Friday, December 23, 2016
Video - CBN's special auction to clear backlog of dollar obligations
Nigeria's Central Bank will hold a special foreign exchange auction to clear a backlog of outstanding dollar demand for selected sectors. It has asked commercial lenders to submit the backlog for dollar demand from fuel importers, airlines, as well as manufacturing and agricultural firms. These sectors have seen severe foreign exchange shortages hamper, at best, but more often, cripple their operations.
Nigeria denies plastic rice being sold in Nigeria
Nigeria's government has denied reports that "plastic rice" was being sold in the country, days after the customs service said 2.5 tonnes of the contraband had been confiscated.
Health Minister Isaac Adewole tweeted that tests by the food safety agency found "no evidence" of plastic material.
Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said on Wednesday the fake rice was intended to be sold during the festive season.
Rice is Nigeria's staple food.
Mr Mamudu has not commented on the health minister's statement.
It is not clear where the seized sacks came from but rice made from plastic pellets was found in China last year.
Mr Adewole said the agency would "release detailed findings to public as soon as it concludes investigations", urging Nigerians to remain calm.
Mr Mamudu had said the rice was very sticky after it was boiled and "only God knows what would have happened" if people ate it.
The BBC's Martin Patience in Lagos, who felt the rice, said it looked real but had a faint chemical odour.
The Lagos customs chief had called on "economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal" business activity.
Health Minister Isaac Adewole tweeted that tests by the food safety agency found "no evidence" of plastic material.
Lagos customs chief Haruna Mamudu said on Wednesday the fake rice was intended to be sold during the festive season.
Rice is Nigeria's staple food.
Mr Mamudu has not commented on the health minister's statement.
It is not clear where the seized sacks came from but rice made from plastic pellets was found in China last year.
Mr Adewole said the agency would "release detailed findings to public as soon as it concludes investigations", urging Nigerians to remain calm.
Mr Mamudu had said the rice was very sticky after it was boiled and "only God knows what would have happened" if people ate it.
The BBC's Martin Patience in Lagos, who felt the rice, said it looked real but had a faint chemical odour.
The Lagos customs chief had called on "economic saboteurs who see yuletide season as a peak period for their nefarious acts to desist from such illegal" business activity.
Related story: Plastic rice confiscated in Nigeria
Thursday, December 22, 2016
Video - Boko Haram: Behind the Rise of Nigeria's Armed Group
An investigation into the origins and ideology of the rebel group and its bloody rise.
Abuja airport closed for repairs
Nigeria says it will close the main airport in the capital Abuja, in order to carry out a major upgrade.
The airport will be closed for six weeks, starting in February 2017.
The announcement comes after airlines threatened to stop flying to Abuja because of safety concerns over the state of the runway.
During the repairs, domestic and international flights to Abuja will be diverted to the city of Kaduna more than 160km (100 miles) away.
BBC Nigeria correspondent Martin Patience says passengers diverted to Kaduna will face a two-hour journey along a road that has recently been hit by a spate of kidnappings.
The hour-long flight from Nigeria's commercial centre Lagos to the capital is used as a shuttle by many businesses.
Critics are warning that the closure will prove hugely damaging to the country's economy, which is already reeling from its worst recession in decades.
But the government says that by carrying out the major work in one go, it will not have to make smaller repairs in the future.
The airport will be closed for six weeks, starting in February 2017.
The announcement comes after airlines threatened to stop flying to Abuja because of safety concerns over the state of the runway.
During the repairs, domestic and international flights to Abuja will be diverted to the city of Kaduna more than 160km (100 miles) away.
BBC Nigeria correspondent Martin Patience says passengers diverted to Kaduna will face a two-hour journey along a road that has recently been hit by a spate of kidnappings.
The hour-long flight from Nigeria's commercial centre Lagos to the capital is used as a shuttle by many businesses.
Critics are warning that the closure will prove hugely damaging to the country's economy, which is already reeling from its worst recession in decades.
But the government says that by carrying out the major work in one go, it will not have to make smaller repairs in the future.
Celebration of former governor of Delta release from jail condemned
Some Nigerians on Thursday expressed displeasure with the celebration of the release of James Ibori, a former Delta Governor, from a prison in London. They said in Lagos that such celebration was condemnable, unfortunate and uncalled for.
They said in Lagos that such celebration was condemnable, unfortunate and uncalled for.
The former governor of Delta was on Wednesday released from prison in London, U.K. Ibori was jailed in 2012, two years after he was arrested by the Interpol in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he was hiding after fleeing Nigeria.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison by Southwark Crown Court on April 17, 2012 after pleading guilty to 10-count charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. In spite of his guilty plea and conviction for corruption, his kinsmen at Oghara and other Urhobo communities in the Delta, however, turned the affair to a carnival as they lined up major streets dancing. There was wild jubilation in Delta following the news of the release of the former governor.
The former governor of Delta was on Wednesday released from prison in London, U.K. Ibori was jailed in 2012, two years after he was arrested by the Interpol in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he was hiding after fleeing Nigeria.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison by Southwark Crown Court on April 17, 2012 after pleading guilty to 10-count charge of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. In spite of his guilty plea and conviction for corruption, his kinsmen at Oghara and other Urhobo communities in the Delta, however, turned the affair to a carnival as they lined up major streets dancing. There was wild jubilation in Delta following the news of the release of the former governor.
A retired teacher, Mr Augustine, said it was unfortunate that some Nigerians celebrated criminals and those who contributed to the bad situation of the country. “It’s a shame that we are celebrating those who had contributed the increased unemployment rate in the country, lack of healthcare services, dwindling standard of education and failed democracy among other challenges. “Until we start to change our ways and mindset, we will continue to wallow in our problems in the nation,’’ Igwe said. In his views, Mr Sesan Adeleye, a businessman, said such jubilation showed that politicians had successfully brainwashed some citizens with ill-gotten wealth. “The problem of some Nigerians is a clear case of poverty of the mind.
We value wealth so much. They are not even bothered about why he went to prison. “They are already waiting for him to come back so that he can continue to distribute ill-gotten money to them. “They don’t even care that the money stolen was meant for their welfare and development,’’ he said. Also, Dr Edewede Iyamu, a private physician, told NAN that the celebration over Ibori’s release was uncalled for as he also contributed to the pervasively poor and under developed state of the Niger Delta. “Those from Niger Delta continue to blame the Federal Government for the challenges confronting their region, whereas, people like Ibori should be held responsible. “It is sad that people from that region are now celebrating him,’’ she said.
A Lagos-based legal practitioner, Mr Adekunle Aribisala, said something must be done to stop the celebration of criminality in the country as it was becoming rampant. Aribisala also expressed worry that it would not be easy for the Western community to release the money in question — 18 million Pounds — to the Nigerian government. “We had the same situation when Chief Bode George and Mr Hamza Al-Mustapha were released too, now it’s Ibori. I feel really ashamed as a Nigerian. “We do not need people like that in our society any longer. They need to be isolated so they don’t corrupt more people,’’ he said.
In her opinion, Alhaja Aishe Jelil, a civil servant, said the future of the youth who were being used by politicians called for concern. “We seem to have lost our values in this society, I wonder what the future holds for our future generations. They are celebrating Ibori because they consider him a hero and a role mode,’’ she said.
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