Former employees of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have initiated legal proceedings against the apex bank, challenging their dismissal in a series of mass terminations conducted in early 2024. The case, filed at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja, represents 33 claimants led by Stephen Gana.

The Legal Challenge

The dismissed employees contend that their termination letters, issued under "Reorganisational and Human Capital Restructuring" on April 5, 2024, violated:

- Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution

- CBN Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual (HRPPM)

- Nigerian labour laws

- Their contractual rights

The claimants are seeking:

- Declarations nullifying their terminations

- Immediate reinstatement

- Payment of withheld salaries and benefits

- N30 billion in general damages

- N500 million in legal costs

Scale of the Layoffs

The terminations affected 218 employees across four batches between March and May 2024:

- 116 executive-level staff

- 97 senior-level employees

- 5 junior-level workers

Termination Dates

- First batch: March 15, 2024

- Second batch: March 22, 2024

- Third batch: April 5, 2024

- Fourth batch: May 24, 2024

Key Issues in Dispute

Procedural Violations

The former employees argue that the CBN:

- Failed to consult the Joint Consultative Council as required by Article 16.4.1 of the HRPPM

- Gave only three days' notice to vacate positions

- Bypassed board approval for the terminations

- Denied them fair hearing rights

Compensation Concerns

Affected employees report severe financial hardships:

- Some received severance payments as low as N5,000

- Many had gratuities entirely absorbed by outstanding loans

- Staff with 6-10 years of service saw gratuities used to offset loans

- Some still owe N25-35 million after gratuity deductions

- Employees with 10-20 years of service received minimal compensation

CBN's Response

The CBN has defended its actions through a preliminary objection, stating:

- Terminations followed contractual terms

- Three months' salary was paid in lieu of notice

- Dismissals were part of internal restructuring

- No misconduct allegations were involved

- The court lacks jurisdiction over the matter

Current Status

The case came before O. A. Obaseki Osaghae on November 20, 2024, who:

- Encouraged both parties to seek amicable resolution

- Referenced Section 20 of the National Industrial Court Act 2006

- Adjourned the case to January 29, 2025

The CBN's spokesperson, Hakama Ali, has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations and compensation issues.

Five Nigerian soldiers have reportedly been killed in an ambush by members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Sabon Gari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counterinsurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the ambush occurred on January 4 and triggered a two-hour firefight. In addition to the loss of five soldiers, some military equipment was destroyed during the attack.

In response, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai launched targeted airstrikes on ISWAP’s strongholds within the Timbuktu Triangle, a critical area in Borno known for its challenging terrain and strategic significance to the insurgents.

“Intelligence sources confirmed that the precision airstrikes dismantled several ISWAP positions and disrupted their operational capabilities,” the report stated. “A significant number of terrorists were neutralized during the operation.”

Additionally, airstrikes were carried out in the Gwoza axis of the Mandara mountain range. These strikes targeted factions of Boko Haram loyal to Ali Ngulde, a key commander, as part of ongoing efforts to weaken insurgent networks in the region.

The military’s heightened offensive underscores its commitment to countering the escalating insurgent activities in Borno and other affected areas.

Three Israelis killed in northern West Bank shooting

Three Israelis were killed and several injured on Monday in a shooting attack on a car and bus near the settlement of Kedumim in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Israel's national ambulance service Magen David Adom (MDA) said.

The attack, on a major road used by both Israelis and Palestinians, comes amid a diplomatic push for a deal to end the 15-month-old war in Gaza and return Israeli hostages home and may pose another obstacle to sealing such a deal before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Footage posted on Israeli news sites showed at least two men emerge from a car and apparently open fire on nearby vehicles near the Palestinian village of al-Funduq, just down the road from Kedumim.

Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who lives in the settlement where the attack took place, called for an urgent cabinet meeting "to discuss a shift in strategy and to genuinely eradicate terrorism".

The northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin "should look like Jabalia", he wrote, referring to a town in the north of the Gaza Strip that has been completely destroyed by repeated Israeli bombardment.

Smotrich, on the far right of Israeli politics, has for years called for Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, which is land that Palestinians want for a future state.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met senior military and security officials to discuss the situation and approved measures to capture Monday's attackers as well as "a series of additional offensive and defensive actions" in the West Bank.

"No one will be spared," he posted on X.

There was no immediate comment from the Palestinian authorities in the West Bank.

Hamas, the militant group which has run the Gaza Strip and has a presence in the West Bank, praised the attack as a "heroic response against the occupation's continued crimes (including) the war of genocide in Gaza". But it did not claim responsibility.

