Nasarawa – Page 2

Nasarawa, Ogun challenge NFIU cash withdrawal limit at S’Court

NASA Space Technology

Nasarawa and Ogun states have said though they were parties in the suit challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, they were contesting the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit cash withdrawal limit guidelines.

Out of the 19 states that dragged the Federal Government to the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of the laws that established the EFCC, the two states said it was concerned over the cash withdrawal limit guidelines by the NFIU.

The Supreme Court fixed October 22 to hear the suit.

The duo in separate suits, sued the Attorney General of the Federation, demanding that NFIUs January 3, 2023 guidelines and Advisory, which limits the amount that can be withdrawn by states and their local governments, be set aside by the apex court.

In the guidelines, all 36 states of the federation were directed to desist from making cash withdrawals exceeding N5m or N10m, as the case may be.

The states also warned the local government councils in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration, to avoid cash withdrawals exceeding N5m or N10m from their accounts, as applicable.

The NFIU specifically threatened that any state or local government that defaulted on the order would face legal consequences, including a jail term of up to three years.

The agency stipulated that cash withdrawal of above N5m by individuals or N10m by corporate body from public accounts belonging to the state government and/or local government councils amounts to contravention of the Money Laundering Act and same is punishable under said Act.

One of the plaintiffs in the suit, the Attorney General of Nasarawa State, Magaji Labaran, contested the provision of the guidelines in a separate suit.

Labaran, in the suit, based his argument on the grounds that by the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, Nasarawa State government or the 13 local government councils have exclusive powers in the control, management and administration of funds belonging to the state or the councils.

An affidavit deposed to by the Litigation Secretary of the plaintiff, Danladi Ambi, stated that the defendant in the suit was the Attorney General of the Federation, under whose control and supervision the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission operate.

That the defendant is saddled with the responsibility to institute and defend legal actions for and on behalf of the Federal Government and all or any of her agencies.

That the NFIU and the Central Bank of Nigeria are agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria, whose Heads (NFIU and CBN) are appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

That all actions of the NFIU and CBN are done for and on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the affidavit stated.

The deponent further added that Nasarawa State has 13 local government areas created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 ( as amended) and that based on the purported guidelines and advisory of the NFIU, the state and local government authorities were restrained from withdrawing their respective funds to a certain threshold unless a waiver was granted by the Presidency on a case-by-case basis.

The plaintiff argued that if the guidelines and advisory were enforced or implemented in the states of the federation, it would hamper the Nasarawa State government from performing its constitutional duties in terms of provision of both human and capital development for the citizenry.

It said the implementation would hurt the execution of the yearly budget as well as the running of the local governments.

Labaran argued that the EFCC Act was made pursuant to Article 15 of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which requires ratification of state houses of Assembly in Nigeria before same becomes valid.

That when the National Assembly passed the EFCC Act, the National Assembly did not ask for the concurrence or ratification of the state Houses of Assembly, including Nasarawa State House of Assembly as required by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 )(as amended).

That the said EFCC Act, ICPC Act, NFIU Act, Proceeds of Crime (Recovery Management) Act, though passed without the concurrence or ratification of state Houses of Assembly or Nasarawa State House of Assembly, have consistently been enforced to the knowledge of the defendant (AGF) against the officials and associates of the government of Nasarawa State.

The plaintiff prayed the court to grant all reliefs requested in the suit if the questions asked to be determined were answered in the negative.

Among others, the plaintiff sought the following reliefs: A declaration that the Attorney-General of the Federation or any agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria howsoever called lacks requisite powers to prosecute any person in Nasarawa State with respect to offences arising from or touching on the administration and management of funds belonging to Nasarawa State government or any local government council of the state.

An order of this honourable court setting aside any directive, guideline, advisory or any instrument howsoever called, issued for and or by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) or any agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria in respect of the administration and management of funds belonging to Nasarawa State government and/or any local government council of the state.

An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant or EFCC, the NFIU, ICPC or any agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria from further issuing any directive, guideline, advisory or any instrument howsoever called or investigating, requisitioning documents, inviting and or arresting or prosecuting anyone in Nasarawa State concerning offences arising from or touching on the administration and management of funds belonging to Nasarawa State government or any local government council of the state.

