'What Cruelty Looks Like': Trump Finalizes Plan to Strip Food Aid From 750,000 Low-Income People by 2020

The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it has finalized a plan to tighten punitive work requirements for food stamp recipients, a move that would strip nutrition assistance from an estimated 750,000 low-income people by mid-2020.

"Pay attention. This is what cruelty looks like," tweeted the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights in response to the completed rule, which would be the first of a series of proposed food stamp cuts to take effect.

The rule change, which was first unveiled earlier this year, would restrict states' ability to exempt people without dependents from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's work requirements. The rule is set to take effect April 1, 2020.

"For able-bodied adults without dependents, U.S. law limits SNAP benefits to three months, unless recipients are working or in training for 20 hours a week," the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. "States can waive those limits in areas where unemployment runs 20% above the national rate, which was 3.6% in October."

The Trump administration's proposal to curtail states' ability to waive work requirements sparked a flood of outrage from aid groups, Democratic lawmakers, and ordinary people. During the rule's 60-day public comment period, tens of thousands of people decried the measure as an immoral attack on the most vulnerable by an administration that has worked tirelessly to fatten the pockets of the rich.

"The comments make it clear that most Americans not only oppose but are utterly repulsed by this plan to punish the poorest among us by denying them help to feed themselves," Scott Faber, senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said in a statement in April.

According to an Urban Institute study (pdf) published last week, the Trump administration's three proposed SNAP changes combined would strip federal food aid from 3.7 million people.

"The basics of the situation are clear," Rolling Stone's Patrick Reis wrote Tuesday. "When it came to tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy, Trump and Republicans felt the nation's finances were firm enough to give up more than $1,500,000,000,000. When it's time to spend a fraction of that to help poor people eat, that's when the well has supposedly run dry.

wobi Wants ‘Mentally Strong’, Highly Motivated Everton Against Liverpool

Forward Iwobi joined Everton from Arsenal on August’s transfer deadline day and the Nigeria international admits he is savouring the prospect of his first Merseyside derby.

The 23-year-old, though, insists the points at stake are occupying the forefront of his mind, over and above the identity of Everton’s opponents, following Sunday’s hurtful defeat at Leicester City.

Iwobi came back into Everton’s team for the clash with Leicester and was integral to Marco Silva’s rejigged formation swiftly clicking into gear.

He slid in Djibril Sidibe to create Everton’s goal for Richarlison – a carbon copy of the move which won the Blues’ game at Southampton last month – and worked furiously to give his team balance and attacking thrust.

Iwobi nevertheless drew little comfort from his own display in light of Everton’s stoppage-time loss, preferring to switch his focus to the midweek contest at Anfield.

“Going into that game we have to take the positives [from the Leicester performance] but also learn from our mistakes,” Iwobi told evertontv.

“We cannot let our heads drop and we will go again. We will be mentally strong and prepared for the match. You want to come out on top in a derby, there cannot be any greater motivation, and I am sure we will pick up our heads and be ready to go again.

“The team did very well [at Leicester], we were just unfortunate with the result.

“I have played in London derbies and I am excited to see what happens in my first Merseyside one.

“I felt I did well against Leicester but the main thing is I want to help the team win, so I can’t say I was pleased [with my own performance].”

Iwobi started wide on the right against Leicester, habitually moving infield to allow Frenchman Sidibe room to motor down the flank.

Everton’s ploy, which featured a three-man defence and Dominic Calvert-Lewin spearheading the Blues’ attack, frustrated second-placed Leicester for long periods.

Moreover, with Sidibe and fellow wing-back Lucas Digne prominent, manager Silva’s side carved out a number of openings.

“The manager tells me to get into space and receive the ball in pockets so I can hurt the opponents’ defence and I was able to do that,” said Iwobi, who has played 12 top-flight-matches for Everton, starting seven.

“I have linked up with Djibril in training. Every time I get the ball he is telling me he will be making the run, so I just have to find him.

“Against Southampton, we did the same thing [for the goal].

“Our relationship is developing and we have to keep it going and produce more so we can win games.

“It was so frustrating [how the Leicester game ended] when we stuck to the plan and it went well.

