SAUDI ARABIA BANS UNDERAGE MARRIAGE

The Saudi Ministry of Justice has banned the marriage of persons under 18 years. It also set 18 years as the minimum age for marriage. 

The Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council, Sheikh Walid Al-Samaani, issued the new directive in a circular sent to all the courts in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

According to PremiumTimes, child marriages are commonplace in Saudi Arabia with one in seven girls marrying before the age of 18. But, Saudi Arabia’s justice minister is changing things up.

FG SET TO PAY 5 MONTHS BACKLOG OF 14200 NPOWER VOLUNTEERS OWED BETWEEN MARCH - JULY, 2020

Over 14,200 Npower beneficiaries are being owed atleast five (5) months unpaid backlogs due to some technical and bank details not corresponding GIFMIS hinted to the public that the long awaited backlog payments will soon be paid to the Volunteers, the payment will be made this Dec before Christmas those unpaid stipends will be completely cleared off.

About 14,200 npower Volunteers from Batch A and B are about to get the much awaited outstanding stipends completely settled, this stipends is since March 2020 till July of the same year, Npower will soon trigger alerts to those affected according to GIFMIS they will be duly paid all their outstanding backlog payment will be paid.

It’s necessary all stipends is cleared because there is no way npower will onboard the Npower Batch C applicants without having to first of all clear every outstanding payment with Batch A and B, Batch A and B will have to be settled before the Federal Government can fully be ready to face the Incoming Batch C.

Thousands of Npower Volunteers that are being owed Backlog payment have been asking series questions many wanting to know, when Npower in Conjunction GIFMIS will pay what they are having been owing them since 5 months ago, with this new update, it shows that the Government listens and they are willing to thread the path of peace and cooperation with the Npower Batch A and B Beneficiaries.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, disaster management and social development Sadiya Umar Farouq also hinted that, all the Financial Obligations or entitlement owed by the Government will settled before the end of the year, Below is what the Minister posted on her Social media account.

“I consider it necessary to give status update regarding the outstanding arrears of stipend to the 14,200 N-power cohorts from Batch A and B,” –Humanitarian Minister, Madam Sadiya Umar Farouq (2020)

“From the outset, the N-Power programme was designed to run for 24 months

“Out of the 500,000 combined beneficiaries from Batch A and B only 14,200 have 5 months outstanding stipend arrears”

“The delay in the payment of the arrears arose due to platform migration from NIBSS to GIFMIS by the Office of Accountant General of the Federation in March 2020.

“From the consolidated list of beneficiaries we received from the OAGF in September, the 14,200 beneficiaries with arrears of stipend were flagged for receiving monthly payment from other MDAs, particularly from the NYSC.

“It is possible that the 14,200 beneficiaries used their NYSC allowance bank accounts for N-Power and GIFMIS payment platform picked them for double payment.

“We have initiated State verification process with State N-Power Focal Officers.

“The 14,200 affected beneficiaries will present their NYSC certificates for final verification after which we will present an updated list to OAGF to pay off their 5 months arrears.

“All legitimate claims and those on verified list will be paid before the end of the year”.

Because of the change in payment Platform, it was discovered that some names also appear in other government payment vouchers.

Hopefully, before month ends all beneficiaries should have their payment but no longer at her office.

STOP BLAMING SECURITY AGENCIES FOR INSECURITY -DSS TELLS NIGERIANS

   Yusuf Magagi Bichi, DSS DG 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has stated that government and security agencies cannot tackle insecurity in the country without the support of the citizens especially on intelligence gathering.

The director general, DSS, Yusuf Bichi urged Nigerians to rather than point accusing fingers at the security forces, support them to rid the country of all forms of criminality.

The DG who was represented by Peter Afunanya, the Service spokesperson, made this call on Saturday at the Security and Emergency Awards (SEMA 2020) at the Nicon Luxury hotel Abuja, where the service was conferred with an award by Emergency Digest, a subsidiary of Image Merchants “We call on Nigerians to support security agencies and the government.

“All those bad people are part of our communities, they live in our neighbourhood, if you know one, tell the security agencies about them.

