Despite several measures taken by both the Zamfara State and the Federal Government to end banditry activities in the state, the menace has worsened with bandits raging free and wild, kidnapping, and killing innocent people.

Bandits are becoming stronger with the passage of time and have made about 14 local government areas of the state their home.

Recently bandits abducted at least 80 children in the Tsafe Local Government area of the state. This happened as 31 villagers were recently killed by bandits in Janbako and Sakida villages in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state. Zamafara is a hotbed for banditry activities, and about 498 people in the state lost their lives to the activities of the terrorists in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to a report from SBM Intelligence.

The bandits, who now move freely in large numbers on motorcycles, recently issued a strong warning to farmers particularly those in the rural areas that there would be no farming activities this year unless the state government negotiated with them.

At of the time of filing this report, more than 70 per cent of farmlands in the state are currently abandoned due to fear of bandit attacks.

Many farmers, who spoke to our correspondents, expressed worries that they would not be able to farm this year, considering the security challenges affecting the state.

One of the farmers, Musa Garba, who is a resident of Dansadau town in the Maru Local Government area, said he used to get over 100 bags of rice, and 50 bags of millet every year.

He lamented he did not plant any crop this farming season due to fear of the bandits who are always going around the farmlands to kidnap or kill farmers.

He said, “I used to get enough food to feed my family and even sell some bags to buy other commodities. But in the last two years, I stopped going to the farm.”

Another farmer, Abubakar Dauda, also from Dansadau town in the Maru Local Government Area, narrated how the lingering banditry in the area had become worrisome and dangerous, with farmers  losing hope in this year’s farming season.

He said, “Last year, we only cultivated our nearby small farms as we could not go far due to fear of the miscreants. There were instances when the bandits told us that farming could only be done with their approval.”

He explained that even though the rainy season has already started, farmers are afraid to visit their farms.

Another farmer, Sani Musa, said he went ahead to plant some crops this year thinking that the present administration under the leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal would do something urgent on security. He, however, lamented that bandits have destroyed the crops.

Musa said, “The armed bandits usually drive their cattle into our farms and eat everything on the farm. This situation has really put us in serious trouble and we now resort to begging for food on the streets.”

He called on both the state and the Federal Government to deploy adequate troops in some areas to enable farmers to return to their farms.

Another farmer, Garba Ibrahim, from the Shinkafi Local Government Area, said he was no longer thinking of resuming farming in this farming season.

He said this was due to consistent attacks by bandits. This, he said, had led to the deaths of many villagers and the burning of major parts of the village.

He said, “I am not even talking about how to go back to the farm but rather I am thinking of where to get something to eat. Nobody is talking about farming here again because despite the government’s efforts we still can’t access our farms.

“We are going to see a new chapter in poverty if all stakeholders do not come to our rescue and put things in order to make us go back to our villages.”

A resident of Yanwaren daji in the Tsafe Local Government area, Sirajo Umar, said, “Tension is high among most farming communities. Many of us will not go to farm this year except something serious is being done to protect our lives.”

Umar stressed bandits are angrier with farmers, thinking they were leaking information about their whereabouts to security agents.

He noted that he was supposed to have planted rice, millets, soya beans, and sorghum this farming season, but could not because he was unsure of his safety.

Another farmer, Umar, stated that his farmlands have been seized by bandits two years ago and no effort has been made by security agents to retrieve them.

He, however, expressed optimism that with the recent deployment of soldiers of Operation Hadarin Daji to Mada and Wonaka areas, the bandits would soon be forced to move into the forest areas.

This, he said, could provide opportunities for some farmers who own lands not far from the town to access them.

He said, “Those who have farms near the forest have given up. They no longer go to their farms because of abductions and killings by bandits. Some farmers who did not heed the warnings of the bandits and returned to their farms were chased away by bandits and warned not to return to their farms.”

A retired civil servant who gave his name as Salihu Shehu said he ventured into farming after he retired two years ago.

He said he recently gave up because of bandits.

Shehu said, “We cannot farm because bandits have continued to attack us due to lack of security personnel in the farms. We want the security personnel to be stationed in our community so that we can return home and prepare for the farming season.”

