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FG planning to reopen Seme border

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Freight forwarders operating at Seme Border have written to the Federal Government demanding the opening of the border for vehicle importation.

The Director of Road Transport, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Ibrahim Musa, disclosed this at Seme during a meeting between officials of Nigeria and Benin organised by the Economic Community of West African States.

He explained that freight forwarders appealed to the former Minister of State for Transportation during his last visit to the border, asking for the reactivation of the border.

He said a memo prepared and sent to the Federal Government based on the request was approved by the Federal Executive Council.

The director said FEC had promised to leave the approval on reopening the border to the new government to act on.

He said, “I was here with the former Minister of State for Transportation and the freight forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for free movement of goods and services. The minister made us prepare a memo to that effect. It was considered and sent to the government.”

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Also speaking at the event, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Command, Dera Nnadi, said the service had noticed a reduction in its revenue since the importation of vehicles was banned from the land borders.
He said, “The Honorable Minister of Transportation, the immediate past one, responding to some of our requests and from the stakeholders, promised to take them to the Federal Executive Council; one of them is how to fully open this border.

Nnadi also said illegal checkpoints along the border corridors have been dismantled by customs, while the Border Control unit of the Nigerian Police Force has promised to do the same.

He urged the Federal Government to complete the highway from Lagos to Seme Border, saying the completion would grow trade and investment in the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.

The Seme Customs boss maintained that the corridor is important for the growth of trade, investment, cultural diversity, and peace in West Africa and the whole of Africa.

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Comptroller Nnadi who is also a Co-chair of the Joint Border Post said, “Abidjan-Lagos Corridor is an important corridor for trade among West African countries, a melting point where our people share culture and religion. It is a very important place where we maintain relationships and peace with ourselves. It is important to keep the corridor alive. We appreciate ECOWAS for its contribution to the growth of business in the corridor. While appreciating the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the ongoing rehabilitation of the highway, if the road is complete, it will improve trade.”

Metro News

14-year-old Nigerian, Daniel Anjorin killed in London sword attack

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The teenage boy killed in the Hainault sword attack in north-east London has been identified as 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin.

 

Police said Anjorin died from stab wounds shortly after being taken to hospital on Tuesday.

 

He was the only casualty in the attack that left four other people, including two police officers, injured.

 

The suspect, 36, was cornered and overpowered with a Taser by officers in Thurlow Gardens.

 

Police were called to reports of a car crashing into a house and people being stabbed in Hainault, north-east London.

 

James Fernando, a witness, told the BBC that he saw the suspect asked one of his neighbours to take his phone and “tell whoever was on the phone his location”.

 

Fernando said the neighbour soon noticed the sword and started running.

 

“As she fled, the woman shouted to another neighbour, a boy on his way to school, who was then struck by the attacker as he turned around,” he said.

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Anjorin attended Bancroft’s, the same school where Grace O’Malley-Kumar, a stabbing victim in Nottingham, was also a student.

 

Holy Family Catholic School where the boy’s mother works, issued a statement naming her Mrs Anjorin and called for prayers for the family.Police said the suspect is in hospital being treated for injuries sustained when the vehicle he was in crashed into the house.The police said the suspect would be taken in for questioning immediately after he has some respite, adding that Anjorin’s family are being supported by specially trained staff.
DANIEL ANJORIN, LONDON SWORD ATTACK

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Strange but true: 86 rooms where tenants paid N250,000 a year found under Lagos bridge

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Tokunbo Wahab, Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, on Wednesday said the government discovered 86 partitioned rooms, sized 10×10 and 12×10, under the Dolphin Estate Bridge, Ikoyi, on Lagos Island.

 

Tenants are said to be paying N250,000 per annum for the makeshift apartment under the bridge.

 

Wahab shared this information via a post on X.com on Wednesday, along with videos.

He added that the enforcement team of Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources had successfully removed all structures, including a container utilised for various illegal activities, from beneath the Dolphin Estate bridge.

