President Muhammmadu Buhari Tuesday held a closed door meeting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), AbdulRasheed Bawa, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha and his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State as well as the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) Governor Atiku Bagudu Abubakar of Kebbi State at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting held amid scarcity of naira notes which had elicited protests in various parts of the country.

Last Friday, the President had implored citizens to give him a seven-day window which lapsed on February 10 to resolve the currency crunch that had emanated from the implementation of the Central Bank policy to change high value Naira notes with newly designed ones after a meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.

Buhari had equally assured that he would be meeting with both the CBN and the Security and Minting Company and a decision would be taken based on current realities in the best interest of the people.

The governors of the ruling party had asked that the President directed an adequate injection of the new notes and the continued utilisation of the old ones until the end of the year to cushion the negative effects which the policy decision to redesign the currency had on their constituencies.

Meanwhile, the governments of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states have sued the federal government and the CBN before the Supreme Court over the currency redesigning and “de-monetisation” policy.

They are asking the court to make a declaration that the three-month notice given by the federal government and the CBN under the directive of the president, the expiration of which will render the old bank notes inadmissible as legal tender, is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, which specifies that reasonable notice must be given before such a policy and that the limit cannot be outside that provided under Section 22(1) of the CBN Act 2007.

However, an FCT High Court had on Monday restrained the CBN, President Buhari and 27 commercial banks from extending or sabotaging the currency redesigning and cash withdrawal limit policy in the country.

The political parties that went to court included Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and National Rescue Movement (NRM).

But Barrister Sam Kargbo (SAN) faulted the decision of the high court to listen to a matter already before the Supreme Court.

Daily Trust reports that after the initial January 31 deadline, the CBN, after reportedly seeking the approval of President Buhari had extended the deadline for the currency swap to February 10.

But it appears the extension has not changed anything for the better as millions of Nigerians could not access the new N1000, N500 and N200 notes while even the lower denominations of N100 and N50 that have not been altered are not available.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it will not  do anything inimical to the success of the 2023 general elections.

CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, gave the assurance when he hosted the INEC management led by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the commission.

Yakubu who spoke earlier told the CBN governor of the impact the naira redesign policy to the successful conduct of the elections.

The INEC boss, therefore, requested concessions regarding the naira redesign policy with specific reference to the limitations placed on cash withdrawals and the need to make some cash available for some peculiarities that cannot be met with electronics transfer of monies.

According to him, some of the service providers, especially transporters are required to be paid in cash and that aside from that, experience has shown that emergency situations do arise on election day which could demand the use of cash by the commission.

“I am encouraged by the continued willingness of the apex bank to support the commission’s determination to deliver credible elections on February 25 and March 11, 2023. Particularly, the facilitation of activities necessary for the success of the election, in an area where the CBN has exclusive responsibility.

“Nigerian election is a huge and complex undertaking that requires the engagement of critical services and in line with the provisions of the extant laws and regulations, service providers are generally paid by means of electronic transfer to the accounts.

“However, there are equally critical areas, such as transportation and human support services that have to be immediately remunerated, either partially or in full before services are rendered.

“In addition, emergency situations may arise requiring immediate cash payments. Some of the critical service providers are unbanked. Over the years we have worked with the CBN and commercial banks to pay for such services seamlessly during general elections, as well as off-cycle and bye elections.

“Over the years, the commission has also migrated all its accounts at national and state level to the CBN. And this arrangement has worked without encumbrances to our activities. In view of the recent policy, involving in the redesign of some denominations of our national currency and the limits placed on cash withdrawals and availability. We consider this meeting important in addressing some of the areas of concern with just 17 days to the 2023 general election.

“We are confident that arising from this meeting, we can assuage the anxiety expressed by some of our service providers who are determined to make the 2023 general election one of the best organised elections in Nigeria, but we cannot do it alone. That is why the commission is mobilising every critical national institution for the success of the election. This meeting is part of this effort,” Yakubu said.

Responding, Emefiele said he would ensure the CBN is not seen as an agent use to thwart the forthcoming general election,

“The relationship between the CBN dates back to even before I became the governor and that relationship, I will say borders purely on trust and confidence.
“We also appreciate and truly do appreciate the fact the INEC supported by the Nigerian populace have the trust and confidence in the ability of the central bank in playing the roles that we have played for you so far to ensure that our elections hold without any hitches.

