Seven members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have been reportedly arrested by a combined team of security agencies in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State.
IPOB members, numbering over 100, reportedly took to the streets of Aba on Monday in peaceful protest of what they described as the killing of Christians and Biafrans in the country.
They were spotted with Biafran flags, charms and different insigna.
The protest, according to information, took off from the popular Ala Oji Flyover in Ugwunagbo Local Government Area and later terminated at SAMECK junction of Ariaria International Market.
Unconfirmed report had it that one of the leaders of the protesters, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was among those arrested.
Sources within SAMECK told our reporter there was heavy shooting by the security agencies in an attempt to disperse the protesters with some of the IPOB members injured.
But a military source debunked the report, saying they were only there to maintain peace and disperse the protesters peacefully.
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police, CP Janet Agbede, confirmed the arrest of the protesters but couldn’t confirm their number
“I am aware that some IPOB members were arrested, but I don’t know the actual number. They will be bringing them to Umuahia (Police Headquarters) tomorrow. By tomorrow, I will have the exact number of those arrested,” she stated.
The Kaduna State Government has disowned a document that has been making the rounds, stating that the Quarantine Law has been reviewed and that 12-hour lockdown is now in place.
The document, which the government described as fake, claimed that the lockdown is now from 6pm to 6am but that interstate travel remains banned.
The Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye on Sunday, said several people have called government officials to enquire about the authenticity of the document that has gone viral on social media platforms.
Adekeye stated categorically that, ‘’the Quarantine Order remains in force until Tuesday, 9 June, 2020 when the two-week extension expires.
“Until then, the lockdown remains in force. The night-time curfew also remains in force, until the government announces otherwise,’’ the Special Adviser warned.
President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, has not been confirmed.
There had been insinuations Buhari was likely to bypass Dongban-Mensem, a northern Christian, for the next person in line, a northern Muslim as President of the Court of Appeal.
Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, in a public letter to Buhari on May 31, accused the President of making “skewed appointments”, warning they may plunge the nation into ruin.
He said Dongban-Mensem “appears eminently qualified for appointment as the substantive Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal as she is also said to be highly recommended by the National Judicial Council.”
But reacting to the allegation of skewed appointments on Sunday evening, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, ruled out ethnic or religious considerations in Buhari’s choices of appointments.
He said Dongban-Mensem was could still function as acting President of the Appeal Court within the specified period while security checks and other laid down protocols were being carried out.
“In making appointments upon the recommendations of other arms or agencies of the government, the President is not a rubber stamp that will mechanistically sign off on nominees that come before him.
“The President has a duty to ensure that all such appointments meet the requirements of the Constitution and protecting the supreme law of the land in this regard, he has an obligation to allow law enforcement and security agencies to do their work.
“Don’t forget our recent experience with ministers who were signed off upon and turned out as having not undertaken the compulsory National Youth Service, just to give you an example.
“In the specific case of the Acting President of the Court of Appeal, Her Lordship Justice M. S Dongban-Mensem, the statutory regulatory time of her acting period has not lapsed.
“This is not about ethnicity or religion. It is about security and law enforcement agencies being allowed to complete their work. Nobody should seek to stampede the President in carrying out his constitutional duty in this respect.
“The President had not been a rubber stamp dealing with these matters before, and is not prepared to be one at this time. Let all allow the system to do what is right,” the statement said.
Nigeria’s external reserves now stand at $36.57 billion, having increased sharply from $33.42 billion as of April 29, 2020.
This development has given the Central Bank of Nigeria the fire power to defend the Naira exchange rate as promised by Central Bank Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
The rise in the nation’s reserve can be attributed to rising oil prices and facility granted to the country by International Monetary Fund to fight COVID-19.
The reserve position will further improve when other expected facilities comes in. The recent jump in crude oil prices to about $40 have helped Nigeria’s foreign reserve to rise at a steady pace.
According to the latest data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) website, Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves now stand at $36.57 billion, having increased from $33.42 billion as of April 29, 2020.
This shows a gain of $3.15 billion dollars. This feat recorded above (rising FX reserves) has given the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, more ammunition to defend the naira.
Weeks ago, the Naira had traded as high as N475 to $1. But, it sold at N446 to $ during the week. It will be recalled that the CBN Governor had warned currency speculators and hoarders to stop manipulating Nigeria’s exchange rates.
He also said that Nigerians should stop patronising?parallel market operators. According to him, the rates they are buying the dollar from that segment of the market are unrealistic.
The CBN recently re-started the weekly dollar sales of $100 million for small businesses and individuals who are in genuine need of foreign exchange.
The forward market 12-month naira forwards improved to N454.50 per dollar on Wednesday, from a high of N522.56 on April 20.
Also, the currency traded at N388 to the dollar in the spot market. The local currency has also appreciated from N460 to a dollar to N445 to a dollar in the parallel market in less than 2 weeks, not long after the Central Bank of Nigeria started selling dollars to small and medium enterprises and foreign students.
The planned resumption of dollar sales to Bureau De Change (BDCs) is expected to further help ease the pressure in the market.
Meanwhile, the Brent traded over $40 per barrel, and the Nigerian Bonny light crude also traded almost $38 per barrel, both selling at the highest price in almost 3 months.
The oil prices are very important for Nigeria, as about 90% of its foreign exchange earnings is from crude oil sales. The foreign exchange market had been under intense pressure due to the low oil prices and the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus outbreak globally.
Nigeria’s external reserve had been badly hit, as it lost over $11 billion within a space of 10 months, crashing from its peak of $45.17 in June 11, 2019 to $33.42 in April 29, 2020.
The oil price increase has caused a rebound in the external reserve to over $36 billion as of June 1, and reduced the pressure on the Naira with improved liquidity of the foreign exchange market.
THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, has condemned in strong terms, insinuations in some quarters that Governor Seyi Makinde knowingly exposed himself to the virus.
The PDP, through its chairman, Alh. Kunmi Mustapha, made the condemnation while reacting to the barrage of attacks fired on the governor for testing positive to the dreaded Coronavirus on Monday, in Ibadan.
The party chairman also added that the governor went to meetings and events on behalf of the good people of the state which was expected of a good leader.
He described Governor Makinde as an exemplary leader of the people, who would rather face the battle and win it instead of delegating in the face of crisis.
Mustapha further said the governor has continued to exhibit traits of an astute and brave leader, doing everything to make easier for his people even in the wake of the spreading virus.
His words: ”It is with a rude shock we heard of the result of the test conducted by our governor on the dreaded COVID-19, my people have been so apprehensive about his condition while I assure them that the governor is alright, he will soon be certified cured of the virus.
”The fear we nurse is not out of place, judging from the fact that this man has provided an exemplary leadership trait, both in politics and governance, we will continue to support him in prayer, my Governor is going to bounce back with full vigor soon.”
”The moment was of great fear and trepidation and this is when you know who is a leader, he had to do some things himself and he did, some other people would have sacrificed their lieutenants at that moment, he went to meetings and events on behalf of the good people of the state and that is expected of a good leader, our prayers are with him, as I said, we will soon hear good news about his status.”
“Governor Makinde announced on Sunday that the test he took because of his exposure to the virus at a meeting at Abuja came back positive, which heightened fear among the people of the state.”
He, then, called on God to heal the governor in no time so he could continue his good work for the benefit of the people of the state.
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