US designates Boko Haram, entity ‘of particular concern’

The United States has announced the designation of the Boko Haram terrorist group as an entity “of particular concern”.

The US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in a statement revealed the designation of Boko Haram alongside the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, al-Qa’ida and al-Shabab.

Pompeo also designated Saudi Arabia, Iran, Burma, North Korea, among “countries of particular concern”, while Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan were placed on “special watch list”.

“On November 28, 2018, I designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for having engaged in or tolerated ‘systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom.

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“I also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated ‘severe violations of religious freedom.

“Finally, I designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa’ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern,” Pompeo said.

The US top diplomat regretted that in far too many places across the globe, individuals continue to face harassment, arrests, or even death for simply living their lives in accordance with their beliefs.

Pompeo said: “The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression.

“Protecting and promoting international religious freedom is a top foreign policy priority of the Trump Administration.

“In July, I hosted the first-ever Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, which brought together some 85 like-minded governments and more than 400 civil society organisations to harness global attention and motivate forceful action to advance respect for the human right of religious freedom”.

According to him, safeguarding religious freedom is vital to ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity.

“These designations are aimed at improving the lives of individuals and the broader success of their societies.

“I recognise that several designated countries are working to improve their respect for religious freedom; I welcome such initiatives and look forward to continuing the dialogue.

“The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organisations, and religious leaders to advance religious freedom around the world,” Pompeo said.

The Boko Haram terrorist activities have claimed thousands of people’s lives, and affected millions of families, leaving behind huge humanitarian crises, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“The humanitarian crisis in North East Nigeria that has spilled into neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, is one of the most severe in the world today.

“In North East Nigeria, 10 years of conflict has left more than seven million people in dire need of help in the three worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

“About 1.8 million people are internally displaced. People need food, water, shelter and health services,” the UN agency said.

Disquiet in Zaria as DISCO disconnects city

There was disquiet in Zaria yesterday as the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) disconnected light in most parts of the ancient city over alleged non-payment of bills.

The chairman of Zaria Local Government, Aliyu Idris Ibrahim, had advised the company against disconnecting the city for security reasons.

His media aide, Abubakar Rilwan, said: “When KEDCO visited the council chairman, Engineer Aliyu Idris Ibrahim in his office, the chairman told them that they shouldn’t disconnect the transformers for security reason, but they went ahead. We see this as a calculated attempt to mar the present administration at both state and national levels. The council would not tolerate this action of KEDCO, because criminals may take advantage of the darkness to commit crime,”
Residents described condemned the company’s decision.

Alhaji Aliyu Garba, a resident, said: “There are people that have pre-paid metres, which means they pay before enjoying service. Why someone would decide to punish these kinds of people because of defaulters. As a company, they ought to employ means of punishing defaulters, not the entire city. I think the government should intervene before the problem gets out of hand.”

When contacted, Head, Corporate Communications of the company, Mr Abdulaziz Abdullahi, said the disconnection had nothing to do with politics.

Abdullahi, who said the company was on massive disconnections, said those affected were customers who had not paid their bills in the last six months.

He said apart from having earlier written to them to ask them to pay their bills, the company had also invited them for a meeting which, he noted, they did not attend.

He said the company was asking them to pay only the current bills first.

Shell emerges Local Content Operator of the year

L-R; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote; General Manager, External Relations, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Igo Weli; and SPDC’s General Manager, Contracting and Procurement, Antony Elis, at the Recent Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria Award Night in Port Harcourt where SPDC emerged local content company of the year.

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has emerged the Local Content Operator of the Year 2018 at the Annual Oil Industry Achievement Awards Dinner of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN,) an association of indigenous technical oilfield service companies in the upstream and downstream sectors. This marks the record third time Shell Companies in Nigeria have won the PETAN award, having clinched same award in 2013 and 2015.

Shell’s General Manager, Contracting and Procurement, Antony Ellis, also bagged the PETAN Chairman Outstanding Achievement Recognition Award for promoting the course of Nigerian oil service companies. Both awards were given after careful evaluation of the contributions of the international and national oil companies, to local content development.

“The awards are in recognition of Shell’s sustained effort in shaping direction of local content implementation in Nigeria through support for local asset ownership, growth of indigenous companies and human capacity development at all levels,” said PETAN Chairman, Mazi Bank-Antony Okoroafor, while announcing the awards at the dinner in Port Harcourt on Saturday, November 30.

Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, Simbi Wabote, presented the corporate award which was received by SPDC’s General Manager External Relations, Igo Weli, on behalf of the Managing Director of SPDC, Osagie Okunbor.

Commenting on the award, Weli said, “We are motivated by these gestures to continue to pursue in-country value addition in the oil and gas sector in alignment with the government’s aspiration in local capacity development.”