According to an indigene of Faru town in the Maradun local government area of the state, Mohammed Abubakar, bandits have recently killed five farmers on their farmlands, kidnapped 21 others, and threatened to destroy the crops already planted in the area.

Abubakar said the bandits had sent a warning letter to the farmers in the area that if they kidnapped anybody on the farm, they would not negotiate for ransom but would kill him instantly.

He said, “We have received a warning letter from the bandits that, henceforth, they will kill any farmer who dares to go to his farmland as they are not interested in collecting ransom.

“We reported the issue to both the state government and the security agents, but nothing has been done.”

Ostensibly because bandits will not allow farming this year, Abubakar said farmers had fled to neighbouring states and Niger Republic.

Another farmer from Kizira village in the Tsafe Local Government, Salihu Garba, noted that farmers were fleeing to other states because bandits were harassing them, threatening to kill anybody who went to the farm.

He said, “You know that our people here depend largely on farming activities for survival, and if the bandits said we should not go to the farm, I think we will have no option but to leave the state.”

In 2022, farmers under the umbrella of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Zamfara State chapter, said that they would be meeting with bandits to discuss their farming activities with a view to getting permission to cultivate their farmlands.

AFAN Public Relations Officer, Abdulhafiz Alkali, said, “What I know about protection with the farmers is just the negotiation between the bandits and the farmers. I am living in Zamfara State now. I know that there will be a meeting by this coming Saturday between the farmers and the bandits.

“We lost a lot of things in Zamfara State. We sent letters to the Federal Government to secure us five years ago after complaining that the bandits were disturbing us.

“We needed the intervention of the Federal Government, but it never came. What we lost in the past seven to six years is between N30bn to N50bn on commodities only.”

Secretary to Zamfara State Government, Abubakar Nakwada, recently said the governor, Dauda Lawal, was making efforts to get farmers back to their farms this season.

He said, “The administration of Governor Dauda Lawal has no plan to reconcile with the bandits. The state government will squarely face them and deal with them so that the security would be restored by the grace of God.”

Punch

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine having ‘no success’ with counteroffensive – Putin

The much-touted Ukrainian counteroffensive has seen no success more than a month after it was launched, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview aired on Sunday. Putin praised Russia’s “heroic” troops and insisted that the direction of Moscow’s military campaign was “positive.”

“All attempts by the enemy to breach our defenses… including through the use of strategic reserves have fallen flat throughout the counteroffensive. Our enemy remains unsuccessful,” the Russian leader told journalist Pavel Zarubin.

According to Putin, Russian troops are launching counterattacks of their own in some sections of the front line and are “taking the most advantageous positions.” The Russian Defense Ministry previously reported that Ukraine has suffered heavy losses and has failed to reach even Russia’s first line of defense on most fronts. The Defense Ministry has also published numerous videos showing damaged or destroyed Ukrainian heavy military equipment, including Western-made tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

According to the ministry, the Ukrainian military has lost 26,000 men advancing through minefields and without air support during its counteroffensive. The Western media has also acknowledged heavy losses among Ukrainian troops, with Forbes describing them as “disastrous” in late June. The New York Times reported this week that the Ukrainian military lost 20% of the equipment it sent into battle during the first two weeks of the operation.

According to Putin, Russian forces have destroyed 311 Ukrainian tanks since June 4. “At least a third of them, I believe, were Western-made tanks, including Leopards,” Putin told the Russia 24 TV channel on Thursday.

The slow pace of the counteroffensive has led to friction between Kiev and its Western backers. In June, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky blamed the lack of progress on the West’s hesitancy to send more weapons to Kiev.

US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley warned in early July that there should be no illusions about the operation, and that it would be “difficult” and “very, very bloody.”

** Russia reserves the right to use cluster munitions as tit-for-tat response – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia reserves the right to use cluster munitions in response to Ukraine's use of these weapons.

