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Gov/HoA Polls: Maintain Political Neutrality, Army Chief Charges Soldiers, Releases Emergency Phone Numbers
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya has directed formation and unit commanders of the Nigerian Army to ensure that troops remain professional and apolitical during the forthcoming Gubernatorial and House of Assembly Elections across the nation.
The Army Chief handed down the charge while addressing formation and unit commanders across the country, prelude to the rescheduled 18 March 2023 polls. Gen Yahaya, who commended the troops for their overall performance in the provision of security during the last polls admonished them to shun all forms of inducement, enticement or cajoling that could compromise the security of the polls, adding that a secure and safe atmosphere must be provided for the citizenry to exercise their civic responsibility of chosing their leaders. Gen Yahaya charged the troops to adhere strictly to the guidelines in the Code of Conduct for Operation Safe Conduct, as any contravention will attract dire consequences.
He urged the commanders to intensify efforts at providing security support for the elections and be ready to respond promptly to any emergency situation while prioritizing the protection of key national infrastructure.
The COAS equally reminded his commanders of the oath of allegiance they swore to defend the sovereignty of Nigeria and maintained that the Nigerian Army must be seen by all to stand in defence of Nigeria’s democracy.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has updated its list of hotlines for monitoring and reporting of emergencies and acts capable of disrupting the coming elections. It could be recalled that the NA had earlier released a set of contacts during the Presidential election held in Febuary 2023 as part of measures to support the Police in establishing a conducive environment for the successful conduct of free,fair and peaceful elections.
Members of the general public are please enjoined to call the phone numbers below in their various states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to report any security breach during the elections.
1. ABIA STATE – 09029568595
07067880707
2. ADAMAWA – 08022750987
3. AKWA IBOM STATE – 09070077175
08163256562
4. ANAMBRA STATE – 08030881453
5. BAUCHI STATE – 08128063675
6. BAYELSA STATE – 08107855752
08143247308
7. BENUE STATE – 08080754339
8. BORNO STATE – 09099616160
08086987079
9. CROSS RIVER – 08037084192
10. DELTA STATE – 09044400064
08144464947
11. EBONYI STATE – 08158274048
12. EDO STATE – 09066325953
13. EKITI STATE – 08037851448
14. ENUGU STATE – 09032102212
08023097458
15. GOMBE STATE – 07063908779
08082557782
16. IMO STATE – 08069587883
08164120381
17. JIGAWA STATE – 07017791414
08100144363
18. KADUNA STATE – 07031544227
08028580978
08035242633
19. KANO STATE – 08038432656
20. KASTINA STATE – 08108854061
09012998054
21. KEBBI STATE – 09130213661
22. KOGI STATE – 08033217964
23. KWARA STATE – 09060001270
24. LAGOS STATE – 07034769430
09127604098
25. NASARAWA STATE – 09051009404
26. NIGER STATE – 07031346425
27. OGUN STATE – 09116589494
08032466245
28. ONDO STATE – 08036130535
29. OSUN STATE – 09019683922
30. OYO STATE – 07047703000
31. PLATEAU STATE – 08037116395
07031260622
32. RIVERS STATE – 08064274222
33. SOKOTO STATE – 07069084570
07052693532
08136913284
34. TARABA STATE – 08136728969
08060902363
35. YOBE STATE – 08061397656
36. ZAMFARA STATE – 08140075541
37. FCT – 09114913164
08186690471
08079153860
08164304255
09159793968
The General Council of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has agreed by consensus to reappoint Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Director-General for a second four-year term, set to begin on 1 September 2025. This decision reflects broad recognition of her exceptional leadership and strategic vision for the future of the WTO.
The reappointment process, initiated on 8 October 2024, was overseen by Ambassador Petter Ølberg of Norway, Chair of the General Council. With no additional nominations submitted by the 8 November deadline, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala stood as the sole candidate. The process was conducted in a fully open and transparent manner, adhering to the WTO’s “Procedures for the Appointment of Directors-General” (WT/L/509).
During a special General Council meeting on 28-29 November 2024, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala outlined her forward-looking vision for the WTO. Following her presentation and a Q&A session with members, the Council formally endorsed her reappointment by consensus.
Ambassador Ølberg praised her achievements, stating:
“The General Council commends Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for her outstanding leadership during her first term. Amid significant global economic challenges, she strengthened the WTO’s ability to support its members and set a forward-looking agenda for the organization. Her leadership was instrumental in securing meaningful outcomes at pivotal moments, including the 12th and 13th Ministerial Conferences (MC12 and MC13), where major milestones were achieved.”
