NPC says Nigeria’s population increased by 8m in two years — now 206m

 The National Population Commission (NPC) says there are an estimated 206 million people living in Nigeria.

Nasir Kwarra, chairman of the commission, was speaking on Tuesday at a press conference on the commencement of the 11th phase of the Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD) in Abuja.

Kwarra said the figure was arrived at following projections, adding that the exact population cannot be known without a census.

In 2018, the NPC had announced that the country’s population was 198 million.

At 206 million, it means Nigeria’s population increased by 8 million in two years.

The country’s national census was last conducted in 2006.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in October, approved N10 billion for the conduct of a national census

Kwarra said: “In the absence of an actual census, we formally do projections and we have all along been doing our projections and we estimate that as of 2020, the estimated population of Nigeria is 206 million”.

“Planning for the census is anchored on the EAD as the basis for estimating both the human and material resources required for the census. In essence, the success of a credible and accurate census depends very much on the quality and reliability of the EAD.”

The NPC has been undertaking the EAD exercise in phases ahead of the conduct of a census.

Kwarra said about 260 local government areas out of the 774 in the country had been fully demarcated.

In October, the NPC marked the commencement of the 10th phase of the EAD exercise. Kwarra said the 11th phase would begin on December 9 and end on January 20, 2021.

- THECABLE

Salah becomes Liverpool’s Champions League top scorer

 

Mohamed Salah has surpassed Steven Gerrard as Liverpool’s all-time leading goal scorer in the Champions League.

The Egyptian surpassed Gerrard’s 21 Champions League goal mark after finding the net against FC Midtjylland on Wednesday evening.

Salah struck inside two minutes against the Danish outfit during Liverpool’s final Champions League stage fixture of the 2020/21 campaign.

His lone goal in the match was his 22nd in the competition for the Reds, – overtaking the former record of 21 held by Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League winning captain Gerrard.

Gerrard reached the figure in 73 European appearances for his boyhood club.

Salah hit his tally in just 39 Champions League outings for Liverpool, averaging a goal every 1.7 games in the competition.

The Reds who were assured of their place in the last-16 of the competition slumped to a 1-1 draw against Midtjylland.

- PM NEWS

Sanwo-Olu: All land transactions in Lagos will go digital by 2021

 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, says all land-related transactions will go fully digital by the first quarter of 2021.

The governor disclosed this, on Wednesday, at the maiden real estate marketplace conference and exhibition organised by Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA).

According to him, the plan is to further accelerate the process of getting approvals on land matters and to create an enduring business-driven property development market in the state.

Sanwo-Olu said the state’s department of lands had built the required capacity for a smooth transition to the online platform and that the plan is already in its final stage.

He explained that when the web-based platform is finally launched, there will be no need for applicants seeking certificates of occupancy (CofO), survey and building plan approvals to physically submit paper documents for authorisation.

“Applicants will do all documentation and payments from the comfort of their homes,” he said.

“We have improved on our GIS solution to accelerating land matters in Lagos. From the first quarter of next year, we will be launching an online platform on which all land transactions will be done. When the project kick-starts next year, there will be one-stop shop for all transactions relating to land, including Governor’s approval on CofO, and building approval by Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

“We have given our commitment on this, because of the need to improve the turnaround time from when people submit their requests for approval and the time the authorisation is completed. We cannot afford to disappoint private investors and applicants seeking real time approval. We are raising our capacity, so that we can respond to the requests and discharge them.”

Sanwo-Olu said there is need for massive regeneration of properties in the mainland part of the state.

He charged real estate investors and private developers to divert their investment to rebuilding the mainland and redistributing wealth from the business.

- THECABLE

Shocking: CBN froze accounts of #EndSARS promoters before court order

 

Mr. Femi Falana stunned the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the revelation that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ordered the freezing of bank accounts associated with some promoters of the #EndSARS protests two weeks before obtaining a court order.

Falana who represented Bolatito Oduala and 18 other #EndSARS protesters, asked Justice Ahmed Mohammed, to vacate the order ex-parte granted on Nov. 4, freezing the accounts of 20 alleged #EndSARS promoters.

“We made a serious allegation that the order was obtained on Nov. 4 to cover up the resort to self help by the plaintiff by freezing our clients’ accounts from Oct. 15, two weeks before the order,” Falana said.