Sharing videos, he wrote, “A total number of 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10, and a container used for different illegal activities were discovered under the Dolphin Estate Bridge.

 

“They have all been removed by the enforcement team of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources”

 

A Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kunle Rotimi-Akodu, further confirmed the eviction of squatters from beneath the bridge towards Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi over illegal settlement and environmental violations.

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Rotimi-Akodu mentioned that 23 individuals were arrested during the eviction, which was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps, popularly known as KAI on Tuesday.

 

He wrote, “Squatters dwelling under the bridge leading from inward Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi were evicted today Tuesday, 30th of April, 2024 by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps LAGESC (aka KAI).

 

“These people created their illegal settlement under the bridge, thereby exposing the critical infrastructure to impending destruction. 23 persons have so far been arrested and MoE/KAI will continue to monitor the place. The law will take its course.”

 

He also confirmed that the bridge has hitherto housed 86 rooms, partitioned into 10×10 and 12×10 with squatters paying an average rent of N250,000 per annum.

 

“Continuation of the removal of abode under Dolphin bridge. 11 more persons were arrested. It is important to note that wood materials were used to construct the shelters, some occupants used gas cylinders, and some had stored fuel for their generators, these are recipes for disaster,” he added.

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Biggest mess created in 2023 was devaluation of naira – Dangote 

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Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, says the devaluation of naira created the biggest mess for the company in 2023.

 

Dangote spoke on Tuesday during the annual general meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc.

 

According to Dangote, the company is putting in efforts to ensure it pays dividends this year.

 

He said a lot of companies, especially in food and beverages businesses, were also affected and will be unable to pay dividends.

 

“We are doing whatever it takes to make sure that at the end of the day, we will be paying dividends because if you look at our dividends last year, it was almost 50 percent more so we will try and get out of the mess,” Dangote said.

 

“The biggest mess created was actually the devaluation of the naira from N460 to N1,400.

 

“You can see almost 97 percent of the companies, especially in food and beverages businesses, none of them will pay dividends this year for sure but, we will try and get out of it as soon as possible.

“We want to see that at the end of the day, no matter how small, we will be able to pay some dividends, especially if there is a rebound of the naira.”

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‘WE’LL REAPPLY FOR MERGER OF DANGOTE SUGAR WITH NASCON’

Speaking on the suspension of the planned merger of Dangote Sugar Refinery with Nascon Allied Industries Plc and Dangote Rice Limited, the chairman said it was put on hold because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wanted the rice factory to begin.

 

Dangote said the rice factory in Jigawa is expected to be commissioned soon, adding that Dangote Sugar will reapply for the merger when the time is right.

On April 19, Nascon announced the suspension of its proposed merger with Dangote Sugar.

 

Nascon said the merger was not completed due to the current non-operational status of Dangote Rice.

 

DANGOTE SUGAR TO END SUGAR IMPORTATION IN 2028

Dangote said the company’s sugar master plan will enable the producer to sell only locally produced sugar in the next four years.

 

According to the chairman, the implementation of the backward integration policy will give the company the best future in terms of stability and prevent issues relating to exchange rate losses.

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“The sugar master plan we are now taking is very, very serious,” he said.

 

“But to say the least, the industry as a whole, did not really push as we are supposed to push in terms of the backward integration.

 

“We have done a lot, but we also have our fears because if there is no proper implementation, we do not want to go and sink a lot of your money and we end up losing money because if government is not following or making sure that everybody behaves, then we will not be able to make money. But right now, I think they have called us.

 

“We have sat down and I can assure you on our own, we think the best future of this company is through the backward integration.

 

“Because backward integration will actually give you much more forfeit and stability and it will erase all these exchange rate losses.

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“So, by the grace of God, in the next four years maximum, our company should be producing what we are selling currently, all domestic, 100 percent domestic.”

 

However, Dangote said if any sugar is imported by the company, it will only be to complement what it is producing.

 

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