in the early to mid-1990s, this changed, and children became the main target of these accusations, and this stretched into the 2000s. Some studies have traced this switch to “the boom in revivalist churches”, among other reasons.
Revivalist churches like Ukpabio’s strongly believed that children could be witches. They spread this belief among their congregation and held deliverance services where they claimed to cast out demons from possessed children.
Feb. 2009. Children in Akwa Ibom State protest the witchcraft accusations against them. Photo: The World.
This belief was so rampant in Nigeria, particularly in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. It made “children branded as ‘witches’ undergo a lot of abuse, fear and trauma ranging from beating, slashing their bodies with sharp knives, acid bath, and forcing nails into their skulls” to make them ‘confess.” This also caused an increase in homeless children, most of them accused of witchcraft by pastors and prophets. In fact, an estimated 15,000 children in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States have suffered the consequences of witchcraft accusations.
What does the law say about witchcraft?
Offences related to witchcraft are seen by the law as minor offences punishable by two years. Section 210 of the Criminal Code (applicable in Southern Nigeria) and Penal Code (applicable in Northern Nigeria) Act provides that a person can be locked up for two years if they:
Accuse someone of being a witch
Claim to be a witch
Make, sell, or use magical items or charms to control people
Participate in forbidden worship or rituals
Has human remains (body parts) for use in forbidden rituals
Make or use items associated with human sacrifice and other illegal practices.
So does this mean Nigerian law recognises witchcraft?
The answer is no; the law does not recognise witchcraft as an actual crime that can be proven or disproven in court. Nigerian lawyer, Timi Odueso says this is because there is no way to prove this, as “the burden of proof in criminal litigations is that it must be beyond reasonable doubt.”
“This also means that even if you confess or claim to be a witch, you have to prove to the judge that you can make things fly, turn into a bat, or do other outrageous things usually linked to witchcraft.”
Can a person be found guilty of witchcraft in a Nigerian court?
The short answer is no. While a person can be charged to court for witchcraft, they can be found guilty of offences relating to witchcraft but not witchcraft itself because, again, there is no way to prove this beyond reasonable doubt.
“A sensible judge cannot convict somebody of witchcraft because it will be impossible to prove. Everybody inside that courtroom must be able to see the effects of that witchcraft and must be able to perceive it with their other senses,” explained Timi Odueso.
What can victims of alleged witchcraft do to get help?
Even though the 1990s to late 2000s wave of witchcraft accusations in Nigeria seems to have died down, people across Nigeria are still accused of witchcraft, exposing them to human rights abuses like lynching, burning, stoning, and, in some severe cases, burying alive.
Accusing a person of witchcraft is a crime punishable by the law, so If you or anyone you know is accused of witchcraft, you can do either or all of the following:
Report the matter to the police
Reach out to organisations like Advocacy For Alleged Witches (AFAW). They provide financial and legal support to victims of witchcraft accusations. They can be contacted through this link.
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On Thursday, November 7, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters confirmed that a new terror group named Lakurawa have emerged in Nigeria and is operating in the Northwest region of the country.
Spokesman of Defence Media Operation (DMO), Major General Edward Buba, who broke the news during a press briefing in Abuja, said the terrorists are not of Nigerian origin but have majorly been operating in Northen Sokoto and Kebbi States. He also assured Nigerians that the military has intensified its operations and will flush out the terrorists to ensure the safety of the people.
In this article, we break down some burning questions about the terrorists and their operations in Nigeria.
Where did Lukarawa come from?
As noted by Buba, the terrorists are not from Nigeria. They are a cross-border terror group whose members come from Mali, Libya, and Niger. They gained entrance into Nigeria through the borders it shared with the two mentioned countries, and this was only possible due to weakened border security, caused by the coup in Niger Niger Republic.
What does the Niger coup have to do with the entrance of the terrorists?
Before now, Niger, along with other countries in the Lake Chad Basin (Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria) were part of a Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) that worked closely to fight terrorism in the area, but a coup affected their operations. How? In July 2023, factions in Niger’s military overthrew the government of the country and suspended its constitution. To pressure the military to back down and restore democratic government, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which Niger belongs, imposed some sanctions on the country and suspended it from the regional bloc. As a result of this, Niger pulled out of the MJTF, and this led to weakened border security which gave the Lakurawa terrorists a way in.
