Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Tuesday 12th May 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 12/05/20
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Chinese National Loses $300,000 To Nigerian Government
Li Yan Pin
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secured the final forfeiture of $300,000 belonging to a Chinese national, Li Yan Pin, to the Nigerian Government.
Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted the forfeiture order on Monday.
According to a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr Dele Oyewale, Justice Quadri spared the Chinese a jail term because he allegedly had symptoms of COVID-19.
Li Yan Pin
The statement reads, “The judge had earlier ordered the interim forfeiture of the money following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“Yan Pin stood trial for a money laundering charge levelled against him by the EFCC over the said sum after intelligence led to his arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for failing to declare the sum in his possession, as he attempted to board a flight to China en-route Dubai.
“Justice Quadri in his judgment said the prosecution had proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt and found the defendant guilty of the charges according to Section 2, sub-section (5) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011, as amended in 2012.
“The defence counsel in its response pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy as the convict, he said had invested his resources on the development of Nigeria, and currently facing difficult health challenges.
“He also claimed that his client has no prior criminal conviction.
“While ordering that the said sum be forfeited to the Federal Government, Justice Quadri saved the convict a jail term on the ground that he had earlier filed for a medical leave over alleged COVID-19 symptoms that included persistent headache, insomnia and fatigue.”
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E2%80%9Ccrazy%E2%80%9D-stamp-duties-banks COVID-19: Nigerians Lament Deduction Of “Crazy” Stamp Duties By Banks
Nigerians have condemned the deduction of stamp duties by banks as they battle the economic impacts of Coronavirus.
SaharaReporters gathered that the banks in a series of debit alert messages to their customers, have started to deduct the charges.
According to the banks, the deductions would be cumulative from February and March 2020.
The United Bank for Africa announced that stamp duty charge would apply on all customers’ savings account from April 1, 2020, few days after donating $14m to the country’s COVID-19 fight.
The bank added that the stamp duty charge was a directive from CBN, which states that all deposits of N10,000 and above are subject to a charge of N50.
Also, Access Bank, in a message to its customers, said the deduction of the charges would take effect from February 1, 2020, when the Finance Act 2020 came into effect.
According to the Finance Act 2020, N50 charges would be applied on electronic funds transfers or deposits of N10,000 and above. The charges were being deducted from February, with deduction running into thousand of naira for some customers.
Nigerians have described the stamp duty as a means of impoverishing the people.
Expressing their anger and grievances on social media, they urged government to reverse the policy.
Miss Zipporah, a Twitter user, revealed that N6,100 was deducted from her account for stamp duty by UBA.
She stated, “I am not popular on Twitter but please retweet this. I woke up this morning to find out that @UBAGroup debited N6,100 from my account. I went to their bank and they said they remove 50 naira for every 10k transaction. I am a businesswoman.
“I have not made sales for three months and the UBA decided to debit me N6,100 in one night. How wicked and evil can UBA group be? You are very wicked.” @cenbank this is not fair, I have not made sales for 3mlnths and @uba decided to debit me 6100 in one night , how wicked and evil can @UBAGroup be , you people are very wicked— miss Zipporah (@Ayamj7) May 11, 2020
Ayobami, who tweets at @Kallaxy1, cried out after N14,000 was deducted for stamp duty.
