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Cash squeeze: Kaduna residents turn to Petrol Stations for salvation
Kaduna residents have turned to petrol filling stations for salvation in their desperate search for cash to satisfy their pressing needs.
This development is sequel to scarcity of liquid cash in Automated Teller Machines (ATM) of most banks in the metropolis, just as PoS operators have closed shop for same reason.
NAN checks indicated that people in search of cash troop to petrol stations dispensing fuel, hunting for those that are buying petrol with cash, instead of electronic transfer.
An agreement is then reached with those in need of cash, who would settle the fuel price from their account through electronic transfer, and then receive the cash from the fuel buyer in return.
People interviewed in one of the filling stations said the arrangement came as a relief to a lot of people who had been under severe hardship.
“I got wind of this arrangement today and went to a petrol station dispensing fuel, talked to a commercial bus driver, and he accepted to help me.
“ We agreed that I should pay N7,000, through the station’s PoS, being the cost of his fuel, which I did.
“When it was his turn to be dispensed of the fuel, I presented the N7,000 slip, and collected the cash from him in return; it was a big relief to me as I had no cash on me.
“ The major challenge is that it is not everything that can be purchased through electronic transfer of money; there are some needs that can only be satisfied using liquid cash”, said Adamu Saleh, a resident.
He said commercial vehicle operators had been very useful in that regard, just as he praised them for not capitalising on the situation to requesting for something in return.
Another resident, Mrs Aisha Fika, said she had to accost three different people at a petrol station before she secured liquid cash.
“ I accosted two people who told me they had already been ‘booked’ by others, but a third person obliged,” she said.
Fika said all efforts to secure cash through ATM or PoS proved abortive, until she got wind of the petrol station arrangement.
Another resident,Aminu Lawan, said the challenges with this arrangement, are the uncertainty of network service, and the time spent waiting for the turn of your helper to be dispensed fuel.
“Sometimes, the network can disappoint, or the person to help you is far behind in the petrol queue; except you are patients you may end up getting frustrated”, he said.
Others who spoke to NAN said the arrangement was a big relief, and had helped in reducing the frustration of many, occasioned by the current cash squeeze in the system.
Meanwhile, some hospitals in Kaduna patronised by ordinary people, are experiencing dearth of patients.
Some staff of the hospitals, who were interviewed by NAN, attributed the low turn out to the unavailability of new Naira Notes.
One of the staff at the hospital, who pleaded for anonymity said some patients did not even have cash to settle their transportation fare to the hospital.
A patient, Mrs Munirat Umar, met in one of the hospitals, said in spite of her coming late, was able to see a doctor due to low turnout of patients, saying she met empty seats at the waiting hall.
She said that lack of cash, as well as poor network that hindered seamless electronic transfer of money, had played a measure role in reducing the number of patients in the hospital.
Another patient, Muhammad Adam, who brought his sister to the hospital, said they were able to see a doctor, but could not pay for medications due to lack of new Naira Notes.
“We have old naira notes and they have refused to collect the money insisting we pay with the new currency or use the Point of Sale (PoS),’’ he said.
Reporters also observed that tricycle operators in Kaduna metropolis now display boldly on their tricycle, their account details for customers to settle their fair electronically.
Passengers were also being warned in advance that old N500 and N1,000 Notes were no longer legal tenders, and would therefore, not be accepted.
France has expressed its commitment to strengthen existing relations with Nigeria, especially in tackling illegal migration and human trafficking.
France Ambassador in charge of Migration at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Christophe Leonzi, made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Monday in Abuja.
“We will like to establish more regular dialogue between Nigeria and France, and the two ministries especially in area of illegal migration and how to tackle it headlong.
“Another area that calls for worry is in the area of human trafficking.
“It will be of immense benefit to both countries if we can cooperate more efficiently in different aspects to stem the tide,” the envoy added.
He said, though the two countries have been cooperating in that area, there was need to delve more into the already existing cooperation.
“Nigeria is a strong partner in this regard, no doubt,” Leonzi said, adding that the cooperation should be reinforced in the area of border security and management.
“If the borders are not porous and the necessary cutting-edge technology, aside human presence, are in place, no doubt it will go a long way to tackle the ugly trend to a reasonable level.
“A good border management brings about certain level of security of a country but a porus border usually brings about vulnerability of a country, especially in terms of security of that country,“ the envoy added.
In his remarks, Tunji-Ojo, said Nigeria would continue to strengthen its relations with France, to make it better and stronger.
“The stronger the relationship the better it is for both countries,” the minister said.