The awards are the latest in the recognition of Shell’s pioneering role in Nigerian content development. In 2016, PETAN had honoured SPDC with the Distinguished Achievement Award (Corporate) while the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), Bayo Ojulari, received PETAN’s Professional Award in the same year for his notable contributions to the development of Nigerian content in the oil and gas sector.

In addition to awards from PETAN, Shell Companies in Nigeria have also been honoured in Nigerian content development by the Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Conference, the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping and at the Social Enterprise Report and Awards (SERAs.)

Heritage Bank promotes culture, as winner emerges at 42nd edition of Miss Nigeria

Heritage Bank Plc, Nigeria’s most innovative banking services provider; has partnered with Folio Group, owners of Daily Times, the organizers of the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant to host the 42nd edition of the contest.

Speaking at the grand finale of the contest in Lagos, Mr. Fela Ibidapo, Head of Corporate Communications of Heritage Bank said the bank stands with anything that has to do with culture, adding that the bank is at the fore front of ensuring that it promotes and pushes the Nigerian heritage.

Ibidapo who commended the organisers and the contestants added that the bank would continue to support the contestants and the winner in their various dreams post the event.

Miss Chidinma Leilani Aaron emerged as the 42nd Miss Nigeria from the South East Zone at the keenly contested beauty pageant at the high brow Eko Hotel in Lagos, beating other 17 contestants that were unveiled at the grand finale.

Miss Aaron is a graduate of Business Administration from Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State and is the best graduating student in human resources among her set of enterprise students. She is an entrepreneur, business administrator and a chef and is currently undergoing her National Youth Service at Blencc Solutions Limited, Abuja.

She is also an associate member of IPO-CRM as well as a certified COMPTIA Project Management and a Customer Relationship Management.

The new Miss Nigeria has worked with top brands in television, fashion, hospitality and food industry as a presenter, model, actress and management staff. She has also served as the pioneer female president of the National Association of Business and Management Students of Lead City University chapter.

18 contestants from the six geographical zones of the country made it to the grand finale from which eliminated six to pruned down the number to 12 made up of: Ntan Nton, Egede Lagele, Thomas Mseve, Ameh Munirah, Otunba Ifunaya, and Shitta Remilekun.

Others are Tizhe Usa Miriam, Okudili Odinaka Doris, Agida Stephanie, Ugwu Ijeoma, Aaron Chidinma Leilani, and Dunu Chisom Olivia

This was subsequently later reduced to five by the panel of judges made up of Rita Dominic, Jasmine Tukur, Fade Ogunro, Tatiana Moussalli among others, from which Miss Aaron emerged.

The five finalists were Dunu Chisom, Ntan Sharon Nton, Ameh Munirah, Agida Stephanie and Aaron Chidinma Leilani. Dunu emerged the first runner-up while Ameh was named the second runner-up.

Miss Aaron, the winner of the pageant, took home N3 million from Heritage Bank. She takes over the crown from Mildred Ehiguese who won the 2017 edition.

The Miss Nigeria beauty pageant started in 1957 as a photo contest. Contestants posted photographs of themselves to the Daily Times headquarters in Lagos where finalists were shortlisted and were invited to compete in the live final. A UAC employee, Grace Oyelude won the maiden edition of Miss Nigeria and used part of her £200 prize money to travel to England to study Nursing.

FG floats another 100bn Sovereign Sukuk Bond to address infrastructural deficit

L-R: Managing Director, Lotus Financial Services Limited, Mrs. Hajara Adeola; Director General, Debt Management Office, Mrs. Patience Oniha; Deputy Managing Director, FBN Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Taiwo Okeowo and Head, Market Development Department, Debt Management Office, Mr. Monday Usiade during the media launch of N100Bn Sovereign Sukuk Bond Offer held in Lagos recently.

The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Debt Management Office (DMO) has launched the sale of the second N100 billion Sovereign Sukuk Bond as part of efforts to address Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.

Speaking at the investor launch held last week Friday in Lagos, the Director General of the Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha expressed delight, explaining that the government is happy with the success of the first tranche of the bond which had resulted in the improvement of infrastructural facilities across the country.

She said that this outcome has informed the decision to issue another bond to further strengthen the country’s infrastructure. The launch, which was witnessed by representatives of several banking institutions, representative of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, individual investors, portfolio investors, among others was held to announce the call for more private sector involvement in this second tranche which would lead towards a more sustainable economy.

“We are glad that past investment in Sukuk bond has yielded fruit as we can see from the number of roads that are being built across the country. The government is really impressed with what the bond has been able to achieve in the area of road infrastructure. We believe this outcome alone would create more enthusiasm from the private sector to be part of it”, she said.
The bond which aims to fund road infrastructure across the six geo-political zones, is payable semi-annually for seven years, and is at a rental rate of 15.74 per cent to be due in 2025. The bond opens on December 6 and ends on December 17, 2018. The bond is offered at 1,000/unit (minimum of N10, 000 or 10 unit) as a regular bond.
The bond is certified by the Financial Regulatory Advisory Council of Experts (FRACE) of the CBN and is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and on FMDQ Over-The-Counter platform and classified as liquid asset by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Also speaking at the launch, the Managing Director of Lotus Financial Services Limited, Mrs. Hajara Adeola explained that the issuance of this second tranche of the bond signals another opportunity to partner with the government to provide the much needed infrastructure that guarantee good business investment returns.

