SERAP Sues Tinubu Over Inability To Test Missing $15bn, N200bn Oil Incomes

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SERAP Sues Tinubu Over Inability To Test Missing $15bn, N200bn Oil Incomes

Joined in the suit as Respondent is Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

President Bola Tinubu

 

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over “the failure to probe the grim allegations that over US$15 billion oil revenues, and N200 billion budgeted to repair the refineries in Nigeria are missing and unaccounted for between 2020 and 2021.”

The was spread the word about in a proclamation endorsed by SERAP's Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, on Sunday.

The claims are contained in the 2021 report by the Nigeria Extractive Businesses Straightforwardness Drive (NEITI).

In the suit number FHC/L/CS/2334/2023 documented last Friday at the Government High Court in Lagos, SERAP is looking for: "a request for mandamus to coordinate and constrain President Tinubu to test the charges that US$15bn of oil income, and N200bn planned to fix and keep up with the processing plants in Nigeria are missing and unaccounted for."

SERAP is also seeking: “an order of mandamus to compel President Tinubu to direct appropriate anti-corruption agencies to probe allegations of corruption involving the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPDC) and State Owned Enterprises (SOE).”

SERAP is additionally looking for: "a request for mandamus to urge President Tinubu to utilize any recuperated continues of debasement to upgrade the prosperity of Nigerians."

In the suit, SERAP is contending that: "There is a real open revenue in guaranteeing equity and responsibility for these serious claims. Conceding the reliefs looked for would end the exemption of culprits and guarantee equity for casualties of debasement."

SERAP is likewise contending that, "The claims of defilement archived by NEITI subvert financial improvement of the nation, trap most of Nigerians in destitution and deny them of chances."

As indicated by SERAP, "Except if the President is coordinated and constrained to make quick work of these dooming disclosures, thought culprits would keep on getting a charge out of exemption for their wrongdoings and partake in the products of their violations."

SERAP is contending that, "Numerous long periods of claims of debasement and bungle in the expenditure of oil incomes and exemption of culprits have sabotaged public trust and trust in state run administrations at all levels."

SERAP is likewise contending that, "The discoveries by NEITI recommend a grave infringement of the arrangements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], public anticorruption regulations, and the country's commitments under the UN Show against Debasement."

The suit recorded for SERAP by its Lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Andrew Nwankwo, and Ms Valentina Adegoke, read to a limited extent: "The Tinubu government has a protected obligation to guarantee straightforwardness and responsibility in the expenditure of the nation's oil riches."

"SERAP is looking for a request for mandamus to coordinate and urge President Tinubu to set up systems for responsibility and straightforwardness in the oil area."

"Section 13 of the Nigerian Constitution forces clear liability on the public authority to adjust to, notice and apply the arrangements of Chapter 2 of the constitution. Section  15(5) forces the obligation on the public authority to 'cancel every single degenerate practice and maltreatment of force' in the country."

"Under Section 16(1) of the Constitution, the public authority has an obligation to 'get the greatest government assistance, opportunity and bliss of each and every resident based on civil rights and fairness of status and opportunity.'"

"Section 16(2) further gives that, 'the material assets of the country are saddled and dispersed as best as conceivable to serve the benefit of everyone.'"

"Likewise, articles 5 and 9 of the UN Show against Defilement additionally force legitimate commitments on the public authority to guarantee appropriate administration of public issues and public assets, and to advance straightforward organization of public issues."

"The UN Show against Defilement and the African Association Show on Forestalling and Fighting Debasement commit the public authority to successfully forestall and examine the pillaging of the nation's riches and regular assets and view public authorities and non-state entertainers to be responsible for any infringement."

"In particular, article 26 of the UN show requires the public authority to guarantee 'viable, proportionate and dissuasive approvals' including criminal and non-criminal authorizations, in instances of fantastic defilement."

"Article 26 supplements the more broad necessity of article 30, passage 1, that approvals should consider the gravity of the debasement claims."

"Nigeria is likewise a taking part condition of the Extractive Businesses Straightforwardness Drive (EITI), which plans to cultivate more prominent legislative responsibility for the utilization of regular asset abundance through the making of a bunch of global standards on income straightforwardness."

"EITI likewise intends to handle debasement, destitution and struggle related with regular asset abundance. Nigeria has the commitments to execute the EITI Standard, which sets out the straightforwardness standards with which taking part States including Nigeria should go along."

"According to the 2021 report by NEITI, government organizations including the Nigerian Oil Improvement Organization (NNPC) and the Nigerian Upstream Oil Administrative Commission (NPDC) neglected to transmit $13.591 million and $8.251 billion to the public depository."

"The NNPC and NPDC neglected to transmit more than 70% of these public assets. NEITI needs both the NNPC and NPDC to be explored, and for the missing public assets to be completely recuperated."