“After charging N50 on almost every transaction that I made for stamp duty, @UBAGroup still went ahead to charge N14,000 this morning. Please I need someone to enlighten me about this. Seem to me like UBA is ripping me off,” he tweeted. After charging #50 on almost every transaction that I made for stamp duty @UBAGroup still went ahead to charge 14k this morning. Please I need someone to enlighten me about this. Seem to me like uba is ripping me off. @AsiwajuLerry @Kinglamarr___ @Alex_Houseof308 @Mbahdeyforyou pic.twitter.com/36Vk0U2Xob— A. Ayobami (@Kallaxy1) May 11, 2020
Describing the deduction as daylight robbery, @banadvince117 said, “@UBAGroup, you guys deducted about N900 (50naira x18) between March and April. You’re charging N1,100 for March and Feb again…what is stamp duty? I need an explanation.” @UBAGroup @UBAFoundation @CBNNews You guys deducted about 900(50naira x18) between March and April. You’re charging 1100 for March and Feb AGAIN .. what the hell is stamp duty. I need explanation abeg!!!!!!!!! #DAYLIGHTROBBERY #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Hx5plcXlIc#UBA pic.twitter.com/MNKhJoCptH— Banadvince (@banadvince117) May 11, 2020
@UBAGroup @UBAFoundation You guys deducted about 900(50naira x18) between March and April. You’re charging 1100 for March and Feb AGAIN .. what the hell is stamp duty. I need explanation abeg!!!!!!!!! #DAYLIGHTROBBERY #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Hx5plcXlIc— Banadvince (@banadvince117) May 11, 2020
@OpeyemiOsundare, another UBA customer, said, “The rate my money been deducted because of stamp duty fee is too much. Kindly help me out. Almost N1,000 in a month…what nonsense.”@UBACares The rate my money been deducting regarding of stamp duty feez is too much, kindly help me out, almost 1000 in a month.. what nonsense…— oplexy02 (@OpeyemiOsundare) May 11, 2020
@Prisielebz, an Access Bank customer, said, “I don’t understand the debits made by Access Bank on customers’ accounts in the name of stamp duty. What exactly is going on?”I don’t understand the debits made by @accessbank_help on customers accounts in the name of stamp duty more than once. What exactly is going on? @cenbank— Prisca mma Elebe (@Prisielebz) May 9, 2020
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E2%80%99s-request-judicial-review-code-conduct-bureau Court Dismisses SERAP’s Request For Judicial Review Of Code Of Conduct Bureau
Code Of Conduct Bureau
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday dismissed an application brought before it by The Registered Committee of Socio-economic Right and Accountability Project seeking an order of court granting leave to apply for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the respondent to compile and make available to the applicant information on the number of asset declarations so far verified by the Code of Conduct Bureau and the number of those declarations found to be false and deemed to be in breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers by the bureau and to publish widely including on a dedicated website, any such information.
The applicant also sought for judicial review and to seek an order of mandamus directing and compelling the respondent to immediately take cases of false asset declarations to the Code of Conduct Tribunal for effective prosecution of suspects, and include banning the politicians involved from holding public offices for at least a period of 10 years and seeking refund of stolen public funds as part of the reliefs to be sought before the tribunal.
But in his judgment on Monday, Justice Muslim Hassan declined from granting the prayers.
Code Of Conduct Bureau
In dismissing the application, Hassan referred to section 15(3) of the constitution, which establish Code of Conduct Bureau and it composition.
In paragraph 3(a,b&c) of part 1 3rd schedule of the 1999 constitution and held that the provision of paragraph 3(a&c) of the 3rd schedule part 1 of 1999 constitution is very clear and unambiguous.
He said, “I agree with the respondent that the duty to make the asset declaration form of public officer available for any person or institutions and for whatever purpose is dependent upon terms and conditions to the proscribed the National Assembly.”
The court held that it was the duty of the National Assembly to proscribe the way and conditions for the release of asset declaration for inspection.
The court further held that the terms and conditions to be prescribed by National Assembly must be specific and related to asset declaration of public officers and not a legislation of general nature such as the freedom of information Act, 2011.
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Traditional Title Holder In Bauchi, Umaru Yakubu, Dies
A traditional title holder in Azare, Bauchi State, Alhaji Umaru Yakubu, is dead.
Until his death, Yakubu was the Ɗan’iyan of Katagum.
A source said the he died in the early hours of Monday in the town.
SaharaReporters had reported how residents of Azare are now living in fear over the rising cases of deaths in the community amidst the Coronavirus pandemic.
Ibrahim Baba, a former House of Representatives member, had in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, alleged that there was a massive outbreak of Coronavirus in the town.
Baba said Azare had recorded over 100 COVID-19 deaths in the last one week.
Also, a Peoples Democratic Party candidate from the area, who contested the last general elections, Musa Azare, in an open letter to Governor Bala Mohammed claimed that as of Thursday, there were over 301 fresh graves dug at the Azare cemetery.
He said what was more worrisome was the way people accompanied the corpses for burial, pointing out that it was in violation of government’s directive on safety from the virus.
He said, “Information reaching me from Azare says that there were 301 fresh graves in the Azare cemetery, dug in the last 14 days. I have verified this information from multiple sources.
“Most of the people who have died were aged 60 and above. Since April 24 when Fatima Adamu, the mother of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, died in Azare, we have been seeing more deaths.
“About 300 persons have died in Azare now. No autopsy has been carried out to determine what killed them and we have been living as if nothing was going on.
“We are scared because most people living in Azare are like a family. We need a COVID-19 testing centre to determine what’s going on.”
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Oil Prices Drop Amid Supply Glut
Oil prices fell on Monday as concern over a persistent glut and economic gloom caused by the Coronavirus pandemic combined to cancel out support from some of the world’s top producers, Reuters reports.