"Russia has a sufficient reserve of various kinds of cluster munitions, various kinds. So far we have not done it, we have not used them, and we have not had such a need, despite a certain shortage in munitions at a certain point of time. But we didn’t do this," the president said in an interview with the "Moscow. Kremlin. Putin" program on Rossiya-1 TV channel, a fragment of which was posted on its host Pavel Zarubin’s Telegram channel.

"But of course, if they (cluster munitions) are used against us, we reserve the right to tit-for-tat actions," the president said.

Putin expressed confidence that that the supplies of cluster munitions to Ukraine and their use should be treated as a crime. "As for cluster munitions, the US administration itself through its staff gave its opinion on these munitions a while ago, when the use of cluster munitions was called a crime by the US administration itself. So, I think, this is how it should be treated," the president went on to say.

Putin believes that the US is supplying cluster munitions to Ukraine due to a general shortage of shells. "They (the US) are doing this (supplying cluster munitions to Ukraine - TASS) not out of the goodness of their heart, but because they have a shortage of munitions in general," the president said.

He reiterated that "the Ukrainian army spends up to 5,000-6,000 155mm caliber shells per day of fighting, while the US produces 15,000 a month." "They have a shortage, and Europe already doesn't have enough [shells]," Putin stated. "So, they didn’t find anything better than to propose the use of cluster munitions," he pointed out.

** Russian forces have knocked out one-third of Ukraine’s Bradleys – media

The BFV is a tracked and lightly armored vehicle with the capability to transport about ten soldiers and mount weaponry such as a 25mm cannon and a TOW anti-tank missile launcher.

When the administration of President Joe Biden agreed in January to send BFVs to Kiev, the Pentagon touted the vehicles as “tank-killers” and claimed they would provide “a level of firepower and armor that will bring advantages on the battlefield.” US media outlets such as Newsweek cited military experts as saying the Bradleys “could become a game-changer,”potentially even enabling Ukraine to retake Crimea. Russian officials warned that the BFVs and other Western-supplied weaponry would “only prolong the suffering of the Ukrainian people.”

With dozens of Bradleys and other hardware being knocked out of action by Russian forces, Ukrainian units have been forced to abandon their armored vehicles and advance slowly on foot, the Washington Post reported on Saturday. “You can no longer do anything with just a tank with some armor because the minefield is too deep, and sooner or later, it will stop, and then it will be destroyed by concentrated fire,” Ukraine’s top general, Valery Zaluzhny, told the newspaper.

Nevertheless, a new $800 military aid package for Ukraine announced by the Biden administration earlier this month includes an additional 32 BFVs. The US also agreed to send cluster bombs to Kiev, citing disappointment with the counteroffensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that US shipments of cluster munitions to Ukraine would constitute a war crime. As for captured Western weaponry, such as BFVs, Russian specialists will use “reverse engineering”to adopt any military technology that might be useful to Moscow, Putin said in an interview aired on Sunday.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine reports casualties in Russian shelling of city of Kharkiv

One man was killed and several people were injured on Sunday in Russian shelling of a district of Kharkiv, the biggest city in eastern Ukraine, local officials said.

Oleh Sinehubov, Kharkiv's governor, said on Telegram that one civilian man born in 1999 was killed in the attack on a southern part of Kharkiv. In an earlier post he said a fire had broken out at the site, and medics had hospitalized three men with shrapnel wounds and treated one person on the spot.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said a total of seven people were injured in the shelling of the southern Osnovyanskyi district of the city. Reuters could not independently confirm details of the attack and casualty figures.

Ukraine recaptured much of the eastern Kharkiv region in September, with Russian forces occupying now only a small strip of land there.

** Ukraine says fighting in east has intensified

Fighting in eastern Ukraine has "somewhat intensified" as Ukrainian and Russian forces clash in at least three areas on the eastern front, a senior Ukrainian defence official said on Sunday.

Separately, the Ukrainian military indicated it had taken control of part of a southeastern village in Donetsk region, near a string of small settlements Ukraine recaptured in June.

"The enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to regain lost positions in the northern part of Staromayorske," the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces said in a regular update.

It was the first official acknowledgment of progress at the village since Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in June, aiming to retake occupied territory and seize the initiative in Russia's full-scale invasion, now in its 17th month.

Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said on Telegram that Russian forces have been attacking in the direction of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region for two successive days.

"We are on the defensive," Maliar wrote. "There are fierce battles. The positions of both sides change dynamically several times a day."

Maliar also said the two armies were pummelling one another around the ruined city of Bakhmut but that Ukrainian forces were "gradually moving forward" along its southern flank.

She added that Kyiv's troops were also fending off Russian attacks near Avdiivka and Maryinka.

A spokesman for the military's southern command said in a separate statement on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had advanced more than a kilometre (0.6 miles) in one part of the southern front.

Kyiv has made incremental gains in parts of the east and south since launching its long-awaited counteroffensive.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview with state television, part of which was released on Sunday, that the operation was "not succeeding" and that attempts to break through Russian defences had failed.

RT/Tass/Reuters

Who has not had an old car before? The type of car that makes you become a friend to the mechanic? This is because when one issue is resolved, another rears its head, necessitating you to visit again. Sometimes the problem may be those of “rings”. Repair them and the gearbox seeks your notice. Pacify it, the brake pad packs up. Change it, the shock absorber begins to get shocked.

All these and more make you a regular, visiting the mechanics again. And again. And again. Sometimes you have to leave the car with the mechanics for a day or more.

Being a regular sight in a mechanic’s workshop has its own peculiar experience. You find an engine oil-soaked bench conveniently placed under a tree and you make it your resting place. Hawkers of chewable items like groundnuts, boiled or roasted corn, cooked beans and sachet water have no better place than a mechanic’s workshop to catch the trapped who want to break the boredom of waiting.

As a regular, you can develop relationships with the mechanics and other regulars. And sometimes their problems become yours. This situation normally affects those with old vehicles that must have surpassed their shelf life. Cars reach their shelf lives faster here than in Europe, though.

It is not out of place for neighbours, friends and family to gather and celebrate with a person who just got a 2007 Honda car. They gather to “wash it”. People who want to escape this informal welcoming of a “trophy” jokingly say they had taken it to the car wash already.

Well, the point is that a 2007 car acquired today from Europe is deemed new after 16 years of being in use across the continent notwithstanding. However, the most it can last here without turning the owner into an auto mechanic workshop tourist is three years. I can attest to this.

Armed with this knowledge, and experience, of course, I likened my body to the jaded car last week.

My major complication was breathlessness. When I tried to manage it, something came up and as I tried to manage that one, another came up, and yet another.

The good thing about such experiences is that you come to appreciate, and indeed respect, older folks. Is it not a great marvel to see 70-year-olds and above walking, jogging, dancing and living a life full of energy and fun?

The human body, when tender, is marvellous: supple flesh, smooth skin, flexible joints, strong bones and oozing out the scent of youth.

As the years go by, ageing sets in and the strength associated with youthfulness wanes. One becomes a regular visitor to hospitals, clinics and pharmaceutical outlets. Sometimes, one gets dignified by being visited at home by medical health practitioners.

But whichever it is, the fact remains that health issues keep shifting from one ailment or condition to another as the body gives in to the wear and tear that comes with time and usage.

Some people are diabetic, which entails that it has to be managed before other conditions can be treated. Some are hypertensive, which also calls for the same consideration given to the diabetic.

When 70, 80 or 90-year-olds can walk around without being exhausted or wheeled around, it can be impressive and one cannot argue against calling it an achievement.

It is with the benefit of ripened age that one will appreciate the advice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) for one to utilise five things before five other things set in.

He advised us to utilise our youth before old age sets in, our health before sickness overwhelms, our wealth before lack knocks on our doors, our free time before it (time) makes us its slave and our life before our death. The summary is: Make the most of your youth, health, wealth, and free time before they’re gone.

Yesterday’s new car quickly becomes a jalopy today, and its owner a frequent visitor to mechanics. Similarly, the strong, youthful body of today degrades, forcing its owner to regularly visit ‘mechanics’ who, this time, wield the stethoscope.

