Daily Watch – Shias protests El-Zakzaky travel ban, Debt reached ₦46tn in Q4 2022

Police in Abuja, on Thursday, dispersed a protest staged by the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) members, demanding the FG release and lift the travel ban placed on their leader, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky. The police reportedly fired teargas on the protesters and arrested some of them. A member of the group’s legal team, Ishaq Adam, told Daily Trust that eight of their members were critically injured, with many sustaining minor injuries. Mansur Hamza Malumfashi, the movement’s Islamic Medical Initiative (ISMA) head, Abuja Zone, said the protesters were demanding the release of the international passports of El-Zakzaky and his wife, Malama Zeenah, for a medical trip outside the country. Earlier on Thursday, the Federal High Court rejected an application filed by Sheikh El-Zakzaky asking the Department of State Services (DSS) to release his passport and that of his wife. Delivering judgement, Justice Obiora Egwuatu ruled that the Islamic cleric failed to prove that his passport was missing despite the 10 exhibits provided by his lawyers to prove that the DSS took the passports away after his return from India in 2018.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) says Nigeria’s total public debt hit ₦46.25 trillion at the end of the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2022. The DMO, in a statement on Thursday, said the comparative debt stock for 31 December 2021 was ₦39.56 trillion — an increase of ₦6.69 trillion. Q4 2022 data is also an increase of about ₦2 trillion compared to the ₦44.6 trillion recorded in Q3 2022. The DMO said the debt rise was due to borrowings and the issuance of promissory notes to settle liabilities. Total debt-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio as of 31 December 2022, was 23.20 percent, a slight increase from 22.47 percent as of 31 December 2021.

There will be power supply interruptions to some parts of Ghana, beginning 1 April and will last for 14 days, as the Ghana Gas Company plans to shut down its Atuabo processing plant for thorough maintenance works. JoyNews reported that the shutdown will affect gas supply to some power plants. Communications Director at Ghana Gas, Ernest Owusu Bempah, confirmed the development and said the maintenance was necessary for maximum performance. He did say other gas outlets would be operational so that there would be no shortages. The Energy Ministry urged the Electricity Company of Ghana in a statement to publish a load-shedding programme for the affected consumers.

A contingent of one thousand troops has departed Uganda for the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Ugandan troops will be operating under the regional East Africa Community force that includes Burundi and Kenya. Uganda’s contingent is led by colonel Michael Hairoba. In his speech at the ceremony, he said, “We are going as ambassadors of peace in Congo. We are prepared, we are trained, and are ready for the task.” The East African Community force is meant to contain M23 rebels who started attacks on Congo army positions in June 2022 and occupied several communities.