She noted that the investment in the bond represents a unique way of securing one’s future as the funds would be utilized in accelerating the revamp of the economy through the execution of capital projects especially road infrastructure.

Speaking on the additional benefits of subscribing to the bond, Adeola stressed that issuance of the bond would go a long way to deepen the financial market, promote asset classification and promote financial inclusion especially among the segment of the population who do not invest in conventional financial instrument.

Sukuk bond or Islamic bond is a financial instrument structured to generate returns to ethical investors without infringing on the Islamic laws, which forbids interest payments on loan.
Lotus Financial Services Limited and FBN Merchant Bank Limited are the two financial advisors for the issuance of the Sukuk bond.

There is need for state police - Gov. Ajimobi

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has called for the establishment of state police to curb crime in the country.

Mr Ajimobi made the call at the inauguration of the Oyo State Safe City Control Centre aimed at improving the security network in the state.

“As important as concepts such as democracy is, go around the world and see the best of democracies, there is none of them without its state police, all the states in America, France and other countries.

“State police will be staffed with people from the local communities where they have deep knowledge about the terrain and the inhabitants therein. That is why no crime goes unsolved in the western world,” he said.

Mr Ajimobi said the control centre was one of his administration’s efforts to ensure the restoration and sustenance of peace in the state.

“Before our administration came on board in 2011, what we had in the state was hooliganism, violence, brigandage and killings. On assumption, we swung into action and started from the restoration of peace and security.

“Our immediate effort in 2011 at stopping crime and criminal tendencies yielded positive results as our special security outfit was instituted.

“If we have not achieved anything since we came on board, we have achieved peace and security which is the major purpose of government,” he said.

He said the efforts accounted for the state being ranked as one of the most peaceful, adding it was also adjudged one of the five topmost states in the Ease of Doing Business by Nigeria Bureau Statistics.

Mr Ajimobi commended security agencies in the state for working with resilience to reduce crime in spite of poor logistics as well as lack of technology and database in Nigeria.

He assured the people of his administration’s commitment toward combating crime with the use of technology.

Abiodun Odude, the Commissioner of Police in the state, commended Mr Ajimobi for his support to security agencies, adding that this had made their work easier.

“If not for the intervention of the incumbent governor in providing operational vehicles, vehicle batteries, tyres and other needed materials like armoured personnel carrier, the security apparatus would have been grounded in the state.

“No security work can be done without needed materials. OYSSTF(Oyo State Security Trust Fund) has helped refurbish three armoured personnel carriers out of the 12 we have and I can assure you that one APC is equal to 100 policemen.

“So we must show our gratitude to the present administration for the support given over time,” he said.

Bayo Adelabu, the chairman of OYSSTF Board, said the Safe City Project was another landmark achievement by the administration.

He said the monitoring capability of the CCTV technology pre-empted crime in notable strategic locations in the state.

“Nobody will commit crime if they know they will be apprehended; the realisation that you are being watched is a measure of deterrence against crime,” he said.

He commended corporate organisations for their support, calling on others that were yet to contribute as well as private individuals to support the initiative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the control centre is the hub for the close Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed in some parts of Ibadan metropolis such as Sango, Mokola and Challenge.

2019: Saraki Condemns Use Of Security Agents To ‘Disenfranchise Voters’

Senate President Bukola Saraki has condemned the use of security agents and military at polling booths during elections.

According to him, these security agents collude with politicians to disenfranchise voters.

The Senate President said this on Monday during the public hearing organised by the National Assembly on improving electoral processes in Nigeria.

“It is all too clear that security agents are beginning to emerge as major clogs in the election process. Reports of collusion with political actors to disenfranchise voters is very worrying indeed.

“We cannot under any circumstances militarise elections, because that defeats the purpose of free, fair and credible polls.

“In an election, access to the polling units for the purpose of casting one’s vote is the bare minimum. Once a voter is denied the opportunity to vote through bullying, intimidation and other forms of harassment, then vote rigging and electoral malpractice have free reign,” he said.

Saraki noted that it is also important for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that those that collect the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) are actually the registered individuals. According to him, PVCs are as important as ballot papers during elections.

On the issue of vote buying, Saraki said this remains a major challenge which needs to be dealt with.

He said, “vote buying and election rigging by whatever means, remains one of the contemporary challenges that mar our electoral process. We must deal with them in such a manner that does not detract from the credibility and legitimacy of the coming 2019 Polls.”

He also emphasised the need for INEC to look into reducing the failure of card readers during elections. This, he said will help to close any potential loopholes that can be exploited.