Mother Teresa said, “I am a little pencil in God’s hands…” Truth is, we all are creatures of a supreme being who has us at the mercy of time, another of His creatures. And time leaves no one in one place and condition all the time.

And what’s this about ₦8,000 “palliative”?

Nigeria’s president wants to spend $800m (about ₦600b) to assuage hunger in the land. To do this, he intends to give ₦8,000 each to 12 million households for six months. According to statistics, a Nigerian household, as of 2019, comprises an average of 5.06 members. This will amount to an individual in a household getting ₦1,600 per month or N53 per day. What are they supposed to do with it, buy a biscuit? You do not even get biscuits of ₦50 these days, sadly.

And after six months, that household is supposed to be self-reliant because the six months of “palliatives” must have stabilised them. Is that what they are telling us?

In any case, who even said only 12 million are in desperate need? At the last count, even before the fuel subsidy removal plunged many more millions into penury, 133 million Nigerians were adjudged by the federal government’s statistics agency (NBS) to be multidimensional poor.

And now this: part of the president’s grand plan is to give ₦70bn to National Assembly lawmakers as palliatives. Somebody help do the math: ₦70bn divided by 469. Shared equally, each of them will smile home with ₦149.2 million!

Different strokes…

It is all about police work!

Nuhu Ribadu, with a rich police background, was appointed as the National Security Adviser by the president. He becomes the first police officer there since Gambo Jimeta and Sama’ila Gwarzo.

I think it is a superb move because if the police approach had been implemented earlier, we would not have been in this sorry pass. Most of the crimes now bedevilling us actually would have been nipped in the bud had the police been empowered, encouraged and left to do their job.

But because we have been so cowed by the military and all our thinking subsumed under that mentality, we thought only they can solve crimes that need simple policing. We ended up demystifying our military and compounding matters so much so that we are now at a loss as to how and where to begin.

But hopefully, with a crack police investigator in place, we may redirect the ship and sail out of the storm into calm waters, eventually reaching the harbour.

** Hassan Gimba is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Neptune Prime.

A genetically modified fruit fly could mean the (near) end of insect-related crop loss for berry farmers.

Researchers at North Carolina State University have been developing a genetically modified fruit fly to stop these pests from destroying produce. The scientists’ method involves modifying flies to have infertile female offspring and slowly reduce the population of the insect, reported Phys.org. 

This is huge news for farmers, who suffer 20-40% of crop loss due to pests every year. In fact, an estimated $470 billion of crops are lost annually to certain types of bugs.

The NC State University researchers are not the first to manipulate the genes of insects. 

Previously, scientists have experimented with moths only capable of producing male offspring to limit population and avoid crop loss. Others have modified mosquitos to have deformed mouths, rendering them unable to bite people to slow the spread of malaria. 

However, Luciano Matzkin, a professor of entomology, said this new method of sterilizing female fruit flies is very hopeful because it avoids the issue of offspring who evade the desired gene mutation.

Traditionally, farmers have turned to pesticides and traps to avoid crop loss due to insects. However, these methods are costly and time-consuming. Plus, pesticides come with their own set of downfalls. They can harm unintended wildlife, make their way into water sources, and damage soil, leading to vegetation issues down the line.

Plus, crop loss doesn’t only mean dollars down the drain for agriculturalists — it also means a waste of water. Strawberries, for example, require one to two inches of water per week. Tossing out the resulting berries due to pests is a huge waste of this natural resource.

The researchers are still in the lab test phase of trials and moving on to field tests next. They expect they’re years away from releasing their modified fruit flies into the real world, but the research is very promising. 

Eliminating problematic pests and thereby eliminating the need for pesticides could mean a win for the environment and for farmers. 

“We’re really excited about this,” said Max Scott, one of the authors of the study, according to Phys.org.

Phys

Let's face it, chances are you probably work, or have worked, with an office jerk, a-hole or bully. Toxic workers can have a profound and detrimental impact on organizations and their coworkers alike.

Their toxic behaviour and attitudes can lead to decreased morale, increased stress levels and diminished productivity. But it doesn't mean we must put up with their shenanigans, especially if leadership or HR decides to keep them around. 

