TYSON FURY KNOCKS OUT DEONTAY WILDER

The Gypsy King, Tyson Fury has retained his WBC heavyweight boxing crown on Saturday with a dramatic 11th round knockout of Deontay Wilder.

The much awaited fight started at about 4:00am WAT with Deontay Wilder, the challenger approaching the ring first in his mask and beaded regalia. The Defending champion, Tyson Fury was seen later with his knighthood costume beftting of a champion.

In a stunning battle that saw both fighters floored on multiple occasions, Tyson Fury was able to finish stronger with a knockout to put Wilder down via a powerful right hook on the 11th round. 

The event happened at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

PRESIDENT BUHARI APPROVES 200% PAY RISE FOR NIMC STAFF, NEW CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

    President Muhammadu  Buhari

*Male staff to enjoy paternity leave

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a 200 per cent pay rise and an enhanced conditions of service for the staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

Male employees of the agency are now to enjoy paternity leave under the new conditions of service.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, officially conveyed the approvals to both the Chairman, Governing Board of NIMC, Bello Gwandu and its Director General, Aliyu Aziz.

Pantami said the new salary scale was 200 per cent of the total personnel cost of NIMC, which raises the total cost of the agency from about N5.3 billion to N16.7 billion per annum.

He said: “We now have a new condition of service and salary scale approved by Mr. President for the National Identity Management Commission. This new condition of service and salary scale increases with over 200 per cent the total NIMC personnel cost, a significant departure from what is currently obtainable.”

“The NIMC Condition of Service is a comprehensive document that going forward, would serve, as the machinery through which the Commission articulates and implements its personnel policies and programmes,” the minister said.

According to him, the NIMC plays a critical role that impacts the life of every Nigerian.

He said in the light of the foregoing, it was imperative that the vibrant NIMC staff who are tasked with managing one of the nation’s most sensitive and critical asset are provided with the enabling environment to play this pivotal role efficiently and effectively.

According to him, securing a N25 billion approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for NIMC to upgrade its infrastructure led to the rapid increase in the number of enrolments from 41 million to over 60 million in less than a year.

“Securing the N25 billion Federal Executive Council Approval for upgrade and replacement of the NIMC Identity Infrastructure, and the implementation of novel initiatives that has increased the registration of persons to over 62 million on the NIDB,” he added.

The Chairman, Governing Board NIMC, Bello Gwandu, the Director General NIMC, Aliyu Aziz, praised the president and minister for approving this new salary scale and new conditions of service.

The Legal Adviser, NIMC, Hadiza Dagabana stated that in the newly approved conditions of service, NIMC male staff are to enjoy paternity leave, adding that staff on Grade Level 14 and below are getting 70 per cent allowance of their salaries.

NIGERIAN MILITARY REACTS TO PORT HARCOURT -- BONNY CHOPPER ATTACK

The Nigerian military says the report by some print and online media saying that “the military fired at a cargo boat conveying people and foodstuff from Port Harcourt to Bonny is false and calls to question the credibility of the news medium.

In a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Major General Benjamin Sawyer said, contrary to the report, the Air Component of the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, (OPD) received reports from ground troops who were on clearance operations but encountered resistance. On receiving the report, a combat helicopter was despatched to provide a close air support mission along the Cawthorne Channel.

The helicopter encountered an illegal bunkerers’ boat popularly called “Cotonou Boat”. The boat which was being escorted by 2 speedboats was suspected to be carrying illegally refined oil products in large drums along the Channel in the direction of OPDS patrol boats.

On sighting the boat, warning shots were fired to dissuade the crew from hostile action. The crew fired back at the helicopter and the boat was engaged accordingly. The 2 speedboats detached from the convoy at high speed leaving the “Cotonou Boat” which was neutralised. The helicopter later went after the 2 speedboats but was unable to get them.

The suspects are still at large and a manhunt has been sent out to apprehend them. 

The statement added that the military remains a professional institution that operates in line with best practices, through the application of the rule of engagement and code of conduct. It is also positioned to protect the populace, rather than victimize their efforts by anyone to protect criminality, by disparaging the actions of the military in preventing economic sabotage and other sundry crimes that need to be condemned by all.

The general public is therefore enjoined to disregard the report and continue to provide accurate information to troops, that will lead to the attainment of their operational mandate of safeguarding lives, property as well as government assets in the South-South region.

