The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made clarification on viral reports that it has suspended accounts of some Fintech companies like OPAY and PALMPAY.

The apex bank refuted the reports, describing it as fake news.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), this was made known by the Acting Director, of Corporate Communications of CBN, Mr. Isa AbdulMumin, on Friday, March 24, 2023, in Abuja, where he said that the viral news “is simply fake’’.

The viral news credited to AbdulMumin claimed that the CBN was about to suspend accounts of the Fintech companies because they were being used to perpetrate fraud.

The viral news partly read, “Please if you are using OPAY, PALMPAY or any of these CHINA APPs or their POS, stop keeping much money in the account or stop using it.

“The CBN is about suspending their accounts because these apps are being used to perpetrate fraud.’’

Similarly, OPAY and PALMPAY had in separate social media messages denied being under the radar of the CBN.

OPAY had stated that, “the post mentioning the CBN shutting down our operations is false and misleading to the general public.’’

PALMPAY also posted a similar disclaimer stating that “We are aware of news currently being spread on social media about CBN shutting down the operations of PALMPAY.

“Please ignore all such misleading news of this nature,’’

A World Health Organisation (WHO) study has revealed that the use of skin bleaching creams was prevalent among 77 percent of Nigerian women which was the highest in Africa compared to 59 percent in Togo, 35 percent in South Africa and 27 percent women in Senegal.

This was disclosed by the Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye while delivering her opening address at the North-Central Zonal Sensitisation Workshop on the Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Control held in Jos, Plateau.

She explained that the scary statistic has shown that the menace of bleaching creams in Nigeria has become a national health emergency that requires a multi-faceted regulatory approach.

According to her, “part of the multi-pronged approach are consultative/sensitization meetings such as this and heightened raids on distribution outlets of bleaching creams.”

The Director-General stressed the need for stringent regulatory actions to stem the dangerous tide of rampant and pervasive cases of Nigerians using bleaching cream.

She urged the media to assist NAFDAC in publicising and disseminating knowledge acquired to the general public and further commended the media for its collaboration and support for NAFDAC to rid the country of the menace of substandard and falsified medicines, unwholesome foods, corrosive cosmetics and other substandard regulated products.

Professor Adeyeye said one of the sensitisation actions was the flagging off of media sensitization workshops organised for journalists in Abuja, Lagos, and Kano, adding that the one organised for the North Central was a fulfillment of her promise to cascade it to the six geo-political zones in the country as a deliberate strategy of mobilising, educating, sensitising, and challenging Nigerian health journalists to play a frontline role in concerted efforts to eradicate the menace of bleaching creams and needless waste of scarce resources in Nigeria.

“This sensitization workshop is a training for the Trainers’ Programme with the great expectation that participants will assume the role of champions in the vanguard of the campaign against the use of bleaching creams. It is pertinent to mention that during my recent press conference in Abuja announcing my second tenure in office, I promised to continue the transformative agenda of my first tenure but intensify and widen the scope of our publicity and public awareness campaign.

She assured that NAFDAC will henceforth constantly engage the Mass Media as the agency strive to bring down to the grassroots level positive impacts of its regulatory activities.

Professor Adeyeye further disclosed that some of the harmful effects of bleaching creams include cancer, damage to vital organs of the body, skin irritation and allergy, skin burn and rashes, wrinkles, premature skin aging, and prolonged healing of wounds.

In his address, Director Public Affairs NAFDAC, Dr Abubakar Jimoh said the agency needs the media to fight the menace of bleaching among Nigerians adding that NAFDAC cannot do this alone.

The Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah in Bauchi State requested that Nigerian naira notes be made available during Ramadan on Friday.

Alhaji Hassan Gwani, the chairman of the tafsir committee for the Kasuwan Shanu JIBWS mosque, made the appeal at the beginning of the annual Ramadan tafsir this year.

He said, “Ramadan is here again and the currency meant for daily purchases is not available thereby making the situation difficult for people to buy what they need.

“If the FG wants the policy to be received with open arms and successful, the new naira notes should be made available for people to spend.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council has felicitated the Muslim faithful as they commenced the month-long Ramadan fast.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, conveyed the congratulatory message on behalf of FEC on Friday, in a statement issued by the Director of Information, Office of the SGF, Mr Willie Bassey.

In Jigawa State, the government has reduced the official working hours in the state by two hours during the period of Ramadan.

The state Head of the Civil Service, Hussaini Kila, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists by his Public Relations Officer, Ismail Dutse.

According to the statement, civil servants in the state would report to the office at 9 am and close by 3pm instead of 5pm between Monday and Thursday.

“Furthermore, workers would report to work on Fridays by 9 am and close by 1 pm as usual. It is also hoped that civil servants would use the fasting period to pray for the peace and economic prosperity of the state and Nigeria at large,” the statement said.

On his part, former vice-president Atiku Abubakar called on Muslims to use the holy month to seek spiritual guidance and sacrifice to the cause of peace.

Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded elections, gave the advice in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He said, “It is quite clear that the essential principles of this holy month are what we need to heal our wounds, both as individuals and as a country.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, on Friday urged Muslims to use the period of the fast to wage relentless spiritual war against the rising ethnic tensions.

Bamidele said, “Most importantly, our Muslim brothers should look beyond seeing this period for personal spiritual fortification. They should pray against insecurity, corruption, ethnic tension, and nepotism that is afflicting the nation and quaking our bond of unity and collective destiny.”

Apostle Johnson Suleman has recounted how some men of God treated him when he was attacked last year.

Speaking during a church service, he stated that some pastors showed him great love and sympathy in that trying time.

He said one of such pastors was Bishop David Oyedepo, the President and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide.

According to Suleman, Bishop Oyedepo called several times and prayed for him against any future attacks.

“The love I saw from Bishop Oyedepo when I was attacked, I didn’t see it from any minister in Nigeria”, he said.

“He didn’t have my phone number; he sent me his phone number. He said that they should give it to me.

“People were calling me. Bishop Abioye was calling me. I know Bishop Abioye’s number. And he (Oyedepo) began to pray for me.

“The next day, he called me again. Such a man! Who am I? He said, ‘they will not succeed, they can’t quench that light’! Tears came out of my eyes.”

Recall that on October 21, 2022, Suleman’s motorcade was attacked by gunmen suspected to be assassins. Seven people were killed in that attack, including security officers.

The man of God escaped death in his bulletproof car.