What do the terrorists want?
Lakurawa is a fate-based terrorist group which shares similar beliefs with Boko Haram, and just like the dreadful group that has terrorised Nigeria’s Northeast for years, Lakurawa seeks to uphold the teachings of Islam wherever it is. Since they set up base, they have tried to impose Sharia law in the communities where they operate.
When did the terrorists enter Nigeria?
The terror group has been in Nigeria before now; As far back as 2018, they were reportedly invited by some communities to help with their bandit problem. Lakurawa came in, fought off the bandits and restored some calm in the communities but settled down and attempted to impose Sharia law on the locals instead of returning to their countries– things remained that way until the Nigerian military and the Department of State Services (DSS) conducted a joint operation in 2019 that sent them packing.
There is no consensus as to when Lakurawa re-entered Nigeria again, but the earliest mention of the group by the media can be traced back to July 2023 thanks to a complaint by Sani Yakubu, a lawmaker representing Tangaza/Gudu Federal Constituency of Sokoto State in the House of Representatives.
During a plenary session, Yakubu complained that both local bandits and the Lakurawa terrorist group were terrorising his constituency and that swift intervention was needed. “The Lakurawa who claimed to be jihadists from Niger, Mali and Libya and the local Bandits terrorising the area. The two used to be sworn enemies, but have now joined forces, making it more difficult for the deployed security operatives to address the insecurity in the general area,” Yakubu said.
How have they terrorised communities in Sokoto and Kebbi ?
The terrorist group has caused harm in the communities they penetrated. According to accounts given to BBC Hausa Service and Daily Trust, the Lakurawa terrorist group has done the following since they began their operations:
They have beat up young people who shave their beards, have on a different hairstyle, or listen to music.
They fought, defeated and indoctrinated local bandits and have become one with them
They collect religious taxes from locals and punish those who refuse to pay by seizing their cows
They have robbed locals of their money and some other belongings
They have offered some young people the sum of 1 million to join their operation.
How dangerous are they?
Eyewitness accounts of locals in Sokoto suggest that they have sophisticated weapons, use drones, and conduct coordinated attacks against government officials.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters say they were only able to gain grounds in the communities because they started off by defending communities against bandits and were, as a result, accommodated by locals who assumed the group had good intentions for them. Locals initially accommodated them, thinking they had good intentions for them, only reporting their presence when the group started terrorising the
What’s the update?
The Lakurawa terrorist group is currently hiding out in Tsauni forest, a large area spanning across Kebbi and Sokoto; however, the Nigerian military is actively conducting operations to flush the terrorists out. It has also declared nine people believed to be members of the terror group wanted. Their names are Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba (also known as Abu Muhammed), Usman Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Idris Taklakse, Ibrahim Suyeka, and Ba Sulhu.
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Nigeria’s Chief Of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja has passed on.
Lagbaja, aged 56 died in Lagos State on the night of Tuesday, November 6, due to undisclosed illness.
The late Chief of Army Staff (COAS), whose military journey began in 1987, is named to have played key roles in military operations, such as Operation ZAKI in Benue State, Lafiya Dole in Borno, Udoka in Southeast Nigeria, and Operation Forest Sanity across Kaduna and Niger States.
His long career peaked when he became Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff in 2023, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment.
Confirming his death in a statement released on Wednesday, November 6, President Tinubu’s adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, relayed the President’s condolences to his family and the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Before his death on Tuesday night, the late COAS had been ill since October and was abroad where he received treatment. During that time, the chief of policy and plans (Army), Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalami Ibrahim carried out his official duties on his behalf.
At this time, Lagbaja’s role is temporarily occupied by Olufemi Oluyede. President Tinubu appointed Oluyede as Nigeria’s acting COAS on October 30, 2024.
This is a developing story.
The streets are saying the former governor of Delta State and former vice presidential candidate Ifeanyi Okowa has been arrested for allegedly diverting a whopping ₦1.3 trillion.