“We are happy that in the course of this relationship, we have not disappointed you and that is the reason you have called me again this time. Now, just aside from the issue of storage of election materials together with transportation of election materials from CBN locations to your own specific or designated locations.

“I will make sure that I do not allow ourselves as central bank to be seen as an agent that frustrated positive outcome of the elections,” Emefiele said.

The spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dino Melaye, has said the fear of losing their expected benefits in the “unlikely” event of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, winning the election, is the sole reason governors Nasir El-Rufai, Yahaya Bello and Bello Matawalle took the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to court over the naira redesign policy.

The governors of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states sued the Federal Government earlier in the week, praying the court to stop further implementation of the naira redesign policy over what they called the hardship imposed on their people who find it difficult to swap their old naira notes for new ones, particularly those living in the rural areas.

In an ex parte motion filed through their lawyer, AbdulHakeem Mustapha, the three governors, all members of the APC, prayed the court to grant them an interim injunction stopping the Federal Government either by itself or acting through the Central Bank of Nigeria, Money Deposit Banks or their agents from implementing the February 10 deadline of swapping the old 200, 500 and 1000 currency notes for new ones.

“Unless this Honourable Court intervenes, the Government and people of Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara States will continue to go through a lot of hardship and would ultimately suffer great loss as a result of the insufficient and unreasonable time within which the Federal Government is embarking on the ongoing currency redesign policy,” Mustapha said.

In a statement signed by Melaye on Tuesday, however, the former federal lawmaker said, “Those who have positioned themselves to benefit from the unlikely and inconceivable Tinubu presidency are feeling so threatened, hopeless and rudderless that they have even now taken their own President to court over his refusal to endorse their evil agenda of using public funds to buy votes. As it happened in the Egypt of old, their money has failed in their hands.”

The statement added, “Frightened by the unmistakable and unstoppable prospects of the loss of the presidential election, the APC has, in panic mode, resorted to outright falsehood against Atiku Abubakar, the imaginary APC cabal in the Villa, the Governor of Central Bank, the Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and even the leader of their party, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

“The current narrative being peddled is anchored on a conspiracy theory involving the aforementioned in an agenda that reflects ethnic pursuit. Having boasted that the APC has money to buy votes and having failed to mask behind a pretentious preference of power shift to the South, the new song is now against the indomitable Atiku as the favourite of the powers in Aso Rock, the Governor of the Central Bank and the Managing Director of NNPC. And I ask if the humiliated Nigerian masses and the key figures of the APC administration are against APC in an election year, how can it think of victory in the Presidential election?

“Going by the propagated lies of the power hawks in APC led by Nasir El-Rufai, all things have ever been done to favour Atiku. By their postulation, the APC cabal in Aso Rock has done everything to favour Atiku, including the trillions of naira debt overhang, the spiralling inflation, insecurity, fuel scarcity, job losses, brain drain and unemployment.”

Melaye further said Nigerians had given the APC “a long rope” and could now discern the leaders that could serve them, adding that “the greatest campaigner against the APC today is the APC.”

He further noted that unlike, Tinubu, “Atiku is advancing rapidly to breast the tape. Like a striker on the soccer field, his opponents and defenders are doing everything to launch a sliding tackle. At this stage of the game, Atiku is already in the penalty box. The more the tackles, the greater his prospect of scoring. And with the panic defense being launched by the APC, it is obvious that they have, by their own confusion, scored an own goal. Head or tail, Atiku is the winner, as we now have the hosting fans booing their own home team and applauding the opponent.”

… says Campaign For Tinubu Height Of Insensitivity

… says rally while Katsina people mourn is mockery

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Tuesday, lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari over his persistent failure to secure lives and property in the country for nearly eight years of his administration.

HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress in Katsina on Monday despite the killing of over 100 vigilantes in Gidan Gamji village, Danmaidaki ward of Kankara Local Government Area of the state is the height of insensitivity by the ruling party.