"The report additionally shows that in 2021, the State Possessed Endeavors (SOE) and its auxiliaries (the NNPC Gathering) allegedly burned through US$6.931billion for the benefit of the Federal Government yet without allocation by the Public Get together. The cash might miss."

"The NNPC likewise supposedly got a credit of $3 billion of every 2012 purportedly to settle sponsorship installments because of oil based commodity advertisers however there is no exposure of the subtleties of the advance, endowment and the recipients of the installments."

"The report likewise shows that N9.73 billion was paid to the NNPC as pipeline transportation income acquired from Joint Endeavor tasks yet the cash was neither dispatched to the Alliance nor appropriately represented. The NPDC in 2021 likewise neglected to dispatch $7.61 million acknowledged from the offer of unrefined petroleum."

"The report records that about N200 billion was spent on 'processing plants restoration' somewhere in the range of 2020 and 2021 however 'none of the treatment facilities was functional in 2021 in spite of the spending.' NEITI maintains that the spending should be examined, as the cash might miss."

Participated in the suit as Respondent is Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Principal legal officer of the Alliance and Pastor of Equity.

No date has been fixed for the becoming aware of the suit.

Customs Captures Arms And Ammo, Other Restricted Things At Onne Port

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Customs Captures Arms And Ammo, Other Restricted Things At Onne Port

The weapons, according to the command, were found at the Onne Port inside a vehicle delivered into the country from the US of America.

Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area 2, Baba Imam, conducting pressmen around the seized containers.

 

Operatives of The Nigeria Customs Service, Port Harcourt 2 Area Command, has intercepted and handed over some arms and ammunition to the Nigerian Police.

mand, has blocked and given over an arms and ammo to the Nigerian Police.

The weapons, as per the Order, were found at the Onne Port inside a vehicle delivered into the country from the US of America.

Conducting pressmen around the held onto compartments, the Region controllerr, Baba Imam, said the weapons were announced as family things and hid inside the vehicle.

"We have informed you about gun and 100 bits of live ammo got a holder coming from US suspected to be a family impacts. Over assessment our constant and serious agents were instrumental to locating and finding this piece of arm and afterward the ammo," Imam said.

As per Imam, others prohibited things held onto by the Traditions incorporate utilized garments, utilized vehicles weed, codeine among others.

"We have in plain view today a complete number of 96 compartments for infringement and contradiction of surviving import regulations. These compartments are right now in an administration stockroom. These seizures incorporate utilized attire, utilized tiles, utilized vehicles, extraordinary transfer of 76.9Kg unique pot with cannabis, tomato glue, hack syrup with codeine and numerous different things," he said.

Talking further, Imam noticed that the Order has proactively produced north of 246 billion naira up until this point this year, 44 billion naira more than at this equivalent period in 2022.

"The obligation pay worth of these nine holders remains at around 1.1 billion naira. Past these cooperative capabilities with government organizations and the seizures, likewise in the space of income age and assortment, this Order has produced a sum of 246.2 billion naira from January to October 2023. This addresses a critical augmentation of 44.1 billion naira," Imam added.

The Controller guaranteed that the Help will keep on safeguarding Nigerians from stash products actually surprisingly well.

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Runway’s new AI video generator: huge leap forward in realism

Runway, the New York-based AI video startup, has a major upgrade to its flagship text-to-video generator Gen-2 today. The improvements to video fidelity and consistency have led many in the AI creative community to call this release a huge leap forward for AI filmmaking.

The Gen-2 model was first released in March 2023, allowing users to type text prompts to generate 4-second video clips. Previous versions required uploading an existing video. In August, Runway extended the maximum length to 18 seconds.

The latest upgrade focuses on enhancing the realism and sharpness of AI-generated videos. According to users, the resolution has increased from 1792×1024 to 2816×1536. This enables the creation of intricate details and smoother motion in the simulated footage.

Runway has also improved its “Director Mode” feature .

This allows controlling camera movements like panning and zooming to mimic cinematic techniques. The simulated camera motions are now more lifelike and can be applied to specific objects or characters within a scene.

Creative professionals have been stunned by the hyper-realistic results. Generative AI user TomLikesRobots the upgrade “game-changing” on social media. Early examples show AI human models with convincing facial expressions, detailed clothing and environments, and natural motions.

While each clip is limited to 18 seconds, artists have already edited together sequences to create narrative music videos and short films.

This has become known as “AI filmmaking” — using AI tools for production.

Runway’s founder, Cristóbal Valenzuela, declared in an enthusiastic social media posts that “Creative software is dead.” He explained that, unlike traditional software, AI generators create content independently rather than just executing human instructions. The user plays a creative director role rather than manually manipulating pixels.

The launch coincides with heated debates in Hollywood about AI-generated content threatening actors’ careers. While not intended for impersonation, Runway’s virtual human models exhibit increasing realism. This release will undoubtedly intensify the discussion around AI’s emerging role in film and media production.