Security is no longer for the government alone; there is a need for collaborative efforts and partnership. You continue to stay in your comfort zone and continue to blame security agencies for all, but the information that the security agencies need, have you brought it?

If you have not done all these, it’s time for us to have a rethink, it’s time for us to have a change of mind to re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals of building a country that is devoid of any kind of insecurity,” he said.

BANDITS KILL 12, ABDUCTS 10 IN FRESH ATTACK ON KATSINA COMMUNITIES.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have attacked Yar Kuka village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing 12 people and abducting many others.

According to Daily Trust, a resident of the village whose daughter was kidnapped said the bandits invaded the town on Thursday around 9:30 pm and started shooting indiscriminately

He said 12 people were killed while six women were abducted.

“Three of the abducted women are married, and my daughter is one, while the remaining three are young girls.”

The gunmen also attacked Dan Ali village in Danmusa Local Government Area where they abducted a retired Education Officer identified as Sani Skido.

A resident of the village said the attackers, who came at around midnight, shot at the door of the room where the victim was hiding in his house.

Traces of blood were seen in his room after he was taken away.

Similarly, three travellers were reported abducted on Friday by unidentified gunmen on their way from Danmusa to Maidabino village in Danmuasa.

A resident of Danmusa said the travellers, who were on their way back from Benin in Edo State, were intercepted and their vehicle abandoned at the scene of the abduction.

BREAKING: APC EXPELS HILLIARD ETA, DISSOLVES STATE EXECUTIVES, EXTENDS BUNI-LED CARETAKER COMMITEE BY 6MONTHS

National Executive Council, NEC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expelled former National Vice Chairman, South-South, Hilliard Eta, for challenging the dissolution of the immediate past National Working Committee, NWC, by the National Executive Council, NEC, in the courts against party directives.

The NEC at its emergency meeting held at the presidential villa, Abuja also approved a 6-month tenure extension for the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee to stair the affairs of the party.

The NEC further slammed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its call on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from office.

Recall that Nigerian Pilot had earlier reported that controversies and uncertainties surrounded the planned National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, scheduled for Tuesday December 8, 2020 as pockets of court suits have been filed by aggrieved stakeholders of the party seeking to stop or declare illegal and inconsequential the outcome of the meeting.

While chief Kalu Agu Kalu, a chieftain of APC, had last Thursday, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, praying it to stop the planned NEC meeting, a former National Vice Chairman, South-South, and former acting national chairman, Chief Hillard Etta, and some other members of the dissolved National Working Committee, NWC, of the party, approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, penultimate Friday, to ask for the nullification of the June 25, 2020 APC NEC meeting which dissolved the NWC.

FG AGREES TO CUT FUEL PRICE BY ₦5

Following the resumption of talks between the Federal Government (FG) and the leadership of the Organised Labour over the recent hike in the price of fuel and electricity tariff, the FG has agreed to slash fuel price by N5.

It will be recalled that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, in November, increased the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, to N155.17 per litre from N147.67 per litre.

The implication of which, allows Marketers sell between N168 - N170 per litre.

Following heavy backlash, the FG slashed N2 from the depot price of N155.17 per litre, a move that still didn't sit well with the leadership of the Organised Labour who threatened mass action, if the price was not reverted.

The meeting between the Federal Government and Organised Labour have ended in Abuja.

The five-hour long meeting agreed that the price of petrol be reduced by N5 while labour also got a commitment from the government that the distribution of free prepaid metre will begin soon across the country.

Organised labour had two weeks walked out of the meeting with the Federal Government on the ground of a new increment in the price of fuel when negotiations were still on course.

The Festus Keyamo-led Committee is to continue its assignment and ensure conclusion in record time.

However, projections by marketers have it that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, may hit N180 per litre this month as oil prices extended their rally on Monday, with Brent crude trading near $50 per barrel.

Brent, the international oil benchmark, has risen by more than 15 per cent since November 13 when the pump price of petrol was adjusted in the country. It stood at $49.39 per barrel as of 7:29pm Nigerian time on Monday.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had said in September that the Federal Government had stepped back in fixing the price of petrol, adding that market forces and crude oil price would determine the cost of the product.

