The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control destroyed substandard products, including falsified drugs, medical devices, and other unwholesome regulated products worth ₦43 billion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday.

The exercise took place at a dumpsite in Moniya, Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Christiana Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Shabba Mohammed, stated that the counterfeit products had been voluntarily handed over to the agency by compliant companies, non-governmental organisations, and trade unions.

Providing a breakdown of the seized products, Adeyeye noted that several raids were carried out at various locations, leading to the confiscation of both unregistered and registered pharmaceutical items.

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She stated, “The confiscated products include aphrodisiacs, sex enhancement drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and prescription-only medications.

“More than 30 types of products were seized in total. These included banned Codeine substances, narcotic drugs, antimalarials, aphrodisiacs, analgesics, and antibiotics worth over ₦48 million, all confiscated from drug hawkers.

“NAFDAC also gathered intelligence on the illegal warehousing, sale, and distribution of Schedule One narcotics by certain pharmaceutical vendors in Lagos and other locations across the country.

“The Investigation and Enforcement Directorate raided several pharmaceutical warehouses and premises nationwide, seizing products worth over ₦700 million.”

She further explained that additional items for destruction were mopped up from circulation during raids by the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.

“These included illicit and unregistered pharmaceutical products such as Codeine syrup, expired Tramadol, aphrodisiacs, antimalarials, and other drugs.

“Other confiscated items included contraband soaps, tomato paste, unregistered and counterfeit drinks, food products, perfumes, and body sprays.”

Adeyeye called on the public to support NAFDAC in its fight against counterfeit drugs, fake products, and unwholesome processed food by reporting unscrupulous manufacturers and businessmen engaging in illegal practices to the nearest NAFDAC office for prompt investigation.

The exercise was witnessed by security agencies, the Oyo State Government, and other stakeholders.

The Edo State Government on Tuesday, raised the alarm over the arrest of the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, urging the security agencies to halt the arrest.

The state Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, stated this in a statement on Tuesday.

Nehikhare said the arrest was the handiwork of the All Progressives Congress.

Nehikhare claimed that over 10 PDP leaders, including the Chairman of Esan West Local Government Area, Collins Aigbogun, were being kept in dungeons on the orders of the APC.

He called on security agencies to halt the arrest of the PDP leaders and supporters in the state ahead of the September 21, 2024, governorship election in the state.

He noted that no amount of intimidation would make the APC win the governorship election.

He said, “Let the APC explain to us where our members and leaders are. Why have they not been charged in court since their arrest? Instead, the APC has been boasting of their plans to attack, intimidate, and harass PDP members and supporters.” Nehikhare demanded.

However, the Media Director, Edo APC Campaign Council, Kazeem Afegbua, exonerated the PDP, noting that the state governor, Godwin Obaseki had earlier revealed his party’s readiness to burn down Nigeria.

Afegbua said, “As usual and based on our earlier promise to avail the public of the nefarious preparations of the Governor Obaseki-led PDP’s readiness to “burn” Nigeria, here is the latest plan by the Edo State Governor following a meeting held yesterday, Sunday, 8 September 2024 at the Government House.

“Take note that those who were complicit in the killing of Inspector Akor Onu were also in attendance and yet to surrender themselves to the Nigeria Police. We understand that one Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sanni Fodio, who is the Head of the State Criminal Investigation Department, is the one shielding these persons, boasting that nobody would touch them.

“ACP Sanni Fodio is working in cahoot with the CSO to Governor Obaseki to orchestrate some of these frustrations. For example, seven of our members and three of PDP members were arrested by Commander 4th Brigade, last week at Inikorogha and handed over to the Police.”

He added, “Before you say Jack Robbinson, those PDP members were freed immediately by the ACP in charge of State CID while APC members were left till Sunday before our legal team intervened.

“The latest plan by Governor Obaseki is to shut down Edo State starting from 15th September, through mass protest, and that other PDP-controlled states would join the protest, with a view to inviting the military to take over the reins of power at the Federal level.

He also informed the meeting that other PDP-controlled states would postpone the resumption dates of schools to orchestrate a nationwide protest that would lead to military take-over.

“He reportedly told them that, he would rather disrupt the country for change of government than to lose Edo state to the opposition APC. He said that was why he decided to postpone the school resumption date and that other PDP-controlled states would follow suit starting this week.”

The Reds are thought to have offered an initial £25.6m (€30m) plus £4.3m (€5m) in add-ons to sign the Georgia international.

It is also likely the 23-year-old will stay on loan at Valencia for the rest of the season as part of the deal.

Sky Sports News reported last week that the idea of a loan into the Premier League – potentially to Bournemouth – was part of negotiations.

However, it is believed Mamardashvili would prefer to remain at Valencia on loan.

Sky Sports News understands his potential signing has no bearing on the current goalkeeper situation at Anfield.

Alisson Becker is and will remain the club’s number one goalkeeper.

However, Liverpool are doing due diligence on future ‘keepers for the day when the Brazilian moves on or retires – and Mamardashvili is someone they believe has big potential.

Republic of Ireland international Caoimhin Kelleher is Liverpool’s second-choice goalkeeper behind Alisson.

Mamardashvili was one of the standout players at Euro 2024, helping Georgia reach the last 16 for the first time in their history.

The 23-year-old joined Valencia from Dinamo Tbilisi in his homeland in the summer of 2021 and has gone on to make 100 appearances for the Spanish side, keeping 31 clean sheets.

If a deal for Mamardashvili can be completed he would become Liverpool’s first signing since the arrival of head coach Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes.

