Heritage Bank of Nigeria is likely to be shut down and lose license of operation if it fails to pay off its customers.
A petition filed by Mazi Afam Osigwe, a lawyer for the Geonel Integrated Services Limited at the Federal High Court, Abuja for trapping the company’s money in the account.
The company is asking the Court and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to invoke the provisions of section 408, 409 and 410 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 to liquidate the bank due to it alleged inability to meet up with demands of its customers due to its distressed status.
The company claims it has account with numbers Nos. 1300083902, 6200100931, 6000105125 and 3200121515 as well as a fixed deposit account at the Abuja branch of the bank but cannot access its money.
A foreign investor, Mr. Wolfgang Reinl, an Australian Security Expert, claimed it has N1,811,555,258 and $85,859 in the accounts and have been denied access.
It could be recalled that in the past year, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, investigated Heritage Bank for allegedly side tracking N500 million from the safe funds for Chibock girls in Maiduguri, North- east, Nigeria.
Imo Anti Media Bill: MIIVOC Calls off Planned 100,000 Man March
Following the formal withdrawal of the Anti-Media Bill on the floor of the Imo State House of Assembly, as demanded, a Civil Society Organisation, Media Initiative Against Injustice, Violence and Corruption, MIIVOC, has called off its planned one hundred thousand (100,000) man-march in the state.
A statement issued by MIIVOC, signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Walter Duru, the group said it decided to call off the planned protest, as the main demand, following the withdrawal of the draconian anti-media bill had been achieved.
The statement explained, “Following the official withdrawal of the Anti-media Bill by its sponsor and Deputy Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo on the floor of the state Assembly, MIIVOC hereby notifies all its members and allies that the planned protest, earlier scheduled for next week Monday will no longer hold.
“However, even as mobilization and every arrangements for the protest is suspended, we shall be vigilant, to ensure that it is not reintroduced in any other form.
“We therefore commend all our members and ally organisations, particularly, the Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria and other sister coalitions for their readiness and willingness to take the state by storm over the anti-masses bill.”
Duru however called on the State Assembly to consider adopting the Freedom of Information Act, as a way of promoting transparency and accountability in the State.
“The Freedom of Information Act is applicable to all levels and arms of government in Nigeria. However, the present state Assembly members could write their names in gold by adopting the FOI Act in the state.
“I have personally reached out to the Deputy Speaker to acknowledge his withdrawal of the Bill. I also assured him of our readiness to assist him in developing some draft legislation that will promote transparency and accountability in the state and the FOI Act is one of such bills,” he added.
It will be recalled that MIIVOC announced its plan of a one hundred thousand man-march in Owerri, Imo State capital against the proposed bill to gag the media in the state by the State Assembly, describing it as anti-masses.
In an earlier statement announcing the planned protest, Duru said: “We are mobilizing citizens against this draconian bill. The state will not believe what will happen in the coming days; members of the state Assembly will realise that they are representatives of the people and not mere self-serving individuals and stooges of the executive arm.
“I hold strongly and nobody can convince me to the contrary, that whoever that does not want to be discussed should stay away from public offices.
“Imo people are hungry and there is no semblance of good governance in the state. How does this bill put food on the table of Imo people? How does it entrench transparency and accountability in governance? The focus now should be on legislation that will improve the socio-economic well-being of the people, enhance security and check corruption in the state, and not this evil ploy. The bill should be discarded in its totality. It belongs to the dust bin and should be thrown away without delay.”
A 32 year old woman from Jere Local Government Area of Borno, northeast Nigeria is receiving treatment for testing positive to Lassa fever.
Lassa fever is an acute viral (mostly fatal) disease usually acquired from multi mammate rats through their urine or feaces. The disease mostly seen in West Africa was first reported in Lassa town of Borno state in 1969.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia on Wednesday said the woman presented some signs which included bleeding from the nose, anus, birth canal and other openings on her body that led to her blood samples tested which came out positive.
“Her blood samples were taken to laboratory in Lagos and the result came out yesterday evening that it was positive with the lassa virus”.
