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Exporting yam tubers carries life sentence in Nigeria(FACT)
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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
In 2017, Nigeria made a failed attempt at exporting yam to the United States of America. It was part of the national response to the recession crisis of 2016. Audu Ogbeh, the then minister of agriculture, publicly announced that the USA rejected Nigeria’s yam exports due to the poor quality of the tubers.
A few days after the international embarrassment, Gaza Jonathan, a member of the then House of Representatives, called the minister out for illegality. According to him, exporting yam from Nigeria was against the law, and he was right.
The Export Prohibition Act of 1989, introduced under the Ibrahim Babangida regime, bans the export of yam. But the list of contraband exports was longer than that. Aside from yam, the act prohibited the export of beans, cassava tubers, maize, rice, yam tubers and their derivatives. The act also prohibited the export of imported food.
What is more interesting, however, is the punishment stipulated by the legislation for exporting these food items. According to the act, the punishment for exporting these items could be as light as a fine or as severe as a life imprisonment sentence.
Below is what the legislation reads as punishments for exporting any of the prohibited items:
“Any person who takes causes to be taken induces any other person to take or attempts to take out of Nigeria any of the goods specified in the Schedule to this Act shall be guilty of an offense and liable on conviction to imprisonment for life.”
“In addition to the penalty specified in subsection (1) of this section
the goods, as well as any vehicle, vessel, aircraft, or other things whatsoever used in connection with the exportation; and
all the assets, movable or immovable, including motor vehicles, of any person convicted of the offense, shall be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Any customs officer or other person who aids counsels procures or conspires with any person to commit an offense under this section, shall be guilty of an offense and liable on conviction to the same punishment as prescribed for the offense under subsection (1) of this section. (4) Any offense committed under this Act shall be triable by the Federal High Court.”
Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has dismissed claims that the Mexican government rejected his diplomatic appointment, attributing his delayed resumption instead to the ongoing FIFA World Cup being co-hosted by Mexico and the United States.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today last Monday, the former presidential aide said the delay was due to logistical and diplomatic considerations linked to the global football tournament, stressing that he was not the only Nigerian envoy yet to assume duty. Omokri said reports suggesting that Mexico had declined to accept him as Nigeria’s ambassador were false and were being promoted by political opponents.
“Mexico has not rejected me. Not at all,” he said.Politics He explained that the Mexican government is currently focused on hosting the World Cup alongside the United States, leaving little room to process the arrival of new diplomats. “You should understand that Mexico is right now hosting the World Cup, along with the United States of America, and all of their focus is on that,” Omokri stated.
According to him, several Nigerian ambassadors-designate are also yet to resume at their respective postings for similar reasons.Executive Branch “Most of us ambassadors have not resumed. So, I’m not the only one. A lot of my colleagues are in my situation, but it’s okay. These things happen,” he said. The ambassador-designate also accused members of the opposition of spreading misleading narratives about his appointment, insisting that such claims have no basis in reality. “The opposition will always say things like I have been rejected. We do not work on the basis of the opposition. We work on the basis of reality,” he said.
Omokri expressed confidence that Nigeria continues to enjoy cordial diplomatic relations with countries around the world and maintained that host nations would receive Nigerian envoys in due course. “The reality of it is that we have countries in the world that respect Nigeria, and they’re going to be taking Nigeria’s envoys,” he added.
A young Nigerian girl who was trafficked to Cotonou, Benin Republice for prostitution has d!ed.
Sewuese passed away on Friday, July 24, 2026 in Benue State after she was brought home.
Activist, Zege Orkwande, who has been facilitating the rescue of trafficked Benue girls said investigation is ongoing and those who trafficked her will face the full wrath of law.
“People are asking “who took Sewuese to Cotonou”. Trust my process,” he wrote.
“The people that trafficked/smuggled her to Cotonou for prostitution will sure face the law and serve in prison uniform.
“All information gathered. I’m waiting for her to be buried first. REST WELL.”
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has launched a probe into the alleged withholding of operational funds approved by President Bola Tinubu for six federal information agencies by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.
The investigation follows reports by Premium Times alleging that the Permanent Secretary failed to process payment files for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), despite presidential approval. The delay reportedly affected the operations of the agencies, with sources alleging that Mrs. Ukaire insisted that agency heads make detailed presentations on their projects and financial utilisation before the payments could be processed.
Agency heads and civil service experts reportedly argued that the demand contravened established procedures.
They cited a circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which directs supervising ministries not to interfere in the financial administration of parastatals, noting that the agencies are accountable to their governing boards and supervising ministers rather than the Permanent Secretary for routine operational releases.
In response to the allegations, the ICPC invited Mrs. Ukaire and the heads of the affected agencies for questioning to determine the circumstances surrounding the delayed funds. Although those invited were questioned, no one was detained, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Following the report and the ICPC’s intervention, Mrs. Ukaire reportedly approved the payment files and forwarded them for disbursement. Heads of the affected agencies confirmed that the documents have now been transmitted and are awaiting final release into their respective accounts, bringing relief after months of uncertainty.
Source: Rewritten from a report by Premium Times without altering the original facts.
Ambassador Omokri Amid Rejection Rumours Says World Cup Cause of his delayed resumption
Sad: Young Nigerian reportedly trafficked for commercial s*x dies after rescue
ICPC investigates Permanent Secretary over delayed Tinubu’s approved agency funds
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