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Don’t Blackmail Us, Pay Your Debt, Niger Tells Banks

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From Dan Amasingha, Minna

The Niger State Government has advised financial institutions in the state that have to shut down their doors against customers in Minna since Friday over a tax dispute to stop the blackmail and simply pay up the over N400 million debt.

State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Muhammad Idris Sani stated this in a statement issued yesterday as banks in the state have vowed to continue to shut their doors against customers until the state government withdraws the seal on their premises.

“This government will not tolerate any group of people or institutions to, no matter how important you are to set the people against the government by embarking on this cheap blackmail,” Sani stated.

The commissioner said, in its effort to continue in building infrastructure in the state and to meet other obligations to the state and reduce dependency on the Federal Government, it has been working assiduously to generate more revenue and is blocking all leakages to further increase the IGR of the state.

“It is in light of the above that the Niger State Internal Revenue Service elected to close down a number of commercial banks and some business centres for failing to pay close to N500 million in tax,” the commissioner added.

He explained that it was not only the banks that defaulted but, Offices like AEDC and some major restaurants in the state capital were also closed down until they show commitment before they were reopened.

Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris further noted that for over a year, the Niger State Government has tried in vain to reason with these debtors and get them to meet their legal obligations but to no avail.

“After exhausting all avenues the state decided that it would no longer continue on that path. This is what informed the actions of the state government.

“These banks, however, instead of trying to work to pay their debts are looking to blackmail the government by setting up the people against the government. They have gone ahead to shut down services to customers, which is illegal so as to get people to fault the government for the ensuing difficulties.

He noted that the Bankers forum has sent a letter to BIRS threatening to close banks, even though some banks like FCMB, ZENITH, POLARIS, STANBIC IBTC, UBA, GTB, Access Bank have shown commitment to paying their debts, they’re however, also joining the rest who are failing to pay their debts, and are proceeding to close down services to customers.

“Banks like First Bank, Union Bank, Unity Bank and Heritage Bank are all insisting on not paying their debts. It should be noted that the bankers’ forum is not a trade union and cannot blackmail the citizenship to whom they have private obligations as business entities.

The State government accused the banks of double standard adding that the same banks will gladly pay taxes however high in Lagos and other states but resort to blackmail in Niger State.

The Commissioner pointed out the unfolding impasse are as a result of the resolve of the Niger State Internal Revenue Service to ensure proper collection of all taxes due to Niger State.

These revenues are due to the citizens of Niger State as a constitutional and legal right, the public must be alive to the plot afoot and understand that the revenue generated from taxing commercial banks and centers are necessary to the running and development of the state, especially in the current economic climate.

“The State Government would not allow itself to be blackmailed into allowing commercial banks and centers to operate without paying tax in the state,” he concluded.

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Board Sanctions 118 Immigration, Civil Defence Officers

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The Board of NSCDC, Fire Service, Correctional, and Immigration Service, has approved the sanction of 118 personnel for various offences.

The Board Chairman, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known at the end of their meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

Tunji-Ojo, who is also the Minister of Interior, told newsmen through the board Secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Ja’afaru, that the erring officers were punished after facing disciplinary panels  for various offences.

“These offences range from misconduct, negligence of duty and outright absence from duty posts.

“In the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOs), there were 48 cases of offences, in the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), there were 21 cases.

“Also, in the Federal Fire Service (FFS) there were 12 cases while in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), there were 37 cases,“the minister said.

Tunji-Ojo added that the board has reviewed and approved new guidelines for appointments, promotions, discipline and general purpose in the services.

He said that the board also considered and approved the timeline for the conduct of the 2024 promotion exercise in the four services.

“The board considered and approved the review timeline for the conduct of the 2023/2024 fire service recruitment.

“As for the ongoing recruitment in the fire service, we hope to publish the names of the successful applicants latest by June 15. That is where we are for now.

“We also want to use this medium to warn the general public to ignore whatever they have been seeing or hearing in the social media space as they did not emanate from the board.

“This is because, we have come to realise that the social media world had been awashed with fake news telling applicants to come for screening exercise or pay certain amount of money.

“Let me put it emphatically that the board is not asking anyone to pay money for recruitment.“

He urged applicants to be patient, saying successful candidates will be notified to come for further screening through their emails and mobile lines. (NAN)

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NSCDC Inaugurates Female Strike Force to Secure FCT Schools

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The FCT Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Olusola Odumosu, has inaugurated the corps Female Strike Force to protect schools in the territory.

A statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Samuel Idoko, on Thursday in Abuja, said the inauguration followed the completion of a three day training for the personnel.

Odumosu said that the primary responsibility of the strike force was to ensure the safety of all schools in the territory.

He said that the training had equipped them with the needed skills and capabilities to carry out their duties.

According to him, the training is a follow up to the recent meeting of all FSF Unit Commanders with the Commandant General, Ahmed Audi.

Audi had charged them to be up and doing in view of the reported cases of kidnapping in some parts of the country.

“The training is imperative to ensure compliance with the CG’s directive on the mandate of securing schools for the safety of students and staff.

“Cases of abduction in schools must come to an end, that is the primary purpose of this training.

“We need to restore the confidence of the people in our ability to secure schools in the FCT,” the commandant said.

He therefore called on schools in the FCT to register with the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre, so that they could be added to the ecosystem.

Odumosu explained that the registration was free and meant to ensure better coordination and make responses to emergencies more quicker and efficient.

Odumosu assured that the training and retraining of the personnel would be held regularly to ensure prompt response to any security threat.

“We must make schools safe haven once again for children,” he added.

He charged the female strike force to conduct routine patrol and surveillance of schools to prevent threats and attacks.

He also enjoined the strike force to hold periodic security awareness and enlightenment talks for student and teachers.

Odumosu also directed the operatives to abide by the corps’ Standard Operational Procedure in discharging their duties and avoid over zealousness in the use of force or fire arms.(NAN)

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Tinubu Appoints Bello as new Chairman of CCB

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President Bola Tinubu has appointed Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello as the new Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), pending confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.

This is contained in a statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Thursday in Abuja.

Ngelale said that Bello was a consummate professional with more than 25 years of work experience in consulting, banking, law enforcement, financial services and academia.

He said that the President anticipated the new Chairman would lead the Bureau with utmost integrity toward the realization of its mandate of maintaining high standards of public morality in the conduct of government business.

Ngelale said Tinubu expected the new appointee to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of morality and accountability.(NAN)

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