TENSION BREWS AS NORTHERNERS PLAN TO TURBAN SULTAN OF SHUWA ARAB OF EDO

     Gov Obaseki

Tension rose in Benin City, Edo State capital, on Thursday over plans by some northerners to turban a Sultan of  Shuwa Arabs of Edo.

The Shuwa Arabs ethnic group from Borno, in the plan, pencilled Idris Addano as the Sultan of Shuwa Arab of the entire Edo State, who will be receiving homage from citizens from his ethnic group dwelling in Edo State.

The widely circulated invitation for the coronation ceremony slated the coronation to hold on Saturday, 21 August 2021, at Rialto Hotel, Eyaen, a suburb of Benin City, owned by a Duke in Benin Kingdom, Osazuwa Iduriase, the Enogie of Enyean.

The invitation provoked many prominent Benin youths to react on Facebook, condemning the planned coronation of a Sultan within the Kingdom.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that unknown to many in the state, the Shehu of Borno, had on August 4 this year, turbaned Addano and gave him the same title.

The planned event is for Addano  to establish the authority given to him in Borno as the leader of the Shuwa Arabs community in Edo State

Reacting to the development, the President of Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM), Elder Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, said Benin indigenes would do whatever it would take to resist what he described as “evil act” by persons who are bent on fomenting trouble.

“This will never happen in Benin Kingdom, we are Benin,” Ugbo added.

The Coordinator-General of Great Benin Descendants (GBD), Imasuen Izoduwa,  on his part said the organisation would meet and lock up the hotel-venue of the coronation, for allowing “such nonsense” in the land”.

“We will meet later today so we can lock up that hotel by tomorrow or next for allowing such nonsense in our land. Enough is enough, I will no longer take any of this in our Kingdom,” he said.

Comrade Amos Ehinomen Uagbor said: “Is this obtainable elsewhere? We should now have oba and Sultan in Edo State? In fact, the venue should be sealed”.

Efforts to reach mobile phones numbers on the card for a reaction failed,as calls made to them failed to connect.

Also, Iduriase, the owner of the proposed hotel for the coronation has also distanced himself from the event.

PIB: PETROL PRICE REMAINS N162 PAR LITRE, COOKING GAS PRICES TO DROP – FG

The price of petrol will still sell at between N162 and N165 per litre despite the signing of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, the Federal Government has said.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday assented to the PIB passed by the National Assembly in July.

The assent gives legal backing to full deregulation which means oil marketers would now have the power to fix prices based on market forces.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva on Tuesday said fuel price still remains N162 per litre as there would be no immediate implementation of the aspect that covers fuel price deregulation.

“No fuel price increase, at least, for now. We are not starting the implementation of that aspect (deregulation) now. We would do that only when we have put many things in place to cushion the effects on Nigerians,’’ Sylva said.

The minister admitted that full deregulation would cause hardship and sufferings for Nigerians, but he said “that is the best thing to do.’’

He said the Governors’ Forum was agitating for full deregulation because they knew that was the only way they could get more allocations for capital projects.

He said continuing to subsidize fuel price in the country was “like cutting our faces to spite our noses”.

On the 3% host communities' fund in the PIA, Sylva said that is the fairest rate to every stakeholder.

He said giving more than 3% as host communities' fund would scare away investors.

He said the National Assembly and other stakeholders settled for 3 % for Host Communities Fund because that is what will attract more investments into the oil producing areas.

“Everything was weighed before 3% was settled on. It is in our collective interest. If we put the fund at 10%, the oil companies will only add it to their operational cost and that consequence would come back to the country,’’ the minister said.

Out of $50bn oil and gas investments that came to Africa last year, the minister disclosed that only $3bn came to Nigeria because foreign investors weren’t so sure of the investment climate in the country.

On the hike in prices of cooking gas, Sylva said the Federal Government would meet with gas suppliers in the country to know why the increase and find ways to bring the prices down. 

FGN INCREASES COST OF VEHICLE NUMBER PLATES, DRIVER'S LICENCE RATES BY 50%

~Nigerians will now pay N18,750 for standard private and commercial number plates against the old rate of N12,500.

Nigerian vehicle number plates/Drivers license

The Federal Government (FG) has commenced the implementation of new rates for vehicle number plates and driving licence across the country.