The streets are right because the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed to several media houses that it arrested the former governor on Monday, November 4.
At the moment, they have not released an official statement and are sort of keeping the whole story hush, but insiders at the commission who spoke to Punch Newspapers have given a bit more insight into the arrest. They explained that Okowa was arrested on Monday when he came to the EFCC’s Port Harcourt office at their invitation. According to them, the money the ex-governor allegedly diverted was a combination of the 13% derivation fund gotten from the federation account from when he was elected to office in 2015 to when he left in 2023.
If you are wondering what the 13% derivation fund means, it’s a share of all the revenue gotten from oil that the federal government distributes to states where oil is found. The idea behind this is that each state is supposed to use its 13% to develop itself and tackle any environmental issues that may have arisen as a result of oil exploration.
Apart from the money mentioned above, the EFCC is also investigating Okowa for allegedly diverting other funds to buy estates in Abuja and Asaba and also using the sum of ₦40 billion shares bought from major banks for the State’s LNG offshore project, for personal use.
What’s different about this case?
This news from the EFCC is wild, not only because he is a former governor. Nigeria has a history of governors stealing public funds for their personal use, but there hasn’t been a former governor who has stolen quite as much. For context, the EFCC reopened a fraud case against 13 ex-governors and some ministers in January 2024. The total money they allegedly stole is about ₦853.8 billion. This is almost twice the amount allegedly stolen by 13 governors.
Why is it important to monitor it?
Nigeria does not just have a long history of corrupt politicians who embezzle public funds for personal use. It also has a history of letting those politicians off the hook.
In 2022, Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, granted a presidential pardon to the former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, and the ex-governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame, who were both serving jail sentences for stealing public funds.
Nyame was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for diverting ₦1.64 billion but ended up serving only two years. Dariye, on the other hand, was sentenced to ten years for ₦1.126 billion fraud, but he served only four years.
Most recently, in May 2024, the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, was declared wanted by the EFCC for money laundering totalling about ₦80.2 billion. However, he has repeatedly evaded arrest and has failed to appear in court even though the case has been adjourned several times. The case is on track to be forgotten as the Federal High Court has adjourned it yet again to January 2025.
These are not the only reasons Okowa’s case deserves special monitoring. In May 2024, an anti-corruption group called The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative (NACAT) revealed that different people had submitted petitions against Okowa to the EFCC, which the commission ignored.
Also, in May 2023, the Association of Oil and Gas Producing Communities of Delta State, submitted a petition to the EFCC stating specifically that Okowa had looted the 13%derivation funds. In October, they sent the EFCC a reminder but there was still radio silence from them. In January 2024, the association complained again about this silence because, according to them, Okowa and his loyalists had been bragging about the petition being dead on arrival.
“We are, however, worried about the slow pace, which is giving an impression that indeed Senator Lfeanyi Arthur Okowa and his cohorts are above the law and, as such, can neither be invited nor prosecuted,” they said.
We are not predicting that Okowa’s case will be swept under the rug, but considering that the EFCC has been slightly accused of siding with him and also considering that crazier things have happened in Nigeria, it’s not out of place to shine the light on his case.
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What can citizens do to ensure justice is served?
The ₦1.3 trillion allegedly stolen by Ifeanyi Okowa were funds meant for developing Delta State and taking care of communities affected by oil exploration. According to these communities, the funds were never used, and they currently cannot do much farming or fishing to sustain themselves.
If you want to ensure that this case is not forgotten or unresolved, you can do the following:
File a Freedom of Information (FOI) request,demanding to see reports of funds allocated to Delta State when Okowa was in charge.
Start online petitions on platforms like this, demanding justice
Consistently talk about it on social media using hashtags
If it seems like the case is dying down, reach out to your representatives in the National Assembly to question the EFCC.
There is a long-running history of sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions and a history of perpetrators going unpunished, sometimes due to the absence of a concrete law that would bring them to justice or fear of stigmatisation and backlash on the part of their victims.