“We have to dust ourselves down because it’s a tough derby coming next and we need to get ready for it.”

Iwobi added: “The manager wanted a reaction after the Norwich game and we produced that – it was small margins which decided the game.

Read Also:I’m touched when I see kids struggle for food–Iwobi

“We are professional footballers, we have to prepare and be mentally strong.

“We worked on the plan in training, now we have to go back and prepare for the next game.

My father only left N7,000 in his account as the head of state - Muritala's son

The late former head of state, General Murtala Muhammed, had only N7,000 in his bank account at the time of his death, his son Risqua Muhammed has disclosed.

Daily Trust reports that Muhammed made the disclosure on Monday, December 2, during the unveiling of the statue of his late father at the entrance of the post-graduate hall of residence at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state.

He said during his tenure in office as the head of state his father fearlessly fought corruption. Muhammed stated that his father served Nigeria with integrity during his 200 days in office.

The son of the late head of state commended President Muhammad Buhari for his anti-corruption and urged Nigerians to support the president’s crusade against corruption.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, December 2, recounted his life as a young person and school days.

A statement by President Buhari's special adviser on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the president said he became an orphan at a very young age.

The president also said his nine-years at a boarding school and joining the Military shaped his entire life.

He also said that Nigeria’s socio-economic and political salvation will come from education.

CSOs Tackle Buhari, DSS Over Clampdown On Peaceful Protesters

Civil Society groups in Nigeria have again condemned the clampdown and attack on peaceful protesters in different states of the country.

The CSOs stated that protest was a guaranteed right of Nigerians enshrined in the constitution while describing the attack on protesters especially by the Department of State Services as one that “brings back dark memories of the days of military dictatorship”.

The CSOs said that fresh threats have begun to emerge against protests to demand for the release of Omoyele Sowore and other political prisoners in the country.

“Our attention has been drawn to another in the series of draconian threats of the secret police against mobilisation by unarmed Nigerians for a nationwide protest to demand the release of Omoyele Sowore, Olawale “Mandate” Bakare, Agba Jalingo and all political prisoners, as well as for pro-poor people policies that will make life better for the masses.

“Tyrannical rule is based on manipulation as well as repression. 

"This is the only reason why the DSS which had consistently disobeyed several subsisting court orders for the release of illegitimately detained persons including Sowore and Bakare can still have the effrontery of talking about law and order or peace and stability.

“We the undersigned want to tell the world that the threats of the DSS is meant to save the face of Mr Yusuf Bichi, Director-General of the DSS; Mr Abubakar Malami, Attorney-General of the Federation and President Muhammadu Buhari. 

"Despite their deploying all the coercive, financial and propaganda resources of the state, the #RevolutionNow movement has remained steadfast and shown the regime for what it is, an authoritarian monstrosity in liberal democratic garb.

“We have been able to do so because we stand on truth. 

"The true character of the regime is now crystal clear for the whole world to see. The truth is out and the everybody can see that the political prisoners are only being victimised for their indomitable defence of human and civil rights of the Nigerian masses.”

The CSOs stated that no amount of intimidation by the DSS and other security agencies can move them as they remain unshaken and unbowed in the struggle against all anti-democratic forces.

The CSOs are Coalition for Revolution, Committee for the Defense of Human rights, Rivers State Civil Society Coalition, Socialist Workers and Youths League, Alliance of Nigerian Students Against Neoliberal Attacks, United Action for Democracy and TakeitBack Movement's FreeSowore Committee.

IPPIS Will Stop Us From Hosting Visiting Professors -ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said that enrolling in government's Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System will prevent higher institutions from hosting visiting scholars. 

Prof Biodun Ogunyemi said this in an interview with PUNCH.

Sighting the instance of late Pius Adesanmi, who was a visiting lecturer to three African universities, Ogunyemi said, “Just three weeks ago we were at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa where scholars in the Diaspora came together to think of how best they could help revitalise higher education in Africa and a lot of case studies were presented.

“The case of our late friend, Prof Pius Adesanmi, who was until his death, the Director of African Studies in Carlton, Canada, came up for mention. He was a professor at more than three universities in Africa.

