Inflation rises in Nigeria for 8 straight months

Nigeria's inflation rose for the eight consecutive month as the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Thursday, May 21, 2020 that the consumer price index increased by 12.34% (year-on-year) in April 2020.

The new increase is 0.08% points higher than the 12.26% recorded in March 2020.

This is the highest Nigeria's inflation has risen since 12.48% was recorded in April 2018.

On month-on-month basis, the headline index increased by 1.02% in April 2020, 0.18% higher than the 0.84% recorded the previous month. The NBS report read,

"The urban inflation rate increased by 13.01% (year-on-year) in April 2020 from 12.93% recorded in March 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 11.73% in April 2020 from 11.64% in March 2020.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.06 percent in April 2020, up by 0.18% from 0.88% recorded in March 2020, while the rural index also rose by 0.98% in April 2020, up by 0.18% from the rate recorded in March 2020 (0.80%)."

The CPI measures the average change over time in prices of goods and services consumed by people for day-to-day living.

The current upward rise in inflation started in September 2019 around the time President Muhammadu Buhari closed Nigeria's land borders allegedly because of the activity of smugglers.

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease that has interrupted economic activities is also believed to have played a part in April's rise.

Buhari to sit at home to observe Eid prayers with family

President Muhammadu Buhari will remain in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja to observe Eid prayers to mark the end of the Ramadan fast this weekend.

The president usually flies to his native Daura in Katsina State to celebrate the annual religious event, with prayers observed in large crowds that gather at the mosque.

However, the presidency said in a statement on Friday, May 22, 2020 that Buhari will be conducting his Eid prayers with his family at home. "This is in observance of the lockdown measures in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, put in place 'to save lives and protect people from all dangers'.

"This is also in line with the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III suspending Eid congregational prayers across the country as well as the protocol against mass gathering issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19," the president's spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said in a brief statement.

Graphic: Soldiers who kidnapped, killed FUTO student, arrested

A soldier and other suspects have been arrested over the kidnap and murder of Leo Micah Isiah, a 22-year-old student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, after collecting the N800,000 in his account.

One of the members of the gang, named Godson Chimezie, led SARS officers to the place where the body of Leo was dumped in Anambra State after he was kidnapped in Imo State.

Beside the victim's decaying body was the large stone he said they used in killing before pouring a corrosive chemical on his body. He said they had stopped him when they saw him with his car and they accused him of being a Yahoo boy.

They then led him away with his car and took his money before killing him. The others involved in the killing have now been caught and they said they killed the undergraduate after taking the money in his account so that “our image will not be dented.”

One of the suspects, Ifeanyi Nwaiwu of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, Makurdi, Benue State, said he ordered Isiah’s killing after he received N200,000 as his share of the money collected from the victim.

Godson Chimezie, 28, who is a military deserter and also a member of the gang, said they ran into Isaiah while he was inflating his car tyre. He said:

“We saw him while he was pumping his tyre in Owerri and we sensed that a small boy like him driving that kind of vehicle must be a Yahoo boy.

We quickly accosted him and I took his phone, went through it and discovered that he was an Internet fraudster. We immediately kidnapped him on the pretext of an arrest. We took him to our hideout and the young man agreed to pay N800,000.

We collected the money, but Ifeanyi insisted that we must kill him. According to him, the man would dent his image if he walked away alive.”

Culled from Instablog

I killed my brother because he was father's favourite – 20-yr-old boy

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, have arrested a 20-year-old cattle rustler and alleged kidnapper, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who allegedly masterminded the robbery and killing of his elder brother, Kadade, in Amana MaiKasuwa, Kaduna state.

Abdulahi, who was arrested alongside one Hassan Amadu, was said to have contracted a five-man gang of armed robbers. He, however, ran into trouble, three months after. In his confession, he said;

“My father married four wives and had so many children. I don’t know what was so special about Kadade that my father would prefer him to his other children.

I was never sent to regular school but Arabic school in Kaduna. It was only Kadade who attended primary and secondary school. My father said he wanted all of us to be farmers, yet he kept calling us illiterates that cannot speak English.

How can I speak English when my father did not send me to school? I had to get married to convince him that I was old enough to handle responsibilities. As soon as I got married, my father gave me only 20 cows and two plots of land.

My brother sold some cows and made N1.7million and was making noise about it. My father was also very happy about it and asked him to keep the entire money.

We expected him to share the money. That day I was so broke and asked my father for money. He started insulting me and asked me to learn to be responsible like Kadade.

I was so bitter and I immediately called a member of our gang, Haruna and told him about the money in my house. I asked them to come and also make sure that they kill my brother.

Although I now regret my action but I thought that his death would make my father allow me to control some of his businesses. My father was devastated but I consoled him that it was Allah’s wish.

In the morning, I went to the bush to meet them and they told me that it was only N300,000 that they found with my brother. I collected N100,000 as my share since I was the one who brought the job.”

