President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a crucial directive instructing the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to join forces with the Bank of Industry (BOI) in a significant endeavour: providing low-interest loans to media organisations in Nigeria.

The Minister urged private broadcasters to participate in the Federal Government’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative to reduce operational costs through more affordable energy.

The deputy spokesperson of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has been appointed as the chairman of the Nigeria-Finland Parliamentary Friendship Group.

His appointment was contained in a letter dated May 14, 2024, from the Office of the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.

With his appointment, Agbese heads a strong team of six parliamentarians from Nigeria that also includes Okere Tochukwu Chinedu (Imo) as deputy.

Others in the group are Richard Olufemi (Ekiti), Ekpo Paul (Akwa Ibom), Akiba Bassey Ekpenyong (Cross Rivers), Saba Ahmed Adam (Kwara) and Fulata Abubakar Hassan (Jigawa) as members.

Abbas charged Agbese and his colleagues to enhance Nigeria’s legislative relationship with Finland in line with the 10th National Assembly Legislative Agenda.

On his part, Agbese who represents Ado/ Okpokwu/ Ogbadibo thanked the Speaker for finding him worthy of another assignment and promised not to disappoint.

He said: “I am committed to dedicating my time, energy, and expertise to lead the group effectively and ensure its objectives are achieved. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues from both Nigeria and Finland to promote cultural exchange, economic cooperation, and parliamentary diplomacy.

“I am eager to explore opportunities for collaboration in areas such as education, innovation, and sustainable development and to facilitate dialogue and understanding between our nations. I am confident that our joint efforts will yield fruitful results and contribute to the prosperity of both Nigeria and Finland.”

Death toll from the Gezawa Mosque attack in Kano State has risen to eight, with 17 others still in critical condition receiving treatment.

DAILY POST learnt that seven more victims died while receiving treatment at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, as confirmed by the police.

SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Police Command, confirmed the number, adding that 17 others were still receiving treatment at the hospital.

Kiyawa said the victims died as a result of the injuries they sustained in the tragic incident.

A family dispute over the sharing of inheritance prompted a 38-year-old principal suspect, Shafiu Abubakar, to set a mosque on fire.

Sources at the Larabar-Albasawa village explained that Shafiu sprayed the mosque area with petroleum, locked the door, and set it on fire, trapping about 40 worshippers inside.

It was also gathered that almost every household had a member among the affected 40 people in the village.

The police spokesman said 17 victims were still receiving treatment at the hospital.

Earlier on Wednesday, AIG Umar Mamman Sanda led a delegation of security personnel, including the Commissioner of Police in the State and the Director of DSS, on a visit to the victims at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

He said, “What happened is not associated with any act of terrorism, but rather, it was a skirmish that arose as a result of inheritance sharing.

“The suspect was said to be not satisfied with the distribution and was reacting to that.

“He is presently with us and is giving us useful information. It is really unfortunate. He used a locally made bomb to commit the crime.”

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, on Wednesday in Abuja arrested five persons for selling counterfeit cosmetics.

NAN reports that the arrest was made at the Garki and Wuse axis during an enforcement to curb substandard goods.

Speaking with newsmen after the enforcement, Mr Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, said that the arrested persons would be investigated.

Godiya said that NAFDAC would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.

He said that the agency had been investigating some of the counterfeit cosmetics following intelligence reports, adding that some of those products were illegally imported into the country, despite security at the border.

“NAFDAC is present in all the ports of entry of the country, but with the nature of our borders, these smugglers will always find a way to beat the system that the government had put in place.

“That is why if they escape from the port or borders, we go to the market and to all the places, gather intelligence reports, go after them and confiscate these products for possible prosecution,” Godiya said.

He said that the market value of the seized cosmetics was N35 million, adding that NAFDAC would continue investigation into the issue to unravel the level of involvement of the suspects.

Godiya said that after investigation, the management of the agency would take its regulatory action, which probably may be prosecution of those suspects for the crime committed.

Senator Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Senate, has said that he would not support death penalties for corrupt politicians who steal in millions or billions but for those who steal in trillions.

Ndume pointed out that corruption within Nigerian politics was primarily influenced by individuals.

He suggested that it may not necessitate severe consequences.

The senator acknowledged that politicians engaged in corruption but also distributed resources to the public.

He said, “If you compare us, politicians, to all the corruption, it is very small. Our corruption is people-driven,” he told Channels Television.

“If you steal it, you will go and share it with the people. If you don’t, you are not coming back for four years. There is no reason for stealing.

“I have been to the National Assembly, I can’t say because we are on TV now and not telling the truth.

“If the death penalty is supposed to be included in corruption, I will support it but you don’t go and kill someone that stole one million or one billion, no. But someone who steals one trillion of government money should be killed.”

The Senate on Wednesday passed for second reading an amendment bill on the establishment Act of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, to pave the way for the involvement of states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, in the selection of airlines for Hajj operations.

The Red Chamber is also seeking the involvement of the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board in the feeding of pilgrims in Madina and Masha’ir under the regulation of NAHCON.