For now, the AI community appears united in praise for this technology milestone. As one user said, this marks a “pivotal moment in generative AI.” Only time will tell how society adapts to these rapidly advancing creative AI systems that are likely to fundamentally change how movies are made.

Fubara praises Tinubu's mediation in River s emergency, apologizes

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Fubara praises Tinubu's mediation in River s emergency, apologizes

Rivers Governors Siminalayi Fubara has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's mediation in the political emergency shaking the State saying it prompted fast goal of the matter.

Fubara, in an explanation he by and by endorsed at the end of the week named Harmony is extremely valuable, depicted Tinubu's job in the debate as protective.

He said: "I wish to thank the Leader of the Government Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his paternal mediation which opened a progression of correspondence channels to work with the opportune goal of the putrefying emergencies. I wish to likewise thank our elderly folks, who are right now mediating regarding this situation".

Fubara, who depicted himself as a man of harmony, said his parts in every one of the occasions were intended to guarantee the soundness and progress of the state.

Portraying the occasions, he said: "I think of it as important to give this press articulation on the advancements of the beyond couple of days in our dear state.

"Late on sunday night, 29th october 2023, I was immersed with reports that the blessed office of the Rivers State House of Assembly has been destroyed by fire. the burst was effectively extinguished by the fire administration, after which security organizations assumed command over the circumstance.

"My visit to the Assembly complex on monday, 30th october 2023 was to survey the degree of harm and embrace medicinal measures to safeguard lives and property inside the Get together intricate. I charged the security organizations to research the episode and report to me completely.

"Not long after, I got reports that the state place of gathering had broken into two groups: one professing to have arraigned and suspended the house chief and three others preliminary to starting a reprimand activity against me, and the other adversary group denouncing the speaker and representative speaker, in this way starting off some type of political emergency.

"Allow me obviously to express that my activities are pointed toward reestablishing harmony and dependability in our state. I'm a man of harmony and as Governors, the headway of our state is my essential concern. Therefore, no penance is a lot for me to make to accomplish this goal".

The Governors said it stayed the aggregate liability of the Ministi of Government Capital Region (FCT), Boss Nyesom Wike and himself to use their situations to propel the advancement of the State.

He said: "Moreover, it is the aggregate liability of the quick past Governors and Minister of the Government Capital Domain, His Excellency, Boss Lawyer, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, GSSRS, Life Bencher and my modest self, to use on our positions and impacts inside and outside the state to propel the advancement, security and prosperity of our kin.

"We should accordingly not permit conditions that could hinder all endeavors at accomplishing significance for our kin to win. On my part, I'm continuously willing and prepared to embrace the way to enduring harmony and peacefulness with a guarantee to culminating all endeavors and drives by Mr. President and other good natured Nigerians, including my sibling lead representatives and the older folks."

Fubara apologized to Waterways individuals over the pressure that grasped the state portraying it as lamentable.

He said: "I guarantee the great individuals and young people of Streams Express, that harmony will absolutely win and we will keep on cooperating to propel the harmony, security, progress and advancement of our state.

"As Governors, I earnestly apologize to the great individuals of Rivers State for the deplorable tensions of the most recent couple of days, while saying thanks to you for your interests, and proceeded with help, love, and prayers".

Birth Enlistment: Just 54.6% Of Under-Five Children Enrolled In Kano - UNICEF

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Birth Enlistment: Just 54.6% Of Under-Five Children Enrolled In Kano - UNICEF

 

UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund, (UNICEF) says, only 54.6% of under-five children’s births are registered in Kano, compared to the 57.3% at the national level.

The Head Of The Unicef Field Office in Kano, Rahma Rihood Mohammed Farah, expressed this at a media exchange on birth enrollment in Kano.

Farah added that the Multi-group Study (MICS) 2021, shows that under-five birth enrollment is pretty much as low as 23.6 percent in Jigawa State and 67 percent in Katsina.

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Non-Academic Staff Union Advocates Better Industrial Harmony

 

The Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions have called for better understanding between Unions and Government for Uninterrupted Sessions in schools.

Some critical players of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Sciences said this in Jos the Plateau State Capital.

The recently introduced individuals from non-academics staff in the Federal school of laboratory sciences guaranteed on help to accomplish the points of the foundation however pursued for understanding from vital participants.

It is trusted that the cooperative energy between the different gatherings in the wellbeing area will be supported so academy and research exercises won't be impacted.

Founder Of World Crypto Currency Has Been Found Guilty Of Money Laundering

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Founder Of World Crypto Currency Has Been Found Guilty Of Money Laundering 

Sam Bankman

The founder of one of the world biggest crypto currency firms, Sam Bankman-Fried, has been found guilty of fraud and money laundering.

The thirty -one year old former billionaire who had been declared bankrupt will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison, even as he awaits sentencing in March next year.

The verdict follows five hours of jury deliberations in his month-long trial in a New York court

Source: BBC