The Ogun State government, in a statement on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, noted that the constitutionality of the EFCC and ICPC had since been determined by the Supreme Court, and Ogun State considered discussions on the issue closed.

He added that the Ogun State had no factual reason or recent development to reopen the question of the EFCCs constitutionality.

He further added that as a federating unit with law enforcement agencies of its own, it had no desire to undermine the Federal Governments law and order objectives.

Providing clarification on the actual case filed by Ogun State in court, the statement read: The case Ogun State has filed (SC/CV/912/2024) and the case that several states are party to (SC/CV/178/2023) litigate a very narrow issue that does not attack the constitutionality of the EFCC.

Nigerians recall the obnoxious naira redesign policy, which was invalidated by the Supreme Court after Ogun State and other states successfully challenged the policy.

A lesser-known fact is that around that time in January 2023, purporting to act under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, Proceeds of Crime Act, and its enabling statute, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) released a Guidelines document and an Advisory which, among other things, placed limits on cash withdrawals by State and Local Governments.

Ogun State disagrees with these limits because they do not align with our view of the law and cause significant governance disruptions.

As such, the suit is targeted at invalidating the NFIU Guidelines and Advisory, insofar as they interfere with the economic and governance interests of Ogun State and its Local Governments.

Especially now that the Supreme Court has guaranteed the Local Governments access to their funds, intrusive subsidiary legislation by unelected bureaucrats in the NFIU ought not to stand in the way of the justified free use of public funds.

Nasarawa Electoral Commission sets November 2 for local government elections

NASA Space Technology

October 2, 2024 3:21 PM

The tenure of the current 13 LG chairmen and 147 councillors will end on October 7, having served for three years.

NASA Space Technology Nasarawa Electoral Commission sets November 2 for local government elections [TheCable]

The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has fixed November 2, for the election of local government chairmen and councillors in the state.

The Chairman of the commission, Ayuba Wandaisaid this at a news conference on Wednesday in Lafia. He said that the tenure of the current 13 LG chairmen and 147 councillors would end on October 7, having served for three years.

He said that the commission had earlier released a timetable for the conduct of the election on August 31, but was stalled by the case filed against it.

“The Federal High Court, Lafia, served us and the Nasarawa State House of Assembly an originating summon from one Mr Paul John and 12 others, challenging the local government laws.

“They were challenging the powers of the chairman of the commission to announce results of the 13 LGAs and 147 electoral wards and to declare the winners.

“They were also challenging the powers conferred on the commission to fix money for nomination forms and administrative charges.

“Thank God, we won the case at the court, and they have also withdrawn their appeal at the Appeal Court, Makurdi, to clear the coast for the commission,” Wandai said.

He said that now that the case at the court was over, the commission had decided to continue with the council election. He asked candidates from the various political parties to begin their campaign on Friday, October 18.

“All political parties interested in presenting candidates in the election should conduct their primaries and conclude all disputes that might arise, from Friday, October 11 to Thursday, October 27,” the chairman said.

He promised that the commission would conduct a credible poll and provide a level playing field for every political party. Earlier, the NASIEC chairman met with members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, where he assured them of the commission’s commitment to conduct free, fair and credible local government elections.

Ahmed Musathe IPAC state chairman and state secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), commended the resilience and determination of NASIEC to deepen democracy in Nasarawa State by reeling out activities for the conduct of local council polls.

He said that political parties in the state would abide by the extant laws and the commission’s guidelines for the election to ensure hitch-free local council polls in the state.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Our newsletter gives you access to a curated selection of the most important stories daily.

Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels – we love to be connected!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.

Get our Top Stories delivered to your inbox

Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels – we love to be connected!

Nasarawa communities where humans live with hippopotamuses and crocodiles

NASA Space Technology

By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia

Nasarawa State, known as Home of Solid Minerals, located in North Central Nigeria, is richly endowed with a variety of solid minerals of various categories ranging from precious metals, gemstones and industrial minerals.

Apart from solid minerals, the state is also blessed and surrounded by multiple rivers and streams, with some of these communities located at the bank of River Benue. For instance some communities at the river bank are under Awe, Keana, Doma and Nasarawa local government areas.

Meanwhile, Giza, Ugah, Tungan Nupawa, Kekura, Wuse, Jangwa and Agyema, are different communities spread across four local government areas of the state where humans coexisted with crocodiles and hippopotamus for decades.