The National Operation Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Mike Osatuyi, said fuel prices might increase before the end of December, considering the current realities in the market.

“Once we have deregulated, petrol price is a function of crude oil price. If in the past few months, oil price has hovered around $40 to $44 per barrel, when it moves to $49-$50, we have to be expecting nothing less than N180 per litre of petrol,” he said.

Osatuyi, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, said petrol price could reach N200 per litre if oil price crossed the $50 per barrel mark.

“The devaluation of naira by N6 will actually have effect on the pump prices of fuel maybe by the end of this month or early next year,” he added.

He faulted the current situation in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation remained the sole importer of petrol into the country despite the deregulation of petrol price.

“As at today, NNPC is still practicing monopolistic deregulation because it is the only one importing petrol for Nigeria. If you deregulate, you are supposed to make forex available for other players,” he said.

The Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, also told our correspondent that private marketers were still unable to import petrol because of lack of access to forex.

He said marketers were also concerned about the discussion between the Federal Government and labour regarding deregulation, adding that discordant tunes would leave investors worried.

“The impression has been that deregulation has been agreed with labour already. It would always help when you know clearly the direction of government,” he added.

The Federal Government removed petrol subsidy in March this year after reducing the pump price of petrol to N125 per litre from N145 on the back of the sharp drop in crude oil prices. The price reduction lasted till June.

Nigerians have seen increases in the pump prices of petrol four times in the past five months, rising from N121.50–N123.50 per litre in June to N140.80-N143.80 in July, N148-N150 in August, N158-N162 in September and N163-N170 in November.

FG LAUNCHES N-POWER NEXIT PORTAL, APPLY FOR LOANS FROM CBN

The Federal Government in collaboration with CBN has introduced a new online portal for exited N-power beneficiaries of batch A and B called NEXIT Portal.

The Nexit Portal allows interested exited N-power beneficiaries to access government’s empowerment programmes.

N-Power Nexit portal is a platform inside the NPVN Portal where all exited N-power Batch A and B beneficiaries will be able to access various Federal Government Youth Empowerment Program.

If you are part of the exited N-power Batch A & B beneficiary, this is a great opportunity you don’t need to miss out.

According to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq who announced the development on Friday, she said that the EXIT portal is to determine the suitability of the beneficiaries for the CBN affiliated programs.

How to Access The NEXIT Portal

Interested N-power Batch A & B Beneficiaries are advised to follow the step by step Procedures below to Register for NEXIT.

• Visit N-power Portal npvn.npower.gov.ng/login
• Enter your Email and Password
• Click on NEXIT Portal
• Click on Register for NEXIT
• Fill in your correct details
• Click on Submit.

How to Login to N-power Nexit Portal

To log in to Npower NEXIT Portal, please carefully follow the NEXIT login procedures below.

• Visit npvn Portal npvn.npower.gov.ng/login
• Enter your Email/Phone number and Password
• Click on Login

The Nexit Portal Registration is Free. You’re not required to pay anyone for anything.

The ministry said the NEXIT portal will be used to determine the suitability of exited beneficiaries for various CBN-affiliated programmes.

She explained that selection will be based on the conditions and criteria set by the apex bank.

WE'LL REPEAT SAME ACTION WE TOOK AT LEKKI TOLL GATE ANYWHERE IN NIGERIA IF SUCH SITUATION ARISES AGAIN --ARMY

   Gen. Ibrahim Taiwo

The Nigerian Army has said that it will repeat same action it took at the Lekki Toll Gate anywhere in the country if such a situation arises again.

Ibrahim Taiwo, Commander of 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, disclosed this on Saturday while testifying before the judicial panel the Lagos State Government set up to probe the incident.

On the night of 20 October, 2020, at about 6:50pm, operatives of the Nigerian Army opened fire on peaceful# EndSARS protesters at the toll gate, killing an unconfirmed number of people.

Despite evidence of people being killed and injured at the Lekki incident, the army had maintained that blank bullets were used on protesters.

While being cross examined by Olumide Fusika, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Taiwo said given the same circumstance, the army would act in a similar way to that of October 20, 2020.

He insisted that there was no shooting of live ammunition at protesters.