He said that development cooperation between the two countries have been extremely helpful to Nigeria over the years.
“In terms of meeting our goals, targets and of course taking us from where we were to where we are now, I believe that more of this programme will take us to where we actually want to be.
“Regular meetings and visits of this nature are very important for both countries, because when you do not share problems, when you do not talk to share problems, solutions will always be a mirage.
“For instance long before now, Nigerians going to Italy was a big problem, but today, I know building on our interactions, is a different ball game altogether and it will be difficult for any irregular immigrant from Nigeria to stay in Italy.
“This is because if we get you and we identify you, our immigration officer stationed solely in Italy for that purpose would ensure that bringing that person back becomes easier.
“I think in UK too, just two weeks ago, our team just came back from there for our biannual meeting that is of mutual benefit to both countries, especially in the area of irregular migration.
“With this development, we are beginning to see change of status in terms of illegal migration between the two countries.
“So, I align myself 100 per cent with your proposal, I think it’s one that will help us to be more proactive than being reactive.“
The minister added that the major problem the country had over the years, was the government being reactive when it comes to the issue of illegal migration, instead of being proactive.
“So, it means the more we invest our energy on being proactive, the better it is for us,“he said.
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, adjourned two separate money laundering suits filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against British national, James Nolan, and two other companies for judgment.
Justice Donatus Okorowo adjourned the suits for judgment after counsel for the EFCC, Bala Sanga, and the defence lawyer, Michael Ajara, adopted their final written addresses and made their submissions in the matters.
In his argument, Ajara prayed the court to dismiss the two suit for lack of jurisdiction.
The.lawyer insisted that the court lacked jurisdiction because the charges were defective.
Besides, he said all the evidence brought forward by the anti-graft agency, through its witnesses, were hearsay.
But Sanga disagreed with Ajara
The EFCC lawyer argued that under Section 220 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the irregularity of a charge does not affect the jurisdiction of the court and neither does it affect the validity of the charge.
He added that Ajara’s objection was belated as this should have been raised during arraignment.
Sanga equally argued that the matter cannot be caught up by hearsay rules because documents obtained by the prosecution’s investigating officers were visible in evidence.
He submitted that knowledge derived from day-to-day work are not hearsay.
The lawyer prayed the court to convict the defendants and order the forfeiture of the companies’ assets to the Federal Government.
After proceedings that lasted till Monday evening, Justice Okorowo adjourned the matters for judgment
The judge said that the judgment date would be communicated to parties in the suits.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court had, on April 14, fixed today for adoption of the final addresses after Nolan, who jumped bail and fled Nigeria in the alleged 9.6 billion dollars Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) Ltd scandal, opened his defence in absentia without calling any witness.
Ajara had told the judge that he did not intend to call any witness upon resumed hearing.
He said after his evaluation of the EFCC’s evidence, he would rely on the case of the prosecution and Sanga did not object, upon which the matter was fixed for adoption of written addresses.
NAN reports that the EFCC is prosecuting Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited and Nolan in the charged marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/272/2022 as 1st and 2nd defendants in the case.
Also, the commission is also prosecuting the sister case marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/273/2022 filed against Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd, another company, and Corrado Fantoli as 1st and 2nd defendants respectively before Okorowo.
Fantoli, also a foreigner and an associate of Nolan, was one of the suspects behind the alleged $9.6 billion P&ID fraud.
The suspect, said to be at large, alongside the company, was arraigned in absentia on Nov. 25, 2022, on eight-count money laundering charge.
He was not present in court or represented by a lawyer when they were arraigned.
The court also declared him wanted and ordered for his arrest anywhere he is sighted after Sanga made application to the effect.
Fantoli and Giovanna Beccarelli, who had also been declared wanted and an arrest warrant issued against her, were said to be directors and signatories to the company’s Guaranty Trust Bank account number: 0123849451.
Resorts Express Concept Nigeria Ltd and Trinity Biotech Nigeria Limited are two of the over 30 companies associated with the $9.6 billion scam.
NAN reports that other cases linked to the scandal are currently before Justice Obiora Egwuatu, Justice Zainab Abubakar of FHC, Abuja, besides other charges at FCT High Courts.
In addition the anti-graft agency was also prosecuting some of the companies and Nolan before Justice Ahmed Mohammed before he was elevated to the Appeal Court.
A Business and Property Court in London presided over by Justice Robin Knowles of the Commercial Courts of England and Wales had, in October, quashed the 11 billion dollars awarded against Nigeria in a case filed by the P&ID.
Judge Knowles held that the award was obtained by fraud and that what had happened in the case was contrary to public policy.
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