Giza, is the headquarters of Giza development area in Keana Local Government Council where ‘Crocodiles Pond’ called ‘Ogiza’, existed for decades.

So also, Ugah and Tungan Nupawa communities are under Lafia East Development Area with headquarters in Assakio, under Lafia Local Government Council, where hippopotamus have coexisted with humans in the lake and a river also for decades.

Kekura, is under Awe Local Government Area, where another ‘Crocodile Pond’, called Dahyun, is also found and they both coexisted with humans without harm for more than 300 years.

Wuse and Jangwa communities are under Azara development area in Awe Local Government area of the state, whose community’s river annually serves as transit route for the hippopotamuses, who travel from Tungan Nupawa, through Sabon Gida river and back to base.

On the other hand, Agyema, is a community at the River Benue bank under Ekye Development area of Doma Local Government Council and there are two places called ‘Anagbula and Ogbulagya’ waters that are housing hippopotamus for ages.

Another significant point of note about all these historical sites is that most of them are just a little above 500 meters away from their host communities. It is also believed that where hippopotamus and crocodiles are found, water never dries there.

Despite farming activities the crocodiles in Giza, still maintained their pond, while the ones in Kekura, have shifted grounds to a nearby forest within the community’s vicinity, where hunting are not allowed near them by the two communities.

For Ugah, Tungan Nupawa and Agyema, the magic behind a dangerous specie like hippopotamus cohabiting near humans in a lake and rivers, for several decades is still a misery to the host communities.

One of the hippopotamuses in Ugah lake, Nasarawa

The reason for this is that hippopotamuses are classified as mammals, whereas crocodiles are reptiles. Both animals are known for their strength and wild nature, which they exhibit in both water and on land. Hippopotamuses are semi-aquatic mammals, spending much of their time in rivers and lakes, while also venturing onto land. Crocodiles, on the other hand, are reptiles that thrive in aquatic environments, but also bask in the sun on land.

Sadly, since the hay days of Benue-Plateau State, to Plateau State and now Nasarawa State, no administration made any effort to gazette these historical sites, to make it a tourist destination and equally preserve it for the generation yet unborn.

Hon Adamu Adi (Sarduanan Giza), an indigene of Giza, who was an overseer of Giza development area and also a former Executive Chairman of Keana Local Government Council, confirmed that the crocodiles still exists.

“We were told that the founder of Giza over 400 years ago, from Owuno ruling house came along with the crocodiles and preserved them in the forest as a means of protection and security to the community”

“Last year, one of our illustrious sons, Alhaji Abu Giza, brought excavator to dredge the holes where the crocodiles are, because the holes were almost sealed by sands”, he said.

Multiple sources who are indigenes of Giza, confirmed that one of the eldest crocodiles with a ring on one of its hands used to come out every Friday, from the pond and craw to the Palace of the traditional ruler of the community (Sangarin Giza), stayed a while then it will also go round a shrine (Odu), directly opposite the palace and go back.

They said it normally comes out in the afternoon and it doesn’t harm anybody and no one is allowed to also harm the crocodile, “but it has been long we don’t see it again”, they said.

They recalled instances of a mysterious encounter some curious persons had with the crocodiles either in their pond or when they craw out, they attempted to photograph them, but any moment they focused their cameras on them, they won’t capture their images.

After many futile attempts, they will all give up and go their ways with miraculous stories to tell about the crocodiles, the multiple sources from Giza, emphasized.

Mr Nyapa Atoto Alamanta, the Makungujin Kekura, said they met the crocodiles in the pond in a forest called (Dahyun) in Jukun language and they have stayed together for over 300 years, after they migrated from the old Awe town just about 3 kilometres away from Kekura.

“We met them here and we have stayed together for over 300 years and there was no trace of any harm done to us by the crocodiles, rather they are our companion in terms of crisis and difficult situations”

“Be you from Kekura or an outsider, if you attempt to kill them, they will descend on you or you get mad. We had a case of a visitor who saw one of them and he attempted to kill it, the crocodile escaped and the guy nearly run mad, it took the grace of God for him to be cured”

“We were told by our parents that in those days if a childless woman was taken to the crocodile’s pond where some sacrifices and incantations were made, she will certainly conceive and give birth”

“If the crocodiles sensed that any danger will befall us, they come out to our defence, that’s why we have an annual festival to appease the gods and the crocodiles so they can continue to protect our community” Makunguji said.