Brent crude futures were down 29 cents, or 0.9 per cent at $30.68 a barrel by 0431 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 17 cents, or 0.7 per cent, to $24.57 a barrel.
Both benchmarks have notched up gains over the past two weeks as countries eased business and social lockdowns imposed to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
Oil production worldwide is also declining.
But possible signs of a second wave of Coronavirus infections in North-East China and South Korea worried investors even as more countries started to move towards easing pandemic restrictions in moves that could support oil demand.
Goldman Sachs analysts said there was still concern that demand will stay weak in 2021, with worries about the second wave of COVID-19 cases and only a modest increase in personal or corporate travel.
Fears that the U.S. is running out of storage space triggered WTI prices crashing into negative territory last month, prompting some U.S. producers to slash output.
In a sign of that impact, the number of operating oil and gas rigs in the world’s largest oil producer fell to 74 in the week to May 8, a record low according to data released on Friday from energy services firm Baker Hughes Co going back to 1940.
“People are surprised by how quickly the U.S. is shutting in production and that’s exactly what we need to support prices,” said Tony Nunan, a senior risk manager at Mitsubishi Corp in Tokyo.
“There are another 10 days before the June contract expires … if the WTI contract can avoid a crash going into expiry, hopefully, we’ve seen the bottom.”
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Ghana, Egypt, Algeria Record Increase In COVID-19 Cases After Easing Lockdown
A review done by the Civic Media Lab on COVID-9 cases in Africa has revealed a dangerous trend amongst African countries, which relaxed the lockdown.
In the review, countries like Ghana, Egypt, Algeria and others, which relaxed lockdown have begun witnessing increases in Coronavirus cases, fuelling concerns.
In Nigeria, the story is not different. The CML, in a review of COVID-19 cases in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory noted that while Nigeria recorded 131 cases before the lockdown, the figure changed during the lockdown of 28 days, when there was a restriction of movement.
During this period, Nigeria recorded 2,388 confirmed cases, an addition of 2,257 more cases and 85 deaths.
Since the lockdown was relaxed, the figures have climbed up.
The rise in figures after the lockdown, has generated mixed reactions. Some experts have attributed the easing of the lockdown to the increase in COVID-19 cases while others disagree. Those, who disagreed said the virus was being transmitted in communities while the lockdown lasted.
Earlier, Ghana, a neighbouring country, had made a premature lifting of the lockdown with President Nana Akufo-Addo citing severe difficulties especially for the poor and vulnerable as a major reason.
The Civic Media Lab review also shows that the country has witnessed a significant surge in the number of cases being recorded ever since that announcement.
As at April 10 when the government announced the lifting of the lockdown, Ghana had 1,042 cases, ten days later, the country recorded an increase in the number of cases, which now stands at 2169. As at today, the country has recorded 4,263 cases.
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COVID-19: Numbers Don’t Lie – Nigerian Government Owes The People An Explanation
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At the last count, Ghana has done a total of 135,902 samples testing over 100,000 more than Nigeria’s 25,951 (as of May 9). Nigeria, with these limited numbers in testing, already has more cases than Ghana.
There is a huge possibility of yet-to-be tested infected people, who have been going around in public spaces from May 4 when the lockdown was lifted in Nigeria.
This is a huge red flag for easing lockdown as many asymptomatic persons would have spread the virus beyond contact tracing.
Also, South Africa has begun the partial easing of the lockdown in its agriculture sector. The country has also allowed some manufacturing and retail businesses to resume.
President Cyril Ramaphosa admitted that the lockdown had massively affected the country’s economy.
The country has recorded a rise to 5,951 cases from 3,953 between April 24 and May 2, when the lockdown was eased.
South Africa currently leads the continent with most cases due to its massive testing.
At the last count, the country has currently tested 292,153 samples with 8,232 positive cases.
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REVEALED: How Poor Funding Hampers Nigerian Research Institutes, Making Them Inefficient In Fight Against Coronavirus –Part One
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The figure rose by 2,281, following the easing of the lockdown 12 days ago.
Similarly, Egypt and Algeria have both witnessed a significant increase in cases since easing the lockdown because of Ramadan.
Following the easing of the lockdown, Algeria has now become the fourth worse hit country by the virus in Africa.
Within one week of lifting the total lockdown, Algeria rose to 4,295 cases from 3,007 cases while Egypt went from 3,891 cases to 6,193 cases.
With the latest figure, Algeria has recorded 5,182 cases while Egypt has recorded 7,981 cases.