NIGERIAN ECONOMY ENTERS SECOND RECESSION IN FIVE YEARS

 Muhammadu Buhari

The Nigerian economy has slipped into its second recession in five years as the gross domestic product contracted for the second consecutive quarter.

The National Bureau of Statistics announced Saturday the nation’s GDP recorded a negative growth of 3.62 per cent in the third quarter of 2020.

The country had earlier recorded a 6.10 per cent contraction in the second quarter.

It is the nation’s second recession since 2016, and the worst economic decline in almost four decades.

The Nigerian economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic, which caused a significant decline in oil revenues as global economic activities stalled for months.

Crude oil accounts for nearly 90 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings although it contributes less than 10 per cent to the GDP. It contributed just 8.73 per cent to the economy in the latest report.

Oil production fell to 1.67 million barrels a day from 1.81 million barrels in the previous quarter, according to Bloomberg figures, the lowest since the third quarter in 2016 when the economy last experienced a recession.

The World Bank forecast the Nigerian economy will contract by 3.2 per cent in 2020, assuming the spread of COVID-19 is contained by the third quarter. The International Monetary Fund forecast a contraction of 4.3 per cent.

Before the pandemic and its attendant disruption, the Nigerian economy was expected to grow by 2.1% in 2020.

The pandemic as well as border closure have seen the country record sustained inflation for more than two years, with the October figure of 14.25 per cent the highest in the last 30 months.

The Central Bank of Nigeria in September cut interest rates to 11.5 per cent to help boost borrowing and support the economy. It was the second reduction in months.

The latest development is likely to trigger a further cut of the policy rate. The monetary policy committee, which sets the rate, is to beging its two-day meeting on Monday.

Details

The NBS said in its report that the performance of the economy in the third quarter of 2020 reflected “residual effects of the restrictions to movement and economic activity implemented across the country in early Q2 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“As these restrictions were lifted, businesses re-opened and international travel and trading activities resumed, some economic activities have returned to positive growth,” it said.

In all, 18 economic activities recorded positive growth compared to 13 activities in the second quarter.

During the quarter under review, aggregate GDP stood at N39 trillion in nominal terms, higher than N37.8 trillion in the same quarter in 2019.

JUDICIAL PANEL: I’M UNAWARE NIGERIAN ARMY CALLED LEKKI SHOOTING “FAKE NEWS” ON TWITTER – GENERAL TAIWO

   Brig. Gen. Ahmed Taiwo

Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of the 81 Division, Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island has said that he was unaware that the Nigerian Army Headquarters had described the shootings at the Lekki Tollgate as “fake news” on Twitter.

Taiwo made the disclosure on Saturday while being cross-examined at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

Responding to questions from Mr Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), the counsel for some of the #EndSARS protesters, Taiwo said he was unaware of the denial by the headquarters of the Nigerian Army because he did not own a twitter account.

“Why did you tell lies, why did the army deny being at the scene?” Olumide-Fusika queried.

Taiwo denied telling lies and said that the Nigerian Army made the first statements because they did not have the full facts and the army was not sent to Lekki to break up the protest.

“I have not seen the denial that the Nigerian Army on twitter called their presence at the tollgate as fake news,”he said.

Following the General’s denial, Olumide-Fusika questioned him further about the Army’s denials.

“There is controversy between you and our Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, when you (Army) denied saying that it was fake news and the governor came out to say he saw some footage.

“Based on the Army’s tweets, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) said the people that went to the tollgate must be hoodlums in army uniforms.

“Are you aware of the Army HQ handle on twitter? If you go to your HQ’s verified twitter account right now the denial is still there. I challenge you to go online now to see it.

“Are you not aware that information posted on the Nigerian Army twitter handle on Oct. 21 still exists till this day, aren’t you an intelligence officer?”the SAN queried.

Responding, Taiwo said Sanwo-Olu had made the assertion about seeing some footage before the army made any verification.

“I’m not aware of what the AGF said, I’m not on twitter. I’m speaking here as the most senior Army officer on ground and on behalf of the 81 Division.

“I’m not aware of the Nigerian Army HQ twitter handle, I do not follow it because I’m not on twitter,” he said.