Liverpool thought they were close to signing Martin Zubimendi, but the Spanish midfielder changed his mind and opted to stay at Real Sociedad.

The federal government says there will be tax breaks for companies that employ more staff.

A tax break is a benefit that the government offers in terms of tax deduction, credit, exemption, or exclusion that helps individuals and businesses save money on their tax bills.

Speaking during an interview on AIT on Tuesday, Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, said the tax breaks will be included in the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The Inflation Reduction Act will now contain a range of import duty exemptions, such as lowering of tariffs and outright tax breaks, for instance, for employment,” Edun said.

“If you employ more people, you will be given a tax break against it. So that range of fiscal incentives will also be laid out in an executive order, which Mr. President will in due course sign.”

The minister said this is part of the steps the federal government is taking to counteract the increase in costs of operations elevated mostly by the movement in the foreign exchange (FX) rate for companies that import, process and add value to raw materials.

“Where we are on VAT is that a whole range of items from CNG to pharmaceutical products and so forth are exempt from VAT. It’s an executive order. I will sign it. It is currently with the ministry of justice,” Edun said.

“Withholding tax, which essentially saves the working capital of companies, is removed for all manufacturing, many small and medium-scale enterprises, food production, food processing companies, a whole range. And it will be listed in an executive order, which I am also authorized to sign.”

Speaking on the timeline, Edun said the executive order will be out in one or two weeks.

“I would say that in the next week or two it should be out. It has to go through certain regulatory, certain legal processes, but there is nothing holding it up except just the administrative processing, which we will ensure will be quick,” he said.

Nigeria’s inflation rate rose to 34.19 percent in June 2024 — up from 33.95 percent in May.

To tame inflation, the monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on July 23 increased the lending rate by 150 basis points to 26.75 percent

The family of the designer of Nigeria’s flag, Late Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi has declared that governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has released funds for the burial of their patriarch.

The family made this declaration via a statement made available to journalists on Friday.

It could be recalled that Pa Akinkunmi, a native of Abeokuta in Ogun state but lived in Ibadan in Oyo state died on 29th August 2023.

His design was selected as the best in the year 1958 amongst all the presented designs for the competition to get a new national flag design for the country (Nigeria) that was about to get her independence from the Colonial masters.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris, led a delegation of the Federal Government to visit the family of Late Pa Akinkunmi in Ibadan and promised that Nigerian government would stand by the family.

Oyo State Government led by Engineer Seyi Makinde also sent their condolence letter from the office of the Executive Governor.

It was however gathered that the deceased has not been buried as at the time of filing this report due to the inability of the federal and state governments to fulfill their promise.

However, Oyo state government led by Makinde has fulfilled its promise by releasing funds for the burial of Pa Akinkunmi.

Spokesman for the family, Mr. Samuel Akinkunmi in the statement made available to journalists, commended the governor for the gesture.

He maintained that the final burial would take place in the next few days.

“This is to notify the general public that Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has released funds for the burial of our patriarch.

“He died in August last year and he has not been buried as at today. The reasons are not far fetch. The federal government sent a representative led by the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Muhammad Idris. He promised us that the federal government will sponsor the burial. Also, Oyo state government pledged to support the burial.

“At a time when we fixed dates, we approached them and they were not forthcoming. We decided to bury him on our own and they said we should not do that at the time.

“But to God be the glory, Governor Seyi Makinde has fulfilled his promise. We wish to thank him, members of the 7th assembly, members of Oyo State Advisory Council and everyone who took the matter up.

“We also want to thank Yoruba World Congress UK for their support. They wrote an open letter to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu challenging the Nigerian government and the Oyo state government for the neglect. Although the Presidency is yet to fulfil it’s promise at the time of this correspondence.

“We also want to thank the media. We thank members of the fourth estate of the realm for giving us a voice in their respective media platforms.

“I wish to thank everyone on behalf of the family. I am also using this medium to inform the general public that the date for the burial will be announced soon

At least four people have reportedly been killed, while several others sustained injuries during the ongoing protest in Suleja, Niger State.

This comes a moment after protesters barricaded the road, trapping many passengers and motorists for hours.

The victims were reportedly killed while security operatives struggled to disperse protesters who erected barricades on a section of the Abuja-Kaduna highway.

Among those killed was Yahaya Nda Isah, a resident of Hassan Dalatu Road, Suleja, who was struck by a stray bullet. The bullet hit him while he was on his bike in front of the Suleja Police ‘A’ Division, where protesters had gathered according to DAILY TRUST.

A nephew of the deceased told Daily Trust, “He was my uncle. He wasn’t even protesting; he was just passing in front of the Police ‘A’ Division when a stray bullet hit him in the chest, and he died on the spot. As I speak with you, I am at his house alongside other mourners. It’s unfortunate.”

Another victim was identified simply as Mallam Abu, who also died at the scene.

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, informed Daily Trust that three other people were shot at the same location while two others were shot at the Suleja Junction on the Abuja-Kaduna road, though he could not confirm whether they were dead.

Another resident, whose shop was located near the Suleja Police ‘A’ Division, stated that he had to close his shop and flee for his life.

“We heard people shouting, and gunshots were heard for about 20 minutes at Emir Roundabout. The situation in Suleja is dire,” said Bala Abdullahi, another resident.

SP Wasiu Abiodun, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, said that some hoodlums attempted to set the Tafa Local Government Area ablaze, but they were dispersed by security operatives.

This indicates that the protest had taken a fierce dimension in the state.

Abuja Police Command Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh confirmed that a protest has been hijacked by hoodlums in the Nation’s capital not far from Niger State.