Daily Watch – Buhari hits 50 with EO6, Asaba Airport resumes operations
15th October 2018
- President Buhari has ordered security agencies to place high profile Nigerians who are directly affected by Executive Order 6, under watch. EO6 is specifically directed to relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that all assets within a minimum value of ₦50 million or equivalent, subject to investigation or litigation are protected from dissipation by employing all available lawful means, pending the final determination of any corruption-related matter. President Buhari gave directives to the Nigeria Immigration Service to place an embargo on those who are affected from travelling outside the country. This order came after a Federal High Court in Abuja upheld the legality of EO6. The President has since instructed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami to implement the order in full force.
- No fewer than 10,000 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya between April 2017 and October 2018 according to the National Emergency Management Agency. The South West Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Yakubu Suleiman, announced this while receiving a new batch of 161 returnees, who arrived Lagos on Friday. Suleiman said that the Nigerians were assisted back in 50 flights facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration. According to him, the returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 3.10 a.m. and were received by officials of NEMA and other agencies at the airport. Among the 161 returnees were 147 adults, four children and 10 infants. 12 of the women were pregnant while nine had varying medical cases. On October 9, NEMA had received a batch of 149 returnees, bringing the total number of returnees received during the week to 310.
- Current oil prices reflect market “perceptions” of a potential supply shortage rather than an actual inability of OPEC and its key producer allies to pump oil, Mohammad Barkindo, the cartel’s secretary general has said. However, OPEC in its monthly report said world oil demand would increase by 1.36 million bpd next year, marking a decline of 50,000 bpd from its previous estimate. On the perceived supply shortages, Barkindo said “the market has been reacting to perceptions of a supply shortage, it is not really as such. The balance may be fragile as a result of non-fundamental factors, but I remain confident that we will overcome.” OPEC said its own production rose by 132,000 bpd in September to 32.76 million bpd, the highest according to the monthly report since August 2017. Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Libya all increased output last month by 26,000 bpd, 108,000 bpd and 103,000 bpd respectively, more than offsetting the 150,000 bpd decline from Iran to 3.447 million bpd, as reported by secondary sources.
- The Project Manager of the Asaba Airport, Austine Ayemidejor, has said that the has fully resumed operations after its downgrade by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority in 2014. Ayemidejor said efforts were on to ensure that the airport was upgraded from its current category, six, to category eight or nine, to enable it to engage in international flights. Ayemidejor said since the rehabilitation work on the runway and other ancillary facilities as directed by the regulatory, activities at the airport had greatly increased. Ayemidejor said the airport authority was discussing with the three airlines now plying the route to see the possibilities of connecting from Asaba to Port Harcourt, Calabar and Uyo The Asaba airport positons as a gateway to eastern Nigeria and with proximity to Onitsha and Nnewi markets.