The West Bank has been transformed by the rapid growth of Jewish settlements since Netanyahu returned at the head of a far-right nationalist coalition two years ago. During that time, a surge in settler violence has led to U.S. sanctions.

Since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, the violence in the West Bank has spiralled, with hundreds of Palestinians and dozens of Israelis killed.

'ACT FORCEFULLY'

Israel's defence minister Israel Katz said he had instructed the military to "act forcefully" in response to Monday's attack.

Israeli Army Radio said the military had imposed a cordon around all villages in the area to search for the suspects, who it believes fled to a nearby Palestinian village.

MDA said two women in their 60s and a man around 40 years old were pronounced dead at the scene, while eight passengers were wounded including a 63-year-old male bus driver who is in serious condition.

Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida said in a post on Telegram that "Israel will never enjoy security" unless the Palestinian people also have security.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis have settled in the West Bank since Israel captured the territory in a 1967 war. Most countries consider the settlements illegal, although Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.

Palestinian security forces moved into Jenin, in the northern West Bank, last month in a move they say is aimed at suppressing armed groups of "outlaws" who have built up a power base in the city and its adjacent refugee camp.

On Sunday, Israeli forces killed a 37-year-old man in a town south of Jenin after opening fire on his home, while a 17-year-old was killed in an Israeli raid in Askar camp in Nablus, according to Palestinian officials.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Battle rages in western Russia as Moscow reports gains in Ukraine

Russia said on Monday its forces had made important gains in eastern Ukraine while continuing to fend off a new Ukrainian offensive inside the Kursk region of western Russia, where a second day of fierce fighting was under way.

The Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured the town of Kurakhove, 32 km (20 miles) south of Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian logistics hub toward which Russian forces have been advancing for months.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow had suffered big losses in five months of fighting in Russia's Kursk region with nearly 15,000 killed. He made no mention of Kurakhove.

The Russian ministry said taking Kurakhove, which had held out for many weeks, would enable its forces to boost the pace of their advance in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It also said it had captured Dachenske, a village five miles (8 km) Pokrovsk.

Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces, told Reuters that, as of Monday morning, Kyiv's forces were still engaging Russian troops inside Kurakhove.

The General Staff of Ukraine's military, in a late evening report, said Russian forces had launched 25 attacks on Ukrainian positions around Kurakhove, but said nothing about the town changing hands.

Ukrainian bloggers said servicemen were subjected to constant fire from multiple rocket launchers and guided, or glide, bombs. One report said that Kurakhove had been "practically lost".

Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState, which tracks the front line using open sources, showed most of Kurakhove under Russian control.

Both sides are fighting to improve their battlefield positions before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has pledged to bring a quick end to the nearly three-year-old war, takes office on Jan. 20.

Ukraine's main achievement in the past five months of fighting has been its capture and holding of territory inside Russia's Kursk region that could prove a bargaining chip in possible peace talks.

Ukraine has not revealed details of the new offensive it launched in Kursk on Sunday, though a senior Ukrainian official said Russia was "getting what it deserves".

In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said Ukrainian forces had established a buffer zone and inflicted heavy losses in Kursk, preventing Moscow from deploying its troops in key areas of the eastern front.

"During the Kursk operation, the enemy has already lost 38,000 of their soldiers in this direction alone, with nearly 15,000 of these losses being irreversible," he said.

Russia's defence ministry said the Ukrainian advance had been foiled and the main force had been destroyed near the settlement of Berdin, close to a road running northeast toward the city of Kursk.

A senior Russian commander said a further attack was expected.

"We are registering a concentration of enemy equipment in another direction and naturally we understand that (Ukraine) will try to strike in this direction. Right now I won't say where," said Major General Apti Alaudinov, commander of a Chechen unit fighting for Russia in Kursk.

Independent military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady said Ukraine was trying to hold its pocket of Kursk for as long as possible, even as Russia continued to push deeper into eastern Ukraine.

"There's a likelihood that we haven't seen the main thrust of this Ukrainian offensive operation just yet," he told Reuters. "We are essentially talking about platoon-sized, company-sized assaults with fairly limited gains thus far."

It remained to be seen if Kyiv's forces could open up another axis of advance, Gady added.

Ukrainian and Western assessments suggest about 11,000 troops from Russia's ally North Korea have been deployed in the Kursk region to support Moscow's forces. Russia has neither confirmed nor denied their presence.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday more than 1,000 North Korean troops had been killed or wounded. Reuters does not have access to the Kursk war zone and cannot verify casualty figures.