He stated that although the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, attempted to deny the allegation, he had filed documentary evidence of printouts of text message exchanges between his clients and their banks.

“It is a very serious allegation. If your lordship knew that they had frozen the accounts before approaching the court, your lordship would not have exercised discretion in their favour.

“We pray the court to vacate the order ex-parte so that the defendant, who have committed no offence whatsoever to have their rights restored.

“There is no indication that any of the defendants engaged in the commission of any offence.

“There is no scintilla of evidence presented before this court by the plaintiff to the effect that criminal offence is being investigated against the defendants,” Falana added.

The lawyer faulted the CBN governor’s reliance on the Terrorism Act to obtain the order, arguing that “under Section 40 of the Act, the CBN is not a prosecuting agency.

“All the agencies that can invoke the law are listed.”

He argued that that the CBN was merely labelling every Nigerian a terrorist if one decided to protest.

“Peaceful demonstrators are now labelled terrorists,” he said.

Falana argued that act of peaceful protest and demonstration could not be considered as terrorist acts under the law, noting that Section 1(3) of Terrorism Prevention Act had excluded demonstration or stoppage of work from terrorist acts, within the definition of terrorism.

“Unless it can be shown to court that the protesters engaged in destruction of property, killings, etcetera, but there is no evidence adduced by the plaintiff that the defendants breached or committed the acts set out in the Terrorism Act,” he argued.

Falana also faulted the procedure adopted by the CBN Governor in obtaining the order, arguing that under Order 26 of the Federal High Court’s Rules, it was wrong for the plaintiff to have just filed an ex-parte motion without accompanying it with either a motion on notice or originating summons, to enable the defendants respond.

“Section 60 of Bank and other Financial Institution Act (BOFIA) that allows the plaintiff to approach the court ought to be read with Section 36 of the Constitution that talks about fair hearing.

“No party in Nigeria is allowed to approach the court on ex-parte order and that ends the case,” he said, adding that no ex-parte order, under the court’s rules lasts more than seven days, unless if renewed, which the plaintiff had not applied for.

Falana prayed the court to vacate the order made on Nov. 4 against his clients.

Responding, lawyer to the CBN governor, Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, urged the court to reject Falana’s request.

Aondoakaa. said his client acted within the law by filing an ex-parte application as required under Section 60 of BOFIA.

He argued that since the law has provided that the CBN could apply for an order ex-parte upon suspicion that any bank account was being used for illegal purpose, it was wrong for Falana to expect his client to act otherwise.

Aondoakaa contended that the rule of the court which Falana relied on could not be elevated above the provision of a law made by the National Assembly.

He faulted the competence of some of the processes filed by the defendants, noting that they contained conflicting facts and evidence.

He identified some errors in dates, and urged the court to discountenance the documents.

Justice Mohammed, after taking some arguments from parties, noted that the time had far spent.

He adjourned further proceeding on the matter till tomorrow 10 December.

- PM NEWS

Pay N2m or have your family wiped out – Youths threaten employer in Ogun

 

Two siblings and one other person were on Tuesday arrested by operatives of the Ogun State police command for threatening and making an attempt to kidnap and wipe out their former employer and his family.

The suspects, who were identified by the police as Miss Blessing Oyeleke, 23; Mr David Oyeleke and Mr Kabiru Oniyitan, were apprehended following a report at Onipanu divisional police headquarters, Ogun State, by one Mr Makinde Oluwatoyin, the MD of Precy Company, Ota.

Ogun police image maker, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed to DAILY POST on Wednesday that Oluwatoyin reported on December 4 that he received a phone call from an anonymous caller, threatening “to kidnap his son, Solomon Makinde, from school and wipe out his entire family if he failed to pay the sum of N2 million to a specific bank account within three days.”

According to Oyeyemi, the caller described his child’s school and the location of his residents, suggesting that he had been under their surveillance for some times.

Upon the report, the DPO of Onipanu police division, CSP Bamidele Job, embarked on intelligence and technical based investigation by detailing his detectives, it was learnt.

“Their efforts paid off when one of them was traced to her hideout and was arrested with the phone which they were using to make calls to the man. Her arrest led to the subsequent arrest of her two other accomplices, while the remaining one is still at large.

“On interrogation, they confessed to have jointly planned the crime together, having worked in the man’s company before and know his financial capacity,” the Ogun police spokesman said in a statement.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Edward Ajogun has ordered that the case be diligently investigated by the anti-kidnapping unit of the State criminal investigation and intelligence department, police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta.