According to the Joint Tax Board, Nigerians will now pay N18,750 for standard private and commercial number plates against the old rate of N12,500.

Fancy number plate which was N80,000 is now N200,000; motorcycle number plate is N5,000 from N3,000 while articulated number plates (three plates) attract N30,000 from N20,000. For these rates, the minimum increase is 50 per cent.

Out of series number plate has also been revised to N50,000 from N40,000 while government fancy number plate is N20,000 against the former N15,000 rate.

Driving licence (three years) was raised to N10,000 from N6,000, excluding bank charges; licence for five years is N15,000 from N10,000 while motorcycle/tricycle driving licence (three years) goes for N5,000 from N3,000 while the one for five years attracts N8,000 from N5,000.

The decision was taken at the 147th meeting of the JTB, which held in Kaduna on March 25.

A letter by the JTB titled ‘Implementation of the revised rates for vehicles number plates and driver’s licence in Nigeria’, dated July 30, 2021 and signed by the board secretary, Obomeghfe Nana-Aisha, directed various federal and state agencies to commence the implementation of the rates.

Members of the JTB established by section 86 (1) of the Personal Income Tax Act cap. P8 LFN 2004, include the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service as the chairman of the board; one member from each state and representatives of the Federal Road Safety Commission; Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Federal Capital Territory Administration; Federal Ministry of Finance; and Federal Inland Revenue Service.

The letter read, “You may wish to recall that at the 147th meeting of the Joint Tax Board held in Kaduna, Kaduna State on March 25, 2021, the board approved revised rates for the sale of vehicle number plates and driving licence in line with the recommendations of Appraisal and Technical Committee of the JTB.

“In the light of the foregoing, we wish to inform you that the Chairman, JTB, has approved Thursday, August 1, 2021, as the commencement date for the implementation of the new rates.”

Meanwhile, the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, has dismissed a report circulating on social media that the agency was behind the hike, noting that the FRSC was not a revenue generating agency.

He also described as incorrect the report that the standard number plate was N55, 000.

BREAKING: NIGERIA'S CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR, EMEFIELE HOSTS LAVISH BIRTHDAY PARTY IN JAMAICA, DANGOTE, BANK EXECUTIVES, OTHERS SHOW UP IN PRIVATE JETS

The crème de la crème in the Nigeria’s banking and finance industry as well as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, gathered at the weekend in a frontal display of wealth at a private birthday ceremony in Jamaica organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

According to SaharaReporters, Nigerian bank executives, flew private jets to the South American country and stormed the party to impress Emefiele, who turned 60 last week.

The lavish display of wealth by Emefiele and the bankers is in sharp contrast with the sorry state of the Nigerian economy reeling under more than $33billion foreign debts and the unstable banking sector which Emefiele superintends.

“Some big boys and Emefiele were at Montego Bay City, Jamaica, last weekend to celebrate his 60th birthday. They flew there quietly with their private jets. The party was organised and held in secret to keep it away from prying eyes,” a source stated.

“Those in attendance included the usual suspects; Dangote, Nduka Obaigbena, Herbert Wigwe, Tony Elumelu and Adesola Adeduntan and so on,” the source added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week sent a congratulatory letter to Emefiele, having celebrated his birthday on August 4.

Recall that Emefiele served as the governor of Nigeria’s apex bank since June 3, 2014.

In March 2016, Emefiele was appointed first by President Goodluck Jonathan and was reappointed to the position in May 2019 by Buhari, shortly before the expiration of his first tenure.

Under Emefiele, Nigeria has experienced rising inflation, jumping to 17.33 percent at the end of February 2021 from 16.47 percent in January 2021, according to the governor himself.

The governor had also been accused of engaging in underhand dealings and fraudulent practices which continued to frustrate the activities of the bank and the country’s banking sector.

SaharaReporters in 2016 for instance obtained a list of at least 91 people tied to influential or highly placed Nigerians who were at that time offered juicy appointments by the CBN under Emefiele.

The list of beneficiaries of the CBN’s job largesse had included a daughter of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, a son of Mamman Daura, a nephew of President Buhari and one of the closest members of the president’s inner circle, a son of the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, a daughter of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’aba,  also daughter of former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, and at least 86 others.

-SaharaReporters