Reacting to the Ukrainian offensive, the United States, Britain and the European Union reaffirmed support for Kyiv.

"Ukraine has the right to defend itself, and under international law, this right extends beyond its borders," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement to Reuters.

"Moscow's unlawful war against Ukraine has included numerous Russian attacks originating from the Kursk region."

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Sunday: "We are committed to putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield, including by surging security assistance and utilizing all available resources authorized by the Congress.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russia ‘liberates largest settlement in southwest Donbass’ – MOD

Russian forces have “fully liberated” the strategically important transport hub of Kurakhovo in Russia’s People Republic of Donetsk, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has said.

Kurakhovo is “the largest settlement in southwest Donbass,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday. Before the escalation between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022, the town had a population of almost 19,000 people.

“Over the past decade, the Kiev regime had turned it [Kurakhovo] into a powerful fortified area with a developed network of firing positions and underground communications. From the north, it was defended by a water basin, which significantly limited the maneuverability of Russian assault units,” the statement read.

The Ukrainian military deployed some 15,000 troops, including many foreign mercenaries, to defend the town, the ministry said. The manpower was reinforced with artillery and tanks, it added.

“As a result of the professional actions of the Russian units during the liberation of Kurakhovo, the enemy lost 80% of its personnel (more than 12,000 troops), about 3,000 units of various weapons and military equipment, including 40 tanks and other armored combat vehicles,” the statement read.

During the two months of fighting for the town, between 150 and 180 Ukrainian troops were killed or wounded on a daily basis, it said.

According to the ministry, the Russian capture of Kurakhovo will “significantly complicate”logistical support for the Ukrainian military in the Donetsk People’s Republic. It will also deprive Kiev’s forces of the ability to shell the regional capital, Donetsk, which had been under fire since 2014, it added.

“Following the takeover of Kurakhovo, Russian forces have significant room to maneuver. This will allow an increase in the pace of the liberation of the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” the statement read.

Reuters/RT

As apprehension grows in China, Europe, and Japan about a possible trade war triggered by the incoming Donald Trump administration, one should also spare a thought for developing countries. Their tried-and-tested method of expanding beyond agriculture to achieve middle-income status has been to embrace low-skilled export-oriented manufacturing. How will these countries fare now?

Their prospects may be better than expected, especially if they choose alternative development paths. In the past, poor countries developed through manufacturing exports because foreign demand allowed their producers to achieve scale, and because abysmal agricultural productivity meant that low-skilled workers could be attracted to factory jobs even with low wages. This combination of scale and low labor costs made these countries’ output globally competitive, despite their workers’ lower relative productivity.

As firms profited from exports, they invested in better equipment to make workers more productive. As wages rose, workers could afford better schooling and health care for themselves and their children. Firms also paid more taxes, allowing the government to invest in improved infrastructure and services. Firms could now make more sophisticated, higher-value-added products, and a virtuous cycle ensued. This explains how China moved from assembling components to producing world-leading electric vehicles (EVs) in just four decades.

Visit a cell-phone assembly plant in a developing country today, however, and it is easy to see why this path has become more difficult. Rows of workers no longer solder parts onto motherboards, because the micro-circuitry has become too fine for human hands. Instead, there are rows of machines with skilled workers tending to them, while unskilled workers primarily move parts between machines or keep the factory clean. These tasks, too, will soon be automated. Factories with rows of workers stitching dresses or shoes also are becoming rarer.

Automation in developing countries has a variety of implications. For starters, manufacturing now employs fewer people, especially unskilled workers, per unit of output. In the past, developing countries moved steadily to more sophisticated manufacturing, leaving less-skilled manufacturing to poorer countries that were just embarking on the export-led-manufacturing path. But now, a country like China has enough surplus workers to undertake all manner of manufacturing. Low-skilled Chinese workers are competing with Bangladeshi counterparts in textiles, while Chinese PhDs compete with German counterparts in EVs.

Moreover, given the declining importance of labor in manufacturing, industrialized countries have come to believe they can restore their own competitiveness in the sector. They already have the skilled workers who can tend the machines, so they are raising protectionist barriers to re-shore production. (Of course, the primary political motive is to create more well-paying jobs for left-behind high school-educated workers, but automation makes this unlikely.)