- DAILY POST

Mbappe breaks Messi’s Champions League record

 

Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday broke a Champions League record held by Lionel Messi as he netted Paris Saint-Germain’s third goal against Istanbul Basaksehir.

A double from Neymar put PSG in command of a tie being completed on Wednesday after it was abandoned in the 14th minute on Tuesday following accusations that a fourth official had racially abused Istanbul assistant Pierre Webo.

Mbappe made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Neymar had been brought down, ending a wait for a Champions League goal that stretched back to December 11 last year.

The strike also saw him become the youngest player to reach 20 goals in the competition at 21 years and 355 days, surpassing Messi, who reached the tally at the age of 22 years and 266 days.

Meanwhile, Neymar – who completed his hat-trick in the second half – reached 40 Champions League goals with his second, doing so in 65 games.

Ruud van Nistelrooy (45 games), Messi and Robert Lewandowski (both 61 games) are the only players to do so in quicker time.

Mbappe doubled his tally after the visitors pulled one back, with PSG – who are already through to the last 16 following Manchester United’s defeat to RB Leipzig on Tuesday – on course to top Group H.

Reported by Livescore.com

Amotekun: Herdsmen attacked us in Ondo

 

The Ondo state chapter of the Southwest Security Network code-named Amotekun says some herdsmen attacked its operatives on a farm at Osi community, Akure north local government area of the state.

Adetunji Adeleye, commander of corps, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Akure, the state capital, on Wednesday.

Adeleye said the operatives were attacked while trying to settle a rift between herdsmen and some farmers in the community.

“Some farmers from Osi  Community ran to the office complaining that their farms had been destroyed by herds.  We sent our men there to assess the situation,” he said.

“They found out that the herds were actually on the farm and we invited the herdsmen. But unfortunately, on getting there, they attacked our men with knives and other dangerous weapons. But we were able to arrest one of them named Abdulkadir Mohammed.”

Adeleye also said two suspected cattle rustlers were arrested by his men while a Nissan Siena marked FJ 423 KRD, brought by the suspected rustlers was impounded

“One Alhaji Ilyasu, a Fulani man came to us that some people came with a Serena Bus to steal their cattle. They came to us and we sent our men out. We were able to recover the vehicle they wanted to  used in stealing the cows, we also recovered the cows,” he added.

“We were able to trace some of the rustlers that ran away to somewhere in Ogun State. We have apprehended one Sudauna Gombe and one Ogunyale Sola, who was the driver of the abandoned Serena. We have handed them over to the Agro Department of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for detailed investigation.

“We recovered two cows, which we have returned to the Fulani man that owns them, and we brought the vehicle to our office here because the rustlers ran away and abandoned the vehicle.”

- DAILY POST

Brazil-based Elechi, home for wedding in January, arrested with cocaine

 

A Nigerian, Kingsley Adendu Elechi, who had spent the last 13 years in Brazil, flew into the country on Monday to prepare for his wedding scheduled for January.

But he will no longer be able to prepare or even attend the wedding, as he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport.

Elechi, 39, who arrived on Ethiopian Airline flight ET 911, flew in with a cargo of cocaine in cellophane bags.

He was intercepted by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Inside Elechi’s bag were 12 parcels of cellophane wrappers, containing white substances and weighing 7.2kg.

All tested positive to cocaine.

In a statement, NDLEA spokesman Jonah Achema said Elechi is an indigene of Umulolo Local Government Area of Imo State.

The suspect said he would not blame anybody for his cocaine trafficking.

Elechi said he was promised N3 million as his fee upon safe delivery of the drugs to someone in Nigeria.

- PM NEWS

#EndSARS: We either voice out now or risk being killed by insecurity, says DJ Switch

 DJ Switch, a Nigerian female disc jockey, says it is either youth lend their voices to the #EndSARS campaign or risk being killed by poverty, insecurity and other challenges in the country.

The entertainer, who filmed the shooting of protesters at Lekki toll gate on October 20, spoke in a video on her Instagram page on Monday night.

The #EndSARS protest, which was earlier halted after it was hijacked by hoodlums, had started to gain momentum with the issue among top Twitter trends in Nigeria since Monday.

