Despite a government ban on rallies and processions, Sen.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan yesterday received a rousing welcome from supporters in Kogi State.Supporters from Kogi Central’s five local government areas gathered early in Ihima, Okehi LGA to welcome the embattled People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker. Amid music and celebration, she arrived dramatically in a white helicopter, sparking cheers. Addressing the crowd, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the government’s restrictions, insisting she was merely celebrating Sallah with her constituents. “Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed.“I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.She added, “We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that.“I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”Her homecoming followed a curfew imposed by the Okehi LGA chairman and warnings from the police.She had earlier accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello of being behind any security threats.The senator, recently suspended by the Senate amid a sexual harassment controversy involving Akpabio, insists she is facing political persecution.A recall process against her is also underway.It would be recalled that on Monday, the Kogi State Government banned rallies and public gatherings in the state over ‘security reports’.The government also stopped fishing and other activities, arguing that they recently resulted in the loss of two lives in Kasemiya, Katubo and Umozu Ette, all in Kogi Local Government Area in Kogi West.The Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo said the move was to prevent any form of security breach that might destabilise the state.Similarly, the Kogi Police Command warned Akpoti-Uduagan to cancel her planned Sallah rally.Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye stated that the planned gathering goes against the state government’s recent ban on political gatherings, which was announced on Monday.

Natasha’s Allegations Desperate Attempt to Manipulate Public Sentiment — Kogi GovtThe Kogi State Government has stated that the reckless, malicious and utterly false allegations made by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on her verified Facebook page, in which she claims that Governor Ahmed Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio should be held responsible if anything happens to her, are completely unfounded.In a press statement issued yesterday by Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo said: “This is yet another desperate and calculated attempt to mislead the public, incite unrest, and present herself as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the State Government to maintain law and order.“Her statement exposed her plans to use her visit to stir trouble and violence in the Kogi Central Senatorial District. We will not allow any part of the state to go up in flames nor permit the killing of innocent souls due to the actions of the suspended Senator.“Although she has since deleted the post after realizing the potential consequences of her false claim, we have secured a screenshot of it before its removal. Her actions since the early hours of today have validated the security report that certain elements were planning to foment trouble in Kogi Central.“Let it be categorically stated that Governor Ododo has absolutely no interest in the political theatrics of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law. She has once again proven that she has no respect for rules and regulations.“Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has consistently demonstrated a pattern of lawlessness, using lies and deceit as tools for political engagement. The recent disturbances in Kogi State, orchestrated by her defiance of the state’s security directives, have further established her status as a security threat to the people of the State.“She deliberately violated the State Government’s ban on political gatherings, which was enacted to prevent security breaches and maintain peace. Rather than respecting the law, she chose to incite chaos, disregarding the safety and stability of the state. When confronted with the consequences of her actions, she resorted to her usual tactics of playing the victim and fabricating baseless accusations against respected leaders of the state and the nation.“The people of Kogi State and Nigerians at large should see through her deceptive ploys and reject her attempts to manipulate public perception with outright lies. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a victim; she is an instigator of disorder who thrives on spreading falsehoods to gain public sympathy.”Fanwo emphasized that the Kogi State Government will not be blackmailed or intimidated by the antics of a desperate politician who has built her political career on falsehoods.“We remain committed to upholding law and order and will take all necessary steps to ensure that no individual, no matter how highly placed, is allowed to breach public peace with impunity. The building tension and cloud of violence hanging over Kogi Central would not have been necessary if Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had complied with the State Government’s directives and cooperated with security agencies. She will be held responsible if her actions result in any violence in Kogi Central or any part of the State.“Let it be clear that the security of every citizen in Kogi State, including that of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, remains a priority. However, the government will not tolerate anyone deliberately provoking crises and then crying wolf when confronted with the consequences of their actions.“We call on the security agencies to take note of her reckless utterances and inflammatory actions that pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the state. She should be held accountable for her blatant attempts to incite violence and cause unnecessary tension.“Kogi State remains a peaceful state under the leadership of the Chief Servant of Kogi State, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, and we will not allow anyone, regardless of their status, to derail our commitment to peace, security, and progress,” the statement partly read.

By Joel Oladele, Abuja

The House of Representatives is interested in seeing a Federal Institute for Vision and Optical Research, established in each of the six geo-political zones of the country, the member representing Ahoada West/Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Victor Obuzor, has said.

The Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker stated this in Abuja yesterday in a chat with journalists at the National Assembly Complex. Obuzor, who sponsored the bill on the establishment of a Federal Institute for Vision and Optical Research, Rivers State, said the quest for more of such institutes derives from the support for the proposed law during and after the public hearing recently held at the National Assembly, Abuja.“The House is delighted with the bill, and has asked that the institute, since it’s one of its kind, should be replicated in the six geo-political zones”, he said.Describing the establishment of the proposed institute as an urgent necessity, he said, “As guardians of public health, we must address the escalating prevalence of vision impairment, particularly in underserved communities”, stressing that given that an estimated 50 million Nigerians are currently battling one form of visual disability or the other and over seven million already blind; the need for decisive action has never been more pressing.“The proposed institute represents a crucial step towards mitigating this growing public health challenge and ensuring a brighter future for our citizens.”Obuzor had in an earlier remark stated, “Vision disorders are reaching epidemic proportions in Nigeria, exacerbated by limited access to ophthalmic care, particularly in rural locales,” adding that projections by the World Health Organisation were that the current figure may double by 2050 without the right interventions.On the proposed bill to establish the Federal College of Optometry to provide for courses leading to award of designated Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates in Optometry and related courses, which he also sponsored, Obuzor said the desire of any government is to have a population of healthy citizens.“This is why governments all over the world, including Nigeria, continue to fund health-related and infrastructure as well as basic health and eye care services to ensure that health sector objectives are actualised.“The impact of optometric care is growing worldwide and countries have devoted huge resources towards the development of infrastructure and human capital to ensure that this vital organ of the human body is given its pride of place, because without the eyes, life and living would be difficult”, he stated.Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, had during the hearing assured that the bills, if considered and passed into law, “Will address the current low-level scientific research and development in vision healthcare and ensure a phenomenal increase in the number of qualified professional manpower and the establishment of more specialised eye care facilities across the country.”

By Tony Obiechina Abuja

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has restated its commitment to ensure safety of depositors’ funds in all licensed banks.

The Corporation which gave the assurance against the backdrop of the recent liquidation of Heritage Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) enjoined members of the public to continue their banking activities without fear, “as all other banks remain safe and sound”.

In a statement by Hajia Hawwau Gambo, the Acting Head of Communication & Public Affairs in Abuja on Sunday, the NDIC said it acted in response to concerns raised by depositors of the defunct Heritage Bank whose balances exceed the maximum deposit insurance limit of N5 million.

The statement further reads “the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) wishes to clarify that the Corporation has intensified efforts to ensure timely payments. Following the revocation of Heritage Bank’s banking license by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on June 3, 2024, the NDIC was appointed as the liquidator in accordance with Section 12(2) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and Section 55(1 & 2) of the NDIC Act 2023.

“In line with its statutory mandate, the Corporation immediately commenced the bank’s liquidation process, including the verification and payment of insured deposits to all depositors. Significant progress has been made in reimbursing the insured deposits of the N5 million maximum per depositor.

“It is instructive to state that, depositors yet to be paid their insured deposits are largely those without Bank Verification Number (BVN) or alternate accounts in other banks to enable the Corporation fetch the accounts from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) database to effect payment. Other depositors in this category are those with post no debit (PND) restrictions on their accounts.

“Additionally, some accounts have Known Your Customer (KYC) limitations such as Tier 1 accounts that place restrictions on the maximum lodgment of funds, while others have name mismatches that require resolution. Some depositors who have been paid may also be unaware that they have received payments due to lack of mobile phone transaction alerts on their alternate accounts into which the insured sums were paid by the NDIC.

“Therefore, depositors are advised to check their alternate bank accounts, as some payments may have been processed without their immediate awareness”.

According to the statement, while depositors with balances above N5 million have been paid the initial insured sums of the N5 million, the remaining balance in excess of the insured sum of the N5 million already reimbursed, will be paid as liquidation dividends in accordance with the Corporation’s statutory mandate.

It also added that the NDIC has made substantial progress in disposing of the physical assets and recovering some of the debts of the failed bank to ensure that depositors with balances above the maximum insured limit receive their payments as soon as possible.

“As a clear demonstration of this commitment, the Corporation commenced the realization of physical assets and investments as well as aggressive recovery of the risk assets, concurrently with the verification and payment of insured sums.

“The Corporation’s approach of simultaneously paying insured depositors while aggressively pursuing asset sales and debt recovery is designed to accelerate the liquidation process and ensure that all depositors receive their funds without unnecessary delays.

“With the considerable progress recorded in the asset realization, the Corporation will declare the first tranche of liquidation dividends in April 2025 which will be paid to uninsured depositors on a pro-rata basis, in line with Section 72 of the NDIC Act 2023 on the priority of claims.

 “Where an insured institution is unable to meet its obligations or suspends payment, or where its management and control have been taken over by the Central Bank of Nigeria following the revocation of its license, the assets of the insured institution shall be available to meet its deposit liabilities. Such deposit liabilities shall have priority over all other liabilities of the insured institution.

“Consequently, other claimants of the failed Heritage Bank, including creditors, and shareholders, will be considered for payment of liquidation dividends only after all depositors have been fully reimbursed”, the statement added.