Taken together, these trends – automation, continued competition from established players like China, renewed protectionism – have already made it harder for poor countries in South Asia, Africa, and Latin America to pursue export-led manufacturing growth. Thus, while a trade war would be damaging to their commodity exports, it would not be as concerning as in the past. It may even have a silver lining if it compels developing countries to search harder for alternative paths.

That path could be paved with high-skilled services exports. In 2023, global trade in services expanded by 5% in real (inflation-adjusted) terms, while merchandise trade shrank by 1.2%. Improvements in technology during the COVID-19 pandemic enabled more remote work, and changes in business practices and etiquette have minimized the need for physical presence. As a result, multinationals can and do serve clients from anywhere. In India, multinational firms ranging from JPMorgan to Qualcomm are hiring talented graduates to staff global capability centers (GCCs), where engineers, architects, consultants, and lawyers create designs, contracts, content, and software that are embedded in manufactured goods and services sold globally.

Every developing country has a small but highly skilled elite who can profitably export skilled services, given the high wage differentials vis-à-vis developed countries. Workers who know English (or French or Spanish) may be particularly advantaged, and even if only a few have these capabilities, such jobs add much more domestic value than low-skilled manufacturing assembly, thus contributing enormously to a country’s foreign-exchange earnings.

Moreover, each well-paid service worker can create local employment through his or her own consumption. As more moderately skilled service workers – ranging from taxi drivers to plumbers to waiters – find steady employment, they will cater not just to elite demand but also to each other. High-skilled services exports only need to be the leading edge of broader job growth and urbanization.

All job growth, however, requires improvements in the quality of a country’s labor pool. Some “last-mile” training and upgrading can be done quickly; as long as engineering graduates have basic knowledge of their field, they can be trained in state-of-the-art design software that a potential multinational employer needs. But over the medium term, most countries will need to invest substantial amounts in nutrition, health, and education to augment their peoples’ human capital.

Fortunately, these investments can also create employment. With the right development-appropriate policies, governments can substantially improve learning and health across the population. This may mean hiring more high-school-educated mothers in daycares to help teach children basic literacy and numeracy at an early age; or training more “barefoot” medical practitioners to recognize basic ailments, prescribe medicines, or make referrals to qualified physicians when necessary.

Developing countries need not abandon manufacturing, but they must explore other paths to growth. Instead of benefiting one sector or another through industrial policy, they should invest in the kinds of skills that are important for all jobs.

Services are especially worth exploring, because developed economies are unlikely to erect protectionist barriers against them. As the world’s largest service exporters in 2023, the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom have much to lose from a trade war in this domain. Insofar as global services competition affects their own workforce, it would be felt most strongly by doctors, lawyers, bankers, consultants, and other high-income professionals, implying a boon for consumers of these services in developed countries and potentially even reducing domestic income inequality. Those would be worthwhile outcomes in themselves.

Project Syndicate

I’ve had my fair share of failed New Year’s resolutions. In the past, I’ve had unrealistic goals and expectations or forgotten about them altogether. Most people have had a similar experience: Over 60% gave up on theirs by February, according to a 2023 study from author and psychologist Michelle Rozen.
The problem for many of us who don't follow through is that our goals tend to be vague, unattainable or misaligned with our deeper values, says psychologist Chamin Ajjan. So we fail to create the emotional commitment needed for real change.
Ajjan recommends these five tips for successfully reaching your goals in 2025:
1. Set intentions that align with your values. Get clear on what you truly care about and why you want to make a change before deciding on a certain goal.
2. Remember to subtract. “Instead of adding to your long to-do list, try making a let-go list. Identify habits, thoughts or commitments that no longer serve you,” Ajjan says.
3. Get inspired. “Take time to journal, visualize or even create a vision board that reflects your values and intentions. By keeping your vision front and center, you reinforce your emotional connection to the changes you want to make,” says Ajjan.
4. Celebrate progress, not perfection. Be proud of your small wins and make room for your goals to change if needed.
5. Lead with love, not judgement. “Approach your journey from a place of self-compassion and empathy rather than harsh criticism,” Ajjan says.
For me, personally, the first tip is the most important. It’s easy to get someone else's expectations or goals for you mixed up with the life you want for yourself. I would have saved a lot of time, money and energy had I learned that lesson earlier. 
This year, I’m committing to prioritizing my mental and physical well-being and staying true to what matters most to me, whether it’s through setting boundaries with people, fostering new relationships or pursuing projects and hobbies that align with my passions.

CNBC

The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has called on the Federal Government to provide a N100 billion grant to prevent the closure of approximately 10,000 fuel retail outlets nationwide.