The gifted DJ said while backing the movement could be challenging, remaining silent would amount to resigning to continue enduring the situation of things in the country.

“We’re up against people that have all the power, money, resources and control all the security arms. It’s like being thrown into a gunfight with a stick. How do you win a fight like that, so yes, it’s very demoralising…,” she said.

“I get it so we switched off. But please allow me to remind you of the people who cannot switch it off. Those who can never again think of how to make their daily breads. The real heroes that died for you and me.

“Look, there are two options as l see it. One l like to call the short term option and the second l call the long term option. Mind you both options have the same outcome. Short term option, we go out there, screaming at the top of our voices demanding change, we want our country back, standing on our constitutional rights and knowing the government we have, they just waste all of us in the end.

“The second long-term option, we do nothing, we still die, maybe one by one but we will still die off either from poverty, a very poor health sector and security personnels.”

Buttressing her point, Switch, whose real name is Obianuju Catherine Udeh, said the need to speak out has become imperative because the masses are always the worst hit by hardships in Nigeria.

“Let me tell you something that might be difficult for you to swallow: you and l are most likely to die before these our leaders. With all the money that they’ve stolen, these leaders have access to the best medical care, but what can you and l brag of? People die in hospitals because there’s no proper medical attention,” she added.

“In terms of security, our leaders are also well guarded by the police and even the army. Before armed robbers go to our leaders, they come to us first, who do we have guiding us. These people have peace of mind and they sleep well in their air-conditioned homes.

“So, pick one, long term or short term because it’s the same outcome. Nobody should be forced to do anything. Everyone is trying to stay alive so it’s understandable. But please, these people have all the power and resources, but we only have one power which is our voice and we must use it in whatever capacity that we can.

“When we don’t see #EndSARS on the Twitter trends or talk about it, the people that are trying to help us will think maybe nothing is really happening.

“Maybe government has given in to the demands of the people. I can assure you that there are people fighting for us. You can take my words to the bank, people are fighting for us, let us help them, let us be part of the solution.”

- THECABLE

Religious rights violations: CAN insists Christian persecution exist in Nigeria

 

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has alleged religious persecutions in the Northern part of the country.

Their allegation is in reaction to federal government’s denial of any religious freedom violations, as accused by the United States.

Recall that recently, the US had placed Nigeria, among other countries on a religious freedom blacklist.

The Christian Association of Nigeria in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the CAN President, Adebayo Oladeji, expressed fear that the blacklisting might attract sanctions.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, explained that Nigeria does not engage in religious freedom violation, neither does it have a policy of religious persecution, saying that victims of insecurity and terrorism in the country are adherents of Christianity, Islam and other religions.

The leadership of CAN said it is not happy that the US has placed Nigeria on a religious freedom blacklist because of the implications which include possible sanctions if it does not improve its record.

The association, however, said it is encouraged that the global world is aware of the happenings in Nigeria, stressing that although there is religious freedom in the country, there are other religious persecutions in most of the states of the federation, especially in the Northern part of the country.

CAN allege that’ ‘in many states like Kano and Jigawa, Christians are denied the Certificate of Occupancy and churches are not allowed to purchase lands and they have to go through individuals and even if that is done, they will be denied the Certificate of Occupancy.

The statement described such policy as discriminatory policies, adding that as religious persecutions, mosques are built wherever they desire and no government dares to ask for any document.

”In education, Christians are not allowed to study courses like Medicine and Law in some universities in the North and in most federal owned universities in the North, Christians are not allowed to become the Vice-Chancellor even if they are qualified.

The statement said in the University of Ilorin, in the last 25 years or more, no Christian has been allowed to be its Vice-Chancellor.

”About 95 percent of those who head security agencies are sharing the same faith with the President, pointing out that some agencies, Christians are replaced with Muslims. This is what we witness every day.

CAN maintained that the country belongs to every citizen irrespective of their religious affiliations but the government is not interested.

- DAILY POST

Nigerian Government, ASUU meeting postponed indefinitely

 

The federal government has postponed a meeting earlier scheduled for 3 pm Wednesday with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The meeting was earlier scheduled to iron out some grey areas that had prolonged the strike embarked upon by the union.

However, The spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, who disclosed the postponement, did not state why the meeting was postponed.

Akpan wrote: “The Meeting between ASUU and the Federal Government earlier scheduled for today by 3pm has been postponed. Thank you for your understanding.''