“In fact, the Director of African Studies in Legon, Ghana, recalled that Adesanmi was on their payroll as a visiting scholar and he would be visiting for at least three months and would go back and he did that for more than five years. He did the same for two other universities in South Africa.

“In Nigeria, going by IPPIS arrangement, there would be no room for that. 

"Even if a scholar in the Diaspora is coming to Nigeria for one-year sabbatical bringing a lot of experience, IPPIS arrangement would not accommodate such.” 

Reacting to a prior claim that universities should be excused from the system just as staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, director of IPPIS, Olufehinti Olusegun, said these agencies were revenue making entities and would be captured later on.

He said, “For the CBN, FIRS and NNPC, they are revenue agencies and they live on the cost of collection. They are revenue-generating agencies and they don’t draw from the consolidated revenue fund. 

"So, it is left to the government on what to do next but it is a journey that just started.” 

According to Olusegun, the scheme had captured over 937,000 federal employees including the military and saved billions of naira for the government.

JUST IN: Senate receives 2020 budget report

The Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, on Wednesday laid the report of the 2020 Appropriation Bill before the Senate.

A motion to present the report was moved by the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Jibrin Barau and seconded by Senator Bassey Albert Akpan.

Senate President Ahmad Lawan commended the committee for presenting the report.

Lawan however notified members that copies of the report were not ready for circulation to members as they were still being printed.

He said that the circulation would be done immediately the committee concludes the printing of the report.

Lawan said: “Thank you Chairman and  let me commend you for bringing the report. Let me also inform our colleagues here that the committee will today work hard to complete printing the details of the budget and we hope that it will be distributed to us at the end of today.

“They are still printing them so we expect that the copies will be made available to all Distinguished Senators.”

President Muhammadu Buhari had on the October 8, 2019, presented the 2020 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

The Bill which has since gone through Second Reading and public hearing was earlier billed to be presented to the Senate by the committee yesterday but later deferred following the death of a House of Representatives member representing Rijau/Magama Federal Constituency of Niger State, Hon. Jafaru Illiyasu Auna.

The N10.33trillion fiscal document presented by Buhari was predicated on some of the following parameters: oil benchmark at $57, Exchange rate of N305 to the dollar, oil production of 2.18 mbpd, Capital expenditure of N2.14trillion, Recurrent Expenditure of N4.88trillion and Debt Service of N2.45trillion among others.

However, it was learnt that barring last minute changes, the capital component of the 2020 Budget may increase by between N450billion to N500billion.

A source close to the Appropriations Committee of the Senate, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said that the increase was meant to take care of exigencies that were not captured in the capital allocation of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government.

The source said that the legislature got the buy-in of the relevant executive bodies to make the necessary additions to the 2020 capital expenditure.

Adeyemi Takes Oath Of Office As Kogi West Senator

smart Adeyemi, senator representing Kogi West district in the upper arm of Nigeria's legislature has taken the oath of office as lawmaker for his constinutency. 

Adeyemi was sworn in during Wednesday's plenary session of the Senate. 

He was declared winner of the rerun election in the constituency by the Independent National Electoral Commission after defeating Dino Melaye.

The court had nullified Melaye's initial election and ordered a fresh exercise, which eventually led to his defeat.

Court Sentence Brothers To Prison Over N98.7m Fraud

The Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra State, has convicted Nwegwu and Joakin Nwegwu for conspiracy and obtaining money to the tune of N98.7m by false pretences.

The duo, who are managing directors of ACJEC Global Services Ltd, were prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 50-count charge in 2011.

The EFCC had received petitions against them alleging that they were lured to invest the said money in ACJEC Global Services Ltd with the promise of mouth-watering 30 to 34 per cent interest annually on their investment.

The petitioners alleged that after investing the said money, they never got the interest nor the capital invested in the company.

Investigations carried out by the EFCC further revealed that more than N4bn was paid into the accounts of the convicts by their victims numbering over 200 in what turned out to be a Ponzi Scheme of sort.

One of the victims was said to have invested more than N50m.