The group said if the APC is sympathetic to the plight of the people, the party should have suspended its campaign in Katsina with the unprecedented killing of over 100 vigilantes by bandits in the North-West geopolitical zone, saying campaign while the people of the state mourned is a mockery of the sensibility of the people and the entire indigenes in Nigeria.

The group also scolded the President over the redesign of three naira notes and the new deadline of February 10, saying the scarcity of naira notes has led to the death of at least one customer who slumped and died after hours of waiting in Agbor, Delta State.

The group said millions of Nigerians have been stranded in the last few weeks, with Point of Sale operators charging as high as N2,000 when people come to withdraw just N10,000. This is scandalous and exorbitant and totally avoidable if the CBN and its governor, Godwin Emefiele have done the needful to release the needed new notes to the populace.

President Muhammadu Buhari has just scored another infamous own goal and has earned a treacherous medal as the Head of State under whose watch Nigerians were killed or died whilst struggling to pull out their savings in the Nigerian deposit banks following the ill-advised, ill-timed decision by the Governor of the Nigerian Central Bank Mr.Godwin Emefiele to redesign the Naira notes and phase out three of the most important and popular Naira notes of N1,000 Bill, N500 Bill and N200 Bill.

Onwubiko said the January 31 deadline for the invalidation of old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes is not workable and feasible under any condition, pointing out that even in the developed parts of the world like the United Kingdom which changed the image on four polymer banknotes (£5, £10, £20 and £50) upon the demise of Queen Elizabeth II last year and replaced her with that of the new monarch, King Charles III.

The group also sought a one-year extension deadline by the CBN for all Nigerians, especially those in remote and unbanked areas to exchange their old notes for new ones, citing the example of the United Kingdom which unveiled its new notes on December 20, 2022, but gave the deadline of 2024 for banks to still swap old pound sterling for the new ones.

He said, “We have read the condemnation of the President on the Katsina attack by bandits where over 100 vigilantes were killed in cold blood. Yet again, the incapacitated President who can’t protect Nigerians is busy wailing. He would go ahead to attend a presidential rally in the state just while the people are mourning. If that is not a mockery, then it is what?

“It remains a wonder why the National Assembly is so dysfunctional that it is heavily bribed by the executive arm to overlook the failures of President Muhammad Buhari to protect lives and property and then stop him from using soldiers and police to kill protesters.

“We call on the international community to take diplomatic steps to sanction President Buhari over these actions.”

• Three APC governors sue FG over naira scarcity
• Obaseki backs cashless policy
• Protesters accuse banks of hoarding, selling naira notes to politicians for vote buying
• 14 political parties threaten to boycott elections if naira redesign, cash withdrawal policies are cancelled
• NACCIMA: CBN should have introduced N5,000 note not redesign naira

With three days left to the expiration of the February 10 deadline, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT), High Court, has compelled the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and 27 commercial banks to go ahead with the full implementation of the naira redesign policy, restraining President Muhammadu Buhari from further extending the deadline.

In a motion by four political parties, namely Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and National Rescue Movement (NRM), the court, presided over by Justice Eleojo Enenche, also granted an order directing the CEOs of the 27 commercial banks and their alter egos to show cause why they should not be arrested and prosecuted for the economic and financial sabotage of the country by their illegal hoarding, withholding, not paying or disbursing the new N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes despite supply of such notes by CBN.

Delivering a ruling, yesterday, in a suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2234/2023, the court restrained CBN from extending the deadline on the use of old naira notes pending the determination of the suit. The order will be for an initial period of seven days until the motion of notice is heard on February 14.

“An order of interim injunction is hereby made restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, staff, agents, officers, interfacing banks or whosoever not to suspend, stop, extend, vary or interfere with the extant termination date of use of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 bank notes, being February 10, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice,” the court held.

The judge also made an order of interim injunction “directing and mandating the defendants whether by themselves, staff, agents, officers, interfacing banks or whosoever described to comply with, implement and give effect to the currency redesign and restructuring of the old N200, N500 and N1,000 bank notes on or before the last day of February 10, pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.”