But ASUU President, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi, said the failure of the meeting was due to the short time frame given to consult the union members.

However, other top sources claimed that the leadership of ASUU turned government’s invitation to the meeting following the labour minister’s accusation that the union failed to honour “gentleman agreement” reached at the last meeting that held on November 27.

Ngige had on Wednesday a statement through his media office described ASUU’s claim that federal government had failed to deliver on the timelines on offers made to the union, as “false and discomfiting”.

“It is false and discomfiting for ASUU to wrongly inform the public that the government agreed to pay all withheld salaries before it would resume work,” Ngige said.

President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi is yet to respond to the statement released by Ngige.

- PM NEWS

NCC to Nigerians: Submit NIN to telcos for SIM registration

 The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says Nigerians should get a national identity number and submit to their network operators.

The commission disclosed this on Wednesday in a revised statement announcing the suspension of sales and reactivation of new SIM cards.

TheCable had earlier reported that the commission suspended sales and reactivation of new SIM cards because of an audit of the subscriber registration database.

Telcos were directed to suspend the sale and activation of new SIM cards on your network until the audit exercise is completed.

“All citizens are urged to immediately secure digital identification from the National Identity Management Commission and submit it to the network operators,” the statement read.

The NIN is a form of identification introduced by the federal government and managed by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

It is currently a prerequisite for getting an international passport.

The NIMC is currently harmonising the NIN and the bank verification number (BVN) and has set a five-year target to register all Nigerians after a $430 million World Bank loan for the Nigeria digital identification for development project.

The BVN is a prerequisite to owning a bank account and it is used to link all bank and pension accounts owned by an individual.

A statement released by Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC director for public affairs, on Wednesday said the directive became necessary against the background of the “preponderance of pre-registered SIMs with the attendant security implications associated with the use of same to facilitate criminal activities”.

- THECABLE

Gold: Nigeria loses $9 billion annually as Senate calls for investigation into illegal mining

 

The Senate on Wednesday in an adopted motion urged the Executive arm of government to initiate investigations into illegal mining of gold in Zamfara and other gold endowed states across Nigeria.

The Senate’s decision followed a motion sponsored by the Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.

In his lead debate, Kalu representing Abia North Senatorial district explained that Nigeria has an average of 21.37 tonnes of gold deposit from 2000 to 2018, reaching an all time high of 21.40 tonnes in the first quarter of 2020 but lamented that the sector has been taken over by illegal miners.

According to him, all mineral deposits belong to the Federal Government which was reflected in the Constitution, wondering why the government continues to ignore exploration of gold and other mineral resources that would have grown the nation’s GDP.

“Constitutionally, all mineral resources are the property of the state, vested in the hands of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

He said there is a financial haemorrhage in the country occasioned by the government’s inability to coordinate the exploration of gold, saying, “if the sector wasn’t fixed, the nation would bleed hollow.

He continued: “Mr. President, despite having this huge gold deposit, Nigeria is yet to benefit from the natural resources due to the lack of big investors and illegal mining activities in the solid minerals sector.

“Data from the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Development show that there are gold deposits in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Abia, Bauchi, Cross River, Edo, Niger, Sokoto, Kebbi, Oyo, Kogi,.Zamfara,.Osun and Kaduna States.”

After various contributions by lawmakers who acknowledged the importance of gold as a means of generating revenue, the prayers were sustained.

Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege upheld that the Federal Government needs to divest into mineral resources in the interest of the country.

- DAILY POST

ASUU strike: NANS threatens escalation, to shut private universities

 National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened an escalation of the nine month old strike by university teachers, by shutting the 79 private universities.

New president of NANS, Sunday Ashefon made the threat in a PUNCH Online interview programme, The Roundtable.

He lamented that the ongoing strike is the longest industrial action embarked on by the university lecturers, under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU).

Ashefon said NANS would engage the Federal Government and ASUU leaders to find a lasting solution to resolve the stalemate in negotiations between the two arms.

He said if the consultations failed, NANS would move in and shut down all tertiary institutions in the country.

“In the history of ASUU strike, this is the longest ASUU strike so far, going to nine months now. My administration frowns at it.

“There must be a lasting solution, ASUU must stop this strike and Federal Government must listen to ASUU. The two should synergise, they should pity the common students who have been at home.

- PM NEWS