But whenever victims summon the courage to speak up against lecturers who demand sex for grades, their act of bravery is always followed by calls for the establishment of a law that would address sexual harassment in higher institutions.
On Wednesday, October 30, those calls were answered when lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a bill criminalising the harassment of tertiary institution students. How exactly would this bill make the lives of students better? We give a breakdown below.
All institutions must have an anti-harassment committee
Before now, not all institutions had a committee that addressed sexual harassment, but this bill will change that. It makes it compulsory for administrative heads of tertiary institutions, such as Vice Chancellors and Rectors, to set up a committee made up of seven members and headed by a chairperson. That’s not all; the committee cannot be made up of academic staff alone– the bill makes it compulsory to include at least two non-academic staffers, two students, and two academic staff. It also states that there must be women on the committee, and there must not be less than three.
Administrators face jail terms if they don’t comply
The bill states that heads of tertiary institutions who fail to set up an anti-harassment committee will be jailed for five years or made to pay a fine of ₦5 million.
Administrators face jail terms if they ignore victims
An administrator has only 14 days to refer any sexual harassment claim from a victim to the anti-harassment committee. If they fail to do this within that time, they will either be jailed for two years, made to pay a fine of ₦5 million or both.
Sexual harassment is defined in six ways
The bill gives six clear definitions of what makes up sexual harassment in tertiary institutions. If a lecturer, Dean, Professor, or any educator at all commits any or al of the offences listed below, they will be found guilty of sexual harassment.
Making unwelcome verbal or physical acts towards students or prospective students that are sexual in nature, or demanding sexual favours from students whether or not they consent.
Creating a hostile environment for a student by making unwanted sexual advances or asking for sexual favours.
Enabling, promoting, or assisting another person to commit any acts of sexual harassment (listed in the bill) against students.
Sharing or displaying sexually explicit content or materials through any media
Making a verbal or nonverbal sexual gesture or comment with the intention of humiliating or body-shaming any student.
Stalking, repeatedly following a student and showing unwanted attention that might cause them fear or discomfort.
14-year jail term for guilty offenders
The bill says that anybody who commits offences 1 to 3 on the list will face a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 14 years in prison without the option of a fine.
Anybody found guilty of committing offences 4 to 6 on the list will face a minimum of 2, and a maximum of 5 years in prison without the option of a fine.
Unsatisfied students can challenge the decision of a school’s committee
After a student files a complaint with their school’s committee, they are empowered by the bill, to take the matter to a high court if they are unhappy with the final decision of the committee.
The bill might actually not become law
Following the bill’s passing on Wednesday, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Student associations, and gender activists have given the House of Reps a thumbs up for the move. However, it’s too early to celebrate because there’s a high chance the bill might not become law. Why? This is not the first time it’s been around the block. In fact, it has been around for eight years.
The bill was first introduced in 2016 by former Senator Ovie-Omo-Agege but was rejected by the House of Representatives when it was sent for their agreement. In 2019, Omo-Agege reintroduced the bill again but was delayed until June 2023, when it was transmitted to President Tinubu, who never signed it into law. CSOs and student bodies like the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANs) have called on him to do the needful, but it never happened.
The bill has been reintroduced again, this time sponsored by Akin Rotimi of the Ekiti North 1 federal constituency. Having passed its third reading on October 30, it will be pushed to the Senate, where it will pass three readings and two more crucial stages—joint committee and Presidential assent. But even if it makes it through all the other steps, it might get stuck again at the assent stage.
What can you do to help?
If you like the provisions of the anti-sexual harassment bill and want to see it become law that would be used in tertiary institutions across the country, you might be disappointed to see that it would not happen. If you want to take action to see that it does, here are things you can do:
Engage in advocacy campaigns on social media
Contact CSOs like Gender Mobile to find out how you can support their fight for the bill
Pressure your lawmakers to push for the bill’s passing either through phone calls, social media posts, written petitions, or emails.
Organise or participate in peaceful protests to raise the issue of passing the bill to the attention of the media, lawmakers, and the general public.
Create, sign, and share online petitions to raise awareness and gather enough signatories to show that the bill has enough public support.
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