He continued:
“As we look ahead, the Council fully supports Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s commitment to ensuring that the WTO remains responsive, inclusive, and results-driven. Her leadership will be critical as the organization continues to advance a resilient, rules-based, and equitable global trading system.”
Background
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala first assumed office as Director-General on 1 March 2021, becoming the first woman and first African to lead the WTO. Her first term concludes on 31 August 2025. Her reappointment highlights the strong support for her efforts to enhance the WTO’s relevance and capacity in addressing the evolving challenges of global trade.
Source: wto.org
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Thursday, published a list of 9, 532 alleged land title debtors in Abuja, giving them a two-week ultimatum to settle their outstanding bills.
The list, which includes prominent individuals and government agencies, was published on November 26, with defaulters expected to pay for their certificate of occupancy (C-of- O) within the stipulated timeframe.
Among those listed as defaulters is former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), who owes N152 million for a plot of land in Asokoro, a highbrow area in the nation’s capital. IBB, who ruled Nigeria from 1985 to 1993, is not the only high-profile individual on the list.
Other notable defaulters include Samuel Ortom, former governor of Benue, who owes N950,000 for a plot of land in Bazango, and Aminu Tambuwal, senator representing Sokoto south, who owes N18 million for a plot of land in Carraway Dallas.
The FCTA has threatened to revoke the land titles of defaulters who fail to settle their bills within the stipulated timeframe. The administration has urged defaulters to settle their bills by e-payment to the “FCT department of land administration” account.
In addition to individual defaulters, some federal agencies, including the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the navy, and police, were also named as defaulters.
The Lagos governor’s lodge in Asokoro, the Kaduna state government, and ‘State House Abuja’ were also listed as land title debtors.
This development is not the first time the FCTA has taken steps to recover outstanding debts from landowners. In June this year, the administration set up a committee to recover over N29 billion owed by property owners.
The committee has since identified 430 individuals and organisations as defaulters, with plans to prosecute them.
The FCTA has also partnered with anti-graft agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to check the activities of land grabbers in the territory.
The Senate has granted approval to the ₦1.77 trillion ($2.2b) loan request of President Bola Tinubu after a voice vote in favor of the request.
The Senate presided by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, approved the loan after the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Wammako Magatarkada (APC, Sokoto North) presented the report of the committee.
The request which was submitted by the President on Tuesday is part of a fresh external borrowing plan to partially finance the N9.7 trillion budget deficit for the 2024 fiscal year.
Tinubu had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly, seeking approval of a fresh N1.767 trillion, the equivalent of $2.209 billion as a new external borrowing plan in the 2024 Appropriation Act.
The fresh loan is expected to stretch the amount spent on debt servicing by the Federal Government. The Central Bank of Nigeria recently said that it cost the Federal Government $3.58 billion to service foreign debt in the first nine months of 2024.
The CBN report on international payment statistics showed that the amount represents a 39.77 per cent increase from the $2.56bn spent during the same period in 2023.
According to the report, while the highest monthly debt servicing payment in 2024 occurred in May, amounting to $854.37m, the highest monthly expenditure in 2023 was $641.70m, recorded in July.
The trend in foreign debt servicing by the CBN highlights the rising cost of debt obligations by Nigeria.
Further breakdown of international debt figures showed that in January 2024, debt servicing costs surged by 398.89 per cent, rising to $560.52m from $112.35m in January 2023. February, however, saw a slight decline of 1.84 per cent, with payments reducing from $288.54m in 2023 to $283.22m in 2024.
March recorded a 31.04 per cent drop in payments, falling to $276.17m from $400.47m in the same period last year. April saw a significant rise of 131.77 per cent, with $215.20m paid in 2024 compared to $92.85m in 2023.
The highest debt servicing payment occurred in May 2024, when $854.37m was spent, reflecting a 286.52 per cent increase compared to $221.05m in May 2023. June, on the other hand, saw a 6.51 per cent decline, with $50.82m paid in 2024, down from $54.36m in 2023.
July 2024 recorded a 15.48 per cent reduction, with payments dropping to $542.50m from $641.70m in July 2023. In August, there was another decline of 9.69 per cent, as $279.95m was paid compared to $309.96m in 2023. However, September 2024 saw a 17.49 per cent increase, with payments rising to $515.81m from $439.06m in the same month last year.
Given rising exchange rates, the data raises concerns about the growing pressure of Nigeria’s foreign debt obligations.
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