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  • Money Laundering: Over N454 million Seized From Nigerian Man at Kenya’s Airport

    A High Court in Kenya on Wednesday, December 9, ordered over N454million confiscated from a Nigerian man at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to be deposited at Central Bank of Kenya pending money laundering investigations.

    Mauzu Bala was arrested on Friday, December 4, with USD 880,000, 60,000 euros and N63,000 (N454,303,000 all together), stacked in his handbag while heading to Dubai.

    Directorate of Criminal Investigations – DCI, confirmed the latest development in a statement on Wednesday.

    “The High Court has ordered over Ksh 100 million that was confiscated from a foreigner by detectives based at JKIA to be deposited at CBK pending money laundering investigations,” the statement reads.

    “The foreign national who was heading to Dubai from Nigeria was in possession of USD 880,000, 60,000 Euros and 63,000 Naira. To enable investigate the matter, DCI Transnational Organized Crime Detectives (TOCU) are working with the Asset Recovery Agency (ARA).The seized cash is believed to be from International Criminal Cartel.”

    The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) had sought court orders to freeze over Sh100 million seized from Bala at JKIA.

    ARA said his failure to disclose that he was carrying such a huge amount of money and produce documents supporting the legitimacy of the cash raised suspicion of money laundering.

    Section 12 (1) of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act requires a person to declare any amount above $10,000 (approximately over Sh1 million).

    The Act gives the agency powers to obtain a court order seizing money within five days, where there is reasonable grounds to believe that it is illicit money.

    “The threshold for requiring the declaration was not complied as the respondent did not disclose the source of the cash, the business he was doing and the basis of moving with cash of that magnitude,” Fedrick Musyoki, a police investigator attached to ARA, said in an affidavit.

    “There are reasonable grounds to suspect the funds found in possession of the respondents in cash may be a direct or indirect benefit or proceeds of crime obtained from a complex money laundering scheme and are liable to be forfeited to the state under the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2009.” he added.

    When asked why he was carrying such a huge amount, Mr Bala allegedly said he was heading to Dubai for business.

    But the agency said there are banks in Nigeria and Dubai that allow a customer to transfer money within the two countries.

    Mr Bala allegedly he had no proof of declaration of being in possession of the bulky cash from Nigeria or documentation to support the source, purpose or movement of the cash.

    The court ordered Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka to hand the money to ARA, pending conclusion of investigations.

    The agency says the Nigerian had disembarked from Kenya Airways flight KQ535 from Lagos, Nigeria and was intercepted at the transit lounges, heading to catch flight KQ310 to Dubai.

    The agency wants to be allowed to hold the money, pending conclusion of investigations and possible application for forfeiture to the State.

  • COVID-19, ASUU Strike, Naira Marley, Who is Laycon Top List of Google Search for 2020 [Full List]

    Technology giant, Google has released its list of top online searches of 2020 by Nigerians and Coronavirus, ASUU strike, Rema, Naira Marley, and Hushpuppi topped the list.

    Coronavirus topped online searches by Nigerians in 2020, followed by US election, US president-elect, Joe Biden, Google Classroom, ASUU, Zoom Live, Rema, Naira Marley, Rahama Sadua, and Hushpuppi.

    For most searched people, US president-elect, Joe Biden topped the list followed by Rema, Naira Marley, Rahama Sadau, Hushpuppi, and others.

    Rahama Sadau was the most searched actor ahead of Eniola Badmus, Erica Nlewedim, Funke Akindele, Olu Jacobs, and Nengi Hampson .

    See the full list below;