In a position paper jointly signed by PETROAN President Billy Harry, National Secretary Adedibu Aderibigbe, and National PRO Joseph Obele, the association highlighted the financial strain on its members following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

According to the group, high interest rates of 38–40% on bank loans have made it nearly impossible for members to purchase petroleum products, threatening their businesses and the stability of fuel supply chains.

“To make petroleum products affordable, borrowing costs must be reduced,” the statement read. “These high costs eventually reflect in the pump price of fuel, burdening consumers.”

PETROAN proposed that the Federal Government deposit N100 billion as operational capital in the Africa Energy Bank (AEB) to provide downstream sector players with access to loans at a single-digit interest rate of no more than 9%.

“This is not free money but a structured support system to help us stay in business while contributing to economic growth,” PETROAN explained. “Accessing funds at 9% interest will directly reduce pump prices and ease the financial burden on Nigerians.”

The association further urged the government to domesticate the AEB in Nigeria, enabling downstream operators to secure affordable financing and stabilize operations in the sector.

PETROAN emphasized that without immediate intervention, the survival of numerous retail outlets and the broader fuel distribution network is at risk, potentially worsening the economic challenges facing the nation.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced enhanced surveillance measures for inbound passengers from China in response to a surge in Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases reported in the Asian nation. The measures, which include potential quarantine protocols, aim to curb the spread of the respiratory virus.

HMPV, which primarily affects children and individuals with weakened immune systems, has caused a wave of respiratory infections across northern China this winter. The outbreak has overwhelmed hospitals and sparked public concern, with social media showing images of overcrowded healthcare facilities.

John Oladejo, Director of Special Duties at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), confirmed on Sunday that Nigeria is taking proactive steps. “The Federal Government will activate surveillance measures, including quarantine, for passengers coming in from China,” he said.

HMPV: A Seasonal Threat

HMPV, first identified in Pakistan in 2001, is a seasonal virus similar to other respiratory pathogens like RSV. It spreads through respiratory droplets, close contact, and contaminated surfaces. While typically causing mild symptoms such as cough, fever, and nasal congestion, severe cases can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia, particularly in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has highlighted that the incubation period for HMPV ranges from three to six days, with symptoms lasting for several days, depending on severity.

China’s Response

In China, authorities have implemented measures including mask mandates, social distancing, and the disinfection of public spaces to contain the virus. A pilot program to track pneumonia of unknown origin has also been launched. Despite concerns, Beijing has downplayed the situation as a typical winter respiratory illness cycle, noting that this year’s infections are less severe compared to previous years.

WHO and Global Monitoring

The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation and remains in contact with Chinese authorities. WHO has recommended preventive measures such as vaccination against respiratory pathogens, good ventilation, regular handwashing, and staying home when ill. It has, however, advised against travel restrictions or trade limitations based on current data.

Nigeria’s Preparedness

With no recorded HMPV cases in Africa, Nigerian health authorities are taking preventive action to mitigate any potential risks. The NCDC has urged travelers to adhere to preventive guidelines and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms after traveling from affected regions.

HMPV, while not as severe as COVID-19, serves as a reminder of the importance of global health vigilance. The Nigerian government’s proactive measures aim to prevent a potential outbreak and safeguard public health.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has launched a new initiative allowing students to resit their WASSCE papers as early as January and February 2025. This new system, known as WASSCE PC1, eliminates the long wait for the next private examination cycle and offers a faster path for students to improve their grades.

Announcing the initiative on JoyNews’ AM Show in Ghana, WAEC’s Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, explained that students who identify the need to resit specific papers after receiving their results now have until January 8, 2025, to register online via WAEC’s website or accredited internet cafés. The exams will take place from January 24 to February 15, 2025.

To support candidates in their preparation, WAEC plans to release chief examiners’ reports earlier than usual. “These reports will provide detailed feedback on common mistakes and guidance on how students can better prepare for the exams,” Kapi said.

The program has been widely publicized through banners, WAEC’s website, and the results checker platform to ensure students and parents are informed.

Kapi also clarified that students whose results were canceled due to issues like malpractice can sit for the WASSCE PC1 exams if they are not under a ban. For now, the exams will be held only in regional capitals due to the limited number of candidates.

WAEC expressed optimism that the new initiative will help students quickly improve their grades, enabling them to qualify for the next admission cycle and avoid delays in their academic progress. Students are encouraged to complete their registration by January 8, 2025, to seize this opportunity.