Trump orders places of worship to be reopened immediately

US President Donald Trump has announced that he has ordered governors to open up places of worship opining that is wrong for some state governors to designate 'liquor stores and abortion clinics' as 'essential services' but keep places of worship like churches, mosques and synagogues closed.

Amid the Coronavirus pandemic hat has killed over 95,000 people in the US, Trump on Friday said he is designating all places of worship – including churches, synagogues and mosques – "essential," saying he wants them to "open right now."

Reacting to the move by state governors of keeping "liquor stores and abortion centres" open during during the lockdown while keeping places of worship shuttered, Trump said in the White House briefing room,

"It's not right. I'm calling houses of worship essential."

"If there's any question, they're going to have to call me, but they're not going to be successful in that call," Trump said of state leaders.

"The governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, for this weekend, If they don't do it, I will override the governors. It's not right. This move is aimed at correcting this injustice. If there's any question, they're going to have to call me, But they are not going to be successful in that call. America, we need more prayer, not less", Mr Trump said before leaving the briefing room.

Trump appeared in the briefing room to read a short statement announcing he has approved guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help state and local leaders safely allow worship facilities to open back up.

Buhari signs executive order implementing financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday May 22, signed an executive order implementing financial autonomy for state legislature and judiciary into law.

The Nigerian leader made the announcement in series of tweets shared on Friday. It read :

"Based on the power vested in me under Section 5 of the 1999 constitution (as Amended), I, today, signed into law Executive Order 10 of 2020 for the implementation of financial autonomy of state legislature and judiciary. This administration will continue to do everything to strengthen the principles and practice of democracy and democratic governance in Nigeria."

Imo State House of Assembly repeals 2007 pension act

Imo state House of assembly on Thursday May 21, repealed the 2007 pension act which effectively stripped ex- governors, their deputies and ex- speakers of their pensions and other entitlements.

Some lawmakers who spoke in support of the executive bill titled “A bill for a law to repeal the Imo State governors and Speakers Pension and privileges law No 5 of 2007 (as amended)”, agreed that it was necessary to do away with pensions of ex-governors and speakers, to make funds available for other developmental projects in the state.

The speaker of the house of assembly Chiji Collins who also shared his view about the bill, said that though they are the first victims of the law, the sacrifice is necessary for the development of the state.

The Sun reported that that the bill was promptly passed into law after the lawmakers debated on it, and now awaits the consent of the governor.

Judge stops Muslim cleric from taking a child bride

Justice Aderemi Adegoroye of an Akure Family court in Ondo state, has stopped a Muslim cleric, Alhaji Yusuf Lateef, from taking a 16-year-old girl as his 9th wife.

According to reports, Lateef had approached the parents of the girl in 2019 when she was 15 to seek her hand in marriage. Despite protests by the teenager, her parents forced her to accept the proposal, and a day was fixed for the wedding. The teenager fled their Ore home on the day fixed for the wedding with support from her brother to Akure, the state capital.

She was said to have gone to the state's Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to report her parents. She was sheltered and legal works began to stop the marriage. Alhaji Lateef and the girl’s parents were arraigned at the Family Court for breaching Part three of the 2007 Ondo State Child Rights Law.

On Friday May 22, judgment was delivered. The court ruled that the girl must be returned to her parents, and Alhaji Lateef be made to sign an undertaking to stay away from her as well as ensure no harm comes near her.

While reacting to the court judgment, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Titilola Adeyemi, said the teenager has been returned to her parents while the Muslim cleric has been warned to stay away from her.

“We are excited the matter has gone that way. That will be a warning to everybody that it is no to child marriage in Ondo State. Child marriage is denying a child her future. We must make sure we work for the child to realise her future.” she said

All natural recipe for sunscreen

We cannot deny the harmful effects of the sun to our skin but the sun has some great benefits too!(Vitamin D is the most popular)

There are many reasons why we need sunscreen among which is to prevent our skin from premature aging. Here is a recipe for your own DIY sunscreen.

1. Peel off the skin of one medium sized cucumber and put into a blender(one you don't use for blending food ingredients like pepper or tomatoes)

2.scoop out the juice or flesh of 5 big aloevera leaves and add to the cucumber in your blender.

3.  Blendtogether very well until properly mixed.

4. Add 300ml of Rosewater gradually while blending and after until you get a smooth and watery consistency to fit into your spray bottle.

5. Add preservative of your choice if you intend to store.

6. Add fragrance of you desire or a little quantity of a minty essential oil like mint oil to give you a cooling effect when you spray.
Note: use little quantity in hot weather.

Unbelievable! Man says vegetables are not entirely healthy. See his reasons

An individual on Facebook has said that vegetables are not as healthy as we think mainly because most vegetables are genetically modified and cannot be digested by the body.

He claimed that he used to be a Vegetarian but his health deteriorated as a result. When asked what food he thought was healthy,he replied "pasture raised meat,free range eggs, fermented low carb veggies"