    Searches

    1) Coronavirus

    2) US Election

    3) Joe Biden

    4) Google Classroom

    5) ASUU

    6) Zoom Live

    7) Rema

    8) Naira Marley

    9) Rahama Sadau

    10) Hushpuppi

    People

    1) Joe Biden

    2) Rema

    3) Naira Marley

    4) Rahama Sadau

    5) Hushpuppi

    6) Laycon

    7) Kamala Harris

    8) Omah Lay

    9) Maryam Sanda

    10) Kai Havertz

    Songs

    1) Fem – Davido

    2) Duduke – Simi

    3) Bad – Xxxtentacion

    4) Betty Butter – Mayorkun feat Davido

    5) Ginger me – Rema

    6) Woman – Rema

    7) Wonderful – Burna Boy

    8) Abule – Patoranking

    9) Tesumole – Naira Marley

    10) Holy Ground – Davido feat. Nicki Minaj

    Actors

    1) Rahama Sadau

    2) Eniola Badmus

    3) Erica Nlewedim

    4) Funke Akindele

    5) Olu Jacobs

    6) Nengi Hampson

    7) Desmond Elliot

    8) Tom Hanks

    9) Temi Otedola

    10) Sydney Talker

    Sports people

    1) Kai Havertz

    2) Bruno Fernandez

    3) Timo Werner

    4) Edouward Mendy

    5) Thiago Silva

    6) Ander Herrera

    7) Edison Cavani

    8) Alex Telles

    9) Gabriel Magalhaes

    10) Odion Ighalo

    Questions

    1) Who is the new President of the USA

    2) When is school resuming

    3) How to make hand sanitizer

    4) Who is George Floyd

    5) How to make face mask

    6) Who is Joe Biden

    7) Who is Laycon

    8) How to make cake

    9) Who is Aisha Yesufu

    10) How to make bread

    Lyrics

    1) Xxxtentacion Bad Vibes Forever Lyrics

    2) Duduke Lyrics

    3) Fem Lyrics

    4) Zoom Lyrics

    5) Wap Lyrics

    6) Holy Ground Lyrics

    7) Betty Butter Lyrics

    8) Nobody Lyrics

    9) Sweet in the Middle Lyrics

    10) Omah Lay Bad Influencer Lyrics

    Movies / TV Shows

    1) Money Heist

    2) Big Brother Naija

    3) Miracle in Cell no 7

    4) Ultimate Love

    5) Mulan

    6) The Old Guard

    7) 365 Days

    8) Citation

    9) Danger Force

    10) Extraction

    Passings

    1) Kobe Bryant

    2) Abba Kyari

    3) Chadwick Boseman

    4) George Floyd

    5) Abiola Ajimobi

    6) Majek Fashek

    7) Ibidun Ighodalo

    8) King Von

    9) Jerry Rawlings

    10) Naya Rivera

    Recipes

    1) Pornstar Martini recipe

    2) Puff puff recipe

    3) Pancake recipe

    4) Red Velvet cake recipe

    5) Meat Pie recipe

    6) Chin Chin recipe

    7) Bread recipe

    8) Chocolate cake recipe

    9) Oha soup recipe

    10) Egusi soup recipe

  • COVID-19 FG Disburses N12.4 Billion to 978 MSMEs

    COVID-19 FG Disburses N12.4 Billion to 978 MSMEs

    The Federal Government said, it has disbursed over N12.4 billion to owners of 978 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), through the Bank of Industry in other to cushion the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

    Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 12th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment on Tuesday , in Abuja.

    “Nigeria was totally shut down as a matter of urgent national policy to curtail the spread of the disease, resulting in the collapse of socio-economic activities.

    “In spite of these global challenges, governments at all levels, made concerted efforts to ensure that the effect of the pandemic was mitigated through the implementation and ready for commissioning; and the disbursement of more than N12.4bn to 978 to MSMEs across the sectors by the Bank of Industry.

    “Government, through the Bank of Industry, is also implementing the Youth Entrepreneurship Support (YES) Program me, designed to address the challenges of youth unemployment in Nigeria,” he said.

    Adebayo stated that government would secure “the $500 million African Development Bank (AFDB) funds for technology innovation; ensure credit for access to 10 million MSMEs at single digit rate; automate and digitalize trade certification processes, the issuance of licenses and permits, to save time, increase efficiency and reduce cost of doing business;
    “Review the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) mandate; conclude and implement outstanding industrial and trade guidelines on Cotton, Textile and Garment (CTG), cassava and dairy; enforce the enactment of the Company Allied Matters (CAM) BIll which has been done, and other pending legislative and regulatory reforms.”

    Meanwhile, the Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Joseph Ari, announced that the firm has produced a made-in-Nigeria telephone, which would be commercialized soon.

    Daily Sun

  • How ASUU Strike Turns Me To Emergency Newspaper Vendor, Final Year Student

    A 400 level Computer Science Student of the Federal University Lokoja, Thomas Kehinde has decried the prolonged strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), insisting that both the union and the government are playing games with the lives and future of Nigerian youths.

    Kehinde, in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Wednesday, said the ASUU strike has turned him into an emergency newspaper vendor just to survive with the harsh economy of the country.

    Kehinde who is from Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State told DAILY POST that his parent feed from hand to mouth just to see him through school so he can actualise his dream of becoming a great computer scientist.