The court further directed bank heads, chief executive officers, managing directors and/or alter egos “to forthwith show cause as to why they shall not be arrested and prosecuted for the economic and financial sabotage of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by their illegal act of hoarding, withholding, nor paying or disbursing the new N200, N500 and N1000 bank note, being the legal tender of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to their respective customers, despite supplies of such currency note by the second and third defendants, thereby leading to the present scarcity of currency notes in circulation.”

The order of the court has rendered futile all behind-the-scene efforts, especially by governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to force the hand of the President to reverse the naira swap policy or at least further extend its deadline.

EARLIER, yesterday, three APC governors sued the Federal Government over the naira redesign policy. Governors Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Yahaya Bello (Kogi) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) dragged the Federal Government before the Supreme Court.

The states are seeking a declaration that the Demonetisation Policy of the Federation being currently carried out by CBN under the directive of President Buhari is not in compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), CBN Act, 2007 and actual laws on the subject.

They are also asking the court to make a declaration that the three-month notice given by government and CBN, the expiration of which will render the old notes inadmissible as legal tender, is in gross violation of the provisions of Section 20(3) of the CBN Act 2007, which specifies that reasonable notice must be given before such a policy and that the limit cannot be outside that provided under Section 22(1) of the CBN Act 2007.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Kaduna State, Aisha Dikko, in an affidavit, averred that although the naira redesign policy was introduced to encourage the cashless policy of the Federal Government, it is not all transactions that can be conveniently carried out through electronic means.

Dikko also pointed out that the Federal Government has embarked on the policy within a narrow and unworkable time frame, and this has adversely affected citizens within Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara states as well as their governments, especially as the new notes are not available for use by the people, as well as the state governments.

“That the majority of the indigenes of the plaintiffs’ states, who reside in the rural areas have been unable to exchange or deposit their old naira notes as there are no banks in the rural areas where the majority of the population of the states reside,” she said.

No date has been fixed for hearing.

Governors of the ruling party had met with the President last week and pleaded with him to allow old notes and the new ones co-exist. The President told them to give him seven days to look into issues arising from naira redesign.

However, after the meeting, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, warned that the apex bank was not considering shifting the February 10 deadline for the old notes to cease to be legal tender.

BUT Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has backed the Federal Government’s policy, saying moving the nation’s economy to a cashless system should be supported by Nigerians because it is the best for the nation’s banking system.

Obaseki said this in Benin, yesterday, while speaking with journalists after a meeting with CBN officials and senior management of banks in the state on ways of finding solution to naira notes scarcity.

He said: “Edo State government has no problem with the policy to move our economy into a cashless economy. The policy should be encouraged, it is the best for our banking system.

“However, we want to ensure that we do this as painlessly and as seamlessly as possible, improve on communication with our people so that we can reduce their fears because when people go to the banks to collect cash, they want to spend it on something.”

Obaseki said his administration would join hands with CBN and the bankers’ committee in the state to monitor the situation and resolve the problems, adding that the meeting was called due to his concern over the hardship on the people.

On his part, Blaise Ijebor, CBN Director, said he was in Benin to encourage people to use alternative means to make payment for business transactions.

“You can use your ATM card, bank app or USSD code to make payment. So, use alternative means as much as possible but we are going to make sure that there is cash supply within the next day or two,” he said.

He added: “We have asked banks to pay up to N20,000 but because of the crowd, some banks might not be able to pay N20,000 at once. So, if they can pay N5,000 or N10,000, use that to manage for the next day or two. We are going to make supply available.”

Protesters under the aegis of Pro-Nigeria Group, yesterday, stormed parts of Abuja, including the Unity Fountain and the CBN head office in a solidarity walk in support of the policy on naira redesign. The protesters, in their numbers and carrying various placards threw their weight behind the policy, saying it will help to curb the perennial problem of vote buying in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

Addressing journalists, Mr. Isaac Balami, convener of Pro Nigeria Group, said the group backed the CBN policy because it is good for the economy.

“CBN had given 10 days extension but politicians are trying to play politics, to blackmail CBN and possibly blackmail the President to go back on his words. We are here to support the monetary policy. This policy will stop vote buying. Vote buying is a major problem and it has destroyed Nigeria. Enough is enough,” he added.

The PNG accused commercial banks of hoarding the new currency provided by the apex bank and selling them to politicians at a black market rate and called on the CBN to ensure that all the banks flouting its directives are properly sanctioned.