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Abbas Aminu Iya (PDP, Adamawa Central), said in his lead debate that NAHCON was established in 2006 to serve as a regulatory agency for Muslim pilgrims, overseeing the activities of states and FCT Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and tour agents.

He, however, queried the practice that allows states Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to handle accommodation and feeding of their pilgrims in Mecca while NAHCON handles accommodation and feeding of all pilgrims in Madina and Masha’ir (Mina and Arafat), which he said creates many inconveniences to pilgrims and affects the commission’s ability for effective regulatory function.

Abbas also drew the attention of the senators to a practice he described as being at variance with the regulatory role of NAHCON by screening airline companies, qualifying them for airlifts of pilgrims and allocating the airlines to states.

“This bill therefore seeks to amend Section 4 of the principal act so as to involve states of the Federation and Federal Capital Territory in the selection of airline agencies for Hajj operations, as well as allow the states and FCT, to manage the accommodation and feeding of pilgrims in Madina and Masha ‘ ir as may be regulated by NAHCON.

“Passage of this proposed amendment bill will allow NAHCON to carry out its primary regulatory responsibility and guarantee more efficient, accountable and seamless Hajj operations,” he stressed.

Contributing to the debate, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), described the bill as apt and germane, saying, “It is wrong for NAHCON to play dual roles of regulation and operator.”

The Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Oyewumi Olalere (PDP, Osun West) and some other senators also threw their weight behind the bill, which made Deputy President of the Senate Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, put passage of the bill for a second reading to voice votes.

Senator Barau, after the bill’s second reading, referred it to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for more legislative input and a report back within two weeks.

Three more bodies were recovered on Wednesday as the death toll from the Tuesday deadly attack on Ogbaulu community in Agatu Local Government Area by suspected Fulani herdsmen rose to nine.

DAILY POST recalls that gunmen on Tuesday evening, invaded the Agatu community.

Six bodies were earlier recovered, while many were declared missing and 20 motorcycles confirmed to have been carted away by the attackers.

Confirming the discovery of more corpses through a telephone call, a youth leader from the community, Comrade Adole Jose Ehoda said with the help of the military, three more bodies were recovered.

“With a backup by security agencies, we combed the neighbourhood where the attack took place and we were able to discover three more bodies, including one that was earlier declared missing”, Adole said.

He gave the names of the victims whose bodies have been recovered so far as Haruna Oja, Michael Ondachi, Isah Adakili, John Akwila, Dangai Peter, Face, Awewe, an Igbo trader and one little unidentified boy.

Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal has commended the Joint Task Force, JTF, troops for their renewed large-scale onslaught against bandits in the State.

The military deployed more troops to Zamfara State last weekend in its efforts to thwart the operations of bandits in volatile areas of the state.

A statement by the spokesman of the Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the ongoing military onslaught as a necessary measure to disrupt the criminality of bandits.

The statement sympathized with communities affected by recent bandits’ attacks in volatile areas, while also assuring full and continued support by the State government to the troops at the frontline.

The statement read in parts: “The ongoing military operation in the volatile areas of Zamfara is highly commendable, especially considering the successes recorded since the start of the onslaught last weekend.

“The operation has resulted in significant successes in Bungudu, Tsafe, Maru, and Zurmi local government areas, leading to the elimination of the bandits’ kingpin, Abu Dan Dunkwuifa, famous for terrorizing villages in Bungudu and Maru.

“In Magama Mai Rake of Dansadau area in Maru Local Government Area, the troops have successfully neutralized scores of bandits.

“The renewed military onslaught in Nasarawan Burkullu in Bukkuyum LGA, resulted to the rescue of many kidnapped victims in Kamaru, Tungar Rogo, and Matsare villages, as well as the recovery of many rustled cows.

“The rumor that over 500 people were kidnapped is false and peddled by individuals who do not want peace to return to Zamfara State.

“Most of the identified volatile areas in Zamfara are undergoing extensive military operations, yielding positive results.

“The Zamfara State Government wishes to express sympathy with communities recently attacked by bandits. We are fully committed to ensuring the safety of the lives and properties of the people.

“Our government will continue to support the troops fighting insecurity and extend all necessary emergency support to the victims of banditry in the State.”

A gang of notorious bandits, on Monday, unleashed a terror attack on Zurmi town, the headquarters of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, killing two police operatives and one vigilante operative.

A resident of the town, Abubakar Ishiaku told newsmen in Gusau, the State capital, that the terrorists invaded the Local Government headquarters at about 2:00 pm on Monday and started shooting indiscriminately.

Ishiaku further stated that the bandits stormed the town in their large numbers on motorcycles with sophisticated weapons.

According to him, the terrorists attacked a police officer in the area, during which they shot dead two officers identified as Ibrahim and Kabiru Shikkau.

He also said that he narrowly escaped during the attack, pointing out that many people sustained various degrees of injury during the incident.

Efforts to get reaction from the State Police Command’s spokesman, ASP Yazid Abubakar on the issue proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.