    According to him, his hopes of graduating from the University in his four years course in 2020 has been dashed by the tussle between the Federal Government and the Academic union.

    He pointed out that he decided to venture into the newspaper vending business so as not to seat at home or engage in any social vice.

    He described the over nine month old ASUU strike as unfair, appealing to the aggrieved bodies to sheath their swords and allow students return to the classroom.

    ” The last nine months have been a living hell for me. I thought I would be saying goodbye to the university by the end of 2020, but that hope has been shattered. Can u imagine, ASUU and the government are treating Nigerian students as if we are not part of this country.

    “You would recall that most of the people that participated in the End SARS protests are students. This is because they were idle, and are tired of staying at home. There are some students I strongly believe have been engaging in social vices such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, money laundering and many more. This is because they are idle.

    “There is a well known saying, that an idle mind is a devils workshop. Am not trying to give them any discount for perpetuating such evil act, but it is important to state here that we are tired of staying at home.

    “As for me, I won’t blame our leaders for treating us like trash. How many of the big men and the top government officials have children in a public Nigeria University. Please mention it for me, because I don’t know anyone. It is either they move all their kids to expensive private universities or move them to study abroad. While we that our parents are extremely poor and can not afford two meals a day would be left to suffer for no reason.

    “Our leaders should always put this at the back of their minds that there is a day of reckoning. A day that every one of us will give an account of our stewardship to our creator. I would like to borrow the words of late Dele Giwa, who said and I quote. Any evil done by man will never go unpunished, if not now, certainly later, certainly by God.

    “As for me, I will continue with my newspaper business, with the hope that the Federal Government and ASUU will come to a truce. I don’t want to drag the name of my family into the mud, so I decided to do this business. Although some of my friends have been mocking me, including some of my course mates that I am selling newspaper, I still don’t care. It is better to do a legitimate business of selling newspaper than engaging in armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism just to satisfy my immediate needs” he stated.

    Daily Post

  • Strike: NANS To Shut Down Private Varsities, President

    The new President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sunday Asefon, has vowed to shut down all private universities in the country should the nine-month strike embarked on by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities continue.

    The NANS president said this while speaking on a PUNCH Online interview programme, The Roundtable.

    He lamented that the ongoing strike is the longest industrial action embarked on by the university lecturers.

    According to him, NANS would engage the Federal Government representatives and ASUU leaders to find a lasting solution to resolve the stalemate in negotiations between the two arms.

    The NANS president said after consultation with the two parties and should the strike not be called off as soon as possible, NANS would move in and shut down all tertiary institutions in the country.

  • Meeting Between FG, ASUU Postponed Indefinitely

    The meeting slated to hold today, Wednesday between representatives of Federal Government and the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has been postponed Indefinitely.

    The postponement was contained in a message from Mr. Charles Akpan, Deputy Director, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    According to the message, “The Meeting between ASUU and the Federal Government earlier scheduled for today (Wednesday) by 3pm has been postponed. Thank you for your understanding.”

    ASUU has been on strike since March this year over the nonpayment of Earned Academic Allowances, non provision of revitalisation fund among others.

    Recently the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige had announced that government had agreed to make available N70 billion for Earned Allowances which include other three University based unions and the revitalisation fund.

    The Minister on Tuesday said that the Federal Government has kept its promises with the university teachers, adding that the government had faithfully complied with timeliness in the offer it made to the union.

    “For instance, the Federal Government promised to constitute a Negotiation Committee for the 2009 Agreement and has fulfilled it with the last week’s inauguration of the committee that has Prof. Muzali as chairman.

    “ The N40b Earned Academic Allowances/ Earned Allowances have also been processed just as the N30b revitalization Fund, bringing it to a total of N70b .

    “ Likewise, the Visitation Panels for the Universities have been approved by the President but the panel cannot perform its responsibilities until the shut universities are re-opened.

    “The gazzeting is also being rounded off at the Office of Attorney General of the Federation while the Ministry of Education is ready to inaugurate the various visitation panels.

    “Similarly, Government agreed to pay salaries, allowances of Earned Academic Allowances/ Earned Allowances with a hybrid platform that is not hundred percent IPPIS as requested by ASUU while UTAS is undergoing usability and integrity test at National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) as demanded by ASUU.

    “I therefore state without equivocation that every offer with timeline has been faithfully fulfilled as promised by government .”

  • Buhari Swears In INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

    President Muhammadu Buhari, shortly before the commencement of the 27th virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, swore in Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    President Buhari reappointed Yakubu as Chairman of INEC for another five-year term on October 27th.