The group appealed to Nigerians to be patient as it expects CBN to urgently address the bottlenecks currently being experienced.

MEANWHILE, 14 of the 18 registered political parties participating in the general elections have threatened to withdraw all participation from the polls if the Federal Government and CBN cancel or suspend the cash withdrawal limit and naira redesign policies.

This position was made known yesterday at a press conference by the Forum of Chairmen of Nigerian Political Parties and Forum of Candidates for the 2023 General Election. The candidates’ forum comprised Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and House of Assembly candidates.

The text of the press conference was read by the spokesperson of the forum, Kenneth Udeze and National Chairman of Action Alliance.

The forum declared: “We, hereby, announce our resolution that at least 14 of the 18 political parties in Nigeria will not be interested in the 2023 general elections and indeed we shall withdraw all our participation from the electoral process if these currency policies are suspended or cancelled or if the deadline is further shifted.”

Defending the policies, the forum stated that the policies will enhance the credibility of the election. “In fact, if these policies are implemented fully and without shifting the deadline of February 10, President Buhari would have taken a very huge step closer to fulfilling his promise to the world that the 2023 general elections would be credible, free and fair.”

THE Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has said CBN should have introduced a N5,000 note rather than embarking on a currency redesign.

Speaking yesterday during an interview, Sola Obadimu, director-general of NACCIMA, said there would have been less pressure on Nigerians if the naira redesign policy was implemented differently.

Obadimu said the creation of a new N5,000 note would have mopped up the money in circulation without creating discomfort. He said the CBN would have also spent less money on printing new notes.

“If I were the CBN governor, all I would have done was to have introduced a N5,000 note. That would have helped to mop up the money in circulation without the kickbacks we are getting. Because it is a higher denomination, fewer amounts of bills would have been printed.’’

On the CBN’s cashless policy, the NACCIMA DG said it was a laudable initiative because “that is where the world is heading”.

He, however, expressed reservations with government’s level of preparedness, particularly in the aspect of internet infrastructure.

“For instance, when a financial transaction declines, you get debited and the bank cannot refund you for up to three weeks even if the transaction is to the same bank,” Obadimu said.

“So, for the urban network to improve and for the rural areas to catch up, the government has to invest heavily in infrastructure so that every part of Nigeria will be digitised.”

TheGuardian

Rescuers in Turkey and Syria braved freezing darkness, aftershocks and collapsing buildings Tuesday, as they dug for survivors buried by a string of earthquakes that killed at least 4,800 people.

Disaster agencies said several thousand buildings were flattened in cities across a vast border region — pouring misery on an area already plagued by war, insurgency, refugee crises and a recent cholera outbreak.

Through the night, survivors used their bare hands to pick over the twisted ruins of multi-storey apartment blocks — trying to save family, friends and anyone else sleeping inside when the first massive 7.8-magnitude quake struck early Monday.

“Where is my mum?” asked a distraught seven-year-old girl who was pulled — her face, hair and pyjamas covered in dust — from a collapsed building in Hatay, on the Turkish side of the border.

The sense of disbelief was widespread, as residents struggled to comprehend the scale of the disaster.

“We thought it was the apocalypse,” said Melisa Salman, a 23-year-old reporter in the southeastern Turkish city of Kahramanmaras.

Some of the heaviest devastations occurred near the quake’s epicentre between Kahramanmaras and Gaziantep, a city of two million where entire blocks now lie in ruins under gathering snow.

As residents tried to clear a mountain of masonry, plasterboard and furniture that had been a multi-story building, another collapsed nearby — sending crowds screaming and clamouring for safety.

With aftershocks continuously rattling the area, many terrified and exhausted survivors spent the night outdoors, too afraid to go home.

Some huddled under bus shelters, some wrapped themselves in plastic to repel the freezing rain and others burned debris to keep warm.

Mustafa Koyuncu packed his wife and their five children into their parked car.

“We can’t go home,” the 55-year-old told AFP. “Everyone is afraid.”

Turkey’s relief agency AFAD put the latest death toll at 3,381 in that country alone — bringing the confirmed tally in both Turkey and Syria to 4,890.