Her case is coming forty eight years after the first case of the fever was reported in the state.
Dr Mshelia said the situation was under control,he however caution Nigerians to keep their environment clean.
According to World Health Organisation, between August 2015 and 17 May 2016, it had been notified of 273 cases of Lassa fever, including 149 deaths in Nigeria. .
Nnamdi Kanu being led by prisons officers to an Abuja court
A Nigerian court has dismissed six out of 11-count charges faced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
This was on Wednesday at continued hearing and determination of applications seeking the withdrawal of charges against the defendants, Mr. Kanu and three others, David Nwawuisi, Benjamin Madubugwu and Chidiebere Onwudiwe, who are facing trial for alleged treason.
In her ruling in the three applications brought by the first, second and third defendants in the matter, the presiding judge, Binta Nyako, of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court said counts 3, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 11 did not constitute a prima facie case against the defendants.
She said the documents before the court was insufficient to prove the allegation that the IPOB constituted an unlawful society.
She also held that the prosecution failed to prove that the items allegedly imported by the defendants had been banned by the Nigerian government.
Mrs. Nyako struck out the charges and ordered a fresh hearing on the other five counts still proffered against the defendants.
Zain Al-abdin Group, a Saudi Investment Company, is to establish an Agric City in Kwara State, North-central Nigeria.
The proposed Agric City is to be located along the River Niger in Kwara North and will be made up of cluster of farms specializing in cultivation, processing and export of rice, maize and vegetables.
This was made known when the Chairman of the Group, Zain Al-Abdin Nafawi and other members of the group visited the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed at the Government House, Ilorin.
Nafawi disclosed that the project is a multimillion dollar investment, which will commence as soon as all paper work is completed, adding that, the city will also contain facilities such as schools, hospitals, shops and other associated services.
He noted also that, the project has the backing of the Saudi Arabian government which is currently supporting Saudi investors to invest in agriculture across the world, especially Africa, explaining, that the choice of Kwara for the project was because of its advances in large scale agricultural investment as demonstrated by Shonga farm initiative and its beneficial weather and arable land particularly along the belt of the River Niger.
Responding, Governor Ahmed directed the officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture to meet with the investors to iron out modalities for the commencement of the project, the Sun reported. He expressed happiness over the choice of his state for investment, saying, that the proposed investment is in line with the government’s plan to broaden the state economy, feed the people and provide feed stock for industries.
While stressing that government would provide the enabling environment for business to strive and diversify the economy through Agriculture, he said government will continue to initiate policies that would attract investors.
Troops of the Nigerian Army in conjunction with the Department of State Services (DSS) on Sunday in Gombe State (North-eastern Nigeria), arrested three suspected Chadian Boko Haram terrorists that belonged to Albaranawi faction.
They include; Bilal Muhammed Umar, Bashir Muhammed and Muhammed Maigari Abubakar. They were arrested at Arawa and Mallam Inna Areas of Gombe metropolis.
The suspects were reported to be members of Albarnawi faction of the Boko Haram that operates in Chad and mostly northern part of Borno State but came to Gombe State for another heinous assignment.
A statement by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, noted that during the operation, one of them, Bilal Muhammed Umar attempted to escape and was shot on the leg.
“He was however apprehended and is receiving medical treatment. The terrorists were also arrested with Improvised Explosive Device (IED), materials that they could have coupled and attack parts of the State.
“The suspects are in custody undergoing preliminary investigation,” the statement noted.
The Nigerian government on Thursday called on the South African Government to put in place necessary measures to forestall attacks on Nigerians in their country.
The Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, gave the task in Abuja during a second summon to the High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the issue.
According to her, no Nigerian died during the recent attacks as reported by some media.
She said, “The Federal Government strongly urges the South African government to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and foreigners living and working in South Africa.
“Furthermore, the federal government urges the South African Government to bring perpetrators of these deplorable acts of violence to justice.
“The ministry continues to urge Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding, and be vigilant at the same time.’’
“The Federal Government of Nigeria will strenuously work towards the protection of Nigerians everywhere, including in South Africa,” she added.