If you're challenged by how to deal with your toxic coworkers, here are five strategies for staying focused, productive and keeping your sanity:

1. Change jobs inside your organization

Before you quit and move to another company, consider moving to a different part of your company. Companies like Salesforce rotate their employees to other roles every few months; employees (many of them engineers) attend their job fairs to be recruited by other departments and openly discuss switching teams. 

2. Avoid stooping to their level

When dealing with toxic coworkers, it's crucial to remain professional and not let their behaviour affect your conduct. Avoid stooping to their level or engaging in retaliatory behaviour. Focus on maintaining a respectful and productive work environment despite the a-holes wreaking havoc around you.

3. Set boundaries

Establishing clear boundaries is essential when dealing with toxic coworkers. Communicate what behaviour is unacceptable to you and firmly request that they respect your boundaries. Doing so establishes your expectations and sends a message that you will not tolerate toxic behaviour.

4. Surround yourself with a support network

Dealing with toxic coworkers can be emotionally draining, so seeking support from trusted colleagues, mentors or supervisors is vital.

Share your experiences and seek guidance on how to handle the situation effectively. Supportive individuals can offer valuable perspectives and advice on managing toxicity.

5. Study their behaviour

An out-of-the-box coping mechanism to protect from your coworker's craziness is to put yourself in the shoes of an expert or researcher studying their toxic behaviours.

When in their company during meetings or huddles, rather than getting triggered by their narcissism, put-down comment or belligerence, see it as a curious privilege to be able to observe such a rare specimen of a human being in action.

Studying your toxic colleagues in this light will make a toxic situation less upsetting, even when you can't control the situation.

6. Observe job candidates during interviews

During the interview process, watch for uncivil clues about how a potential boss or colleague treats you and others. If they don't listen, are rude, impatient or keep interrupting, it's a good sign you'll see the same behaviours show up once they're hired.

To minimize the risk of hiring toxic jerks, have job candidates participate in a work project or two and see how the work and people dynamics play out. Toxic behaviours may show up in real-life job auditions.

7. Focus on self-care

Dealing with toxic coworkers can be mentally and emotionally draining, so prioritizing self-care is crucial. Engage in activities that help you relax, recharge and maintain a positive mindset outside of work. This may include exercise, hobbies, spending time with loved ones or seeking professional support if needed.

Toxic coworkers can create a challenging work environment, but by implementing these strategies, you can protect your well-being, maintain productivity and contribute to a more positive workplace culture.

Inc

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has set a new record to win the women’s 100 meters hurdle at the Silesia Diamond League in Poland.

On Sunday evening, the current world record holder dusted America’s duo of Kendra Harrison and Ali Nia to equal the meeting record.

The reigning Commonwealth Games champion clocked 12.34 seconds to outrace Harrison (12.35) and 2019 world champion Ali (12.38).

She equalled the meeting record at the Silesia Stadium, Chorzó as well as a season’s best.

A fortnight ago, the Nigerian athlete won her first Diamond League title of the year in Stockholm, Sweden.

She is expected to defend her world record in Budapest later in the year.

Amusan had a stellar 2022 where she delivered brilliant performances at the Diamond League, Commonwealth Games, and World Athletics Championships.

She became the first Nigerian world champion after she clocked a wind-aided 12.06 seconds — ineligible as a world record because of +2.5 meters per second strong wind.

The sprinter consolidated her feat with a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games before retaining her Diamond League title to put a brilliant wrap on her season.

She was nominated for the 2023 Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award in February.

The award recognises individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year under review.

The Cable

There are over 9,000 licensed filling stations across the country that are fit for the co-location of facilities that dispense autogas fuel, the Federal Government has said.

It disclosed this in a communique issued by the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology at the end of the stakeholders’ engagement forum on the provision of technical manpower and facility for the development and promotion of autogas as transportation fuel in Nigeria.

The conference, with the theme, ‘Autogas as an alternative fuel for transportation in Nigeria’, showed that there was a need for alternative options for transportation fuels such as Liquefied Natural Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas, and Compressed Natural Gas known as autogas, which should become widely used and accepted as an alternative automotive fuel.