There are fears that the toll will rise inexorably, with World Health Organization officials estimating up to 20,000 may have died.

“There is a family I know under the rubble,” said 20-year-old student Omer El Cuneyd in the Turkish city of Sanliurfa.

“Until 11:00 am or noon, my friend was still answering the phone. But she no longer answers. She is down there.”

Overwhelmed medics struggled to treat the estimated 20,000 injured.

All and any
The US Geological Survey said Monday’s first earthquake struck at 4:17 am (0117 GMT) at a depth of about 18 kilometres (11 miles).

The initial earthquake was so powerful it was felt as far away as Greenland and was followed by a series of aftershocks, including a 7.5-magnitude tremor that struck in the middle of search and rescue work on Monday.

The impact was devastating and sparked a global response, with dozens of nations from Ukraine to New Zealand vowing to send help.

But a winter blizzard has covered major roads into the area in ice and snow and officials said three major airports have been rendered inoperable, complicating deliveries of vital aid.

Much of the quake-hit area of northern Syria has already been decimated by years of war and aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russia forces that destroyed homes, hospitals and clinics.

The conflict is already shaping the emergency response, with Syria’s envoy to the United Nations Bassam Sabbagh seemingly ruling out reopening border crossings that would allow aid to reach areas controlled by rebel groups.

The Syrian health ministry reported damage across the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus, where Russia is leasing a naval facility.

Even before the tragedy, buildings in Aleppo — Syria’s pre-war commercial hub — often collapsed due to the dilapidated infrastructure.

Officials cut off natural gas and power supplies across the region as a precaution, and also closed schools for two weeks.

The UN cultural agency UNESCO expressed fears over heavy damage in two cities on its heritage list — Aleppo in Syria and Diyarbakir in Turkey.

At a jail holding mostly Islamic State group members in northwestern Syria, prisoners mutinied after the quakes, with at least 20 escaping, a source at the facility told AFP.

The United States, the European Union and Russia all immediately sent condolences and offers of help.

President Joe Biden promised his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the United States will send “any and all” aid needed to help recover from a devastating earthquake.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also offered to provide “the necessary assistance” to Turkey, whose combat drones are helping Kyiv fight the Russian invasion.

Chinese state media said on Tuesday that Beijing was sending rescuers, medical teams and other supplies.

Turkey is in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones.

The country’s last 7.8-magnitude tremor was in 1939, when 33,000 died in the eastern Erzincan province.

The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999, when more than 17,000 people died.

*Tasks NLC, TUC to challenge govt.

The Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA), a socialist platform in Nigeria, has condemned the untold hardship Nigerians are going through due to what it described as President Muhammadu Buhari regime’s anti-people policies.

In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Aj. Dagga Tolar, the organization stated that “week after week, the mass of the people has continued to face one hardship or the other, ranging from queuing in the bank to withdraw their own money to queuing at the pump stations to get petrol.

“While this challenge has lasted for months now, the Buhari government did not feel bothered by the high level of hardship it has forced on the poor masses.”

According to Dagga Tolar, “The capitalist policies of this regime have further revealed the crises associated with the system. The country has been put into a state of chaos as a result of scarcity of cash due to the recent unnecessary and anti-poor policy of naira redesign and unavailability or hoarding of petrol which has continued for a period of four months.”

The organization described the response of the presidency to the current crisis as symptomatic of “the I don’t care body language and attitude of President Buhari towards the grave danger that these policies of his government pose to the survival of the general masses”, also expressed worries over the lack of interest of the labour leadership over the situation.

“The silence of the Labour unions has further emboldened the regime to continue to visit untold hardship on the Nigerian working people. We condemn the attitude Ayuba Wabba-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as shown in its comment that the union will not challenge the ongoing fuel crisis and the hike in prices under the guise of being tired of fighting for the price reduction.”

It, therefore, called on trade unions not to abandon their responsibility of defending the working class in the country.

It also urged both NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to place the Buhari regime on notice by commencing the mobilization of the working masses for an effective 48-hour warning general strike, demanding an end to the untold suffering imposed on the country which it said, has been made worse by the scarcity of petrol, which shot up prices of goods and services.