    Prof Yakubu is the first Chairman to be reappointed to head the Commission.
    The INEC Chairman has said that the country’s elections are getting better.

    The INEC Chairman has said that the country’s elections are getting better.

    Speaking to State House Correspondents shortly after he was sworn in Prof Yakubu said:

    ‘We have clearly demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and they will continue to get better.

    ‘The National Assembly is holding a public hearing on the amendment of the electoral legal framework. This is important and this time around, working with the National Assembly, we’ll ensure a speedy passage of the amendment bill and once it is assented to, it will help us enormously in confronting the challenges ahead.

    ‘The preparations for 2023 general elections have proceeded in earnest, we need certainty and therefore the electoral legal framework is fundamental, without which we cannot formulate our regulations and guidelines. Without our regulations and guidelines, we cannot conclude work on the manual for the training of ad-hoc staff for the elections.

    ‘So from here, I am going to proceed to the National Assembly, so work begins in earnest and we have already started.’

    Meanwhile, the Council, before the commencement of the meeting, observed a minute silence in honour or former military officer, late Gen Domkat Bali, who served the country as Minister of Defence.

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff Ibrahim Gambari, National Security Adviser Major General Babagana Munguno (retd), are physically present.

    Eleven ministers are physically attending the meeting. They are Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, Women Affairs Minister Pauline Tallen, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Minister Sadiya Umar Farouk, and Federal Capital Territory Minister Mohammed Bello.

    Others are Ministers of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Budget and National Planning Clement Agba, Mines and Steel Development Uche Ogah and Abubakar Aliyu.

    The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, and other ministers are participating in the weekly council meeting from their various offices in Abuja.

  • Govt ‘bans’ use of whatsapp for information dissemination in Katsina Secondary Schools

    The Katsina State Government has reportedly given marching orders to principals of state owned secondary schools to forbid the use of Whatsapps for information dissemination.

    The directive also applicable to Facebook, where government workers have been asked to avoid the use of the social media platform to comment on government activities, either positively or negatively.

    The circular, MOE/ZDKT/ADG/VOL.1, obtained by SaharaReporters, came from the Zonal Education Quality Assurance of the Katsina State Ministry of Education and was sent to all heads and principals of public schools in the state.

    The circular, dated December 7 and titled, “Abolishing of Whatsapp group in our schools” was signed by one Muhammad Sada Dikko, for the Zonal Coordinator.

    It reads, “I am directed to write and inform all the principals to direct the various Group Admin in their respective schools to wipe out the so-called school Whatsapp. The abolishing of this group becomes necessary due to the multiple postings being made, which create problems and insubordination between the school authority and its staff.

    “Principals should also remind their staff about the government circular that prohibits any civil servant from commenting positively or negatively on government activities on Facebook or Whatsapp.”

  • Buhari Expresses Displeasure Over Lingering ASUU Strike

    Buhari Expresses Displeasure Over Lingering ASUU Strike

    President Buhari yesterday said it is amazing that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities have stayed out of the classrooms for so long and have also agreed not to call off the lingering strike.

    The President expressed displeasure at this development during his meeting with the 36 state governors in the presidential villa on Tuesday.

    A statement released by his media aide, Garba Shehu, after the meeting, quoted the President as saying

    ”Lecturers had not taken into consideration the larger challenges facing the country.

    Government conceded something. The problem is that they refused to look at the problem of the whole country.

    The Minister of Labour is working hard at it. It is amazing how ASUU will stay out of classrooms for so long. There’s a need for our elites to understand the challenges facing the country”.

    The Union went on strike in March this year over demands for more funding for public universities and renegotiation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement amongst other demands. The union is still on strike.

  • Video: Watch As Ooni of Ife Performs Ritual Rites To Welcome Newborn Prince To Palace

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Enitan, Ojaja II, has formally welcomed his newborn Prince and the mother to the palace, Ile Oodua.

    A welcome ceremony was held in the Palace, with the Queen presenting the newborn Prince to the Ooni who then sat on his throne with his heir in his arms.

    Ooni oof Ife Performs Ritual Rites To Welcome Newborn Prince To Palace

    Sharing photos from the ceremony on his official Instagram page, the monarch wrote: “Today, I welcomed our prince Tadenikowo Adesoji Aderemi Eri-Ifeoluwasimi and the mother to the palace of Ile Oodua.

    “The almighty will exalt him and divinely make him the best.”