The communique stated that Nigeria gas reserves were about 209 trillion cubic feet, adding that gas production was between 8.15 – 8.35 billion standard cubic feet/day, which was more than enough for the nation.

Providing updates on the implementation status of the autogas programme, the NITT said, “There are over 9,000 licensed retail outlets classified fit-for-purpose for co-location of autogas fuel nationwide.

“There are 50 conversion centres currently upgrading for mass conversion and training of technicians in the country. Auto assemblers are already producing fit-for-purpose dual-fuel vehicles in the country.

“The Nigeria Gas Expansion Programme had held extensive multi-sectoral stakeholder engagement and secured impressive programme support and buy-in. The government is supporting the deployment of over one million conversion kits for trucks and smaller vehicles.”

It said the government was supporting the optimal availability of all autogas fuel streams, and that the adoption of autogas technology was good for Nigeria in the short and long term.

The communique stated that the forum recommended that the Federal Ministry of Transportation should collaborate with relevant stakeholders and the private sector for research, development, and deployment of autogas fuel in Nigeria.

It said the Federal Government should provide incentives to motorists, especially in the public transport and road freights sub-sectors for the conversion kits acquisition as a way of cushioning fuel subsidy removal.

Punch

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved a new code of corporate governance which specified that the tenure of a bank’s managing director or chief executive officer (CEO) can only last for a maximum of 12 years.

The CBN made the disclosure in a circular dated July 13, 2023, and signed by Chibuzo Efobi, director, financial policy and regulation department.

In February, the apex bank had ruled that executives can only serve a cumulative tenure of 20 years across the banking sector.

But in the circular, the CBN said the new rules  supercede all previous codes, circulars and related directives on corporate governance issued by the CBN.

According to the financial regulator, the implementation of the new rules will come into effect by August 1, 2023.

The CBN said the new code fixes the tenure of deputy managing directors and executive directors (ED)of a bank at a maximum period of 12 years.

The apex bank directed that when an executive director becomes a deputy managing director, a cumulative tenure of 12 years applies and shall not be extended.

The code also specified that the minimum and maximum number of directors on the boards of commercial, merchant and non-interest banks (CMNIBS) shall be seven and 15, respectively.

However, for a payment service bank (PSB), the minimum and maximum number of directors on the board shall be seven and 13.

The CBN said the board, subject to its approval, is to appoint the MD/CEO, executive directors as well as senior management staff.

“Where a DMD/ED becomes an MD/CEO of the same bank, his/her  previous tenure as DMD/ED is not included in computing his/her as MD/CEO,” the circular reads.

“Remuneration of MD/CEO, DMD, and EDs shall be linked to performance and structured to prevent excessive risk taking.

“The board shall approve a succession plan for the MD/CEO, other EDs and senior management staff, which shall be reviewed at least once every two years.”

The new policy added that not more than two members of an extended family shall be on the board of a bank.

“Only one member of an extended family can occupy the position of MD/CEO, chairman or ED at any point in time,” the circular reads.

“Where a merger, acquisition, take-over, or any form of business combination involves the appointment of a director from the board of the legacy institution, the length of service of such director shall include both the periods served pre and post combination.”

The CBN informed banks and financial holding companies to take note of the responsibilities imposed on their boards by the new rules.

The Cable

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has restricted the acquisition of controlling stakes in financial holding companies (FHCs).

The apex bank said any investor looking to acquire up to 5 percent of any FHC would need prior approval from it.

A FHC is a company that controls a group of financial institutions engaged in financial activities such as insurance, banking and securities dealing.

Banks such as UBA Group, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Stanbic IBTC Bank, Access Bank and First Bank have adopted the holding company structure to diversify their portfolio and earnings.

The directive is contained in a circular dated July 13, 2023 and signed by Chibuzo Efobi, director of the financial policy and regulation department.

The circular titled ‘Corporate Governance Guidelines’ was addressed to all commercial, merchant, non-interest and payment service banks, and financial holding companies.

The CBN said the effective date of the new guidelines is August 1, 2023.