Count 15 of the charges against them reads, “That you, Kingsley Chinedu Nwegwu, Chetachukwu Joakim Nwegwu and ACJEC Global Services Ltd, on or about March 23, 2011 at Awka, Anambra State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud,obtained by false pretense the sum of N15m from Okeke Osita Samuel when you represented that the said amount of money was an investment in a business of partnership venture which would generate more financial income for the said Okeke Osita Samuel, a pretense you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) b of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No.14 of 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”

After reviewing the evidence brought by the EFCC against them, Justice Abubakar held that the prosecution proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt, and so convicted them accordingly.

While sentencing them to one year in prison, Justice Abubakar further ordered that all the properties traced to them in the course of investigations should be forfeited to the Federal Government. 

He also gave them an option of a fine of N1m each.

However, many of their victims, who had thronged the court premises, expressed dissatisfaction over the one-year imprisonment given to them especially the option of N1m fine.

Ekiti APC hopeful of good outing in LG poll

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Ade Ajayi, said on Tuesday that his party, based on its popularity and the achievements of Governor Kayode Fayemi, would have a clean sweep of the local government elections billed for Saturday.

 Ajayi, who boasted that his party would win the 16 chairmanship seats and the 177 councillorship positions available in the election, said the APC, with the result of the election, would completely rout the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

The APC spokesperson, who spoke at a press conference to reiterate the party’s readiness for the council polls, called on the State Independent Electoral Commission to be transparent in the polls, saying, “We want the body to abide by the rules guiding it and the conduct of election.

“We are reiterating that we will not tolerate any act of illegality from the SIEC. No candidate should be registered after the registration has closed.

“We are not taking any chances in the elections as we have been campaigning vigorously at the grassroots. We have been moving across the 16 local government areas and the 177 wards in the state and the presence of our party is being well felt.

 “We want to show the world that we are the only party on ground in Ekiti State. We will rout out the PDP on December 7. The APC will clear all the seats in the 16 local government areas and the 177 wards in the state.

 “I can assure you that the APC will allow a level playing field during the polls. We appeal to SIEC not to favour us. Let the electorate favour us. We are confident that the good works of Governor Fayemi will make Ekiti vote for us. This is why we are enjoining other parties to take part in the polls so that we can prove to the world that the APC is the only party here.”

Show result of election from your polling unit'- Yahaya Bello ask appointees

Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, has asked all his appointees to submit a report of their ”stewardship” in the last election.

Bello won the governorship election held in November.

He polled 406,222 votes to defeat Musa Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who secured 189,704, and Natasha Akpoti of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who got 9,482.

The governor won in 12 local government areas out of the 21 in the state.

In a memo entitled, ‘submission of your stewardship to New Dimension administration’, signed by Folashade Ayoade, secretary to the state government and seen by TheCable, the governor directed all heads of ministries, departments and agencies to submit a report detailing their ”stewardship”.

”Following the decision reached at the state executive council meeting held on Wednesday 27 November. His Excellency, Yahaya Bello, Executive Governor of Kogi state has directed all heads of ministries, departments, and agencies to submit in detail their stewardship to the New Direction administration in respect of their ministries,” the letter read.

“Report should include local government; office (s) held; duration; ward; polling unit; result of election in PU and ward.”

The election, in which Bello emerged winner, was criticized by some civil society organizations for widespread irregularities and violence.

2 police officers killed, burnt as IPOB clash with Police

The Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra Command, Haruna Mohammed confirmed the incident to The ICIR.

He said contrary to reports that the police attacked members of the IPOB, it was the IPOB members that attacked the Policemen while they were about to discharge their duty.

Haruna revealed that the police officers were at the house of IPOB Lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, in Ifite Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government for an arrest after he failed to respond to police invitations for questioning on alleged abduction and malicious damage.

“Immediately the police got there, IPOB members numbering over 50 attacked the police officers with dangerous weapons including riffles and machetes,” Haruna said.

He added that the attack claimed the lives of two senior police officers who were burnt inside the police vehicle.

“Several others sustained injuries and they also abducted a police Inspector who was later rescued by a combined team of the police and the Nigerian Army,” he added.

When asked the names of the police officers that were killed during the attack and if any IPOB member was killed, Haruna responded that “as far as the Police are concerned, we are not aware of the killing of any IPOB member”

He said the police officers were burnt beyond recognition that the police are still trying to identify them.

