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By Adedapo Adesanya
MTN Nigeria said the adoption of 5G technology would accelerate operational efficiencies for businesses in the country.
This was asserted by Mrs Lynda Saint-Nwafor, Chief Enterprise Business Officer, at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) August Breakfast meeting in Lagos on Thursday.
MTN on Wednesday launched its 5G trial service in Lagos and Abuja, with other cities like Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Maiduguri, and Owerri joining soon.
Mrs Saint-Nwafor said 90 per cent of the addressable market for 5G spanned six key industries; manufacturing, government, energy/utilities, healthcare, media/entertainment, and transportation/logistics.
She said for businesses, 5G provided total independence from public networks, high and reserved capacity, enhanced indoor and outdoor coverage and a high level of security and control to access service infrastructure equipment, systems, and services.
She stated that 5G was designed to connect virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices via increased speed, low latency, higher capacity, and innovation.
She noted that the future of business was hinged on the use of artificial intelligence for decision-making, smart offices, and high connectivity via 5G.
“5G is poised to offer innovation that would change our lives.
“It would engender smart manufacturing, smart metering and maintenance, smart cities, better route, and traffic management, enhanced experience and breakthroughs in tele-health.
“Particularly for manufacturing, it would enable automation for production and factory operations, allow remote monitoring and inspection, reduce operational costs, and drive competitiveness,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Osayaba Giwa-Osagie, Chairman, NSACC, described the 5G network as the future of entrepreneurship and technology as the fifth generation of mobile wireless technology and the next technological upgrade from 4G.
Mr Giwa-Osagie said 5G offered speed and other technical details needed to run a successful business with increased capacity.
He stressed the need for businesses to begin to think about the impact it could have on their operations and harness its capabilities to drive efficiencies.
The NSACC Chairman noted that the global dynamics since the COVID-19 pandemic had greatly changed with businesses and persons more dependent on technology with the attendant remote work, increased online meetings, and a surge in e-commerce activities.
He stressed that in the light of the current realities, it was safe to say that technology was redefining the world and this had brought its adoption to the forefront.
“It is, therefore, important for companies to embrace 5G for operational efficiencies as new demand would lead to changes.
“5G is expected to impact businesses from agriculture to entertainment to manufacturing and a host of other sectors.
“It is fast, reliable, and enhances productivity at remote locations among others,” he said.
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Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.
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By Adedapo Adesanya
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a cleaner at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos, Mr Ohiagu Sunday, who allegedly leads a drug syndicate at the international wing of the airport.
This was disclosed by NDLEA spokesman, Mr Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, noting that the suspect was nabbed on Tuesday, August 23 following the arrest of an intending passenger on an Air Peace flight to Dubai, UAE, Mr Obinna Jacob Osita who was arrested with three bags, two of which contained eight blocks of cannabis Sativa weighing 4.25kg concealed in cassava product, garri, and crayfish.
One other member of the airport syndicate who works with Ohiagu has also been arrested while operatives are after another suspect.
Investigations revealed that a Dubai-based drug dealer recruited Obinna, a 42-year-old native of Oyi Local Government Area, Anambra State to traffic the drugs and equally contracted Ohiagu, a 34-year-old airport cleaner from Orlu West Local Government Area of Imo State to create access for the unhindered passage of the trafficker.
The drug syndicate bust, which is the first drug arrest at the new terminal of the MMIA comes on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of bottles of Viju drink and Fearless energy drinks used to conceal skunk for export to Dubai, UAE through the NAHCO export shed on Monday 15th Aug. A freight agent has already been arrested in connection with the seizure.
In the same vein, an attempt by a syndicate to export illicit drugs through the Lagos airport on Wednesday, August 24 was foiled during an outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline to Oman via Addis Ababa.
Another suspect, Mr Jonah Chukwuemeka was arrested with a total of 1,995 Tramadol tablets with a gross weight of 900 grams hidden in locust beans in his luggage. The bag containing the illicit substance was handed over to him at the airport by one Olagunju Abbas who was promptly arrested.
Packs of Tramadol 225mg containing 119,500 capsules were Thursday, August 25 transferred to NDLEA by the Nigeria Customs, cargo wing of MMIA. The consignment had come in through Ethiopian Airlines from Pakistan.
Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Saturday raided a car shop, Bolak Motors at Ewela bus stop, Oshodi where bags of 615.2kg cannabis were recovered along with nine vehicles. Efforts are ongoing to track the car dealer, Alhaji Ismail, who is currently at large.
No fewer than eight suspects were arrested and bags of illicit drugs were seized from them when Akerele area of Agege, Shogunle and Mafoluku areas of Oshodi, Fagba area of Ogba, Ipodo area of Ikeja, and Iyana Ipaja park was raided in the state.
In Yobe state, two suspected fake security agents taking 14kg of cannabis to Maiduguri, Borno state were intercepted along Potiskum- Damaturu road. While Adetula Olarenwaju was arrested with four blocks of the substance on Thursday, August 25 on his way from Lagos, Sadiq Garba returning from Gombe was nabbed with 22 blocks of the substance on Saturday 27th Aug.