The regulation reads: “Except with the prior written approval of the CBN, no FHC or any of its director, shareholder or agent shall enter into an agreement which results in:

i. a change in the control of the FHC, the transfer of shareholding of five per cent (5%) and above in the FHC; and/or an increase in shareholding to five per cent (5%) or more in the FHC.

Provided that CBN’s prior approval and No Objection shall be sought and obtained, before any acquisition of shares of an FHC by an investor (including through the capital market), that would result in equity holding of five per cent (5%) and above.

“ii. the sale, disposal or transfer of the whole or any part of the business of the FHC;
iii. the acquisition or merger of the FHC;
iv. the reconstruction of the FHC; or
v. the employment of a management agent, management by or transfer of its business to any such agent.”

The CBN said that no one can own a controlling stake in more than one bank, except a prior approval is obtained.

The apex bank added that subsidiaries of an FHC were prohibited from acquiring shares in its FHC and/or other subsidiaries within the group.

The CBN said in cases where it has an objection to any of the acquisition, the notice of the objection would be communicated to the FHC, and the company is expected to notify such investor(s) within 48 hours.

The Cable

Many Nigerians are currently unable to carry out transactions using their Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) applications.

This is as a result of a major outage.

An aggrieved customer said he started experiencing the problem after GTBank launched a new app for its customers on Wednesday.

He said the problem reached its peak on Saturday after attempts to use the app and 737 code failed.

“I went to a branch nearby to use the ATM for transfer, but still it did not work,” said the customer who simply identified himself as Omezia.

After launching the new app, the bank had told customers that it would discontinue support for the old version of GTWorld by August 12.

Many customers had downloaded the new app but have been unable to make use of it.

Several GTBank customers took to Twitter to express grievances over the inability to use banking services.

Below are some of such comments:

Tweeting via, @gimbakakanda, one Gimba Kakanda, said: “Innalillah. I was here laughing at those who had rushed to update their @gtbank app, only to find out that mine had updated automatically. It’s gonna be a long weekend.”

@detolani said: “Now this is just totally messed up! @gtbank @gtbank_help. Locked out of my account because of your “upgraded” app. Worst part of all this outrage from everyone using Gtb is that no one would be held accountable within the system! How can you screw up this badly?!”

@Mayor38: “GTB una no dey try. After updating your app to log in became a problem. Thank God I could revert back to the old one easyly #gtbank DON’T INSTALL THE NEW GT WORLD APP YET”

@_DiorBaby: “UPDATE If you are using Android and you are having issues logging in to your GTbank mobile app due to the new update. You can redownload the old version of the App from the Palm store. The old version is still there.”

@ShegunTweets: “I swear it shall not be well with @gtbank. Nobody asked them for a new app, they now did it and locked out millions of users just because they refuse to send otp code. since July 12th I’ve not been able to do anything for bast’s sake. is this not madness???”

In its response to the complaints, the bank tendered an apology and asked customers to use the internet banking or USSD platform to initiate transactions.

Dear Customer,

AN UPDATE ON GTWORLD

“We are aware that as a result of the recent update we initiated on the GTWorld Mobile Banking App, you have been unable to log in to the App.”

*First, we would like to sincerely apologize that we couldn’t deliver the new GTWorld App to you seamlessly as we had communicated.

“Whist we are working round the clock to resolve the issues with accessing the App, we would like to kindly appeal that you use our Internet Banking for your online banking needs.

“For online banking, kindly go to www.gtbank.com and log in to Online Banking using any of the following: the same User ID and Password you use on GTWorld or Bank Account Number or Mobile Number or Email.
If you do not have a hardware token, please generate e-tokens for completing transactions on Internet Banking by dialing *737*7# or by downloading our e token App via the Play Store or App Store.

“If you have forgotten your password, you can easily reset it on the Online Banking log in page or call GTCONNECT for assistance.

*We are grateful for your understanding and thank you for banking with us.

“We are always here to help you with all your enquiries or complaints. You can reach us via our 24 Hours Contact Center and via WhatsApp on 0904 000 2900”.

Daily Trust