• Buhari sacks NDDC administrator
• We’ll continue to demand state police – Sanwo-Olu
• US pledges $1 million support for flood victims in Nigeria
• Nigeria to launch Africa’s first payment card January
• FG says no decision yet to ban Okada in Nigeria

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

Buhari sacks NDDC administrator

Effiong Akwa has been removed as the Niger Delta Development Commission’s sole administrator by President Muhammadu Buhari (NDDC).

According to a statement made on Thursday by Patricia Deworitshe, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Akwa’s dismissal, which Mr. Buhari had accepted, will be effective as of October 20.

The NDDC’s operations are under the ministry’s supervision.

The statement said that Mr. Akwa was removed because the forensic audit into the commission’s activities had been completed and that he had been designated interim administrator during that time.

In accordance with Section 5(2) of the NDDC Act, 2000, President Buhari has also approved the creation of a new Management Team and Governing Board for the NDDC.

The announcement stated that the National Assembly would be notified of the candidates for the new management team and Governing Board and will be tasked with approving them.

We’ll continue to demand state police – Sanwo-Olu

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said his administration would continue in its advocacy for state police as it will help governors to protect the life and property of their citizens which they have sworn to.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Thursday, according to a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, during a courtesy visit by the Commissioners of Police Service Commission led by the Acting Chairman, Justice Clara Ogunbiyi (retd.) at the Lagos House in Marina.

He said, “We reiterate and seek your cooperation on our collective agitation for state police.

“This is my view and the view of a lot of my colleagues and citizens that given the age of our democracy, policing at the community level is not only desirable, but it is also important and it is what should be done and what we require.

“We will continue to advocate for state police. We have said that the state police is not in any form to retrench or reduce whatever the Nigeria Police is doing now.

“We have a huge task to continue to provide adequate first-class security for our entire local and foreign citizens that are here in large numbers.”

In her response, Ogunbiyi commended Sanwo-Olu’s administration for the level of security in Lagos State.

She said, “The Police are doing a good job in Lagos and they could also replicate in all other states and parts of the country. This is basically why we are here, to appreciate the governor and that he should continue with the good work.”

US pledges $1 million support for flood victims in Nigeria

According to a statement from the US, $1 million in emergency humanitarian aid will be given to Nigerians in need due to recent flooding in the nation.

Over 500 deaths have been reported by Nigerian officials as a result of floods that have hit roughly half of the 36 states in the nation. The floods have also forced millions of people from their homes.

As the cholera outbreak continues, the US support money will enable regional partners on the ground to offer emergency shelter assistance, relief supplies, and hygiene kits.

People affected by the disastrous floods will also get multipurpose monetary support from the fund through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

According to the US Mission in Nigeria, the floods have exacerbated an already critical humanitarian situation in Nigeria, where ongoing conflict, especially in the northern region, has driven millions of people from their homes.

“In the same region, more than 4 million people are projected to continue experiencing acute food insecurity amid the worsening global food crisis,” it said in a statement.

It added that the mission is also concerned that standing floodwaters could increase the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, where cholera outbreaks were declared in August and September and at least 7,750 cases were recorded.

“We are filled with grief for the flood victims who have lost so much – livelihoods, homes, and even loved ones,” said US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard.

“The United States continues to stand with the people of Nigeria during this extremely difficult time,” she added.

As heavy rainfall and flooding are predicted to continue through November, in part because of climate change and inadequate drainage infrastructure, the mission stated that USAID disaster experts will continue to monitor the situation in close coordination with humanitarian partners and the government of Nigeria to assess needs and decide whether additional assistance is necessary.

More than $356 million in humanitarian aid was given by USAID in 2022 to Nigerians who were most impacted by conflict and food hardship. USAID is giving this help on top of its annual development budget of $539 million for Nigeria, which supports democratic government, education, health, and economic growth.

Nigeria to launch Africa’s first payment card January

The first payment card in Africa, resembling those from Mastercard and Visa, will soon be available thanks to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

On January 16, 2023, the domestic card scheme (DCS) payment card will be introduced to the financial industry.

The CBN stated in a statement yesterday that Nigeria is “in a favorable position to successfully launch a domestic card program given the tremendous transformation in its payments infrastructure over the past decade.”

The apex bank claims that this transition has been sparked by “rapid digital and technological innovation, increased mobile penetration, and the proactive policy measures of the CBN which have stimulated unprecedented uptake of digital financial services.”

The bank outlined the advantages of the DCS, including how it will lower the cost and use of foreign exchange, safeguard data sovereignty, enable locally relevant offers, and improve access to and affordability of cards and payments.

FG says no decision yet to ban Okada in Nigeria

Yesterday, the Federal Government announced that it had not yet made a decision about the country’s ban on commercial motorcycles, also known as “okadas.”

Ademola Adegoroye, the minister of state for transportation, clarified this in Abuja while speaking at the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners, Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria’s Strategic Stakeholders Summit (ACOMORAN).

The explanation came in response to rumors that the government intended to outlaw the means of transportation and mining operations in order to stop the flow of weapons to terrorists.

Abubakar Malami, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, stated in July, “A restriction on motorcycle use and mining operations will reduce the supply of logistics to terrorists. The interests of the country will be served by this.”

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), according to Adegoroye, has not made a decision regarding the proposed ban.

“I’ve been a member of the FEC since July, the highest decision-making body in this nation,“ he declared. 

“My employment began in June. On July 6 of this year, I joined and went to my first FEC. Let me reassure you and ACOMORAN that Okada has not been banned.”

Prior to now, Prince Samsudeen Apelogun, the president of ACOMORAN, identified unemployment as one of the main causes of the usage of motorbikes and tricycles in the transportation system.

According to him, many of the riders are recent grads who started the business to make ends meet and better their financial situations in light of the weakening economy.

He added: “It is an open discussion that our operations in a few states in Nigeria are being restricted, and riders’ motorcycles are confiscated and destroyed.

“This has affected many innocent riders who took loans to buy their bikes.

“These include young graduates who had tried unsuccessfully to find gainful employment.

“We have and will continue to appeal to the government to consider the interest of the generality of Nigerians, especially those at the lowest part of the economic ladder when formulating and implementing policies.”