He revealed that the police were able to arrests ‘a reasonable number’ of the IPOB members.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu wrote on his official Twitter handle that Nigerian forces invaded the home of his lawyer to assassinate him and his family members but failed, killing two IPOB members.

We didn't kill policemen in Anambra

The Indigenous People of Biafra has denied alleged attack and killing of two policemen in Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area on Monday.

The group’s spokesman, Emma Powerful said the allegations by the Police in Anambra that it killed two of its men when they visited the house of their leader’s lawyer, Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor’s home was a lie.

The group, on the contrary, said it was the police that killed three members of the IPOB and took away their corpses to conceal the act.

A press statement by Emma Powerful exonerated the group from the alleged attacks, insisting that it was the police who set the home of Ejiofor on fire, while one of its trucks was also gutted because the police handled the fuel used in setting the house on fire carelessly.

Part of the release read, “The unprovoked Nigeria police and army invasion of the home of our lawyer Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor barely four days after the painful burial of his senior brother is proof that those running Nigeria have descended into the abyss of iniquity from which they may never recover.

“Not even during the darkest days of Abacha’s dictatorship did anyone witness such brazen intimidation of a legal counsel or the attempted assassination of a defense counsel in a high profile case.

“For the police to say there was a criminal complaint against Barrister Ejiofor bothering on assault and kidnapping four days after the funeral of his brother is most stupid and laughable. A criminal complaint from who? Who did he kidnap, the body of his dead brother?” The group queried.

The statement further stated, “The only reason for this unprovoked criminal invasion with deadly intent is to kill Barrister Ejiofor and to stop him from attending Federal High Court Abuja next month where he has all but defeated the Attorney General in the matter of Federal Government of Nigeria versus IPOB.

“It is the same strategy of ‘invade and kill’ doctrine that was deployed at Isiama-Afaraukwu the home of our leader on 14 September 2017 a month before he is due in court that is played out in Oraifite yesterday.

“The truth remains that Nigeria Police and Army went to the home of Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor with the sole purpose of killing him before next month’s court date as is now their tradition.

“On getting there they opened fire on unarmed civilians as usual and the two men that came out of the house were shot dead instantly. The police carried their dead and dying bodies into their van to conceal evidence and drove off. These are facts backed by evidence Anambra Police cannot deny.

“After killing two unarmed and innocent civilians, before they left the police doused Barrister Ejiofor’s home with petrol and set it on fire. This was the reality yesterday in Oraifite Anambra State. It was the carelessness of the police in handling the petrol they used to drench Barrister Ejiofor’s home and nearby businesses before setting them on fire that trailed back and led to the fire that gutted their van.

“It is on record that IPOB remains a peaceful movement, therefore, this latest desperate attempt by this lying Fulani controlled Nigeria Police to equate our activities with their home-grown Miyetti Allah (Fulani herdsmen) terrorist organization is a waste of time.”

Nigeria banks sack 2,929 workers in three month

Even as the Nigerian government continued to promise to reduce unemployment, Deposit Money Banks in the country sacked 2,929 workers in the third quarter of 2019, the National Bureau of Statistics reports.

The details are contained in a report on Selected Banking Sector Data: Sectoral Breakdown of Credit, ePayment Channels and Staff Strength data posted on the NBS website.

According to the report, the staff strength of the banks reduced by 2,929 in the quarter with 101,435 total staff as against the 104,364 recorded in the second quarter of the year. This represents a 2.81 percent decrease.

It also reduced by 1,386 when compared to the 102,821 staff recorded in the same period last year.

Banking Transactions
The banking sector recorded a volume of 800,201,498 transactions valued at N42.76 trillion naira on Electronic Payment Channels within the three months of the third quarter (July – September).

“NIBSS Instant Payments (NIP) transactions dominated the volume of transactions recorded. 298,988,572 volume of NIP transactions valued at N26.18trillion were recorded in Q3 2019,” it said.

The report also recorded N16.25 trillion as the total value of credit allocated by the bank for the period under review.

It said Oil & Gas and Manufacturing sectors got credit allocation of N3.39trillion and N2.57trillion to record the highest credit allocation as of the period under review.