Similarly, in Edo, Abu Segun Sunday was arrested with 48.4kg cannabis at Idk quarter, Ibilo, while Rosemary Afekhuai was caught with 1,130 tramadol caps, among others at Oluma quarters, Otuo, Owan East LGA.
In Delta, a Mustapha Isah, was arrested at Oko Market with 9, 800 Tramadol caps weighing 6.4kg while NDLEA operatives in Kaduna also nabbed Mr Chinedu Onnuka, at Narayi Kaduna with 33,000 tablets of Bromazepam.
No fewer than 80 blocks of cannabis Sativa were recovered from an abandoned tricycle with reg. no: BAU 70 WL while 25,000 tablets of exol-5 were seized from a dealer, Usman Muhammed who was nabbed along Bauchi-Gombe road.
A raid operation at a market in Mubi, Adamawa state on Wednesday, August 24 led to the seizure of 62,360 tablets of tramadol, diazepam, and exol-5 while two suspects, Sirajo Idris and Anas Abubakar were arrested the same day with 107 pallets of cannabis at Kamba, a border town in Kebbi State.
The skunk weighing 90kg was smuggled in from Benin Republic.
In Kano, a suspected drug dealer Mr Lawal Adamu, 31, was arrested along Zaria-Kano road, Kwanar Dangora, with 203 blocks of cannabis weighing 136kg, while another suspect, Taheer Abdullahi was nabbed on Friday, August 26 at Gadar Tamburawa, with 3000 ampules of tramadol injection.
A raid operation at Kara Masaka, back of Mararaba market and Zamani estate on Saturday, August 27 led to the arrest of 26 suspects, while 25.7kg cannabis, 4.5kg codeine, and 300 tablets of rohypnol tablets were seized from the drug joints raided.
Meanwhile, in Sokoto state, the village head of Ruga, Shagari LGA, Alhaji Umaru Mohammed (aka Danbala), a notable suspect who was arrested on Monday, August 22 will be facing charges any moment from now. Before his recent arrest during which 436.381kg cannabis and 1kg diazepam were recovered from his house, an earlier raid on his home on July 20th 2022 had also led to the seizure of 11.5kg cannabis, 2.259kg exol5, and 500grams of diazepam.
On his part, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Mr Mohamed Buba Marwa commended the officers and men of the MMIA, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Edo, Delta and Lagos Commands for the arrests and seizures.
He charged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their oars.
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded a copy of the agreement signed between the United States and Nigeria over the return of over $23 million of the money looted by the late dictator, General Sani Abacha.
Last Tuesday, Nigeria and the United States reached an agreement on the return of over $23 million of the Abacha loot.
Five days after, the rights group wrote a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, asking him to “direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to provide our organization with a copy of the agreement the Federal Government recently signed with the United States for the repatriation of $23 million stolen by late General Sani Abacha.”
In the letter dated August 27 and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the group said its demand is based on the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, the 1999 Constitution as well as some international obligations Nigeria is meant to follow.
“By the combined reading of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s international obligations, there are transparency obligations imposed on your government to widely publish the agreement on the $23 million Abacha loot,” the letter read in part.
“The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the country’s anti-corruption and human rights obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their government’s activities.”
SERAP argued that the current administration has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any repatriated stolen funds are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement.
It also asked President Buhari to provide details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the repatriated funds are not mismanaged, diverted, or re-stolen.
“We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.
“Publishing a copy of the agreement signed with the US would also promote transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds. Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognized human right to information.”
“Publishing a copy of the agreement would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of repatriated loot,” SERAP added.
According to the group, the Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee everyone the right to information, including to a copy of the agreement on the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot.
The letter was copied to Mr Abubakar Malami.
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By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it has suspended the revocation of licences of African Independent Television (AIT), Silverbird TV, and broadcast stations that have failed to renew them.
Recall that NBC had last week, announced the withdrawal of the licenses of the stations due to a debt of about N2.66 billion.
In the latest development, Mr Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, the Director-General of the NBC, said on Friday that the withdrawal has been put on hold.
”The National Broadcasting Commission on Friday, August 19th, 2022, issued a shutdown notice to licensee that are indebted to the Commission,” the statement said.
“Following the ultimatum, the Commission received positive responses from the debtor Licensees, including big players in the broadcast industry.
“Sequel to a follow-up meeting held with Executives of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), and other critical Stakeholders in the industry, the Commission has decided to temporarily suspend the shutdown of the indebted Broadcast stations all over the Country.
“We express our profound appreciation to the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, the affected licensees and Broadcast Stakeholders for their responses and interventions. We, specifically, thank DAAR Communications Ltd and Silverbird TV/Rhythm FM for their responses.
“The Commission is not unaware of the difficulties this shutdown must have caused the operators and other stakeholders, but must state that the Commission will always operate within the National Broadcasting Commission Act, Cap. N11, Laws of the Federation, 2004.”
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