According to her, the reports that mentioned the killing of Nigerians in the xenophobic attacks are unsubstantiated.
“The ministry has not received the report of any death of Nigerian in the latest incidents of attacks against foreigners.
“The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria is in constant touch with the Nigerian Union in South Africa, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa, as well as the South African police.
“All these agencies have confirmed that no Nigerian life was lost in the recent incident,” she said.
The minister said the government was in touch with South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians there.
The minister therefore appealed to the media not to fuel the crisis further with unconfirmed reports.
Responding, the South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria said his government was on top of the situation.
Mr. Aaron-Mnguni said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South African will hold a briefing with the diplomatic community in his country on Friday to fashion out more ways to solve the problem, Premium Times reported.
Nigerian buildings, properties and places of worship worth millions of dollars were destroyed by South Africans on February 5 and 18.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom today moved to fufil one of his promises to the people – the promise of turning Benue to an industrial hub with emphasis on home-based agro industrialists.
The Governor visited agriculture equipment manufacturing factories owned by young Benue industrialists. What did Governor Ortom see and do when he visited the industrial sites? You will soon find out.
Chapter 4 (3) of the Benue State blueprint ‘Our Collective Vision for a New Benue’ focuses on Agriculture-Driven Industrialization. What this means is explained in the following subtitle of the chapter:
“Ortom Administration’s Initiative on Promoting Agro-Driven Industrialisation i. Leverage our rich agriculture by setting up cottage processing units; ii. Drive industrialisation, enhance food security, create jobs, reduce poverty, and enhance inclusive economic growth; iii. Stimulate agricultural growth through modernisation, diversification, genetic upgrade, disease control and commercialization of agriculture; iv. Facilitate the establishment of organised markets for agricultural produce and products; v. Establish Agricultural Credit Financing Schemes (ACFS); vi. Reorganize and privatize moribund State-owned industries; vii. Establish new industries both in Agriculture and Solid Minerals Sectors”
The Governor’s first port of call today was at TZ Engineers located on kilometer 6, Gboko road, Makurdi. Chairman of the company, Engr Terkura Dzomon, a graduate of University of Agriculture, Makurdi, told Governor Ortom that since he took over the running of the factory from his late father, he has ensured that the company expands. He said the major challenge facing the firm is funding.
TZ Engineers manufacture agro equipment such as threshers, harvesters, garri processing equipment, millers, bakers etc.
The Governor was visibly impressed with what he saw. He told Engr Dzomon that what he is doing in Benue is the same creative idea found in advanced countries. He assured the young industrialist that his administration would assist his factory to expand, produce more and better equipment as well as create jobs for the youths.
The Governor’s next stop was at a factory owned by Engr Vincent Unogwu located on kilometer 4, Uni Agric road, Makurdi. The factory specilizes in manufacturing threshers, feed mills, palm oil mills, hammer mills, baking oven, dough keading machines, garri processing machines etc. But again, the problem of poor funding reared its head.
Convinced by what he saw, Governor Ortom made the following declaration:
“From what I have seen, it is clear that in Benue State, we can manufacture different kinds of equipment especially in the agriculture value chain. My administration will support these efforts. I’m impressed and encouraged”
No other declaration could have made a bolder statement than the one coming from the Governor himself. I looked at Engr Unogwu and the broad smile on his face said it all.
Governor Ortom told the young investor that his administration would collaborate with private sector investors with innovative ideas to enhance the economic growth of the state.
He commended the industrialists for their initiatives and urged them to submit proposals to government specifying what they needed in order to expand and sustain their outfits.
Later in the day, the Governor’s visit to local factories within Makurdi and his experience with the young investors was top of the list of items for discussion. Council gave full backing to the Governor’s move and deliberated on ways of enhancing the growth of local industries.
One of the incentives being considered by Council aside the promised funding is the feasibility of relocating the local factories to the Industrial Layout in Makurdi.
Imagine the number of jobs that will be created even if just 20 of such industries expand before the end of this year. And surely, their products will be labelled ‘Made in Benue’.