Crocodiles pond in a forest in Kekura community.

Other sources from Kekura, added that the crocodiles mostly comes out in the middle of nights to the community’s market square to eat crumbs, then they go back to their pond, “they don’t harm us and we don’t chase them” they said.

Yakubu Abdullahi, an indigen of Ugah community said they co-existed with the lake called ‘Obile’ and hippo for over 200 years without any harm done to them or their forebearers.

“The hippopotamus normally comes out by 4pm to take breeze, then in the nights they also go out to graze and in the process, they destroy our crops in most cases” he said.

Abdullahi, affirmed that the hippopotamus are still in the lake in their large number and they are multiplying, “we don’t allow people to hunt them, since they are not harmful to us in the community”

When asked if there’s any cultural festival connected to the existence of the lake and the hippos, he said no, “we only have an annual fishing festival in the lake and some rivers surrounding our community, then the traditional worshippers also perform some ritual at the bank of the lake when we lost an elderly person” he said.

Hon. Stephen Otukpa, is a traditional title holder of (Osapulanya) and he’s in charge of Anagbula river in Agyema, a riverine and border community under Ekye development area in Doma local government area of Nasarawa State.

“We have two water ponds called Anagbula and Ogbulagya waters, where we observed Anagoga annual fishing festival and there are hippopotamus in the two ponds. They normally come out take breeze and return back to base”

Hon Otukpa, disclosed that the hippopotamus living in the two ponds mentioned above feed on fishes. “All of them are staying in the same place, so if they (hippopotamus) are hungry, they feed on the fishes’.

When asked how they meander there ways during annual fishing festivals where there are multitude of hippopotamus in the two fishing ponds, he said is only them that knows how they go about it.

These are few out of many Nasarawa’s communities where nature lives in harmony with humans before farming activities made the places plain.

All the members of the communities called on the Nasarawa state government and the authority of their various local government areas to make efforts to preserve these historical sites for generations to come.

Team Nasarawa set for glory as Asaba 2024 National Youth Games kicks off

NASA Space Technology

From Abel Leonard, It’s okay

Team Nasarawa is poised for an outstanding performance as the 8th edition of the National Youth Games, tagged “Asaba 2024,” officially commenced on September 9th at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Delta State. With over 5,000 athletes from across the 36 states of the federation participating, Nasarawa State is determined to make its mark with a strong contingent.

Speaking on the team’s readiness, the Director of Sports, Nasarawa State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, expressed confidence in the athletes’ preparation. He highlighted the dedication shown during training sessions, saying, “Our athletes have worked hard, and we believe they will give their best in all competitions. We are optimistic about bringing back medals.”

Daily Sun reports that the Nasarawa team, comprising 132 individuals—104 athletes and 33 coaches and officials—departed for Asaba on Tuesday, fully prepared to compete in 15 sports, including hockey, badminton, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, cycling, table tennis, and lawn tennis.

Nnamdi Osuji, the coach for boxing, is particularly optimistic. “Our boxers have trained extensively, and I have full confidence in their ability to excel. The athletes are mentally and physically prepared, and I believe they will bring home gold,” he said.

Similarly, the hockey coach Zainab Sule expressed confidence in his team’s prospects, citing the athletes’ discipline and tactical awareness during the Zonal elimination in jos plateau state. “Hockey is a technical game, but our players have sharpened their skills. I expect a great showing from them in this competition,” she added.

The screening process, held on Wednesday, saw several athletes pass, although a few were disqualified due to age discrepancies. Despite these setbacks, Team Nasarawa remains determined to deliver outstanding performances.

As the games commenced on Thursday, September 12th, at various centers in Asaba, Team Nasarawa’s athletes are focused on achieving success in their respective sports. The competition will continue until September 19th, 2024, with the entire state backing its athletes to bring home a respectable haul of medals.

Tag Archives: Nasarawa

Nasarawa, Ogun challenge NFIU cash withdrawal limit at S’Court

Nasarawa Electoral Commission sets November 2 for local government elections

The Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has fixed November 2, for the election of local government chairmen and councillors in the state.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Nasarawa communities where humans live with hippopotamuses and crocodiles

Team Nasarawa set for glory as Asaba 2024 National Youth Games kicks off