The top six countries in Africa massively hit by the virus (South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Nigeria and Ghana) have eased the lockdown in the countries for various reasons.
To contain the spread, Morocco has extended its national lockdown to contain the spread of Coronavirus until May 20.
Without even easing lockdown and with the poor testing rate, Nigeria already is the fifth-highest in the number of cases across Africa.
The increase in cases following the lifting of the lockdown order has made the World Health Organisation express fear that Africa could experience an increase in cases if the government continues to lift or relax lockdown measures.
In contrast, Lesotho, the only African country yet to record any case of COVID-19 remains on lockdown.
The Southern African country has extended its initial three weeks lockdown that expired on Tuesday (April 21) for another two weeks.
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SPOTLIGHT: How Lesotho Has Been Using 5G Since 2018 And Yet To Record A Single Coronavirus Case
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The efficiency of a lockdown order when strictly complied in countries like Lesotho stirs a big question on the bigger economies like Nigeria.
The already saturated isolation centres and a poorly funded health sector, added to a current surge in states like Kano, should Nigerians be worried?
With the current surge in cases, Nigeria is on course to face a health crisis as the country is recording cases above the capacity of its isolation centres.
The capacity of isolation centres in the country has already been overstretched with Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, appealing to Nigerians to donate their buildings as isolation centres.
Nigeria has about 1,886-bed space isolation centres across the country but has an active case of 2,818.
Similarly, health workers at the frontline of the fight against the virus are also overwhelmed with cases.
The NCDC has also been inundated with calls by Nigerians requesting for COVID-19 test with the agency accused of deliberately not testing nor admitting people for isolation.
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Ex-President Of Nigerian Society Of Engineers, Inuwa, Dies
Engr Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa
A former President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa, is dead.
Inuwa was the 16th President of the NSE and the first person from the Northern part of Nigeria to head the engineering body.
He died on Monday at his residence in Kano.
Late Engr Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa
Incumbent President of the NSE, Engr Babagana Mohammed, confirmed the death of Inuwa, who was a former Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, and later Commissioner for Animal Health and Forestry in Kano State.
Mohammed in a post on Facebook, said, “It is with heavy heart but with total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah that I officially announce the painful demise of one of our revered past Presidents, Engr. Ibrahim Khaleel Inuwa, (President of NSE, 1989 – 1990).
“Engr Inuwa passed on peacefully earlier today at his residence in Sharada NNDC Estate, Kano.
“I have conveyed heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the deceased.”
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COVID-19: Bayelsa Index Case Discharged After Recovery
The index case and two others, who earlier tested positive for Coronavirus have recovered and discharged from isolation centre in Bayelsa State.
Co-chairman of Covid-19 Task Force and Permanent Secretary, Bayelsa State Ministry of Health, Dr Inodu Apoku, who made the announcement, advised those, who recently returned from high-risk states such as Lagos to self-Isolate.
According to Apoku, this was a precautionary measure to curb the spread of Coronavirus in Bayelsa and country at large.
He said, “If you know that you recently travelled from Lagos, Ogun, Abuja and other high risk states to Bayelsa State, please for the sake of your health and others around you, go on self-isolation for 14 days.”
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E2%80%99s BREAKING: President Buhari Directs Presidential Task Force On COVID-19 To Pick Up Madagascar’s Herbal Cure For Virus
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to pick up Madagascar’s herbal drug –COVID Organics – from Equatorial Guinea.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, made this known on Monday.
Mustapha said Nigeria’s consignment had been sent to Equatorial Guinea from where it will be airlifted to Abuja.
For ease of transportation, African countries were divided into zones leading to the freighting of Nigeria’s consignments to Equatorial Guinea.
He also said the products would be subjected to validation process after they had been picked up.
Mustapha had on April 28, 2020 said the nation was ready to give Madagascar’s herbal remedy a trial.
He said, “I want to assure you that whatever is happening in the world, we are mindful of it and we are keeping a tab.
“I was reading of the experiences in Madagascar– of why everybody is drinking some solutions that have been prepared.
“This morning I was sharing with my wife and I told her that probably I would request that Mr President allows us import a plane load for a trial.”
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Adamawa Discharges Five COVID-19 Patients After Testing Negative
Five COVID-19 patients have been discharged after testing negative in Adamawa State.
The index case was among the five discharged patients.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri presided over the ceremony where the recovered Coronavirus patients were discharged from the isolation facility on Monday in Yola, the state capital.
He said, “Today, I have the honour to discharge five persons who have now tested negative, including the index case.”
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